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Illinois River

Credit: U.S. Geological Survey
Department of the Interior/USGS U.S. Geological Survey

Illinois River Fishing Guide

The slow-moving Illinois River, which twists 273 miles through the heart of the state before joining the Mississippi River 14 miles upstream from Alton, has shown an improved fishery since the late 1970s, and anglers have made fine catches of sauger and walleyes, white bass, channel catfish, largemouth bass and panfish from both the main stream and backwaters.

Forming at the junction of the Kankakee and Des Plaines Rivers in the northeastern part of the state, the Illinois and its backwaters provide some 87,000 surface acres. There are five dams on the Illinois River besides the one on the Mississippi at Alton in which pool the lower 80 miles of the Illinois is included. The depth of the river is regulated for navigation purposes by this series of locks and dams. Each section of the river between dams is called a navigation pool. The pools are given the name of the dam, which controls the water level of the pool, that is, the dam that is immediately downstream from the pool.

 Basin Report: Upper Illinois

Click on image to download report.

Illinois River Pools:

Lockport: Lockport extends from the Lockport Lock & Dam located near Lockport, Illinois, upstream to the Chicago Harbor Lock, in Chicago, Illinois.

Brandon: Brandon extends from the Brandon Lock & Dam located within Rockdale and Joliet, Illinois, upstream to the Lockport Lock & Dam located near Lockport, Illinois.

Dresden: Dresden extends from the Dresden Lock & Dam located south of Channahon, Illinois, upstream to the Brandon Lock & Dam, in Rockdale and Joliet, Illinois.

Marseilles: Marseilles extends from the Marseilles Lock located near Marseilles, Illinois, upstream to the Dresden Lock & Dam located south of Channahon, Illinois.

Starved Rock: Starved Rock extends from the Starved Rock Lock & Dam located near Utica, Illinois, upstream to the Marseilles lock located near Marseilles, Illinois.

Peoria: Peoria extends from the Peoria Lock & Dam located near Peoria, Illinois, upstream to the Starved Rock Lock & Dam located near Utica, Illinois.

La Grange: La Grange extends from the La Grange Lock & Dam located south of Beardstown, Illinois, upstream to Peoria Lock & Dam located near Peoria, Illinois.

Alton: Alton is used to describe the unimpounded portion of the Illinois River. It extends from the Mississippi River upstream to the La Grange Lock & Dam south of Beardstown, Illinois.

Species

Rank

Fish Status

BLACK CRAPPIE

Very Good

BLUEGILL

Very Good

BROWN BULLHEAD

Very Good

CHANNEL CATFISH

Excellent

Fishing is at its best when the river is rising and floods the lowland timber areas, revealing new food for these fish. There is a fish consumption advisory for channel catfish from the Peoria Pool to the head waters of the Illinois River.

LARGEMOUTH BASS

Good

SAUGER

Excellent

The major portion of the sauger population lies below the Starved Rock Dam and extends all the way down to the Mississippi River. Usually beginning in March or even earlier, one of the best ways to catch these tasty fish is to use a minnow on a floating jig with enough weight to keep it on the bottom.

WALLEYE

Excellent

Anglers can expect to find good numbers of walleye in the upper pools below the dams at Dresden and Marseilles. Some of the bigger walleye can be found at Starved Rock, with sampling finding fish ranging from 23 to 27 inches in length.

WHITE BASS

Excellent

WHITE CRAPPIE

Very Good


There were 31 tournaments held on this waterbody in 2023.

Species Total Fish Caught
Blue Catfish 1
Channel Catfish 604
Flathead Catfish 2
Largemouth Bass 93
Sauger 1373
Smallmouth Bass 313
Walleye 81
Walleye/Sauger Hybrid 453

Top 5 Largemouth Bass caught on this waterbody in 2023 tournaments:

1     2.65 lbs
2     2.50 lbs
3     2.44 lbs
4     2.38 lbs
5     2.30 lbs

Top 5 Total Tournament Weight of Largemouth Bass caught on this waterbody in 2023 tournaments:

1 28.83 lbs
2 23.26 lbs
3 21.70 lbs
4 19.00 lbs
5 10.56 lbs


Multiple day tournaments are listed with * end date.

