The Fall Catch-and-Release Fly Fishing Season in Illinois will be available at nine sites beginning on Oct. 6

The 2018 Illinois Fall Trout Fishing Season opens on Saturday, Oct. 20 at 57 ponds, lakes, and streams throughout the state.

The Fall Catch-and-Release Fly Fishing Season will be available at nine sites beginning on Oct. 6 at locations marked with an asterisk (*) in the list below.

Fly fishing anglers can use fly fishing gear to catch and release trout beginning Oct. 6 at the nine sites. No trout may be kept during the fly fishing period, but all anglers can keep trout after the opening of the regular fall trout season on Oct. 20.

The IDNR has added four new sites for Fall Trout Fishing in 2018, raising the stocking of rainbow trout to 67,000 fish in the Fall season, and approximately that same number for the Spring season.

The new 2018 Fall Trout Fishing sites are Bauman Lake in Cherry Valley, Casey Park Pond in Casey, Weldon Springs State Park Lake near Clinton, and Belk Park Pond in Edwardsville.

No trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites from Oct. 1 until the fall trout season opens at 5 a.m. on Oct. 20. Anyone attempting to take (harvest) trout before the legal harvest season opening will be issued citations.

All anglers — including those using fly fishing gear who intend to release fish caught before Oct. 20 — must have a valid fishing license and an Inland Trout Stamp, unless they are under the age of 16, blind or disabled, or are an Illinois resident on leave from active duty in the Armed Forces. The daily catch limit for each angler is five trout.

Illinois fishing licenses and Inland Trout Stamps are available at IDNR Direct license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores and other retail outlets. For a location near you, check the IDNR website at this link: http://dnr.illinois.gov/DNRDirectMonitor/VendorListing.aspx

Fishing licenses and trout stamps can also be purchased by using a credit card through DNR Direct online via the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov.

NOTE: Not all fall trout sites open at 5 a.m. on opening day. Anglers are reminded to check the opening time of their favorite trout fishing location prior to the season. For more information about all site regulations, anglers should contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout.

The Illinois catchable trout program is funded by those who use the program through the sale of Inland Trout Stamps and through the Illinois Fish Management Fund.

The 57 locations that will be open for Fall Trout Fishing Season are listed below:

2018 Illinois Fall Trout Locations 
(* Denotes Sites Open for Catch-and-Release Fly Fishing Early Season)

North Region 
Cook County: Axehead Lake, Cook County Forest Preserve District
Cook County: Belleau Lake, Cook County Forest Preserve District
Cook County: Busse Woods North, Cook County Forest Preserve District
Cook County: Green Lake, Cook County Forest Preserve District
Cook County: Wolf Lake, Wm. Powers Conservation Area
DuPage County: Silver Lake, DuPage County Forest preserve District
Kendall County: Big Lake at Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area
Lake County: Banana Lake, Lake County Forest Preserve District
Lake County: Sand Lake, Illinois Beach State Park
Winnebago County: Bauman Lake, Cherry Valley

Central Region
Tazewell County: Mineral Springs Park Lagoon
Vermilion County: Clear Lake, Kickapoo State Recreation Area

South Region 
Madison County: Belk Park Pond, Edwardsville Park District 
Madison County: Highland Old City Lake
St. Clair County: Frank Holten State Recreation Area main lake
St. Clair County: Jones Park Lake, East St. Louis
St. Clair County: Willow Lake, Peabody River King State Fish and Wildlife Area *