Rock River, Sterling Pool Fishing
A navigation pool of the Rock River in Lee and Whiteside counties.
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The Rock River Sterling Pool, quickly sorted
Anglers reach Sterling Pool of the Rock River, a navigation pool, from Lee and Whiteside counties. IDNR lists 2,106 acres of water in this pool. Food and fuel are closest in Sterling, near 5 miles away.
4 boat ramps line its banks on the IDNR map. There are 2 USGS gauges near it.
IDNR IFishIllinois waterbody page, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026. Census 2023 places.
IDNR notes on the Rock River Sterling Pool
- Description (IDNR). The Sterling Pool section is approximately 15 river miles in length (2,106 surface acres) from the Lower Dam in Sterling to the Dixon Dam in Dixon, Illinois.
- More from IDNRThe small tributary streams that enter this section are Howland Creek, Threemile Branch Creek, and Plum Creek.
IDNR IFishIllinois waterbody page, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026.
The Rock River Sterling Pool fishery in IDNR words
- IDNRThe Rock River was sampled each fall from 2020 through 2025 by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Region 1 Fisheries crew.
- The purpose was to collect and evaluate the sport fish populations in the Illinois section of the Rock River.
- State endangered and State threatened fish species were also collected and documented with the surveys.
IDNR fishery text, ifishillinois.org, read November 4, 2026.
Gauge height and discharge along the Rock River Sterling Pool
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Rock River Above Sinnissippi Dam At Rock Falls, Il | 6.63 ft gage height | Nov 13 1:45 am |
| Rock River At Como, Il | 6,150 cfs, 4.68 ft gage height | Nov 13 2:15 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 13, 2026 2:33 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
USGS sites nearest the pool: Rock River Above Sinnissippi Dam at Rock Falls, IL and Rock River at Como, IL.
USGS instantaneous values, provisional; site list read November 4, 2026.
Stage readings along the Rock River are listed on its main page.
Backing a trailer into the Rock River Sterling Pool
- Rock River – Sterling Pool Page Park Boat Ramplaunch, Lee County
- Rock River – Sterling Pool Moonlit Bay Boat Rampfee noted, Fee required to launch, Lee County
- Rock River – Sterling Pool Sewards Park Boat Rampgravel ramp, Gravel ramp, Whiteside County
- Rock River – Sterling Pool Oppold Marina Boat Ramplaunch, Whiteside County
Neighbouring ramps around Rock River Sterling Pool
- Rock River – Milan Pool Lawrence Park Boat RampRock River, Milan Pool, 5 miles
Enter Sterling Pool of the Rock River from public sites or with permission.
IDNR IFishIllinois map, boat ramp and launch layer of October 2025 (KML; name, waterbody and notes as printed), read November 5, 2026.
Fish allowed in the cooler from the Rock River Sterling Pool
| 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 |
On Sterling Pool of the Rock River, the statewide digest rows hold unless a site-specific line below changes them.
The Rock River Sterling Pool in the site-specific list
- Rock River Fishing Regulations as of 2026:
- From the Wisconsin State Line downstream to the Confluence with the Mississippi River, including tributaries:
- Smallmouth Bass: 14-inch minimum Length Limit with a daily harvest limit of 3 fish. All Smallmouth Bass must be immediately released between April 1 and June 15
- th
- .
- Other
- Rock River Dixon Dam
- Rock River FCF Sterling Pool
Site-specific regulations on the IFishIllinois page, as printed, ifishillinois.org, 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.
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Rock River, Dixon Pool is the nearest neighbour, roughly 43 miles off.
| Water | Distance | USGS gauges | Mapped ramps | First IDNR-rated fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock River, Sterling Pool | 2 | 4 | ||
| Rock River, Dixon Pool | 43 miles southwest | 1 | 2 | |
| Rock River, Fordham Pool | 43 miles southwest | 4 | 9 | |
| Rock River, Milan Pool | 55 miles northeast | 1 | 7 | |
| Rock River, Oregon Pool | 55 miles northeast | 1 | 1 |
USGS gauges, IDNR boat ramp layer and IDNR outlook lines; read November 4, 2026.
Inside a cornfield drive of Rock River Sterling Pool
Nearby impoundments to try after Rock River Sterling Pool
- Centennial Park Lake5 miles
- Franklin Creek Mill Pond14 miles
- Lake Carlton19 miles
- Lake Carlton Silt Basin19 miles
Bait counters on the drive to Rock River Sterling Pool
- Oppold Marinamarina, Sterling, 2 miles
- South Shore Marinamarina, Rock Falls, 3 miles
- Riglers Sports Supplysporting goods store, Rock Falls, 5 miles
- Fisheadtacklebait and tackle shop, Sterling, 7 miles
- Bunnys Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Dixon, 8 miles
Places to sleep and eat near Rock River Sterling Pool
- Sterling5 miles
- Rock Falls5 miles
- Dixon7 miles
- Polo13 miles
Rock River Sterling Pool, cut along Illinois county lines
- Lee County
- Whiteside County
A Piscifun reel lineup for a day on Sterling Pool of the Rock River
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Telling the Rock River, Sterling Pool fish apart by photo
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Richard Hurd, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Argyleist, CC BY 2.0
Rock River Sterling Pool, sorted out question by question
Which Illinois counties sit along Sterling Pool of the Rock River?
Start in Lee and Whiteside counties.
Which USGS station covers Sterling Pool of the Rock River?
The flow band carries Rock River Above Sinnissippi Dam at Rock Falls, IL and Rock River at Como, IL, live from USGS.
Where do boaters get onto Sterling Pool of the Rock River?
Use Rock River – Sterling Pool Moonlit Bay Boat Ramp, one of 4 boat ramps.
How many bass can I keep on Sterling Pool of the Rock 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. Plus the site rules shown above.
Is an Illinois license needed on Sterling Pool of the Rock River?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
What bites on Sterling Pool of the Rock River?
IDNR prints no fish list for it.
Can I get bait on the way to Sterling Pool of the Rock River?
Our list starts with Oppold Marina, about 2 miles away,.
Are the banks of Sterling Pool of the Rock River public?
Much Illinois river frontage is private; use public ramps, parks and state sites, or ask the owner.
Which river is Sterling Pool of the Rock River part of?
This pool belongs to the Rock River, which IDNR splits into 7 pages.
Wait for a good stage on Sterling Pool of the Rock River
IDNR fees and the statewide table are on one page.