Bolingbrook Area Offers Variety of Fishing Spots

With the weather warming up, fishing is picking up. The following list has some local areas where shoreline and boating fishing are available:

Hidden Trails Historic Trout Farms

This destination has four fishing ponds and is owned by the Bolingbrook Park District. It is at 475 Trout Farm Road in Bolingbrook.

Christine Martner, superintendent of parks and natural resources, said this is a fee-fishing facility. While no state license is required, there are yearly permits (April 1-March 31) available for $40 and $25 with a residential identification card. Day permits are $10 and $8 with a residential id card.

Martner said the lake is stocked with catfish, trout, blue fish and bass, with the money obtained from the permits used to stock the ponds.

“People love to come here because they know it’s stocked and people have a lot of success catching the fish,” Martner said, who is budgeting selling 675 permits this year. “That’s half the fun of it. If you go all day and not catch anything, fishers would get discouraged.”

Pedro Vera of Bolingbrook is a fisherman who frequents Hidden Trails and goes with his friends Alfredo Soto and Jorge Arellano Alvarez of Bolingbrook.

“It’s a great area,” Vera said Thursday. “I come here almost everyday. Right now, I caught a golden trout. I love fishing. Fishing is a good pastime. You relax, forget all your problems.”

Vera has been an avid fisher for more than 15 years and provided some hints to improve one’s chances for catching more fish.

“You have to use all kinds of baits,” Vera said. “It depends on fish. For catfish, we use shrimp and chicken liver.”

Soto said he and his friends don’t even care if they catch fish, but enjoy spending time with each other and taking in the beauty of the park.

“It’s a very peaceful place,” Soto said. “Sometimes, I take my camera and take pictures of the animals.”

Fishers are allowed to take out two trout a day and three catfish a day and one bass that is over 18 inches, Martner said.

She said there are several fishing derbies offered at Hidden Trails, with the next ones occurring on May 21, June 4 and June 18.

There also is a Tackle Box Bait Shop available for purchasing worms, minnows, leeches and other fishing tackle and supplies.

Whalon Lake

Bruce Hodgdon, public information officer for the Forest Preserve District of Will County, said that Whalon Lake, on Royce Road in Naperville one mile west of Route 53 is a popular fishing destination. 

The 266-acre lake, open from 6 a.m.‑8 p.m., provides free shoreline fishing and is stocked. Hodgdon said game includes small mouth bass, large mouth bass, channel catfish and red ear sun.

There is a boat launch for personal watercraft, but only boats longer than 18 feet and having outboard motors are not allowed. Electric trolling motors are permitted.

For more information on Whalon Lake, Hodgdon said visit reconnectwithnature.org or call 815-727-8700.

Turtle and Budde Lakes

Hodgdon said Turtle and Budde Lakes are off Lockport Street in Plainfield a half-mile east of Route 59.

Both are part of Turtle Lake Access and are significantly smaller than Whalon Lake.

Shoreline fishing is free and the two lakes are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Turtle and Budde Lakes are unmanaged and unstocked with no boating allowed.

Monee Reservoir

Another area is Monee Reservoir off Ridgeland Avenue in Monee. Free shoreline fishing is provided with the 46-acre lake open from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.

There is a concession stand open for snacks, fishing bait and boat rental. Concessions are open from 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays and can be reached at 708-534-8499.

Hodgdon said boats could be rented for $5 an hour, $20 for a half day (4 hours) and $50 for a day with oars. With an electric trolling motor, the prices go up $10 an hour, $40 for a half day and $50 for the day.

Rock Run Greenway-Black Road Access

This lake is off Black Road in Joliet just east of Interstate 55. It is unstocked and unmanaged with free shoreline fishing allowed. It is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Rock Run Rookery

Hodgdon said the Rock Run Rookery, on Youngs Road in Channahon south of Route 6, is projected to open to the public June 1.

However, he said check the website 10 days before June 1 to see if that will hold.

The lake will provide free shoreline fishing and allow for personal boat use if under 18 feet. Access to the lake will be from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A formal grand opening is planned for September, he said.