Illinois State Record Fish
As published by ifishillinois.org, checked Sep 17, 2026. 56 records. Illinois fishing tournaments
Illinois state fish: Bluegill (freshwater). State fishing agency: Illinois Department of Natural Resources (agency website ↗).
| Species | Record | Year | Water | County | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Salmon | 18 lb 11.25 oz#7 of 13 states | 1979 | Lake Michigan | Cook | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Bighead Carp | 72 lb 9 oz#5 of 10 states | 2021 | Humboldt Park Lagoon | Cook | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Bigmouth Buffalo | 48 lb 0 oz#13 of 18 states | 1936 | Mississippi River | Adams | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Black Buffalo | 23 lb 12 oz#9 of 9 states | 1984 | Rock River | Lee | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Black Bullhead CatfishAlso listed as Black Bullhead | 5 lb 6 oz#6 of 18 states | 1988 | Strip Mine | Fulton | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Black Crappie | 4 lb 8 oz#8 of 34 states | 1976 | Rend Lake | Franklin | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Blue Catfish | 124 lb 0 oz#4 of 25 states | 2005 | Mississippi River | Madison | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Bluegill | 3 lb 8 oz#5 of 40 states | 1987 | Farm Pond | Jasper | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Bowfin | 16 lb 6 oz#10 of 27 states | 1984 | Rend Lake | Jefferson | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Brook Trout | 7 lb 5 oz#14 of 33 states | 1998 | Lake Michigan | Lake | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Brown Bullhead CatfishAlso listed as Brown Bullhead | 3 lb 4.8 oz#27 of 30 states | 2017 | Emiquon Lake | Fulton | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Brown Trout | 36 lb 11.5 oz#4 of 36 states | 1997 | Lake Michigan | Cook | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Burbot | 11 lb 12.5 oz#14 of 16 states | 2020 | Lake Michigan | Cook | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Channel Catfish | 45 lb 4 oz#4 of 40 states | 1987 | Baldwin Lake | St. Clair | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Chinook Salmon | 37 lb 0 oz#8 of 16 states | 1976 | Lake Michigan | Lake | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Coho Salmon | 20 lb 9 oz#8 of 16 states | 1972 | Lake Michigan | Lake | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Common Carp | 51 lb 0 oz#9 of 37 states | 1994 | Lake Hillcrest | Madison | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Flathead Catfish | 81 lb 6.4 oz#9 of 31 states | 2015 | Sangchris Lake | Christian | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Freshwater Drum | 38 lb 4 oz#7 of 32 states | 2018 | Clinton Lake | DeWitt | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Goldeye | 2 lb 1 oz#12 of 14 states | 1998 | Embarras River | Cumberland | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Grass CarpAlso listed as Carp | 74 lb 0 oz#3 of 16 states | 2015 | Lake Galena | Jo Daviess | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Green Sunfish | 2 lb 1 oz#3 of 24 states | 1981 | Farm Pond | DeWitt | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Hybrid Crappie | 4 lb 8.8 oz | 2017 | Kinkaid Lake | Jackson | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Hybrid Striped Bass | 21 lb 7.2 oz#8 of 26 states | 2017 | Lake Bloomington | McLean | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 2 lb 9.4 oz#2 of 11 states | 2005 | Farm Pond | Henry | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Lake Trout | 39 lb 2.6 oz#11 of 25 states | 2021 | Lake Michigan | Cook | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Largemouth Bass | 13 lb 1 oz#20 of 43 states | 1976 | Stone Quarry Lake | Lake | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Longnose Gar | 22 lb 1 oz#18 of 25 states | 2006 | Ohio River | Massac | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| MuskellungeAlso listed as Musky | 38 lb 8 oz#15 of 22 states | 2002 | Kaskaskia River | Shelby | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Northern Hogsucker | 1 lb 12.3 oz#6 of 8 states as Northern Hog Sucker | 1971 | Little Vermilion River | LaSalle | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Northern Pike | 26 lb 15 oz#22 of 33 states | 1989 | Strip Mine Lake | Kankakee | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Pumpkinseed SunfishAlso listed as Pumpkinseed | 1 lb 1.9 oz#13 of 22 states | 2020 | Hennepin Hopper | Putnam | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Rainbow Trout | 31 lb 6.72 oz#4 of 39 states | 1993 | Lake Michigan | Lake | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Redear Sunfish | 3 lb 1.1 oz#13 of 25 states | 2018 | Beaver Lake | Grundy | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Rock Bass | 1 lb 10 oz#14 of 26 states | 1987 | Aux Sable Creek | Grundy | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Sauger | 5 lb 12.5 oz#15 of 25 states | 1967 | Mississippi River | Jo Daviess | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Saugeye | 10 lb 13.6 oz#6 of 18 states | 2024 | Argyle Lake | McDonough | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Shorthead Redhorse | 4 lb 12.8 oz#3 of 8 states | 2021 | Big Rock Creek | Kendall | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Shortnose Gar | 6 lb 15.2 oz#7 of 12 states | 2018 | Horseshoe Lake | Madison | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Shovelnose Sturgeon | 12 lb 15 oz#3 of 10 states | 2024 | Rock River | Whiteside | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Silver Redhorse | 6 lb 11.4 oz#6 of 8 states | 2008 | Fox River | Kane | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Skipjack Herring | 2 lb 10.4 oz#6 of 9 states | 2022 | Illinois River | LaSalle | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Smallmouth Bass | 7 lb 3 oz#29 of 40 states | 2019 | Lake Michigan | Cook | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Spotted Bass | 7 lb 3.12 oz#9 of 22 states | 1992 | Strip Mine | Fulton | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Spotted Gar | 8 lb 14.7 oz#4 of 9 states | 2022 | Kidd Lake Canal | Monroe | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Striped Bass | 31 lb 7 oz#32 of 35 states | 1994 | Sangchris Lake | Christian | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Tiger MuskellungeAlso listed as Tiger Musky | 31 lb 3 oz#13 of 22 states | 2004 | Lake Will | Will | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Tiger Trout | 8 lb 12.5 oz#6 of 14 states | 1977 | Lake Michigan | Cook | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Walleye | 15 lb 1 oz#20 of 37 states | 2012 | Pecatonica River | Winnebago | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Warmouth | 1 lb 13 oz#6 of 20 states | 1971 | Farm Pond | Cumberland | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| White Bass | 4 lb 14 oz#18 of 31 states | 1981 | Kaskaskia River | Clinton | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| White Crappie | 4 lb 7 oz#11 of 28 states | 1973 | Farm Pond | Morgan | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Whitefish (Lake)Also listed as Lake Whitefish | 8 lb 4 oz#9 of 12 states as Whitefish | 2018 | Lake Michigan | Cook | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Yellow Bass | 2 lb 0 oz#11 of 15 states | 1994 | Farm Pond | Madison | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Yellow Bullhead CatfishAlso listed as Yellow Bullhead | 5 lb 4 oz#1 of 17 states | 1955 | Fox River | Kane | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
| Yellow Perch | 2 lb 8.75 oz#19 of 36 states | 1974 | Arrowhead Club Lake | Will | ifishillinois.org ↗Checked Sep 17, 2026 |
Weights and lengths are shown as each list gives them, with units spelled out. Record holders' names are on the linked lists. Where one list shows the same fish under two names, it appears once with both names. Waters that have a page in this directory are linked. A rank such as "#3 of 46 states" places a record among the states' records for that species by weight; it is shown only where the record matches the national ranking exactly.
Compare With Other States
- Bass records44 states
- Bowfin records27 states
- Burbot records17 states
- Carp records40 states
- Catfish records44 states
- Crappie records43 states
- Gar records27 states
- Muskie records32 states
- Panfish records42 states
- Perch records37 states
- Pike records34 states
- Salmon records28 states
- Striped bass records40 states
- Sturgeon records14 states
- Trout records41 states
- Walleye records40 states
- Whitefish records18 states