May is the best month to fish for bluegills in Mermet Lake, but the park is closed through the June spawning period and redears just bite about anything you get near them.

Concentrate your efforts on the riprap at the dam and in the deeper parts of the coves.

While central Illinois is not known as a fisherman’s paradise, there are plenty of quality fishing spots to choose from.

Although the big impoundments of Shelbyville and Carlyle get most of the attention, don’t overlook these sleeper bluegill hotspots.

The Hennepin Canal begins at the town of Hennepin and connects the Illinois and Rock rivers a few miles before it empties into the Mississippi. The 104.5-mile canal connects a long series of pools created by locks and dams and each segment hosts a good population of bluegills.

The pools may be fished from shore from well-groomed walking trails or by launching small boats or canoes into each pool. Since bluegill fishing is pretty basic, and the fish in the pools can’t go very far, all one need do is walk the banks and probe the 15-foot depths until a concentration of fish is located.

For full information, maps and regulations on the Hennepin Canal, simply Google Hennepin Canal.

The 150-acre Fulton County Camping and Recreation Area, located between Lewistown and St. David, is made up of ponds, sloughs and small lakes. In addition to surprisingly good panfishing, the area offers boating, canoeing, camping and picnicking. There is a site access fee and other restrictions, so call (800) 747-0302 for full details.

Not well known, but certainly worth visiting, is Snakeden Hollow Fish and Wildlife Area located in Knox County, near the town of Victoria. This unique area is dotted with 125 strip pits and lakes, all holding fish, some more than others.

To begin, try Turkey Lake within easy walking distance of the parking area. Then, as you become familiar with the surroundings, you can explore some of the other ponds in this 2,470-acre site. In addition to bluegills, at least three dozen ponds and lakes hold walleyes, trout, muskies, bass, catfish and crappies, so when that bobber goes under, hang on; you never know what might be at the other end of your line.

For full details, maps and site regulations, call (309) 879-2707.

The northern tier of Illinois counties is dominated by the Chain O’ Lakes in Lake and McHenry counties.

Bluegills proliferate in all these lakes and access is easy and plentiful. Boat and motor rentals are available on nearly every lake, and guide services may be secured by contacting area bait shops. Your best bet might be Channel Lake, but that is a close call, since they all hold good populations of the tasty fish.

In spring, from mid-May through the end of June, you will find bluegills spawning along the banks of the channels that connect the various lakes.

A good rig to prospect the channels is a fly rod with a slip-bobber and a large ice fly with two wax worms.

Simply work your way along the channels, dropping the bait next to the shore cover. When you catch one ‘gill, there will most likely be more right there.

Wolf Lake is in the unlikely confines of Chicago. It lies on the far south side, adjacent to the Indiana state line. Steel mills, oil refineries and miles of cattail marsh, surround the lake.