2008 Muskie Status Report

Muskie - 1

2007 STATEWIDE MUSKIE STOCKING SUMMARY

DATE SIZE LAKE NAME NUMBER SOURCE

08/02 9.1 Lake Mingo (R) 397 Kentucky

08/28 10.3 Lake Shelbyville 5,630 Iowa

08/28 10.3 Kinkaid Lake 2,000 Iowa

09/04 10.8 North Spring Lake 1,156 Iowa

09/05 10.8 Otter Lake 765 Iowa

09/05 10.8 Shabbona Lake 319 Iowa

09/05 10.8 Fox Chain O=Lakes 3,000 Iowa

09/05 10.8 Lake George 167 Iowa

09/05 10.8 Lake Carlton 76 Iowa

09/06 10.8 Mill Creek Lake 366 Iowa

09/06 10.8 Staunton City Lake 84 Iowa

09/06 10.8 Prairie Lake - JE/PC SFWA 200 Iowa

09/06 10.8 Evergreen Lake 926 Iowa

09/06 10.8 Johnson Lake - Banner Marsh 600 Iowa

09/06 10.8 Shovel Lake - Banner Marsh 200 Iowa

09/06 10.8 Wheel Lake - Banner Marsh 350 Iowa

09/07 10.8 Deep Lake - Wildlife Prairie SP 25 Iowa

09/07 10.8 Double T SFWA 64 Iowa

09/07 10.8 Heidecke Lake 390 Iowa

09/11 11.2 Lake #3 - Fulton Co. Rec. Area 90 Iowa

09/11 11.2 Lake #4 - Fulton Co. Rec. Area 36 Iowa

09/11 11.2 Canton Lake 500 Iowa

09/11 11.2 Schuy-Rush Lake 370 Iowa

09/11 11.2 Spring Lake - McDonough Co. 554 Iowa

09/11 11.2 Argyle Lake 186 Iowa

09/11 11.2 Heidecke Lake 1,565 Iowa

09/12 11.2 Lake Storey 270 Iowa

09/12 11.2 Johnson Sauk Trail Lake 116 Iowa

09/12 11.2 McMaster Lake 270 Iowa

09/12 11.2 Sterling Lake 300 Iowa

09/12 11.2 Mallard Lake (DuPage Co.) 178 Iowa

09/12 11.2 Busse Lake (Cook Co.) 800 Iowa

09/12 11.2 Fox Ridge Lake (R) 100 Iowa

09/13 11.2 Lake Sule 154 Iowa

09/13 11.2 Pierce Lake (R) 300 Iowa

09/13 11.2 Lake of the Woods 52 Iowa

09/13 11.2 Lake Mingo (R) 300 Iowa

09/13 11.2 Pana Lake 440 Iowa

09/13 11.2 Sam Dale Lake (R) 300 Iowa

09/14 11.2 North Spring Lake 572 Iowa

09/17 11.0 North Spring Lake 186 Illinois

09/27 9.2 Pierce Lake (R) 253 Ohio

09/27 9.1 Sam Dale Lake (R) 250 Ohio

11/14 13.0 Eagle Lake - PRKSP (TGM) 200 Minnesota

11/14 20.0 Fox Chain O=Lakes 500 Minnesota

11/30 10.5 Sam Dale Lake (R) 260 Minnesota

11/30 10.5 Lake Mingo (R) 270 Minnesota

11/30 10.5 Pierce Lake (R) 250 Minnesota

TOTAL: 26,337

(R) - Research (TGM) - Tiger Muskie

2007 GREEN GENE STOCKING SUMMARY

DATE SIZE POPULATION NUMBER STOCK SOURCE

Sam Dale Lake

09/13 11.20 Spirit Lake, IA 300 Up Miss. River Jake Wolf Hatchery

09/27 9.13 Clear Fork Lake, Oh 250 Ohio River

11/30 10.50 Leech Lake, MN 260 Up Miss. River

TOTAL: 810

Lake Mingo

08/02 9.09 CaveRun Lake, KY 397 Ohio River

09/13 11.20 Spirit Lake, IA 300 Up Miss. River Jake Wolf Hatchery

11/30 10.50 Leech Lake, MN 270 Up Miss. River

TOTAL: 967

Pierce Lake

09/13 11.20 Spirit Lake, IA 300 Up Miss. River Jake Wolf Hatchery

09/27 9.21 Clear Fork Lake, OH 253 Ohio River

11/30 10.50 Leech Lake, MN 250 Up Miss. River

TOTAL: 803 GRAND TOTAL: 1,690

GRAND TOTAL: 2,580

Total Ohio River drainage muskie = 900

Total Upper Mississippi River drainage muskie = 1,680

STATUS OF MUSKIE FISHERY IN ILLINOIS

REGION I

DISTRICT 1: JO DAVIESS, STEPHENSON, WINNEBAGO, BOONE, DEKALB,

OGLE, AND CARROLL COUNTIES

SHABBONA LAKE - This lake was built in 1974 and first opened to fishing in 1977. The lake is 319 acres and the basin was shaped and designed with Sport Fish Restoration funds. Standing timber, stump fields, fish cribs, anchored trees, rock piles, fish piers, a gravel road bridge, and a cement block house provide some very interesting structures for the angler. The shoreline is well-vegetated with a variety of aquatic plants including water lily.

