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Fishing

Bring your gear and drop a line in all DuPage forest preserve lakes and along both branches of the DuPage River, Salt Creek, the Des Plaines River and all tributaries (unless otherwise posted).

If you're 16 or older and not legally disabled you must carry a valid Illinois fishing license (an inland trout stamp, too, if you're fishing for trout).

You can buy a license through Visitor Services at our headquarters office at 3S580 Naperville Road in Wheaton Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. You can also get one at sporting goods stores or online through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

a boy holding a fishing pole with a fish on the end of the line

Lake Maps

Forest Preserve Lake or River Acres
Big Woods Poss Lake (PDF) 9
Blackwell Silver Lake (PDF) 62
  White Pine Pond (PDF) 9
  Sand Pond (PDF) 4
  West Branch DuPage River  
Churchill Woods East Branch DuPage River  
Cricket Creek                    Green Lake (PDF) 9
  Stonewort Pond (PDF) 3
  Riverbend Pond (PDF) 5
  Salt Creek  
Danada Rice Lake (PDF) 36
East Branch Rush Lake (PDF) 15
  Sunfish Pond (PDF) 5
  East Branch DuPage River  
Fullersburg Woods Salt Creek   
Greene Valley East Branch DuPage River  
Hawk Hollow Muskrat Pond (PDF) 4
Herrick Lake Herrick Lake (PDF) 22
Hidden Lake                      Eagle Lake (PDF) 10
  Round Meadow Lake (PDF)         15
  East Branch DuPage River

Mallard Lake          Cloverdale Pond (PDF)  9
  Mallard Lake (PDF) 85
  West Branch DuPage River  
Mayslake Mays' Lake (PDF) 8
  Trinity Lake (PDF) 3
McDowell Grove Mud Lake (PDF) 22
  West Branch DuPage River  
Meacham Grove Maple Lake (PDF) 22
     
Pratt's Wayne Woods Catfish Pond (PDF)           5
  Horsetail Pond (PDF) 3
  Pickerel Lake (PDF) 22
  Harrier Lake (PDF) 20
Songbird Slough Songbird Lake (PDF) 15
Spring Creek Reservoir Spring Creek Reservoir (PDF) 49
Timber Ridge Timber Lake (PDF) 17
Warrenville Grove West Branch DuPage River  
West Branch Bass Lake (PDF) 15
  Deep Quarry Lake (PDF) 40
  West Branch DuPage River  
West DuPage Woods West Branch DuPage River  
Wood Dale Grove Grove Lake (PDF) 9

 

River Access

East Branch DuPage River

Churchill Woods

St. Charles Road 0.25 mile west of Route 53 in Glen Ellyn. Moderate 75-yard walk on gravel trail.

Hidden Lake

Route 53 0.5 mile south of Butterfield Road (Route 56) in Downers Grove. Moderate 50-yard walk.

Salt Creek

Cricket Creek

Fullerton Avenue 0.25 mile east of Villa Avenue in Addison. Moderate 25-yard walk on gravel trail.

Fullersburg Woods

Spring Avenue 1 mile north of York Road in Oak Brook. Moderate 25-yard walk.

Salt Creek Park

Elizabeth Road at Addison Road in Wood Dale. Moderate 65-yard walk on gravel trail.

West Branch DuPage River

West Branch

Army Trail Road at Gerber Road in Bartlett. Moderate 125-yard walk west on gravel trail.

Blackwell

Mack Road 0.25 mile east of Route 59 in West Chicago at end of parking lot.

Warrenville Grove

Batavia Road 1 mile south of Butterfield Road (Route 56) in Warrenville. Moderate 25-yard walk on paved trail.

McDowell Grove

Raymond Road 1 mile south of Diehl Road in Naperville next to parking lot.

Pioneer Park

Washington Avenue 0.25 mile north of Hobson Road in Naperville. Moderate 50-yard walk on turf trail.

Creel Limits

Daily limits per licensed angler

How to Measure a Fish

Place the fish on a flat board, close the mouth and compress the tail to get the maximum length. Then, measure from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail fin.

fishing-fish-size

Keep or Release?

A lot of research goes into setting creel limits. Fisheries ecologists survey individual lakes and rivers to get an idea of the types, sizes and numbers of game fish that live there. They then compare the data with previous studies and the habits of local anglers.

