Fishing near Sterling, Illinois

Sterling sits on the Whiteside County side of Illinois. It counts about 15,057 residents. From the door outwards: Crystal Lake a shade over 1.8 miles to the south, Lake Carlton a shade over 14 miles, Lake Erie a shade over 21 miles to the south-west and Timber Lake a shade over 22 miles. If the wind is up, Lake Erie gives a sheltered corner on one side or the other. Still water dominates the list. The first drop-off out from the margin is where to start. Whether a lid forms depends on the year. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. Nearest is Crystal Lake, roughly 3 acres of surface. Crystal Lake is the one with a mapped slipway. Break-up on local water lands around late March. Whiteside County records cover common carp, johnny darter, green sunfish, smallmouth bass and white sucker. For a first trip out of Sterling, Crystal Lake is the obvious one to try....