UTERJanuary
Sauger below the locks
Starved Rock and Peoria.
The Illinois River to the Shawnee
Illinois freshwater fishing
What's biting in Illinois freshwater in October: largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and spotted bass at their peak, with bluegill, redear sunfish and sauger around too. Fish Scouter's season calendar follows 22 fish here month by month, from Illinois River to Fox River.
Fall crappie
The Illinois and Mississippi rivers' sauger and catfish, southern reservoirs for crappie and bass, the Chain O'Lakes, and Lake Michigan's harbors (see Lake Michigan).
Illinois RiverMississippi RiverLake ShelbyvilleRend LakeChain O'LakesFox River
Updated
Now · October
Fall crappie
Brush piles.
Black crappie (speck)Largemouth bassBlue catfishWalleyeSmallmouth bassSpotted bass (Kentucky bass)
This month here
From the season calendar, best firstPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakPeakAroundAroundAroundAroundAroundAroundAroundAroundAround
Largemouth bass
Smallmouth bass
Spotted bass (Kentucky bass)
Black crappie (speck)
Yellow perch
Walleye
Northern pike
Muskellunge (muskie)
Blue catfish
Flathead catfish
White bass
Hybrid striped bass (sunshine)
Rainbow trout
Bluegill
Redear sunfish (shellcracker)
Sauger
Channel catfish
Brown bullhead
Freshwater drum (sheepshead)
Common carp
Longnose gar
Bowfin (mudfish)
The water
Structure that matters
LakeReservoirRiverCreek / streamPond / pitDock / pilingsBridgeBoat ramp
Month by month
What's happening, and what to throwFebruary
River sauger and ice crappie
Jig and minnow.
March
River walleye and sauger
Tailwaters.
April
Crappie pre-spawn
Rend Lake brush.
May
Crappie spawn
Shallow brush.
June
Bass and bluegill beds
Topwater.
July
Catfish
Cut shad.
August
Summer cats and bass
Night fishing.
September
Fall transition
Channel catfishBlue catfishSmallmouth bassSpotted bass (Kentucky bass)Yellow perchMuskellunge (muskie)
Schooling bass.
October · now
Fall crappie
Brush piles.
November
Late river fish
Sauger move up.
December
Winter tailwaters
Locks and dams.
Fish guides for Illinois freshwater
When, where and what to use, fish by fishFish it with the tide in your pocket
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