Spotted Bass in Illinois
Illinois spotted bass: limit, record, stocking and waters.
- 6 a daylimit
- 7 lbs 3.12 ozrecord
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spotted bass across Illinois water
Look for "Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass" in the digest table to find the spotted bass limit. Its text opens: "Daily harvest limit is 6 Bass, either singly or in the aggregate, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations." The row lumps several fish together under one number when a cap applies.
IDNR lists 7 lbs 3.12 oz as the hook and line mark, taken at Strip Mine in 1992. See Mississippi River (Between IL & MO) and Shawnee National Forest – Lakes and Ponds Less Than 10 Acres: 10 waters print their own wording for it.
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| Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass | 6 (combined) | no statewide size limit |
Daily harvest limit is 6 Bass, either singly or in the aggregate, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. In rivers and streams and their tributaries statewide, except for the Mississippi, Ohio (including Golconda Marina), and Wabash Rivers, the daily harvest can contain no more than 3 Smallmouth Bass. In rivers and streams and their tributaries statewide, except for the Mississippi, Ohio (including the Golconda Marina), Wabash and Illinois Rivers, Calumet River, Lake Calumet Connecting Channel, Calumet Sag Channel and navigable portions of the Grand Calumet River and Little Calumet River, all Smallmouth Bass must be immediately released between April 1 and June 15. There is no statewide size limit.
IDNR 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR) page 10, read November 4, 2026.
Site-specific entries naming spotted bass
| Water as printed | County | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River (Between IL & MO) | Largemouth, Smallmouth, or Spotted Bass | 12 inch Minimum Length Limit; 6 Fish Daily Harvest Limit | |
| Shawnee National Forest – Lakes and Ponds Less Than 10 Acres | Largemouth, Smallmouth, or Spotted Bass | 15 inch Minimum Length Limit | |
| Shawnee National Forest – Bay Creek Lake #5 and #8 | Pope | Largemouth, Smallmouth, or Spotted Bass | 15 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Shawnee National Forest – Dutchman Lake | Johnson | Largemouth, Smallmouth, or Spotted Bass | 15 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Shawnee National Forest – Lake Glendale | Pope | Largemouth, Smallmouth, or Spotted Bass | 15 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Shawnee National Forest – One Horse Gap Lake | Pope | Largemouth, Smallmouth, or Spotted Bass | 15 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Shawnee National Forest – Pounds Hollow Lake | Gallatin | Largemouth, Smallmouth, or Spotted Bass | 15 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Shawnee National Forest – Tecumseh Lake | Hardin | Largemouth, Smallmouth, or Spotted Bass | 15 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Shawnee National Forest – Turkey Bayou | Jackson | Largemouth, Smallmouth, or Spotted Bass | 15 inch Minimum Length Limit |
| Shawnee National Forest – Whoopie Cat Lake | Hardin | Largemouth, Smallmouth, or Spotted Bass | 15 inch Minimum Length Limit |
Site-specific regulations as printed in the 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR), read November 4, 2026.
Record spotted bass on the IDNR list
| Division | Weight | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 7 lbs 3.12 oz | Strip Mine | Fulton County | March 15, 1992 |
IDNR Illinois state record fish list (keeper: Illinois Department of Natural Resources; no angler names printed), read November 4, 2026.
Other Illinois fish beside spotted bass
- Largemouth Bass6 a day
- Smallmouth Bass6 a day
- Hybrid Striped Bassno limit under 17
- Rock Bassno daily cap
- Striped Bassno limit under 17
- White Bassno limit under 17
- Yellow Bassno limit under 17
Timber, cornfield and water around Spotted Bass through a lens
Photo: Seclusive Nature, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Adam Moss, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0
spotted bass questions from cornfield ponds to the big river
What does IDNR allow per day for spotted bass?
Per the digest: 6 combined a day, no statewide size limit. Check the site-specific list for the lake you fish. The row adds a river rule: at most 3 smallmouth in most streams, with smallmouth released from April 1 to June 15.
Does IDNR list a record spotted bass?
7 lbs 3.12 oz from Strip Mine, 1992. Angler names are not printed.
Which Prairie State lake holds spotted bass?
The Illinois lake and river pages here leave it off for now.
Do any Illinois waters set their own spotted bass rule?
It changes on 10 waters, Mississippi River (Between IL & MO) among them.
Were spotted bass stocked in Illinois recently?
The IDNR stocking table leaves it out.
How much is an Illinois license to fish for spotted bass?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
Is there a bow record for spotted bass in Illinois?
IDNR runs two lists: hook and line and bow and arrow. Its entries: 1 record row.
What does the IDNR outlook say about spotted bass?
No IDNR fishing outlook on a lake page here rates it.
Line up a day on Illinois spotted bass
Each water above lists its ramps and site-specific rules on its own page.