Welcome to I Fish Illinois—Illinois DNR Division of Fisheries

Illinois Free Fishing Days: June 18 – 21, 2021

The 2021 Illinois Free Fishing Days celebration will take place June 18 – 21, once again coinciding with Father's Day weekend. During this four-day celebration of fishing in Illinois, anglers can fish without purchasing a fishing license, salmon stamp or inland trout stamp.

Discover the fun of fishing or introduce your kids to the outdoor adventure of fishing during these free fishing days! If you're new to fishing, here's a guide to everything you need to get started. We've got some family fishing hotspots here, but if you have a question for us, get in touch!

2021 Illinois Fishing Regulations

The 2021 Illinois Fishing Regulations Information Guide is now available. This guide went into effect April 1, 2021. The guide is available in both English and Spanish.

You can download a copy of the guide here:

Printed copies should now be available at your favorite outlet soon.

2021 Fishing Licenses

Fishing Licenses for 2021 are for sale now. They expire on March 31, 2022. Your 2020 license expired March 31 of this year, so you have plenty of time to get a new one.

You can purchase your fishing license online here.

Asian Carp: The Perfect Catch

In its continuing efforts to further reduce the spread of Asian Carp in our waterways, IDNR has embarked on an exciting new initiative to improve the perception — and ultimately increase human consumption — of these healthy, delicious fish.

Click to learn about Asian Carp's benefits and sales information, or see a recent presentation on this initiative. Eat well, do good!

The Illinois Hatchery System

Illinois is home to three very productive fish hatcheries — Jake Wolf Memorial, LaSalle and Little Grassy Fish Hatcheries. The Illinois Hatchery System is dedicated to enhancing fish populations in Illinois waters by producing adequate numbers of various species of fish to meet stocking demands statewide. In fact, at full capacity the system can produce over 50 million fish of 20 species! State hatcheries also work with other US hatcheries to obtain fish eggs and fry to supplement on-site production for certain species.

To learn more about our hatchery system, as well as the hours they are open for visits from the public, see our page here.

Interested in where we stock fish? See our stocking page here!

Stop the Spread of Invasive Species

Remove, Drain, Dry: As the boats come out of storage, we'd like to remind you to be aware of invasive species that pose a threat to our lands and waterways. To fight the spread of aquatic invaders, the IDNR is asking residents to "be a hero transport zero." The best way to stop the spread of invasive species is to remove, drain, and dry your boats after use in any Illinois waterway. Learn more here.