Apple River Fishing
An Illinois river through Carroll and Jo Daviess counties.
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Reading the Apple River before launching
Through Carroll and Jo Daviess counties runs the Apple River, an Illinois river. Galena sits under a mile from the map point.
Its stage is read at 1 USGS gauge.
IDNR IFishIllinois waterbody page, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026. Census 2023 places.
From the IFishIllinois page on the Apple River
- Location (IDNR)The Upper Mississippi River Basin extends from the East Dubuque area in northwestern Illinois south to Savanna and east to about Stockton, IL. Included are all of Jo Daviess County, and the northern part of Carroll County. This area of Illinois, along with portions of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa, is known as …
- Description (IDNR)There are approximately 1,632 miles of rivers and streams in this area. The headwaters of the Apple, Galena, Sinsinawa, and Menominee Rivers are in Wisconsin, and all of these streams flow south by south-west into the Mississippi River. The channel slopes are relatively steep, averaging from 13 to 20 feet per mile.
- More from IDNRThe smaller tributaries are often steeper, often exceeding 40 feet per mile!
IDNR IFishIllinois waterbody page, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026.
IDNR survey ratings for the Apple River
For the Apple River, every fish listed has an IDNR source.
IDNR fishing outlook ratings and survey notes as printed on the IFishIllinois page, read November 4, 2026. IDNR fish stocking table on ifishillinois.org (year, water, species, size class and number as listed; no stocking dates published), read November 4, 2026.
IDNR fishery notes on the Apple River
- IDNRThe most common collected sport fish in the Upper Mississippi River Basin Survey in 2021 was the smallmouth bass. A total of 1,248 smallmouth bass were collected over the 19 sites. Naturally reproducing populations were found in all of the stream sites with recruitment maintaining stable smallmouth bass levels. The size structure of the smallmouth bass from the 6 Apple River stations was also good with 23% …
- Bluegill was the second most common collected sport fish, found at 14 stations, for a total of 315 fish collected.
- Channel Catfish were locally common outside of the upper Apple River with a total collection of 69 fish from 5 of the stations.
IDNR fishery text, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026.
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| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Apple River Near Hanover, Il | 94 cfs, 4.23 ft gage height | Nov 13 12:15 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 13, 2026 1:33 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
On screen: Apple River Near Hanover, IL.
USGS instantaneous values, provisional; site list read November 4, 2026.
NWS gauges on the Apple River
| NWS gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple River near Hanover | 4.32 ft | 0.136 kcfs | not defined | 2026-11-05 18:15:00 UTC |
NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge readings (water.noaa.gov), read November 5, 2026; dated readings, not live (kcfs = thousand cubic feet per second).
Concrete and gravel ramps on the Apple River
The IDNR ramp layer shows no launch on the Apple River; the map marks the closest ones.
Ramps to know near Apple River
- Mississippi River – Pool 12 Blanding Rec Area Boat RampMississippi River, Pool 12, 7 miles
Farm fields line long stretches of the Apple River, so get a landowner yes before crossing.
IDNR IFishIllinois map, boat ramp and launch layer of October 2025 (KML; name, waterbody and notes as printed), read November 5, 2026.
The Apple River in the stocking table
| Year | Species as listed | Number | Size class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Rainbow Trout | 740 | Adult |
| 2026 | Rainbow Trout | 740 | NonVulnerable (8 – 10") |
| 2025 | Rainbow Trout | 533 | Adult |
IDNR fish stocking table on ifishillinois.org (year, water, species, size class and number as listed; no stocking dates published), read November 4, 2026.
The IDNR keep rules for the Apple River
| Species group | Daily limit | Statewide rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Alligator Gar | 1 per 24 hours | Harvest limit is 1 Alligator Gar per 24 hours. |
| Blue, Channel, and Flathead Catfish | no limit | There are no daily harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. |
| Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Other Sunfish | no limit | There are no harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. |
| Crappie (White, Black or Hybrid Crappie) | no limit | There are no daily harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. |
| Lake Sturgeon | no possession | Protected; No possession. |
| Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass | 6 (combined) | Daily harvest limit is 6 Bass, either singly or in the aggregate, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. In rivers and streams and their tributaries statewide, except for the Mississippi, Ohio (including Golconda Marina), and Wabash Rivers, the d |
| Muskellunge, Northern Pike, and their Hybrid | muskellunge 1, northern pike 3 | All Muskellunge and Muskellunge hybrids (Tiger Muskie) taken must be 36" in total length or longer, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. No more than 1 Muskellunge or Muskellunge hybrid (Tiger Muskie) may be taken per day, except as specified u |
| Paddlefish | 2 | Daily harvest limit is 2 Paddlefish. Please refer to Site Specific Regulations for the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa and the Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri. |
| Striped Bass (Ocean Rockfish), White Bass, Yellow Bass, and their Hybrids | no limit under 17 inches; 3 at 17 inches or longer | There are no daily harvest limits or minimum size limits for Striped Bass (Ocean Rockfish), White Bass, Yellow Bass, and their hybrids, which are less than 17" in total length, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. For these fish 17" in total le |
| Trout and Salmon | 5 (combined) | Daily harvest limit is 5 trout or salmon, either singly or in the aggregate. |
| Walleye, Sauger, or their Hybrid | 6 (combined) | All Walleye, Sauger, or their hybrid (Saugeye) taken must be 14" in total length or longer, except in the Mississippi River, Wabash River, or except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. Daily harvest limit is 6 Walleye, Sauger, or their hybrid, either |
Begin with the statewide rows for the Apple River; site entries override them.
