Live wading and fishing conditions for 44 Illinois rivers
Every river below is monitored through its USGS streamflow gauges, refreshed every 15 minutes and rated in plain language for wading safety. Select a river for the live dashboard with current flow, trend, weather and community reports.
Kankakee River
One of the cleanest and most-loved rivers in the Midwest, and the anchor of Illinois smallmouth fishing — a gentle, gravel-and-bedrock Class I stream from the Momence wetlands down to Wilmington. It's an easy river to wade and float, holding smallmouth, walleye, channel catfish, rock bass, and northern pike, but sharp dropoffs and deep holes demand respect at higher flows.
Region: Northeast · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Walleye · USGS gauges: Kankakee River at Momence, Kankakee River near Wilmington
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Fox River
Northeast Illinois' definitive urban smallmouth river — a dam-studded ribbon running through Elgin, St. Charles, Aurora, and Yorkville with smallmouth along its entire length. Below every dam sits a tailwater of smallmouth, walleye, white bass, channel catfish, and pike, and public parks line both banks. Reach character changes fast between pools and free-flowing riffles, so thresholds vary by gauge.
Region: Northeast · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Fox River at South Elgin, Fox River at Montgomery, Fox River at Yorkville
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Rock River
Northern Illinois' big-river warmwater flagship — a broad, powerful river running through Rockford, Oregon, Dixon, and Sterling with an IDNR-rated "very good" smallmouth fishery, strong stocked walleye, plus white bass, catfish, pike, and sauger. It's mostly a boat-and-bank river, but the dam tailwaters (Rockton, Oregon) draw waders. Big water means current safety comes first.
Region: Northern · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Walleye · USGS gauges: Rock River at Rockton, Rock River at Byron, Rock River at Dixon, Rock River near Joslin
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Mississippi River
Illinois' western border - a vast, lock-and-dam big river giving up trophy blue and flathead catfish, spring sauger and walleye below the dams, plus white bass, crappie, and bluegill in the backwaters. Wing dams, tailwaters, and side channels are the play; this is boat-and-bank water, never a wade.
Region: Border Rivers · Fish for: Blue Catfish, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Mississippi River At Grafton, Il, Mississippi River At Chester, Il, Mississippi River At Thebes, Il
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Kishwaukee River
One of northern Illinois' cleanest and prettiest smallmouth floats — a gravel-bottomed, riffle-and-pool stream winding out of McHenry and DeKalb counties into the Rock near Rockford. Its clarity and healthy mussel beds make it a state-recognized biodiversity gem, and the smallmouth, rock bass, pike, and channel catfish fishing rewards a wade or a canoe.
Region: Northern · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Kishwaukee River at Marengo, Kishwaukee River at Belvidere, Kishwaukee River near Perryville
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Vermilion River (Illinois drainage)
North-central Illinois' best-known smallmouth float — a bedrock-and-boulder river that carves a genuine canyon and the state's only whitewater near Starved Rock before meeting the Illinois at Oglesby. Smallmouth, rock bass, and channel catfish thrive in its riffles and pools. The upper river wades and paddles beautifully at moderate flow; the Class II–III canyon below Lowell is for skilled paddlers only.
Region: Central · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Vermilion River at Pontiac, Vermilion River near Leonore
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Apple River
A driftless-country gem in Illinois' hilly northwest corner — cold, clear, and fast through the limestone bluffs of Apple River Canyon before opening into strong smallmouth water below the dam at Hanover. IDNR stocks seasonal trout in the canyon reach, but the standout fishery is wade-friendly smallmouth, with walleye, pike, and rock bass in the mix. Note: boating (even kayaks) is prohibited inside the state park.
Region: Northwest · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass · USGS gauges: Apple River near Hanover
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Illinois River
The state's great central artery — 270-plus miles of broad, barge-navigated big water from Morris down through Peoria to Grafton, formed where the Kankakee and Des Plaines meet. This is a boat-and-bank fishery for sauger, walleye, white bass, and giant catfish, with backwater crappie and largemouth. Tailwaters below the navigation dams (Marseilles, Starved Rock, Peoria) are the hot spots. Never a wade river — current and barge traffic come first.
Region: Central · Fish for: Sauger, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Illinois River at Morris, Illinois River at Henry, Illinois River at Kingston Mines (Peoria pool), Illinois River at Valley City
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Middle Fork Vermilion River
Illinois' only National Scenic River - a clean, gravel-bottomed, forest-lined stream above Oakwood that is arguably the state's best smallmouth float. Kickapoo State Park and the Middle Fork State Fish & Wildlife Area protect miles of it; rock bass and channel cats fill out the card.
