Flathead Catfish in Illinois
Digest rows, record weight and lakes holding Illinois flathead catfish.
- no daily caplimit
- 81 lbs 6.4 ozrecord
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Illinois flathead catfish, the short version
Illinois puts flathead catfish on the row the digest prints as "Blue, Channel, and Flathead Catfish". Quoting the first sentence: "There are no daily harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations." Fish grouped on that row count toward one shared figure where a cap exists.
The Illinois hook and line record stands at 81 lbs 6.4 oz, from Sangchris Lake in 2015. It appears on 35 Illinois lake and river pages; Carlyle Lake, Rend Lake and Lake Shelbyville come first. 7 waters carry a site-specific line for it, Fox Chain O’Lakes and Fox River first.
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| Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Blue, Channel, and Flathead Catfish | no limit | no size limit |
There are no daily harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations.
IDNR 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR) page 10, read November 4, 2026.
Local flathead catfish rules in the Illinois digest
| Water as printed | County | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fox Chain O’Lakes | Lake, McHenry | Flathead Catfish | 3 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 1 Fish greater than or equal to 28 inches and 2 Fish less than 28 inches |
| Fox River | Flathead Catfish | 3 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 1 Fish greater than or equal to 28 inches and 2 Fish less than 28 inches | |
| Mississippi River (Between IL & MO) | Flathead Catfish | 10 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | |
| Ohio River (Between IL & KY) | Blue or Flathead Catfish | 13 inch Minimum Length Limit; No Daily Harvest Limit for Fish greater than or equal to 13 inches and less than 35 inches; 1 Fish Daily Harvest Limit for Fish greater than or equal to 35 inches | |
| Powerton Lake | Tazewell | Blue, Channel, or Flathead Catfish | 6 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 1 Fish greater than or equal to 35 inches |
| Vermont Lake | McDonough | Flathead Catfish | 3 Fish Daily Harvest Limit with no more than 1 Fish >28 inches and 2 Fish <28 inches |
| Wabash River (Between IL & IN) | Blue or Flathead Catfish | 13 inch Minimum Length Limit; No Daily Harvest Limit for Fish greater than or equal to 13 inches and less than 35 inches; 1 Fish Daily Harvest Limit for Fish greater than or equal to 35 inches |
Site-specific regulations as printed in the 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR), read November 4, 2026.
The Illinois record flathead catfish
| Division | Weight | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 81 lbs 6.4 oz | Sangchris Lake | Christian County | August 26, 2015 |
| bow and arrow | 30 lbs 0 oz | Illinois River | Fulton County | May 4, 2018 |
IDNR Illinois state record fish list (keeper: Illinois Department of Natural Resources; no angler names printed), read November 4, 2026.
flathead catfish ratings from IDNR surveys
| Lake | IDNR rating | County |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Springfield | Excellent | Sangamon County |
| Coffeen Lake | Excellent | Montgomery County |
| Pittsfield Lake | Excellent | Pike County |
| Rend Lake | Good | Franklin County |
| Hennepin Canal | Good | Bureau County |
| Governor Bond Lake | Good | Bond County |
| Canton Lake | Good | Fulton County |
| Pana Lake | Good | Shelby County |
| Carlyle Lake | Fair | Bond County |
| Lake Shelbyville | Fair | Moultrie County |
| Fox Chain O' Lakes | Fair | Lake County |
| Kinkaid Lake | Fair | Jackson County |
| Braidwood Lake | Fair | Will County |
| Island Lake (Burning Star) | Fair | Jackson County |
| I & M Canal | Fair | Grundy County |
| Monster Lake (Mazonia) | Fair | Kankakee County |
| Wheel Lake (Banner Marsh) | Fair | Peoria County |
| Cedar Lake (Jackson) | Poor | Jackson County |
| Lake Mattoon | Poor | Shelby County |
| Lake Centralia | Poor | Marion County |
IDNR fishing outlook ratings and survey notes as printed on the IFishIllinois page, read November 4, 2026.
Illinois spots worth a trip for flathead catfish
Still water for flathead catfish
- Carlyle Lake24,580 acres
- Rend Lake18,900 acres
- Lake Shelbyville11,100 acres
- Fox Chain O' Lakes7,110 acres
- Lake Springfield3,866 acres
- Lake Decatur2,905 acres
- Kinkaid Lake2,750 acres
- Sangchris Lake2,321 acres
- Braidwood LakeWill County
- Baldwin Lake2,018 acres
- Cedar Lake (Jackson)1,750 acres
- Coffeen Lake1,102 acres
- Lake Mattoon988 acres
- Hennepin Canal925 acres
- Governor Bond Lake775 acres
- Vandalia Lake646 acres
- Lake Centralia254 acres
- Pittsfield Lake241 acres
- Canton LakeFulton County
- Island Lake (Burning Star)216 acres
- Harrisburg New City Reservoir209 acres
- Pana LakeShelby County
- I & M Canal164 acres
- Lake Murphysboro145 acres
Streams listing flathead catfish
- Kaskaskia RiverDouglas County
- Illinois River, Alton PoolMorgan County
- Illinois River, Marseilles PoolGrundy County
- Illinois River, LaGrange PoolPeoria County
- Illinois River, Peoria PoolMarshall County
- Illinois River, Starved Rock PoolLaSalle County
IDNR IFishIllinois outlook ratings and species lists, the IDNR stocking table and IDNR record waters; largest waters first.
Fish sharing a row with Illinois flathead catfish
- Blue Catfishno daily cap
- Channel Catfishno daily cap
Prairie lakes and river bottoms near Flathead Catfish, photographed
Photo: uptowner, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Richie Diesterheft, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: edward stojakovic, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Robert Lampros, CC BY-SA 2.0
Land of Lincoln questions on flathead catfish
Which digest row limits flathead catfish?
It allows no limit; no size limit. Local digest entries override it where printed.
When was the Illinois flathead catfish record set?
It weighed 81 lbs 6.4 oz; Sangchris Lake, 2015. IDNR leaves the angler unnamed.
What Illinois lake should I try for flathead catfish?
Carlyle Lake, Rend Lake and Lake Shelbyville head a list of 35 Illinois pages.
Which Illinois waters change the flathead catfish rule?
7 waters print their own wording, such as Fox Chain O’Lakes.
Does IDNR stock flathead catfish?
No stocking row names it from 2021 to 2026.
What paperwork does IDNR require for flathead catfish?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
Can a bowfished flathead catfish set an Illinois record?
One division for hook and line, one for bow and arrow. This fish holds 2 record rows.
Do IDNR surveys rate flathead catfish anywhere?
IDNR rates it on 28 lakes; Lake Springfield gets excellent.
Set out for Illinois flathead catfish
Every lake linked above lists its piers and docks.