I Fish Illinois @IFishIllinois

The Midwest Walleye Challenge starts tomorrow, March 30th! Illinois anglers who chase walleye, sauger or saugeye are invited to join the virtual Midwest Walleye Challenge today! Download the MyCatch app to get started—all ages welcome to join. Learn more: bit.ly/43FJASJ

The 2024 Illinois Fishing Information Guide is available for download now! The printed version should be available at the end of February. Reminder, 2024 fishing licenses go on sale March 1st and are valid through March 31, 2025. bit.ly/3IUmf3R

We have a new state record! On 1/4/2024 IDNR Fisheries, got a call about a potential state record Shovelnose Sturgeon caught from the Rock River by Steve Pohlmeier. This new state-record fish weighed in at 12.95 pounds. Congratulations to Steve on this amazing catch!

We have a new state-record Freshwater Drum bowfishing record! Caught on Lake Sangchris in Christian Co. on Feb. 20th, this record-breaking fish weighed in at 20.25 lbs. Previous record (2017) weighed 19.84 pounds. Congratulations to Phillip Albert! bit.ly/3NgXZ1M

Bundle up and plan to head out for the Spring Catch-and-Release Fishing Season, opening tomorrow, March 18 at the select sites listed below. Reminder: No trout may be kept during the catch-and-release fishing period; anglers can keep trout after the April 1 opening of the season.

Be sure to join the Illinois Department of Natural Resources tonight for an informational public meeting on the Lake Michigan fishery. Topics: salmon & trout management, Lake Trout restoration & spawning reef mapping, & status of nearshore fish pops. Info: bit.ly/3lkATMc

Even small waterbodies can hold big fish! This 6.5 lb Largemouth Bass was caught during a fall electrofishing survey in Lock 14 Pool of the I&M Canal. While the Canal water depth is not deal for a thriving fishery, 3 LMB 18-20" were caught. I&M Canal info: bit.ly/3SdtRTJ

It should be the perfect weather weekend for the Illinois Fall Trout Season opener! The 2022 Fall Trout Season opens Saturday, Oct. 15th, at 59 ponds, lakes, & streams throughout the state. Trout stamp & fishing license required. Go get 'em! List of sites: bit.ly/3vnbeme

Muskie Monday! Muskie are being stocked this fall across Illinois. According to our Hatchery, the 6 month old muskie are averaging just under 13" and have looked excellent thus far. The Muskie below were PIT tagged and stocking into Super Lake last week. bit.ly/3C6gP4w

It's going to be a beautiful weekend in Illinois, so for those who love the early opportunity to go trout fishing, we have 9 areas stocked for the Fall Catch-and-Release Fishing Season. Reminder: no trout can be kept during the catch-and-release period. bit.ly/3vnbeme

You say TROUT, we say FALL OPENER! The 2022 Illinois Fall Trout Fishing Season opens Saturday, October 15th, at 59 ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the state. The Fall Catch-and-Release Fishing Season at select sites will open October 1. Sites & More: ifishillinois.org/programs/trout…

Records are made to broken, some faster than others! On Aug. 4th, Karre Cromwell caught an Illinois state-record Pink Salmon, beating by a pound the current IL record we announced a few weeks ago caught on July 10. Cromwell's record catch weighed 4.9 pounds and was 23.5" long.

Big Congratulations to AJ Downing for catching an Illinois state hook-and-line record Spotted Gar! 15-year-old Downing caught his record-breaking fish in Kidd Lake Canal in Monroe County on July 6th. It weighed in at 8 pounds 14.7 ounces, beating the 2020 state record by 8.3 ozs.

Illinois Free Fishing Days start tomorrow through Monday! From June 17-20, no fishing license, inland trout stamp or salmon stamp is required to fish in IL. Discover the joy of fishing or help a child catch their first fish —and they get a certificate! bit.ly/3mV9Nsg.

Mark your calendars for the 33rd Annual Two Rivers Family Fish Fair taking place next Saturday, June 11th, from 10AM - 4PM at Pere Marquette in Grafton, Illinois! This event is free and features fun for the whole family, both kids and adults! bit.ly/3NW7FvQ

Hybrid Striped Bass (“wipers”) are a cross between Striped Bass & White Bass. Wipers are stocked throughout lakes and reservoirs in Illinois. This fish was captured by researchers at INHS at the Univ of IL during a fyke net survey on Lake Bloomington. bit.ly/3ankYqB

Flathead fun! During our mid-May spring sampling on Pittsfield Lake, we sampled and tagged 31 Flathead Catfish. 9 of these fish exceeded 15lbs, and 3 exceeded 45lbs, with the biggest weighing in at 46lbs! Learn more about Pittsfield Lake here: bit.ly/3lYnF4r

We have a new Illinois record-breaking fish! Congratulations to Travis Strickland on hooking a record-breaking Skipjack Herring on May 11 from the Illinois River. The Skipjack weighed in at 2.65 pounds and measured 19 1/4 inches with a girth of 11 3/4. bit.ly/3sVc1uS

IDNR Fisheries Biologists are busy in the spring with field surveys. Below are some beauties from Carlyle Lake. Also, a fish structure project was just completed at the lake. For more information, including stocking info & fish attractor locations, visit: bit.ly/3O3OalP

IDNR Fisheries personnel recently assisted the Rend Lake ACOE with a fish attractor project at Rend Lake, dropping over 560 recycled Christmas trees at 9 existing fish attractor spots in the Jackie Branch and Wayne Fitzgerrell Park areas of Rend Lake: bit.ly/3r8Vumk