Region: East-Central · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass · USGS gauges: Middle Fork Vermilion River Above Oakwood, Il
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Ohio River
Illinois' far-southern border - a huge lock-and-dam river along the Shawnee country giving up trophy blue and flathead catfish, spring sauger below the dams, and white bass, crappie, and drum. Fort Massac and the Olmsted and Smithland tailwaters are the marquee spots; strictly boat-and-bank water.
Region: Border Rivers · Fish for: Blue Catfish, Flathead Catfish · USGS gauges: Ohio River At Olmsted, Il
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DuPage River
A close-in suburban smallmouth stream that fishes far better than its strip-mall surroundings suggest — the West and East Branches join near Naperville and run down through Plainfield and Shorewood to the Des Plaines. Forest-preserve access is excellent, the water wades easily most of the year, and smallmouth, rock bass, and channel catfish reward anglers who work the wood and riffles.
Region: Northeast · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: West Branch DuPage River near Naperville, DuPage River near Plainfield, DuPage River at Shorewood
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Wabash River
Illinois' southeastern border with Indiana - a big, free-flowing river that is one of the Midwest's best mixed-bag fisheries. Trophy flathead and blue catfish, strong smallmouth on the gravel bars, spring sauger, plus white bass and drum make Mt. Carmel and Beall Woods a destination.
Region: Border Rivers · Fish for: Flathead Catfish, Smallmouth Bass · USGS gauges: Wabash River At Mt. Carmel, Il
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Mackinaw River
One of central Illinois' healthiest and most natural prairie rivers — a sandy, sinuous, largely undammed stream draining into the Illinois near Pekin, celebrated by The Nature Conservancy for its clean water and mussel diversity. Smallmouth and channel catfish are the headliners, with flathead catfish in the deeper lower holes. A quiet, canoe-friendly float far from crowds.
Region: Central · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Mackinaw River near Congerville, Mackinaw River near Green Valley
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Salt Fork Vermilion River
The Salt Fork joins the Middle Fork to form the Vermilion (Wabash) near Danville, and its gravel runs through Champaign County are prime prairie smallmouth water. Homer Lake and Kickapoo State Park anchor the public access; rock bass and channel cats round out the mix.
Region: East-Central · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Salt Fork Near St. Joseph, Il
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Vermilion River (Wabash drainage)
A separate Vermilion in Illinois' east-central corner near Danville, draining east to the Wabash — its Middle Fork is the state's only National Scenic River, cold, clear, and gravel-bottomed through Kickapoo State Park. Smallmouth, rock bass, catfish, and even walleye/sauger use its riffles and pools. Keep it straight from the Illinois-drainage Vermilion up north; this one flows the other way.
Region: Eastern · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Middle Fork Vermilion River above Oakwood, Vermilion River near Danville
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Embarras River
A long, sandy, low-gradient prairie river winding out of Champaign County down to the Wabash. The middle and lower reaches hold good smallmouth, plus channel and flathead catfish in the deep bends near Ste. Marie and Lawrenceville. A slow, snaggy float best after the spring pulse drops out.
Region: East-Central · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Embarras River Near Camargo, Il, Embarras River At Ste. Marie, Il, Embarras River At Lawrenceville, Il
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Spoon River
The literary Spoon River of Edgar Lee Masters - a long, wooded, sinuous stream through west-central Illinois farm country down to the Illinois near Havana. Smallmouth on the gravel and channel cats and flatheads in the deep bends make it a quiet, underrated float.
Region: West-Central · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Spoon River At London Mills, Il, Spoon River At Seville, Il
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Sangamon River
Lincoln's home river — a long central-Illinois prairie stream winding from Champaign County past Decatur and Springfield to the Illinois near Beardstown, and the spine of the Lincoln Heritage Water Trail. Channel catfish and carp dominate, with smallmouth and largemouth by reach and flathead cats in the lower holes. Farmland-fringed and slow through much of its length — a paddler's and catfisher's river.
Region: Central · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Smallmouth Bass · USGS gauges: Sangamon River at Fisher, Sangamon River at Monticello, Sangamon River at Petersburg
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Big Muddy River
Southern Illinois' signature warmwater river, draining the coalfields and Rend Lake down past Murphysboro to the Mississippi. Below Rend Lake spillway it gives up big flatheads, blue and channel cats, plus white bass, crappie, and the occasional sauger on the tailwater. Generation and rain both move it.
Region: Southern · Fish for: Flathead Catfish, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Big Muddy River At Plumfield, Il, Big Muddy River At Rte 127 At Murphysboro, Il
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Des Plaines River
A slow, low-gradient urban river threading Chicago's northwest and west suburbs — more pike, carp, catfish, and largemouth than smallmouth, with bowfin and gar in the backwaters. Forest-preserve corridors give it long stretches of public bank and paddle access from Wadsworth down to Joliet. Below Joliet it turns into deep, current-heavy barge water: think bank fishing, not wading.
