2013 Fishing Guide layout - Illinois DNR - State of Illinois

ILLINOIS SPEAR/BOW STATE RECORDS
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has inaugurated
state record recognition awards for spearing
and bowfishing in designated Illinois' waters. Archery
and spearing harvest of eligible fish species has grown
dramatically in the past decade and the Department
wants to acknowledge those angler's and their sport.
Those rules are summarized below:
as "2 Pole and Line Fishing Only" (except as listed
by notation).
2. All certification rules and procedures in place for
hook and line state record acknowledgement apply
for spearing/bowfishing. See Rules for Sport
Fishing Awards on page 39.
1. Fish must be legally harvested using spear or gig,
pitchfork, underwater spear gun, bow and arrow or
archery devise. Spearing and bowfishing is not permitted
in waters listed in Site Specific Regulations
3. To be considered for a Spearing/Bowfishing State
Record Award, the fish must be an eligible species
and exceed the minimum weight requirement or
the current record.
CURRENT STATE RECORD SPEAR/BOW FISH SPECIES
Eligible Fish Minimum State Record Water Body County Date Shot
Weight (lbs) (lbs)
Common Carp 20 *20.9 Grass Lake Lake 6-12-11
Grass Carp (white amur) 20 *42 lbs 10oz CECO Rec. Club Grundy 5-25-2011
Bighead Carp 20 *59 lbs 4 oz Illinois River LaSalle 7-16-2011
43 lbs 5.6 oz Des Plaines River Will 6-25-10
24 lbs 8.5 oz Des Plaines River Will 5-29-10
Silver Carp 15 *16 lbs 2 oz Ohio River Hardin 8-20-11
Buffalo (bigmouth) 15 *49 lbs 15 oz Mermet Lake Massac 3-20-10
Buffalo (smallmouth) 20 *22 lbs 6 oz Rock River Winnebago 5-4-11
Shortnose Gar 5 * * * *
Spotted Gar 5 *10 lbs 2.4 oz Rend Lake Franklin 4-9-10
Longnose Gar 10 *24 lbs10 oz Big Muddy River Union 5-4-10
Bowfin (dogfish) 5 *10 lbs 12 oz Big Muddy River Franklin 5-9-10
10 lbs 9.6 oz Kaskaskia River Clinton 5-10-10
8 lbs 6.88 oz Rend Lake Franklin 3-20-10
Freshwater Drum 4 *10 lbs 2 oz Des Plaines River Will 10-5-11
8 lbs 3 oz Des Plaines River Will 10-6-10
7 lbs 5 oz Private Lake Jefferson na
5 lbs 9 oz Des Plaines River Will 3-27-10
Gizzard Shad 1 * * * *
Goldfish/hybrid 1 *1 lb 8 oz Des Plaines River Will 7-29-11
* current state record
The sites below provide a wealth of information on Bowfishing in Illinois.
Bowfishing Association of Illinois
• www.illinoisbowfishing.net
Illinois Bowfishers
• www.illinoisbowfishers.com
Bowfishing Association of Southern Illinois • ultimateoutdoorsnetwork.com/basi/
Old River Bowfishing Association
• www.oldriverbowfishing.com/
Northern Illinois Bowfishing Association • Contact: Gary Ostrowski @ 847-409-3103
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