Turner Lake Fishing in Lake County, Illinois

• Overview

  Set in Lake County, Illinois, this is Turner Lake. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. Surface area is around 42 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. About 1.4 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. The nearest place of any size is Spring Grove, 2.4 miles away. Pistakee Highlands follows at 2.9 miles, then Channel Lake at 3.4 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Turner Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Species logged across Lake County include bluegill, common carp, green sunfish and pumpkinseed. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Turner Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 72°F; the cold one sits at 19°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. After late March the shallows warm and the fish move up. Ice clears near late March and comes back about mid December in a typical year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Turner Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A launch point is recorded some half a mile off. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. A jetty or pier is mapped about 150 yards from here. Gill's is mapped as a fishing spot about half a mile away. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. A toilet block sits half a mile away. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Mud Lake sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow.