Illinois fishing seasons

67 species profiles in our database list Illinois waters among their fisheries — including Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Rock Bass, Sauger. Below: what's in season month by month, where to fish, and the licence source you need. Seasons shift year to year; the official agency has the final word.

Best months to fish in Illinois

Months when the largest share of Illinois's profiled species are in season, from our database. Full calendar: What's Biting.

Illinois fishing calendar, month by month

Each month links to the species in season then, from our season windows. A month is charted when at least 3 species are in season.

Freshwater species in Illinois

Species	Season
American Paddlefish	Varies by watershed and local regulation
American Smelt	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Atlantic Sturgeon	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Banded Killifish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Bantam Sunfish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Bigmouth Buffalo	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Black Redhorse	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Blacknose Dace	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Blackside Darter	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Blue Catfish	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Blue Sucker	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Brook Trout	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Channel Darter	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Cisco	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Common Carp	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Common Shiner	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Dollar Sunfish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Emerald Shiner	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Flathead Catfish	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Freshwater Drum	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Gizzard Shad	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Golden Redhorse	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Golden Shiner	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Greater Redhorse	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Green Sturgeon	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Greenside Darter	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Gulf Sturgeon	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Hornyhead Chub	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Iowa Darter	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Johnny Darter	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Lake Trout	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Lake Whitefish	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Logperch	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Longnose Dace	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Longnose Gar	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Longnose Sucker	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Mooneye	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Mud Sunfish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Northern Hogsucker	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Orangespotted Sunfish	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Pallid Sturgeon	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Peacock Bass	Varies by region and regulation
Pirate Perch	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Quillback	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Rainbow Darter	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Rainbow Trout	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
River Carpsucker	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Rock Bass	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Rosyface Shiner	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Round Whitefish	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Sacramento Perch	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Sauger	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Shadow Bass	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Shorthead Redhorse	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Shortnose Gar	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Shortnose Sturgeon	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Shovelnose Sturgeon	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Silver Redhorse	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Skipjack Herring	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Smallmouth Bass	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Smallmouth Buffalo	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
Spotfin Shiner	Often most active in warm months; check local rules
Spotted Sucker	Varies by watershed and local regulation
Steelhead	Jan–Feb–Jun–Jul–Aug–Dec
White Bass	Mar–Apr–May–Jun–Jul–Aug–Sep–Oct–Nov
White Sucker	Varies by watershed and local regulation

Saltwater & brackish species in Illinois

Species	Season
Coho Salmon	Run-dependent by river/region; check run timing

Where to fish in Illinois

• Great Lakes (US/CA)
• Mississippi River

Fishing in the Midwest

Ohio · Michigan · Indiana · Wisconsin · Minnesota · Iowa · Missouri · Kansas · Nebraska · South Dakota · North Dakota