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Staff Writer
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May 16, 2026
An eel in the Chicago River? Yup, you heard that right.
One local fisherman’s catch from the murky depths is making big waves across the Windy City.
Here’s the science behind the discovery and what it means for our environment.
River North resident Ben Gorahschenko was fishing on the evening of May 4, according to NBC Chicago, when he reeled in the unthinkable—a rare American eel.
Gorahschenko shared the find on Reddit in a post that quickly went viral. Other Reddit users chimed in to share their excitement.
“[L]egitimately something you should report to the Department of Natural Resources,” wrote one user.
As for just how rare it is to find an eel in the Chicago River, the last documented incident happened back in 2017, according to Friends of the Chicago River.
An eel origin story
Photo/Wikimedia Commons
While an American eel in the Chicago River is extraordinary in and of itself, what’s equally exciting is what the aquatic critter’s presence suggests about the health of our waterway.
American eels are an indicator species, according to World Wild Life, due to their migration patterns and susceptibility to habitat fragmentation.
The creatures originate from a remote region of the Atlantic Ocean known as the Sargasso Sea. From there, they travel between interconnected aquatic habitats across North America.
Along the way, the animals face environmental obstacles like dams, water pollution, and other blockages.
What the presence of eels means for the Chicago River
Photo/Wikimedia Commons
In essence, an eel swimming from the remote Atlantic to Chi-town shows that our waterways are becoming more wildlife-friendly.
Organizations like the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC) and Friends of the Chicago River have undertaken efforts to restore and purify the river in recent times.
At the dawn of the 20th century, sewer drainage and industrial waste polluted the Chicago River in great quantities, according to the MWRDGC; thankfully, those days are behind us.
Source/Shutterstock
The MWRDGC notes that data shows steady improvement in Chicago River water quality over the past several decades.
The return of wildlife like eels and other critters serves as testament.
“Catching [an American eel] is an actual measure that we know water quality is improving, becoming more hospitable to fish that should live here,” said Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River in 2017.
Click here to learn more about how you can get involved in Chicago River conservation efforts.