Mallard Lake Forest Preserve — Attraction in Illinois

Beneath the azure sky, in nature's gentle embrace, At Mallard Lake, a tranquil, secluded place. Where ripples kiss the shore, and whispers softly flow, A tale of fishing moments, where the heart and spirit grow.

The morning sun's first kiss, on the water's mirrored face, Reflecting dreams of anglers in this serene, secluded space. With tackle and with patience, they cast their hopeful line, Seeking stories of the catch, in the hush of morning's time.

The Mallards on the water, in their regal, graceful glide, Share the secrets of the lake, where reflections coincide. As sunlight filters through the leaves, a dance of shadows play, Upon the glassy surface, where dreams are born today.

With each tug and gentle pull, the heart skips a beat, A tug-of-war of wills, as man and nature meet. In harmony with the breeze, and the whispers of the reeds, Anglers find their solace in fulfilling silent needs.

A symphony of life unfolds, in this tranquil setting's grace, With Mallard Lake's enchantment, in this picturesque embrace. The beauty of the moment, as the fishing lines are cast, Is a timeless, cherished memory, destined to forever last.

So, cast your cares upon the water, let worries drift away, At Mallard Lake, in nature's arms, where dreams come out to play. A haven for the angler's soul, where tales of fishing are told, In the heart of nature's sanctuary, where life's stories...

I specifically went here to go fishing with my 4 year old daughter. There are very few spots to fish now as the reeds and tall grass have taken over almost the entire shoreline. This leaves a couple docks and a handful of smaller openings, all on a steep incline, along the shore to fish. Most of which are already occupied by others too. Not a problem but the areas are so tight it would be uncomfortable to just join someone else or their group. You can get a ticket fishing on the bridge(s) so this limits the fishing spots further. We were forced to fish in just one very condensed spot then for several hours. And, after many lost worms and different baits attempted, we only caught 2 sunfish.

As we were leaving it started to pour rain. We were far from the parking lot and, with few spots for cover along the paths back to the parking lot, we were absolutely drenched. Needless to say my younger daughter was not happy with her first...

This is a wonderful place to take a nice walk, go jogging, go fishing, go kayaking, go bird watching, do photography, etc. The trail is wide and made of gravel so you won't be bumping into anyone unless you wanted to. The place is mostly clean, with a few beer cans scattered about and some fishing garbage along the shoreline. It seems to attract mostly a wholesome crowd and seems to be a popular place to spend time with nature. I've only seen a officer patrol once in the handful of times I've visited, but the place feels safe nonetheless. My dog ended up with ticks when I brought her with me one time, so make sure your pup is up to date on tick medications and that you have some type of repellent if you decide to go off the gravel path. All in all, a great place to spend your time if you need a...