Lake Michigan Salmon Stamp: Cost, Exemptions & Penalties

The Lake Michigan Salmon Stamp is an Illinois endorsement that costs $6.50 and must be added to the fishing license of any angler 16 or older who wants to take salmon or trout from the Illinois portion of Lake Michigan. Revenue from the stamp funds salmon stocking and fishery management in the lake.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 515 ILCS 5 – Fish and Aquatic Life Code, Licenses and Permits

Who Needs the Stamp

Anyone 16 or older taking or attempting to take salmon from Lake Michigan must first obtain the stamp and have it attached to their fishing license.2Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 515 ILCS 5/20-10 – Salmon Stamp Residents and non-residents are both covered.3Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 515 ILCS 5/20-20 – Non-Resident Licenses

Despite the name, the stamp also covers trout fishing in Lake Michigan. If you plan to fish for trout in an inland Illinois river or lake, you need a separate inland trout stamp instead — the two are not interchangeable. What triggers the requirement is the species and the water, not the method. Casting for Chinook, Coho, brown trout, rainbow trout (steelhead), or lake trout from a boat, a pier, or the shoreline all count.

How Much It Costs

The electronic stamp costs $6.50 for the 2026 license year.4Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Fishing Licenses and Fees Illinois residents age 75 and older pay $0.50 for the super senior version. Non-residents pay the same $6.50 as standard-age residents.

The fee is on top of your base fishing license. Short-term licenses, including the 24-hour and 3-day non-resident licenses, do not bundle the stamp. If you buy one of those and plan to fish for salmon or trout in the lake, add the stamp as a separate line item.

How to Buy It

You can purchase the stamp online through Illinois’s electronic licensing portal at ExploreMoreIL.com or in person at any authorized vendor location statewide.4Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Fishing Licenses and Fees An online purchase links the stamp to your fishing license record electronically.

You’ll need your valid Illinois fishing license number and a government-issued ID for residency verification if you’re buying the resident rate. Federal law also requires your Social Security number on any recreational license application; the requirement exists to support child support enforcement under 42 U.S.C. § 666.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 666 – Requirement of Statutorily Prescribed Procedures to Improve Effectiveness of Child Support Enforcement

Watch the License Year

The 2026 license year begins March 1, 2026. A stamp purchased before that date belongs to the 2025 license year and expires March 31, 2026.4Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Fishing Licenses and Fees If you’re buying in February or early March, confirm which license year you’re paying for before completing the transaction.

Who’s Exempt

The stamp follows the fishing license requirement. If you don’t need a license, you don’t need the stamp. That covers:

Illinois also offers military fee exemptions for eligible resident service members. Confirm the specific terms for the salmon stamp with the Illinois DNR before your trip.

Illinois hosts annual Free Fishing Days, typically a long weekend in mid-June, when the stamp requirement is suspended entirely. Anyone can fish Lake Michigan for salmon and trout without a license or stamp during that window.6Legal Information Institute. Illinois Administrative Code Title 17 Section 810.70 – Free Fishing Days Bag limits, size minimums, and other regulations still apply.

Penalty for Fishing Without It

Fishing for salmon in Lake Michigan without the stamp is a petty offense under Illinois law.7Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 515 ILCS 5/20-50 – Salmon Stamp Fee A petty offense carries a fine but no jail time. Conservation officers determine whether you’re targeting salmon or trout based on the species being pursued, the gear on hand, and your location on the water.

Replacing a Lost Stamp

If your stamp is lost or destroyed, the Illinois DNR issues a replacement for $3. You can request one from any authorized vendor location or by contacting the DNR’s Springfield office with a completed replacement application.8Legal Information Institute. Illinois Administrative Code Title 17 Section 2520.50 – Issuance of Replacement Licenses, Stamps, and Permits If you bought electronically, you can usually reprint the stamp from your online account without going through the formal replacement process.

Illinois Waters Only

The stamp covers the Illinois portion of Lake Michigan, which runs along Cook and Lake counties. It does not cover you once you cross into another state’s waters on the lake. Each neighboring state handles the endorsement differently:

  • Wisconsin requires a separate Great Lake Salmon/Trout Stamp in addition to a fishing license, though it bundles the stamp into some short-term licenses, including the 2-day Great Lakes fishing license.
  • Indiana requires a trout/salmon stamp for all public waters, not just Lake Michigan.
  • Michigan does not require a separate stamp; all Michigan fishing licenses cover every species, including salmon and trout.9Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Fishing and Hunting License Information

If you’re booking a charter, ask the captain which state’s waters the trip will cover and buy the right endorsements before you leave the dock.