a) Sport fishermen
are permitted only one pole and line device to which can be attached no more
than two hooks. On the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa, the maximum
treble hook size is 5/0; gaffs may not be used to land paddlefish.
b) Species of Fish and Snagging Catch Limit
1) Only the following species of fish and
harvest limit may be taken by snagging:
Asian Carp (no live possession) - no harvest limit
Carp - no harvest limit
Buffalo - no harvest limit
Freshwater Drum - no harvest limit
Salmon (coho and chinook only) - 5 fish in the aggregate daily
harvest limit
Paddlefish - 2 per day; the maximum length limit for paddlefish
taken from the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa is 33" eye-fork
length (EFL) (all paddlefish greater than or equal to 33" EFL must be
immediately released back to the Mississippi River); the minimum length limit
for paddlefish taken from the Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri
is 24-inch EFL (all paddlefish less than or equal to 24-inch EFL must be
immediately released back to the Mississippi River)
Bowfin - no harvest limit
Gizzard shad - no harvest limit
Carpsuckers - no harvest limit
Longnose gar - no harvest limit
Shortnose gar - no harvest limit
Suckers - no harvest limit
2) No sorting (i.e., catching more fish than
is allowed and putting back some in order to keep larger ones) of snagged
salmon and paddlefish is permitted, except for paddlefish taken from the
Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri where sorting is permitted.
Every paddlefish snagged must be included in the daily harvest limit. Every
salmon 10 inches in total length or longer snagged must be taken into immediate
possession and included in the daily harvest limit. Once the daily limit of
salmon or paddlefish has been reached, snagging must cease.
c) Waters Open to Snagging and
Snagging Season
1) Snagging for fish is
permitted from September 15 through December 15 and from March 15 through May
15 within a 300 yard downstream limit below all locks and dams of the Illinois
River, except for the area below the Peoria Lock and Dam where snagging is
permitted year round.
2) Snagging
for fish is permitted from September 15 through December 15 and from March 15
through May 15 within a 300 yard downstream limit below all locks and dams of
the Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri, except for the Chain of
Rocks low water dam at Chouteau Island - Madison County, also known as Dam 27
at the Chain of Rocks - Madison County where no snagging is permitted. Snagging
is permitted from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset daily, March
1 through April 15 within a 500 yard downstream limit below locks and dams on
the Mississippi River between Illinois and Iowa.
3) Snagging for fish is permitted year-round
within a 100 yard limit upstream or downstream of the dam at Horseshoe Lake in
Alexander County.
4) Snagging for
chinook and coho salmon only is permitted from the following Lake Michigan
shoreline areas from October 1 through December 31; however, no snagging is
allowed at any time within 200 feet of a moored watercraft or as posted:
A) Lincoln Park Lagoon from the Fullerton
Avenue Bridge to the southern end of the Lagoon.
B) Waukegan Harbor (in North Harbor basin
only).
C) Winnetka Power Plant
discharge area.
D) Jackson Harbor
(Inner and Outer Harbors).
d) Disposition of Snagged Salmon and
Paddlefish. All snagged salmon and paddlefish must be removed from the area
from which they are taken and disposed of properly, in accordance with Article
5, Section 5-5 of the Fish and Aquatic Life Code.