Digest entries for the Apple River
| Water as printed | Species | Rule as printed (code) |
|---|---|---|
| Apple River | All Fish | 2 Pole and Line Fishing Only (1) |
| Apple River | Smallmouth Bass | Catch and Release Fishing Only (9) |
| Apple River | Trout | Fall Closed Season (7); Early season Catch and Release Fishing is permitted (9) Spring Closed Season (8); Early season Catch and Release Fishing is permitted (9) |
Site-specific regulations as printed in the 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR) page 15, read November 4, 2026.
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
IDNR 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR), read November 4, 2026.
Neighbouring Illinois current around the Apple River
For a second option, Sinsinawa River lies about 6 miles from here.
| Water | Distance | USGS gauges | Mapped ramps | First IDNR-rated fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple River | 1 | 0 | ||
| Sinsinawa River | 6 miles west | 1 | 0 | |
| Pecatonica River | 31 miles east | 2 | 7 | Smallmouth Bass |
| Pine Creek | 54 miles southeast | 0 | 0 | |
| Green River (Henry County) | 63 miles south | 1 | 0 | |
| Kishwaukee River | 64 miles east | 5 | 10 |
USGS gauges, IDNR boat ramp layer and IDNR outlook lines; read November 4, 2026.
Down the county road from Apple River
More Illinois lakes within reach of Apple River
- Hanover Lake11 miles
- Lake Le-Aqua-Na29 miles
Tackle stops within a short drive of Apple River
- Remm Outdoors LLCsporting goods store, Scales Mound, 10 miles
- K & S Marine Incmarina, Apple River, 12 miles
- Frentress Lake Marine Centermarina, East Dubuque, 13 miles
- Mid-Town Marinamarina, East Dubuque, 15 miles
- Lazy River Marina Incmarina, Savanna, 20 miles
Beds and breakfasts for a run to Apple River
- Galena3 miles
- East Dubuque14 miles
- Stockton20 miles
- Warren22 miles
Current past the Apple River drainage
- Sinsinawa River6 miles
- Pecatonica River31 miles
- Pine Creek54 miles
- Green River (Henry County)63 miles
- Kishwaukee River64 miles
Courthouse-county pages reaching Apple River
- Carroll County
- Jo Daviess County
Spinning reels from Piscifun matched to the Apple River
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Fish to recognise on sight at Apple River
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Richard Hurd, CC BY 2.0
The bait shop questions about the Apple River
Which county courthouse covers the Apple River?
The Upper Mississippi River Basin extends from the East Dubuque area in northwestern Illinois south to Savanna and east to about Stockton, IL. Included are all of Jo Daviess County, and the northern p Its Illinois banks lie in Carroll and Jo Daviess counties.
Which gauge reads the Apple River?
The flow band pulls Apple River Near Hanover, IL from USGS.
Which ramps reach the Apple River?
No IDNR ramp here; the nearest is Mississippi River – Pool 12 Blanding Rec Area Boat Ramp, 7 miles.
Does the digest print extra rules for the Apple River?
Statewide digest row for Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass: Daily harvest limit is 6 Bass, either singly or in the aggregate, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. The same row adds a separate rule for rivers and streams, quoted in the limits band. See its site-specific rows too.
What does IDNR charge for a license good on the Apple River?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
Is the Apple River good for catfish?
IDNR sources name rainbow trout.
Which store outfits a trip on the Apple River?
Stop at Remm Outdoors LLC, about 10 miles away,.
Can I bank fish the Apple River?
Ask before crossing private ground; public ramps and parks are open.
Put the Apple River on the calendar
Buy the Illinois license online first.