Des Plaines River Tournaments
The Des Plaines River: Illinois contest dates, champions and launches.
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- 14.9 lbavg win/day
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For the Des Plaines River, only what the hosts print gets listed, with the printing linked in each row.
Printed Des Plaines River formats: team, one day, five-bass limit; high school team.
Host pages linked in each row; read November 2026.
Bass trail dates and champions on the Des Plaines River
Circuit and school postings give the Des Plaines River no booked contests alongside 3 published results. Hosts with fields on the Des Plaines River: Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and Illinois B.A.S.S. Nation. Morning launch happens at Big Basin Marina, as posted.
Illinois winners in 1 one-day five-bass fields brought 14.89 pounds on average and 14.89 at most.
Who won on the Des Plaines River, per the hosts
| Date | Event | Winner | Winning weight | One-day five-bass (lb) | Big fish | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-21 | IHSA Bass Fishing Sectional at Des Plaines River – Big Basin Marina (2025-26), high school team (Sectional) | Orland Park (Sandburg) | 10.63 | 3.15 (New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central)) | Cook County | |
| 2025-05-22 | IHSA Bass Fishing Sectional at Des Plaines River – Big Basin Marina (2024-25), high school team (Sectional) | Braidwood (Reed-Custer) | 12 lb 15 | 4lb 6 oz (Braidwood (Reed-Custer)) | Cook County | |
| 2025-05-04 | IBN Team Series Des Plaines River 2025, team | Austin Moore & Jeff Lopez | 5 fish, 14.89 | 14.89 | Cook County |
Weights copied as printed, one link a row.
The Des Plaines River first place in pounds
IBN Team Series Des Plaines River 2025, team (2025) holds the Des Plaines River mark: 14.89 pounds.
1 titles range from 14.9 up to 14.9 pounds.
Dated one-day bags with a printed five-bass limit only; two-day totals, catfish weights and school results are not averaged.
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The Des Plaines River flows by Cook County, DuPage County, Grundy County and Lake County. Trailers can use 15 ramps mapped by IDNR. Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
IDNR digest; USGS and NOAA NWPS gauge data; IDNR IFishIllinois page; IDNR IFishIllinois map and lands asset layers; read November 4, 2026.
Creel rules an Illinois entrant on the Des Plaines River follows
| Species as printed | Daily limit | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Alligator Gar | 1 per 24 hours | Harvest limit is 1 Alligator Gar per 24 hours. |
| Blue, Channel, and Flathead Catfish | no limit | There are no daily harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. |
| Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Other Sunfish | no limit | There are no harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. |
| Crappie (White, Black or Hybrid Crappie) | no limit | There are no daily harvest or size limits, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. |
| Lake Sturgeon | no possession | Protected; No possession. |
| Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass | 6 (combined) | 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 d |
| Muskellunge, Northern Pike, and their Hybrid | muskellunge 1, northern pike 3 | All Muskellunge and Muskellunge hybrids (Tiger Muskie) taken must be 36" in total length or longer, except as specified under Site Specific Regulations. No more than 1 Muskellunge or Muskellunge hybrid (Tiger Muskie) may be taken per day, except as specified u |
| Paddlefish | 2 | Daily harvest limit is 2 Paddlefish. Please refer to Site Specific Regulations for the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa and the Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri. |
| Striped Bass (Ocean Rockfish), White Bass, Yellow Bass, and their Hybrids | no limit under 17 inches; 3 at 17 inches or longer | 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 le |
| Trout and Salmon | 5 (combined) | Daily harvest limit is 5 trout or salmon, either singly or in the aggregate. |
| Walleye, Sauger, or their Hybrid | 6 (combined) | 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 |
IDNR 2026 Illinois Fishing Information digest (IDNR), read November 4, 2026.
