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Mississippi River
The rule for this water, with the receipt.
Special regulations for Mississippi River, as the state words them
IL County · River · IL
Has its own special rules
How to read this page:Official text quoted regulationParsed fields from the ruleDerived calculated from rulesContext conditions, not a ruleAdvice our suggestion
Today's rule hereParsed
- Season
- Sport fishing is open year-roundStatewide
- Gear
- 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 aggregateStatewide
- Bait
- Not captured yet - consult the statewide regulations
- Poles
- any individual at any one time is allowed to use under his or her immediate control only 2 untagged sport fishing devicesStatewide
| Species | Daily limit | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|
Channel Catfish Varies by water: limit 6 Fish Daily Harvest Limit (Decatur Park District • Macon); 12 inch Minimum Length Limit, limit 6 Fish Daily Harvest Limit (Forest Preserve District of DuPage County • DuPage) | No Harvest Or Size Limits | - | Statewide |
Large or Smallmouth Bass Varies by water: 15 inch Minimum Length Limit (Mundelein Park District • Lake); limit Protected Slot Length Limit with no possession of Fish greater than or equal to 14 inches and less than 18 inches; 4 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 1 Fish greater than or equal to 18 inches and 3 Fish less than 14 inches (Forest Preserve District of DuPage County • DuPage); limit 6 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 1 Fish greater than or equal to 15 inches (Kankakee River Valley Forest Preserve District • Kankakee); 18 inch Minimum Length Limit (Will County Forest Preserve District • Will); limit 3 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 1 Fish greater than or equal to 15 inches and 2 Fish less than 15 inches (Vermilion County Conservation District • Vermilion); limit 5 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 1 Fish greater than or equal to 15 inches and 4 Fish less than 15 inches (Clark County Park District • Clark) | 1 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | min. 14 inch Minimum Length Limit | Statewide |
Pure Muskellunge Varies by water: 36 inch Minimum Length Limit (Flagg-Rochelle Park District • Ogle); 42 inch Minimum Length Limit (Clark County Park District • Clark) | See size | min. 48 inch Minimum Length Limit | Statewide |
Bluegill or Redear Sunfish Varies by water: limit 20 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 5 Fish greater than or equal to 8 inches (Vermilion County Conservation District • Vermilion); limit No Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 5 Fish greater than or equal to 7 inches (Champaign County Forest Preserve District • Champaign) | 25 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | - | Statewide |
Trout | 5 Trout Or Salmon, Either Singly Or In The Aggregate | - | Statewide |
Walleye, Sauger, or Hybrid Walleye Varies by water: 18 inch Minimum Length Limit (Cook County Forest Preserve District • Cook) | 3 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | min. 16 inch Minimum Length Limit | Statewide |
White, Black, or Hybrid Crappie Varies by water: 9 inch Minimum Length Limit (Fox Valley Park District • Kane); limit 25 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 2 Fish greater than or equal to 12 inches (Clark County Park District • Clark) | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | - | Statewide |
Yellow Perch | 25 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | - | This water |
Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | - | Statewide |
Bluegill Varies by water: limit 10 Fish Daily Harvest Limit (Kane County Forest Preserve District • Kane) | No Harvest Or Size Limits | - | Statewide |
Largemouth Bass Varies by water: limit 4 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 1 Fish greater than or equal to 18 inches and 3 Fish less than 14 inches (Kane County Forest Preserve District • Kane) | 6 Bass, Either Singly Or In The Aggregate | - | Statewide |
Northern Pike | 5 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | - | This water |
Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, or Hybrid Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | - | Statewide |
Alligator Gar | 1 Alligator Gar Per 24 Hours | - | Statewide |
Blue Catfish | No Harvest Or Size Limits | - | Statewide |
Flathead Catfish | 10 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | - | This water |
Redear Sunfish | No Harvest Or Size Limits | - | Statewide |
Other Sunfish | No Harvest Or Size Limits | - | Statewide |
Common Snapping Turtle | 2, Possession Limit Of 4 | - | Statewide |
Bullfrog | 8, Possession Limit Of 16 | - | Statewide |
White Crappie | No Harvest Or Size Limits | - | Statewide |
Black Crappie | No Harvest Or Size Limits | - | Statewide |
Hybrid Crappie | No Harvest Or Size Limits | - | Statewide |
Injurious Species | No Harvest Or Size Limits | - | Statewide |
Lake Sturgeon | Protected; No Possession | - | Statewide |
Spotted Bass | 6 Bass, Either Singly Or In The Aggregate | - | Statewide |
Muskellunge | No More Than 1 Muskellunge Or Muskellunge Hybrid (Tiger Muskie) May Be Taken Per Day | min. 36˝ In Total Length Or Longer | Statewide |
Tiger Muskie | No More Than 1 Muskellunge Or Muskellunge Hybrid (Tiger Muskie) May Be Taken Per Day | min. 36˝ In Total Length Or Longer | Statewide |
