Illinois Fishing Areas
Illinois has a wide variety of angling destinations throughout the state, including Lake Michigan, the Illinois River, and numerous other lakes and rivers. Popular species of fish include largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, crappie, and catfish.
The best time to fish in Illinois depends on the species and location, but generally early spring and fall are good times to target bass and walleye, while summer can be good for catfish and panfish. Average seasonal temperatures range from 30°F in winter to 80°F in summer.
Recommended bait and lures vary depending on the species, but live bait such as worms and minnows, as well as artificial lures like spinnerbaits and crankbaits, can be effective.
Interesting fishing facts about Illinois include that the state is home to the world-record smallmouth bass, caught in the Kaskaskia River in 1955 weighing in at 7 pounds 14 ounces. Additionally, Illinois has a unique program called the "Bait Fish Fund" which collects a tax on live bait sales to help fund fisheries management and research efforts.
Location | State | Fish Habitat |
---|---|---|
Arkansas River
|
Illinois | Striped Bass, Whiterock Bass, Channel Catfish |
Axehead Lake
|
Illinois | Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout |
Banana Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout |
Barth Pond
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, Bluegill, Common Carp, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Paddlefish |
Beck Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Muskellunge, Walleye |
Belleau Lake
|
Illinois | Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout |
Bird Park Quarry
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish |
Burnham Park Harbor
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Common Carp, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Freshwater Drum, Yellow Perch, King Salmon, Coho Salmon, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Steelhead |
Busse Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Muskellunge, Walleye |
Chicagon Lake
|
Illinois | Albacore, Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, Bluegill, Muskellunge, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, Walleye |
Des Plaines River
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Common Carp, Black Crappie, Northern Pike, Walleye |
Fishing Allowed
|
Illinois | |
Fishing Allowed Here
|
Illinois | |
Fortune Lakes
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill |
Gebhard Woods Lakes #1-4
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Bullhead, Common Carp, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Freshwater Drum, Rainbow Trout |
Great River Road Park Lake
|
Illinois | |
Green Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Yellow Bullhead, Common Carp, Channel Catfish |
Heidecke Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Channel Catfish, Muskellunge, Walleye, Wiper |
Horseshoe Lake
|
Illinois | Black Crappie |
I & M Canal
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Black Crappie |
Illinois River
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie, Sauger, Walleye |
Kankakee Cut-Off
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Northern Pike, Walleye |
Lac Des Allemands
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish |
Lacey Creek
|
Illinois | Common Carp |
Lake Frierson
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish |
Lake Of The Clouds
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch |
Lake Owen Recreation Area
|
Illinois | |
Lake Roland (Twin Lakes)
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill |
Lake Tecumseh
|
Illinois | |
Lily Creek
|
Illinois | Muskellunge, Tiger Muskellunge, Chain Pickerel, Northern Pike, Atlantic Salmon, Steelhead, Apache Trout |
Long Run
|
Illinois | Rock Bass |
Maple Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Bullhead, Common Carp, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Freshwater Drum, Alligator Gar, Northern Pike, Green Sunfish, Walleye, Pumpkinseed Sunfish |
Mastodon Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Common Carp, Blue Catfish, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Black Crappie, Redear Sunfish, Pumpkinseed Sunfish |
Milliken Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Rainbow Trout |
Mississippi River
|
Illinois | |
Monee Reservoir
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Redear Sunfish |
Montrose Harbor
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Burbot, Common Carp, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Freshwater Drum, Yellow Perch, King Salmon, Coho Salmon, Tautog, Brown Trout, Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Steelhead |
One Horse Gap Lake
|
Illinois | |
Peregrine Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, Bluegill, Brown Bullhead, Alligator Gar, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, Sauger, Sturgeon, Walleye, Warmouth |
Pettibone Creek
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Burbot, Common Carp, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Freshwater Drum, Yellow Perch, King Salmon, Coho Salmon, Tautog, Brown Trout, Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Steelhead |
Sand Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass |
Saxon Falls Flowage
|
Illinois | Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Walleye |
Skokie Ditch
|
Illinois | Muskellunge |
Skokie Lagoons
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Northern Pike, Walleye |
South Lagoon
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, Bluegill |
Spring Creek
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Blue Catfish, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish |
Spring Grove Rearing Area
|
Illinois | Rainbow Trout |
Sterling Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Muskellunge, Walleye |
Sunday Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Brown Bullhead, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, Green Sunfish, Walleye |
Tampier Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Brown Bullhead, Common Carp, Flathead Catfish, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, Sauger, Green Sunfish, Walleye |
Techny Reservoir
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Burbot, Common Carp, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Freshwater Drum, Yellow Perch, King Salmon, Coho Salmon, Tautog, Brown Trout, Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Steelhead |
Turner Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill |
Turtlehead Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, Bluegill |
Vanhorn Woods Park
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish |
Washington County Lake
|
Illinois | |
West Bay Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Walleye |
Whalon Lake
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Bullhead, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Walleye |
Whoopie Cat Lake
|
Illinois | |
Wilmette Harbor
|
Illinois | Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Burbot, Common Carp, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie, Freshwater Drum, Yellow Perch, King Salmon, Coho Salmon, Tautog, Brown Trout, Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Steelhead |
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