Illinois Fish Stocking
Six years of the IDNR stocking table by year, species, size class and water.
For stocked waterPiscifun Torrent Lite spinning comboCheck price at PiscifunPhoto of Illinois River: Seclusive Nature, CC BY-SA 4.0
What IDNR stocked into Illinois waters, 2021 to 2026
The IDNR stocking table on ifishillinois.org lists 2,819 rows from 2021 to 2026: year, water, species, size class and number. It prints no stocking dates and no counties, so neither appears here. Water names and species read as IDNR lists them; a linked name has its own page on this site.
IDNR fish stocking table on ifishillinois.org (year, water, species, size class and number as listed; no stocking dates published), read November 4, 2026.
Illinois fish stocked each year
Illinois stocking totals by species as listed
| Species as listed | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauger | 10,506,893 | 4,571,648 | 10,433,012 | 12,615,355 | 6,815,285 |
| Walleye | 4,498,393 | 772,693 | 4,026,116 | 5,062,559 | 5,198,087 |
| Largemouth Bass | 1,529,829 | 1,424,959 | 1,638,806 | 420,250 | 459,115 |
| Walleye x Sauger (Saugeye) | 1,603,256 | 98,639 | 744,150 | 909,231 | 871,531 |
| Channel Catfish | 863,430 | 273,388 | 231,322 | 316,757 | 234,010 |
| Smallmouth Bass | 292,505 | 270,009 | 275,322 | 322,403 | 235,523 |
| Bluegill | 141,740 | 258,473 | 156,895 | 359,681 | 339,435 |
| Coho Salmon | 270,074 | 289,911 | 87,096 | 258,541 | 329,372 |
| Striped Bass x White Bass (Wiper) | 179,014 | 261,930 | 332,767 | 341,211 | 112,438 |
| Redear Sunfish | 422,279 | 228,657 | 183,534 | 166,106 | 151,421 |
| Chinook Salmon | 210,070 | 225,104 | 100,878 | 213,869 | 214,153 |
| Rainbow Trout | 82,019 | 77,544 | 355,238 | 156,619 | 189,694 |
| Blue Catfish | 182,292 | 94,399 | 199,249 | 159,778 | 210,016 |
| Black Crappie | 162,527 | 133,117 | 112,114 | 207,286 | 30,839 |
| Brown Trout | 123,760 | 118,023 | 126,578 | 119,196 | 105,744 |
| Skamania Steelhead | 79,854 | 53,457 | 132,596 | 85,552 | 87,069 |
| Blacknose Crappie | 357,140 | 29,499 | 47,221 | 0 | 0 |
| Muskellunge | 80,071 | 95,722 | 12,994 | 99,702 | 26,429 |
The biggest Illinois stocking destinations of 2026
| Water as listed | Fish stocked |
|---|---|
| Illinois River – Peoria Pool | 4,967,625 |
| Fox Chain O' Lakes | 3,113,326 |
| Illinois River – Marseilles Pool | 1,374,696 |
| Lake Michigan | 792,006 |
| Kankakee River | 549,558 |
| Lake Chaminwood | 544,885 |
| Mazonia – Monster Lake | 405,499 |
| Illinois River – Starved Rock Pool | 403,369 |
| Clinton Lake | 293,170 |
| LaSalle Cooling Lake | 249,420 |
| Powerton Lake | 160,864 |
| Heidecke Lake | 123,059 |
| Springfield, Lake | 112,067 |
| Rock River | 111,329 |
| Decatur, Lake | 89,258 |
Size classes IDNR lists in the stocking table
Lake and river scenes for Illinois Fish Stocking
Photo: Ron Frazier, CC BY 2.0
Photo: uptowner, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Charles Fulton, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Tripp, CC BY 2.0
Illinois fish stocking questions, answered from the IDNR table
How many rows are in the IDNR stocking table?
2,819, covering 2021 to 2026.
How many fish did IDNR stock in 2026?
15,768,659, across the rows listed for 2026.
Which species did IDNR stock most in 2026?
Sauger, with 6,815,285 fish.
Which Illinois water received the biggest hatchery haul in 2026?
Illinois River – Peoria Pool, with 4967625.
Does IDNR print stocking dates?
No. The table lists year, water, species, size class and number only.
Why is a county not shown?
The IDNR table prints none; lake and river pages carry the county.
What does fingerling mean in the table?
A size class IDNR lists, printed with its inch range, such as fingerling at 1 to 3 inches.
Are trout stockings listed?
Yes, as rainbow trout rows for the catchable trout program sites, plus Lake Michigan salmon and trout.