Rock Bass in Illinois
IDNR limits, the state record and Illinois waters for rock bass.
- no daily caplimit
- 1 lb 10 ozrecord
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Illinois rock bass in brief
In the 2026 IDNR digest, rock bass sit on the statewide line headed "Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Other Sunfish". The row begins: "There are no harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations." Where the row caps the catch, the fish on it are counted together.
At 1 lb 10 oz, the hook and line record came from Auxsable Creek (1987). Its rule shifts on 2 waters, for instance Mississippi River (Between IL & IA) and Ohio River (Between IL & KY).
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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.
rock bass, water by water
| Water as printed | County | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River (Between IL & IA) | Rock Bass | 25 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | |
| Ohio River (Between IL & KY) | Rock Bass | 15 Fish Daily Harvest Limit |
Site-specific regulations as printed in the 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR), read November 4, 2026.
Illinois state-record rock bass
| Division | Weight | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 1 lb 10 oz | Auxsable Creek | Grundy County | May 5, 1987 |
IDNR Illinois state record fish list (keeper: Illinois Department of Natural Resources; no angler names printed), read November 4, 2026.
Relatives of rock bass on the IDNR list
- Bluegillno daily cap
- Green Sunfishno daily cap
- Pumpkinseedno daily cap
- Redear Sunfishno daily cap
- Warmouthno daily cap
- Hybrid Striped Bassno limit under 17
- Largemouth Bass6 a day
- Smallmouth Bass6 a day
- Spotted Bass6 a day
- Striped Bassno limit under 17
- White Bassno limit under 17
- Yellow Bassno limit under 17
How the shoreline by Rock Bass looks
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
Short Illinois answers on rock bass
How many rock bass can go on an Illinois stringer?
The digest row reads no limit; size: no size limit. Individual waters can carry a tighter entry.
Which Illinois lake or river produced the top rock bass?
Auxsable Creek produced it in 1987: 1 lb 10 oz. The angler is not printed.
Which Illinois waters hold rock bass?
IDNR lists name no water for it that has a page here yet.
Is the rock bass rule the same on every Illinois water?
The digest lists 2 waters; Mississippi River (Between IL & IA) is one.
Which Illinois waters got rock bass from IDNR?
IDNR listed no stocking of it from 2021 to 2026.
Must a visitor buy a license for Illinois rock bass?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
Does the Illinois rock bass 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 rock bass?
The IDNR outlooks on these lake pages give it no grade.
Plan an Illinois trip for rock bass
Open a lake or river above for launches and local rules.