When is blue catfish season in Illinois?

Illinois keeps blue catfish open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the Illinois bag limit for blue catfish?

The Illinois daily bag limit for blue catfish is No statewide daily limit. Mississippi River: 20 / day combined blue + channel catfish. Ohio + Wabash Rivers: no limit on fish under 35 in, only 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer per day.. The possession limit is No statewide possession limit (site-specific waters may apply their own). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size blue catfish can you keep in Illinois?

The Illinois size rule for blue catfish is No statewide minimum. 13 in min on the Ohio + Wabash Rivers, where no more than 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer may be kept per day.. Trophy rule: IL state-record blue catfish 124 lb 4 oz — Mississippi River near Alton, May 21 2005, Tim Pruitt; the fish was recognized as the IGFA all-tackle world-record blue catfish from 2005 until 2011. The Ohio + Wabash Rivers protect trophy blues with a 13-in minimum + 1-fish-over-35-in daily cap (matching KY + IN under joint Ohio River Fisheries Management Team coordination)..

Do you need a license to fish for blue catfish in Illinois?

Yes. Illinois requires a valid fishing license to fish for blue catfish, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Illinois license — compare resident and non-resident Illinois fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for blue catfish in Illinois?

Yes. In Illinois, blue catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trotlines, setlines, limblines + juglines permitted for catfish under IDNR tag/labeling rules; No statewide harvest or size limit — site-specific regulations apply on listed waters only; Mississippi River: 20 / day combined blue + channel (IL ↔ IA + IL ↔ MO reciprocal main stem); Ohio + Wabash Rivers: 13 in min, 1 blue catfish ≥ 35 in / day (trophy cap); Illinois sport fishing licence required ages 16+ ($15 res / $31.50 NR annual).

Do specific Illinois waters have different blue catfish rules?

Yes. 5 named Illinois waters carry rules that override the statewide blue catfish regulation, including Mississippi River, Ohio River, Wabash River, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Illinois Blue catfish 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Ictalurus furcatus

Last updated May 30, 2026

Illinois blue catfish are a big-river trophy fishery on the Mississippi River boundary (with Iowa + Missouri), the Ohio River boundary (with Kentucky), and the lower Wabash + Illinois rivers. The Mississippi near Alton produced the most famous catfish in Illinois history — Tim Pruitt's 124 lb 4 oz blue, caught May 21 2005, was recognized as the IGFA all-tackle world-record blue catfish from 2005 until a 143 lb Virginia fish overtook it in 2011, and it remains the IL state record. Statewide, Illinois sets no harvest or size limit on catfish; the rules live on named waters. The Mississippi River allows 20 / day combined blue + channel catfish (the interstate Upper Mississippi River uniform regulation shared with Iowa + Missouri), while the Ohio + Wabash boundary rivers carry a 13-inch minimum and a 1-fish-35-inch-or-longer daily trophy cap that matches Kentucky's and Indiana's Ohio River rules under joint Ohio River Fisheries Management Team coordination.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide. No statewide harvest or size limit on catfish. Mississippi River: 20 / day combined blue + channel. Ohio + Wabash Rivers: 13-inch minimum, no limit on fish under 35 in, only 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer per day.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: No statewide daily limit. Mississippi River: 20 / day combined blue + channel catfish. Ohio + Wabash Rivers: no limit on fish under 35 in, only 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer per day.
Possession: No statewide possession limit (site-specific waters may apply their own)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum. 13 in min on the Ohio + Wabash Rivers, where no more than 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer may be kept per day.
Trophy rule: IL state-record blue catfish 124 lb 4 oz — Mississippi River near Alton, May 21 2005, Tim Pruitt; the fish was recognized as the IGFA all-tackle world-record blue catfish from 2005 until 2011. The Ohio + Wabash Rivers protect trophy blues with a 13-in minimum + 1-fish-over-35-in daily cap (matching KY + IN under joint Ohio River Fisheries Management Team coordination).

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trotlines, setlines, limblines + juglines permitted for catfish under IDNR tag/labeling rules
No statewide harvest or size limit — site-specific regulations apply on listed waters only
Mississippi River: 20 / day combined blue + channel (IL ↔ IA + IL ↔ MO reciprocal main stem)
Ohio + Wabash Rivers: 13 in min, 1 blue catfish ≥ 35 in / day (trophy cap)
Illinois sport fishing licence required ages 16+ ($15 res / $31.50 NR annual)

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Illinois waters:

Mississippi River
20 / day combined blue + channel catfish; IL state-record blue 124 lb 4 oz (near Alton, 2005 — former IGFA all-tackle world record); IL ↔ IA + IL ↔ MO reciprocal main stem
Ohio River
13 in min, no limit under 35 in, 1 blue ≥ 35 in / day; IL/KY boundary under the Ohio River Reciprocity Compact
Wabash River
13 in min, no limit under 35 in, 1 blue ≥ 35 in / day; IL/IN boundary water
Illinois River
No statewide limit on blue catfish; 273-mile main stem from Joliet to the Mississippi confluence at Grafton
Carlyle Lake
No statewide limit on blue catfish; 26,000-acre Kaskaskia River impoundment — largest manmade lake wholly in IL

Official source

Illinois Department of Natural Resources publishes the authoritative 2026 Illinoisfishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The blue catfish rules on this page are sourced from Illinois Department of Natural Resources's official blue catfish regulation page.

Visit official Illinois fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Blue catfish closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Illinois Department of Natural Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any Illinois trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is blue catfish season in Illinois?: Illinois keeps blue catfish open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the Illinois bag limit for blue catfish?: The Illinois daily bag limit for blue catfish is No statewide daily limit. Mississippi River: 20 / day combined blue + channel catfish. Ohio + Wabash Rivers: no limit on fish under 35 in, only 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer per day.. The possession limit is No statewide possession limit (site-specific waters may apply their own). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size blue catfish can you keep in Illinois?: The Illinois size rule for blue catfish is No statewide minimum. 13 in min on the Ohio + Wabash Rivers, where no more than 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer may be kept per day.. Trophy rule: IL state-record blue catfish 124 lb 4 oz — Mississippi River near Alton, May 21 2005, Tim Pruitt; the fish was recognized as the IGFA all-tackle world-record blue catfish from 2005 until 2011. The Ohio + Wabash Rivers protect trophy blues with a 13-in minimum + 1-fish-over-35-in daily cap (matching KY + IN under joint Ohio River Fisheries Management Team coordination)..
Do you need a license to fish for blue catfish in Illinois?: Yes. Illinois requires a valid fishing license to fish for blue catfish, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Illinois license — compare resident and non-resident Illinois fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for blue catfish in Illinois?: Yes. In Illinois, blue catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trotlines, setlines, limblines + juglines permitted for catfish under IDNR tag/labeling rules; No statewide harvest or size limit — site-specific regulations apply on listed waters only; Mississippi River: 20 / day combined blue + channel (IL ↔ IA + IL ↔ MO reciprocal main stem); Ohio + Wabash Rivers: 13 in min, 1 blue catfish ≥ 35 in / day (trophy cap); Illinois sport fishing licence required ages 16+ ($15 res / $31.50 NR annual).
Do specific Illinois waters have different blue catfish rules?: Yes. 5 named Illinois waters carry rules that override the statewide blue catfish regulation, including Mississippi River, Ohio River, Wabash River, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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