Guide To Great Fishing In Illinois
All about fishing in the Prairie State
Illinois fishing can be divided into two general areas - Lake Michigan and the rest of the state. On these pages we'll concentrate on the major lakes throughout Illinois. There are also many streams and rivers which offer additional fishing opportunities.
Here, you can fish for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, redear sunfish, rock bass, warmouth, white bass, yellow bass, yellow perch, Atlantic salmon, coho salmon, stripers, bowfin, muskie, northern pike, sauger, saugeye and spotted gar in local lakes, rivers, ponds and/or streams.
Major Illinois Lakes & Species

Lake & Fish Chart
This chart shows the major angling destinations, cross referencing these waters with the major species to be found in each of the lakes or impoundments. Many of these lakes offer fishing boats for rent.
For a detailed list of primary fish species in IL, plus state fish records, see the list below.
Fishing lake sizes and locations in the state.
Anderson Lake is a 1,130-acre, freshwater lake located in the west-central part of IL, 5 miles southwest of Havana.
Carlyle Lake is a 26,000-acre reservoir in the south-central part of the state, at Carlyle.
Cedar Lake is a 1,750-acre reservoir at the southern tip of IL, 5 miles southwest of Carbondale.
Clinton Lake is a 4,900-acre lake in the east-central part of the state, 2 miles east of Clinton.
Coffeen Lake is a 1,070-acre lake in the central part of the state, at the town of Coffeen.
Crab Orchard Lake is a 6,900-acre lake in the southern part of the state, 3 miles east of Carbondale.
Devils Kitchen Lake is an 810-acre reservoir at the southern tip of IL, 8 miles southeast of Carbondale.
East Fork Lake is a 934-acre lake in the southeast part of the state at Olney.
Evergreen Lake is a 925-acre reservoir in the central part of the state, 5 miles north of Bloomington.
Fox Chain O' Lakes comprises 990 acres in the northeast corner of the state, at Fox Lake.
Governor Bond Lake is a 760-acre reservoir in south-central IL, 2 miles north of Greenville.
Heidecke Lake is a 2,000-acre lake in the northeast part of the state, 2 miles east of Morris.
Kinkaid Lake is a 2,700-acre lake in the southern part of the state, 5 miles northwest of Murphysboro.
Lake Carroll is a 630-acre reservoir in the northwest corner of the state, 2 miles north of Georgetown.
Lake Decatur is a 2,800-acre reservoir located in the central part of IL, in the city of Decatur.
Lake Lou Yeager is a 1,300-acre lake in the central part of the state, 2 miles northeast of Litchfield.
Lake Mattoon is a 1,050-acre reservoir in central IL, 10 miles north of Effingham.
Lake Michigan is a 22,300 square mile body of water at the northeast corner of Illinois.
Lake Of Egypt is a 2,300-acre lake in the southern part of the state, 3 miles northeast of Goreville.
Lake Shelbyville is an 11,000-acre lake in the east-central part of the state, at Shelbyville.
Lake Springfield is a 3,850-acre lake in the central part of the state, on the southern outskirts of Springfield.
Lake Taylorville is a 1,300-acre lake in the central part of the state, 2 miles southeast of Taylorville.
Little Grassy Lake is a 1,200-acre reservoir at the southern tip of IL, 5 miles south of Carbondale.
Newton Lake is a 1,700-acre lake in the southeast part of the state, 3 miles north of Ingraham.
Otter Lake is a 765-acre reservoir in west-central IL, 25 miles southwest of Springfield.
Pistakee Lake is a 1,700-acre lake in northeast IL, at Pistakee Highlands.
Rend Lake is a 19,000-acre lake in the southern part of the state, at Whittington.
Sangchris Lake is a 2,300-acre lake in the central part of the state, 3 miles west of Edinburg.
Fish Species & State Records in Illinois
Bass
Largemouth bass
World record: 22 lbs 4 oz
State Record: 13 lbs 1 oz
Smallmouth bass
World record: 11 lbs 15 oz
State Record: 6 lbs 7 oz
Spotted bass
World record: 9 lbs 8 oz
State Record: 7 lbs 3.12 oz
Catfish
Channel catfish
World record: 58 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 45 lbs 4 oz
Flathead catfish
World record: 123 lbs 9 oz
State Record: 78 lbs 0 oz
Blue catfish
World record: 143 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 124 lbs 4 oz
Crappie
Black crappie
World record: 6 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 4 lbs 8 oz
White crappie
World record: 5 lbs 3 oz
State Record: 4 lbs 7 oz
Walleye
Walleye
World record: 25 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 15 lbs 1 oz
Sauger
World record: 17 lbs 7 oz
State Record: 5 lbs 12 oz
Saugeye
World record: 15 lbs 6 oz
State Record: 9 lbs 10.88 oz
Panfish
Bluegill
World record: 4 lbs 12 oz
State Record: 3 lbs 8 oz
Green sunfish
World record: 2.2 lbs
State Record: 2 lbs 1 oz
Hybrid sunfish
World record: N/A
State Record: 2 lbs 4.48 oz
Redear sunfish
World record: 5.4 lbs
State Record: 2 lbs 12.3 oz
Rock bass
World record: 3.0 lbs
State Record: 1 lbs 10 oz
Warmouth
World record: 2.4 lbs
State Record: 1 lbs 13 oz
White Bass
World record: 6.8 lbs
State Record: 4 lbs 14 oz
Yellow bass
World record: 2 lbs 15 oz
State Record: 2 lbs 0 oz
Yellow perch
World record: 4 lbs 3 oz
State Record: 2 lbs 8.75 oz
Trout
Rainbow trout
World record: 42 lbs 2 oz
State Record: 31 lbs 6.72 oz
Brook trout
World record: 14 lbs 8 oz
State Record: 7 lbs 5 oz
Brown trout
World record: 40 lbs 4 oz
State Record: 36 lbs 11.5 oz
Lake trout
World record: 72 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 38 lbs 4 oz
Salmon
Atlantic salmon
World record: 79 lbs 2 oz
State Record: 18 lbs 11.25 oz
Chinook a.k.a. King
World record: 97 lbs 4 oz
State Record: 37 lbs 0 oz
Coho salmon
World record: 33 lbs 7 oz
State Record: 20 lbs 9 oz
Striped bass
Striper
World record: 81 lbs 14 oz
State Record: 31 lbs 7 oz
Hybrid Striped Bass
U.S. record: 27 lbs 5 oz
State Record: 21 lbs .32 oz
Other species
Bowfin
World record: 21 lbs 8 oz
State Record: 16 lbs 6 oz
Muskie (Muskellunge)
World record: 69 lbs 9 oz
State Record: 38 lbs 8 oz
Northern pike
World record: 55 lbs 1 oz
State Record: 26 lbs 15 oz
Spotted gar
World record: 9 lbs 12 oz
State Record: 7 lbs 13.44 oz
Click the images and links above for species details.

Visit the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website for regulations and details about fishing in Illinois.
Apply here for an Illinois Fishing License.
Enhance your fishing vacation by renting a cabin in Illinois. Another great way to see the state with opportunities for fishing, away from the crowds is by taking a motorhome into backwoods fishing areas.
Visit the section dedicated to activities for kids in Illinois. It is devoted to information about kids fishing with stories, fish photos and tips for where and how to take a kid fishing in Illinois. Please send us your recommendations and we will be happy to consider them for publication.
Fishing in all states
ILLINOIS

