Northern Pike in Illinois
IDNR limits, the state record and Illinois waters for northern pike.
- muskellunge 1, norlimit
- 26 lbs 15 ozrecord
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Illinois northern pike in brief
In the 2026 IDNR digest, northern pike sit on the statewide line headed "Muskellunge, Northern Pike, and their Hybrid". The row begins: "All Muskellunge and Muskellunge hybrids (Tiger Muskie) taken must be 36" in total length or longer, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations." Where the row caps the catch, the fish on it are counted together.
At 26 lbs 15 oz, the hook and line record came from Strip Mine (1989). Hennepin-Hopper Lakes, Spring Lake (South) and Busse Lake (FPDCC) lead the 28 Illinois water pages that name it. Its rule shifts on 5 waters, for instance Des Plaines River Basin and Kane County Forest Preserve District Lakes and Ponds. Across 27 waters, IDNR listed 172,502 stocked.
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| 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.
northern pike, water by water
| Water as printed | County | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Plaines River Basin | Cook | Northern Pike | 30 inch Minimum Length Limit; 1 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Kane County Forest Preserve District Lakes and Ponds | Kane | Northern Pike | 24 inch Minimum Length Limit; 1 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Mississippi River (Between IL & IA) | Northern Pike | 5 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | |
| Mississippi River (Between IL & MO) | Northern Pike | 1 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | |
| Ohio River (Between IL & KY) | Northern Pike | 24 inch Minimum Length Limit; 3 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
Site-specific regulations as printed in the 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR), read November 4, 2026.
Illinois state-record northern pike
| Division | Weight | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 26 lbs 15 oz | Strip Mine | Kankakee County | November 9, 1989 |
IDNR Illinois state record fish list (keeper: Illinois Department of Natural Resources; no angler names printed), read November 4, 2026.
IDNR hatchery northern pike by water
| Year | Water as listed | Number | Size class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Duck Island Main Lake – RLFWA | 6,251 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Wolf Lake | 2,231 | NonVulnerable (8 – 10") |
| 2026 | Hennepin-Hopper Lakes | 1,505 | NonVulnerable (8 – 10") |
| 2026 | Illinois River – Marseilles Pool | 1,053 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Illinois River – Peoria Pool | 1,032 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Skokie Lagoons – FPDCC | 975 | NonVulnerable (8 – 10") |
| 2026 | Embarras River | 838 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Mackinaw River | 779 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Saganashkee Slough – FPDCC | 652 | NonVulnerable (8 – 10") |
| 2026 | Tampier, Lake – FPDCC | 482 | NonVulnerable (8 – 10") |
| 2026 | Busse Lake – FPDCC | 466 | NonVulnerable (8 – 10") |
| 2026 | Hastings Lake – LCFPD | 355 | NonVulnerable (8 – 10") |
| 2026 | Grayslake | 327 | NonVulnerable (8 – 10") |
| 2026 | Gages Lake | 304 | 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.
Illinois lakes where IDNR rates northern pike
| Lake | IDNR rating | County |
|---|---|---|
| McCullom Lake | Good | McHenry County |
| Defiance Lake | Good | McHenry County |
| Turner Lake (COLSP) | Good | Lake County |
| Beck Lake (FPDCC) | Good | Cook County |
| Pickerel Lake | Good | DuPage County |
| Lake Tampier (FPDCC) | Fair | Cook County |
| Lake Patterson | Fair | Kane County |
| Axehead Lake (FPDCC) | Fair | Cook County |
| Horton Lake | Poor | Hancock County |
| Hennepin-Hopper Lakes | Very Good | Putnam County |
| Hastings Lake (LCFPD) | Average | Lake County |
IDNR fishing outlook ratings and survey notes as printed on the IFishIllinois page, read November 4, 2026.
Illinois lakes and rivers where northern pike turn up
Illinois lakes for northern pike
- Hennepin-Hopper LakesPutnam County
- Spring Lake (South)610 acres
- Busse Lake (FPDCC)Cook County
- Silver Lake (Highland)550 acres
- Wolf Lake380 acres
- McCullom Lake244 acres
- Skokie Lagoons (FPDCC)242 acres
- Duck Island Main Lake (RLFWA)Fulton County
- Lake Tampier (FPDCC)Cook County
- Hastings Lake (LCFPD)74 acres
- Lake Patterson48 acres
- Defiance Lake45 acres
- Turner Lake (COLSP)45 acres
- Great Lakes Quarry (HQRA)41 acres
- Beck Lake (FPDCC)37 acres
- Jericho Lake21 acres
- Sand Pond (IBSP)Lake County
- Axehead Lake (FPDCC)17 acres
- Pickerel LakeDuPage County
- Horton Lake13 acres
Illinois rivers worth a cast for northern pike
- Embarras RiverDouglas County
- Illinois River, Marseilles PoolGrundy County
- Mackinaw RiverTazewell County
- Illinois River, LaGrange PoolPeoria County
- Illinois River, Peoria PoolMarshall County
- Mississippi River, Pool 13Carroll County
- Mississippi River, Pool 12Jo Daviess County
- Mississippi River, Pool 14Rock Island County
IDNR IFishIllinois outlook ratings and species lists, the IDNR stocking table and IDNR record waters; largest waters first.
Relatives of northern pike on the IDNR list
- Muskellungemuskellunge 1, nor
- Tiger Muskellungemuskellunge 1, nor
How the shoreline by Northern Pike looks
Photo: Ron Frazier, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: bradhoc, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Tripp, CC BY 2.0
Short Illinois answers on northern pike
How many northern pike can go on an Illinois stringer?
The digest row reads muskellunge 1, northern pike 3; size: muskellunge 36 inches, northern pike 24 inches. Individual waters can carry a tighter entry.
Which Illinois lake or river produced the top northern pike?
Strip Mine produced it in 1989: 26 lbs 15 oz. The angler is not printed.
Which Illinois waters hold northern pike?
It appears on 28 pages, Hennepin-Hopper Lakes, Spring Lake (South) and Busse Lake (FPDCC) among them.
Is the northern pike rule the same on every Illinois water?
The digest lists 5 waters; Des Plaines River Basin is one.
Which Illinois waters got northern pike from IDNR?
In 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026, 172,502 across 27 waters.
Must a visitor buy a license for Illinois northern pike?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
Does the Illinois northern pike record list count bow fish?
Two: hook and line, and bow and arrow. For it, IDNR shows 1 record row.
Where do IDNR biologists rate northern pike?
IDNR grades it on 11 lakes, with McCullom Lake at good.
Plan an Illinois trip for northern pike
Open a lake or river above for launches and local rules.