Illinois Administrative Code › Title 17 - CONSERVATION › Part 810 - SPORT FISHING REGULATIONS FOR THE WATERS OF ILLINOIS › Section 810.35 - Statewide Sportfishing (Hook and Line and Other Non-Bowfishing or Non-Snagging Legal Methods Under a Sportfishing License) Regulations - Daily Harvest and Size Limits

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
a) Length is
			 measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail with the fish laid
			 flat on a ruler, with the mouth of the fish closed and the tail lobes pressed
			 together.
b) No fish species may be
			 dressed (filleted or head and tail removed) on any waters to which length or
			 bag limits are applicable. Regardless of where taken, no fish less than the
			 specified minimum length or more than the daily harvest shall be possessed
			 while taking from, or on, any waters to which length or bag limits and/or daily
			 harvest limits apply. While taking from areas designated as "Catch and Release
			 Only", all catch and release species must be immediately released back into the
			 waters from which taken.
c)
			 Statewide limits by type of fish:
1) Channel
			 Catfish
There are no daily harvest or size limits except in those
				waters listed under Site Specific Regulations.
2) Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted
			 Bass
A) Daily harvest limit is 6 bass, either
			 singly or in the aggregate, except as specified under Site Specific
			 Regulations.
B) In streams and
			 rivers (excluding the mainstem of the Mississippi, Ohio, including the Golconda
			 Marina and Wabash Rivers) the daily harvest can contain no more than 3
			 smallmouth bass.
C) In rivers and
			 their tributaries statewide, except for the Mississippi, Ohio, including the
			 Golconda Marina, Wabash and Illinois Rivers, Calumet River, Lake Calumet
			 Connecting Channel, Calumet Sag Channel and navigable portions of the Grand
			 Calumet River and Little Calumet River, all smallmouth bass must be immediately
			 released between April 1 and June 15.
D) There is no statewide size
			 limit.
3) Muskellunge,
			 Northern Pike and Their Hybrids
A) All
			 muskellunge and muskellunge hybrids (tiger muskie) taken must be 36" in total
			 length or longer, except as specified under Site Specific
			 Regulations.
B) No more than one
			 muskellunge or muskellunge hybrid (tiger muskie) may be taken per day, except
			 as specified under Site Specific Regulations.
C) All northern pike taken must be 24" in
			 total length or longer, except in the Mississippi River where there is no size
			 limit.
D) No more than 3 northern
			 pike may be taken per day, except as specified under Site Specific
			 Regulations.
4) Crappie
			 (White, Black or Hybrid Crappie)
There are no harvest or size limits except in those waters
				listed under Site Specific Regulations.
5) Bluegill, Redear Sunfish and other Sunfish
There are no harvest or size limits except in those waters
				listed under Site Specific Regulations.
6) Striped Bass (Ocean Rockfish), White Bass,
			 Yellow Bass and Hybrids
There are no daily harvest limits or minimum size limits for
				striped bass (ocean rockfish), white bass, yellow bass and their hybrids, which
				are less than 17" in total length, except in those waters listed under Site
				Specific Regulations. For those fish 17" in total length or longer, the daily
				limit is 3 fish, either singly or in the aggregate, except in the Mississippi
				River between Illinois and Missouri where there is a 30 fish daily harvest
				limit for all striped, white, yellow or hybrid striped bass. In the Mississippi
				River between Illinois and Iowa, there is a 25 fish daily harvest on striped
				bass, white bass, yellow bass and their hybrids, either singly or in the
				aggregate.
7) Trout and
			 Salmon
Daily harvest limit is 5 trout or salmon, either singly or in
				the aggregate.
8) Walleye,
			 Sauger or their Hybrid
A) All walleye, sauger,
			 or their hybrid (saugeye) taken must be 14" in total length or longer, except
			 in the Mississippi River, Wabash River, or as specified under Site Specific
			 Regulations.
B) Daily harvest limit
			 is 6 walleye, sauger or their hybrid, either singly or in the aggregate, except
			 in those waters listed under Site Specific Regulations.
9) Paddlefish
Daily harvest limit is 2 paddlefish.
10) Injurious Species
For injurious species, as described in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 805,
				there are no harvest or size limits. Possession of live specimens, progeny
				thereof, viable eggs, or gametes is prohibited.
11) Alligator Gar
Harvest limit is 1 alligator gar per 24 hours.