Lake Chautauqua, Illinois

ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY sio.s

-^*, 'X KJ J J,»J c Printed by Authority of the State of Illinois

A Biological Investigation of the Fishes of

WILLIAM C. STARRETT ARNOLD W. FRITZ

juri

STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY DIVISION Urbono, Illinois ^jy„^^ Hjjjjgy ^^^^^

SEP 29 1965 mmt STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION John C. Watson. Chairman; Thomas Pauk, Ph.D., Biohiy; L. L. Si-oss, Ph.D., Geology; Rocek Adams, Ph.D., D.Sc. Ckimiitry: Robert H. Ande«son, B.S.C.E., Ensinciring; Charles E. Olmsted, Ph.D., Fortstry; W. L. EvERiTT, E.E.,Ph.D., Riprticnting the President oj the University of Illinois; Delvte W. Morris. Ph.D., President of Southern Illinois University

NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY DIVISION, Urbana, Illinois SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL STAFF Harlow B. Mills, Ph.D.. Chuf Hejibert H. Ross, Pli.D., Assistant Chief Robert O. Watson, B.S., Assistant to the Chief

Section of Economic Entomology SecHon of Faunistic Surveys and George C. Decker, Ph.D., Principal Scientist and Head Insect Identification J. H. Bigger, M.S., Entomologist H. H. Ross, Ph.D.. Assistant Chief and Head W. H. Luckmann. Ph.D., Entomologist Milton W. Sanderson, Ph.D., Taxonomist Ph.D., Entomologist Willis N. Bruce, Llwis J. Stannard, Jr., Ph.D., Taxonomist John P. Kramer, Ph.D.. Associate Entomologist Philip W. Smith. Ph.D., Taxonomist Entomologist Richard J. Dysart, Ph.D.. Associate Leonora K. Glovd, M.S., Assistant Taxonomist Ronald H. Meyer, Ph.D., Assistant Entomologist H. B. Cunningham, Ph.D., Assistant Taxonomist Robert D. Pausch, Ph.D., Assistant Entomologist Robert T. Allen, M.S., Technical Assistant Entomologist James E. Appledy, Ph.D., Assistant George L. Rotramel, B.S., Technical Assistant Entomologist Ralph E. Sechriest, Ph.D.. Assistant Bernice Sweeney, Technical Assistant Joseph V. Maddox. M.S., Technical Assistant Bess White, A.B., Technical Assistant Assistant Augustine Okonkwo. M.S., Technical Marvin E. Braasch, B.S., Laboratory Assistant Dannel McCollum, B.A.. Technical Assistant Gerald L. Nordin, Laboratory Assistant Assistant John T. Shaw, B.S., Technical John D. Unzicker. M.S., Research Assistant* Assistant Gregory P. Marsh, B.S., Technical TosHio Yamamoto. M.S., Research Assistant* David Kennedy. Technical Assistant Sue E. Watkins. Junior Scientific Assistant H. B. Petty, Ph.D.. Entomologist in Extension* Section of Wildlife Research Stevenson Moore, 111. Ph.D., Associate Entomologist in Glen C. Sandlrson. Ph.D.. Wildlife Specialist and Head Extension" F. C. Bellrose, B.S., Wildlife Specialist Roscoe Randall, M.S., Technical Assistant in Exten- H. C. Hanson. Ph.D.. Wildlife Specialist sion* Richard R. Grader. Ph.D., Wildlife Specialist Clarence E. White, B.S.. Technical Assistant in Exten- Ronald F. Labisky. M.S., Associate Wildlife Specialist sion* William R. Edwards, M.S., Associate Wildlife Specialist Amal C. Banerjee. M.S.. Research Assistant* William W. Cochran. Jr., Assistant Wildlife Specialist Jean G. Wilson, B.A., Research Assistant* Keun Shil Shin, M.S., Technical Assistant Ayten Hatigoolu. B.S., Research Assistant* Ethelyn L. Kirk, M.A., Technical Assistant Helen C. Schultz, B.S., Technical Assistant Section of Applied Botany and Plant Pathology Nancy Kott, B.A., Technical Assistant Howard Crum, Jr., Field Assistant J. Cedric Carter. Ph.D., Plant Pathologist and Head Jack A. Ellis, M.S., Research Associate* J. L. Forsberg. Ph.D., Plant Pathologist G. H. Boewe, M.S., Associate Plant Pathologist Bobbie Jo Verts. M.S.. Research Associate* Robert A. Evers, Ph.D., Associate Botanist Ralph J. Ellis, M.S.. Research Associate* Robert Dan Neely, Ph.D., Associate Plant Pathologist Gerald G. Montgomery, M.S., Research Associate* Anderson, M.A., Research Associate* E. B. Himelick, Ph.D., Associate Plant Pathologist William L. Walter Hartstirn. Ph.D., Assistant Plant Pathologist George B. Joselyn, M.S., Research Associate* Field Ecologist* D. F. Schoeneweiss, Ph.D., Assistant Plant Pathologist Gerald L. Storm. M.S., Peggy Rath. Technical Assistant Stanley L. Eiter. M.S.. Research Assistant* Ronald L. Westemeier, B.S., Research Assistant* Roger Siglin, B.S., Research Assistant* Section of Aquatic Biology J. Steven L. Wunderle. B.S.. Techniccl Assistant* George W. Bennett, Ph.D., Aquatic Biologist and Head Keith P. Dauphin, Project Assistant* William C. Starrett, Ph.D., Aquatic Biologist R. W. Larimore, Ph.D., Aquatic Biologist David H. Buck, Ph.D., Associate Aquatic Biologist Section of Publications and Robert C. Hiltibran, Ph.D., Associate Biochemist Public Relations Donald F. Hansen, Ph.D., Associate Aquatic Biologist Tames S. Avars. B.S.. Technical Editor and Head William F. Childers, M.S., Assistant Aquatic Biologist Blanche P. Young. B.A., Associate Technical Editor Charles E. Birkeland, B.S., Research Assistant Artha Sue Lev, M.A.. Assistant Technical Editor Martin. Technical Assistant Mary FRAN WiLMER D. Zehr. Assistant Technical Photographer Robert D. Crompton, Field Assistant Claude Russell Rose. Field Assistant Charles F. Thoits, III, B.A., Research Associate* Technical Library John A. Holdrook. II. B.S., Research Assistant* Doris F. Dodds, B.A., M.S.L.S.. Technical Librarian David L. Thomas, B.S.. Research Assistant* Patricia F. Stenstrom. B.A., M.S.L.S., Assistant Tech- Dennis Lee Dooley, Field Assistant* nical Librarian

CONSULTANTS: Herpetolocy. Hobart M. Smith, Ph.D.. Professor of Zoology . University of ///tnoi/.- Parasitology, Norman D. Levine, Ph.D., Professor of Veterinary Parasitology and of Veterinary Research, University of Illinois; Wildlife Research, Willard D. Klimstra. Ph.D.. Professor of Zoology and Director of Co-operative Wildlife Re- search. Southern Illinois University: Statistics, Horace W. Norton, Ph.D., Professor of Statistical Design and Analysis. University of Illinois.

•Employed on co-operative project? with one of several agencies: University of lUinoia, lUlnois Agricultural Exten- sion Service, Illinois Department of Conservation. National Science Foundation, United States Department of Agri- culture, United States Fish and Wildlife Service. United States Public Health Service, and others. ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY Bulletin

Volume 29, Article 1

. . Printed by Authority of I Ar\£.c March, 1965 the state of Illinois

A Biolosical Investigation of the Fishes

of Lake Chautauqua, Illinois

WILLIAM C. STARRETT ARNOLD W. FRITZ

STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY DIVISION

Urbana, Illinois CONTENTS

Materials and Methods 3 Kinds of Fishes (continued) Collection of Data 3 Family Esocidae 20 Creel Censusing 3 Grass Pickerel 20 Trotline Fishing by Sportsmen 3 Northern Pike 20 Commercial Wing-Net Fishing 3 Family Cyprinidae 21 Commercial Trotline Fishing 4 Carp 21 Commercial Seining 4 Goldfish 21 Test-Net Fishing 5 Creek Chub 21 Minnow Seining 5 Golden Shiner 21 Use of Rotenone 5 Suckermouth Minnow 21 Electrofishing 5 Emerald Shiner 21 Department of Conservation Spottail Shiner 22 F"ishing 5 Bigmouth Shiner 22 Tagging 5 Red Shiner 22 Classification of Fishes 5 Sand Shiner 22 Measurements and Aging Materials 5 Silvery Minnow 22 Calculations 7 Bullhead Minnow 22 Length-Weight Relationships 7 Bluntnose Minnow 22 Average Indices of Condition, C 7 Fathead Minnow 22 Growth Indices 7 Stoneroller 22 Statistics 8 Family Catostomidae 22 Records of Water Levels 8 Bigmouth Buffalo 22 Fish Removal 9 Smallmouth Buffalo 23 Removal by Commercial Wing-Net Black Buffalo 23 Fishing 9 Quillback 23 Removal by Commercial Seining .11 River Carpsucker 23 Removal by Angling 11 Northern Redhorse 23 Removal by Trotline Fishing 11 White Sucker 23 Removal by Department of Conser- Spotted Sucker 24 vation 12 Western Lake Chubsucker 24 Total Removal 12 Family Ictaluridae 24 Description of Lake Chautauqua 12 Blue Catfish 24 Historical Background of the Lake 12 Channel Catfish 24 Present Status of the Lake 13 Yellow Bullhead 24 Water Levels 16 Brown Bullhead 24 Vegetation 16 Black Bullhead 25 Sedimentation and Turbidity 16 Flathead Catfish 25 Water and Soil Chemistry 16 Tadpole Madtom 25 Bottom Fauna 17 Family Anguillidae 25 Sport Fishery 17 American Eel 25 Commercial Fishery 18 Family Cyprinodontidae 25 Kinds of Fishes in the Lake 18 Blackstripe Topminnow 25 Family Petromyzontidae 19 Family Poeciliidae 25 Chestnut Lamprey 19 Family Percopsidae 25 Family Polyodontidae 19 Trout-Perch 25 Paddlefish 19 Family Aphredoderidae 26 Family Lepisosteidae 19 Pirate Perch 26 Shortnose Gar 19 Family Serranidae 26 Longnose Gar 20 White Bass 26 Family Amiidae 20 Yellow Bass 26 Bowfin 20 Family Centrarchidae 26 Family Clupeidae 20 Smallmouth Bass 26 Skipjack Herring 20 Largemouth Bass 26 Gizzard Shad 20 Warmouth 27 Family Hiodontidae 20 Green Sunfish 27 Goldeye 20 Pumpkinseed 27 Mooneye 20 Bluegill 27 Kinds—Centrarchidae (continued) Population Dynamics 53 Orangespotted Sunfish 27 Sampling Techniques 53 White Crappie 27 Commercial Seining as a Sampling Black Crappie 27 Technique 54 Family Percidae 27 Tagging and Test-Netting as Sauger 27 Sampling Techniques 59 Yellow Perch 28 Standing Crop 60 River Darter 28 Population Changes 62 Logperch 28 Freshwater Drum: Population Bluntnose Darter 28 Changes 62 Mud Darter 28 Channel Catfish: Population Family Sciaenidae 28 Changes 63 Freshwater Drum 28 Bigmouth Buffalo: Population Family Atherinidae 29 Changes 65 Brook Silverside 29 Gizzard Shad: Population Growth and Age of Fishes 29 Changes 66 Growth Rates of Species 29 Caip: Population Changes 67 Bluegill Growth Rates 29 Crappies: Population Changes .68 Largemouth Bass Growth Rates 31 Bluegill and Yellow Bass: Popu- Warmouth Growth Rates 31 lation Changes 70 Pumpkinseed Growth Rates 32 White Bass: Population Changes 70 Green Sunfish Growth Rates 32 Growth and Condition of Fishes 71 White Crappie Growth Rates 32 Factors Affecting Growth and Con- Black Crappie Growth Rates 34 dition 71 Yellow Perch Growth Rates 35 Water Levels and Vegetation 71 Channel Catfish Growth Rates 36 Population Density and Fish Freshwater Drum Growth Rates 37 Removal 73 Bigmouth Buffalo Growth Rates 38 Growth and Condition Data 75 Carp Growth Rates 39 Bluegill: Growth and Condition White Bass Growth Rates 40 Data 75 Yellow Bass Growth Rates 41 White Crappie: Growth and Con- Age Composition of Catch 42 dition Data 77 Freshwater Drum: Age Compo- Black Crappie: Growth and Con- sition of Catch 42 dition Data 79 Bigmouth Buffalo: Age Compo- Channel Catfish: Growth and sition of Catch 44 Condition Data 80 Carp: Age Composition of Catch 46 Gizzard Shad: Condition Data 81 Channel Catfish: Age Composi- Bigmouth Buffalo: Growth and tion of Catch 47 Condition Data 81 Bluegill: Age Composition of Freshwater Drum: Growth and Catch 49 Condition Data 82 White Crappie: Age Composition Carp: Condition Data 83 of Catch 51 Effects of Fish Removal on Fishing 85 Black Crappie: Age Composition Effect on Commercial Fishing 85 of Catch 52 Effect on Sport Fishing 87 Yellow Bass: Age Composition Discussion 87 of Catch 52 Summary 91 White Bass: Age Composition of Literature Cited 94 Catch 53 Index 99

This report is printed hij aiithoritij of the State of Illiriois, IRS Ch. 127, Par. 58.12. It is a contribution from the Section of Aquatic Biology of the Illinois Natural History Survey. The fishing investigation reported in this paper was done as a cooperative project of the Illinois Natural History Survey, the Illinois Department of Conservation, and the V. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Some funds from D-J Project F-14-R were used in preparing the manuscript. William C. Starrett, Aquatic Biologist with the Natural History Survey, was in charge of the investigation. Arnold W. Fritz, Fisheries Biologist tvilh the Illinois Department of Con- servation, was assigned to the Natural History Survey in 19.56.