If they determine there aren’t enough fish of certain sizes to allow anglers to keep everything they catch without harming the natural population, they may set creel limits with minimum lengths or protected slot limits to ensure anglers don’t overfish an area or take fish that are too small.

But creel limits do more than prevent anglers from taking too many fish: They let anglers know how many fish they can take to help prevent overcrowding.

It may sound as if it goes against the idea of “conservation,” but keeping the fish you catch (within legal limits, of course) can help natural fisheries. Too many fish in a body of water can mean less food and space to grow for all fish. Fisheries ecologists rely on anglers to help keep things in balance (and to take home some tasty meals to boot!)

Rules & Regulations

Unless posted, you can fish in all Forest Preserve District of DuPage County lakes and ponds and along both branches of the DuPage River, Salt Creek and any tributaries. Forest Preserve District rules are generally similar to Illinois’ but may be more restrictive to sustain certain species at certain locations.

  1. If you’re 16 or older you must carry a valid Illinois fishing license in most cases. If you’re fishing for trout you must also carry a valid inland trout stamp. U.S. military personnel with “active” or “active duty” service IDs, U.S. veterans with qualifying disabilities, and Illinois residents with class 2O or 2A disability IDs do not need either.
  2. Fishing hours are the same as regular forest preserve hours: one hour after sunrise to one hour after sunset. Night fishing is only allowed at Deep Quarry Lake at West Branch Forest Preserve and you must be out of the preserve by 11 p.m.
  3. Fishing is not allowed in designated Illinois nature preserves.
  4. You can fish from shorelines and piers unless posted. You can wade in rivers and streams but cannot wade in lakes or ponds. You also cannot swim or use inflatable rafts, foam noodles or similar flotation devices. (Certain multichambered inflatable watercraft with foot wells are allowed for boating on select lakes with a Forest Preserve District private boating permit, but please visit dupageforest.org or call Visitor Services weekdays at 630-933-7248 for details and locations.)
  5. You cannot fish with more than two poles or tip-ups at one time, and you cannot have more than two hooks or lures attached to each. You must observe and attend to your poles and tip-ups at all times.
  6. You cannot fish with nets, seines, traps, bows and arrows, spears, slingshots, pitchforks, or gigs.
  7. You must release a fish if it is shorter than the required minimum length for that species or is within the species’ protected slot limit. You cannot possess more of a species per day than the species’ daily creel limit allows, and you must have your creel possessions clearly separated.
  8. You cannot fillet a fish or remove its head or tail in a forest preserve if that species has a required minimum length or protected slot limit for waters in that preserve.
  9. You cannot dump fish entrails or carcasses in any DuPage forest preserve waters.
  10. You must release fish in the same waters in which you caught them.
  11. You can use minnows, worms, insects, lures, stink bait, wet flies, blood bait or dough balls as bait but must dispose of all bait and bait water in the trash or on the ground far from shore.
  12. You can use legally caught bluegill, redear sunfish, green sunfish, longear sunfish, pumpkinseeds, warmouths, and their hybrids for bait but only in the same waters in which you caught them. You cannot use a fish if it’s shorter than the required minimum length for the species or is within the species’ protected slot limit. You also cannot possess more of a species than its daily creel limit allows. If there is a required minimum length or protected slot limit, the fish cannot be cut up or dressed.
  13. You cannot use amphibians, reptiles or crayfish as bait.
  14. With the exception of the legally caught fish described in 12 above, you cannot collect bait in the forest preserves.
  15. Although state regulations may allow it, in DuPage forest preserves you cannot fish for or collect crayfish, mussels, or any amphibians or reptiles, such as frogs and turtles.
  16. You must remove all aquatic plants and animals from all equipment before moving the equipment away from any body of water.
  17. You can ice fish on most forest preserve waters unless posted. Due to fluctuating water levels, you can never ice fish at Spring Creek Reservoir or Herrick Lake forest preserves. Holes must be less than 10 inches in diameter. You can only use portable shelters and must remove them when not in use. Forest Preserve District employees do not monitor ice; all ice-related activities are done at the user’s own risk. As a guideline, not a guarantee, a minimum of 4 inches is recommended. Ice may be safe in one spot yet very thin only a few feet away; river currents, underwater springs, animal activity or runoff from local roads can all create hard-to-detect areas of thin ice. You should carry ropes and floatation devices on the ice for emergencies.
  18. If you catch a tagged fish and release it, please report the date, location, tag number, type of fish, length and weight to the Forest Preserve District’s Natural Resources department at 630-933-7200. If you keep the fish, mail the tag with the same information to Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, Natural Resources, 3S580 Naperville Road, Wheaton, IL 60189.You cannot possess more of a species per day than the species’ daily creel limit allows, and you must have your creel possessions clearly separated.

