The Best Fishing Spots in Illinois
Fishing in Illinois offers a wide variety of opportunities across Lake Michigan, major rivers and thousands of inland lakes and reservoirs; anglers commonly pursue largemouth bass and smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike and muskellunge, abundant channel and flathead catfish, panfish like crappie and bluegill, and Great Lakes salmonids such as Chinook, coho and steelhead; rivers like the Illinois River and Kankakee River and reservoirs such as Rend Lake and Lake Shelbyville provide varied water, structure and seasons suited to shore, boat and ice fishing.
Top Cities For Fishing
Lake Fishing
Lake Michigan
River Fishing
Other
Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Carlyle Lake
Illinois’ largest inland lake, Carlyle Lake excels for white bass, channel catfish, and seasonal sauger, with riprap, flats, and spillway areas producing near Carlyle and Keyesport .
Fox River
Flowing through the northwest suburbs, the Fox River is a multi-species fishery for smallmouth bass, walleye, channel catfish, and seasonal white bass, with productive riffles, island seams, and dam tailouts in towns like Elgin and Aurora .
Kinkaid Lake
A southern Illinois gem, Kinkaid Lake is renowned for trophy muskie, plus solid largemouth bass and crappie, with bluffs, standing timber, and weedlines near Murphysboro .
Lake Shelbyville
Known for strong crappie populations plus largemouth bass, muskie, and white bass, Lake Shelbyville fishes well around timbered coves, points, and riprap near Sullivan and Findlay .
Lake Springfield
Urban-friendly Lake Springfield offers reliable largemouth bass, crappie, and catfish, with docks, riprap, and coves fishing well close to Springfield .
Lake of Egypt
A power-plant lake famed for early-season bites, Lake of Egypt has strong largemouth bass and crappie fishing on points, grass edges, and docks near Marion and Goreville .
Rend Lake
Rend Lake is a premier crappie and channel catfish destination, with brushy coves, submersed timber, and riprap producing from spring through fall near Benton and Sesser .
Sangchris Lake
With complex shorelines and timber, Sangchris Lake produces quality largemouth bass, muskie, and crappie, especially in coves and warm-water arms near Rochester and Edinburg .
Wolf Lake
Straddling the state line, Wolf Lake provides accessible urban fishing for largemouth bass, northern pike, and panfish, with marsh edges and channels productive near Hegewisch and Hammond .
Clinton Lake
A warm-water reservoir noted for hybrid striped bass, blue catfish, and largemouth bass, Clinton Lake provides extended seasons and power-plant-influenced patterns near Clinton .
Fox Lake
A central hub of the Fox Chain, Fox Lake offers action for muskie, walleye, largemouth bass, and panfish, with bays and channel mouths excelling during warm months near Ingleside and Fox Lake .
Heidecke Lake
Wind-swept and open, Heidecke Lake is known for hybrid striped bass, walleye, and smallmouth bass, with riprap banks and current-washed areas producing near Morris .
Kankakee River
Crystal-clear runs, rock gardens, and deep holes on the Kankakee River produce quality smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, and channel catfish, with prime access in Kankakee River State Park near Bourbonnais .
Pistakee Lake
Part of the Fox Chain, Pistakee Lake is popular for walleye, white bass, muskie, and largemouth bass; weed edges, channels, and bridge areas shine from spring through fall around Johnsburg and Fox Lake .
Powerton Lake
A warm-water fishery, Powerton Lake offers unique opportunities for smallmouth bass, blue catfish, and hybrid striped bass, with shoreline areas and current seams near Pekin and Peoria .
Rock River
The Rock River is a top destination for trophy flathead and channel catfish, dependable walleye, and smallmouth bass, especially around dams, islands, and bends near Rockford , Oregon , and Sterling .
Shabbona Lake
Stocked for diversity, Shabbona Lake holds muskie, walleye, smallmouth, and largemouth bass, with rock humps, timber, and coves fishing well near Shabbona .
Illinois River
Renowned for spring sauger and walleye runs plus abundant white bass and channel catfish, the Illinois River fishes well around dam tailwaters and main-channel edges near Starved Rock , Ottawa , and Peoria .
Mississippi River
The mighty Mississippi River along Illinois delivers excellent catfish (blues, channels, flatheads), walleye/sauger, and white bass, with productive wing dams, backwaters, and dams from Galena to Alton offering year-round bites and diverse structure.