Lake Michigan
The only Great Lake entirely inside the United States, and the engine of the salmon fishery. Dune coast on the east, big-city harbors on the west, and a summer king salmon program that draws boats from every state on the chain.
Shoreline
Illinois
A city shoreline. Chicago’s harbors put coho, king salmon, and perch within an L ride of three million people — the most urban-accessible big-water fishery in the country.
Shoreline
63 mi
Lakes
1
Gamefish
12
Places covered
2
Water it touches
Who makes the rules
Illinois DNR
Licences, seasons, size and bag limits, launch permits, and shoreline access in Illinois are all set here. Rules change annually — read the current version before you fish or launch.
Open Illinois DNR8 Great Lakes lighthouses in Illinois
56 Great Lakes beaches in Illinois
1 Great Lakes state park in Illinois
Fish in Illinois waters
Where to go
Illinois shoreline
Chicago Lakefront Trail
An 18.5-mile paved path along Lake Michigan through Chicago, from Ardmore Avenue on the north side to 71st Street on the south.
Illinois Beach State Park
Six and a half miles of Lake Michigan shoreline at Zion, Illinois — the only remaining natural beach ridge and dune community in the state.