🐟 What fish can you catch in Ottawa?

Most commonly caught species around Ottawa , IL : Largemouth bass - 6,315 reported catches Smallmouth bass - 1,458 reported catches Channel catfish - 1,070 reported catches Bluegill - 831 reported catches Freshwater drum - 394 reported catches .

📢 What are the latest Ottawa fishing reports?

The latest Ottawa , IL fishing reports are: @grady-robert reported a nice Golden redhorse at Gooseberry Creek . @Javi_GC reported a nice American gizzard shad at Shabbona Lake . @lloydemmons reported a nice Hornyhead chub at Gooseberry Creek . @lloydemmons reported a nice Striped shiner at Gooseberry Creek . @grady-robert reported a nice Creek chub at Gooseberry Creek . .

Fishing in Ottawa, IL

Q: 🎣 Where to fish in Ottawa, Illinois?

Anglers in Ottawa , IL recommend these top fishing spots: Fox River , Illinois River , LaSalle County Nuclear Station Cooling Pond , Vermilion River , I & M Canal .

Q: 📅 What is the best time to go fishing in Ottawa?

Download the Fishbrain app and see today's Fishing and Weather Forecast for Ottawa , IL . We give you weather trends and help you find the perfect window to catch your next personal best. With Fishbrain Pro , you will get the following capabilities: Plan smarter: Get hour-by-hour fishing weather conditions. Fish at peak times: Use BiteTime™ predictions to maximize catches. Stay ahead of the weather: Get hyper-local, real-time updates. .

Q: What's the biggest Largemouth bass caught in Ottawa?

The biggest Largemouth bass (by length) reported in Ottawa , IL was a 9 ft / 17.4 lbs caught by Fishbrain user @kbecket3080 at Lake Mendota on May 18, 2016 .

Q: What's the biggest Smallmouth bass caught in Ottawa?

The biggest Smallmouth bass (by length) reported in Ottawa , IL was a 2 ft / 8 lbs caught by Fishbrain user @jeffbates1181 at Vermilion River on August 4, 2024 .

Q: What's the biggest Channel catfish caught in Ottawa?

The biggest Channel catfish (by length) reported in Ottawa , IL was a 13 ft caught by Fishbrain user @sbell6171 at Vermilion River on May 22, 2016 .

Illinois, United States

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Top fish species in Ottawa

Latest Ottawa fishing reports

Golden redhorse

Gooseberry Creek

length · weight

American gizzard shad

Shabbona Lake

length · weight

Hornyhead chub

Gooseberry Creek

length · weight

Striped shiner

Gooseberry Creek

length · weight

Creek chub

Gooseberry Creek

length · weight

Golden redhorse

Gooseberry Creek

length · weight

Golden redhorse

Gooseberry Creek

length · weight

Largemouth bass

Shabbona Lake

length · weight

Common carp

Mendota Creek

length · weight

Channel catfish

length · weight

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Fishing regulations in Ottawa

Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.

Fishing regulations in Illinois can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.

Below you will see fishing regulations for catching Largemouth bass as of May 13th, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.

Select species

Largemouth bass

Seasons

Open

Bag limit

Aggregate

There is no statewide size limit. Daily harvest limit is 6 Bass, either singly or in the aggregate, except as specified under Site-Specific Regulations. Only statewide regulations are shown herein, but you can access Site-Specific Regulations online.

Very good Catch, Clean, Cook Largemouth Bass by BlueGabe

Micropterus nigricans

Regulations for

41°21′11.5″N 88°49′50.2″W

Regulations in the map

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FAQ about Ottawa fishing

Anglers in Ottawa, IL recommend these top fishing spots: Fox River, Illinois River, LaSalle County Nuclear Station Cooling Pond, Vermilion River, and I & M Canal.

Most commonly caught species around Ottawa, IL:

Largemouth bass - 6,315 reported catches
Smallmouth bass - 1,458 reported catches
Channel catfish - 1,070 reported catches
Bluegill - 831 reported catches
Freshwater drum - 394 reported catches

The latest Ottawa, IL fishing reports are:

@grady-robert reported a nice Golden redhorse at Gooseberry Creek.
@Javi_GC reported a nice American gizzard shad at Shabbona Lake.
@lloydemmons reported a nice Hornyhead chub at Gooseberry Creek.
@lloydemmons reported a nice Striped shiner at Gooseberry Creek.
@grady-robert reported a nice Creek chub at Gooseberry Creek.

Download the and see today's Fishing and Weather Forecast for Ottawa, IL. We give you weather trends and help you find the perfect window to catch your next personal best. With Fishbrain Pro, you will get the following capabilities:

Plan smarter: Get hour-by-hour fishing weather conditions.
Fish at peak times: Use BiteTime™ predictions to maximize catches.
Stay ahead of the weather: Get hyper-local, real-time updates.

The biggest Largemouth bass (by length) reported in Ottawa, IL was a 9 ft / 17.4 lbs caught by Fishbrain user @kbecket3080 at Lake Mendota on May 18, 2016.