Fishing at Woodbury Lake, Cumberland County, Illinois

• Overview

  Woodbury Lake lies within the bounds of Cumberland County, Illinois. It stands 594 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 7 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Toledo lies 6.4 miles from the water. After that come Greenup at 8.6 miles and Teutopolis at 9.8 miles. In the same area: Lake Matton 13 miles off, Lake Mattoon lies 14 miles on, Brush Creek 14 miles off, Lake Pauline lies 14 miles on and Cips Lake 16 miles off. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Woodbury Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Cumberland County records list green sunfish, white sucker and bluegill among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Anyone new to Woodbury Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 26°F and July at about 76°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Plan any trip to Woodbury Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Lake Matton is 13 miles off. The position on Woodbury Lake is worth confirming on the day.