9
9
SALE OF AQUATIC LIFE
No sh, amphibians, reptiles, craysh, or parts
thereof (including eggs or resulting offspring)
taken by sport shing license methods (including
snagging) may be bought, sold or bartered.
SEASONS
Sport shing is open year-round (except as noted in
the Site Specic Regulations section and for
turtle and frog season).
SMELT
The sport shing season for Smelt is from March 1
through April 30 (check local seasonal regulations for
Smelt shing from Chicago Park District properties).
A sport shing license entitles the angler to harvest
Smelt. Waters of Lake Michigan comprise Illinois’
Smelt shery. Smelt may be taken with a seine or
gill net not more than 12 feet long, 6 feet deep and
with mesh size not more than 1 inch diagonal stretch,
or by dip net not more than 12 feet in diameter with
mesh size not less than 1 inch diagonal stretch.
Trolley or power lines may also be used by sport
shermen in taking Smelt (see Trot and Trolley Line
section). No person shall operate more than one
smelt net device at any one time. All sh taken other
than Smelt must be released immediately.
SNAGGING
a) Sport shermen are permitted only one pole and
line device to which can be attached no more
than two hooks. On the Mississippi River between
Illinois and Iowa, the maximum treble hook size is
5/0; gaffs may not be used to land Paddlesh.
b) Species of Fish and Snagging Harvest Limit.
1) Only the following species of sh and harvest
limit may be taken by snagging:
Bighead Carp (no live possession) –
no harvest limit
Black Carp (no live possession) – no harvest limit
Bown – no harvest limit
Buffalo – no harvest limit
Carpsuckers – no harvest limit
Common Carp – no harvest limit
Freshwater Drum – no harvest limit
Gizzard Shad – no harvest limit
Grass Carp (no live possession) –
no harvest limit
Longnose Gar – no harvest limit
Paddlesh – 2 Fish Daily Harvest Limit; the
maximum length limit for Paddlesh taken
from the Mississippi River between Illinois
and Iowa is 33-inch eye-fork length (EFL) (all
Paddlesh greater than or equal to 33-inch
EFL must be immediately released back to
the Mississippi River); the minimum length
limit for Paddlesh taken from the Mississippi
River between Illinois and Missouri is 24-inch
EFL (all Paddlesh less than 24-inch EFL
must be immediately released back to the
Mississippi River).
Salmon (Coho and Chinook only) – 5 Fish, in
the aggregate, Daily Harvest Limit
Shortnose Gar – no harvest limit
Silver Carp (no live possession) –
no harvest limit
Suckers – no harvest limit
2) No sorting (i.e., catching more sh than is
allowed and putting back some in order to keep
larger ones) of snagged Salmon and Paddlesh
is permitted, except for Paddlesh taken from the
Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri
where sorting is permitted. Every Paddlesh
snagged must be included in the daily harvest
limit. Every Salmon 10 inches in total length or
longer snagged must be taken into immediate
possession and included in the daily harvest limit.
Once the daily harvest limit of Salmon or Paddle-
sh has been reached, snagging must cease.
c) Waters Open to Snagging and Snagging Season.
1) Snagging for sh is permitted from September
15 through December 15 and from March 15
through May 15 within a 300 yard downstream
limit below all locks and dams of the Illinois River,
except for the area below the Peoria Lock and
Dam where snagging is permitted year round.
2) Snagging for sh is permitted from September
15 through December 15 and from March 15
through May 15 within a 300 yard downstream
limit below all locks and dams of the Mississip-
pi River between Illinois and Missouri, except
for the Chain of Rocks low water dam at Chou-
teau Island – Madison County, also known
as Dam 27 at the Chain of Rocks – Madison
County where no snagging is permitted. Snag-
ging is permitted from 1/2 hour before sunrise
to 1/2 hour after sunset daily, March 1 through
April 15 within a 500 yard downstream limit
below locks and dams on the Mississippi River
between Illinois and Iowa.
3) Snagging for sh is permitted year-round within
a 100 yard limit upstream or downstream of the
dam at Horseshoe Lake in Alexander County.
4) Snagging for Chinook and Coho Salmon
only is permitted from the following Lake
Michigan shoreline areas from October 1
through December 31; however, no snagging
is allowed at any time within 200 feet of a
moored watercraft or as posted:
A) Lincoln Park Lagoon from the Fullerton
Avenue Bridge to the southern end of the
Lagoon.
B) Waukegan Harbor (in North Harbor basin only).
C) Winnetka Power Plant discharge area.
D) Jackson Harbor (Inner and Outer Harbors).
d) Disposition of Snagged Salmon and Paddlesh.
All snagged Salmon and Paddlesh must be
removed from the area from which they are taken
and disposed of properly, in accordance with17
Ill. Adm. Code, Section 810.14 of the Fish and
Aquatic Life Code.
SPORTFISH
Principal sport sh are the Muskellunge, Tiger
Muskie, Northern Pike, Walleye, Sauger, Saugeye,
Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted
Bass, Striped Bass, hybrid Striped Bass, White
Bass, Yellow Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunsh, Rock
Bass, White Crappie, Black Crappie, Trout and
Salmon. These may be taken only with sport shing
devices by sport shermen having sport shing
licenses. Other species such as Paddlesh, Cat-
sh, Yellow Perch, Freshwater Drum and Carp are
considered both sport and commercial sh, and
the means of taking and purposes for which they
are taken prescribe the type of license required.
