Newton Lake Fishing Spot
- Max Depth: 35'
- Elevation: 503'
- Last Modified By: vinny60 on 09/10/09 05:20 PM
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Like the real estate business, a Newton Lake bass bonanza usually boils down to three things: location, location, location. The lake's thriving shad often gang up in big numbers near prime locales, particularly in winter months when fish pack the warm water west arm. Find shad, hook bass.
If you want to crank, you can. If you want to jig or fish worms, you can. The lake has everything."
Newton Lake is known for big fish and plenty of them. The subtle pop of a bass inhaling a jig could mean a tangle with a healthy 15-inch fish or a hawg rassle with a 7 1/2-pounder.
Fishing is best fall through spring. High lake temperatures stress bass in July and August. The lake is closed to fishing for seven days during Illinois' firearm deer season in November. Anglers are restricted to the warm water arm during the waterfowl season from Thanksgiving until the end of January.
Lures To Pack:
Newton Lake bass feast on shad 12 months of the year, so make sure your lure arsenal is well-stocked with faux shad baits in white, pearl, chrome, clear and related colors and finishes. Carry lipless crankbaits such as the Rattlin' Rapala and the Cordell Spot, and an assortment of crankbaits ranging from shallow runners to deep divers.
The entire tacklebox may get a workout at Newton. Topwater baits will produce in the dead of winter on Newton's warm water arm.
Walker's bait of choice is the skirted jig with a hefty plastic craw trailer, especially for big prespawn bass in late winter and early spring. Michael Murphy prefers the 1/4-ounce BOO Jig from Booyah and Strictly Bass jigs for Newton lunkers.
Try a Texas rigged worm or a Carolina rig with a Zoom Lizard or Brush Hog after bass settle into summer patterns in mid-May.
A sleeper bait is a Road Runner jig with white marabou or a white and chartreuse grub tail. Use it to jumpstart a slow bite.
Newton Lake Description
In 1979 the Illinois Department of Natural Resources signed a 25-year lease with Central Illinois Public Service Company which designated the 1,775 acre Newton Lake and 540 acres of shoreline as a day use conservation area. By agreement, recreational activities in the area consist of fishing, picnicking, trail use and deer hunting.
You can launch your boat from the two-lane ramp at the south access area. Concessions are available near the lake. The northern ends of the Sand Creek and Laws Creek fingers of the lake are restricted areas. Sailboating and swimming are not permitted. There is a 25 HP limit on boat motors.
Newton Lake has a good bass population as a result of a comprehensive stocking program initiated shortly after the lake was impounded in 1976. Pole and line fishing only is permitted with a limit of two poles per fisherman.
To avoid the possibility of over harvest and thus assure good fishing in the future, it is necessary to impose an 18 inch minimum length on largemouth bass and a daily creel limit of three per angler. The lake may produce some of the largest bass in Illinois.
Twenty two miles of trail along the picturesque shoreline of the lake were opened in 1980. The trail system begins at the North Access parking lot . The trails are opened to hiking, cross-country skiing and equestrian use. A five mile mountain bike trail is also open. Motorized vehicles are prohibited.
Directions
To reach Newton Lake Fish & Wildlife Area in Jasper County from I-57 & I-70 take exit #160 at Effingham, proceed east on RT 33 to Dieterich, turn right at the stop light, go south approximately 12 miles, turn left at Newton Lake Entrance sign and go east approximately 3 miles; this will bring you to the boat ramp. The site office is 2 miles north of the boat ramp.
No waterskiing is allowed on the lake. No boat rentals are available.
Newton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area is an Illinois state park on 1,775 acres (7.18 km2) in Jasper County, Illinois, United States. The park's grasslands are home to the largest of the three remaining Greater Prairie Chicken flocks in Illinois.