Photo of Mississippi River: nearly almost, CC BY-SA 4.0
Illinois river pools
Reading the Mississippi River Pool 21 before launching
IDNR treats Pool 21 of the Mississippi River as its own navigation pool, reaching into Adams County. IDNR sizes the pool at 8,690 acres. The far bank belongs to Iowa and Missouri, under a digest reciprocity text. Quincy sits under a mile from the map point.
Trailers go in at 1 boat ramp.
8,690acres (IDNR)
1mapped ramps
0USGS gauges
1county
IDNR IFishIllinois waterbody page, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026. Census 2023 places.
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
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
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.
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
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 Pool 21 of the Mississippi River; site entries override them.
Digest entries for the Mississippi River Pool 21
Recreational Use Restrictions
: It shall be unlawful to trespass upon a designated waterfowl hunting
area during the 7 days prior to the regular duck season, or to fish on
such areas during the regular duck and Canada goose season except
in areas posted as open to fishing. It shall be unlawful to trespass upon
areas designated as waterfowl rest areas or refuges from 2 weeks prior
to the start of the regular duck season through the end of duck and
Canada goose season.
Site-specific regulations on the IFishIllinois page, as printed, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026.
State-line rules on the Mississippi River Pool 21
Reciprocity (digest)Officers of Illinois and Iowa will recognize and accept valid sport fishing licenses of either state when legally possessed and used by hook-and-line sport fishermen on the Mississippi River proper forming a common boundary between Illinois and Iowa, including its backwater lakes and sloughs contiguous with the flow of waters in the main channel; provided that you do not fish from or attach any device or …
Reciprocity (digest)Officers of Illinois and Missouri will recognize and accept valid sport fishing licenses of either state when legally possessed and used in the Mississippi River and its backwaters within the boundary of Missouri adjacent to the state of Illinois. Persons licensed in only one state may also fish in the other state’s portion of any oxbow lakes through which the IllinoisMissouri boundary passes, and may fish …
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
What gets asked about Mississippi River Pool 21 around Illinois
Which county courthouse covers Pool 21 of the Mississippi River?
Pool 21 extends from Lock & Dam 21 located near Quincy, Illinois upstream to Lock & Dam 20 located near Canton, Missouri. Its Illinois banks lie in Adams County.
Which gauge reads Pool 21 of the Mississippi River?
No gauge is tied to it here; a neighbouring river page gives a rough idea.
Which ramps reach Pool 21 of the Mississippi River?
There are 1 boat ramp, Mississippi River – Pool 21 Quincy Boat Ramp among them.
Does the digest print extra rules for Pool 21 of the Mississippi 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 Pool 21 of the Mississippi River?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026). Reciprocity with Iowa and Missouri is printed in the limits band.
Is Pool 21 of the Mississippi River good for catfish?
IDNR names no species for it; statewide rows still apply.
Which store outfits a trip on Pool 21 of the Mississippi River?
Stop at Wiemelts Bait And Tackle LLC, about 7 miles away,.
Can I bank fish Pool 21 of the Mississippi River?
Ask before crossing private ground; public ramps and parks are open.
How does Pool 21 of the Mississippi River fit into the river?
IDNR treats it as one of 15 pools of the Mississippi River.
Put Pool 21 of the Mississippi River on the calendar
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