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Illinois regulations

Smallmouth Bass Regulations in Illinois 2026

Illinois smallmouth bass season runs Jun 16 – Mar 31 in 2026. Statewide rules: 3 fish/day. Sourced from DNR.

DNROfficial source

About Smallmouth Bass →

Rules (21)

Illinois statewideOpen
Status
Permitted
Season opens
Jun 16
Season closes
Mar 31
Daily bag
3 fish/day
No Statewide Size Limit. In Rivers And Streams 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. In Rivers And Streams And Their Tributaries Statewide, Except For The Mississippi, Ohio (Including Golconda Marina), And Wabash Rivers.
Verified · View official source ↗
Apple RiverCatch & release
Status
Catch And Release
Catch and Release Fishing Only (9)
Verified · View official source ↗
Calumet RiverCatch & release
Status
Catch And Release
Season opens
Apr 1
Season closes
Jun 15
All Smallmouth Bass Must Be Immediately Released Between April 1 And June 15
Verified · View official source ↗
Fox Chain O’lakesCatch & release
Status
Catch And Release
All Fish must be immediately released between April 1 and June 15
Verified · View official source ↗
Fox RiverCatch & release
Status
Catch And Release
Max size
12"
All Smallmouth Bass must be immediately released between April 1 and June 15 no more than 1 Fish greater than or equal to 12 inches and 2 Fish less than 12 inches
Verified · View official source ↗
In Rivers And Streams And Their Tributaries Statewide
Daily bag
3 fish
Contain No More Than 3 Smallmouth Bass. In Rivers And Streams 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
Verified · View official source ↗
Kane County Forest Preserve District Lakes And PondsCatch & release
Status
Catch And Release
Catch and Release Fishing Only (9)
Verified · View official source ↗
Kankakee River
Slot min
12"
Slot max
18"
Protected Slot Length Limit with no possession of Fish greater than or equal to 12 inches and less than 18 inches
Verified · View official source ↗
Kishwaukee River And South Branch Of Kishwaukee River And Tributaries
Min size
14"
Verified · View official source ↗
Pecatonica River And Tributaries
Min size
14"
Verified · View official source ↗
Pine Creek
Min size
14"
Verified · View official source ↗
Piscasaw Creek
Min size
14"
Verified · View official source ↗
Rivers And Streams 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 RiverCatch & release
Status
Catch And Release
All Smallmouth Bass Must Be Immediately Released Between April 1 And June 15.
Verified · View official source ↗
Rock River
Min size
14"
Verified · View official source ↗

Other Illinois fish regulations

Other regulated species in Illinois with current rule pages — same DNR source, same verification cadence.

Also known as

Smallmouth Bass is also called smallies. Anglers in different regions use different names for the same fish, and the rules on this page apply to all of them in Illinois.

Frequently asked questions

When is Smallmouth Bass season in Illinois?

Smallmouth Bass season in Illinois runs from Apr 1 to Jun 15 per DNR.

What is the size limit for Smallmouth Bass in Illinois?

Minimum size for Smallmouth Bass in Illinois is 14 inches in Kishwaukee River And South Branch Of Kishwaukee River And Tributaries, per DNR. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.

What is the daily bag limit for Smallmouth Bass in Illinois?

Daily bag limit for Smallmouth Bass in Illinois is 3 fish in In Rivers And Streams And Their Tributaries Statewide, per DNR.

Official sources cited

Reference only. Regulations change frequently, often mid-season. Always verify with DNR before keeping a catch.

← All Illinois fishing regulations