Catch your dinner from many parks along the Rock River, the Kishwaukee River, Kent Creek, or Levings Lake. Try your line at Sportscore One, Martin, Shorewood, Sinnissippi, Riverview, Beattie, Davis, Atwood, Black Hawk, South, or Page parks.

The Luther Center and Library Esplanades are also good spots. Levings Lake, Sportscore One and Martin Park also provide lakes and lagoons for fishing. Levings is regularly stocked with catfish, and has special accessible parking spaces and a dock for people who use wheelchairs. The Waterside Plaza dock is also wheelchair accessible. Fishing license is required and may be obtained at local bait shops (not available through the Rockford Park District).

Boating, Canoeing and Fishing Guides available at the Rockford Park District and Winnebago County Forest Preserve.

There are four Rockford Park District sites from which to launch: Sportscore One (1288 Elmwood Rd.), South Park (126 Lane St. behind St. Elizabeth Center), Martin Park (River Lane and Sheridan, Loves Park), and just north of Riverview Ice House (324 N. Madison).

There are short-term boat tie-ups and docking available at Beattie Park and Waterside Plaza downtown. New docks for tie-up (8 slips) are located at Luther Center and the Library (at the end of Mulberry St.).

Docks are installed in the spring (April/May), and removed in the fall (October/November). Atwood Park features a new canoe/kayak landing on the Kishwaukee River.

For other boat launch points, local rivers and recreation associated with canoeing, link to the Winnebago County Forest Preserve District.