Beginning Jan. 1, all steelhead anglers will need to be in possession of the new Rogue South Coast Steelhead Validation to fish the Illinois River. Anglers choosing to harvest a wild winter steelhead will also need to have in possession a new Wild Steelhead Harvest Tag, as well. One wild fish per day, 3 per year can be harvested on the new wild harvest tag.

Wild winter steelhead over 24 inches may be retained between Klondike Creek and Pomeroy Dam Jan. 1 – Mar. 31. The river is closed to all fishing from Fall Creek (the creek just upstream of the swinging bridge off Illinois River Road) to 400 feet above Illinois Falls.

River conditions are forecast to spike significantly over the weekend and early next week. Try pulling plug in travel lanes at the heads and tails of pools as the river rises. Much of the publicly accessible reaches of the Illinois River fall under the USFS Wild Rivers Ranger District. More information can be found on their website. For up-to-date flows check the USGS Kerby gauge.