(97408—65011—S-IM) ,j^g^o2

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A Biological Investisation of the Fishes

oF Lake Chautauqua, Illinois

WILLIAM C. STARRETT ARNOLD W. FRITZ

THIS PAPER is based on a 10-year among conservationists in Illinois. As a biological investigation of the fishes of result of this interest, representatives of Lake Chautauqua, a lateral-levee reser- the Illinois Natural History Survey, the voir of approximately 3,500 acres lo- Illinois Department of Conservation, cated near Havana, in Mason County, and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Illinois. The reservoir, a floodplain lake met in December, 1949, for the purpose adjacent to the Illinois River, is federal of organizing a cooperative fishery re- property managed by the U. S. Fish search investigation at Lake Chautau- and Wildlife Service as a refuge for qua. The objectives of the investigation,

migratory waterfowl. which was started in April, 1950 ( Star- The biology of the Illinois River and rett& McNeil 1952:4), were "(1) to de- its floodplain lakes was of considerable termine the values of the sport and com- interest to early biologists working in mercial fisheries of an Illinois River bot- Illinois (Bennett 1958:165-166). Some tomland lake; (2) to develop manage- of their studies, and those reported by ment practices that would increase the Thompson (1941:209-210), indicate yield of sport and commercial fishes; that the floodplain lakes contained an (3) to study the biology of the fishes abundance of fish foods and supported present; and (4) to estimate the dy- large standing crops of fish. namics of the fish population." Drainage of Illinois River floodplain The economies of the fishery were areas was begun before 1900. By 1929, discussed in an earlier paper (Starrett about 200,000 acres of the floodplain 1958). The calculated fishery value of had been drained and leveed off from the lake in 1954 was $103,294.28, or the river for agricultural purposes $29 per acre. (Mulvihill & Cornish 1929:36). Forbes In 1950 and 1951, the Illinois Depart- & Richardson (1919:153) pointed out ment of Conservation, through news re- that the decline in the fishery of the Illi- leases and radio programs, informed nois River in 190S-1913 coincided with anglers of the fishing possibilities at the increased drainage program of the Lake Chautauqua. In 1952, a report was period. released on the sport fishery, based In 1947, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife upon data from the previous 2 years of Service recommended that the Corps of creel censusing (Starrett & McNeil Engineers, U. S. Army, consider the 1952). This report stated that most an- possibility of acquiring five drainage glers lacked knowledge on how to fish and levee districts totaling 27,200 acres the lake and described successful meth- (formerly Illinois River floodplain ods of fishing, with the purpose of in- lakes) for flood control reservoirs; the creasing the hook-and-line yield. An- areas were to be used as public hunting other effort to increase the hook-and- and fishing grounds except in times of line yield was made in June, 1951, when great floods (Jenkins & Walraven 1950: a fishing "college" for anglers was con- 29). This recommendation stimulated ducted at the lake. Liberalized bass a renewed interest in floodplain lakes fishing regulations (continuous open

Frontispiece, —Aerial view showing part of Lake Chautauqua, a small section of the Illinois River, and a series of agricultural fields that were leveed off from the river in about 1920. Some of these fields were formerly covered by Thompson Lake, once a renowned fishing lake. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Alt. 1

season and no size limits) were fol- Mills of the Illinois Natural History

lowed at Lake Chautauqua prior to Survey and Mr. Sam A. Parr of the Illi- their inclusion in the Illinois code. The nois Department of Conservation. Dr. liberalized regulations permitted an- Bennett gave guidance and encourage- glers to remove more bass than was pos- ment during the investigation and later sible under the former restrictions made helpful suggestions in the prepa- "without measurably reducing the pop- ration of the manuscript. Messrs. Les- ulation of these fish" (Starrett 1955). lie L. Layton and Larry Bohm, sup- Crappies were taken in nets and ported under the D-J Project F-14-R seines by commercial fishermen and re- for Illinois, gave aid in preparing the moved from the lake on an experimen- manuscript, and Dr. Donald F. Hansen tal basis in the period 1951-1954. This of the Ilhnois Natural History Survey period was prior to enactment of the made many helpful suggestions and Illinois law that permitted the harvest- criticisms. Messrs. Louis Ellebrecht

( ing of crappies by commercial fisher- now deceased ) , Lyle Schoonover, men. Most of the crappies removed in Robert Abney, C. Arthur Hughlttt, and the 1951-1954 period were taken in the K. Duane Norman of the U. S. Fish and 10 months beginning with September, Wildlife Service extended us excellent 1951. The removal of crappies had no cooperation while they were serving as apparent effect upon the sport fishing refuge managers of the Chautauqua Na- (Starrett & Fritz 1957:14). tional Wildlife Refuge. Messrs. William The yield of commercial fishes was Nuess, Walter Hart, Robert Crompton, greatly increased by permitting fisher- John Schilling, and Howard Crum, men to use drag seines (beginning in present or fomier employees of the Illi- 1951) and roundup fishing with wing nois Natural History Survey, were help- nets (beginning in 1952). Formerly, ful with field work. Mr. Frank C. Bell- fishermen had been allowed to set indi- rose of the Illinois Natural History Sur- vidual wing nets only. vey was very helpful in giving advice In this paper, we are concerned large- and information on problems relating ly with the various kinds of fishes and to waterfowl, aquatic plants, and the their relative abundance in Lake Chau- history of Lake Chautauqua. The fol- tauqua, their biology, the dynamics of lowing boat livery operators cooperated their populations, and the effects of helpfully: Messrs. James Bridgeman commerical fishing on them. We con- (now deceased), John Lane, Paul Rid- ducted some limnological investigations dle, and Burt Sperry. All of the com- concurrently with the fishery research mercial fishermen who participated in program. In 1950, engineers of the Illi- our program were fully cooperative, and nois Water Survey made a sedimenta- without their efforts the program would tion survey (Stall & Melsted 1951). have failed. Messrs. P. L. McNeil and Jackson (1954) collected a series of William Bain gave assistance while as- water samples for which dissolved oxy- signed to the senior author by the Illi- gen determinations and water tempera- nois Department of Conservation. Dr. tures were recorded. Jackson & Starrett Milton B. Trautman of Ohio State Uni- (1959) measured turbidities under vari- versity and Dr. Reeve M. Bailey of the ous conditions. Paloumpis & Starrett University of Michigan identified sev- (1960) made bottom fauna, chemical, eral species of fish. Mr. James S. Ayars and bacteriological studies. of the Illinois Natural Histoiy Survey We are indebted to a number of per- edited the manuscript. Mr. WilHam E. sons for their assistance during this in- Clark and Mr. Wilmer D. Zehr, as Sur- ^ vestigation. The investigation was made vey staff members, made the photo- ' possible through the efforts of Dr. graphs; Mrs. Anne R. Dreyfuss, Miss George W. Bennett and Dr. Harlow B. Marguerite M. Verley, and Miss Artha March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz; Fishes of Lake Chautauqua

Sue Loy made the graphs; Mrs. Blanche person, was permitted at Lake Chau- P. Young read the proof and dummied tauqua after 1953. A complete record of the pages. Miss Loy drew the maps trotline fishing by sportsmen at the lake in 1954 Starrett 1958:42, 44). ( Fig. 4 and 5 ) from original maps pre- was kept ( pared by the junior author. Thereafter, a record of the trotline Financial support of this study was catch by sportsmen was maintained by given by the Illinois Natural History Sperry at his boat livery. Survey and the Illinois Department of Sperry's records of trotline fishing and Conser\ation. his creel census data were extrapolated each year after 1954 to give estimates MATERIALS AND METHODS of the annual yield of the total sport The fishery program on which this fishery at Lake Chautauqua. study is based included 10 growing sea- Commercial Wing-Net Fishing.— sons at Lake Chautauqua. The field Commercial fishing with wing nets of work was started on April 15, 1950, and legal mesh (li/9-inch-square mesh or was concluded on October 10, 1959.

^''Z^'' Collection of Data During the 10 years of field work, va- ,'^WING col- rious types of fishery data were K^-FOOT OPENING lected by our staff. Some of the data ^ STAKE -WEBBING were collected from commercial fishermen, some from the owners of boat liveries, and some from the Illinois De- partment of Conservation. Most of the data were obtained through creel censusing by the staff or cooperators at boat liveries, through wing-net fishing and seining by commercial fishermen, and through minnow seining and test- netting by the staff. Commercial fishing on Lake Chau- tauqua was done by local fishermen who used wing nets, trotlines, and drag seines. These fishing devices have been

. commercial described by Starrett & Barnickol Fig. 1 —Diagram of a typical roundup set with wing nets as used on Lake (1955). Chautauqua. The fishing crew consists of two Creel Cexsusing.—A creel census men, who drive fish into the corral. When the was conducted at all Lake Chautauqua fishermen believe sufficient numbers of fish are in the corral, they shut off the open end boat liveries in 1950-1954 (Starrett with lead netting and drive the fish into the 1958:41-43) in the manner described wing nets set in the corners of the corral. by Starrett & McNeil (1952:5-6). Burt Sperry has continued to make creel cen- larger) was permitted on Lake Chau- suses at his boat livery. Sperry's catch tauqua in each year of field work from data are considered to represent about February or March through September. one-half of the total sport yield for the An effective method of commercial

lake; this figure was determined by di- wing-net fishing ( roundup ) for big- viding the catch data recorded by mouth buffalo was developed and used Sperry for 1953 and 1954 by the catch by commercial fishermen in 1952 and

data for the entire lake in these years. afterward ( Fig. 1 and 2). The commer- Trotline Fishing hy Sportsmen.— cial fishermen using wing nets were re- Trotline fishing, limited to 50 hooks per quired by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Illinois Natural History Sibvev Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

Service to furnish monthly catch re- Commerclal Seining.—Each Septem- ports. In the years 1950-1959, 1,376,770 ber, 1951-1958, a program of commer- pounds of fish were removed from the cial seining was conducted in the lake. lake by wing-net fishermen, or an aver- No seining had been allowed before age of 137,677 pounds per year. During 1951, and there has been no seining the fishing months of 1951-1954, wing- since 1958. The drag seines used in the net fishermen were required to deliver program were operated by local com- all crappies and white bass caught by mercial fishermen who had previously

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H-..^ -4 ll Fig. 2. —Commercial wing nets set for roundup fishing. This method of fishing proved to be an efficient way to catch bigmouth buffalo during periods of low water at Lake Chautauqua. them to a live crib located on the lake signed a special seining contract with near the Natural History Survey Lab- the Illinois Natural History Survey and oratory. Some of the white bass were the Illinois Department of Conserva- tagged by our staff and returned to the tion. The fishermen were under bond to lake. The other fish were given to the carry out the stipulations of the con- Illinois Department of Conservation for tract under the supervision of the sen- disposition. ior author. The lengths of the seines Commercial Trotline Fishing.— ranged from 500 to 1,450 yards; the Most of the commercial trotline fishing bags of these seines were of li/j-inch- at Lake Chautauqua was done illegally. square mesh and the remainder of 3- Estimated weights of channel catfish inch-square mesh or larger. During the removed illegally and sold by trotline 8 years of September seining, 348 hauls fishermen were obtained by us through were made; the cumulative total was contacts at local fish markets. The ille- equivalent to 310,210 yards of seine. gal removal of catfish by trotHne fish- Fishermen furnished us with daily ermen in 1950-1959 was estimated to weight receipts covering the sales of be 67,500 pounds. their fish. Weights of gizzard shad and March, 1965 Stabbett & Fbitz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua garfishes removed and discarded were fishing operations, tagged, and returned estimated by fishermen and the senior to Lake Chautauqua. Each of these fish author. On most hauls, we made counts was marked either on the opercular of the various species of sport fishes bone or dorsal spine (few white bass) caught. In the 1951-1958 period, seiners with No. 3 monel strap tags. Tagging removed 1,271,854 pounds of fish. operations were confined to the fall and Test-Net Fishing.— In late Septem- early spring months. ber and early October of each year, In September and October in the 1950-1959, test-netting with 1-inch- years 1950-1954, 4,295 crappies of 7 square-mesh wing nets with leads was inches or longer, total length, were done by our staff at 11 or 12 sites on tagged and returned to the lake. Most the lake. The number of net-days of of the marked crappies that were re- fishing in a fall varied from 47 to 94. captured were caught by angling or by During the 10-year period, 14,373 fish commercial wing-net fishing. were caught in the 1-inch-square-mesh In the years 1951-1954, 605 white wing nets. bass were caught in commercial seines Minnow Seining.— In the years 1950- and commercial wing nets, tagged, and 1959, 196 minnow seine hauls were returned to the lake. Most of the made by our staff at various places on marked white bass that were recap- the lake. Most of the hauls were made tured were caught by angling and with either a 20- or a 30-foot Common commercial wing-net fishing. Sense minnow seine (one-eighth-inch Classification of Fishes mesh ) . In the minnow seine collections, 23,527 fish were taken. In this study, we have followed the Use of Rotenone.—Each summer, classification of fishes as used by Bailey 1952-1959, one or two small areas (1956, 1960) or by Trautman (1957). (about one-eighth to one-fourth acre Upon recommendation of Dr. Bailey each) were treated by our staff with ei- (letter of November 4, 1964, to Dr. ther powdered or emulsifiable rotenone. Philip \V. Smith, Taxonomist, Illinois