In addition to muskie, the lake=s predator population includes largemouth bass in substantial numbers, walleye, smallmouth bass, and hybrid striped bass supplementally stocked yearly. The prey population includes gizzard shad, bluegill, yellow perch, golden shiners, white suckers and brook silversides.

The lake was initially stocked with 30,000 tiger muskie fry in 1976. The stocking success was excellent with 53 tiger muskie collected in the fall electrofishing survey of 1976. The lake was again stocked with 286 tiger muskie fingerlings in 1980.

Two state record tiger muskie were claimed from Shabbona Lake; the first in 1982 from the original stock and the second in 1986 from the supplemental stock.

From 1983 to 1989 the lake was stocked with 2,229 pure muskie at 11" in size from the Carlton Silt Basin and Muskie, Inc. This stocking effort has been a success since two state records came from the 1985 stocking at 34 pounds, 3 ounces in 1994 and a latter state record in 1997 at 37 pounds, 13 ounces.

From 1990 through 1999 - 4,812 muskie 8" to 12" were stocked from Jake Wolf Hatchery or through a purchase by the Shabbona Lake Sportsmen=s Club. Muskie were stocked only in odd years beginning in 2001 with 638 fish or 2 per acre followed by 638 fish in 2003. In 2005, 850 - 10 inch muskie were stocked. In 2006, 1,150 10 inch muskie were stocked. In 2007, 319 - 11 inch muskie were stocked.

April trapnetting for walleye (1997-2002) yielded 283 muskie with two estimated to be over 40 pounds. With reduced efforts in 2003, 28 muskie were captured. In 2005,6 trapnets resulted in the collection of 66 muskie of which 65 were greater than 30 inches. In 2006, 6 trapnets resulted in the collection of 26 muskie of which 25 were greater than 30 inches. In 2007, 6 trapnets resulted in the collection of 46 muskie of which 45 were greater than 30 inches, 21 were greater than 36 inches. The largest muskie collected in 2007 weighed just under 37 pounds.

The long-awaited barrier net was completed on August 4, 1998 completely blocking the exit of larger fish over the spillway. Prior to the net=s installation, members of Muskie, Inc. collected 22 muskie below the dam in the Indian Creek tailwaters. A similar September survey in 2000 found only one muskie. The 2007 fishing season was very good for muskie anglers.

There is a 48" size limit on muskie at Shabbona Lake with a limit of one per day.

PIERCE LAKE - This 162-acre lake was built in 1960. It was completely drained in 1970 due to a defective valve. The lake=s predators in addition to muskie include largemouth and smallmouth bass, and walleye stocked supplementally each year. Among the many prey species are gizzard shad, brook silversides, white suckers, and carp.

A muskie stocking program was begun in 1983, and to 1989 - 1,274 large fingerling muskie (11") were stocked from the Carlton Silt Basin, state hatcheries, and Muskie, Inc.

The muskie sign-in program from 1987 to 1991 has reports of 59 fish caught with 42% of these fish being harvested. Creel data from 1993 found an estimated 30 muskie caught with none reported as being harvested. Creel data from 1999 estimated 50 muskie caught with 3 estimated harvested.

An Illinois Natural History Survey study was begun in 1990 to determine the comparative survivability of stocked 4", 8", and 10" fish. In 1990 - 3,335 muskie were stocked as part of this study of which 1,000 were 10" fish. The study was continued in 1992 and 3,772 muskie were stocked of which 709 fish were 10" in size. The lake was monitored through 1997. The preliminary results were that no survival occurs on muskie stocked under 8.0" in size.

