Best Lakes for Fishing Near Chicago
Illinois
5 fishing lakes within driving distance of Chicago, Illinois, ranked by water quality and fishing-specific filters. Filtered for documented fish species (3+) and public access. Ranked by water quality and species diversity.
A moderate cluster of 5 graded lakes lies within reach of Chicago, averaging a grade of B. Cross Lake (B) is the cleanest of the set.
The fishing-specific ranking layered on top of the LakeGrade rubric is what produces the list below: a grade-good lake that does not also support the fishing use case is less useful than a grade-decent lake that does.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cross Lake | Kenosha | B | 48.8 mi | 9.5 ft | 35 ft |
| 2 | Rock Lake | Kenosha | B | 49.7 mi | 10 ft | 33 ft |
| 3 | Lake Shangri-la | Kenosha | NR | 49.1 mi | 3 ft | 24 ft |
| 4 | Voltz Lake | Kenosha | NR | 49.3 mi | 9.3 ft | 24 ft |
| 5 | George Lake | Kenosha | NR | 49.5 mi | 2.3 ft | 16 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.