Still other species are considered commercial sh,
though when taken on sport shing devices an
angler must have a sport shing license. A fourth
category is endangered and threatened aquatic life.
(See Endangered and Threatened Aquatic Life).
SPORTFISHING (HOOK AND LINE METHODS
UNDER A SPORTFISHING LICENSE)
Any individual possessing a valid sport shing
license may take aquatic life by hand, or may
use pole and line, bank pole and line, throw line,
trotline, buoyed ganging devices, or other legal
devices not exceeding 50 hooks in the aggregate,
however, any individual at any one time is allowed
to use under his or her immediate control only 2
untagged sport shing devices and any additional
devices up to the aggregate of 50 hooks must be
tagged with his or her name and mailing address.
If attached to a tree, the device must be attached
only to the main trunk below the water line. All unat-
tended devices must be marked with the angler’s
name and address.
Also permitted are legal-sized cast nets, shad
scoops and minnow seines (see Bait Fishing, Cray-
sh, and Minnows). Smelt may be taken in Lake
Michigan with legal size dip nets, gill nets, and
seines.
Special shing regulations at certain waterbod-
ies prohibit the use of some devices or restrict
the number of devices; please check the Site-
Specic Regulations which are contained in this
regulation booklet and are posted at various
locations at the sites (boat ramps and site ofces)
where applicable.
While taking from areas designated as “Catch
and Release Fishing Only”, all catch and release
species must be immediately released unharmed
back into the waters from which taken.
SPORTFISHING LICENSE
A sport shing license entitles an angler to harvest
sh, craysh, turtles or Bullfrogs, except for endan-
gered and threatened aquatic life, within limits
denoted in the Statewide Harvest and Size Limits
Table and Site Specic Regulations. It is unlawful
to sell any aquatic life, or parts thereof, taken by a
sport shing license.
STOCKING
Fish may be immediately released back into the
waters from which they were taken, but permission
from the Department of Natural Resources must
be secured before releasing sh in other waters,
except for private water owners. An owner of a
body of water may release aquatic life found on
the Aquatic Life Approved Species List into waters
wholly upon his or her property so long as the
aquatic life is purchased from a licensed Aquatic
Life Dealer or Illinois Aquaculturist. Transporting
aquatic life or natural water from a public water to
private waters is prohibited. It is illegal to import,
stock, or possess live diploid Grass Carp, Silver
Carp, Bighead Carp or hybrid Grass Carp or any
species not found on the Aquatic Life Approved
Species List. A Restricted Species Transportation
Permit must be secured from the Department of
Natural Resources before importing or stocking
triploid Grass Carp.
SUNFISH AS BAIT
There is nothing in the Illinois Fish and Aquatic Life
Code which prohibits the use of legally taken Sunsh
as bait for another species of sh, but Sunsh can
only be used in the body of water from which they
were taken. The Sunsh must have been taken by a
properly licensed sport sherman using legal sport-
shing devices. You must also observe all length
limits and daily harvest limits both where the Sunsh
were taken and where they are being used as bait.
Also, it is illegal to cut up or dress or be in posses-
sion of cut up or dressed sh on any body of water
where there is a size limit for that particular species
of sh. Examples of Sunsh species legal for use as
bait include Bluegill, Redear Sunsh, Green Sunsh,
Longear Sunsh, Pumpkinseed Sunsh, Warmouth
and their hybrids.
TAGGED OR MARKED FISH
Fisheries biologists attach tags to many sh for
research purposes. Please report all tags found. If
the sh is kept, return the tag to the address print-
ed on the tag or the local sheries ofce in your
area. If a tagged sh is released, the tag should
be reported but left in the sh in good condition.
Information regarding the species of sh caught,
the length and the weight of the sh, location cap-
tured, and the tag number, if present, should also
be reported.
Sport shermen are strongly advised to not tag
or n clip sh caught on state and/or public waters.
TAKE
To lure, kill, destroy, capture, gig or spear, trap or
ensnare, or attempt to do so.
TRANSPORTING WATER, FISH, OR OTHER
AQUATIC LIFE
It is unlawful to:
1) import or move live aquatic life without securing
permission from the Department (bait purchased
from a licensed bait shop may be transported);
2) remove natural water from waters of the State
via bait bucket, livewell, baitwell, bilge, etc.;
3) remove any watercraft, boat, boat trailer or other
equipment from waters of the State without
emptying and draining any bait bucket, livewell,
baitwell, bilge, etc., or any other compartment
capable of holding natural waters; and
4) use aquatic life (sh, craysh, or amphibians) as
bait within the State of Illinois other than in the
waters where they were legally taken.
TROLLING
Trolling is permissible, provided the angler has not
more than three poles and lines with not more than
two hooks or lures on each. In waters where there
is a 2 Pole and Line Only designation, no more
than two poles and lines with not more than two
hooks or lures on each may be used.
TROT AND TROLLEY LINES
Hooks on trot lines, throw lines and similar devices
shall be spaced not less than 24 inches apart,
except on trolley or power lines used in Lake
Michigan. Trot, throw lines and similar devices are
unlawful on Two Pole and Line Fishing Only areas
unless specically authorized in the Site Specic
Regulations section of this booklet. Fish taken by
these methods must not exceed the statewide reg-
ulations (harvest limits and length limits). Trotlines