By Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – A new law taking effect on April 1 will allow anglers to use new tools to catch catfish in Illinois.
State Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) explained the law already allowed certain fish to be caught using tools like pitchforks, bows, and underwater spear guns, but the update adds catfish to that list. Butler said the bill may have caught some of his Chicago colleagues off guard.
“I would imagine there’s not a whole lot of people off of Michigan Avenue on the Chicago River taking fish with pitchforks,” “We might have people going to the Capitol with pitchforks for some reasons, but certainly it was probably news to some of my colleagues from the city of Chicago.”
Butler explained the law wasn’t new to his downstate constituents, with activities like bow fishing being popular among anglers around the nation.
“These are ways that we take fish in the state of Illinois and across the country,” said Butler. “Certainly I think, especially from the bow fishing perspective, that’s a fairly popular activity with folks so certainly nothing new to those of us who represent the rural areas.”
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is also reminding anglers to not ice fish if the ice is less than four inches thick, and to carry a rope or floatation device when offshore.
