Illinois e-News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, Sept. 25, 2024

Media contact: [email protected]

SPRINGFIELD – The 2024 Illinois fall trout season will open Saturday, Oct. 19 at 60 ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the state.

The early catch-and-release season is scheduled to open Oct. 5 this year. No trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites until the regular fall season opens at 5 a.m. Oct. 19. 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, 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 60 locations scheduled to be open for the 2024 fall trout season are below.

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

Bureau County

Hennepin Canal Parkway

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

Grove Lake, DuPage County Forest Preserve District

Pickerel Lake, DuPage County Forest Preserve District

Silver Lake, DuPage County Forest Preserve District

Apple River, Apple River Canyon State Park **

Bird Park Quarry, Kankakee

Rock Creek, Kankakee River State Park **

Big Lake, Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area

Lake County

Sand Lake, Illinois Beach State Park

Illinois and Michigan Canal Lock 14, LaSalle

Spring Grove Hatchery Pond, Spring Grove

Ogle County

Pine Creek, White Pines Forest State Park **

Rock Island County

Prospect Park Lake, Moline

Warren

Citizens Lake, Monmouth

Whiteside County

Centennial Park Pond, Rock Falls, Coloma Park District

Will County

Lake Strini, Romeoville

Van Horn Woods, Plainfield

Baumann Lake, Cherry Valley

Siloam Springs State Park Lake **

Cass County

Gridley Lake, Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area **

Kaufman Lake, Champaign Park District

Christian County

Manners Park Pond, Taylorville Park District

Casey Park Pond, Casey

Coles County

Eastern Illinois University Campus Pond, Charleston

Weldon Springs, Weldon Springs State Park

Douglas County

Villa Grove West Lake

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 Lake at Nichols Park, Jacksonville **

Sangamon County

Illinois Department of Transportation Lake, Springfield **

Southwind Park, Springfield

Washington Park Pond, Springfield

Shelby County

Forest Park Lagoon, Shelbyville

Mineral Springs Park Lagoon, Pekin

Vermilion County

Clear Lake, Kickapoo State Recreation Area

Patriot’s Park Lake (Greenville Old City Lake)

Crawford County

Crawford County Conservation Area Pond

Jefferson County

Mount Vernon Game Farm Pond

Ferne Clyffe State Park Lake

Madison County

Belk Park Pond, Wood River

Highland Old City Lake

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

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 **

Beall Woods Lake, Beall Woods State Park

Wayne County

Sam Dale Conservation Area Trout Pond