Health Advisories

Fish are a delicious, lean, low-calorie source of protein, but some may contain chemicals that could affect your health if you eat too many. To help you plan what fish to keep and how often and how many to eat, the state tests fish and provides advisories if necessary. Some current advisories are listed below. For updates, call the Illinois Department of Public Health at 217-782-5830, or visit idph.state.il.us and type “fish advisory” in the search box.

East Branch DuPage River
Carp (all sizes), PCBs, one meal per day

Salt Creek
Carp (under 24"), PCBs, one meal per month 
Carp (over 24"), PCBs, six meals per year

West Branch DuPage River
Carp (all sizes), PCBs, one meal per week
Smallmouth bass (over 15"), mercury, one meal per week but one per month for children under 15 and women who are nursing or pregnant or may become pregnant

 

A Note About Invasive Species

When you move fishing gear from lake to lake, you can carry invasive species such as zebra mussels and Eurasian water milfoil with you. (Some are so small you can't see them with the naked eye.) When these species take over new waters, they can harm the entire ecosystem. Please do your part wherever you fish.

  • Remove all plants, animals and mud from all equipment.
  • Dry everything thoroughly with a towel.
  • Empty all bait buckets in garbage cans or dumpsters before leaving the water.

Stocking Report

As part of its fisheries-management program, the Forest Preserve District stocks select lakes with various species, as shown below Lakes are stocked by the District and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  The stocking information below is through Dec. 31, 2022.

Fish Lengths When Stocked

Bluegill 2-5"
Hybrid Bluegill 5-7”
Smallmouth Bass 4-8”    
Crappie 4-6"
Largemouth Bass and Perch 5 – 7"
Largemouth Bass*  6+”
Channel Catfish* 3 – 4”
Walleye and Channel Catfish 6 – 10"
Muskie and Northern Pike 10 – 16"

Blackwell

Silver Lake
Walleye • 600 • 10/16
Yellow Perch • 1,500 • 10/18
Walleye • 600 • 11/19
Northern Pike • 180 • 11/19
Northern Pike • 308 • 07/20 IDNR
Yellow Perch • 1,500 • 10/20
Northern Pike • 305 • 07/21 IDNR
Walleye • 600 • 10/21
Northern Pike • 180 • 10/21
Yellow Perch • 1,138 • 10/22
Yellow Perch • 143 • 06/23
Northern Pike • 180 • 10/23
Walleye • 600 • 10/23

White Pine Pond
Largemouth Bass • 190 • 03/17
Largemouth Bass • 95 • 06/18
Largemouth Bass • 46 • 10/18
Largemouth Bass • 152 • 10/21

Sand Pond
Channel Catfish* • 1,200 • 09/13
Smallmouth Bass • 10 • 11/13
Hybrid Bluegill • 800 • 10/15
Channel Catfish • 120 • 04/16
Largemouth Bass • 77 • 10/18
Largemouth bass • 50 • 03/19
Channel catfish • 175 • 04/19
Bluegill • 81 • 10/23

Cricket Creek

Green Lake
Channel Catfish • 450 • 05/13
Largemouth Bass • 250 • 04/17

Riverbend Pond
Largemouth Bass • 50 • 10/14
Bluegill • 500 • 10/16

Stonewort Pond
Channel Catfish • 200 • 05/12

Danada

Rice Lake
Channel Catfish • 1,800 • 05/13
Largemouth Bass • 400 • 04/16
Largemouth Bass • 70 • 08/16
Fathead Minnow • 400 lbs. • 05/19
Bluegill • 1,000 • 05/19

