Come fish the Wild Mile!

During the worst of our waterway's polluted history, only 5 species of fish could be found in the Chicago River. Now, there are a whopping 77 - and many of them nest, mate, shelter, and feed around the Wild Mile! Pumpkinseed, bluegill, bass, carp, and bullhead are among the most common, but who knows what you might find! Join us monthly to learn how to safely catch them!

These events will be run by our River Ranger volunteers between April and October of 2025. We'll have bait and fishing gear for you - though please bring your own pole if you happen to have one! We also have blanket fishing permits from the IDNR for these events, so anyone can participate.

To ensure a good experience for all participants and volunteer facilitators, we've divided the day into time slots with capacity limits - please try to arrive close to the beginning of your reserved time, since we'll need your rod back at the end of your time! Youth participation is highly encouraged, though parent/guardian supervision is required with a ratio of at least 1:3!