Illinois · Fishing license · Free days
Free fishing days in Illinois
IDNR sets them by a recurring rule rather than a fixed date.
On these days you can fish Illinois waters without a license. Nothing else changes: limits, sizes, seasons and closed waters all still apply.
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The rule, not a date
Illinois holds free fishing days each year, on which no licence or stamp is needed. All other rules stay in force. The fee pages read for this entry name no 2026 dates, so none are claimed here.
We found no page where IDNR states this year's dates outright, so the rule stands here instead of a date we worked out ourselves. A calculated date that turns out wrong costs someone a fine.
What a free day does not cover
- Bag limits, size limits and closed seasons are unchanged.
- Waters that are closed stay closed.
- A free day waives the license, not the rules the license comes with.
