Illinois e-News Release

Friday, March 10, 2023

SPRINGFIELD – The 2023 Illinois spring trout fishing season will open Saturday, April 1, at 58 ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the state.

An early opportunity at selected trout sites – the spring catch-and-release fishing season – will open March 18. No trout may be kept during the catch-and-release fishing period, but anglers can keep trout after the opening of the regular season beginning April 1.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) stocks more than 80,000 rainbow trout each year in bodies of water where trout fishing is permitted during the spring season. An additional 80,000 trout will be stocked for the fall trout fishing season, which begins in October.

The Illinois Catchable Trout Program receives funding support from those who use the program through the sale of Inland Trout Stamps.

For the 2023 spring trout season, no trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites from March 13 until the season opens at 5 a.m. April 1. Anyone attempting to harvest trout before the legal harvest season opening will be issued citations.

All anglers, including those who intend to release fish caught before April 1, must have a fishing license and an Inland Trout Stamp unless they are under the age of 16, blind or disabled, or are an Illinois resident on leave from active duty in the Armed Forces. The daily harvest limit for each angler is five trout.

For more information on trout seasons and other Illinois fishing opportunities, check the website at www.ifishillinois.org.

Illinois 2023 fishing licenses and Inland Trout Stamps are available now at IDNR license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores, and other retail outlets. For a list of locations, visit https://www.exploremoreil.com/agentlocator.

Fishing licenses and trout stamps also can be purchased online at https://www.exploremoreil.com.

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 58 locations that will be open for the 2023 spring trout season are:

Mill Race Ponds, Belvidere

Hennepin Canal Parkway

Axehead Lake, Cook County Forest Preserve District

Belleau 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

Sand Lake, Illinois Beach State Park

Illinois and Michigan Canal Lock 14, LaSalle

Lake Mendota, Village of Mendota

Lake Atwood, McHenry County Conservation District

Piscasaw Creek, McHenry County Conservation District

Pine Creek, White Pines Forest State Park**

Prospect Park, Moline

Waddams Creek, Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Park

Yellow Creek in Krape Park, Freeport

Centennial Park Pond, Rock Falls

Lake Milliken, Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area

Baumann Lake, Cherry Valley

Four Lakes, Winnebago County Forest Preserve District

Siloam Springs State Park Lake**

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

Kaufman Lake, Champaign Park District

Lake of the Woods, Champaign County Forest Preserve District

Manners Park, Taylorville Park District

Casey Park Pond, Casey

Eastern Illinois University Campus Pond, Charleston

Weldon Springs, Weldon Springs State Park

Horton Lake, Nauvoo State Park**

Sportsman’s Club Pond, Macon County Conservation District

Miller Park Lake, Bloomington

Morgan Lake at Nichols Park, Jacksonville**

Wyman Lake, Sullivan

King Park Pond

Illinois Department of Transportation Lake, Springfield**

Southwind Park, Springfield

Washington Park Pond, Springfield

Forest Park Lagoon, Shelbyville

Clear Lake, Kickapoo State Recreation Area

Mount Vernon Game Farm Pond

Ferne Clyffe State Park Lake

Belk Park Pond, Wood River

Boston Pond, Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area

Fairgrounds Pond, Fort Massac State Park

Derby Lake, World Shooting and Recreational Complex, Sparta

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

Sam Dale Conservation Area Trout Pond