A public fish hatchery is a facility that raises fish from an early life stage, such as an egg or freshly hatched fry, to a larger size, with the intention of stocking them into a body of water where they could eventually be caught by a recreational angler or commercial fisher. In Illinois, public fish hatcheries are part of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and their focus is on raising fish for recreational angling.
The value of fish hatcheries in Illinois
Many people like to go fishing, but many things, such as weather events, overfishing, unsuitable habitat for reproduction, or even the introduction of an invasive species, can negatively impact a population of fish. When a biologist in charge of managing a lake, pond, or river decides to boost the numbers of fish in that body of water, they have many tools at their disposal. Fish planting or stocking is one such tool.
If natural reproduction of the fish species is not enough to maintain the population of fish, the biologist might choose to supplement the population with fish from another location. This is called “stocking.” Fish from a fish hatchery have been raised in a controlled environment, which means that the biologist making the decision to stock will know that they are not accidentally introducing an invasive species, and they can have very specific information about the size and number of fish being stocked. This is especially helpful when a body of water needs regular stockings of a given species of fish – having hatchery fish available means they will be able to maintain that population. Fish hatcheries can also be helpful in re-establishing populations of endangered or threatened species, and hatcheries in Illinois have been part of multiple reintroductions.
Fish hatcheries in Illinois
The first fish hatchery in Illinois was built in 1914 in McHenry County. Called Spring Grove Fish Hatchery, it mostly produced sunfishes and bass, and at its height, produced as many as 35 million fish in a year! That hatchery was retired in 2005, but through the Department of Natural Resources, Illinois still operates four other fish hatcheries – LaSalle Fish Hatchery, Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery, Little Grassy Fish Hatchery, and Otter Slough, a new location which is just getting started on fish production. Each of these hatcheries produces a different array of fish, and they work together to make sure that people all over Illinois have access to quality fishing opportunities.
Visit hatcheries and support fish populations
Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery in Topeka and Little Grassy Fish Hatchery in Makanda have visitor centers open to the public. These hatcheries, as well as LaSalle Fish Hatchery in Marseilles, offer behind-the-scenes tours, subject to staff availability. The work of fish hatcheries is pretty interesting, even for people who don’t go fishing.
The best way to support Illinois fish is to buy a fishing license. The IDNR Division of Fisheries is funded by people who go fishing. If you want to try fishing before paying full price, there are usually one to three fishing days a year when you can fish without a license, and the fee for a first fishing license is lower than the fee for a regular one.
The impact of hatcheries on people who don't fish
Fish have been stocked in waterbodies all over Illinois, and stocking plans are often part of a larger management plan to maintain healthy freshwater ecosystems. Research shows mental and physical health benefits from recreational fishing as well, and in Illinois, many lakes where people like to fish are maintained by stocking. Even if someone doesn’t personally go fishing, boating, or hiking on or near the thousands of lakes, rivers, and ponds that fill our state, people who use these areas for recreation are contributing economically to our communities.
This blog was written by Kayleigh Smith, IDNR Outreach Specialist, Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery.
Resources to learn more
- Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Fisheries: Home: I Fish Illinois
- Fish species in Illinois: Wild About Illinois Fishes!
- Regulations on fishing in Illinois: 2025 Fishing Digest
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Everyday Environment is a series of blogs, podcasts, webinars, and videos exploring the intricate web of connections that tie us to the natural world. Want to listen to us chat about this topic? Check out the podcast episode on this topic to hear more from the Everyday Environment team about wildlife resources.
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