Region: Northeast · Fish for: Northern Pike, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Des Plaines River near Gurnee, Des Plaines River at Riverside, Des Plaines River at Route 53 at Joliet
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Kaskaskia River
Central-to-southern Illinois' big warmwater river, dammed twice into Lake Shelbyville and Carlyle Lake, then running free to the Mississippi at Chester. The tailwaters below both dams are the draw — the Carlyle spillway is one of the state's top sauger and white-bass spots, and produces some of the river's biggest catfish. Below the dams it's bank-and-boat catfish, sauger, white bass, and largemouth water.
Region: Southern · Fish for: Channel Catfish, White Bass · USGS gauges: Kaskaskia River at Shelbyville, Kaskaskia River at Carlyle, Kaskaskia River at New Athens
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Little Wabash River
A slow, timber-choked southern-Illinois river running from Effingham down through Clay City to Carmi and the Wabash. It is catfish and largemouth water first - flatheads in the log jams, channel cats on the flats, and crappie around brush in the lower slack pools.
Region: Southeast · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish · USGS gauges: Little Wabash River Near Effingham, Il, Little Wabash River Below Clay City, Il, Little Wabash River At Carmi, Il
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Pecatonica River
A slow, sinuous, tree-lined prairie-and-farmland river draining Wisconsin's driftless country into the Rock at Rockton — muddy, meandering, and full of channel catfish, carp, and northern pike, with smallmouth in the faster tributary mouths. It's a float-and-bank river more than a wade, prized for oxbows, deep bends, and quiet paddling. Buffalo, gar, and bowfin round out the rough-fish cast.
Region: Northwest · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Northern Pike · USGS gauges: Pecatonica River at Freeport, Pecatonica River near Shirland
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Cache River
A one-of-a-kind southern-Illinois river running through ancient bald-cypress and tupelo swamp near the Ohio confluence. It is bowfin, largemouth, and catfish water among the knees and lily pads - a Ramsar-listed wetland you fish from a canoe as much as a bank.
Region: Southern · Fish for: Largemouth Bass, Bowfin · USGS gauges: Cache River At Forman, Il
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Iroquois River
A quiet east-central prairie river draining the Indiana border and joining the Kankakee at Aroma Park — low-gradient, farmland-fringed, and warmwater through and through. Smallmouth show in the faster, gravelly upper reaches while channel catfish, carp, walleye, and gar dominate the slower lower river. An under-the-radar float with good public access near Watseka.
Region: East-Central · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Smallmouth Bass · USGS gauges: Iroquois River at Iroquois, Iroquois River near Chebanse
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Nippersink Creek
A rare northeastern-Illinois gem - a meandering, restored Fox River tributary winding through Glacial Park in McHenry County. It is a designated smallmouth and canoe stream, with rock bass, channel cats, and northern pike in its curves.
Region: Northeast · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass · USGS gauges: Nippersink Creek Above Wonder Lake, Il, Nippersink Creek Near Spring Grove, Il
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La Moine River
A sandy, undammed west-central prairie river draining the Argyle-Colmar country down to the Illinois at Beardstown. Smallmouth, channel catfish, and flathead cats share the wood and gravel; it is a low-pressure float far from the crowds.
Region: West-Central · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: La Moine River At Colmar, Il, La Moine River At Ripley, Il
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Macoupin Creek
A big, wooded creek draining the Carlinville-Kane country down to the Illinois River. It fishes like a small river - channel and flathead catfish in the deep bends, largemouth and smallmouth on the harder bottom, and white bass running up from the Illinois in spring.
Region: West-Central · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Smallmouth Bass · USGS gauges: Macoupin Creek Near Kane, Il
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Salt Creek
A central-Illinois Sangamon tributary draining the DeWitt and Logan county country down past Greenview near Lincoln's New Salem. Channel catfish and smallmouth share its gravel-and-clay bends, with flatheads in the deeper lower holes and white bass running up in spring.
Region: Central · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Smallmouth Bass · USGS gauges: Salt Creek Near Farmer City, Il, Salt Creek Near Rowell, Il, Salt Creek Near Greenview, Il
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Green River
A slow, sandy north-central river draining the Green River Lowlands sand country down to the Rock near Colona. Channel catfish, largemouth, northern pike, and the occasional walleye hold in its weedy runs and deep bends - a quiet, marshy fishery near the state wildlife area.
