Illinois Free Fishing Days
June 19 to 22, 2026: fishing Illinois with no license, Salmon Stamp or Inland Trout Stamp; 2027 dates not yet printed.
For weighing a catchPiscifun Lip gripper with digital scale27% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Lake Michigan: Charles Fulton, CC BY 2.0
Illinois Free Fishing Days, June 19 to 22, 2026
In keeping with tradition, the annual Illinois Free Fishing Days will take place the third weekend in June. For 2026, those dates are June 19-22.
IDNR set Free Fishing Days for June 19, 20, 21, and 22, 2026 (no license, salmon stamp or trout stamp needed).
IDNR 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR), read November 4, 2026.
Why no 2027 date is printed here
2027 dates not printed in the 2026 digest or on the IDNR pages read; the digest says the event is held the third weekend in June.
| Year | Days | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | June 19, 20, 21, and 22, 2026 | Printed in the 2026 digest |
| 2027 | Not printed | Held the third weekend in June, per the digest |
Where to spend an Illinois free fishing day
- Tackle loaner sitesborrow a rod free at 130 libraries and parks
- Illinois limitsthe statewide rows still apply
- Site-specific waterslocal rules still apply
- Lake Michiganharbors and lagoons for a first trip
- Catchable trout programno trout stamp needed those days
Prairie water pictured beside Illinois Free Fishing Days
Photo: Alaina McDavid, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Richie Diesterheft, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: David Brossard, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Illinois Free Fishing Days questions
Which June dates were license-free in Illinois in 2026?
June 19, 20, 21, and 22, 2026, as printed in the 2026 digest.
When are the 2027 Free Fishing Days?
IDNR has not printed 2027 dates on the pages read; the digest says the event is held the third weekend in June.
Do I need a license or stamp those days?
No: no fishing license, Salmon Stamp or Inland Trout Stamp is needed during Free Fishing Days.
Do limits still apply?
Yes; the statewide rows and every site-specific entry still apply.
Can visitors from other states fish free too?
The Free Fishing Days waive the license and stamps for every angler on those dates.
Can I borrow tackle?
Yes; IDNR lists 130 tackle loaner sites, mostly libraries and park offices, that lend rods free.
Who fishes free the rest of the year?
Residents and nonresidents under 16, and resident persons declared legally disabled or blind.
Are fee fishing areas different?
Anglers at IDNR-licensed fee fishing areas need no license or Inland Trout Stamp at any time.