Illinois River - Peoria Pool

Bluegill

Good

Bluegill and other sunfish catch rates were high in the Peoria Pool in 2024. Sunfish catch rates are also show an increasing trend over the last ten years in the Peoria Pool. Many Bluegill collected were of harvestable size, between 6 – 7 inches, and provide an excellent fishing opportunity for anglers of all ages. Anglers can catch Bluegill in the warmer months of the year using worms, crickets, or night crawlers along structured shorelines, such as rip-rap.

Smallmouth Bass

Good

The 2024 survey resulted in a catch rate of 8.7 Smallmouth Bass/hour of electrofishing with fish measuring up to 16 inches and weighing up to 2 pounds. Smallmouth Bass catch rates show an increasing trend over the last 10 years in the Peoria Pool. Like other members of the sunfish family, bass have reproductive spikes during big flood years, which have been lacking over the last several years. There is a 12 inch minimum length limit and 6 fish per day creel limit on largemouth and Smallmouth Bass to allow for bass to spawn once or twice prior to being harvested. Side channels, shallow water with structure, marinas and rip-rap are the places to fish for river bass in the Peoria Pool.

Crappie spp.

Good

Both black crappie and white crappie are present in the Peoria Pool, but black crappie are more abundant. Crappie catch rates were again above average in 2024 with a catch rate of 8/hour electrofishing and show and increasing trend over the last 10 years. Backwaters, side channels and main channel border areas with submerged brush are the best locations to fish for crappie.

Largemouth Bass

Good

The 2024 fish community survey resulted in a catch rate of 37 Largemouth Bass/hour of electrofishing with fish ranging in size between 2 – 21 inches weighing up to 4.6 pounds. The Peoria Pool had the second highest Largemouth Bass catch rate out of all pools in 2024 after the Marseilles Pool and showed a large year class of 2 – 5” fish. Like other members of the sunfish family, bass have reproductive spikes during big flood years, which have been lacking over the last several years. There is a 12 inch minimum length limit and 6 fish per day creel limit on largemouth and smallmouth bass to allow for bass to spawn once or twice prior to being harvested. Like channel catfish, a contaminant advisory recommendation has been issued to limit consumption of all sizes of Largemouth Bass to one meal per week. Side channels, shallow water with structure, marinas and rip-rap are the places to fish for river bass in the Peoria Pool.

Channel Catfish

Excellent

Channel Catfish are one of the primary game fish of the Illinois River. They are very abundant in the 16 – 24 inch size range and fish over 24 inches weighing 7 – 10 pounds are common. A targeted hoop net survey was conducted in the upper Peoria Pool in 2023. Channel Catfish catch rates were high and resulted in 252 fish collected ranging from 13 – 30 inches weighing up to 13 pounds. Peoria Pool Channel Catfish catch rates were the second highest out of all pools surveyed in 2024 electrofishing survey. Notable habitats for Channel Catfish are main channel border (area between the navigation channel and the river bank) and side channels with current. The Chillicothe, Lacon and Henry areas and the Peoria Narrows are notable Channel Catfish reaches. There remains a do-not-eat contaminant advisory on Channel Catfish over 18 inches in the Peoria Pool due to PCB detection in the flesh. PCB contamination in fish is a remnant of past pollution that is declining. The advisory recommends no more than 6 meals/year for Channel Catfish 12 – 16 inches and 1 meal per week for those under 12 inches. Advisories are developed to protect infants, children, and women of child bearing age and may be overprotective to adult men and women over child bearing age. Trim the fat, particularly around the belly, and allow fat to drip off the fish when cooking to minimize exposure to PCBs.

Flathead Catfish

Excellent

Flathead Catfish are abundant in the Peoria Pool and trophy-sized fish exceeding 36 inches and 30 pounds can be found. Flatheads between 28 and 36 inches are not uncommon. The 2023 targeted hoop net survey resulted in 31 Flathead Catfish collected ranging from 15 – 35 inches and weighing up to 24 pounds. The Peoria Pool ranked third out of all pools in the 2024 electrofishing survey with 5/hour electrofishing. Fish the deep holes, main channel border near current breaks, and woody debris piles or other structure for flatheads.

Sauger

Excellent

Sauger and walleye are most dense in the upper end of the Peoria Pool, with Sauger being more abundant. The Illinois Sauger fishery is a world class fishery, bringing anglers from all over the country to fish the national Masters Walleye Circuit in Spring Valley. The IDNR – Division of Fisheries State Hatcheries annually stock Sauger fry in the Peoria Pool and upper pools of the Illinois River to supplement the population. Sauger and walleye are typically found in deep waters during the day, but search for food in the shallows of the main channel border at night. This behavior results in poor day-time electrofishing catch rates of adult Sauger and walleye. Sauger and Walleye are generally not collected in high numbers with daytime electrofishing because they spend their days in deep holes and move to shallow water at night. The 2024 electrofishing survey resulted in 9.6 Sauger/hour and 3.3 walleye/hour electrofishing ranging in size from 5-20 inches weighing up to 3 pounds. The Peoria Pool had the highest catch rate of both Sauger and walleye out of all pools surveyed in 2024.