Mayor Daley's
Fish 'N Kids

Richard J. Daley Derby

Cullerton
Youth Derby

Carp Derby

Perch Derby

Mayor Daley River Fishing Festival

Rock Bass Derby

Salmon Derby

Fishing Rod Loaner Program

Mayor Daley's
Tagged Catfish Program

Fishermen's
Parking Pass

Bait Shops

Fishermen's
Pier Pass

Chicago Park District
Fishing Programs and Information

This website is full of information that can make your fishing more enjoyable and rewarding.

I’m Bob Long, Jr., “The Fishin’ Guy!” with the Chicago Park District. This is my first website, created by Ken “Ken G” Gortowski, a friend and good fishing buddy. Thanks Ken G.

I’m a fly fisherman, and I take kids fishing as the Coordinator of Mayor Daley’s Fish`N Kids Program of the Chicago Park District. Lot’s of kids. In 2007 the Fishin’ Guys & Gals (Instructors) of the Program took 11,200 kids fishing, supplying rods, reels, bait and Instructors. No charge. Free. This year, we have 13,000 kids booked for fishing between June 23 and August 30. Yeah, 13,000. Again; free.

I look forward to using this site “fishingchicago.org” to keep you up-to-date on fishing opportunities in the City of Chicago. We are among the luckiest of big cities in the world to have such a wealth of fishing opportunities available, right on our doorsteps. With 11 stocked lagoons, a reviving Chicago River, 22 miles of shoreline along Lake Michigan, access in eight harbors, courtesy of the good people at Westrec Marinas, and along the north side of Navy Pier, courtesy of the Navy Pier Authority, we are looking and fishing good.

We have a lot of fish to pursue: Coho and Chinook Salmon, Steelhead and Brown Trout, Yellow Perch, Smallmouth, Largemouth and Rock Bass, Bluegill, Crappie, Carp and Channel Catfish. That constitutes a fishery that lasts almost 12 months a year.

We hope that you will be willing to put in the time and effort to get to know how exciting the fishing can be in Chicago. And, I must admit, you’ll meet a lot of nice people – after all, aren’t fishermen among the nicest people in the world?  But the world is changing. Many of today young to middle aged adults don’t fish, or never have. To keep fishing strong and visible, YOU will have to be involved. Involved in keeping bait shops alive, access to the water available, parking close to the water, and in all of the other things that every user group in this City has to do to keep their resources open and available. And, help a kid learn to kid, will ya?

For more information about the fishing programs on this site that are sponsored by Mayor Daley’s Fish`N Kids Program of the Chicago Park District and Mayor Daley’s Fishing Advisory Committee, call Bob Long, Jr., “The Fishin’ Guy!” at (312) 742-4969.

For more information about your Chicago Park District call
(312) 742-PLAY or (312) 747-2001 (TTY) or visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com.

A listing of bait shops and contact numbers is listed on this site. For up-to-date fishing information and conditions, please call Henry’s Sports and Bait (312) 225-8538 or visit www.henryssports.com.  

Visit here throughout the fishing season for the latest information on fishing programs and events.

City of Chicago
Richard M. Daley, Mayor

Chicago Park District
Board of Commissioners

Chicago Park District
Timothy J. Mitchell, General Superintendent & CEO

Mayor Daley’s Fishing Advisory Committee
Tom Gray, Chairman

Bob Long, Jr.
"The Fishin' Guy!"
Mayor Daley's Fish`N Kids

John C. Brown
"Fishin' Guy!"
Mayor Daley's Fish`N Kids


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