Illinois ramps, series and county pages for the Des Plaines River
The Des Plaines River ramps for a bass boat
- Des Plaines River Big Basin Marina Boat Rampfee noted, Channahon
- Des Plaines River McKinley Woods/Sheridan Canoe/Kayak Launchlaunch, Channahon
- Des Plaines River McKinley Woods Canoe/Kayak Launchlaunch, Channahon
- Des Plaines River Isla Cashe Canoe/Kayak Launchlaunch, Romeoville
- Des Plaines River Knollwood Canoe/Kayak Launchlaunch, Burr Ridge
- Des Plaines River Columbia Woods Canoe/Kayak Launchlaunch, Willow Springs
- Des Plaines River Plank Road Meadow Boat Ramplaunch, Lyons
- Des Plaines River Stoney Ford Canoe/Kayak Launchlaunch, Lyons
- Des Plaines River Schuth's Grove Canoe/Kayak Launchlaunch, North Riverside
- Des Plaines River Maywood Grove Canoe/Kayak Launchlaunch, River Forest
- Des Plaines River Irving Park Road Canoe/Kayak Launchlaunch, Schiller Park
- Des Plaines River Northwestern Woods Canoe/Kayak Launchlaunch, Des Plaines
- Des Plaines River Dam No. 2 Woods Canoe/Kayak Launchlaunch, Prospect Heights
- Des Plaines River Allison Woods Canoe/Kayak Launchlaunch, Prospect Heights
- Des Plaines River Rivershire Park Canoe/Kayak Launchlaunch, Lincolnshire
Trails and schools on the Des Plaines River
Home counties of the Des Plaines River weigh-ins
- Cook County
Contest-day tackle for the Des Plaines River
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Spinnerbaits and squarebills
For stump flats and riprap
Spinning combos
For flooded timber
Fluorocarbon line
For milfoil and coontail
Livewell care
For August releases
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More Illinois event water beyond the Des Plaines River
- Carlyle Lake1 event
- Clinton Lake3 events
- Fox Chain O' Lakes2 events
- Lake Shelbyville9 events
- Lake Springfield8 events
- Lake of Egypt2 events
- Mississippi River Pool 132 events
- Mississippi River Pool 192 events
- Rend Lake7 events
Fish to recognise on sight at Des Plaines River
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Argyleist, CC BY 2.0
Lens views of the water around Des Plaines River contests
Photo: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
Photo: David Jakes, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Adam Moss, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: WxMom, CC BY-SA 2.0
What competitors want to know about the Des Plaines River
How busy is the Des Plaines River on the Illinois board?
No date is booked yet, though there are 3 published results.
Is a contest on the Des Plaines River coming up?
No organizer has printed a coming date here yet.
How many pounds win a title on the Des Plaines River?
An Illinois one-day five-bass title here takes about 14.89 pounds (1 event), and 14.89 is the mark.
Which Illinois outfits run fields on the Des Plaines River?
Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and Illinois B.A.S.S. Nation.
Where do Illinois boats launch for a Des Plaines River field?
Launch sites the Illinois hosts printed: Big Basin Marina.
Who took the newest title on the Des Plaines River?
Orland Park (Sandburg) took first at IHSA Bass Fishing Sectional at Des Plaines River – Big Basin Marina (2025-26), high school team (Sectional) (2026-05-21) with 10.63.
Does an Illinois contest angler on the Des Plaines River need a license?
Anglers 16 and older carry an Illinois fishing license ($15 a year for residents, $31.50 for nonresidents in 2026).
How does a boat get into a Des Plaines River field?
Click the event name in its row for the host page with fees and cut-off dates.
How does a new date for the Des Plaines River get onto this Illinois board?
The Add a tournament button at the top takes Illinois listings.
Run the Des Plaines River ahead of the contest
Ramps, IDNR limits and any site rules are on the water page.
Know a tournament that is not listed?
Send it here with a link to the organizer’s event page or schedule. Weekly and monthly ones only need to go in once. If that page shows the name and the date (or the day of the week), it goes on this page right away. If not, we check it by hand within a week.
We keep what you send so we can check the event. Your email is never published.