Pumpkinseed in Illinois
pumpkinseed under the 2026 IDNR digest.
- no daily caplimit
- 1 lb 1.92 ozrecord
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What IDNR prints about pumpkinseed
Open the 2026 digest to "Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Other Sunfish" for the Illinois pumpkinseed rule. The digest wording starts with "There are no harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations." Everything named on that row shares one total where a limit applies.
The hook and line entry reads 1 lb 1.92 oz, Hennepin-Hopper Lakes, 2020. 2 Illinois water pages carry it, starting with Thompson Lake (Emiquon) and Hennepin-Hopper Lakes. Site-specific entries name it on 17 waters, such as Axehead Lake and Beck Lake.
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| Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Other Sunfish | no limit | no size limit |
There are no harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations.
IDNR 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR) page 10, read November 4, 2026.
Lakes that handle pumpkinseed differently
| Water as printed | County | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axehead Lake | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Beck Lake | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Belleau Lake | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Bullfrog Lake | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Busse Lake | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Cermack Quarry | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Cook Co. Forest Preserve District Lakes | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Flatfoot Lake | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Horsetail Lake | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Maple Lake | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Mississippi River (Between IL & IA) | Bluegill or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 25 Fish Daily Harvest Limit, singly or in aggregate | |
| Opeka Lake | Cook | Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, or Hybrid Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Sag Quarry East | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Schiller Pond | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Skokie Lagoons | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Tampier Lake | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
| Wampum Lake | Cook | Bluegill, Redear, or Pumpkinseed Sunfish | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
Site-specific regulations as printed in the 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR), read November 4, 2026.
Illinois record-book pumpkinseed
| Division | Weight | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 1 lb 1.92 oz | Hennepin-Hopper Lakes | Putnam County | June 19, 2020 |
IDNR Illinois state record fish list (keeper: Illinois Department of Natural Resources; no angler names printed), read November 4, 2026.
Lakes with an IDNR rating for pumpkinseed
| Lake | IDNR rating | County |
|---|---|---|
| Hennepin-Hopper Lakes | Excellent | Putnam County |
| Thompson Lake (Emiquon) | Poor | Fulton County |
IDNR fishing outlook ratings and survey notes as printed on the IFishIllinois page, read November 4, 2026.
Lakes and pools for Illinois pumpkinseed
Prairie State lake pages naming pumpkinseed
- Thompson Lake (Emiquon)4,000 acres
- Hennepin-Hopper LakesPutnam County
IDNR IFishIllinois outlook ratings and species lists, the IDNR stocking table and IDNR record waters; largest waters first.
More Prairie State species near pumpkinseed
- Bluegillno daily cap
- Green Sunfishno daily cap
- Redear Sunfishno daily cap
- Rock Bassno daily cap
- Warmouthno daily cap
The ponds and rivers around Pumpkinseed, photographed
Photo: Robert Lampros, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Dan, CC BY 2.0
Photo: uptowner, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Jakes, CC BY 4.0
Chasing pumpkinseed across the Prairie State: answers
What is the Illinois daily limit for pumpkinseed?
no limit under the statewide row; no size limit. A water's own digest entry may tighten that.
Where did the Illinois pumpkinseed record come from?
The hook and line mark is 1 lb 1.92 oz (Hennepin-Hopper Lakes, 2020). No angler is named on the IDNR list.
Which statefishingspots Illinois pages mention pumpkinseed?
See Thompson Lake (Emiquon) and Hennepin-Hopper Lakes, three of the 2 Illinois pages naming it.
Does the digest print special pumpkinseed rules anywhere?
Yes: 17 waters, including Axehead Lake.
Is pumpkinseed in the IDNR stocking table?
It is not in the 2021 to 2026 stocking table.
Which Illinois license covers pumpkinseed?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
How does IDNR split its pumpkinseed records?
Hook and line records, plus a separate bow and arrow list. IDNR lists 1 record row for it.
Which IDNR outlook grades mention pumpkinseed?
2 lakes, led by Hennepin-Hopper Lakes at excellent.
Find pumpkinseed near your Illinois base
Start from a water above for its IDNR ramps.