An attempt was made to collect with Natural History Survey ) , the spelling of dip nets all of the fish that surfaced in the author name Lesueur ( LeSueur for- the treated areas. The fish collected merly) is emended as it will appear in were identified, counted, and meas- future editions of the list of fish names. ured in the laboratory. In the rotenone Most of the specimens collected were operations, 1,484 fish were collected. identified in the field. Representative Electrofishing.—A boom shocking specimens that could not be identified device (230-volt a-c generator with in the field were preserved for later de- three electrodes ) was used by our staff termination by ourselves in the labora- to collect fish in 1959; 509 fish were col- tory or were, in a few instances, sub- lected with this shocker. mitted to Dr. Trautman or Dr. Bailey Department of Conservation Fish- for identification. Specimens of the im- ing.—Each year of the study, large num- common species of Lake Chautauqua bers of sport fishes were removed from fishes were deposited in the collections the lake by Department of Conserva- of the Illinois Natural History Survey, tion personnel for the stocking of other the Chicago Natural History Museum, lakes and ponds. These fish were or the Ohio State University Museum. caught in 1-inch-square-mesh wing nets. Records of the numbers of these Measurements and Aging Materials fish were maintained. Length and weight data, and scales, Tagging.— Several thousand fish, prin- spines, and opercular bones for aging cipally crappies and white bass, were fish, were obtained from fish collected caught in test-netting or commercial at Lake Chautauqua by test-netting. 6 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

coiiimeicial seining, wing netting, an- To further explore the problem of aging gling, and electiofishing. We measured carp, we decided in 1957 to look for an- the total lengths, rather than the stand- nuli on the dorsal spines. With this ob- ard lengths, of fish to the nearest 0.1 jective, we removed 263 dorsal spines inch; we determined weights to the from carp taken in the September com- nearest 0.01 pound on Chatillon scales. mercial seine hauls of 1957 and 1958. During the investigation, we weighed and measured 52,214 fish and, in addition, measured 12,814 small fish. Of the fish collected, we aged 23,812. For species other than carp and catfish, we used only scales in making age determinations. For carp, we used scales, opercular bones, and dorsal spines. For catfish, we used pectoral spines. In aging fish by the scale method, we used a Bausch & Lomb microprojector for magnification of the scales. Most of the scales and spines were collected in Sep- tember or October, and we considered a summer of growth prior to Sep- tember 1 as a full year of growth. In the tables that show lengths of fish of various ages, an age 2 fish has one annulus, but it has completed two summers of growth. For example, a fish spawned in May, 1954, is classified as a 2-year-old fish in September, 1955. We made back calculations from tlie scales of several species to determine the first year's growth. In 1953 and 1954, we collected opercular bones and scale samples from 466 carp. We were unable to separate the many checks and false annuli from the true annuli on these carp scales. In some instances, scales collected from carp that we thought were 1 -year-old Fig. 3. — Magnified cross sections of carp spines collected at Lake Chautauqua. The fish showed as many as four possible cross sections show, A, two annuli, B, three annuli. Other workers also have experi- annuli, and, C, six annuli. enced difficulties in the use of scales for determining the ages of carp ( McCon- After the spines were thoroughly dry, nell 1952:138; English 1952:530-531). we cut four thin cross sections of each The method of aging carp from opercu- with a jeweler's saw. The first section in lar bones, described by McConnell each instance included the base of the (1952:141, 143) and English (1952: spine. We placed the sections from 536-538), we attempted with the Lake each spine in a petri dish containing Chautauqua material. The first and sec- water and examined them under a bi- ond annuli appeared to be quite distinct nocular dissecting microscope. The an- on the opercular bones; however, on nuli appeared as translucent lines on the fish of 3 years and older we could not sections (Fig. 3). English (1952:536- ascertain the annuli with anv certainty. 538) found that sections of the dorsal March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua spine were satisfactory for determining Chicago 37, Illinois, and are available the age and growth of carp np to 2 upon request from either library. years old but difficult to interpret on Average Indices of Condition, C— older fish; he reported that the opercle Average fall indices of condition, C, was more satisfactory for aging carp of were computed for eight abundant spe- various ages. We believe that for aging cies in the lake. In computing C for Lake Chautauqua carp the dorsal spine the various species of fish, we used only was better than the opercular bone. In length and weight data collected in examining the 263 dorsal spines, we dis- September and early October, except agreed on the agings of 10 fish. Those that in 1954 we combined the Novem- fish were not included in our age data ber bluegill data with data for early of carp. fall. We aged catfish by counting the an- First, we computed the index of con- nuli on cross sections of pectoral spines. dition (Thompson & Bennett 1939:17) Following a method similar to the one for each one-half-inch length group of described by Sneed ( 1951 ; 176-177 ) we a given species by determining the cut the cross sections through the artic- value of C in the following formula ulating portions of the spines with a W 10,000 jeweler's saw. We then placed the cross sections in a petri dish containing water, examined them under a dissect- in which W is the mean weight and L ing microscope, and counted the an- the length for the group. Then we nuli in the cross sections. computed the C value for the species by calculating the average of the C Calculations values determined for the various one- For some of the abundant species of half-inch length groups of the species. fish in Lake Chautauqua, we calculated The one-half-inch length groups for the relationship between length and each species remained constant weight, the average index of condition, throughout the study. Ranges of total and the growth index. lengths used in calculating average C Length-Weight Relationships.—To for the various species were as follows: calculate weights (Lagler 1956:164- freshwater drum, 10..5-16.5 inches; big- 165) for various species of Lake Chau- mouth buffalo, 16.0-25.5 inches; gizzard tauqua fishes, we used the least squares shad, 10.0-14.0 inches; carp, 16.5-24.5 method. In calculating weights for spe- inches; channel catfish, 14.5-19.5 inches; cies in which only a limited number of bluegill, 5. .5-8.0 inches; black crappie, data on lengths and weights were avail- 7.0-10.5 inches; and white crappie, 7.5- able, we combined the data for all 10.5 inches. years. For most of the abundant species, Growth Indices.—To show year-to- we calculated length-weight relation- year changes in growth patterns of ships from data collected each year in Lake Chautauqua fish, we calculated the months of September and October. growth indices for each of six species. The yellow bass, however, was an ex- Each index figure was a measure of the ception since the data for this species deviation from an 8- or 10-year average were collected in the spring months, of the total lengths for a given species. rather than in September and October. The growth indices provided measure- The length-weight relationship data ments that could be used for compar- for the various species have been de- ing growth with population changes, posited with the Illinois Natural His- fish removal, and varying water levels. tory Survey Library, Urbana, Ilhnois, The method used for determining a and with the Midwest Inter-Library growth index was based on a formula Center, 5721 Cottage Grove Avenue. used by Purkett (1958:1-2): Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

1 on formulas stated in the references Factor = xioo Average length given below. The analysis of variance (F) of the commercial seine haul data Instead of length for using the average was done in accordance \\'ith formulas a year, as was done by Piirkett, we and procedures given by Simpson, Roe, used the sum of the average lengths & Lewontin (1960:272). Determina- reliable for as many years as we had tions of sample size relative to the num- of data. In the following computation ber of seine hauls necessary to detect the 1951 growth index for the drum, fluctuations in population were based the data are from Table 1: on formulas presented by Paloumpis

t tests in con- 1 (1958:585). The made Factor X 100 = 2.577 junction with the seine haul data were 38.8 computed from formulas given by Star-

The factor is then applied to the ap- rett & Barnickol (1955:342-344). Cor- propriate figure in the column "Sum of relation coefficients ( r ) used on the age

Table 1. —Growth indices of freshwater drum in Lake Chautauqua, 1951—1958, and data used in computing them. Lengths given are in inches and are total, rather than standard, lengths of fish. March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 9

FISH REMOVAL from the lake by all methods ( legal and One of tlie ultimate objectives of illegal) ranged from an estimated low this study was to increase the removal of 12 pounds per acre to a high of 45 of fishes from Lake Chautauqua and pounds per acre, with an average an- to determine if the increased removal nual removal of 30 pounds per acre. had any effects upon the fish populations. The methods of fish removal are Removal by Commercial described in this section of the paper. Wing-Net Fishing The effects of increased fish removal In 1950 and 1951, the water levels are discussed in a later section. at Lake Chautauqua were unusually Fishing pressure on Lake Chautau- favorable for commercial fishing with qua prior to 1951 was comparatively individual wing nets. The reported light. Commercial fishing on the lake commercial wing-net catches at the up to that year was restricted by gov- lake in 1950 totaled 145,753 pounds and ernment regulations to the use of in- in 1951 they totaled 154,479 pounds, as dividual wing nets. However, some lo- shown in Table 2. These were the CL^l fishermen engaged in illegal trotline highest annual catches made with in- fishing. dividual wing nets in the period 1942- The reported legal commercial re- 1959; the annual wing-net catches moval of fish in the period 1942-1949 given in Table 2 after 1951 included ranged from a low of 21,912 pounds in the roundup catches made with wing 1947 to a high of 123,106 pounds in nets. 1948. (Statistics prior to 1950 were fur- In 1952, two commercial fishermen nished by the late Lou Ellebrecht of began roundup fishing with wing nets the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.) and in August and September of that These weights do not include several year caught 17,304 pounds of fish, of thousand pounds of fish that were re- which buffalofishes accounted for 96.8 moved each year by fishermen using per cent ( Table 3 ) . In most years, very trotlines illegally. Sport fishing pres- few fish were caught in the individual sure was comparatively fight on the wing-net sets after the first of July. lake both before and during the study Roundup fishing offered the commer- period. In the period 1942-1949, we be- cial fishermen a method of catching lieve, the total annual removal of fish fish with their wing nets during sum-

Table 2. —Estimated pounds of fish removed from Lake Chautauqua by various fishing devices and methods, 1950-1959. 10 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin \'o1. 29, Art. 1

o ^

i-^

c2u

a c 3 5

C M o3 s5 Oh U

(£ d March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 11

nier months when water le\'els were usually low and catches in indi\idiial wing nets were poor. In the years 1952- 1954, catches from roundup sets and individual wing nets were recorded sep- arately. A summary of these separated catch data is presented in Table 3. In 1953 and 1954, the individual wing-net catches were quite poor compared with those made in the 3 pre\'ious years (Tables 2 and 3). The roundup method of fishing produced a relatively high catch during periods in which the catch usually was poor with individual wing nets. The catch data in Table 3 clearly indicate the selectivity- of the roundup method for buffalofishes. The combined catch of both methods of wing-net fishing in the years 1950-1959 amounted to 1,376,770 pounds. Without the adoption of roundup fishing, the wing-net catch probably would have been less than one-half of this amount. We were unable to obtain accurate data on the catch per net day because of irregularity in the raising of nets by the fishermen.

Removal by Commercial Seining Commercial seining was done each year in September, 1951-1958. The ef-

Table 4. —Number of completed commercial seine hauls, yards of seine used (cumulative yardage), and number of seine crews fishing in September at Lake Chau- tauqua, 1951-1958. 12 Illinois Natural History Sur\'ey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

Table 5. —Estimated number of pounds of fish removed from Lake Chautauqua in each ing, commercial fishing (Including crappies in experimental program!, and fishing with wing

Kind of fisli March, 1965 Stabbett & Fbitz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 13

year, 1950—1959. The figures include removal by sport fishing, legal and illegal trotline fish- nets operated by Illinois State Department of Conservation personnel. 14 Illinois >Jatural History Survey Bulletin Vol 29, Art. 1

Eci E March, 1965 Starbett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 15 16 Illinois Natural History Surney Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

Hutchinson (1957:123-125). The lake curred and the duration of their occur- is over 6 miles long and varies in width rence. In 1959, water levels reached from one-half mile to II/2 miles. At 437.5 feet on only one day, in early

normal pool elevation ( 435.0 feet above June; after that date, the lake level was mean sea level), the surface area of dropped by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife

the lake is 3,562 acres ( Stall & Melsted Service personnel to a level of 6 inches 1951:10). The depth of Lake Chautau- lower than in any previous summer qua, which depends upon the magni- during the study. The shallow, stable tude and duration of high waters oc- water levels in 1959 resulted in the curring in the Illinois Ri\-er, varies con- heaviest stand of sago pondweed ob- siderably each year; at normal lake served in the lake.

