Cook County, IL · Great Lakes
31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach)
31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach) offers public shoreline and pier access on the Great Lakes in Cook County. Common targets include walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, steelhead, chinook salmon, coho salmon, and lake trout.
Live · updated
Top picks today
Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Steelhead, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon & Lake Trout — tied at the top (23/100)
6 species tied for best of 7 tracked at 31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach).
Atmosphere
Water
Sun & Moon
Species at 31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach)
7 species tracked, ranked by today's conditions. The top 6 (tied) are open below — tap any species to expand it, or a chip to focus.
#1 Walleye Check local Walleye regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 23/100
We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for Walleye in IL on file yet. The live conditions score still applies — but confirm the current regulations with your state agency before keeping any fish.
What's helping
- 15 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
About. Sander vitreus — Maryland's premier cool-water gamefish. Deep Creek Lake is the flagship fishery; also found in the non-tidal Potomac and the Youghiogheny River. Low-light feeder — dusk, dawn, and overcast/windy days are prime. Jigs, crankbaits, and nightcrawler harnesses are standard.
Prefers. Water 50–72°F (ideal 62°F) · either tide · depth 10–40 ft.
No regulations on file for Illinois / great-lakes. Check the appropriate state agency directly before fishing.
#1 Smallmouth Bass Check local Smallmouth Bass regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 23/100
We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for Smallmouth Bass in IL on file yet. The live conditions score still applies — but confirm the current regulations with your state agency before keeping any fish.
What's helping
- 15 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
About. Micropterus dolomieu — Premier gamefish of the non-tidal Potomac, the Upper Susquehanna, and Deep Creek Lake. Pound-for-pound one of the hardest-fighting freshwater fish. Hits tubes, crayfish imitations, spinnerbaits, and topwater poppers.
Prefers. Water 55–78°F (ideal 68°F) · either tide · depth 3–30 ft.
No regulations on file for Illinois / great-lakes. Check the appropriate state agency directly before fishing.
#1 Steelhead Skip the Steelhead trip today. In season 23/100
What's helping
- 15 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
About. Oncorhynchus mykiss — Lake- or sea-run rainbow trout — chrome-bright fighters that ascend tributaries from fall through spring. The Great Lakes tributary steelhead run (Lake Erie’s “steelhead alley,” Lake Ontario, Michigan rivers) is a destination fishery; bite keys on flow and water clarity.
Prefers. Water 40–55°F (ideal 48°F) · either tide · depth 2–60 ft.
- Daily creel
- 5
5 trout & salmon in combination per day on Lake Michigan.
Source: Illinois regulations · verified 2026-05-29.
#1 Chinook Salmon Skip the Chinook Salmon trip today. In season 23/100
What's helping
- 15 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
About. Oncorhynchus tshawytscha — The “king” — the largest Pacific salmon and the marquee stocked predator of the Great Lakes. Trolled over open water through summer, then staged off river mouths and run up tributaries on the fall spawning push. Flow and water temperature drive the river bite.
Prefers. Water 42–58°F (ideal 50°F) · either tide · depth 15–150 ft.
- Daily creel
- 5
5 trout & salmon in combination per day on Lake Michigan.
Source: Illinois regulations · verified 2026-05-29.
#1 Coho Salmon Skip the Coho Salmon trip today. In season 23/100
What's helping
- 15 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
About. Oncorhynchus kisutch — “Silvers” — acrobatic, aggressive salmon that school near the surface and along piers in summer before their fall tributary run. A staple of the Great Lakes stocking program and the Pacific coast alike.
Prefers. Water 44–58°F (ideal 53°F) · either tide · depth 10–120 ft.
- Daily creel
- 5
5 trout & salmon in combination per day on Lake Michigan.
Source: Illinois regulations · verified 2026-05-29.
#1 Lake Trout Skip the Lake Trout trip today. In season 23/100
What's helping
- 15 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
About. Salvelinus namaycush — The native deepwater char of the Great Lakes and cold northern lakes. Holds in cold, deep water through summer and moves shallow to reefs in spring and fall. Targeted by deep trolling, jigging, and from shore early and late in the season.
Prefers. Water 40–52°F (ideal 48°F) · either tide · depth 30–200 ft.
- Daily creel
- 5
5 trout & salmon in combination per day on Lake Michigan.
Source: Illinois regulations · verified 2026-05-29.
#7 Yellow Perch Check local Yellow Perch regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 17/100
We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for Yellow Perch in IL on file yet. The live conditions score still applies — but confirm the current regulations with your state agency before keeping any fish.
What's helping
- 15 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
What's hurting
- incoming tide — yellow perch prefers slack tide
- Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
About. Perca flavescens — Late-winter and early-spring favorite. Schools up in tidal tributaries for the pre-spawn run in February and March, taking small minnows, shad darts, and small jigs. A classic Eastern Shore "neds" fishery.
Prefers. Water 45–70°F (ideal 58°F) · slack tide · depth 5–30 ft.
No regulations on file for Illinois / great-lakes. Check the appropriate state agency directly before fishing.
Location Info
Water Body
Great Lakes
Region
Access
Pier, shore, and ramp
Jurisdiction
Illinois
Coordinates
Local reports & rules for 31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach): Illinois DNR fishing & regulations → · fish-consumption advisories (EPA directory) →
Nearby Access Points
Frequently Asked
Do I need a fishing license to fish at 31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach)?
Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at 31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website
What fish are commonly targeted at 31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach)?
31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach) is listed on this site for 7 commonly-targeted species: Walleye, Yellow Perch, Smallmouth Bass, Steelhead, and 3 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.
When is the best time to fish at 31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach)?
It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at 31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.
What kind of access does 31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach) have?
31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.
Which state's fishing regulations apply at 31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach)?
state agency regulations apply at 31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.
Is 31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach) tidal water?
Yes. 31st Street Beach (Margaret T. Burroughs Beach) sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.