By Andrew Ragas

Most anglers observe fishing history through the words of those who’ve recorded and documented their catches for story-telling purposes and fame. Muskies living nearby, and being caught from waters around the Chicago urban area are all worthy of coverage and a big deal to the regional fishing market. Muskie fishing around Chicago is coming of age.

In the world of freshwater fishing, few fish are as highly sought after and revered as the muskie.

Their explosive strikes, rugged fights and intimidating presence has allured anglers for years, resulting in an enormous and faithful following of muskie anglers who all share the common goal of catching big fish, and hopefully conserving them.

Caught and released, big muskies make for the best and most memorable fish pictures anywhere on the internet.

Muskies have been established in a variety of waters throughout the northern Illinois range. These fisheries are comprised of clean rivers, impaired streams, ponds, man-made pits, public lakes, and private waters. Some of these fisheries are intensely managed and have been maintained by stocking for several years, while others don’t receive any support…… Some of these fisheries are even little known, might be well off the radar, and completely disregarded and underrated.

• Read Illinois Muskie Fishery History
• Illinois Department of Resources – Status of the Musky Fishery
• Illinois Muskie Waters
• Illinois Muskie Creel Project
• Muskellunge in North America

In Illinois, there are 42 publicly listed state managed waterways that are stocked with muskies. Each fishery has been artificially created and maintained by stocking. The amount of muskie waters not managed, with muskies still somehow in them, is unknown. With the rare muskie catches taking place along southern Lake Michigan, at random rivers and streams, and a number of little public pools who really knows the exact number of worthwhile fishable musky waters.

In recent years, increased enthusiasm for muskies and a rapidly growing angling segment has led to the introduction of several new fisheries and increased stocking programs, most notably at the Cook and DuPage County Forest Preserve districts.

Following local and regional media coverage of publicized catches over the years has led me to compile a record list of noteworthy fish that have been caught and released [mostly] and kept [some unfortunate] from Chicago area waters – the range being within 60 miles of the city. In the last week I researched extensively throughout the internet to see for myself, and gathered an impressive collection of fish by most musky fishing standards.

Showcased in this compendium of Chicago muskies are anglers and their catches that have received media coverage, and have helped put many local fisheries on the Illinois muskie fishing map.

This collection of catches illustrates several impressive specimens. Hardcore musky anglers spending time fishing northern Illinois lakes and rivers are beginning to specifically target local muskies more frequently. The expectation of catching muskies has greatly risen due to angler ethic.

Want to keep seeing muskies and have a chance at catching fish like these specimens? I preach to all anglers, experts and novices, the initiative to land and handle your catch timely and quickly. While searching the internet, I came across a few brutal homemade YouTube fishing videos from local fisheries, some of them illustrating terrible fish handling practices. Lucky anglers essentially showing their audience how not to handle a muskie.

With Illinois practically being broke, and future of its Department of Resources and stocking programs now being up in the air at many places, always practice catch and release. The future of the fishery is in our hands.

Catching muskies is far more common now than ever before. Notable catches like these specimens I’ve shared usually gets some type of press, but I’m confident there’s several more that have been secretly caught but kept quiet for the best interests of wisely protecting that fishery and resource.

In a large metropolitan area whose fisheries can easily become abused, can you blame anglers for withholding information?

Besides purposeful angling, there’s always the randoms from non musky anglers that get caught accidentally and unknowingly.

Seems to me like we’ve got a lot more muskies swimming locally today than most anglers think. Muskies in and around Chicago’s urban landscape are a reality and no longer a pipe dream thanks to stocking efforts, and some anomalies along the way, followed by the mandatory practice of catch and release of course.

Muskie Media Sources Courtesy:

Chicago Sun-Times / Dale Bowman – Stray Casts / ChicagoNOW / Daily Herald News / Chicago Tribune / Prairie State Outdoors / Heartland Outdoors Magazine / Illinoismuskies / Lake-Link / MuskieFIRST / DuPage County Forest Preserve District / Illinois Department of Natural Resources