​

​

​

 

​

 

​

 

​

Fish Sale Information:

Fish Sales will be held once in the Fall and again in the Spring.

Orders must be submitted ahead of time. Please see the printable Fish Order form for deadline and pick-up details. Be forewarned that Grass Carp do require a special permit (which the SWCD will obtain upon request).

Reminder cards will be sent out and scheduled pickup times will be spread to minimize waiting time. Remember to enclose a check with your order.

                

Hybrid Sunfish

Hybrid Sunfish come from crossing a male Bluegill with a female Green Sunfish. They produce 90% males so they do not over populate a pond. They are a good choice for small ponds and will grow ¼ to ½ lb. per year. They can reproduce with Bluegill. Grow to 7 to 10 inches long.

 

​

Red Ear Sunfish

Red Ear Sunfish are excellent in deeper ponds and with Bluegill and Hybrid Sunfish. They like to eat snails. Prefer warm water with heavy vegetation to hide in. They are also very hard fighters when hooked. A full grown Red Ear Sunfish may weight up to 4 pounds if not overstocked in a pond.

​

​

Channel Catfish

Channel Catfish are an excellent pond and stream fish. They prefer moving water with a rocky and sandy bottom. They also like to hide in old logs or trees that have fallen in the water. Channel Catfish may grow up to 4 feet long and weigh as much as 50 pounds. They make an excellent sport fish.

​

Triploid Grass Carp

An extreme sport fish. Grass Carp or White Amur are an excellent fish to help control weed and algae. They will eat 2 to 3 times their weight a day. A permit form the state is required to stock these fish. They have been recorded to grow as long as 7 feet long. These Carp do not reproduce.

​

Bluegill

Bluegill are an excellent sport and pond fish that grows a little slower than sunfish. Bluegill like to hide in old logs or around plants in the water. They will bite on many different kinds of bait. When the pond is not overpopulated, Bluegill will grow to be 7 to 10 inches long.

​

Fathead Minnows

Fathead Minnows are especially important when stocking new ponds as a forage crop for other game fish. You should stock at a rate of 1000 per surface acre. Fathead Minnows will grow between 2 and 3 inches long and reproduce in the Spring.

​

Largemouth Bass

Bass are one of the most sought after game fish. The Largemouth Bass is a predator on many species. They will bite on many different types of bait. Average size is 20 inches and life span can be as long as 23 years.

 

Black Crappie

Excellent for food and sport fishing; however, they can quickly overpopulate and are not recommended for small ponds.

​

​

Additional information on Illinois fish is available at the
Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Fish Facts page.