Lake Whitefish in Illinois
Daily limit, record and water pages for Illinois lake whitefish.
- no statewide rowlimit
- 8 lbs 4 ozrecord
Pick for salmonPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of the species, not an Illinois water: State of New York Forest, Fish, and Game Commission, Public domain
.jpeg){kind=link}
lake whitefish in the Prairie State
The 2026 digest table carries no statewide line naming lake whitefish. Rules printed for a particular lake or river can still apply to it.
The heaviest on the IDNR hook and line list weighed 8 lbs 4 oz: Lake Michigan, 2018. Local digest entries for 1 water mention it, Lake Michigan (Illinois Portion) included.
Lake Michigan wording for lake whitefish
| Species as printed | Rule as printed |
|---|---|
| Lake Whitefish or Round Whitefish | 12 Fish Daily Harvest Limit, singly or in the aggregate |
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.
Illinois waters with their own lake whitefish wording
| Water as printed | County | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Michigan (Illinois Portion) | Lake, Cook | Lake Whitefish or Round Whitefish | 12 Fish Daily Harvest Limit, singly or in the aggregate |
Site-specific regulations as printed in the 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR), read November 4, 2026.
lake whitefish in the IDNR record book
| Division | Weight | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 8 lbs 4 oz | Lake Michigan | Cook County | June 29, 2018 |
IDNR Illinois state record fish list (keeper: Illinois Department of Natural Resources; no angler names printed), read November 4, 2026.
Lakes and river bends close to Lake Whitefish, in pictures
Photo: Charles Fulton, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Tripp, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Alaina McDavid, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Roger W, CC BY-SA 2.0
lake whitefish in Illinois: replies for anglers
What daily take of lake whitefish does Illinois permit?
No statewide digest row names it; a water's own entry may still apply.
What is the Illinois record lake whitefish?
IDNR lists 8 lbs 4 oz, Lake Michigan, 2018. IDNR prints no angler name.
Which Illinois lakes list lake whitefish?
None of the Illinois lake or stream pages carry it at present.
Where does the lake whitefish rule change in Illinois?
Yes, on 1 water, for example Lake Michigan (Illinois Portion).
How many lake whitefish did IDNR stock?
No 2021 to 2026 stocking row lists it.
Which IDNR license lets me keep lake whitefish?
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 lake whitefish 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 lake whitefish?
None of the IDNR lake outlooks grade it.
For the salmon herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 Pick a Prairie State lake for lake whitefish
The waters above each show access and limits.