Timber Lake Fishing near Tower Lake, Illinois

• Overview

  Timber Lake falls in Lake County, part of Illinois. Elevation runs to 781 feet. It runs to roughly 30 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. A shoreline of some 1.0 miles keeps the choices simple. It is high ground by Illinois standards. Tower Lake at 1.5 miles is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Elgin, 16 miles away. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Timber Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. County-wide records name bluegill, common carp, green sunfish and pumpkinseed. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Timber Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 72°F and January at 20°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late March. In an average year the thaw lands around late March and the freeze near mid December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. On Timber Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Bangs Lake is 1.9 miles off. Check the current arrangement for Timber Lake.