Welcome to I Fish Illinois—Illinois DNR Division of Fisheries

Fall Trout Season Opener

The 2024 Illinois Fall Trout Fishing Season will open Saturday, October 19th at 60 ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the state. An early opportunity — the Fall Catch-and-Release Fishing Season — will open October 5th at select trout sites.

All anglers — including those who intend to release fish caught before October 21 — must have an Illinois fishing license and Inland Trout Stamp which are available at IDNR license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores and other retail outlets. Check the IDNR website for locations or to purchase a license/stamp online at https://www.exploremoreil.com/

Reminder: No trout may be kept during the catch and release fishing period, but anglers can keep trout after the opening of the regular season beginning October 21.

Join the Fall Midwest Walleye Challenge!

The Spring Walleye Challenge results are in! Don't miss out — there is another opportunity this fall for Illinois anglers to join in the fun! Illinois anglers who chase walleye, sauger or saugeye are invited to participate in the virtual fall Midwest Walleye Challenge! The IDNR has teamed up with other states, provinces, and developers and researchers at Anglers Atlas to launch this year's competition this past spring with an upcoming fall opportunity September 28, 2024 and continuing through October 31, 2024.

The Midwest Walleye Challenge uses the mobile app MyCatch to record the length of each fish caught. Anglers take a picture of the fish on a measuring device using the app, and once the fish is reviewed by the catch team and meets the rules, it appears on a live leaderboard where anglers can see who is in the lead. All ages are invited to participate. Review the rules and event information here! Then download the app and you're ready to go!

Frequently Asked Questions

We are here to answer any fishing-related questions you may have. Simply send us an email through our "contact us" and we are happy to provide you with the information you're seeking. We also have a Frequently Asked Question page that you may find helpful. We've compiled a list of some of our most frequently asked questions via email and provided that information for you here. Check it out — you may learn something new about fishing in Illinois!

The Illinois Hatchery System

Illinois is home to three very productive fish hatcheries — Jake Wolf Memorial, LaSalle and Little Grassy Fish Hatcheries. The Illinois Hatchery System is dedicated to enhancing fish populations in Illinois waters by producing adequate numbers of various species of fish to meet stocking demands statewide. In fact, at full capacity the system can produce over 50 million fish of 20 species! State hatcheries also work with other US hatcheries to obtain fish eggs and fry to supplement on-site production for certain species.

To learn more about our hatchery system, as well as the hours they are open for visits from the public, see our page here.

Interested in where we stock fish? See our stocking page here!

Stop the Spread of Invasive Species

Remove, Drain, Dry: As the boats come out of storage, we'd like to remind you to be aware of invasive species that pose a threat to our lands and waterways. To fight the spread of aquatic invaders, the IDNR is asking residents to "be a hero transport zero." The best way to stop the spread of invasive species is to remove, drain, and dry your boats after use in any Illinois waterway. Learn more here.