stage, most of the lake is 2 to 3 feet Sedimentation and TuRBmiTY.—The in depth. sedimentation survey of the lake made Water Levels.—During the period of in 1950 revealed that silt or sediments our 10-year study, water levels at Lake deposited in Lake Chautauqua during Chautauqua were not affected by flood flood periods on the Illinois River in waters of the Illinois River until the 23.8 years had reduced the lake's stor- latter reached heights of about 437.5 age capacity by 18.3 per cent (Stall & feet above mean sea level. At this Melsted 1951:1). Jackson & Starrett stage, river water began to flow into (1959:160) stated that

the lake and increased the depth of The sediments in Lake Chautauqua are the lake 2.5 feet or more, the depth de- mostly of a fine te.xture and form a loose, flocculent "false bottom" ( not similar to the pending upon the magnitude of the type found in bog lakes) over the original flood. Usually personnel of the U. S. lake bottom. A slight disturbance of tlie particles to become Fish and Wildlife Service would open "false bottom" causes resuspended and so increases the turbidity of the control gates between the lake and the water. According to Stall and Melsted the river before the 437.5-foot stage [1951], the largest sediment particles of Lake Chautauqua begin to settle after the was reached. The fluctuations of the disturbance ceases; however, it takes from 7 water levels at Lake Chautauqua and to 12 days for much of the sediment in the the Illinois River at Havana are dis- lake to settle to tlie bottom. cussed in another section of this paper. Observed tiubidity in the years 1953- Vegetation.—Since 1944, sago pond- 1957 "ranged from less than 25 to 800 weed, Potamogcton pectiimfus, has p. p.m." (or units). been the only submergent aquatic In the absence of sago pondweed, plant to grow abundantly in Lake the turbidity of the lake, caused by re- Chautauqua. Its abundance in the pe- suspension of sediment particles, was riod 1950-1959 varied considerably affected by wave action and water from year to year. Sago pondweed was depth. The relatively low turbidity re- seen growing only during the warmest sidting from the presence of vegetation

months of the year; it flourished only in years of low stable water levels in years when the water levels were might be expected to favor sight-feed- stable during the growing season. ing fish. In years of low and stable During the period 1950-1959, there water levels, additional food was avail-

were only two growing seasons ( 1953 able in the form of the vegetation it- and 1956) in which the Illinois River self and of immature insects, which did not overflow into the lake. In those tended to flourish on the sago pond- two years, the growth of sago pondweed. weed was heavy, whereas, in other Water and Soil Chemistry*. —.\ sum- years (except 1959), the growth of mary of chemical analyses of water pondweed varied from none to mod- samples taken at Lake Chautauqua in erate, the extent of growth depending 1953 and 1954 by Paloumpis & Starrett

upon the time high water levels oc- ( 1960:407) showed the following mean March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 17

chemical determinations in parts per During our 10-year investigation at million or miits: pH (8.2), POj (0.4), Lake Chautauqua, the senior author SiO.> (5.7), SO4 (68.8), NO3 (1.1), NH4 observed only two summer fish kills, (0.3), Na (8.5), alkalinity as CaCO;, one of which is described by Jackson & (141.7), and hardness as CaCO:j Starrett (19.59:164). Both of these kills (209.8). were localized, and they occurred dur- We belie\ e that waterfowl as well as ing periods of prolonged hot weather flood waters of the Illinois River have and in the presence of heavy blooms of increased the fertility of Lake Chautau- blue-green algae. qua. Paloumpis & Starrett (1960:427) Bottom Fauna.—Bottom fauna stud- estimated that in the fall, winter, and ies conducted on Lake Chautauqua in spring of 1954-55, waterfowl deposited 1952-1956 by Paloumpis & Starrett organic material in the lake on a per- (1960:420) showed that the lake sup- acre basis as follows: 12.8 pounds of ported a large dipterous larva popula- nitrogen, 17.1 pounds of total phos- tion composed principally of the genera phate, and 8.1 pounds of soluble phos- Pelopia, Froclcidius, Coclotamjpus, and phate. Stall & Melsted (1951:12) re- Tcndipcs. The maximum annual pro- ported the chemical and physical duction of dipterous larvae, in temis of characteristics of four sediment samples weight, was estimated to be approxi- collected at Lake Chautauqua. These mately 2,400 pounds per acre. authors stated that Sport Fishery.— In 1950-1954, the annual pole-and-line catch per fisher- The total carbon and total nitrogen values are extremely high, indicating an accumula- man at Lake Chautauqua varied from tion of organic matter in the lake far in 0.6 to 0.8 fish per hour (Starrett 1958: excess of any amounts that could be accounted

) . of anglers for through soil erosion. These large accumu- 43 Most the fish caught by lations of nitrogen and carbon must, there- were crappies, bluegills, yellow bass, fore, be attributed to wildlife excreta. and freshwater drum. In this period, Jackson (1954:82) did not detect the number of anglers fishing the lake any thermal stratification in Lake Chau- annually varied from 5,675 to 13,717. tauqua. He attributed the lack of strati- Their total annual catches in that pe- fication to the shano\vness of the lake. riod ranged from 9,414 to 36,442 jjounds

Fig. 6. —Anglers fishing for crappies at a man-made brush pile in Lake Chautauqua, in 1950-1954, the annual number of anglers at the lake ranged from 5,675 to 13,717, ) ) ) )) ) )

18 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

of fish. Most of tlic fish were caught by Yellow bass ( common to very still fishing (Fig. 6) in which hve bait abundant was used. Channel catfish ( abundant

Freshwater drum, bullheads, and Shortnose gar ( fairly abundant channel catfish comprised most of the Emerald shiner ( scarce to trotline catch by sport fishermen in abundant

1954 (Starrett 1958:44). Spottail shiner ( scarce to Commercial Fishery.—The reported abundant annual catch of fish taken legally by Brook silvcrside ( scarce to commercial fishermen at Lake Chau- abundant tauqua in 1950-1959 ranged from 144,- Several biologists studied the fishes 254 to 326,808 pounds. Bigmouth buf- of Lake Chautauqua prior to the pres- falo, carp, freshwater drum, and chan- ent investigation. Schloemer (1939:60) nel catfish were the principal species included a series of bluegills collected taken by the commercial fishermen. from Lake Chautauqua in his age and These figures do not include some of growth study of that species. Hansen the fish included in Table 2. (1942:198), who conducted a partial creel census on the lake in 1941 and KINDS OF FISHES IN THE LAKE 1942, reported that anglers caught the During periods of high water levels following kinds of fish: the largemouth in the Illinois River, Lake Chautauqua bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, crap- is contiguous with the river and at such pie ( kind or kinds not specified ) , other times the various species of fish in the sunfisli, yellow perch, yellow bass, river have easy access to the lake. sheepshead, bullhead, channel catfish, Since 1926, the year the property of the bufi^alo, dogfish, eel, carp, and others. Lake Chautauqua Drainage and Levee Hansen (1943:175) also reported a District was flooded, perhaps 90 or large die-off of the yellow bass and more species of fish have had an oppor- smaller die-offs of the white crappie, tunity to invade Lake Chautauqua from black crappie, sheepshead, gizzard the river. In the present study, we shad, and bluegill at Lake Chautauqua. identified 64 species of fish taken from In a later paper, Hansen (1951:234, Lake Chautauqua. At least 30 of these 256) mentioned the occurrence of species were either rare or rare-occa- lymphocystis on the white crappie in sional in their occurrence. Most of Lake Chautaucjua and recorded total these rare or rare-occasional species length of two age-classes of this species collected were probably transient in- in the lake. In a paper on sport fishing dividuals that had moved into the lake at Lake Chautauqua, Starrett & McNeil during high water and had failed to (1952:8) listed the species commonly move out when the river water receded. caught by anglers at the lake. Larimore Twenty-one additional species ranged (1957:65), in liis paper on the ecology in abundance from occasional to com- of the warmouth in Illinois, included mon in the lake. Of the 64 species re- age and growth data on 30 individuals corded for the lake, only 13 occurred of that species taken from Lake Chau- abundantly or very abundantly in 1 or tauqua. All of the species reported more years. They are the following; above by other workers were taken in Bigmouth buffalo (very abundant) the present investigation except the

Gizzard shad ( very abundant smallmouth bass.

Carp ( very abundant In this section, we include all of the Freshwater drum (very abundant) species taken by us in the period 1950- Bluegill (very abundant) 1961 and indicate the relative abun-

White crappie ( very abundant dance of each species as determined Black crappie (very abundant) from our collections.

I March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz; Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 19

Family Petromyzontidae sippi River up the Illinois River to Ha- This family was represented by one vana. The paddlefish is not known to species in the Lake Chautauqua col- spawn in the Illinois River system. lections. Starrett, Harth, & Smith ( 1960: Forbes & Richardson (1920:17) in 345), who studied the parasitic lam- about 1908 considered the paddlefish as preys of Illinois rivers, considered lam- "rather rare" in the Illinois River above preys scarce in the Illinois Ri\er above Meredosia.

Florence, which is se\'eral miles below the La Grange navigation dam near Family Lepisosteidae Beirdstown. At the time of our stuidy, the garfishes Chestnut L.\mprey, Ichthyomyzon were of no commercial value in the castaneus Girard: Rare.—Beginning in Havana area. The shortnose gar was 1949, commercial fishermen were re- fairly abundant, and the longnose gar quested by the senior author to save was taken occasionally. Gars taken by all lampreys taken from Lake Chautau- commercial fishermen were usually qua. In the period 1949-1960, only killed and discarded. Anglers using two specimens were collected. Both minno\^'S for bait frequently hooked were identified as the chestnut lamprey. garfish. Only a very few anglers con- One specimen (7.4 inches total length) sidered the gar as a desirable food fish. was collected from a carp on May 12, We belie\'e that garfishes spawTied in 1959. The other specimen (6.3 inches) Lake Chautauqua; however, only three was found on April 11, 1960, in the young of this family (shortnose gars of bottom of a fisherman's boat shortly 1.0 to 4.0 inches ) were taken in minnow after he had raised his nets. No lam- seine collections. In 1958, approxi- prey-scarred fish was noted by us in mately 5 pounds of garfishes were the commercial catches. caught per 103 yards of commercial seine. Family Polyodontidae The spotted gar, Lepisostetis oculatus

The paddlefish 's the only representa- (Winchell), which closely resembles tive of this family in North America. the shortnose gar, was not found at

Paddlefish, Polyodon spatliiila ( Wal- Lake Chautauqua, Lake Matanzas, baum ) : Occasional.—During the inves- Quiver Lake, or in our Illinois River tigation, only 214 pounds of paddlefish collections abo\e Havana. The only were removed from Lake Chautauqua spotted gars collected in the immediate by commercial fishermen. This species, area were three specimens taken on which has some local commercial \ alue, February 12, 1960, in a commercial is sold under the name "spoonbill cat." seine haul at Ben's Lake, a small over- The largest paddlefish taken from the flow lake adjacent to the Sangamon lake weighed 29 pounds. Another speci- Ri\er, in Mason County. The specimen measured 47.5 inches in length mens ranged from 13.6 to 13.9 inches and weighed 21 pounds. Paddlefish in length. The silted waters and lack were taken in Lake Chautauqua only of peiTnanent vegetation in Lake Chau- during years of sustained high water tauqua evidently provided a more fa- levels, such as occurred in 1950 and vorable habitat for shortnose gar than 1951. We are of the opinion that the for spotted and longnose gars. specimens taken in Lake Chautauqua Shortnose Gar, Lepisostetis plato- had moved up the Ilfinois River during stomiis Rafincsque: Fairly abundant.— high river stages. At a high river stage, The heaviest shortnose gar measured tlie wickets of tlie La Grange naviga- 2S.3 inches long and weighed 3.29 tion dam near Beardstown are lowered, pounds. The average weight of sliort- thereby allowing fish to pass through nose gars in the test-net collections was without obstruction from the Missis- 1.57 pounds. 20 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

LoNGNOSE Gar, Lepisosfeiis osseiis direct value to the sport or commercial

(Linnaeus): Occasional.—This species fisiieries of the lake; however, it was was much less abundant in Lake Chau- thought to be of great importance as tauqua than the shortnose gar. The a forage fish for the crappies, large- largest longnose gar measured 47.1 mouth bass, white bass, garfishes, chan- inches total length and weighed 12 nel catfish, freshwater drum, and pos- pounds. sibly the yellow bass and the bowfin. The largest shad collected was 16.5 Family Amiidae inches long and weighed 1.57 pounds. The only Lake Chautauqua representative of the bowfin family is of Family Hiodontidaa minor importance as a commercial A few adults of the mooneye family species in Illinois. It is sometimes sold were taken at Lake Chautauqua. In all as "catfish" to unsuspecting customers. probability, these fish had entered the Most people do not care for the bowfin lake from the river during periods of as food because of its "mushy" flesh. high water. Anglers occasionally hooked Bowfin, Amia calva Linnaeus: Com- a goldeye or a mooneye. These fish were mon.—At the time of our study, the too scarce in the lake to have been of bowfin was not abundant enough in any importance to the fishery. Lake Chautauqua to have much effect Goldeye, Hiodon alosoides (Rafin- on the fishery as a predator. Anglers esque): Occasional.—The goldeye ap- occasionally caught bowfins while fish- peared to be less abundant in the lake ing with minnows for bass or crappies. than the mooneye. The largest goldeye The commercial catch of bowfins at taken was 12.0 inches long and weighed Lake Chautauqua in 1950-1959 amount- 0.61 pound. ed to 3,271 pounds. The largest bowfin Mooneye, Hiodon tergisiis Lesueur: caught in a 1-inch-mesh wing net meas- Occasional.—The largest mooneye taken ured 27.1 inches long and weighed 7.45 in the test-net collections was 10.6 pounds. No young bowfin was collected inches long and weighed 0.39 pound. during the study, but we believe that the species probably spawned in the Family Esocidae lake. The grass pickerel and the northern pike were the only members of the pike Family Clupeidae family taken in Lake Chautauqua. The skipjack herring and the gizzard Grass Pickerel, Esox americanus shad were the only members of the vcnnicidattis Lesueur: Rare to occa- herring family taken at Lake Chautau- sional.—A single specimen of this spe- qua. cies was taken at Lake Chautauqua in Skipjack Herring, Alosa chnjsoch- 1950. None was collected after 1950 loiis ( Rafinesque ) : Rare.—On October until 1959. In 1959, six adult specimens 2, 1951, two adult specimens of this were caught in nets, and one was caught species were collected while we were by an angler. During high water, the test-netting at Lake Chautauqua ( 17.6 grass pickerel probably moves into the inches, 1.89 pounds; and 15.6 inches, lake from adjoining Quiver Creek, 1.30 pounds). The specimens probably where the species is quite common. entered the lake from the Illinois River The largest grass pickerel taken in Lake during a period of high water. Chautauqua was 13.3 inches long. Gizzard Shad, Dorosoma cepe- Northern Pike, Esox lucius Lin- dianum (Lesueur): Very abundant.— naeus: Rare.—We have the record of a This species was one of the most abun- single specimen from Lake Chautau- dant fishes in Lake Chautauqua during qua. On April 3, 1961, a female pike, the period of our study. It was of no 24.1 inches in total length and 4.02 March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 21 pounds in weiglit, was taken in a com- weighed 0.78 pound. Goldfish were mercial wing net set in the lake by Sam very abundant in the polluted waters