Region: North-Central · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Green River Near Geneseo, Il
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Sugar Creek
A central-Illinois Sangamon tributary running out of the Chatham-Springfield country. Its gravel-and-clay runs hold smallmouth and rock bass, with channel catfish in the deeper bends - a handy near-town wade for Springfield-area anglers.
Region: Central · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Sugar Creek At Covered Bridge Rd Nr Chatham, Il, Sugar Creek Near Springfield, Il
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Skillet Fork
A slow, timbered southern-Illinois river feeding the Little Wabash near Carmi. It is bottom-fishing country - flatheads and channel cats in the log jams and deep bends, with largemouth and crappie in the brushy slack water.
Region: Southeast · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish · USGS gauges: Skillet Fork At Wayne City, Il
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Silver Creek
A metro-east Kaskaskia tributary running from the Troy-Highland country down toward the Kaskaskia. It carries a surprising smallmouth population on the harder-bottom runs, plus channel cats and largemouth in the deeper, wooded bends.
Region: Southwest · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Silver Creek Near Troy, Il, Silver Creek Near Freeburg, Il
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Kickapoo Creek
A McLean County smallmouth creek draining the Bloomington country down toward the Mackinaw. Its gravel riffles and rock runs give up smallmouth and rock bass, with channel cats in the deeper holes - a compact, wade-friendly central-Illinois stream.
Region: Central · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass · USGS gauges: Kickapoo Creek Near Bloomington, Il, Kickapoo Creek At Waynesville, Il
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Big Bureau Creek
A wooded north-central creek draining the Princeton country down to the Illinois River near Bureau Junction. It fishes like a small river - smallmouth on the gravel, channel catfish in the deeper bends, and white bass and sauger running up from the Illinois in spring.
Region: North-Central · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Big Bureau Creek At Princeton, Il
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Saline River
A far-southern-Illinois river draining the Shawnee hills and coalfields toward the Ohio. The South Fork and main stem hold channel and flathead catfish in the deeper holes plus largemouth and the odd smallmouth off the harder bottom near the hills.
Region: Southern · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish · USGS gauges: South Fork Saline River Nr Carrier Mills, Il
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Edwards River
A small, wooded western-Illinois river draining the Mercer County country down to the Mississippi near New Boston. Smallmouth on the gravel runs and channel cats in the deep bends make it a low-key wade-and-float stream.
Region: Northwest · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Edwards River Near New Boston, Il
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Elkhorn Creek
A driftless-edge Rock River tributary in Carroll and Ogle counties with cleaner, harder-bottom runs than most Illinois prairie creeks. It is a solid smallmouth and rock bass wade near Milledgeville, with channel cats in the deeper bends.
Region: Northwest · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass · USGS gauges: Elkhorn Creek Near Penrose, Il
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Shoal Creek
A meandering Kaskaskia tributary through the Breese-and-Pierron farm country of southwestern Illinois. Channel catfish and largemouth are the mainstays, with crappie in the brushy holes and the occasional flathead in the deep bends.
Region: Southwest · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Shoal Creek Near Pierron, Il, Shoal Creek Near Breese, Il
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Henderson Creek
A long, wooded western-Illinois creek winding through Henderson and Warren counties to the Mississippi near Oquawka. It fishes like a small river - channel catfish and largemouth in the wood, with smallmouth on the harder-bottom runs upstream.
Region: Northwest · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Henderson Creek Near Oquawka, Il
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Mazon River
A small, historic Grundy County river famous for its Mazon Creek fossils, draining the Coal City country to the Illinois near Morris. It is a modest warmwater fishery - channel catfish and largemouth in the deeper bends, with smallmouth on the harder-bottom runs.
Region: Northeast · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Mazon River Near Coal City, Il
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Lusk Creek
A small, clear, gravel-and-bedrock Shawnee National Forest stream cutting through the scenic Lusk Creek Canyon near Eddyville. It is a modest but genuine smallmouth and rock bass fishery in a wilderness setting - a wade for the scenery as much as the fish. Small water, so fish it gently and only when it is up enough.
Region: Southern · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass · USGS gauges: Lusk Creek Near Eddyville, Il
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Pope Creek
A small, wooded Mercer County creek draining to the Mississippi near Keithsburg. Smallmouth on the gravel and channel cats in the wood make it a quiet, low-pressure wade stream in far-western Illinois.
Region: Northwest · Fish for: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish · USGS gauges: Pope Creek Near Keithsburg, Il
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Bear Creek
A small, wooded Adams County creek draining the Mississippi bluff country near Marcelline. Channel catfish and largemouth in the wood, with smallmouth on the harder-bottom upstream runs, make it a modest but honest far-western wade.
Region: West-Central · Fish for: Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass · USGS gauges: Bear Creek Near Marcelline, Il
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