Illinois Fishing Water Quality
Find the best fishing spots in Illinois with real-time water quality data
Stations with the freshest data in Illinois
MASON TAZEWELL DRAINAGE D AT CR2350E NR TOPEKA, IL
OHIO RIVER AT OLMSTED, IL
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT DAM 13 NEAR FULTON, IL
DES PLAINES RIVER AT ROUTE 53 AT JOLIET, IL
LICK CREEK NEAR WOODSIDE, IL
SUGAR CREEK NEAR CHATHAM, IL
ILLINOIS RIVER AT FLORENCE, IL
Mississippi River Pool Lock and Dam 26 at Alton,IL
HANSON GRAVEL PIT AT CULVERT NEAR MORRIS, IL
FOX RIVER NEAR MCHENRY, IL
Get Illinois closure alerts
Weekly updates when fishing closures are active or listed for this state.
Alerts arrive as a weekly digest. We'll first send a confirmation email you'll need to click before any alerts start, and you can unsubscribe anytime from any email. See our Privacy Policy.
Fishing Closures
Illinois not yet covered — verify officiallyVerify before fishing
Regulations can change by season, species, and water body.
Illinois Beach Nature Preserve
SpeciesNorth Dunes Nature Preserve
SpeciesAbout Fishing in Illinois
Illinois offers diverse fishing opportunities with 395 water quality monitoring stations tracking conditions across the state. Whether you're looking for bass, trout, catfish, or other species, our real-time water quality data helps you find the best fishing spots.
Understanding Readiness Scores
The readiness score (0–100) reflects how current and complete a station's public data is — how recently it reported and how many parameters it carries — not a grade of the water itself. A higher score means more up-to-date, more complete data. The direct assessment of water conditions (dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, bacteria) is shown on each spot page, where those measured values are evaluated.
Planning Your Fishing Trip
Before heading out, always check local regulations and obtain the required fishing license. Water quality conditions can change rapidly, so we recommend checking scores on the day of your trip for the most accurate information.