Kelly. The northern pike is now rather of the Des Pla nes River, part of the rare in the Havana area, and the speci- Illinois River system, and in the upper men taken had probably entered the part of the Illinois River above the lake during high water. We have only Starved Rock navigation dam. We have one recent record of a pike that was caught as many as 103 adult goldfish caught in waters near Lake Chautau- per net-day in our sets made in the qua. On February 26, 1958, Edward W. Des Plaines River. Most of the speci- Kelly brought us a northern pike (23.2 mens collected by us in the Illinois inches in total length and 2.61 pounds River and the Des Plaines River were in weight), which he had just captured brownish or bronze in color. Goldfish in a commercial wing net set in Quiver were taken only occasionally in the Lake. Quiver Lake lies adjacent to Lake Illinois River below Pekin. One gold- Chautauqua, and the two lakes connect fish-carp hybrid was caught at Lake with one another during high water. Chautauqua in a commercial seine haul in 1956. The fish weighed 5.44 pounds Family Cyprinidae and was 20.4 inches in length. Both the This large family, the minnows and goldfish and the goldfish-carp hybrid carps, was represented by 15 species probably came into the lake from the in Lake Chautauqua. Carp, emerald river. shiner, and spottail shiner were the Creek Chub, Semofilus atroviacula-

only species of this family that we tiis ( Mitchill ) : Rare.—Two immature found occurring abundantly in the lake. creek chubs were collected from Lake Carp, Cijprinus carpio Linnaeus: Chautauqua in 1958. These fish prob- Very abundant.—This was one of the ably came into the lake from the ri\'er most abundant fishes occurring in Lake during a period of high water. Chautauqua in the years of our study. Golden Shiner, Notemigonus cryso-

Few carp were caught by anglers, but leiicas ( Vlitchill ) : Common.—This spe- the species was of some importance to cies varied in abundance from year to commercial fishermen. In the period year during our 10-year investigation. 1950-1959, commercial fishermen re- Most of the specimens taken at the lake mo\'ed from the lake 522,704 pounds of were less than 3 inches in length. One carp valued at $22,540. The average specimen 7.5 inches long was taken in weight of carp taken in the commercial a 1-inch-mesh wing net. The golden seine hauls at Lake Chautauqua was shiner was not sufficiently abundant 4.S2 pounds. The largest carp handled in Lake Chautauqua to be of much

was .36.4 inches long and it weighed 28 importance as a forage fish. The oc- pounds. Only one carp observed from currence of the golden shiner in min- the lake exhibited the knothead condi- now seine collections was 2.3 fish per tion usually associated with polluted haul. This species spawned in the lake. water (Thompson 1928:317). This in- SucKERMOUTH MiNNOw, Plwiiacobius dividual probably originated from up- Diiiabilis (Girard): Rare. — Only four stream in the Illinois River, where pol- specimens of this minnow were col- lution was more severe than in the lected from Lake Chautauqua. These Havana area and where the knothead fish had probably moxed into the lake condition of carp was quite common. from the river during high water levels. Goldfish, Carassius aurattis (Lin- Emerald Shiner, Notropis atheri-

naeus ) : Rare.—An orange-colored gold- noidcs Rafinesque: Scarce to abundant. fish was taken in a commercial seine —This species and the spottail sliiner haul at Lake Chautauqua in 1957. The were the only abundant minnows other specimen was 10.0 inches long and than carp collected from Lake Chan- A

22 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

tauqua. No specimen of the emerald now seine hauls. We have taken the shiner was collected in the lake in 1954 sihery minnow quite regularly in our and 1956; in 1957, this species was very Illinois Ri\er collections in the vicinity abundant and averaged 49.2 fish per of Havana. The specimens collected at minnow seine haul. The emerald shiner Lake Chautauqua probably came into averaged 14.4 fish per haul in the min- the lake from the river. Occurrence of now seine collections of 1950-1959. the silvery minnow in the minnow seine This shiner spawned in Lake Chautau- collections at Lake Chautauqua in qua. 1950-1959 averaged 0.1 fish per haul. Spottail Shiner, Notroi)is liudsoniiis Bullhead Minnow, Pimcphales vigi-

(Clinton): Scarce to abundant.— In the lax ( Baird & Girard ) : Occasional.— minnow seine collections of 1950-1959, few specimens of the bullhead minnow this species averaged 15.7 fish per haul. were collected from the lake in most Our data for the 10-year study showed years of our 10-year study. The occur- the spottail shiner slightly more abun- rence of this species in the minnow dant in the lake than the emerald seine collections averaged 0.1 per haul. shiner. The spottail shiner spawned in Bluntnose Minnow, Pimephales no-

Lake Chautauqua. The emerald shiner tatus ( Rafinesquc ) : Rare to occasional. and the spottail shiner were both con- —The bluntnose minnow was collected sidered important forage fishes. at the lake in three different years. Al- Bigmouth Shiner, Notropis doisalis together, 36 fish of this species were

( Agassiz ) ; Rare to occasional. — This taken, none of them adults. The occur- typical stream fish was taken in 10 dif- rence of the bluntnose minnow in the ferent minnow seine hauls at the lake. minnow seine collections averaged 0.2 The specimens collected probably en- fish per haul. tered the lake during high water. The Fathead Minnow, Pimephales pro- average occurrence of this species in melas Rafinesque: Rare. — Only eight all the minnow seine collections was specimens of this species were collected 0.2 fish per haul. from Lake Chautauqua for our study.

Red Shiner, Notropis lutrensis ( Baird Stoneroller, Campostoma anoma-

& Girard ) : Rare to occasional.—The oc- him ( Rafinesque ) : Rare.—During our currence of this species in the minnow investigation, only seven specimens of seine collections at Lake Chautauqua this species were collected from Lake was 0.1 fish per haul. The red shiners Chautauqua. This typical stream species collected probably entered the lake probably entered the lake during high during high water levels. water. Its occurrence in the 196 min- Sand Shiner, Notropis stramineus now seine collections, 1950-1959, aver- (Cope): Rare to occasional.—Prior to aged less than 0.1 fish per haul. 1958, only one specimen of the species had been reported taken in Lake Chau- Family Catostomidae tauqua. In 1959, 94 sand shiners were Members of the sucker family, other taken with the minnow seine over sand than the bigmouth bufFalo, were not bottom. This species may have had abundant in Lake Chautauqua in the some success in spawning and estab- period 1950-1959. Nine species of this lishing itself in the lake. Its occurrence family were collected. in the minnow seine collections was 0.6 Bigmouth Buffalo, Ictiobus ctjpri- fish per haul. nellus (Valenciennes): Very abundant. Silvery Minnow, Hybognathiis nu- —In terms of standing crop (pounds of chalis Agassiz: Rare to occasional.— fish per acre ) , the bigmouth buflFalo was This species was taken at Lake Chau- the most abundant fish in Lake Chau- tauqua only in 1959. However, in that tauqua. Evidently the shallow and often year, it was caught in six different min- turbid water of the lake furnished a March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 23

good habitat for the bigniouth buffalo. ley & Allum (1962:81) stated that they This species probably spawned each regarded forbesi not as a separate spe- year; however, only in 1953 during our cies but as a modification of cyprinus. 10-year study was a large brood pro- We are in agreement with this conclu- duced. During the study, only a few sion and therefore name all of our speci- buffalo were caught by anglers. mens of the forbesi-cyprinus pair as cy- The bigniouth buffalo was the most prinus. The largest quillback identified important commercial fish in the lake. by us was 17.5 inches long and weighed In the period 1950-1959, commercial 2.62 pounds. fishermen caught 1,467,389 pounds of River Carpsucker, Carpiodes carpio buffalo, of which nearly all were the (Rafinesque): Common. —The adult bigmouth. The value of the catch to the and subadult river carpsuckers were fishermen during that period was $156,- easily distinguished in the field from 045. The average weight of the big- other species of Carpiodes occurring in mouth buffalo in commercial seine hauls Lake Chautauqua. The river carpsucker was 6.21 pounds ( 1951-1958 ) ; the larg- occurred more abundantly in Lake est bigmouth buffalo measured 32.5 Chautauqua than did the other species inches long and weighed 26.5 pounds. of carpsucker. Carpsuckers were not Smallmouth Buffalo, Ictiobiis bii- taken by anglers. A few pounds of carp- balus (Rafinesque): Occasional.—The suckers, largely of this species, were smallmouth buffalo probably moves caught each year commercially and into Lake Chautauqua from the Illinois sold as silver carp or carp. The largest River, where it is sometimes taken by river carpsucker handled was 19.3 commercial fishermen. The largest spec- inches long and weighed 4.4 pounds. imen handled weighed 18.5 pounds. Northern Redhorse, Moxostoina Black Buffalo, Ictiobiis niger (Raf- macrolepidotuin (Lesueur): Rare to inesque ) : Occasional.—This species, occasional.— In the years 1950-1953, 13 like the smallmouth buffalo, was not adult specimens of the northern red- abundant enough in Lake Chautauqua horse were taken in the test-net collec- to be of any commercial importance. tions at Lake Chautauqua; no adult was Most of the black buffalo were readily taken after 1953. A few young-of-the- distinguishable from the smallmouth year fish identified as Moxostoina sp. buffalo; a few fish appeared to be inter- were caught with a minnow seine in grades between the black buffalo and later years; these may have included the smallmouth buffalo. The largest young northern redhorses. The northern black buffalo handled was 28.9 inches redhorses taken in the test-net collec- long and weighed 16 pounds. tions ranged in length from 10.9 to 17.2 Quillback, Carpiodes cypiinus (Le- inches. The heaviest weighed 2.55 sueur): Occasional to common. — We pounds. experienced difficulty in accurately sep- White Sucker, Catosioiniis coinmcr- arating Carpiodes cypiinus from forbesi soni ( Lacepede) : Rare.—A single speci- collected from the Illinois River and men of the white sucker was collected Lake Chautauqua. A series of adult at Lake Chautauqua in 1951. The fish specimens from the river and Lake was 12.9 inches long and weighed 0.92 Chautauqua was submitted to Dr. Mil- pound. In 2 months of continuous wing- ton B. Trautman of the Ohio State Mu- net fishing at Lake Chautauqua in 1940, seum. Dr. Trautman informed us (per- Donald F. Hansen of tiie Illinois Nat- sonal communication, June 23, 1960) ural History Survey (personal commu- that: "At present, I believe that this is a nication, January 13, 1963) caught 16 hybrid population. You have typical joi- white suckers. Evidently the species besi, typical cypiinus, and a nice series was more abundant in 1940 tiian in the of intergrades in between." Later, Bai- period of our study. 24 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin \'ol. 29, Art. 1

Spotted Sucker, Mimjtrcma mcla- us at a commercial fish market in Ha- sizes of fish taken nops ( Rafinesque ) : Rare.—One speci- vana were about the men of this species was taken in a 1- at Lake Chautauqua. Local commercial inch-mesh wing net at Lake Chautau- fishermen informed us that they have qua in 1952. It was 8.1 inches long and never caught large blue catfish in the weighed 0.28 pound. Havana area. Evidently only the blue Western Lake Chubsucker, Erimij- catfish of small sizes move vip the Illi- zon sucetta kennerhji (Girard): Rare.— nois River from the Mississippi River Five adult chubsuckers were taken at dining high water. Forbes & Richard- Lake Chautauqua in 1958 and 1959. In son (1920:179) in about 1908 consid- 1958, James La Buy of the Illinois De- ered the blue catfish to be rare in the partment of Conservation (personal Illinois River. communication in September, 1958) Channel Catfish, Ictalurus piincta- found a rather large population of this ttis (Rafinesque): Abundant.—During species in Rice Lake, an Illinois River the period of our study, this species bottomland lake 6 river miles upstream was important both as a sport and a from Lake Chautauqua. Permanent commercial fish at Lake Chautauqua types of submergent vegetation flour- (Starrett 1958:43, 46). Seines and trot- ished in Rice Lake at the time La Buy lines were the two most effective de- made his investigation. Donald F. Han- vices used for taking catfish. Channel sen of the Illinois Natural History Sur- catfish were a premium fish for the vey (personal communication of Janu- commercial fishermen since the whole-

ary 13, 196.3 ) considered chubsuckers sale undressed price during the 1950's scarce in the lake in 1940. In 2 months remained consistently at about $0.25 of netting, he caught only three chub- per pound. The other abundant com- suckers. mercial fishes fluctuated in price and were usually sold for less than $0.10 Family Ictaluridae per pound. The reported legal com- Seven species of catfishes were re- mercial catch of catfish for the lake corded from Lake Chautauqua during (1950-1959) was 87,863 pounds valued our investigation. The channel catfish in the rough at $21,146. The average was the only one of these species that weight of catfish in the commercial occurred quite abundantly. The lack of seine hauls ranged from 1.8 pounds in permanent stands of submergent vege- 1958 to 3.4 pounds in 1952. The largest tation and the abundance of predatory channel catfish examined in the investi- fishes in the lake probably had an ad- gation was 32.5 inches long and it verse efiFect upon the bullheads. The weighed 16.75 pounds. blue catfish and the flathead catfish Yellow Bullhead, Ictalurus nafalis

were the only species of catfish taken ( Lesueur ) : Occasional.—Only very few that did not spawn in the lake. specimens of this species were taken

