Muskellunge in Illinois
Digest rows, record weight and lakes holding Illinois muskellunge.
- muskellunge 1, norlimit
- 38 lbs 8 ozrecord
Pick for muskellungePiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of the species, not an Illinois water: Richard Hurd, CC BY 2.0
Illinois muskellunge, the short version
Illinois puts muskellunge on the row the digest prints as "Muskellunge, Northern Pike, and their Hybrid". Quoting the first sentence: "All Muskellunge and Muskellunge hybrids (Tiger Muskie) taken must be 36" in total length or longer, 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 38 lbs 8 oz, from Kaskaskia River in 2002. It appears on 37 Illinois lake and river pages; Fox Chain O' Lakes, Kinkaid Lake and Heidecke Lake come first. 31 waters carry a site-specific line for it, Argyle Lake and Banner Marsh Lakes & Ponds first. The table records 315,003 released into 40 waters.
For the muskellunge herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 The digest row covering muskellunge
| Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Muskellunge, Northern Pike, and their Hybrid | muskellunge 1, northern pike 3 | muskellunge 36 inches, northern pike 24 inches |
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 under Site Specific Regulations. All Northern Pike taken must be 24" in total length or longer, except in the Mississippi River where there is no size limit. No more than 3 Northern Pike may be taken per day, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations.
IDNR 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR) page 10, read November 4, 2026.
Local muskellunge rules in the Illinois digest
| Water as printed | County | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argyle Lake | McDonough | Pure Muskellunge | 42 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Banner Marsh Lakes & Ponds | Peoria, Fulton | Pure Muskellunge | 42 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Buffalo Prairie Pheasant Habitat Area Lakes & Ponds | Knox | Pure Muskellunge | Protected Slot Length Limit with 1 Fish greater than or equal to 36 inches and less than 42 inches or 1 Fish greater than or equal to 48 inches |
| Busse Lake | Cook | Pure Muskellunge | 42 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Canton Lake | Fulton | Pure Muskellunge | 42 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Diamond Lake | Lake | Pure Muskellunge | 48 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Donnelley State Fish and Wildlife Area | Bureau | Pure Muskellunge | 42 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Douglas Park Lagoon | Cook | Pure Muskellunge | 48 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Evergreen Lake | McLean | Pure Muskellunge | 48 inch Minimum Length Limit (10) |
| Fox Chain O’Lakes | Lake, McHenry | Pure Muskellunge | 48 inch Minimum Length Limit (10) |
| Fulton County Camping and Recreation Area Waters | Fulton | Pure Muskellunge | 42 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Gladstone Lake | Henderson | Pure Muskellunge | 48 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Heidecke Lake | Grundy | Pure Muskellunge | 48 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Hennepin-Hopper Lakes | Putnam | Pure Muskellunge | 42 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Jericho Lake | Kane | Pure Muskellunge | 48 inch Minimum Length Limit JIM EDGAR/PANTHER CREEK STATE FISH AND WILDLIFE AREA – DRAKE LAKE Jim Edgar/Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area • Cass |
| Kinkaid Lake | Jackson | Pure Muskellunge | 48 inch Minimum Length Limit (10) |
| Lake Shelbyville | Moultrie, Shelby | Pure Muskellunge | 48 inch Minimum Length Limit (10) |
| Lake Storey | Knox | Pure Muskellunge | 42 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Lake Sule | Ogle | Pure Muskellunge | 36 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Mill Creek Lake | Clark | Pure Muskellunge | 42 inch Minimum Length Limit |
Site-specific regulations as printed in the 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR), read November 4, 2026.
The Illinois record muskellunge
| Division | Weight | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 38 lbs 8 oz | Kaskaskia River | Shelby County | April 20, 2002 |
IDNR Illinois state record fish list (keeper: Illinois Department of Natural Resources; no angler names printed), read November 4, 2026.
