Illinois Administrative Code › Title 17 - CONSERVATION › Part 810 - SPORT FISHING REGULATIONS FOR THE WATERS OF ILLINOIS › Section 810.45 - Site Specific Water Area Regulations

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
a) Site specific regulations are listed by
			 water area affected. The coverage of the regulation is dictated by the extent
			 of the water area listed and not by the county. In some cases, regulations for
			 a given water area or site may extend beyond the counties listed. The counties
			 listed refer to the location of the dam or outfall for impoundments or mouths
			 of small streams. Since large rivers or streams usually flow through many
			 counties, the term "Multiple" is used rather than listing all counties where
			 the large stream or river flows.
b)
			 If a water area is not listed, then statewide restrictions apply. If a Minimum
			 Length Limit or a Daily Harvest Limit is not listed, then statewide
			 restrictions apply.
c) Daily
			 Harvest Limits are an aggregate count of all species listed for each
			 regulation, except as noted otherwise. For species not listed, statewide
			 restrictions apply.
d) The
			 following subsections explain additional restrictions or special provisions
			 referred to by number in parentheses for water areas listed in this Section.
1) Sport fishermen must not use more than 2
			 poles and each pole must not have more than 2 hooks or lures attached (Alabama
			 rigs not allowed) while fishing, except that legal size cast nets (in
			 accordance with Section
			 810.50(a)(2)),
			 shad scoops, and minnow seines may be used to obtain shad, minnows and crayfish
			 to use as bait, provided that they are not sold, and except that bullfrogs may
			 be taken by hand, gig, pitchfork, spear, landing net and hook and line during
			 bullfrog season.
2) Sport fishermen
			 may not use a minnow seine, minnow trap, cast net or shad scoop for bait
			 collecting in the following water areas:
Charleston Lower Channel Lake tailwaters from that portion of
				the Embarras River from the Charleston Lower Channel Lake Dam downstream to the
				Route 130 Bridge.
Clinton Lake tailwaters from that portion of Salt creek from
				the Clinton Dam downstream to the route 10 Bridge.
Cook County Forest Preserve District Waters (except in the Des
				Plaines River)
Lake Decatur tailwaters from that portion of the Sangamon River
				from the Lake Decatur Dam downstream to the Route 48 Bridge.
3) All jugs set in a body of water shall be
			 under the immediate supervision of the fisherman. Immediate supervision shall
			 be defined as the fisherman being on the water where the jugs are set and
			 readily available to identify jugs to law enforcement officers.
4) When using live bait, all live bait in
			 excess of 8" in total length shall be rigged with a quick set rig. The hook
			 shall be immediately set upon the strike. A quick set rig is defined as
			 follows: a live bait rig with up to 2 treble hooks attached anywhere on the
			 live bait; single hooks are prohibited. This subsection (d)(4) does not apply
			 to trotlines, jug lines, etc., if allowed on the lake.
5) Sport fishermen may take carp,
			 carpsuckers, buffalo, gar, bowfin and suckers by pitchfork, gigs, bow and arrow
			 or bow and arrow devices.
6) The
			 daily harvest limit for yellow perch shall not exceed 15 fish in the combined
			 waters of Lake Michigan, Calumet River, and Chicago River including its North
			 Branch, South Branch and the North Shore Channel.
7) It shall be illegal to possess trout
			 during the period of October 1 to 5 a.m. on the third Saturday in October (both
			 dates inclusive) that were caught during that period.
8) It shall be illegal to possess trout
			 during the period of March 15 to 5 a.m. on the 1st Saturday in April (both
			 dates inclusive) that were caught during that period.
9) Catch and Release Fishing Only means that
			 fish (all identified species) caught must be immediately released alive and in
			 good condition back into the water from which they came.
10) The 48 inch total length limit on pure
			 muskellunge applies to that body of water listed as well as any tailwaters as
			 defined below:
Evergreen Lake (McLean County) - including the portion of Six
				Mile Creek below the Evergreen Lake Dam downstream to its confluence with the
				Mackinaw River.
Fox Chain O'Lakes (Lake/McHenry Counties) - including the Fox
				River south of the Wisconsin-Illinois boundary to the Algonquin Dam and the
				Nippersink Creek upstream to the Wilmot Road Bridge.
Kinkaid Lake (Jackson County) - including the portion of
				Kinkaid Creek below the Kinkaid Lake Dam downstream to the Route 149
				Bridge.
Lake Shelbyville (Moultrie/Shelby Counties) - including the
				portion of the Kaskaskia River below the Lake Shelbyville Dam downstream to the
				State Route 128 Road Bridge near Cowden.
Otter Lake (Macoupin County) - including the portion of Otter
				Creek below Otter Lake Dam downstream to its confluence with East Otter
				Creek.
Pierce Lake (Winnebago County) - including the portion of
				Willow Creek below the Pierce Lake Dam downstream to Forest Hills
				Road
11) It shall be
			 unlawful to enter upon a designated duck hunting area between sunset of the
			 Sunday immediately preceding opening day of regular duck season through the day
			 before regular duck season and Canada goose season as posted at the site, or to
			 fish on such areas during the regular duck season except in areas posted as
			 open to fishing. It shall be unlawful to enter upon areas designated as
			 waterfowl rest areas or refuges from two weeks prior to the start of the
			 regular duck season through the end of duck and Canada goose season.
12) It shall be unlawful to trespass upon a
			 designated waterfowl hunting area during the 7 days prior to the regular duck
			 season, or to fish on such areas during the regular duck and Canada goose
			 season except in areas posted as open to fishing. It shall be unlawful to
			 trespass upon areas designated as waterfowl rest areas or refuges from 2 weeks
			 prior to the start of the regular duck season through the end of duck and
			 Canada goose season.
13) It shall
			 be unlawful to enter upon areas designated as waterfowl hunting areas during
			 the 10 days prior to the start of the regular duck season, or to fish on such
			 areas during the regular duck season except in areas posted as open to fishing.
			 It shall be unlawful to enter upon areas designated as waterfowl rest areas or
			 refuges from 10 days prior to the start of the regular duck season through the
			 end of duck and Canada goose season.