Widner Lake in Iroquois County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Iroquois County, Illinois, is where Widner Lake sits. It stands 774 feet above sea level. It covers about 15 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is high ground by Illinois standards. Nearest town is Paxton, 3.7 miles off. Joliet is the closest city, 70 miles away. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Widner Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Across Iroquois County, recorded fish include channel catfish, green sunfish and johnny darter. The county list is broader than any single water. On Widner Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 74°F, while January sits near 23°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid March. Ice usually gives way near mid March, and forms again about late December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. On Widner Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Should this one be busy, Iroquois Lake is 1.5 miles off. Signs at Widner Lake carry more weight than any list.