Illinois Fall Trout Season Opens October 19, 2024

Early Catch-and-Release Opportunity Scheduled October 5th at select sites (see note below) *

The 2024 Illinois Fall Trout Fishing Season will open Saturday, October 19th at 60 ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the state.

An early opportunity at select trout sites — the Fall Catch-and-Release Fishing Season — will open October 5th. 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 19.

Note: No trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites until the regular fall season opens at 5:00 a.m. October 19th. The daily catch limit is five trout.

IDNR is glad to note that Highland Old City Lake, Madison County, Highland, Illinois has undergone maintenance and fall trout will resume this year.

All anglers — including those who intend to release fish caught before October 19th — 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 at https://www.exploremoreil.com/agentlocator

Fishing licenses and trout stamps also can be purchased by using a credit card online at https://www.exploremoreil.com/

For information about site regulations, anglers should contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout. Not all of the fall trout sites listed below open at 5:00 a.m. on opening day. Anglers are reminded to check the opening time of their favorite trout fishing location prior to the open date.

The Illinois Catchable Trout Program is funded by those who use the program through the sale of Inland Trout Stamps. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) stocks more than 80,000 rainbow trout each year in bodies of water where trout fishing is permitted during the fall season. An additional 80,000 trout are stocked for the spring season which begins each April.

 

2024 Illinois Fall Trout Locations

(* Denotes sites open for catch-and-release early fall season fishing)

North Region

Central Region

South Region