Grass Carp in Illinois
Where grass carp swim in Illinois, and what may be kept.
- no statewide rowlimit
- 79 lbs 0 ozrecord
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Sizing up Illinois grass carp
IDNR prints no statewide row of its own for grass carp in the 2026 digest. Check the site-specific entry for the water you fish, since those can still bind it.
In 2011, Crescent Lake produced the hook and line record of 79 lbs 0 oz. 1 pages across Illinois carry it, Du Quoin City Lake among them. IDNR hatcheries put 10 into 1 water, per the stocking table.
Heaviest grass carp on the Illinois list
| Division | Weight | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 79 lbs 0 oz | Crescent Lake | Henry County | April 12, 2011 |
| bow and arrow | 78 lbs 8 oz | Lake Minear | Lake County | June 5, 2014 |
IDNR Illinois state record fish list (keeper: Illinois Department of Natural Resources; no angler names printed), read November 4, 2026.
grass carp released into Illinois water
| Year | Water as listed | Number | Size class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Du Quoin City Lake | 10 | NonVulnerable (8 – 10") |
IDNR fish stocking table on ifishillinois.org (year, water, species, size class and number as listed; no stocking dates published), read November 4, 2026.
Prairie State pages naming grass carp
Impounded Illinois water holding grass carp
- Du Quoin City Lake210 acres
IDNR IFishIllinois outlook ratings and species lists, the IDNR stocking table and IDNR record waters; largest waters first.
Illinois fish close to grass carp
- Bighead Carpno statewide row
- Common Carpno statewide row
- Silver Carpno statewide row
Camera views of the water by Grass Carp
Photo: Alaina McDavid, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Ron Frazier, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Christian Collins, CC BY-SA 2.0
Illinois anglers ask about grass carp
How many grass carp may I keep in Illinois?
IDNR sets no statewide line for it; look up the lake in the site-specific list.
How heavy is the Illinois grass carp record?
79 lbs 0 oz, landed at Crescent Lake in 2011. The list names no angler.
Where do grass carp live in Illinois?
Try Du Quoin City Lake, out of 1.
Are there site-specific rules for grass carp?
It has no named local entry; each water's all-fish rules still hold.
Do Illinois hatcheries raise grass carp?
Yes: 10 across 1 water in 2022.
Is one IDNR license enough for grass carp?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
Which record divisions does IDNR keep for grass carp?
The list has a hook and line side and a bow and arrow side. It has 2 record rows.
Where does IDNR rate grass carp best?
IDNR outlook tables here do not rate it.
Go after Illinois grass carp
Pick one of those Illinois waters and its page lays out the launches.