Paddlefish Snagging for Paddlefish is permitted from one half hour before sunrise to one half 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. No sorting allowed. Once the Daily Harvest Limit of Paddlefish has been reached, snagging must cease. Legal-size Paddlefish may be released at the angler's discretion once they are included in the Daily Harvest Limit. Gaffs may not be used to land Paddlefish | 2 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | min. 33 inch (Eye to Fork) Maximum Length Limit (all Paddlefish greater than or equal to 33 inches must be immediately released back to the Mississippi River) | This water |
Striped Bass Varies by water: 17˝ In Total Length Or Longer, limit 3 Fish, Either Singly Or In The Aggregate (Statewide, except in the Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri and the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa, for fish 17 inches or longer) | No Daily Harvest Limits Or Minimum Size Limits (for fish less than 17˝ in total length) | - | Statewide |
White Bass | No Daily Harvest Limits Or Minimum Size Limits (for fish less than 17˝ in total length) | - | Statewide |
Yellow Bass | No Daily Harvest Limits Or Minimum Size Limits (for fish less than 17˝ in total length) | - | Statewide |
Salmon Varies by water: limit 5 Fish, in the aggregate, Daily Harvest Limit (Sportfishing devices statewide); 10 inches in total length or longer (Statewide, snagging) | 5 Trout Or Salmon, Either Singly Or In The Aggregate | - | Statewide |
Walleye Protected Slot Length Limit with no possession of Fish greater than or equal to 20 inches and less than 27 inches | See size rule | min. 15 inch Minimum Length Limit | This water |
Sauger | 6 Walleye, Sauger Or Their Hybrid, Either Singly Or In The Aggregate | min. 14˝ In Total Length Or Longer | Statewide |
Saugeye | 6 Walleye, Sauger Or Their Hybrid, Either Singly Or In The Aggregate | min. 14˝ In Total Length Or Longer | Statewide |
Bighead Carp | no harvest limit | - | Statewide |
Black Carp | no harvest limit | - | Statewide |
Bowfin | no harvest limit | - | Statewide |
Buffalo | no harvest limit | - | Statewide |
Carpsuckers | no harvest limit | - | Statewide |
Common Carp | no harvest limit | - | Statewide |
Freshwater Drum | no harvest limit | - | Statewide |
Gizzard Shad | no harvest limit | - | Statewide |
Grass Carp | no harvest limit | - | Statewide |
Longnose Gar | no harvest limit | - | Statewide |
Shortnose Gar | no harvest limit | - | Statewide |
Silver Carp | no harvest limit | - | Statewide |
Suckers | no harvest limit | - | Statewide |
Alligator Snapping Turtle | Protected; may not be taken by any sport fishing method | - | Statewide |
Rock Bass | 25 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | - | This water |
All Nongame Species Combined | 100 Total Fish Daily Harvest Limit (Excludes endangered and threatened species and the following game species: Crappie, Channel/Blue/Flathead Catfish, Rock Bass, Warmouth, White/Yellow/Striped/Hybrid Striped Bass, Trout, Largemouth/Smallmouth/Spotted Bass, Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Chain/Grass Pickerel, Walleye, Sauger, Paddlefish) | - | This water |
The official text, verbatimOfficial text
Straight from IL's official regulations. Rules in force today lead; out-of-season rows are dimmed. Nothing is paraphrased. Not legal advice: verify the posted rules at the water.
The reach you are on
Whole water
- All fishRecreational Use Restrictions Spring Lake in Carroll County is closed to fishing during the 7 days prior to the regular duck season and during the regular duck and Canada goose season except in areas posted as open to fishing.
- All fishGear While Trolling, sport fisherman must not use more than 2 poles and each pole must not have more than 2 hooks or lures
- Bluegill or Pumpkinseed SunfishDaily limit 25 Fish Daily Harvest Limit, singly or in aggregate
- Large or Smallmouth BassDaily limit 5 Fish Daily Harvest LimitSize 14 inch Minimum Length Limit
- Northern PikeDaily limit 5 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- PaddlefishDaily limit 2 Fish Daily Harvest LimitSize 33 inch (Eye to Fork) Maximum Length Limit (all Paddlefish greater than or equal to 33 inches must be immediately released back to the Mississippi River)Snagging for Paddlefish is permitted from one half hour before sunrise to one half 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. No sorting allowed. Once the Daily Harvest Limit of Paddlefish has been reached, snagging must cease. Legal-size Paddlefish may be released at the angler's discretion once they are included in the Daily Harvest Limit. Gaffs may not be used to land Paddlefish
- Rock BassDaily limit 25 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- Striped, White, Yellow, or Hybrid Striped BassDaily limit 25 Fish Daily Harvest LimitStatewide regulation limiting daily harvest to 3 Fish greater than or equal to 17 inches is not in effect on the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa
- WalleyeSize 15 inch Minimum Length LimitProtected Slot Length Limit with no possession of Fish greater than or equal to 20 inches and less than 27 inches
- Walleye or SaugerDaily limit 6 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 1 Fish greater than or equal to 27 inches
- White, Black, or Hybrid CrappieDaily limit 25 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- Yellow PerchDaily limit 25 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- All Nongame Species CombinedDaily limit 100 Total Fish Daily Harvest Limit (Excludes endangered and threatened species and the following game species: Crappie, Channel/Blue/Flathead Catfish, Rock Bass, Warmouth, White/Yellow/Striped/Hybrid Striped Bass, Trout, Largemouth/Smallmouth/Spotted Bass, Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Chain/Grass Pickerel, Walleye, Sauger, Paddlefish)
