Beginning Jan. 1, all steelhead anglers will need to be in possession of the new Rogue South Coast Steelhead Validation to fish the Illinois River. Anglers choosing to harvest a wild winter steelhead will also need to have in possession a new Wild Steelhead Harvest Tag, as well. One wild fish per day, 3 per year can be harvested on the new wild harvest tag.

Wild winter steelhead may be retained upstream of Klondike Creek but below Pomeroy Dam as long as they are 24 inches. The river is closed to fishing from Fall Creek (the creek just upstream of the swinging bridge off Illinois River Road) to 400 feet above Illinois Falls.

Much of the publicly accessible reaches of the Illinois River fall under the USFS Wild Rivers Ranger District. More information can be found on their website. For up-to-date flows check the USGS Kerby gauge.