Rock River

Description

The Rock River, which winds 155 miles through northwestern Illinois, is one of the main tributaries to the Mississippi River and provides a diverse fishery. The river provides an aquatic resource of about 12,400 acres as it glides past towns like Rockford, Oregon, Dixon, Sterling and Rock Island before spilling into the Mississippi. Dams at Rock Island, Milan, Sterling, Dixon, Oregon, Rock-ford and Rockton produce fast, turbulent water, and these tailwaters are good spots for Walleyes, Sauger and White Bass.

The river generally averages about 15 feet in depth in the main channel, but between Dixon and Sterling, depths may drop to 50 feet. The bottom is largely bed rock, but there are extensive gravel areas and some places where the bottom is covered with a layer of mud or silt.

From where it departs, Wisconsin to the mouth of the Kishwaukee River, the prime fishing spots are the dams at Rockton and Rockford and the tributary streams, which include the Pecatonica River and Willow Creek. Ramps are located in the Forest Preserve at Rockton, at Harlem Road south of North Park and at Blackhawk Park south of Rockford. There is a small forest preserve just upstream on the south bank of the Kishwaukee.

Pools where the Leaf River enters south of Byron is a good fishing spot as is the water above Oregon and at the dam there. Ramps are located at Byron and Lowden State Park at Oregon where there also is camping with electrical hookups. Ramps are available at Lowell Park on the west bank along Ill. Route 2 north of Dixon, at Page Park in Dixon and Oppold Marina north of Sterling.

Ramps are also located in Sterling, Rock Falls, at a roadside park downstream along Route 2, at Prophetstown State Park where camping and electrical hookups are available, and at the Erie Boat Club.

There are a few access areas south of Erie, and anglers will find many small islands as the stream flows through low farmland. Fishing should pick up where the Green River enters below Green Rock.

Fishery History

Bluegill were collected at all of the main-stem stations and at 8 of the 10 tributary stations. The best numbers were found at Rockton, below the dam in Rockford, and at Moline. The majority of these fish were less than 5" but a few were in the 6-7" range. The largest Bluegill were collected below the dams in Rockford and Dixon, and in the Atwood Homestead Forest Preserve.

Walleye, Crappie, and Northern Pike were collected at several stations but only in small numbers. Walleye are stocked each year in the upper end of the Rock River, and this has resulted in a quality fishery throughout the river. State record Walleye have been caught in the Rock River near Rockton, and in the mouth of the Pecatonica River on several occasions. Walleye are not generally collected during daytime electrofishing surveys, and are usually sampled after dark. Walleye surveys are performed every other year on the Rock River, but the high water levels in the fall of 2018 prevented the survey from being conducted.

Site Regulations

Fishing Regulations: *Consult the current Illinois Fishing Regulations Booklet for more detailed information.

Species	Creel Limit	Minimum Length Limit
Black Bass (Largemouth, Smallmouth) Entire river including tributaries in State of Illinois.	6 singly or in combination with no more than 3 Smallmouth Bass in the daily creel	14" for Smallmouth Bass
Walleye, Sauger, or Hybrid Walleye Wisconsin state line downstream to the Sears and Steel dams at Milan	6 either singly or in combination	14" minimum length limit
Walleye, Sauger, or Hybrid Walleye Sears and Steel dams downstream to confluence with Mississippi River, State of Illinois (Rock Island County).	6 fish daily creel with no more than 1 Walleye greater than 27" in total length	15" minimum length limit with a 20-27" protected Slot Length Limit.
Northern Pike	3 fish daily creel	24" minimum length limit

Note: There is a closed season on Smallmouth Bass. All Smallmouth Bass caught between April 1 and June 15 must be immediately released alive and in good condition back into the waters from which they came.

 

Additional Information

Three threatened species, the Gravel Chub, Banded Killifish, and River Redhorse, and one endangered species, the Weed Shiner were collected from the Rock River main-stem during this survey. The Weed Shiners were collected at two stations, the first near Prophetstown State Park, and the second near Erie. The Banded Killifish were collected near Prophetstown. Banded Killifish were first found near Prophetstown in 2013 and they have apparently established a small population since they have been found several times in this same area since. Gravel Chubs were collected in South Beloit, Oregon, and Sterling. Gravel Chubs have historically been found from South Beloit to Byron, but the collection of this species near Oregon and in Sterling is rare. There were no threatened or endangered species collected from the tributary stations, although Banded Killifish have been collected in the past near Milan, IL in Mill Creek.