- All fishRecreational Use Restrictions Boating prohibited on refuge area (Ellis Bay) immediately upstream of Melvin Price Lock and Dam 26 overflow dike from October 15-April 15
- Blue or Channel CatfishDaily limit 20 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- Flathead CatfishDaily limit 10 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- Largemouth, Smallmouth, or Spotted BassDaily limit 6 Fish Daily Harvest LimitSize 12 inch Minimum Length Limit
- Northern PikeDaily limit 1 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- PaddlefishDaily limit 2 Fish Daily Harvest LimitSize 24 inch (Eye to Fork) Minimum Length LimitSnagging for Paddlefish is permitted from September 15 through December 15 and March 15 through May 15 within a 300 yard downstream limit below locks and dams on the Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri except for the Chain of Rocks low water dam at Chouteau Island, also known as Dam 27 at the Chain of Rocks (Madison County) where no snagging is permitted. Sorting is permitted; every Paddlefish greater than or equal to 24 inches eye to fork length not immediately released must be included in the Daily Harvest Limit; Paddlefish less than 24 inches eye to fork length must be to returned immediately to the water. Once the Daily Harvest Limit of Paddlefish has been reached, snagging must cease. Gaffs may not be used to land Paddlefish
- Striped, White, Yellow, or Hybrid Striped BassDaily limit 30 Fish Daily Harvest LimitStatewide regulation limiting daily harvest to 3 Fish greater than or equal to 17 inches is not in effect on the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa
- Walleye or SaugerDaily limit 6 Fish Daily Harvest LimitSize 14 inch Minimum Length Limit
- White, Black, or Hybrid CrappieDaily limit 30 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- Northern PikeNo size limit on Northern Pike in the Mississippi River (exception to the statewide 24-inch minimum).
Other reaches in this official entry
Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri
- Striped BassDaily limit 30 Fish Daily Harvest Limit For All Striped, White, Yellow Or Hybrid Striped BassAggregate limit for Striped, White, Yellow, or Hybrid Striped Bass combined.
- Striped BassDaily limit 25 Fish Daily Harvest Limit On Striped Bass, White Bass, Yellow Bass And Their Hybrids, Either Singly Or In The Aggregate
- PaddlefishPaddlefish 33 inches eye-fork length or less must be kept and counted toward daily limit; greater than 33 inches must be immediately returned to the water.
- PaddlefishSize 24 inches eye-fork length24in+ landed and released do not count toward limit; 24in+ landed and not released count toward limit; under 24in must be immediately returned.
- All fishSeptember 15 through December 15 and March 15 through May 15 (dates as written)Gear snaggingNo snagging permitted at the Chain of Rocks low water dam (Dam 27).
Out of season today
- All fishMarch 1 through April 15 (out of season today)Gear snagging, 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset daily
How this answer was assembled
- StatewideStatewide river rules are the base layer: default season, gear, bait, and limits.
- This waterSpecial rules written for this exact water replace the statewide defaults where they speak.
- Emergency orderEmergency orders in effect today override everything else. They sync quietly when the phone has coverage and never lock you out of the app.
Where this stretch begins and ends
Loading map…
The drawn shape is the named water, matched from the official list against OpenStreetMap and accepted only because the name resolved to a single feature in this water's county.
Different sections of this water can have different rules. The exact section boundaries are not marked on the map yet; each rule above describes in plain words where it starts and ends, and that written description is the authoritative boundary. Map boundaries come water by water, never as a guess.
Season at a glanceDerived
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Sampled mid-month from the dated rows; short windows can slip between samples. The rows above are authoritative.
At the water nowContext
Today
84°F
Mostly Sunny
Wind 0 to 5 mph · 0% precip
Tonight
64°F
Mostly Cloudy
Wind 5 mph · 2% precip
Friday
70°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Wind 5 to 10 mph · 90% precip
Streamflow: 32,500 cfs at mississippi river at clinton, ia (2026-07-30 06:30)
Forecast: National Weather Service. Flow: nearest active USGS gauge in this water's area, which may sit on a different reach. Conditions are context, not rules.
What are you fishing for here?Advice
Pick from the species named in Mississippi River's rules. Setups are checked against the gear rules in force today, and your picks are remembered on this device only. These are rule-aware suggestions, not a claim about what is biting; advice, not law, and the rules above govern.
Receipts
Statewide rules
StatewideChecked against this official source on July 8, 2026.
Special rules - Mississippi River
This waterChecked against this official source on July 8, 2026.
Local services near Mississippi River
Tackle shops, guides, and boat launches that serve this water will appear here - a separate lane below the rules, so a local business can reach you without ever getting between you and the regulation.
Run a shop or guide service on Mississippi River? Get listed.