Mississippi River - Pool 15
Info / Rock Island County
Family Friendly
No
Handicap Access
No
Boat Fishing
Yes
Boat Ramps
Yes
Boat Rentals
No
Camping
Yes - Illiniwek Forest Preserve Campground
Picnicking
Yes - Illiniwek Forest Preserve
Skiing
No
Swimming
No
Trout Stocking
No
Zebra Mussels
Location 3740 acres
Fishing Outlook
Smallmouth Bass
Very Good
Smallmouth Bass catch rates were the highest they have been in the past few years (0.23 Smallmouth Bass per 15 minutes of electrofishing in 2024). Of the Smallmouth Bass captured, 20% were considered quality-sized (>11 inches). Use Ned rigs, crayfish colored crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and topwater lures around wing dams, current breaks, and rocky areas to successful fish for Smallmouth Bass.
Black Crappie
Good
Black Crappie catch rates were just below average (0.04 Black Crappie per 15 minutes of electrofishing) in 2024. Of the Black Crappie captured, 67% were considered quality-sized (>7.9 inches). While quality-sized Black Crappie may be found in Pool 15, there are better locations on the Mississippi River to fish for this species, such as Pools 12-14. Fish near stumps or brush piles for Black Crappie. Common bait types are small minnows, nightcrawlers, or jigs and spinner lures.
Bluegill
Good
Bluegill catch rates were the highest they have been in the past few years (2.31 Bluegill per 15 minutes of electrofishing in 2024). Of the Bluegill captured, 30% were considered quality-sized (>5.9 inches). Bluegill provide an excellent fishing opportunity for anglers of all ages. Anglers can catch Bluegill in the warmer months of the year using a small hook and worms, crickets, or night crawlers as bait. Fish for Bluegill along shorelines with cover, such as rip-rap, weed beds, or brush piles.
Largemouth Bass
Good
Largemouth Bass catch rates were the highest they have been in the past few years (1.81 Largemouth Bass per 15 minutes of electrofishing in 2024). Of the Largemouth Bass captured, 6% were considered preferred-sized (15 inches), and 12% were considered quality-sized (11.8 inches). While quality-sized Largemouth Bass may be found in Pool 15, there are better locations on the Mississippi River to fish for this species, such as Pools 12-14. Largemouth Bass prefer structure, so fish around submerged logs, weed beds, willows, or brush piles. Spinnerbaits are popular for catching Largemouth Bass on the river.
Channel Catfish
Very Good
Channel Catfish catch rates were high in 2024 (0.24 Channel Catfish per 15 minutes of electrofishing). Of the Channel Catfish captured, 56% were considered quality-sized (>16 inches). Channel Catfish are often found along banks of side channel or main channel borders in log jams or fallen trees, or near wing dams. Use stink bait fished on the river bottom with a weighted sinker to successfully catch Channel Catfish.
Contact
Description
Pool 15 of the Upper Mississippi River is the shortest pool on the river and is located in the heart of the Quad Cities, entirely surrounded by industry. Because of this, the 3,700 acres of aquatic habitat is restricted to mostly the main channel. Pool 15 is not a destination pool for fishing on the Mississippi River, however quality fishing may be found here. The Campbell's Island side channel, revetment banklines, and the Lock and Dam 14 tailwaters offer excellent Catfish, Walleye, Sauger, White Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and Freshwater Drum fishing. Because deep off-channel habitat is extremely limited, sunfish and crappie fishing is subpar in Pool 15. Please note, most marinas in Pool 15 are privately owned and are not open for fishing to the general public. Exhibit extreme caution while navigating outside the main channel in Pool 15 to avoid striking the old 1907 lock chamber, built on the northeast side of Arsenal Island (River Miles 488-486).
Access areas available for public use include: Illiniwek Forest Preserve Boat Launch (River Mile 493), Empire Park Boat Launch (River Mile 491), and Ben Butterworth Parkway (River Mile 488). US Army Corps of Engineers navigation maps for Pool 15 are available here.
The Upper Mississippi River descends 670 miles from St. Anthony Falls, Minnesota to Alton, Illinois. A total of 29 locks with accompanying dams were constructed around the 1930s to create a waterway suitable for navigation and thus sectioned the Upper Mississippi River into ‘pools’. Illinois borders 380 miles or 13 pools of the Upper Mississippi River, from Pool 12 near Dubuque, Iowa downstream to Pool 26 near Alton, Illinois. There the river transitions to the unimpounded or ‘open’ Middle Mississippi River, descending 630 miles to the confluence with the Ohio River at the southern tip of Illinois.
Site Regulations
All Fish: While trolling, sport fishermen must not use more than 2 poles and each pole must not have more than 2 hooks or lures.
Bluegill or Pumpkinseed Sunfish: 25 fish daily harvest limit, single or in aggregate.
Large or Smallmouth Bass: 14 inch minimum length limit; 5 fish daily harvest limit.
Northern Pike: 5 fish daily harvest limit.
Paddlefish: 33 inch (eye to fork) maximum length limit (all Paddlefish greater than or equal to 33 inches must be immediately released back to the Mississippi River); 2 Fish Daily Harvest Limit. Snagging for Paddlefish is permitted from one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset daily, March 1 through April 15 within a 500 yard downstream limit below locks and dams on the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa. No sorting allowed. Once the daily harvest limit of Paddlefish has been reached, snagging must cease. Legal-size Paddlefish may be released at the angler's discretion once they are included in the Daily Harvest Limit. Gaffs may not be used to land Paddlefish.
Recreational Use Restrictions: It shall be unlawful to trespass upon a designated waterfowl hunting area during the 7 days prior to the regular duck season, or to fish on such areas during the regular duck and Canada goose season except in areas posted as open to fishing. It shall be unlawful to trespass upon areas designated as waterfowl rest areas or refuges from 2 weeks prior to the start of the regular duck season through the end of duck and Canada goose season.
Striped, White, Yellow, or Hybrid Striped Bass: 25 fish daily harvest limit; Statewide regulation limiting daily harvest to 3 fish greater than or equal to 17 inches is not in effect on the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa.
Walleye: 15 inch minimum length limit; protected slot length with no possession of fish greater than or equal to 20 inches and less than 27 inches.
Walleye or Sauger: 6 fish daily harvest limit with no more than 1 fish greater than or equal to 27 inches.
White, Black, or Hybrid Crappie: 25 fish daily harvest limit.
Yellow Perch: 25 fish daily harvest limit
Additional Information
Illinois-Iowa Boundaries: Officers of Illinois and Iowa will recognize and accept valid sport fishing licenses of either state when legally possessed and used by hook-and-line sport fishermen on the Mississippi River proper forming a common boundary between Illinois and Iowa, including its backwater lakes and sloughs contiguous with the flow of waters in the main channel; provided that you do not fish from or attach any device or equipment to the main bank of the Mississippi under the jurisdiction of the state where you are not licensed to fish. You can not fish in any tributaries of the opposite state. You must conform to the regulations of the state in which you are fishing unless the regulations of your licensing state are more restrictive, then you must conform with the more restrictive regulations. The center of the navigation channel is the boundary between Illinois and Iowa. Tournaments fishing Iowa waters must have Iowa tournament permits, even if launching from the Illinois side of the river.