Interested in participating in one of these public tournaments? Contact us with tournament ID for more information.

2024 Approved or Pending Tournaments
Start Date ID Approval Ramp Location Bank/Boat
Hook/Bow
Max Boats Species Youth? Open to Public?
April-2126556ApprovedHeritage Harbor boat
hook
30Sauger
Walleye
Walleye/Sauger Hybrid
NoYes
April-2126614ApprovedBarto Boat Landing (Spring Valley) boat
hook
50Channel Catfish
NoYes
April-2826373ApprovedWilliam G. Stratton SP boat
hook
100Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
April-2826840ApprovedWilliam G. Stratton SP boat
hook
25Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
May-0526615ApprovedSeneca Ramp (LST Memorial Ramp) boat
hook
50Channel Catfish
NoYes
May-1625580ApprovedSeneca Ramp (LST Memorial Ramp) boat
hook
20Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
May-1826322ApprovedHavana Landing boat
hook
100Blue Catfish
Channel Catfish
Flathead Catfish
NoYes
June-0226616ApprovedLacon Municipal Harbor boat
hook
50Channel Catfish
NoYes
June-0226841ApprovedWilliam G. Stratton SP boat
hook
25Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
June-2025583ApprovedSeneca Ramp (LST Memorial Ramp) boat
hook
20Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
June-2226621ApprovedHennepin Village Public Ramp boat
hook
50Channel Catfish
Flathead Catfish
NoYes
June-29
*June-30
25856ApprovedAllen Park (Ottawa) boat
bow
50Multiple SpeciesNoYes
July-1426842ApprovedWilliam G. Stratton SP boat
hook
25Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
July-1825585ApprovedSeneca Ramp (LST Memorial Ramp) boat
hook
20Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
July-2025229ApprovedSeneca Ramp (LST Memorial Ramp) boat
hook
20Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
July-2726617ApprovedHennepin Village Public Ramp boat
hook
50Channel Catfish
NoYes
August-0325235ApprovedSeneca Ramp (LST Memorial Ramp) boat
hook
20Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
August-1026843ApprovedWilliam G. Stratton SP boat
hook
25Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
August-1525588ApprovedSeneca Ramp (LST Memorial Ramp) boat
hook
20Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
August-1826821ApprovedAllen Park (Ottawa) boat
hook
50Channel Catfish
NoYes
August-2526867ApprovedWilliam G. Stratton SP boat
hook
15Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoNo
September-07
*September-08
25481ApprovedWilliam G. Stratton SP boat
hook
90Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Spotted Bass
NoNo
September-0726844ApprovedWilliam G. Stratton SP boat
hook
25Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
September-1426619ApprovedAllen Park (Ottawa) boat
hook
50Flathead Catfish
NoYes
September-1526558ApprovedHennepin Village Public Ramp boat
hook
30Sauger
Walleye
Walleye/Sauger Hybrid
NoYes
September-2225578ApprovedWilliam G. Stratton SP boat
hook
25Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
September-2826845ApprovedWilliam G. Stratton SP boat
hook
25Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
October-0626620ApprovedBarto Boat Landing (Spring Valley) boat
hook
50Channel Catfish
NoYes
October-1226846ApprovedWilliam G. Stratton SP boat
hook
25Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
October-1325142ApprovedWilliam G. Stratton SP boat
hook
50Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoYes
October-1326559ApprovedHenry Public Boat Ramp boat
hook
30Sauger
Walleye
Walleye/Sauger Hybrid
NoYes
October-2626403ApprovedWilliam G. Stratton SP boat
hook
10Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
NoNo
November-02
*November-03
26560ApprovedSpring Valley Boat Club boat
hook
30Sauger
Walleye
Walleye/Sauger Hybrid
NoYes