Steelhead in Illinois
Daily limit, record and water pages for Illinois steelhead.
- 5 a daylimit
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steelhead in the Prairie State
IDNR lists steelhead under the digest row "Trout and Salmon". As printed, it starts: "Daily harvest limit is 5 trout or salmon, either singly or in the aggregate." Any cap on that row covers its fish in the aggregate.
The IDNR stocking table lists 438,528 of them across 1 water.
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| Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Trout and Salmon | 5 (combined) | no statewide size limit printed |
Daily harvest limit is 5 trout or salmon, either singly or in the aggregate.
IDNR 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR) page 10, read November 4, 2026.
Lake Michigan wording for steelhead
| Species as printed | Rule as printed |
|---|---|
| Trout and Salmon | 10 inch Minimum Length Limit; 5 Fish Daily Harvest Limit, singly or in the aggregate, except for Lake Trout |
Lake Michigan rules and stamps
IDNR Lake Michigan fishing page and Lake Michigan entry of the 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR), read November 4, 2026.
Stocking table rows for steelhead
| Year | Water as listed | Number | Size class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Lake Michigan | 87,069 | Advanced Fingerling (4 – 7") |
| 2025 | Lake Michigan | 85,552 | Advanced Fingerling (4 – 7") |
| 2024 | Lake Michigan | 132,596 | Advanced Fingerling (4 – 7") |
| 2023 | Lake Michigan | 53,457 | Advanced Fingerling (4 – 7") |
| 2022 | Lake Michigan | 79,854 | Advanced Fingerling (4 – 7") |
IDNR fish stocking table on ifishillinois.org (year, water, species, size class and number as listed; no stocking dates published), read November 4, 2026.
Species the digest groups with steelhead
- Atlantic Salmon5 a day
- Brook Trout5 a day
- Brown Trout5 a day
- Chinook Salmon5 a day
- Coho Salmon5 a day
- Lake Trout5 a day
- Pink Salmon5 a day
- Rainbow Trout5 a day
- Tiger Trout5 a day
Lakes and river bends close to Steelhead, in pictures
Photo: Richie Diesterheft, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: D.L, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: edward stojakovic, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Robert Lampros, CC BY-SA 2.0
steelhead in Illinois: replies for anglers
What daily take of steelhead does Illinois permit?
Daily: 5 combined a day. Length: no statewide size limit printed. Some waters print their own, stricter wording.
What is the Illinois record steelhead?
The IDNR record book has no entry for it.
Which Illinois lakes list steelhead?
None of the Illinois lake or stream pages carry it at present.
Where does the steelhead rule change in Illinois?
Site-specific entries do not name it; posted all-fish rules on a water still apply.
How many steelhead did IDNR stock?
Yes, 438,528 into 1 water during 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Which IDNR license lets me keep steelhead?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026). The digest also requires the $6.50 Salmon Stamp to take salmon or trout in Lake Michigan. Taking trout from other Illinois waters needs the $6.50 Inland Trout Stamp.
Which IDNR list would a record steelhead go on?
IDNR keeps a hook and line division and a bow and arrow division.
Which Illinois lakes does IDNR rate highly for steelhead?
None of the IDNR lake outlooks grade it.
Pick a Prairie State lake for steelhead
The waters above each show access and limits.