Blue Catfish, IctaJiinis furcatus ( Le- at Lake Chautauqua after 1953. Of the

sueur ) : Rare.—Only two specimens of two largest yellow bullheads measured,

this species were taken at Lake Chau- one was 15.6 inches long ( 1.82 pounds)

tauqua during our investigation ( 17.6 and the other was 15.0 inches long inches, 2.00 pounds; 19.4 inches, 2.92 (2.10 pounds).

pounds ) . Both fish were aged as 4-year- Brown Bullhead, Ictalurus nebulo-

olds. These specimens were taken in sus ( Lesueur ) : Common.—Most of the commercial seines in 1958. Blue catfish bullheads caught in the commercial are occasionally taken in the Illinois seine hauls at Lake Chautauqua were River at Havana by commercial fisher- brown bullheads. The majority of these men during periods of high water. fish weighed over 1 pound apiece. The Specimens of blue catfish examined by largest brown bullhead handled was March, 1965 Stabbett & Fritz; Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 25

15.6 inches long and weighed 1.80 caught; their sizes ranged from 27.5 pounds. The brown bullhead was not inches long (1.82 pounds) to 39.0 nearly so abundant as the channel cat- inches long (4.75 pounds). The mesh fish but was more abundant than the of the nets usually used by commercial black bullhead. fishermen is too large to retain eels. Black Bullhead, Ictalunts luclas (Rafinesque): Common.—This species Family Cyprinodontidae was the most common bullhead taken This family has several representa- by anglers at Lake Chautauqua. Com- tives in Illinois waters. However, only mercial fishermen legally removed 1,- one species was taken in our collec- 452 pounds of bullheads, all species tions at Lake Chautauqua. combined, from the lake in 1950-1959. Blackstripe Topminnow, Funduhis Most of these fish were black bullheads notafiis (Rafinesque): Rare.—One adult and brown bullheads. The heaviest specimen of this species was collected black bullhead handled was 14.4 inches from Lake Chautauqua with a minnow long and it weighed 1.80 pounds. seine in 1958. Flathead Catfish, Ptjlodictis olivaiis (Rafinesque): Rare.—Two flathe:id cat- Family Poeciliidae fish weighing approximately 2 pounds Forbes & Richardson (1920:216) re- apiece were taken by fishermen at Lake ported taking Gambiisia affinis (Baird Chautauqua; they were identified by & Girard) as far north as Pekin (prob- the senior author. Also, commercial ably 1903 or before); they reported the fishermen reported catching a few species as common in extreme southern pounds of flathead catfish in their wing Illinois. Krumholz (1948:5) mentioned nets. The flathead catfish occurs in the a report that "Gambusia," or the mos-

Illinois River and its large tributary quitofish, was taken in 1941 from the streams and evidently strays only oc- Illinois River at seven places betsveen casionally into Lake Chautauqua when Pekin and the mouth of the river. In there is high water. 1957, 10 mosquitofish were collected by Tadpole Madtom, Noturus gijrinus us in a series of four minnow seine

{ Mitchill) : Occasional.—This small cat- hauls at Lake iVIatanzas near Havana. fish was of no direct value to the fishery These were the only mosquitofish we at Lake Chautauqua. In one area of took in the Havana area in the 1950- less than one-quarter acre to which 1959 period. The mosquitofish was not rotenone was applied, 19 madtoms were collected from Lake Chautauqua; how- collected. The largest specimen taken ever, the presence of the species in from the lake was 3.1 inches long. nearby waters indicated that it might sometimes occur in Lake Chautauqua. Family Anguillidae

The American eel is the only mem- Family Percopsidae ber of its family occurring in Illinois In some parts of the United States, waters. Very few eels are taken com- the trout-perch is usually considered as mercially in the state, and there is very a fish found in deep waters where there

little demand for them as food in Illi- is a sand or gravel bottom (Trautman nois. 1957:465). In Illinois, however, this

American Eel, Anguilla rostrata ( Lc- species is frequently taken in shallow- sueur) : Rare to occasional.—During the waters over a soft mud bottom. 5-year complete creel census program Trout-Perch, Pcrcopsis omificovuiii- at Lake Chautauqua (1950-1954), an- ciis ( \Valbaum ) : Rare.-The trout- glers caiiglit 21 eels. In 1954, trotline perch was taken with a minnow seine fisiiemien captured 8 eels. During the on three different occasions in Lake fall test-netting program, 8 eels were Chantaiifiiia. This species has occurred 26 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

regularly in our minnow seine and elec- caught by anglers was 0.46 pound. The trofishing collections from the Illinois largest yellow bass observed from Lake River. Seventeen trout-perch were Chautauqua was caught by an angler in taken by us in one minnow seine haul 1950; this fish was 12.2 inches long and

at nearby Quiver Lake in 1959. it weighed 1.07 pounds.

Family Aphredodcridae Family Centrarchidoe

In central Illinois, the pirate perch is Eight species of the sunfish family usually found only in small sluggish were collected in Lake Chautauqua streams over mud bottom. during our investigation. Crappies and Pirate Perch, Aphredodenis saijaniis bluegills were the only members of the

(Gilliams) : Rare.—A single adult pirate family that occurred abundantly in the percli was taken in an area treated with lake. All eight species spawned in the rotenone at Lake Chautauqua in 1959. lake with varying degrees of success. Smallmouth Bass, Microptenis dolo- Family Serranidae miciii Lacepede: Possible occurrence.—

This large family of sea basses is rep- Although Hansen (1942:198) reported resented in Illinois waters by the white the catch of a single smallmouth bass bass and the yellow bass. Both of these by an angler at Lake Chautauqua, he species are considered important sport told us (personal communication, No- fishes in the rivers of the state. vember 20, 1961) that he did not see White Bass, Roccus chrysops (Raf- this fish and suggested that we not ac- inesque): Common.—The size of the cept his report as a positive record of white bass population at Lake Chautau- occurrence of the smallmouth in Lake qua varied considerably from year to Chautauqua. We had a report from a year during our investigation, and, as a boat liveryman that in 1950 a small- result, the species was of only sporadic mouth bass had been taken in Lake importance to anglers. In the 5 years Chautauqua and brought to his boat- of the complete creel census at Lake yard. Since we did not observe the Chautauqua, the anglers" catch of white smallmoutli bass in any of our collec- bass was as follows: 14 fish in 1950, 805 tions from Lake Chautauqua, we prefer in 1951, 909 in 1952, 69 in 1953, and to list the species as of only possible oc-

319 in 1954 (Starrett 1958:43). Most currence in the lake. The species is of the white bass taken by anglers known to occur in some of the Illinois were 1- or 2-year-old fish. The largest River tributary systems within the gen- white bass measured at Lake Chautau- eral area of Lake Chautauqua. How- qua during this study was 16.3 inches ever, to date, we have not taken the long; it weighed 2.46 pounds. smallmouth bass in any of our collec- Yellow Bass, Roccus mississippiensis tions from the Illinois River between (Jordan & Eigenmann): Common to Browning and Pekin. It is quite possible very abundant.—Fishing success for yel- that a smallmouth bass could move low bass at Lake Chautauqua varied from a tributary stream into the Illinois from year to year and depended upon River and thence into Lake Chautau- the size of the population and the water qua during a period of high water. levels. Anglers usually had their best Largemouth Bass, Microptenis sal- I success in the spring months when the moides (Lacepede): Common.—In the water was high. The best yellow bass years of our study, very few anglers fishing occurred in 1959, when the an- came to Lake Chautauqua to fish spe- glers' catch was estimated to be 13,000 cifically for largemouth bass. Most of fish. The yellow bass taken by anglers the bass that were caught were taken in most years were of satisfactory size; by anglers fishing for bluegills and the average weight of yellow bass crappies (Starrett 1955:6). The annual )

March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 27 catcli of largemouth bass taken by an- weighing 0.10 pound was kept by an glers in the period 1950-1934 ranged angler. Nearly all of the specimens col- from 564 to 1,347 fish. Anglers took very lected were taken with the minnow few bass over 15.0 inches in length. Bass seine. larger than 15.0 inches were scarce in White Crappie, Pomoxis annularis our collections made with the various Rafinesque: Very abundant.—The white fishing devices employed in tliis study, crappie was one of the most abundant including commercial seines. The larg- fis!ies occurring in Lake Chautauqua. est bass handled from the lake was 20.2 This species spawned in the lake each inches long; it weighed 4.45 pounds. year of our study except possibly 1953; Warmouth, Chacnobiyttiis gulosiis however, the strength of year-classes

( Cuvier ) : Common. — The warmouth was quite variable. The white crappie never occurred abundantly in the lake formed an important part of the an- during the 1950-1959 period. This spe- glers' catch, particularly in the years cies was of only minor importance as a 1950-1956. In most years, it occurred in sport fish. The largest warmouth meas- the lake much more abundantly than ured was 8.3 inches long; it weighed the black crappie. The average weight 0.57 pound. of white crappies taken by anglers was Green Sunfish, Lepomis cijanel- 0.41 pound. Very few white crappies his Rafinesque: Common.—This species were observed that weighed over a was taken less frequenth' by anglers pound. The largest white crappie ob- than the warmouth. The largest green served was 14.1 inches in length and sunfish handled was 7.0 inches long; it 1.53 pounds in weight. weighed 0.30 pound. Black Crappie, Pomoxis nigiomacii- PuMPKiNSEED, Lepomis gibbosiis latiis (Lesueur): Very abundant.—The

( Linnaeus ) : Occasional.—This species black crappie was usually less abundant was too scarce in Lake Chautauqua to at Lake Chautauqua than the white be of any importance to the sport fish- crappie. The average weight of the ery. The largest pumpkinseed meas- black crappie in the anglers' catches ured was 8.1 inches long; it weighed was 0.39 pound. The largest black crap- 0.56 poimd. pie measured was 12.6 inches long; it Bluegill, Lepomis macrochinis Raf- weighed 1.3S pounds. inesque: Very abundant.—The bluegill was one of the most important sport Family Percidae fishes occurring in Lake Chautauqua Six species of fish of the perch family during our investigation. Bluegill fish- were taken at Lake Cliautauqua in the ing was particularly good at the lake in period of our study. Only the yellow the years 1954-19.58. In all years, the perch and the logperch were common best bluegill fishing occurred in the in our collections. months of May and June. In most years, Saucer, Sfizostedion canadcnse anglers were pleased with the sizes of (Smith): Rare.—Only three saugers the bluegills they were able to catch were collected at Lake Chautauqua in (0.34 pound average). The largest the period of our study; they were taken bluegill observed during our study was in our 1-inch-mesh wing nets. One spec-

9.2 inches in length and 0.77 pound in imen ( 13.7 inches long, 0.78 pound weight. was caught in October, 1952, and two

Oranges POTTED Sunfish, Lepomis more were taken in April, 1961 ( 13.7 hiimilis (Girard): Common.—Orange- inches long, 0.91 pound; 13.9 inches spotted sunfish in Lake Chautauqua long, 0.90 pound). The last two speci- seldom attained a size large enough to mens were nearly ripe females. The attract the interest of anglers. An or- saugers collected at Lake Chautauqua angespotted sunfish 4.8 inches long and evidently came into the lake from the 28 Illinois Natural History Survky Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

Illinois River during high water. Sau- Bluxtnose Darter, Etheosfoma gers are now caught occasionally in the chlorosomum (Hay): Rare to occa- river by commercial fishermen. We sional—Nineteen specimens of this spe- have not collected any young-of-the- cies were collected from Lake Chautau- year saugers from the lake or from the qua through our use of rotenone and river in the Havana area. minnow seines. This darter possibly Yellow Perch, Perca flavescens spawned in Lake Chautauqua, as evi-

( Mitchill ) : Common.— Earlier in this denced by several small specimens paper, we mentioned that the yellow taken in our collections. perch was formerly abundant in Lake Mud Darter, Etheostoma asprigene

