Illinois Fishing Calendar

What's biting month by month, and how many Illinois charters on Unreel target each fish.

Biting now in October:Trout Walleye Muskie

Peak fishing months in Illinois by species, with the number of charters that target each one
Fish	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Salmon31 charters · April to September, also March and October to November	January: off peak	February: off peak	March: also fished	April: peak	May: peak	June: peak	July: peak	August: peak	September: peak	October: also fished	November: also fished	December: off peak
Trout12 charters · April to October, also January, March and November	January: also fished	February: off peak	March: also fished	April: peak	May: peak	June: peak	July: peak	August: peak	September: peak	October: peak	November: also fished	December: off peak
Crappie7 charters · April to June	January: off peak	February: off peak	March: off peak	April: peak	May: peak	June: peak	July: off peak	August: off peak	September: off peak	October: off peak	November: off peak	December: off peak
Catfish4 charters · May to July	January: off peak	February: off peak	March: off peak	April: off peak	May: peak	June: peak	July: peak	August: off peak	September: off peak	October: off peak	November: off peak	December: off peak
Walleye4 charters · April to October, also December to March	January: also fished	February: also fished	March: also fished	April: peak	May: peak	June: peak	July: peak	August: peak	September: peak	October: peak	November: off peak	December: also fished
Muskie3 charters · July to November	January: off peak	February: off peak	March: off peak	April: off peak	May: off peak	June: off peak	July: peak	August: peak	September: peak	October: peak	November: peak	December: off peak

Shaded months are the typical peak for a charter trip. The outlined column is this month.

Illinois fishing, month by month

January: Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
February: Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
March: Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.
April: Salmon, Trout, Crappie, Walleye
May: Salmon, Trout, Crappie, Catfish, Walleye
June: Salmon, Trout, Crappie, Catfish, Walleye
July: Salmon, Trout, Catfish, Walleye, Muskie
August: Salmon, Trout, Walleye, Muskie
September: Salmon, Trout, Walleye, Muskie
October: Trout, Walleye, Muskie
November: Muskie
December: Off season for most charters. Some captains still run trips, so it is worth asking.

Before you book

Walleye: Lake Erie walleye is open all year. Inland lakes open in early to mid May (late April in lower Michigan).
Muskie: Muskie season opens in early June in Minnesota and Michigan.

How this calendar is built

The charter counts are live from the Unreel directory: each one is a Illinois charter that lists that fish as a target. A fish only appears here if at least three local charters target it.

The shaded months are general peak windows for the Great Lakes, not fishing regulations. For ocean species, the spawning, migration and federal closure notes were checked against NOAA Fisheries species profiles, and for inshore and freshwater species against state wildlife agency guidance and rules. Seasons, closures and limits change every year and can differ by water, so check Illinois's current regulations and ask your captain what is running before you book.