Fishing at Upper Peoria Lake, Peoria County, Illinois

• Overview

  You will find Upper Peoria Lake in Peoria County, Illinois. The surroundings are rolling bush. At 24.2 sq miles you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. Long inlets mean the far ends can be calm while the main body is rough. By surface area it heads our Peoria County listings. The closest town, Rome, is 2.4 miles away. The big place round here is North Peoria, 9.9 miles distant. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Upper Peoria Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Public occurrence data for Peoria County names common carp, white perch, goldfish, bluegill and orangethroat darter. The county list is broader than any single water. Read Upper Peoria Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 75°F; by January the average is down near 22°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid March. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid March until roughly late December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. It holds true on Upper Peoria Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A picnic site half a mile off makes this workable with family in tow. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Wildwind Lake, 3.9 miles out. Treat access at Upper Peoria Lake as something to verify.