From 1997 to 2003, Jake Wolf supplied 1,301 muskie 10" - 13" and the Flatlanders Muskie, Inc. supplied an additional 330 muskie with 51% of these fish over 20" and 79% from the Leech Lake Strain. Jake Wolf production was good in 2003 and Pierce Lake was stocked with 824 - 6.0 to 10.0" fish. The lake is now part of a statewide muskie genetic survival study and will continue to receive generous stocks of muskie from strains throughout the country. In 2004, 300 - 11 inch muskie were stocked from Jake Wolf Fish Hatchery as part of the genetic study.

From 1997 through 2002, 60 muskie were taken below the dam with 25 of them taken during the wet 2000 year. This generated interest from the Flatlanders in installing a barrier net to prevent fish escapement. Initial planning and fund-raising began in 2001, but by mid-2002, the State Water Survey determined a net could not be installed due to possible dam failure. Retrieval of muskie below the dam will continue in future years.

The Lake and Willow Creek tailwaters has a 48" size limit on muskie with a limit of one per day.

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DISTRICT 2: ROCK ISLAND, HENRY, BUREAU, LASALLE, LEE, AND WHITESIDE

COUNTIES

LAKE GEORGE - This 167 acre lake in Rock Island County was built in 1966 and has a maximum depth of 62 feet with an average depth of 24 feet. Because Lake George is located near a heavily populated area, it receives between 200 and 350 man hours per acre fishing pressure.

Other predators in Lake George, in addition to muskie, are largemouth bass, walleye, and striped bass hybrids which are stocked supplementally each year. The main prey species in the lake since 1990 is gizzard shad.

The lake was first stocked with pure muskie fingerlings in 1983. By 1993, Lake George had developed into one of Illinois= premiere muskie lakes especially for muskie over 40 inches. In 1993 and 1994, Lake George suffered some mortalities to larger muskie. Approximately 50 muskie, 36 to 42 inches died. The cause could not be determined. Lake George was not stocked with muskie in 1995, but was stocked with 167, 12 inch Leech Lake strain muskie fingerlings purchased by the Mississippi Valley Chapter of Muskie, Inc., in 1996 and 1997. In 1997, the state also stocked 169, 10" muskie. In 1998, the lake was doubled stocked again to make up for muskie lost in 1993 and 1994 with the Mississippi Valley Chapter of Muskie, Inc. purchasing 169 muskie. In 1999, the lake received 1000, 4 inch muskie; 334, 11-13 inch muskie from state stockings. The lake also received 170, 11 inch muskie from the Mississippi Valley Chapter of Muskie, Inc. In 2000, the state stocked 167 - 10.0" muskie and 167 - 11.0" muskie. In 2001, the state stocked 334 - 11.2" muskie. In 2002, the state stocked 334, 6.8 inch muskie and 167, 11.9 inch muskie. In 2003, 332 - 10 inch muskie were stocked. Muskie were not stocked in 2004. In 2005, 167 - 10.0 inch muskie were stocked. In 2006, 367, 11 inch muskie were stocked and 1,190, 5 inch muskie were also stocked. In 2007, 167, 10.8 inch muskie were stocked.

The volunteer muskie creel program from 1987 to 1991 recorded 106 legal muskie caught with 90 being released. Creel report data from 1994 reported 83 muskie caught with only 3 harvested. The lake has a 36 inch size restriction on muskie with one fish per day creel limit. In 1999, thirteen trapnets set overnight in April resulted in the collection of 9 muskie greater than 33 inches. The largest was over 35 pounds. In 2002, 28 trapnets set overnight resulted in the collection of 37 muskie greater than 24 inches. In 2003, 10 trapnets resulted in the collection of 23 muskie greater than 25 inches. In 2005, 10 trapnets resulted in the collection of 24 muskie greater than 30 inches. In 2006, 15 muskie of which 14 were greater than 32 inches. In 2007 only 6 trapnets were set and they collected 10 muskie all were greater than 36 inches.The lake has a good number of 40 inch plus muskie with several muskie collected near the Illinois state record. Lake George is scheduled to be stocked in 2008 with one, 12 inch muskie per surface acre. With the large gizzard shad population that has developed in Lake George, muskie fishing is tough because of the prey density.

