It’s a fishing day

Mississippi River (Grafton) fishing conditions · Illinois

Now until 5 pmWalleye

The bite peaks at 92.

Log a trip here
Right now: 88 for walleye, go · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 883 pm
  2. 92
  3. 86
  4. 866 pm
  5. 72
  6. 72
  7. 729 pm
  8. 76
  9. 76
  10. 76Sun
  11. 72
  12. 74
  13. 743 am
  14. 82
  15. 82
  16. 866 am
  17. 82
  18. 82
  19. 829 am
  20. 82
  21. 86
  22. 8612 pm
  23. 82
  24. 82
  25. 823 pm
  26. 86
  27. 82
  28. 826 pm
  29. 82
  30. 82
  31. 749 pm
  32. 74
  33. 78
  34. 78Mon
  35. 72
  36. 72
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
3 mph

From the west

Flow
136,000 cfs

steady · +4% in 24 h

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:55 pm

Sky
Partly Sunny

No rain expected

Air
53°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Illinois regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

92GoNow until 5 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

8 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No minimum; 8 walleye and sauger a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

80Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 12" minimum; 6 largemouth, smallmouth or spotted bass a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

74Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

30 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 30 crappie a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–May, Sep–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

39Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Channel catfish is here Apr–Oct. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

20 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 20 blue and channel catfish a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

White Bass

White bass

Morone chrysops

39Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. White bass bite in 55–80° water, best near 68°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. White bass is here Apr–Oct. Holds 4–30 ft down.

Keep

30 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 30 white, yellow, striped and hybrid bass a day; the 17" rule does not apply.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on white bass

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

39Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Common carp is here Apr–Oct. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Illinois sets no statewide harvest or size limit on common carp; the digest lists "Common Carp – no harvest limit." Bighead, silver, black and grass carp may not be possessed alive.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Illinois

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • River136,000 cfs · steady · +4% in 24 h
  • Barometer30.19 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:55 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:36 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:20 pm–4:20 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:00 pm–12:00 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:50 am–6:50 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Illinois DNR has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: Illinois DNR · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

The Mississippi at Grafton, where the Illinois River joins above the Alton pool — a big-river fishery for walleye and sauger below the wing dams, white bass in the current, smallmouth on the rock, and channel and blue catfish throughout. Live USGS flow at Grafton reads the river.

Mississippi River (Illinois–Missouri): 8 walleye and sauger a day with no minimum, bass 12" and 6 a day, 30 crappie and 30 white bass a day. The tailwaters below the locks and dams are the classic spring walleye and white-bass spots.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Carlyle Lake63 mi · IllinoisBest now until 7 pm
84Worth the trip
Truman Lake167 mi · MissouriBest now until 7 pmFrost Advisory
65Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Mississippi River (Grafton)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Mississippi River (Grafton) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Mississippi River (Grafton)?

Mississippi River (Grafton) is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Crappie, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Mississippi River (Grafton)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Mississippi River (Grafton) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Mississippi River (Grafton) have?

Mississippi River (Grafton) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Mississippi River (Illinois–Missouri): 8 walleye and sauger a day with no minimum, bass 12" and 6 a day, 30 crappie and 30 white bass a day. The tailwaters below the locks and dams are the classic spring walleye and white-bass spots.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Mississippi River (Grafton)?

state agency regulations apply at Mississippi River (Grafton). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Mississippi River (Grafton) tidal water?

No. Mississippi River (Grafton) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.