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Press Release - Thursday, September 28, 2023
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Illinois fall trout season opens Oct. 21 in locations statewide
SPRINGFIELD - The 2023 Illinois fall trout season will open Saturday, Oct. 21 at 59 ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the state, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is warning anglers that warm weather will delay some early stockings this fall.
The early catch-and-release season, scheduled to open Oct. 7 this year, will be stocked later than expected because of forecasted and observed warm water temperatures. Trout stocked in waters warmer than 70 degrees will experience high mortality. IDNR will stock the early catch-and-release sites as soon as water temperatures cool and will provide updates on the ifishillinois.org website and social media channels for ifishillinois.org and IDNR.
No trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites until the regular fall season opens at 5 a.m. Oct. 21. The daily catch limit is five trout.
All anglers, including those who participate in the early catch-and-release season, 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. Fishing licenses and trout stamps can be purchased online with a credit card.
For information about all site regulations, anglers should contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout. Not all sites open at 5 a.m. on opening day. Anglers are reminded to check the opening time of their favorite sites prior to the open date.
The fall trout season offers opportunities for families to get outdoors and enjoy fishing. Online resources are available for taking kids fishing.
IDNR reinstated its Catchable Trout Program in 1994. The program is funded in part by those who use the program through the sale of inland trout stamps. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources 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. For more information on trout seasons and other Illinois fishing opportunities, visit https://www.ifishillinois.org.
The 59 locations scheduled to be open for the 2023 fall trout season are below.
2023 Illinois Fall Trout Locations
(** Denotes sites open for catch-and-release early fall season fishing)
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Bureau County
Hennepin Canal Parkway
Cook County
Axehead Lake, Cook County Forest Preserve District
Belleau Lake, Cook County Forest Preserve District
Busse Woods North Lake, Cook County Forest Preserve District
Green Lake in Calumet City, Cook County Forest Preserve District
Horsetail Lake, Cook County Forest Preserve District
Sag Quarry East, Cook County Forest Preserve District
Wolf Lake at William W. Powers State Recreation Area, Chicago
DuPage County
Grove Lake, DuPage County Forest Preserve District
Pickerel Lake, DuPage County Forest Preserve District
Silver Lake, DuPage County Forest Preserve District
Jo Daviess County
Apple River, Apple River Canyon State Park **
Kankakee County
Bird Park Quarry, Kankakee
Rock Creek, Kankakee River State Park **
Kendall County
Big Lake, Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area (SFWA)
Lake County
Sand Lake, Illinois Beach State Park
LaSalle County
Illinois and Michigan Canal Lock 14, LaSalle
McHenry County
Spring Grove Hatchery Pond, Spring Grove
Ogle County
Pine Creek, White Pines Forest State Park **
Rock Island County
Prospect Park Lake, Moline
Warren County
Citizen's Lake, Monmouth
Whiteside County
Centennial Park Pond, Rock Falls, Coloma Park District
Will County
Lake Strini, Romeoville
Van Horn Woods, Plainfield
Winnebago County
Baumann Lake, Cherry Valley
CENTRAL ILLINOIS
Adams County
Siloam Springs State Park Lake **
Cass County
Gridley Lake, Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area **
Champaign County
Kaufman Lake, Champaign Park District
Christian County
Manners Park Pond, Taylorville Park District
Clark County
Casey Park Pond, Casey
Coles County
Eastern Illinois University Campus Pond, Charleston
DeWitt County
Weldon Springs, Weldon Springs State Park
Douglas County
Villa Grove West Lake
Hancock County
Horton Lake, Nauvoo State Park **
Macon County
Rock Springs Pond, Macon County Conservation District
Macoupin County
Beaver Dam Lake, Beaver Dam Lake State Park
McDonough County
Argyle Lake, Argyle Lake State Park
Morgan County
Morgan Lake at Nichols Park, Jacksonville **
Sangamon County
IDOT Lake, Springfield **
Southwind Park, Springfield
Washington Park Pond, Springfield
Shelby County
Forest Park Lagoon, Shelbyville
Tazewell County
Mineral Springs Park Lagoon, Pekin
Vermilion County
Clear Lake, Kickapoo State Recreation Area
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
Bond County
Patriot's Park Lake (Greenville Old City Lake)
Crawford County
Crawford County Conservation Area Pond
Jefferson County
Mount Vernon Game Farm Pond
Johnson County
Ferne Clyffe State Park Lake
Madison County
Belk Park Pond, Wood River
Note: No trout will be stocked during the fall 2023 at Highland Old City Lake in Madison County due to ongoing maintenance. Stocking is expected to resume in fall 2024.
Marion County
Boston Pond, Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area
Massac County
Fairgrounds Pond, Fort Massac State Park
Randolph County
Derby Lake, World Shooting and Recreational Complex, Sparta
Randolph County State Fish and Wildlife Area Lake
Saline County
Jones Lake Trout Pond, Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area
St. Clair County
Frank Holten State Park Main Lake
Jones Park Lake, East St. Louis
Willow Lake at Peabody River King State Fish and Wildlife Area**
Wabash County
Beall Woods Lake, Beall Woods State Park
Wayne County
Sam Dale Conservation Area Trout Pond
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