It’s a fishing day

Mississippi River (Grafton) fishing conditions · Illinois

Today, 11 am–8 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 74.

Log a trip here
Right now: 64 for walleye, marginalTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 642 am
  2. 64
  3. 64
  4. 645 am
  5. 64
  6. 66
  7. 668 am
  8. 66
  9. 66
  10. 7411 am
  11. 74
  12. 74
  13. 742 pm
  14. 74
  15. 74
  16. 745 pm
  17. 74
  18. 74
  19. 668 pm
  20. 66
  21. 66
  22. 6611 pm
  23. 66Tue
  24. 64
  25. 642 am
  26. 64
  27. 64
  28. 645 am
  29. 64
  30. 66
  31. 668 am
  32. 66
  33. 74
  34. 7411 am
  35. 74
  36. 74
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
1 mph

From the south

Flow
106,000 cfs

steady · +0% in 24 h

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:22 am

Sky
Mostly Clear

No rain expected

Air
55°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Illinois regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

74Worth the tripToday, 11 am–8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois: 14" minimum, 6 walleye, sauger and saugeye a day combined. No minimum on the Mississippi and Wabash rivers.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Illinois

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

74Worth the tripToday, 11 am–8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois: 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.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Illinois

Season here: Mar–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

68MarginalToday, 11 am–8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois: no statewide daily or size limit on blue, channel or flathead catfish; some waters set their own.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Illinois

Season here: Apr–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

68MarginalToday, 11 am–8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois: no statewide daily or size limit on crappie; many lakes set their own.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Illinois

Season here: Apr–May, Sep–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

White Bass

White bass

Morone chrysops

68MarginalToday, 11 am–8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. White bass bite in 55–80° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 4–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois: no limit on white, yellow, striped and hybrid bass under 17"; only 3 a day 17" or longer.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Illinois

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on white bass

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

68MarginalToday, 11 am–8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois 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.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Illinois

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • River106,000 cfs · steady · +0% in 24 h
  • Barometer30.33 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:22 am
  • Sunset today6:08 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:30 am–8:30 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:00 pm–2:00 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:40 pm–6:40 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Illinois DNR has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: Illinois DNR · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

The Mississippi at Grafton, where the Illinois River joins above the Alton pool — a big-river fishery for walleye and sauger below the wing dams, white bass in the current, smallmouth on the rock, and channel and blue catfish throughout. Live USGS flow at Grafton reads the river.

Mississippi River (Illinois–Missouri): 8 walleye and sauger a day with no minimum, bass 12" and 6 a day, 30 crappie and 30 white bass a day. The tailwaters below the locks and dams are the classic spring walleye and white-bass spots.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Carlyle Lake63 mi · IllinoisBest tomorrow 12 pm–2 pm
68Marginal
Rend Lake102 mi · IllinoisBest now until tomorrow 2 pm
60Marginal
Lake of the Ozarks134 mi · MissouriBest tomorrow 1 pm–2 pm
74Worth the trip
Truman Lake167 mi · MissouriBest tomorrow 11 am–2 pm
74Worth the trip
Lake Barkley195 mi · KentuckyBest now until tomorrow 2 pm
58Marginal
Kentucky Lake196 mi · KentuckyBest now until tomorrow 2 pm
64Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Mississippi River (Grafton)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Mississippi River (Grafton) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Mississippi River (Grafton)?

Mississippi River (Grafton) is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Crappie, and 2 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 Mississippi River (Grafton)?

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 Mississippi River (Grafton) 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 Mississippi River (Grafton) have?

Mississippi River (Grafton) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Mississippi River (Illinois–Missouri): 8 walleye and sauger a day with no minimum, bass 12" and 6 a day, 30 crappie and 30 white bass a day. The tailwaters below the locks and dams are the classic spring walleye and white-bass spots.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Mississippi River (Grafton)?

state agency regulations apply at Mississippi River (Grafton). 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 Mississippi River (Grafton) tidal water?

No. Mississippi River (Grafton) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.