ILLINOISDEPARTMENTOF NATURAL RESOURCES

J.B. Pritzker,
Governor|illinois.gov

Aquatic Organisms

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Articles Found: 93

A gray fish jumps up a small waterfall. In the background is a stream bank.

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the State of Illinois: Working together to better the Lake Michigan fishery

May 1, 2025 by Christina Contreras Stone, Lauren Holbrook

Aquatic Organisms | Fish | Fishing | Regulations | Rivers and Lakes

A green, brown and white frog sitting on the ground. In the background is green vegetation.

Listening to the Wetlands: How the STL FrogWatch Chapter is giving frogs—and wetlands—a voice

May 1, 2025 by Jessica Mohlman

Aquatic Organisms | Frogs and Toads | Volunteers | Wetland

A bright blue partly cloudy sky overhead is reflected in the large Mississippi river below. Small islands with trees and vegetation are in the foreground. In the background, limestone bluffs are framed by green vegetation.

Fisheries Management in the Mississippi River Basin

May 1, 2025 by Brian Schoenung

Aquatic Organisms | Fish | Fishing | Regulations | Rivers and Lakes

A group of people sitting around tables in a semi circle shaped conference room with large windows on one side. People are playing board games on the tables.

FinSpan & Freshwaters: A Game-changer for river conservation

May 1, 2025 by Jessica Mohlman

Aquatic Organisms | Rivers and Lakes | Water

Five large silver salmon laying on a concrete surface.

The Fascinating Journey of Coho Salmon in the Great Lakes

May 1, 2025 by Kayleigh Smith

Aquatic Organisms | Fish | Fishing

Two people fish from a wooden dock on a lake. In the background is a glorious yellow, orange, and pink sunset against a bright blue sky.

Spring Crappie Fishing Tips for Beginners: Where to Fish and What Lures to Use

May 1, 2025 by Wes Littlefield

Aquatic Organisms | Fishing

A young boy sits on the grassy bank of a pond and holds a fishing rod and reel in his hand. The fishing line has been cast, and now the boy is watching to see if a fish bites.

Bluegill Fishing in Illinois: The perfect fish to introduce youngsters to angling

May 1, 2025 by Steven Beltran

Aquatic Organisms | Fisheries Pick | Fishing

A brown and white bald eagle soars on a sunny winter day. In the background are tree branches. On the top right, a logo celebrating Illinois Department of Natural Resources being established for 100 years overlays the image of the eagle.

Illinois Department of Natural Resources Centennial as a State Agency: 1925–2025

February 3, 2025 by Chris Young

Aquatic Organisms | Land | People | Wildlife | 100th Anniversary | History of Conservation

A puddle of water is all that remains to a pond that dried up. Tall grasses make up the pond shoreline against a few trees in the background. A bright blue partly cloudy sky is overhead.

Tales From Beneath the Surface

February 3, 2025 by Kathy Andrews Wright

Aquatic Organisms | Wildlife | Mammals | Rivers and Lakes

A tan and white freshwater mussel nestled in a sandy river bed.

Finding the Elusive Salamander Mussel Alive in Illinois After a Century in Obscurity

February 3, 2025 by Sarah Douglass, Mark Davis

Aquatic Organisms | People | Research | Endangered and Threatened Species | Mussels | Research | Rivers and Lakes

Softshell turtles come in a range of colors from light tan to deep brown and even orangish yellow like this yearling smooth softshell. It is described as xanthic due to an abundance of xanthophores (cells in the skin that contain yellow pigment.) 

Smooth Softshell Turtles: A Focal Species of the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan

February 3, 2025 by Laura Kammin

Aquatic Organisms | Aquatic Organism | Turtle

An angler holds up a large tan fish in front of his torso with both of his hands. In the background is a freshwater lake and a shoreline filled with lush green trees and shrubs against a bright blue sky.

Illinois’ Prairie Bonefish – Carp on the Fly

February 3, 2025 by Tom Yocom

Aquatic Organisms | Recreation | Fishing | Rivers and Lakes

A group of high school aged students stand together in two rows. The teacher stands to the right of the students in the second back row.

Voices for the Future: Everyone Can Make a Difference

February 3, 2025 by Tristin Bednar, Madelynn Grampp, Megan Wiechmann

Aquatic Organisms | Land | People | Wildlife | Regulations | Youth

A young African American boy holds a fishing rod and reel in his right hand and holds up a small green fish caught on the line in his left hand. In the background is a grassy area surrounded by trees against a partly cloudy bright blue sky.

A Beginner’s Guide to Fishing Illinois: Finding Prairie State Fishing Spots

February 3, 2025 by Wes Littlefield

Aquatic Organisms | Recreation | Fishing

A map holds up a very large fish while standing in front of a large fresh water lake. A bright blue sky is reflected in the waves of the lake in the background. Overlaying the image in the top right is a gray map of the state of Illinois with a star indicating Grundy County in the upper north corner of the state.

Heidecke Lake: Fisheries Management at a Former Power Plant Cooling Lake

February 3, 2025 by Seth Love

Aquatic Organisms | Land | Fishing | Places to Visit

A man wearing tan waders stands in shallow water of a pond. In front of the man is a wire mesh enclosure protecting native aquatic plants so they can become established.

Good Habits for Good Aquatic Habitat

February 3, 2025 by Jim Garavaglia

Aquatic Organisms | Land | Recreation | Fishing | Habitat Management or Enhancement

On a bright sunny day four children and two adults stand on the edge of a lake. The two adults help the children with fishing rods and reels.

Seasonal Fishing Instructors Kickstart a Lifetime of Fishing

February 3, 2025 by Jonathan Schlesinger

Aquatic Organisms | Recreation | Fisheries Pick | Fishing

Three young men stand in a fishing boat. One individual holds up two large green fish one in each hand. Two other individuals stand and hold fishing rods and reels at the front of the boat trying to catch fish.

Bass Fishing a Growing Competitive Sport for Youth

November 1, 2024 by Tad Locher

Aquatic Organisms | Recreation | Fishing | Youth

Two Illinois conservation police officers stand on a boat. One officer drives the boat while the other stands with his hands together. In the background is a foggy Chicago skyline.

Snagging Salmon, A Fall Tradition

November 1, 2024 by Steven Beltran

Aquatic Organisms | Recreation | Fishing | Places to Visit | Regulations | Rivers and Lakes

A scientist wearing orange waders stands in a boat on a river holding a large dark gray fish. In the background is a shoreline filled with trees against a partly cloudy sky.

Black Carp in Illinois: An invasive threat to native ecosystems

November 1, 2024 by Gretchen Steele

Aquatic Organisms | Recreation | Research | Fishing | Habitat Management or Enhancement | Rivers and Lakes

Explore Our Family of Websites

A link the Wildlife Illinois web site with advertisements for its four sections: Help, Sightings, Wildlife Identification, and Prevent Problems.
A link the Hunt Illinois web site.
A link the CICADA web site.
A link the Living with White-tailed Deer web site with advertisements for its three sections: ecology, management, and history.