Coho Salmon in Illinois
Daily limit, record and water pages for Illinois coho salmon.
- 5 a daylimit
- 20 lbs 9 ozrecord
Pick for salmonPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of the species, not an Illinois water: NOAA, Public domain
coho salmon in the Prairie State
IDNR lists coho salmon under the digest row "Trout and Salmon". As printed, it starts: "Daily harvest limit is 5 trout or salmon, either singly or in the aggregate." Any cap on that row covers its fish in the aggregate.
The heaviest on the IDNR hook and line list weighed 20 lbs 9 oz: Lake Michigan, 1972. The IDNR stocking table lists 1,234,994 of them across 1 water.
For the salmon herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 How many coho salmon may leave Illinois water
| Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Trout and Salmon | 5 (combined) | no statewide size limit printed |
Daily harvest limit is 5 trout or salmon, either singly or in the aggregate.
IDNR 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR) page 10, read November 4, 2026.
Lake Michigan wording for coho salmon
| Species as printed | Rule as printed |
|---|---|
| Trout and Salmon | 10 inch Minimum Length Limit; 5 Fish Daily Harvest Limit, singly or in the aggregate, except for Lake Trout |
Lake Michigan rules and stamps
IDNR Lake Michigan fishing page and Lake Michigan entry of the 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR), read November 4, 2026.
coho salmon in the IDNR record book
| Division | Weight | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 20 lbs 9 oz | Lake Michigan | Lake County | May 24, 1972 |
IDNR Illinois state record fish list (keeper: Illinois Department of Natural Resources; no angler names printed), read November 4, 2026.
Stocking table rows for coho salmon
| Year | Water as listed | Number | Size class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Lake Michigan | 329,372 | Advanced Fingerling (4 – 7") |
| 2025 | Lake Michigan | 258,541 | Advanced Fingerling (4 – 7") |
| 2024 | Lake Michigan | 56,835 | Advanced Fingerling (4 – 7") |
| 2024 | Lake Michigan | 30,261 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2023 | Lake Michigan | 289,911 | Advanced Fingerling (4 – 7") |
| 2022 | Lake Michigan | 270,074 | Advanced Fingerling (4 – 7") |
IDNR fish stocking table on ifishillinois.org (year, water, species, size class and number as listed; no stocking dates published), read November 4, 2026.
Species the digest groups with coho salmon
- Atlantic Salmon5 a day
- Brook Trout5 a day
- Brown Trout5 a day
- Chinook Salmon5 a day
- Lake Trout5 a day
- Pink Salmon5 a day
- Rainbow Trout5 a day
- Steelhead5 a day
- Tiger Trout5 a day
Lakes and river bends close to Coho Salmon, in pictures
Photo: uptowner, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Christian Collins, CC BY-SA 2.0
coho salmon in Illinois: replies for anglers
What daily take of coho salmon does Illinois permit?
Daily: 5 combined a day. Length: no statewide size limit printed. Some waters print their own, stricter wording.
What is the Illinois record coho salmon?
IDNR lists 20 lbs 9 oz, Lake Michigan, 1972. IDNR prints no angler name.
Which Illinois lakes list coho salmon?
None of the Illinois lake or stream pages carry it at present.
Where does the coho salmon rule change in Illinois?
Site-specific entries do not name it; posted all-fish rules on a water still apply.
How many coho salmon did IDNR stock?
Yes, 1,234,994 into 1 water during 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Which IDNR license lets me keep coho salmon?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026). The digest also requires the $6.50 Salmon Stamp to take salmon or trout in Lake Michigan.
Which IDNR list would a record coho salmon go on?
IDNR keeps a hook and line division and a bow and arrow division. IDNR has 1 record row under this fish.
Which Illinois lakes does IDNR rate highly for coho salmon?
None of the IDNR lake outlooks grade it.
Pick a Prairie State lake for coho salmon
The waters above each show access and limits.