Pecatonica River Fishing
An Illinois river through Stephenson and Winnebago counties.
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First Illinois notes on the Pecatonica River
The Pecatonica River is an Illinois river crossing Stephenson and Winnebago counties. It is under a mile to Lena.
IDNR plots 7 boat ramps here. Stage comes from 2 USGS gauges. IDNR rates smallmouth bass here as good.
IDNR IFishIllinois waterbody page, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026. Census 2023 places.
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- Location (IDNR)The Pecatonica River originates in Wisconsin and enters Illinois in Stephenson County just north of Winslow. It flows in a southeasterly direction through eastern Stephenson County and western Winnebago County and enters the Rock River near Rockton.
- Description (IDNR)The Pecatonica River is approximately 92 miles long in Illinois and drains 805 square miles. The total drainage area of the basin, including the Wisconsin portion of the stream, is 2,641 square miles.
IDNR IFishIllinois waterbody page, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026.
How IDNR rates the fishing on the Pecatonica River
| Species | IDNR rating | IDNR survey note |
|---|---|---|
| Smallmouth Bass | Good | Smallmouth Bass are most common in the lower Pecatonica River near the confluence with the Rock River around rip rapped areas, and further upstream in a few of the larger tributaries. A survey conducted in the summer of… |
| Walleye | Very Good | Walleye are stocked each year into the lower Pecatonica River and the upper Rock River to provide a quality sport fishery for this species. Fishing is generally good near the mouth of the Pecatonica River north of… |
| Channel Catfish | Very Good | Catfish are abundant throughout the Pecatonica River and in the Sugar River, a tributary of the Pecatonica River near the Wisconsin border. An electrofishing survey done in 2017 found a catch rate of .3 fish/minute near… |
IDNR sources tie these species to the Pecatonica River; it is not a catch survey.
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.
What the Pecatonica River is running right now
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Pecatonica River At Freeport, Il | 961 cfs, 5.14 ft gage height | Nov 13 12:30 am |
| Pecatonica River Nr Shirland, Ill | 1,600 cfs, 5.52 ft gage height | Nov 13 1:00 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 13, 2026 1:33 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
The numbers belong to Pecatonica River at Freeport, IL and Pecatonica River near Shirland, Ill.
USGS instantaneous values, provisional; site list read November 4, 2026.
River stage reported for the Pecatonica River
| NWS gauge | Reading | Flow | Flood category | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pecatonica River at Freeport | 5.8 ft | 1.12 kcfs | no flooding | 2026-11-05 18:30:00 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).
Launching onto the Pecatonica River
- Pecatonica River Brewster's Landing Boat Ramplaunch, Stephenson County
- McNeil's Damascus Landing Canoe/Kayak Launch on Pecatonica Riverlaunch, Stephenson County
- McNeil's Damascus Landing Boat Ramp on Pecatonica Riverlaunch, Stephenson County
- Pecatonica River Trask Bridge Boat Ramplaunch, Winnebago County
- Pecatonica River Forest Preserve Boat Ramplaunch, Winnebago County
- Pecatonica River Sumner Park Boat Ramplaunch, Winnebago County
- Pecatonica River Freeport Boat Ramplaunch, Stephenson County
Launches one bay over from Pecatonica River
- Lake Le-Aqua-Na Boat RampLake Le-Aqua-Na, 6 miles
Much Illinois stream frontage is private; fish the Pecatonica River from public ramps, parks and state sites, or with the owner's permission.
IDNR IFishIllinois map, boat ramp and launch layer of October 2025 (KML; name, waterbody and notes as printed), read November 5, 2026.
What IDNR stocked along the Pecatonica River
| Year | Species as listed | Number | Size class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Walleye | 15,769 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2025 | Walleye | 13,892 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2024 | Walleye | 12,766 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2023 | Walleye | 7,334 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2022 | Walleye | 12,312 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
IDNR fish stocking table on ifishillinois.org (year, water, species, size class and number as listed; no stocking dates published), read November 4, 2026.
