The Illinois is again open to trout fishing. There are no hatchery programs on the Illinois, so anglers will mostly encounter wild cutthroat and rainbow trout. These fish should be released unharmed. With the warming weather it’s best to fish early and with barbless hooks to limit stress on fish. Steelhead is again open, but the odds of hooking into one of these is pretty slim.

There is good public bank access along 8 Dollar Rd. just north of Kerby, and Illinois River Rd. outside of Selma, all the way downstream to Miami Bar. Be advised the road to Briggs Creek can be a bit muddy after a rain, but it’s not rutted and is relatively hard packed within the puddles. The water is clear out here, snow still in the mountains, and this is certainly still a destination for a hike.

Check the USGS Kerby guage which provides up to date river flow information.