Fishing in Illinois public spots, conditions & reports
1 of 4worth the trip today
Mostly walleye today. Each spot is scored for whatever is in season and biting best there.
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Every Illinois spot
4 public spots, best first. Each is scored for whatever is in season and biting best there.
The state report
Illinois DNR hasn’t published one we can date.
Licenses and rules
Rules for what people fish for here
- Common carpno daily limitIllinois sets no statewide harvest or size limit on common carp; the digest lists "Common Carp – no harvest limit." Bighead, silver, black and grass carp may not be possessed alive.Open · Illinois · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
- Channel catfishno daily limitIllinois: no statewide daily or size limit on blue, channel or flathead catfish; some waters set their own.Open · Illinois · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Largemouth bass6 a dayIllinois: 6 black bass a day combined, no statewide size limit. Carlyle and Rend lakes are 14"; the Mississippi between Illinois and Missouri is 12".Open · Illinois · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Crappieno daily limitIllinois: no statewide daily or size limit on crappie; many lakes set their own.Open · Illinois · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- White bassno daily limitIllinois: no limit on white, yellow, striped and hybrid bass under 17"; only 3 a day 17" or longer.Open · Illinois · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Smallmouth bass6 a dayIllinois: 6 black bass a day combined, no statewide size limit. In rivers and streams (not the Mississippi, Ohio or Wabash) only 3 may be smallmouth, and smallmouth must be released Apr 1–Jun 15 except on the big rivers.Open · Illinois · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Walleye14" minimum · 6 a dayIllinois: 14" minimum, 6 walleye, sauger and saugeye a day combined. No minimum on the Mississippi and Wabash rivers.Open · Illinois · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Yellow perch15 a dayIllinois Lake Michigan, Calumet River and Chicago River combined: 15 a day, no minimum. Closed May 1–Jun 15.Open · Illinois · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Brown trout10" minimum · 5 a dayIllinois Lake Michigan: trout and salmon 10" minimum, 5 a day singly or in aggregate; lake trout no more than 2 a day.Open · Illinois · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Chinook salmon10" minimum · 5 a dayIllinois Lake Michigan: trout and salmon 10" minimum, 5 a day singly or in aggregate; lake trout no more than 2 a day.Open · Illinois · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Coho salmon10" minimum · 5 a dayIllinois Lake Michigan: trout and salmon 10" minimum, 5 a day singly or in aggregate; lake trout no more than 2 a day.Open · Illinois · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
- Steelhead10" minimum · 5 a dayIllinois Lake Michigan: trout and salmon 10" minimum, 5 a day singly or in aggregate; lake trout no more than 2 a day.Open · Illinois · verified Oct 23, 2026 · source
Limits differ by water. Each spot page shows the limits for its own water.
What’s biting in Illinois
Species people fish for at Illinois spots, and how many of those spots are worth the trip for them today.
Smallmouth bassMicropterus dolomieu1 of 2 spots worth the trip in Illinois
Best now at Mississippi River, IL74
Bites in 55–78° water
WalleyeSander vitreus1 of 2 spots worth the trip in Illinois
Best now at Mississippi River, IL74
Bites in 50–72° water
Common carpCyprinus carpio0 of 4 spots worth the trip in Illinois
Best now at Mississippi River, IL68
Bites in 52–86° water
Channel catfishIctalurus punctatus0 of 3 spots worth the trip in Illinois
Best now at Mississippi River, IL68
Bites in 60–85° water
Largemouth bassMicropterus salmoides0 of 3 spots worth the trip in Illinois
Best now at Carlyle Lake, IL68
Bites in 55–85° water
CrappiePomoxis spp.0 of 3 spots worth the trip in Illinois
Best now at Mississippi River, IL68
Bites in 50–80° water
White bassMorone chrysops0 of 3 spots worth the trip in Illinois
Best now at Mississippi River, IL68
Bites in 55–80° water
Yellow perchPerca flavescens0 of 1 spot worth the trip in Illinois
Best now at 31st Street Beach, IL63
Bites in 45–70° water
About fishing in Illinois
Illinois's 4 public access points span reservoirs, the Great Lakes, and rivers and streams, across 4 counties. Across them, the species anglers most often target are Common Carp, Largemouth Bass, Crappie, and Channel Catfish. Each is scored live on water temperature, river flow, moon phase, barometric pressure, and weather. Always confirm current size, creel, and season limits with the Illinois state fishery agency before keeping fish — we flag any species whose regulations we haven't yet verified.
4 public access points across 0 water bodies. Data from NOAA, NWS, USGS, and Illinois DNR.
Coastal regions
- Lake MichiganLake Michigan shore access across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.