Saugeye in Illinois
Where saugeye swim in Illinois, and what may be kept.
- 6 a daylimit
- 10 lbs 13.6 ozrecord
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Sizing up Illinois saugeye
The statewide digest line that governs saugeye is titled "Walleye, Sauger, or their Hybrid". First words of the row: "All Walleye, Sauger, or their hybrid (Saugeye) taken must be 14" in total length or longer, except in the Mississippi River, Wabash River, or except as specified under Site Specific Regulations." A capped row like that is filled by its fish combined.
In 2024, Argyle Lake produced the hook and line record of 10 lbs 13.6 oz. 30 pages across Illinois carry it, Lake Mattoon, Evergreen Lake and Forbes Lake (SFSP) among them. IDNR hatcheries put 4,226,807 into 30 waters, per the stocking table.
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| Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye, Sauger, or their Hybrid | 6 (combined) | 14 inches |
All Walleye, Sauger, or their hybrid (Saugeye) taken must be 14" in total length or longer, except in the Mississippi River, Wabash River, or except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. Daily harvest limit is 6 Walleye, Sauger, or their hybrid, either singly or in the aggregate, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations.
IDNR 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR) page 10, read November 4, 2026.
Heaviest saugeye on the Illinois list
| Division | Weight | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 10 lbs 13.6 oz | Argyle Lake | McDonough County | June 2, 2024 |
IDNR Illinois state record fish list (keeper: Illinois Department of Natural Resources; no angler names printed), read November 4, 2026.
saugeye released into Illinois water
| Year | Water as listed | Number | Size class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Lake Chaminwood | 531,000 | Not Specified |
| 2026 | Mattoon, Lake | 56,817 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Evergreen Lake | 37,779 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Forbes Lake – SFSP | 33,516 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Charleston Side Channel Lake | 17,640 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Dawson Lake – MVSRA | 14,443 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Lake Chaminwood | 13,885 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Paris East Lake | 13,616 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Pyramid State Park – Super Lake | 13,616 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Schuy-Rush Lake | 12,528 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Sule, Lake | 12,293 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Argyle Lake | 11,914 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Sam Parr Lake | 11,895 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
| 2026 | Carlton, Lake | 10,791 | Fingerling (1 – 3") |
IDNR fish stocking table on ifishillinois.org (year, water, species, size class and number as listed; no stocking dates published), read November 4, 2026.
IDNR outlook grades for saugeye
| Lake | IDNR rating | County |
|---|---|---|
| Evergreen Lake | Excellent | McLean County |
| Paris East Lake | Excellent | Edgar County |
| Dawson Lake (MVSRA) | Excellent | McLean County |
| Argyle Lake | Excellent | McDonough County |
| Lake Carlton | Excellent | Whiteside County |
| Weldon Springs | Excellent | DeWitt County |
| Lake Paradise | Good | Coles County |
| Homer Lake (CCFPD) | Good | Champaign County |
| Mallard Lake (Pyramid State Park) | Good | Perry County |
| Lake of the Woods- CCFPD | Good | Champaign County |
| Forbes Lake (SFSP) | Fair | Marion County |
| Lake Mattoon | Average | Shelby County |
IDNR fishing outlook ratings and survey notes as printed on the IFishIllinois page, read November 4, 2026.
Prairie State pages naming saugeye
Impounded Illinois water holding saugeye
- Lake Mattoon988 acres
- Evergreen Lake925 acres
- Forbes Lake (SFSP)585 acres
- Charleston Side Channel Lake317 acres
- Super Lake (Pyramid State Park)300 acres
- Du Quoin City Lake210 acres
- Schuy-Rush Lake191 acres
- Sam Parr Lake180 acres
- Lake Mingo170 acres
- Pinckneyville City Lake165 acres
- Paris East Lake163 acres
- Dawson Lake (MVSRA)161 acres
- Lake Paradise138 acres
- Borah Lake137 acres
- Argyle LakeMcDonough County
- Homer Lake (CCFPD)81 acres
- Lake Sule77 acres
- Paris West Lake75 acres
- Lake Carlton70 acres
- Canvasback Lake (Pyramid State Park)66 acres
- Mallard Lake (Pyramid State Park)66 acres
- Randolph County Lake65 acres
- Redhead Lake (Pyramid State Park)55 acres
- Lake Chaminwood48 acres
IDNR IFishIllinois outlook ratings and species lists, the IDNR stocking table and IDNR record waters; largest waters first.
Camera views of the water by Saugeye
Photo: Richie Diesterheft, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: bradhoc, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Tripp, CC BY 2.0
Illinois anglers ask about saugeye
How many saugeye may I keep in Illinois?
IDNR prints 6 combined a day, with 14 inches. Site-specific entries can be stricter on a given water.
How heavy is the Illinois saugeye record?
10 lbs 13.6 oz, landed at Argyle Lake in 2024. The list names no angler.
Where do saugeye live in Illinois?
Try Lake Mattoon, Evergreen Lake and Forbes Lake (SFSP), out of 30.
Are there site-specific rules for saugeye?
It has no named local entry; each water's all-fish rules still hold.
Do Illinois hatcheries raise saugeye?
Yes: 4,226,807 across 30 waters in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Is one IDNR license enough for saugeye?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
Which record divisions does IDNR keep for saugeye?
The list has a hook and line side and a bow and arrow side. It has 1 record row.
Where does IDNR rate saugeye best?
Evergreen Lake shows excellent; 12 lakes carry a grade.
Go after Illinois saugeye
Pick one of those Illinois waters and its page lays out the launches.