LAKE CARLTON - This 76.7 acre lake was built in 1969 with a maximum depth of 27 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. The lake was originally stocked with tiger muskie in 1978. Pure muskie were not stocked until 1983. Since then, 1,554 - 12 inch muskie have been stocked in the lake. The 75 - 11.5 inch muskie stocked in 1995 were purchased by the Illinois Chapter of Muskie, Inc. In 2002, 76 - 11.9 inch muskie, and in 2003, 76 - 11.0 inch muskie were stocked by the State. Muskie were not stocked in 2004. In 2005, 2006 and 2007, 76-10.0 muskie were stocked by the State. Lake Carlton possess high water clarity with visibility occasionally extending down 15 feet. The lake has numerous bays, points, and extremely shallow flats of submerged vegetation and water lotus beds.

Lake Carlton, although only 77 acres, has been the number one muskie lake for almost every year since 1987. The lake has produced more legal sized muskie than any other lake in the state. Creel data from 1994 found a catch of 148 muskie and a harvest of only three. The fishing pressure was reported as 606 man hours per acre. Lake Carlton should remain as one of Illinois= premiere muskie lakes for years to come. The fall electrofishing survey in 1995 produced five muskie in excess of 40 inches. Ten trapnets set in April of 1998 resulted in the collection of 32 muskie greater than 28 inches. Eleven trapnets set in April of 1999 resulted in the collection of 29 muskie greater than 30 inches and five trapnets in April 2000 collected 11 muskie over 33 inches. Twelve trapnets in 2001 resulted in the collection of 23 muskie greater than 19 inches. Six trapnets set in April of 2002 resulted in the collection of 29 muskie between 30 and 46.5 inches. Fourteen minutes of night electrofishing resulted in the collection of 4 muskie. Two of the muskie were greater than 42 inches. Five trapnets set overnight in April of 2003 resulted in the collection of 12 muskie greater than 26 inches. The muskie body condition showed improvement in 2003. In 2005,6 trapnets set over night resulted in the collection of 33 muskie of which 32 were greater than 30 inches. In 2006, 8 trapnets set over night resulted in the collection of 25 muskie of which 24 were greater than 30 inches. In 2007 only 6 trapnets were set. They caught 12 muskie greater than 34 inches. Three of the muskie were greater than 24 pounds. The lake has a 36 inch size restriction on muskie with a one fish per day limit.

DISTRICT 3: HENDERSON, KNOX, MCDONOUGH, MERCER, AND WARREN

COUNTIES

MCMASTER LAKE ‑ This 142 acre watershed impoundment located in the center of the 2,500 acre Snakeden Hollow State Fish & Wildlife Area has several unique physical and chemical features to support a quality muskie fishery. The lake is 56 feet deep in the central main basin with adjacent shallow gravel bars, abrupt dropoffs, numerous bays, points and islands, a standing timber area, extensive shallow flats of submerged vegetation, and cattail flats. The lake also possesses extremely high water clarity with visibility occasionally extending down to 30 feet.

The Mississippi Valley Chapter of Muskie, Inc. and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources have cooperated in the stocking of 1,580 Leech Lake strain muskie (9 to 16 inch) during the 1991 through 2003 period. In 2008, this unique lake will offer anglers a limited density muskie fishery with fish ranging up to 50 inches. A 42 inch minimum length with a one fish/day limit is enforced at Lake McMaster (formerly Snakeden Hollow Lake).

During 2005 and 2006, the site=s largest impoundment, Lake McMaster, had a new spillway installed which will increase the lake size to an estimated 160 acres and the water depth by 5 feet. To facilitate spillway construction, the lake level was lowered 10 feet making boat access impossible. Although the lake=s water levels have not yet recovered, the boat ramp has been extended to allow access to the lake.

Snakeden Hollow State Fish & Wildlife Area is closed to all fishing each year during the waterfowl hunting season (starting October 1st and usually ending in late January).

LAKE STOREY ‑ This 133 acre public lake located near Galesburg in Knox County has been home to muskie since 1976. A fall water level draw down of 6 feet for the purpose of predatory prey balance is an annual fish management practice. The lake is heavily fished with an estimated annual pressure of 400 to 800 hours/acre for all fish species.

Both muskie and tiger muskie have been stocked on an infrequent basis over the past 24 years. The first stocking of tiger muskie in 1976 resulted in a 20 pound 13 ounce state record in August, 1982. The largest muskie caught to date from Lake Storey was a 27 pound 8 ounce fish caught in May 1993. The Mississippi Valley Chapter of Muskies, Inc. and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources have cooperated in stocking of 1,680 Leech Lake Strain muskie (6 to 16 inch) during the 1993 through 2003 period. Lake Storey has the potential of producing a 30 pound plus natural muskie during the 2008 fishing season. A 42 inch minimum length limit is enforced on muskie at Lake Storey.

DISTRICT 4: P