iFISHILLINOIS

Illinois Fall Trout Season Opener Announced!

Fall Opener October 17th, Early Catch-and Release October 3rd

The 2026 Illinois fall trout fishing season will open Saturday, October 17th at 60 ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the state.

An early catch-and-release trout fishing opportunity will open at select sites on Saturday, October 3. Reminder: No trout may be kept during the catch-and-release period. Anglers may begin keeping trout when the regular season opens at 5 a.m. on October 17th.

The Illinois Catchable Trout Program is funded through the sale of inland trout stamps. All anglers, including those who intend to release fish caught before October 17, must have a fishing license and an inland trout stamp unless exempt. Fishing licenses and trout stamps can be purchased by using a credit card online.

Anglers should contact individual trout-stocked sites for information about site-specific regulations and opening times.

The fall trout season offers opportunities for families to get outdoors and enjoy fishing. Resources for taking youth fishing are available on our site here.

For a listing of stocked sites, visit our trout page.

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Please see our Frequently Asked Questions page for some of the most commonly asked questions. If you have a question that isn't answered here, send us an email through our contact form, and we are happy to answer! You can find the contact form here: https://ifishillinois.org/Home/Contact

If you're interested in participating in public tournaments, send us an email with the ID number of the tournament and we will provide you with the contact information.