Illinois Snagging Laws?

[fat_fish55]

I was snagging right below lock and dam 20 on the mississippi today right where a brother on here and others iv talked to there say they snag sometimes. well some guy came up to me and said have you seen any game wardens down here? i said no why? he then told me it was illegal to snag there. he said you have to be over 300 yards away from the dam.

please help me find the illinois laws. the fishing digest is confusing when it comes to snagging. can i snag there?

[QuincyFisher]

I talked to some people today and this guy was probably out of his mind. They said it was the complete opposite in which u can't fish out of that distance.

[fat_fish55]

yep i found that out too right after i posted
there is a 300 yard downstream limit

they were prolly tryin to get us outa there so they could take over :)

[Believer]

From the DNR website:



SNAGGING
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 and Mississippi River between
Illinois and Missouri. Snagging is permitted
from January 1 through April 15 within a 500
yard downstream limit below locks and dams
on the Mississippi River between Illinois and
Iowa (except the tailwaters of Lock and Dam
12 and 13 are closed to all fishing from
December 1 through March 15), and yearround
within a 100-yard limit upstream or
downstream of the dam at Horseshoe Lake in
Alexander County. In these areas the following
species may be taken: carp, buffalo,
freshwater drum, paddlefish (2 per day),
bowfin, gizzardshad, carpsucker, longnose
and shortnose gar and sucker (except longnose
sucker). No sorting of snagged salmon
or paddlefish is permitted. Every salmon 10
inches in total length or longer and paddlefish
snagged must be taken into immediate possession
and included in the daily catch limit.
Once the daily limit of salmon or paddlefish
has been reached snagging must cease.


I hope this helps!

Eric

[kickin_wing]

It helped me thanks. :)

[QuincyFisher]

Today kickin_wing, NickQuincy, and me all went snagging at Meyer Dam in Illinois. We werent getting anything at first cept the normal shad, but then I hooked something very strange. I pulled the fish to the surface and was pretty sure it was a nice sized catfish. But NO IT WAS A SPOONBILL WITH NO BILL AT ALL! It looked like some freak of nature. Has anyone else caught one like that?

[YeeHaw]

looks like we can't snag so close to the dam anymore.

[fat_fish55]

yes we can yeehaw,
it is only legal within 300 yards of dam

[fat_fish55]

and just to clear it up,
it is actualy illegal to catch and release a spoonbill