Largemouth Bass

Crete, Illinois, offers some surprisingly good largemouth bass fishing in its local ponds, lakes, and sloughs. While there isn't one dominant body of water, the scattered smaller lakes provide intimate fishing experiences. The best time to target largemouth in Crete is during the spring spawning season and again in the fall as the fish fatten up for winter. Look for shallow, weedy areas during the spawn. Plastic worms, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits are all effective lures. A good local tip is to explore the smaller, less-pressured ponds that are accessible from public parks or roadside pull-offs. These often hold overlooked bass. Also, be aware that many of these smaller waters can experience significant weed growth during the summer months, so weedless presentations are crucial. The largemouth in these waters tend to be opportunistic feeders, so experiment with different presentations to see what they're hitting on any given day.