Illinois limits that apply on the Pecatonica 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 |
The Pecatonica River follows the statewide table plus any site entry.
Digest rules along the Pecatonica River
| Water as printed | Species | Rule as printed (code) |
|---|---|---|
| Pecatonica River and Tributaries | Smallmouth Bass | 14 inch Minimum Length Limit |
Site-specific regulations as printed in the 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR) page 47, 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.
Heaviest fish IDNR logged from the Pecatonica River
| Species | Weight | Division | Date | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 15 lbs 1 oz | hook and line | March 11, 2012 | Winnebago |
IDNR Illinois state record fish list (keeper: Illinois Department of Natural Resources; no angler names printed), read November 4, 2026.
Five rivers close to the Pecatonica River
Next over: Apple River, around 31 miles away.
| Water | Distance | USGS gauges | Mapped ramps | First IDNR-rated fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pecatonica River | 2 | 7 | Smallmouth Bass | |
| Apple River | 31 miles west | 1 | 0 | |
| Sinsinawa River | 37 miles west | 1 | 0 | |
| Pine Creek | 39 miles southeast | 0 | 0 | |
| Kishwaukee River | 39 miles southeast | 5 | 10 | |
| South Branch Kishwaukee River (Winnebago County) | 47 miles southeast | 2 | 0 |
USGS gauges, IDNR boat ramp layer and IDNR outlook lines; read November 4, 2026.
A few miles of blacktop from Pecatonica River
Other water a county or two from Pecatonica River
- Lake Le-Aqua-Na6 miles
- Four Lakes30 miles
- Hanover Lake31 miles
- Levings Lake38 miles
Where to buy crawlers and minnows near Pecatonica River
- K & S Marine Incmarina, Apple River, 19 miles
- Remm Outdoors LLCsporting goods store, Scales Mound, 23 miles
- Millers Sport Center Incsporting goods store, Lanark, 24 miles
- Angler's Edge Fishing and Marinefly shop, Loves Park
- Dick's Sporting Goods Rockfordsporting goods store, Rockford
Towns with motels by Pecatonica River
- Lena9 miles
- Warren10 miles
- Stockton15 miles
- Freeport17 miles
One more river beside the Pecatonica River
- Apple River31 miles
- Sinsinawa River37 miles
- Pine Creek39 miles
- Kishwaukee River39 miles
- South Branch Kishwaukee River (Winnebago County)47 miles
The counties Pecatonica River runs through
- Stephenson County
- Winnebago County
Piscifun tackle to load up before the Pecatonica River
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Timber, cornfield and water around Pecatonica River through a lens
Photo: Seclusive Nature, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
The Pecatonica River, sorted out question by question
How do I pin the Pecatonica River on an Illinois road map?
The Pecatonica River originates in Wisconsin and enters Illinois in Stephenson County just north of Winslow. It flows in a southeasterly direction through eastern Stephenson County and western Winneba It touches Stephenson and Winnebago counties.
Can I see the stage of the Pecatonica River before driving?
The flow band streams Pecatonica River at Freeport, IL and Pecatonica River near Shirland, Ill.
Where does IDNR map a put-in on the Pecatonica River?
7 boat ramps, including McNeil's Damascus Landing Boat Ramp on Pecatonica River.
What does the 2026 digest let me keep from the Pecatonica 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. The limits band adds a digest entry for it.
Can an out-of-state angler fish the Pecatonica River?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
How does IDNR rate the Pecatonica River?
IDNR rates smallmouth bass as good; walleye and channel catfish also appear.
Where do anglers on the Pecatonica River buy tackle?
K & S Marine Inc, about 19 miles away, is first on our list.
Which banks of the Pecatonica River are open?
Fish from public sites or with permission; farmland lines many banks.
What is the biggest fish from the Pecatonica River?
Walleye at 15 lbs 1 oz (hook and line division, March 11, 2012) is the heaviest entry IDNR lists for the Pecatonica River; IDNR prints no angler names.
Plan a float on the Pecatonica River
Check the gauge, then pick a put-in.