Chautauqua. In the period 1950-1959, ( Forbes ) : Rare.—Forbes & Richardson perch spawned in the lake in most years (1920:307-309) reported that the mud but failed during this period to produce darter, known to them as Etheostoma a single large year-class. We attributed jcssiae, was very common in the Illinois this poor spawning success to the lack River at Havana (probably 1903 or be- of submergent vegetation during the fore). This species has occurred only spawning season. Prior to 1943, submer- occasionally in our collections from the gent vegetation flourished in the lake, Illinois River at Havana. Three speci- and the yellow perch was abundant and mens of the mud darter were collected formed an important part of the anglers' at Lake Chautauqua; these were taken catch (Hansen 1942:198). Fishing was in areas treated with rotenone. very poor for perch in the 1950-1959 period. The anglers' annual catches of Family Sciaenidae the yellow perch in the years 1950-1954 The freshwater drum is the only rep- ranged from 194 to 806 fish. The perch resentative in Illinois of a large family caught by anglers were usually of a of marine fishes. This drum, known in size satisfactory to them. The largest Illinois as the white perch and the yellow perch we observed was 11.5 sheepshead, is of importance as both a inches long; it weighed 0.70 pound. commercial and sport fish in the Illinois River Darter, Percina shiimardi River and the Mississippi River. (Girard): Rare.—A single specimen of Freshwater Drum, Aplodinottis this species was taken in a minnow grunniens Rafinesque: Very abundant. seine haul at the lake in 1959. Our —The freshwater drum was one of the identification of this specimen was con- most abundant fishes in Lake Chautau- firmed by Dr. Milton B. Trautman of qua during our study. In most years of Ohio State University (personal com- our study, this species spawned quite munication, January 22, 1960). successfully in the lake. The drum Logperch, Percina caprodes (Rafin- formed an important part of the creel in esque): Common.—This was the only years of high water levels. Starrett & species of darter taken regularly in our McNeil (1952:22-23) reported that the collections at Lake Chautauqua. Young- best fishing conditions for the drum in of-the-year logperch were taken in se\'- 1950 and 1951 were in periods of high eral different years. Seven specimens of or rising water. In 1950, an exception- this species were submitted to Dr. ally good year for drum fishing because Reeve M Bailey of the University of of the high water levels, anglers caught Michigan for examination. He informed 9,459 drum. The drum comprised 15.2 us (personal communication, March 4, per cent by weight of the legal reported 1960) that the specimens from Lake commercial catch at Lake Chautauqua Chautauqua appeared to be of a sub- in the years 1950-1959. In this period, species intermediate between P. cap- commercial fishermen remo\'ed from rodes carbonaiia and P. caprodes semi- the lake 312,946 pounds of drum valued fasciata. at $19,807. The largest drum caught March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 29 during the investigation was 28.2 inches of the fish. For example, a fish collected long; it weiglied 11.64 pounds. The av- in September with scales or spine show- erage weight of indi\'iduals in the com- ing two annuli plus a summers growth mercial seine hauls ranged from 0.94 was called a 3-year-old fish and was pound in 1956 and 1958 to 1.46 pounds placed in age group III of Fig. 7-16. in 1954. Bluegill Growth Rates.—Age and length data for the Lake Chautauqua Family Atherinidae bluegills we studied in 1950-1959 are Only one member of this family oc- summarized in Tables 6-9. curs in Illinois waters. The size distribution of young blue- Brook Silverside, Lahidesthes siccit- gills taken in the 1959 minnow seine

( ) hts ( Cope ) : Scarce to abundant.—The and rotenone collections Table 6 was numbers of this species caught in the rather typical of the distribution found minnow seine collections varied consid- in the collections made in previous erably from year to year (0.0 to 20.9 years. The data indicated evidence of fish per haul). The species was most at least two major spawning periods in abundant in 1950, 1957, and 1958. In 1959. By early fall, the majority of the those years, it was probably of some young bluegills in the minnow seine importance as a forage fish because of collection were 1.0-2.0 inches in length. the size and abundance of individuals. The calculated first-year growth of bluegills of four different year-classes GROWTH AND AGE OF FISHES averaged 1.8 inches in length (Table From the age and length data col- 7). The first year's growth of bluegills lected during our investigation of Lake at Lake Chautauqua was considered as

in Table 6. —Number of bluegills of less than 1 year old in each of several size groups the 1959 minnow seine and rotenone collections at Lake Chautauqua. 30 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Alt. 1

being only fair compared with growth first years grow tii of bluegills in that made by bluegills in Clear Lake, Iowa. lake to be 2.39 inches. The average Di Costanzo (1957:23) determined the first year's growth in 56 northern Indi-

Table 8. —Average observed lengths and weights of bluegills of various ages, excluding

I -year-old fish, at Lake Chautauqua. March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 31 in Lake Chautauqua, our study sho\\ ed. Throughout our entire study period, only four bluegills were foimd that had reached an age of 7 years (Table 8). Schloemer (1939:13, 60), who examined scales of 115 bluegills collected from Lake Chautauqua in 1936, did not find any of the fish to be over 5 years of age. He aged too few bluegills from Lake

Chautauqua over 2 years of age ( 12 fish) to give any real comparison with the age data in the present study. Average sizes attained by bluegills each year in the period 1949-1959 are presented in Table 9. Data in the table show that the 3-year-old fish tended to vary in size slightly more from year to year than did the 4- and 5-year-old fish. Because in most years too few 2- and 6-year-old fish were aged to furnish information of much value to this study, fish in these age-groups were not included in Table 9. Largemouth Bass Growth Rates.— The age determinations for the bass collected at Lake Chautauqua in 1950-

20.0 32 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

Table 1 1 . —Average observed lengths and weights and calculated lengths of warmouths of various ages at Lake Chautauqua, 1950—1959. March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 33 nell 1954:7; Hansen 1951:252; Lewis Stroud 1949:68; and Witt 1952:177). 1950«:310; Purkett 1958:19; Ricker & Fish oxer 5 years of age were not com- Lagler 1942:89; Schoffman 1960:5; mon in any of our white crappie collec-

Table 14.—Average observed lengths and weights of white crappies of various ages at Lal

140

13.0

12.0

1 1.0

I o 9.0

S 80 I I 7.0

^ 6 o 50

3.0

2.0 March, 1965 Stabrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 35

(1948:67) in Tennessee. The studies of Finnell 1954:23; Lewis 1950a:307; Pur- Huish (1958:302) in the Southeast in- kett 1958:18; SchoflFman 1940:28; and dicated that black ciappies with slow Stroud 1948:74 and 1949:67). The av- growth tended to hve longer than those erage lengths of black crappies of Lake with fast growth. The fast growth of the Chautauqua at various ages are pre- crappies in Oklahoma, Tennessee, and sented in Table 18. The average lengths Lake Chautauqua may have affected of 2- and 3-year-old black crappies were their life span. shghtly greater after 1952 than before. One-year-old black crappies captured The average lengths of the older fish by minnow seine and test nets at Lake varied from year to year, as shown in Chautauqua ranged from 3.0 to 4.0 Table 18. inches in length. The growth rate of Yellow Perch Growth Rates.—Few black crappies after their first year of of the Lake Chautauqua perch that we life in Lake Chautauqua compared fa- aged had lived more than 4 years (Ta- vorably with the growth rates of black ble 19). Parsons (1950:88) found that crappies in other states (Table 17; Fig. only a small percentage of the perch 10; Beckman 1949:76; Hall, Jenkins, & from Clear Lake, Iowa, were over 3

Table 17.—Average observed lengths and weights of black crappies of various ages at Lake Chautauqua, 1950-1959. 36 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

9. Table 1 —Average observed lengths and weights of yellow perch of various ages at Lake Chautauqua, 1950-1959. March, 1965 Stakrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 37

Table 21. —Average total lengths of channel catfish of various ages at Lake Chautau- qua, 1953-1958. 38 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

Table 22. —Average observed lengths and weights of freshwater drum of various ages at Lake Chautauqua, 1951-1958. March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 39

The growth rates of the 2- and 3-year- the growth rates of the older fish of old bigmouth buffalo at Lake Chau- this species were only fair compared tauqua were very good. However, with the growtii rates of comparable individuals in other waters (Tables 23 and 24; Fig. 13; Eddy & Carlander 1939:9 and 1942:21; Frey & Pedracine 19.38:516, species of buffalo not separated; Gowanlock 1951:12; Greer & Cross 1956:359; Jenkins 1953:61; Jen- kins, Leonard, & Hall 1952:77; and Schoffman 1943:39). Variations in the growth rates from year to year were very slight, as indicated by average lengths in Table 24. Carp Growth Rates.—The difficulties involved in aging carp from scales

have been discussed by Frey ( 1942: 217) and others. In the present study, we aged carp from cross sections of the dorsal spine. We do not place complete confidence in our age determinations, since the method we used apparently has not been vafidated with fish of known ages. A summary of the carp age determinations we made from dorsal spines is presented in Table 25. The growth rates of Lake Chautauqua carp should perhaps be regarded as intermediate compared with the growth rates of carp in some other waters (Table 25; Fig. 14; I niE SIZIMHIIKXSXEXEXCZXS English 1952:534; Jackson 1955:13; AGE GROUP Jenkins 19.53:73; McConnell 19.52:146; 3. Fig. 1 —Growth of bigmouth buffalo in Patriarche 1953:249; Purkett 1958:10; Lake Chautauqua and in certain other waters Schoffman and of the United States. The graph was based on 1942:71; Thompson references included in text and on Table 23. 1950:29). The average annual weight

Table 24.—Average total lengths of bigmouth buffalo of various ages at Lake Chautau- qua, 1951-1958. 40 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

increment of carp after the second year through the sixth year at Lake Chau- tauqua was about 1 pound. White Bass Growth Rates.—Age and growth data for the white bass at

Fig. 14.—Growth of carp in Lake Chau- tauqua and in certain other waters of the United States. The graph was based on references included in the text and on Table 25.

Table 25. —Average observed lengths and weights of carp of various ages at Lake Chau- tauqua, September of 1957 and 1958. March, 1965 Starbett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 41

Table 27.—Size distribution of young-of-the-year yellow bass in the 1958 nninnow seine haul collections at Lake Chautauqua.

Date of 42 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

April and May. The growth rates of the vestigation. However, the aging studies yellow bass at Lake Chautauqua were revealed that in some species the popu- excellent compared with growth rates lation was dominated for several years of the species reported elsewhere (Ta- by one or two year-classes. ble 28; Fig. 16; Carlander, Lewis, Ruhr, The present section is largely con- & Cleary 1953:97; Lewis & Carlander cerned with the age composition of the 1948:191; Ricker & Lagler 1942:94; catch of nine species of fishes and the Schoffman 1940:40 and 1958:102; and fluctuations that occurred from year to Stroud 1947:82). At Lake Chautauqua, year in their age composition. In some

the growth rates of yellow bass con- instances it was possible to trace a year- tinued to be good throughout life; how- class of a species in the commercial or ever, most of the yellow bass did not sport fishery back to its occurrence as live beyond 5 years and none lived young-of-the-year in the minnow seine more than 7 years. Anglers at Lake hauls. We made minnow seine hauls Chautauqua who fished for yellow bass each summer in the period 1950-1959 were dependent largely upon 2-, 3-, 4-, in an attempt to determine spawning and 5-year-old fish. Only slight varia- success of various species. A summary tions occurred from year to year in the of these seine hauls for seven import- growth patterns of the fish (Table 29). ant species is given in Table 30. In 1951 and 1954, only limited numbers of hauls Age Composition of Catch were made. The preceding section demonstrated Freshw.\ter Drum: Age Composi- that growth rates in most of the com- tion OF Catch.—Each year in the pe- mon and abundant fish species in Lake riod 1951-1958, the age composition of Chautauqua compared favorably with the commercial seine hauls of drum at growth rates of these species in other Lake Chautauqua was determined. The waters and that in a few species the data are presented graphically in Fig. growth rates were excellent. Lack of 17, which indicates that the bulk of the stunted fish or slow growth of the fishes catch was composed of 3-, 4-, and 5- studied indicated that the fish popula- year-old fish. We believe that the com- tions of Lake Chautauqua were not mercial seine haul collections were overcrowded during the years of our in- fairly accurate samples of the popula-

Table 30.—Number of young-of-the-year of certain fishes caught in minnow seine hauls during the summer months at Lake Chautauqua, 1950—1959. March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 43

tions of 4-year-old and older drum pres- 7 ent each year. The 1950 and 1954 year- classes formed important constituents of the commercial catch of drum ( 1950 year-class shown as 4-year-olds in 1953, 5-year-olds in 1954, and 6-year-olds in 1955; 1954 year-class shown as 3-year- olds in 1956, 4-year-olds in 1957, and 5-year-oIds in 1958). No large year-class appeared in the minnow seine collections (Table 30). Fish of the 1953 year- class were not taken as young in the minnow seine collections, and in the fall of 1956 this year-class as 4-year-old fish represented only a very small part of the drinn population, as shown in Fig. 17. In 1959, no young-of-the-year drum were taken in 59 minnow seine collections. The later effect on the commercial fishery resulting from the apparent spawning failure in 1959 was not determined. Very few drum over 6 years of age were taken from the lake in our study period ( Table 22 ) . Only seven drum in our collections were determined to be over 8 years of age. Even in 1951, at the beginning of our seining program, fish over 6 years of cge were scarce in the seine haul collections. Apparently very few drum in Lake Chautauqua lived more than 8 years. The oldest drum taken at this lake, as shown in Table 22, was 14 years of age. Van Oosten ( 1938: )

44 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

(1941:103) found only seven drum centage of the fish were over 8 years of more than 8 years old ( oldest 11 years age. The oldest drum in the Oklahoma at Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee. Houser study was 14 years of age.

( 1960b :4), working on drum in Okla- BiGMOUTH Buffalo: Age Composi- homa waters, found only a small per- tion OF Catch.—In our 10 years of min-

Bo- March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 45 now seining at Lake Chautauqua the fall of 1951, this large year-class (1950-1959), only one large year-class (stipple on graph) appeared in the of bigmouth buffalo appeared in the commercial seine hauls as 4-year-old hauls, that being in 1953 (Table 30). fish ( Fig. 18 ) . It remained readily dis- In the fall of 1955, the largest members tinguishable from other broods in the of the 1953 year-class appeared in the commercial seine hauls through 1956. commercial seine collections as 3-year- The annual additions of bigmouth old fish (Fig. 18). The 1953 year-class buffalo to the adult population were in- is designated on the bar graphs in sufficient to maintain a large-size popu- black. Fig. 18 shows that this year-class lation in the face of heavy fish removal. dominated the catch from 1955 through There appeared to be only a limited 1958. Earlier the buffalo fishery was amount of recruitment from the Illinois dominated by the 1948 year-class. In River.