Hatchery muskellunge, water by water
| Year | Water as listed | Number | Size class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Spring Lake (North) | 17,388 | Fry |
| 2026 | Kinkaid Lake | 2,026 | Adult |
| 2026 | Fox Chain O' Lakes | 2,015 | Adult |
| 2026 | Otter Lake | 765 | Adult |
| 2026 | Mill Creek Lake | 744 | Adult |
| 2026 | Evergreen Lake | 649 | Adult |
| 2026 | Busse Lake – FPDCC | 403 | Adult |
| 2026 | Shabbona Lake | 327 | Adult |
| 2026 | Canton Lake | 252 | Adult |
| 2026 | Pittsfield Lake | 247 | Adult |
| 2026 | Spring Lake – McDonough County | 216 | Adult |
| 2026 | Schuy-Rush Lake | 208 | Adult |
| 2026 | Pierce Lake | 174 | Adult |
| 2026 | George, Lake | 170 | Adult |
IDNR fish stocking table on ifishillinois.org (year, water, species, size class and number as listed; no stocking dates published), read November 4, 2026.
muskellunge ratings from IDNR surveys
| Lake | IDNR rating | County |
|---|---|---|
| Evergreen Lake | Excellent | McLean County |
| Pana Lake | Excellent | Shelby County |
| Pierce Lake | Excellent | Winnebago County |
| Kinkaid Lake | Good | Jackson County |
| Busse Lake (FPDCC) | Good | Cook County |
| Shabbona Lake | Good | DeKalb County |
| Shovel Lake (Banner Marsh) | Good | Fulton County |
| Lake McMaster (SHFWA) | Good | Knox County |
| Lake George | Good | Rock Island County |
| Eagle Lake (PRKFWA) | Good | St. Clair County |
| Argyle Lake | Good | McDonough County |
| Wheel Lake (Banner Marsh) | Good | Peoria County |
| Spring Lake (North) | Fair | Tazewell County |
| Sterling Lake (LCFPD) | Fair | Lake County |
| Lake Carlton | Fair | Whiteside County |
| Lake Sule | Poor | Ogle County |
| Fox Chain O' Lakes | Very Good | Lake County |
| Heidecke Lake | Very Good | Grundy County |
| Mill Creek Lake | Very Good | Clark County |
| Johnson Lake (Banner Marsh) | Very Good | Peoria County |
IDNR fishing outlook ratings and survey notes as printed on the IFishIllinois page, read November 4, 2026.
Illinois spots worth a trip for muskellunge
Still water for muskellunge
- Fox Chain O' Lakes7,110 acres
- Kinkaid Lake2,750 acres
- Heidecke Lake1,955 acres
- Hennepin-Hopper LakesPutnam County
- Evergreen Lake925 acres
- Otter Lake765 acres
- Mill Creek Lake731 acres
- Johnson Lake (Banner Marsh)Peoria County
- Busse Lake (FPDCC)Cook County
- Spring Lake (North)Tazewell County
- Shabbona Lake316 acres
- Super Lake (Pyramid State Park)300 acres
- Spring Lake (McDonough County)McDonough County
- Pittsfield Lake241 acres
- Canton LakeFulton County
- Prairie Lake (JEPCFWA)Cass County
- Pana LakeShelby County
- Shovel Lake (Banner Marsh)Fulton County
- Schuy-Rush Lake191 acres
- Lake McMaster (SHFWA)Knox County
- Lake George157 acres
- Diamond Lake153 acres
- Pierce LakeWinnebago County
- Goldeneye Lake (Pyramid State Park)140 acres
Streams listing muskellunge
- Kaskaskia RiverDouglas 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 muskellunge
- Northern Pikemuskellunge 1, nor
- Tiger Muskellungemuskellunge 1, nor
Prairie lakes and river bottoms near Muskellunge, photographed
Photo: Richie Diesterheft, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Christian Collins, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Adam Moss, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Village of Oak Lawn, CC BY 2.0
Land of Lincoln questions on muskellunge
Which digest row limits muskellunge?
It allows muskellunge 1, northern pike 3; muskellunge 36 inches, northern pike 24 inches. Local digest entries override it where printed.
When was the Illinois muskellunge record set?
It weighed 38 lbs 8 oz; Kaskaskia River, 2002. IDNR leaves the angler unnamed.
What Illinois lake should I try for muskellunge?
Fox Chain O' Lakes, Kinkaid Lake and Heidecke Lake head a list of 37 Illinois pages.
Which Illinois waters change the muskellunge rule?
31 waters print their own wording, such as Argyle Lake.
Does IDNR stock muskellunge?
IDNR listed 315,003 in 40 waters, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
What paperwork does IDNR require for muskellunge?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
Can a bowfished muskellunge set an Illinois record?
One division for hook and line, one for bow and arrow. This fish holds 1 record row.
Do IDNR surveys rate muskellunge anywhere?
IDNR rates it on 29 lakes; Evergreen Lake gets excellent.
Set out for Illinois muskellunge
Every lake linked above lists its piers and docks.