East Branch

Rush Lake
Largemouth Bass • 375 • 04/13
Channel Catfish • 500 • 05/13
Channel Catfish* • 4,500 • 09/13
Largemouth Bass • 225 • 04/15
Largemouth Bass* • 152 • 05/17
Channel Catfish • 160 • 04/18
Channel Catfish • 160 • 04/20
Golden Shiner • 80 lbs. • 04/21

Hawk Hollow

Muskrat Pond
Largemouth Bass • 135 • 04/12
Channel Catfish • 225 • 05/12
Golden Shiner • 75 lbs. • 05/18
Fathead Minnow • 90 lbs. • 05/18
Golden Shiner • 100 lbs. • 10/22

Herrick Lake

Herrick Lake
Hybrid Bluegill • 3,000 • 10/15
Fathead Minnow • 150 lbs. • 10/15
Bluegill • 1,500 • 10/15
Fathead Minnow • 300 lbs. • 05/16
Channel Catfish • 520 • 07/16 IDNR
Bluegill • 500 • 10/16
Golden Shiner • 150 lbs. • 04/17
Northern Pike • 100 • 10/18
Fathead Minnow • 250 lbs. • 04/20
Northern Pike • 80 • 10/20
Northern Pike • 80 • 10/23

Hidden Lake

Eagle Lake
Channel Catfish • 400 • 05/13
Fathead Minnow • 100 lbs. • 10/15
Bluegill • 800 • 10/15
Redear Sunfish • 1,600 • 05/16
Fathead Minnow • 160 lbs. • 10/16
Redear Sunfish • 1,000 • 04/22
Golden Shiner • 100 • 04/23
Bluegill • 800 • 04/23

Round Meadow Lake
Largemouth Bass* • 150 • 01/15
Fathead Minnow • 300 lbs. • 05/16
Bluegill • 800 • 10/16
Golden Shiner • 150 lbs. • 04/17
Golden Shiner • 150 lbs.  • 04/23


Mallard Lake

Mallard Lake
Walleye • 900 • 10/16
Yellow Perch • 2,250 • 11/17
Redear Sunfish • 240 • 11/17
Redear Sunfish • 4,500 • 05/18
Golden Shiner • 360 lbs. • 05/18
Fathead Minnow • 900 lbs. • 05/18
Muskie • 90 • 09/18 IDNR
Walleye • 900 • 10/18
Yellow Perch • 2,250 • 10/19
Muskie • 90 • 9/19 IDNR
Yellow Perch • 2,250 • 11/19
Walleye • 900 • 10/20
Bluegill • 2,250 • 04/21
Yellow Perch • 2,250 • 05/21
Muskie • 90 • 09/21 IDNR
Redear Sunfish • 4,500 • 09/21
Walleye • 900 • 10/22
Yellow Perch • 2,100 • 10/23

Cloverdale Pond
Channel Catfish • 500 • 05/12
Bluegill • 600 • 10/16

Mayslake

Mays’ Lake
Channel Catfish • 150 • 04/16
Largemouth Bass • 100 • 04/16
Redear Sunfish • 65 • 07/19
Golden Shiner • 70 lbs. • 04/21

Trinity Lake
Channel Catfish • 200 • 05/13
Largemouth Bass • 120 • 08/15
Largemouth Bass • 100 • 04/16
Channel Catfish • 150 • 04/17

McDowell Grove

Mud Lake
Channel Catfish* • 6,000 • 09/13
Bluegill • 200 • 10/16
Largemouth Bass • 375 • 04/17
Golden Shiner • 400 lbs. • 10/22

Meacham Grove

Maple Lake
Golden Shiner • 200 lbs. • 11/17
Channel Catfish • 935 • 04/18
Bluegill • 1,900 • 05/18
Walleye • 200 • 11/19
Bluegill • 1,900 • 04/20
Channel Catfish • 935 • 04/21
Golden Shiner • 220 lbs. • 04/22
Walleye • 200 • 10/23

Pratt’s Wayne Woods

Catfish Pond
Northern Pike • 750 • 05/13
Channel Catfish* • 900 • 09/13
Bluegill • 540 • 04/15
Fathead Minnow • 140 lbs. • 10/16
Bluegill • 540 • 04/21

