The 2024 Great Lakes Quarries
Catch & Release Fishing Derby
Has Ended.

Congratulations to our winners!
See you again at a future derby.

The Forge Charitable Adventures, in partnership with the Village of Lemont is hosting a six-month catch-and-release fishing derby at the picturesque Great Lakes Quarries at the Heritage Quarries Recreation Area.

This event aims to engage the community to help to assess the health of key fish populations and evaluate the overall quality of the fishing environment. Participation fees are $20 per person.

ANGLER BRAGGING RIGHTS!

Click HERE for more information and a copy of the tournament rules.

Register for the Tournament

The derby will begin at 11:00 AM on June 1, 2024,

and end at 11:59 PM on November 30, 2024.

Rolling registration will be open from May 24th - November 1st. Prizes will be determined by the cumulative total length of fish (by species) caught by each individual angler over the course of the tournament.

Participation Fees: $20 / Person

Click below to register!

THIS TOURNAMENT IS SPECIFICALLY LIMITED TO FISH CAUGHT IN THE GREAT LAKES QUARRIES (see map below)!

Tournament Basics

There are numerous species of fish in the Great Lakes Quarries, but we are specifically interested in obtaining counts, lengths, and weights for five species: Largemouth bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, and Bluegill (and related sunfish species).

We are awarding THREE CASH prizes (first, second, third) for each of these five categories of fish based on the overall length of fish caught per species. Additional prizes may be added to the mix as the tournament progresses.

Anglers will only fish at the Great Lakes Quarries for the purpose of this tournament. All tournament fish must be measured and photographed. A measuring tape and Angler ID card are provided with your registration package. For verification purposes, the participant’s unique ID card must be legible within the frame of each photograph.

Although not required, we would appreciate it if participants would weigh the bass, walleye, and northern pike they catch. Knowing the weights and lengths of fish will help our partners at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to better assess the health of each species in the lakes. Please note that participants must provide their own scale.

Tournament fishing is ONLY permitted in the Great Lakes Quarries.

Parking & Other Information

Parking is available at the various lots throughout the Heritage Quarries Recreation Area. We recommend that anglers park in lots 1, 2, or 3 due to their proximity to the Great Lakes Quarries. The Great Lakes Quarry system covers 41.1 acres, has a shoreline length of 2.5 miles, a watershed of 106 acres, a maximum depth reported at 45 feet, and an average depth reported at approximately 15 feet.

No concessions, boat rental, or live bait/tackle shop are available at the Great Lakes Quarries. Portable toilets are located near the boat ramps in Lot 1 at the Krueger Quarry parking lot and on the far east side of the park at the east end of the quarry. Boats with electric trolling motors are permitted; however, gas-powered motors are not allowed at the Heritage Quarries Recreation Area. Participants must provide their own rods and gear; neither The Forge Charitable Adventures nor The Forge: Lemont will be responsible for equipment needs.

A tournament summary and list of rules and regulations is available HERE.