Yellow Bass in Illinois
yellow bass under the 2026 IDNR digest.
- no limit under 17 limit
- 2 lbs 0 ozrecord
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What IDNR prints about yellow bass
Open the 2026 digest to "Striped Bass (Ocean Rockfish), White Bass, Yellow Bass, and their Hybrids" for the Illinois yellow bass rule. The digest wording starts with "There are no daily harvest limits or minimum size limits for Striped Bass (Ocean Rockfish), White Bass, Yellow Bass, and their hybrids, which are less than 17" in total length, 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 2 lbs 0 oz, Farm Pond, 1994. 9 Illinois water pages carry it, starting with Thompson Lake (Emiquon), Heidecke Lake and Super Lake (Pyramid State Park).
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| Row as printed | Daily | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Striped Bass (Ocean Rockfish), White Bass, Yellow Bass, and their Hybrids | no limit under 17 inches; 3 at 17 inches or longer | no statewide size limit printed |
There are no daily harvest limits or minimum size limits for Striped Bass (Ocean Rockfish), White Bass, Yellow Bass, and their hybrids, which are less than 17" in total length, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. For these fish 17" in total length or longer, the daily limit is 3 fish, either singly or in the aggregate, except in the Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri where there is a 30 fish daily harvest limit for all Striped, White, Yellow, or hybrid Striped Bass. In the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa, there is a 25 fish daily harvest limit on Striped Bass, White Bass, Yellow Bass, and their hybrids, either singly or in the aggregate.
IDNR 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR) page 10, read November 4, 2026.
Illinois record-book yellow bass
| Division | Weight | Water | County | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hook and line | 2 lbs 0 oz | Farm Pond | Madison County | May 5, 1994 |
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 yellow bass
| Lake | IDNR rating | County |
|---|---|---|
| McCullom Lake | Excellent | McHenry County |
| Heidecke Lake | Good | Grundy County |
| Super Lake (Pyramid State Park) | Good | Perry County |
| West Frankfort New City Lake | Good | Franklin County |
| Songbird Lake | Good | DuPage County |
| Poss Lake | Fair | DuPage County |
| Thompson Lake (Emiquon) | Poor | Fulton County |
| Spring Lake (McDonough County) | Average | McDonough County |
| Cloverdale Pond | Very Good | DuPage County |
IDNR fishing outlook ratings and survey notes as printed on the IFishIllinois page, read November 4, 2026.
Lakes and pools for Illinois yellow bass
Prairie State lake pages naming yellow bass
- Thompson Lake (Emiquon)4,000 acres
- Heidecke Lake1,955 acres
- Super Lake (Pyramid State Park)300 acres
- McCullom Lake244 acres
- Spring Lake (McDonough County)McDonough County
- West Frankfort New City Lake214 acres
- Songbird Lake14 acres
- Cloverdale Pond12 acres
- Poss Lake9 acres
IDNR IFishIllinois outlook ratings and species lists, the IDNR stocking table and IDNR record waters; largest waters first.
More Prairie State species near yellow bass
- Hybrid Striped Bassno limit under 17
- Striped Bassno limit under 17
- White Bassno limit under 17
- Largemouth Bass6 a day
- Rock Bassno daily cap
- Smallmouth Bass6 a day
- Spotted Bass6 a day
The ponds and rivers around Yellow Bass, photographed
Photo: Richie Diesterheft, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Christian Collins, CC BY-SA 2.0
Chasing yellow bass across the Prairie State: answers
What is the Illinois daily limit for yellow bass?
no limit under 17 inches; 3 at 17 inches or longer under the statewide row; no statewide size limit printed. A water's own digest entry may tighten that.
Where did the Illinois yellow bass record come from?
The hook and line mark is 2 lbs 0 oz (Farm Pond, 1994). No angler is named on the IDNR list.
Which statefishingspots Illinois pages mention yellow bass?
See Thompson Lake (Emiquon), Heidecke Lake and Super Lake (Pyramid State Park), three of the 9 Illinois pages naming it.
Does the digest print special yellow bass rules anywhere?
No site-specific entry names it, though all-fish entries such as pole limits still apply.
Is yellow bass in the IDNR stocking table?
It is not in the 2021 to 2026 stocking table.
Which Illinois license covers yellow bass?
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 yellow bass records?
Hook and line records, plus a separate bow and arrow list. IDNR lists 1 record row for it.
Which IDNR outlook grades mention yellow bass?
9 lakes, led by McCullom Lake at excellent.
Find yellow bass near your Illinois base
Start from a water above for its IDNR ramps.