Pickerel Lake
Yellow Perch • 500 • 10/16
Largemouth Bass* • 44 • 06/17
Largemouth Bass* • 110 • 10/17
Largemouth Bass • 62 • 09/20
Northern Pike • 80 • 10/20
Largemouth Bass* • 45 • 10/22
Northern Pike • 80 • 10/23

Horsetail Pond
Bluegill • 565 • 10/15
Fathead Minnow • 75 lbs. • 10/15
Largemouth Bass • 355 • 04/16
Largemouth Bass • 85 • 10/16

Harrier Lake
Walleye • 750 • 10/18
Smallmouth Bass • 1,050 • 10/18
Smallmouth Bass • 1,050 • 11/19
Yellow Perch • 1,050 • 11/19
Smallmouth Bass • 100 • 05/20
Smallmouth Bass • 4,000 • 06/20
Walleye • 750 • 10/20
Golden Shiner • 210 lbs. • 04/21
Smallmouth Bass • 6,000 • 06/21
Yellow Perch • 1,100 • 10/21
Walleye • 750 • 10/22
Yellow Perch • 950 • 10/23

Songbird Slough

Songbird Lake
Fathead Minnow • 150 lbs. • 05/16
Bluegill • 1,000 • 05/16
Largemouth Bass • 400 • 04/17
Largemouth Bass* • 139 • 05/17
Golden Shiner • 15 lbs. • 05/18
Bluegill • 1,000 • 05/18
Largemouth Bass • 20 • 10/18
Golden Shiner • 200 lbs. • 10/18
Northern Pike • 80 • 10/18
Channel Catfish • 200 • 04/19
Fathead Minnow • 250 lbs. • 05/19
Bluegill • 2,000 • 05/19
Fathead Minnow • 250 lbs. • 04/20
Largemouth Bass • 420 • 04/20
Northern Pike • 80 • 10/21
Golden Shiner • 120 lbs. • 04/22
Largemouth Bass • 845 • 04/22

Spring Creek Reservoir

Spring Creek Reservoir
Largemouth Bass • 200 • 04/15
Bluegill • 2,000 • 04/15
Fathead Minnow • 500 lbs. • 05/19
Bluegill • 2,000 • 05/19
Bluegill • 4,000 • 04/20
Fathead Minnow • 400 lbs. • 04/20
Golden Shiner • 200 lbs. • 04/20
Bluegill • 4,000 • 04/23
Golden Shiner • 200 lbs. • 04/23

Timber Ridge

Timber Lake
Largemouth Bass • 610 • 04/12
Channel Catfish • 800 • 05/13

West Branch

Deep Quarry Lake
Redear Sunfish • 4,000 • 04/17
Fathead Minnow • 200 lbs. • 10/17
Channel Catfish • 770 • 04/18
Yellow Perch • 1,000 • 10/18
Walleye • 450 • 10/18
Northern Pike • 100 • 10/18
Redear Sunfish • 4,000 • 04/20
Walleye • 450 • 10/20
Yellow Perch • 1,000 • 10/20
Northern Pike • 80 • 10/20
Largemouth Bass* • 205 • 05/21
Walleye • 450 • 10/22
Yellow Perch • 1,000 • 10/22
Redear Sunfish • 4,000 • 04/23
Golden Shiner • 400 lbs. • 04/23
Northern Pike • 80 • 10/23

Bass Lake
Largemouth Bass • 450 • 04/13
Northern Pike • 100 • 11/14
Redear Sunfish • 2,000 • 04/15
Redear Sunfish • 2,000 • 10/15
Redear Sunfish • 2,000 • 05/18
Golden Shiner • 15 lbs. • 05/18
Northern Pike • 100 • 11/19
Redear Sunfish • 2,000 • 04/20
Redear Sunfish • 2,000 • 04/21
Northern Pike • 100 • 10/21

Wood Dale Grove

Grove Lake
Fathead Minnow • 100 lbs. • 10/15
Bluegill • 500 • 10/15
Golden Shiner • 100 lbs. • 11/17
Golden Shiner • 160 lbs. • 05/18
Fathead Minnow • 260 lbs. • 05/19
Golden Shiner • 100 lbs. • 04/21