Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool: what the data says
Lockport dam to the Brandon Road dam through Joliet. the Des Plaines navigation pool, catfish, sauger and white bass in urban current. The river tops out around 25 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Channel Catfish fishing at Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 25 ft. Lockport tailrace is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring channel catfish. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday |
Flathead Catfish fishing at Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool
Spring flathead catfish on Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 25 ft. Lockport tailrace is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring flathead catfish. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | |
| Summer | 7 to 25 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 7 to 25 ft | night & dusk | |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday |
Blue Catfish fishing at Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool
In spring, blue catfish run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Summer fish stay in 6 to 25 ft, and winter fish hold in 8 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Lockport tailrace: a creek channel around 4 ft that scores prime in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday |
Largemouth Bass fishing at Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 25 ft. Joliet riverfront is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 25 ft. Lockport tailrace rock is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring smallmouth bass. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
White Bass fishing at Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool
In spring, white bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 25 ft. Brandon Road approach hump is the standout, a offshore hump at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for summer white bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | see map |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | see map |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | see map |
Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool also holds sauger (8 to 25 ft in summer), freshwater drum (7 to 25 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Notable structure
- Brandon Road approach hump: offshore hump, around 12 ft
- Joliet channel point: point, around 8 ft
- Lockport tailrace rock: rock pile, around 6 ft
- Joliet riverfront: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Lockport tailrace: creek channel, around 4 ft
Common questions
How deep is Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool?
Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool is about 25 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool?
Anglers target largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white bass, sauger, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, freshwater drum, common carp on Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool.
Where is the best fishing spot on Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool?
Joliet riverfront is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool?
For channel catfish, the summer bite is best in after dark and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Illinois Waterway - Dresden Island Pool · Des Plaines River · Kankakee River · Fox River · Boulder Lake · Shabbona Lake
See how Illinois Waterway - Brandon Road Pool stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Illinois · best smallmouth bass lakes in Illinois · best white bass lakes in Illinois · best sauger lakes in Illinois
Browse all Illinois fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.