Wares Lake Fishing in Whiteside County, Illinois

• Overview

  The Whiteside County end of Illinois holds Wares Lake. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. The water covers some 39 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Fulton is the closest town at 1.9 miles. The nearest city of size is Davenport, 34 miles away. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Wares Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Whiteside County include common carp, johnny darter, green sunfish, smallmouth bass and white sucker. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Wares Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 74°F and January about 19°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice-out usually falls in late March, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The open-water window runs from around late March to about mid December in an average year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Wares Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Mapping shows a jetty some half a mile off. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Swedes Lake sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. For Wares Lake in particular, ask before you travel.