1951 (380 FISH)

34.0 15,0-1 15.0 16,0 17.0 18.0 19.0 20.0 21.0 22.0 23.0 24D 25.0 26.0 27.0 28.0 29.0 30.0 31.0 32.0 33.0

10.0- 1952(181 FISH) 5.0-

15.0 160 17.0 18.0 19.0 20.0 21.0 22.0 23.0 24.0 25.0 26.0 27.0 28.0 29.0 30.0 31.0 32.0 33.0 34.0

1953 (229 FISH)

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 r- T I 15,0 16,0 17.0 18.0 190 20.0 210 22.0 230 24.0 25.0 26.0 270 28.0 290 30.0 31.0 32.0 34.0 36.5

1954 (181 FISH)

15.0 16.0 170 18.0 19.0 20.0 21.0 22.0 23.0 24.0 25.0 26.0 270 28.0 29.0 30.0 31.0 32,0 33.0 34.0

1956 (399 FISH)

15.0 16.0 170 18X) I90_20.0 21.0 22.0 23.0 24,0 26.0 26.0 270 28.0 29.0 30.0 31.0 320 33.0 34.5

1957 (485 FISH)

1 1 1 1 1 "" 1 1 1 1 1 1 ^I "^ I n 1 t ' 15.0 160 170 ISO 19.0 20.0 21.0 22.0 23.0 24.0 25.0 26.0 270 28.0 29,0 30.0 31.0 32 33.0 34.0

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1- -I r 150 160 170 18.0 19.0 20.0 21.0 22.0 23.0 24.0 250 26.0 270 28.0 29.0 30.0 310 320 33.5 36.0 TOTAL LENGTH IN INCHES

Fig. 19.—Length-frequency distribution of carp in the commercial seine hauls at Lake Chautauqua, September, 1951-1958. The graphs were based on measurements of 2,590 carp. 46 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

In the years of our investigation, only tauqua in 4 years from one containing a two dominant year-classes of bigmouth high percentage of old, large fish to one buffalo appeared in the adult fishery, of predominantly young, small fish those of 1948 and 1953. At Spirit Lake, (Fig. IS). The dominant 1953 brood

Iowa, O. J. Koch noted that young buf- appears in Fig. 18 to have been much falo appeared in large numbers only stronger in 1956 than the 1948 brood about every 5 years (Sigler 1949a: 210). was in 1951. Actually these broods as The presence of a large adult popula- 4-year-old fish were of about equal tion of fish 6 years and older at Lake strength; the comparatively smaller Chautauqua in 1951 and 1952 indicated number of old fish in 1956 than in 1951 that, with commercial fishing of light was responsible for the apparent differ- intensity (individual wing-net fishing), ence indicated by Fig. 18. broods of small to moderate size, cou- Carp: Age Composition of Catch.— pled with an occasional large brood, Age readings indicated that most of the were sufficient to maintain a popula- carp taken commercially in the seine tion of bigmouth buffalo of desirable hauls at Lake Chautauqua in 1957 and sizes. 1958 were 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old fish. The increased removal of bigmouth The carp taken commercially in the buffalo after 1951 (Table 5) changed early years of our study were of larger the bufiFalo population of Lake Chau- sizes than those taken in 1957 and 1958

1951 1173 FISH) 1955 (474 FISH)

I ' I \ M <0

10.0-

16 ZO 22 24 26 28 30 32 TOTAL LENGTH IN INCHES

Fig. 20.—Length-frequency distribution of e.o channel catfish in the commercial seine hauls """I at Lake Chautauqua, I 951-1 958. The graphs reveal the changes that occurred in the sizes ^ of catfish as a result of increased fishing pressure on the species. oo. March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 47

( Fig. 19 ) and were probably older tions. The small numbers taken gave fish. A great abundance of young carp no clue to the strength of any of the in the minnow seine hauls of 1953 in- year-classes. dicated a tremendous spawn in that We did not begin to age channel cat- year (Table 30). The 1953 year-class fish in the commercial seine haul collec- of carp began to be taken as usable- tions until 1953. The catfish in the size fish (approximately 15 inches and wu longer) in the commercial seine hauls in September of 1955. The identity of this large year-class was based on (i) the length-frequency graph (Fig. 19), which showed a high peak for the year 1955 at 16.5 inches, and (ii) the aging study (Table 25), which showed that 3-year-old carp averaged 16.1 inches in length. The 1953 brood also formed an important part of the 1956 catch but was of lesser importance in the 1957 catch. The population statistics discussed in the next section revealed that the 1953 year-class did not materialize into as large a brood of fish as was expected earlier. During the years 1955 and 1956, the population of usable-size carp was at its lowest point (Table 33 and Fig. 19). Much of the 1953 year- class was lost either through escapement into the Illinois River during periods of high water or through natural mortality. We believe the former was the more important cause of loss. In 1957, both usable-size and subusable-size carp were abundant in the seine hauls. We believe that many carp of both of these groups were recruited from the river after September of 1956. This belief was at least partly confirmed by the presence of only small numbers of usable-size and subusable-size carp in tlie lake in September of 1956 ( Table 33 and Fig. 19) and the small number of young carp in our minnow seine hauls after 1953 (Table 30). Carp of both sizes were quite common in the 195S commercial seine hauls (Table 33 and Fig. 19).

Channel Catfish : Ace Composition OF Catch.—During our study, a few young-of-the-year channel catfish were taken at Lake Chautauqua each year (other than 1954 and 1955) either in the minnow seine or rotenone collec- 48 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

1956. The change in the fishery from more than 7 years in Oklahoma. Our one predomhiantly of 5-year-okl and findings at Lake Chautauqua tend to older fish before 1955 to one of younger corroborate the Oklahoma studies on fish after 1954 was believed by us to the longevity of channel catfish. Only have been caused by the increased com- three of the channel catfish that we mercial removal of catfish from the aged were more than 14 years old (Ta-

lake, beginning in 1954 (Table 5). ble 20 ) . Few Lake Chautauqua catfish Finnell & Jenkins (1954:5) aged lived more than 7 or 8 years. Increased 7,717 channel catfish from 107 differ- fishing pressure on catfish after 1953 ent waters in Oklahoma and reported no doubt had an effect on their survival; none more than 14 years of age. They however, the age determinations made concluded that few channel catfish live on the catfish caught in 1953 and 1954

50 0- March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 49 did not indicate the presence of many fish over 8 years of age. Bluegill: Age Composition of Catch.—The changes that occurred in the age composition of the bluegill pop- m ulation of 3-year-old and older fish at

Lake Chautauqua is illustrated by the anglers' catches in the spring months of 1950-1960 (Fig. 22). The graphs reveal that, in most years, the bluegill population was made up of members of several broods, of which one brood had better representation than the others. Minnow seine hauls showed that blue- r gills spawned with varying degrees of success in the years of our study (Table !,!Mi,IMil!..ir,i'.lilll!IIAli»M»h 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1957 1958 1959

Fig. 24.—Age composition of white crappies in the anglers' catches in the spring months at Lake Chautauqua, 1950—1955 and 1957-1959. Fish of the large 1948 brood are shown as 2-year-olds in 1950. SEPTEMBER, 1956, COMMERCIAL SEINE HAULS (204 FISH) 30). The success of the several year- classes varied considerably in later life. The sport fishery was largely dependent upon 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old fish, as shown in Fig. 22. We caught many more young-of-the- year bluegills in the minnow seine hauls in 1955 than in any other year (Table 30). Fish of the 1955 year-class appeared in large numbers as 3-year-olds in the sport fishery in the spring of 1958 and as 4-year-olds in the spring of 1959 (Fig. 22). They constituted only a minor year-class as 5-year-old fish in the spring of 1960. The strength of the 1955 year-class, in our opinion, was not as great as that of the 1952 year-class, which formed an important part of

TOTAL LENGTH IN INCHES the sport fishery even as 5-year-old fish in the spring of 1957 (Fig. 22). The Fig. 23.—Length-frequency and age distribution of bluegills in the September, 1956 minnow seine hauls in 1952 indicated and 1957, commercial seine hauls and in the only a moderately successful spawn spring, 1957, anglers' catches at Lake Chau- of bluegills in that year (Table 30). tauqua. The graphs show the relative abundance of the 1952 year-class of bluegills as The minnow seine collections showed 5-year-olds in the September, 1956, seine that young-of-the-year gizzard shad collections and in the spring, 1957, anglers' abundant in 1952 than in catches. The September, 1957, commercial were more seine hauls revealed the scarcity of fish of the 1955. We suggest the possibility that, 1952 year-class as 6-year-olds; this scarcity as a buffer species against predators of indicated that high mortality of these fish as bluegills, shad served 5-year-olds occurred during the summer young young months of 1957. more effectively in 1952 than in 1955. 50 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

If our suggestion has validity, then we dominated the commercial seine haul may assume that the better survival of catch of bluegills in September, 1956, the 1952 year-class of bluegills can be when classified as 5-year-olds (Fig. 23). e.xplained by the buffer action of the Members of the 1952 brood survived larger number of shad in that year. through the winter of 1956-57 in suflS- The anglers' catch and commercial cient numbers, still as 5-year-olds, to seine haul data indicate that bluegills provide an important part of the an- over 5 years of age formed only a small glers' catch in the spring of 1957 ( Fig. part of the bluegill population in Lake 22). By the fall of 1957, members of the Chautauqua during our study (Fig. 22 1952 brood, as 6-year-old fish, were and 23). Bluegills hatched in 1952 quite scarce (Fig. 23). Perhaps many

1956 (165 FISH)

6.0 7.0 8^0 aO 10.0 ^ 11.0 12.0

5.0 6.0 T.O 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 II.O 12.0 TOTAL LENGTH IN INCHES

Fig. 25.—Length-frequency and age distribution of white crappies in test-net collections at Lake Chautauqua, late September and early October, 1950-1954 and 1956-1960. . I .

March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chaltauqua 51 members of the formerly abundant 1952 class of 2-, 3-, or 4-year-old fish (Fig. brood died from natural causes during 24). In the spring of 1950, 2-year-old the summer of 1957 ( as 5-year-old fish ) white crappies hatched in 1948 domi- Ricker (1945:423) found that the mor- nated the anglers' catch. In the fall fol- tality rate of bluegills at Muskellunge lowing, members of this 1948 year-class, Lake, Indiana, was greater in summer as 3-year-old fish, formed the bulk of than in winter. He stated that "it seems the catch of white crappies in the test- certain that cold-weather mortality is of net collections (Fig. 25). In the spring an entirely different and smaller order months of 1951 and 1952, members of of magnitude from that during tke the 1948 year-class, as 3-year-old fish in warm months." the spring of 1951 and 4-year-old fish \\'hite Crappie: Age Composition of in the spring of 1952, dominated the an-

Catch.—Sport fishing for white crappies glers' catch of white crappies ( Fig. 24 ) at Lake Chautaqua was largely depend- As 4-year-olcl fish, they also dominated ent upon the presence of a large year- the fall test-net collections of 1951 ( Fig.

20.0- 1955 1950 (181 FISH) (589 FISH) lo.Q.

5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0

5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 aO 10.0 II.O 12.0 1957 (224 FISH) 951 (202 FISH)

5.0 6.0 70 8.0 9.0 10.0 II.O 12.0

958 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10,0 11.0 I20 (554 FISH)

20.0- 1952 (700 FISH)

5.0 60 70 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 20.0 1959 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 (120 FISH)

1953 (120 FISH)

30.0

50 60 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12 go.Q 1954

10.0 (350 10.0 FISH)

0-1 1 ' ' ' -f=^^^^^^^^r ^ r^^^Y^^"*"*^^— — ' 50 60 70 80 90 100 11.0 12 5.0 6.0 70 80 90 10.0 11.0 12.0 TOTAL LENGTH IN INCHES

Fig. 26. —Length-frequency and age distribution of black crappies in test-net collections at Lake Chautauqua, late September and early October. 1950-1955 and 1957-1960. 52 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

25 ) . The 1948 year-class suffered heavy year-old fish (Fig. 24 and 25). The natural mortality in the summers of scarcity of 4- and 5-year-old fish indi- 1952 and 1953, but its members were cated the absence of dominant broods present in some abundance as 5-year- in all but one year. Evidently, natural old fish in the anglers' catch in the mortality was so high dining the fourth spring of 1953 (Fig. 24). During the summer of life that only a few members sixth summer of life, the 1948 year-class of a small year-class attained 4 years of experienced heavy mortality, as evi- age. denced by a scarcity of 6-year-old fish Black Crappie: Age Composition of in the 1953 fall test-net collections. Catch.— In most years of our study at Only a few members of the large 1948 Lake Chautauqua, black crappies were brood attained 7 years of age. The 1948 less abundant than white crappies. The year-class was the only extremely large 1948 year-class of black crappies was a brood of white crappies to appear in dominant brood ( Fig. 26 ) but of much the lake during our study. smaller size than that of the white crap- Young-of-the-year crappies were ta- pies. The age composition of the fall ken in the minnow seine collections in test-net collections of black crappies each year except 1953 (Table 30). In was in most years quite similar to those no year did we catch large numbers of of white crappies ( Fig. 25 and 26 ) . The white crappies or black crappies in the oldest black crappies taken during our minnow seine hauls. The survival of the study were 7 years of age. different year-classes of the white crap- Yellow Bass: Age Composition of pie apparently varied, as indicated by Catch.—Young-of-the-year yellow bass the scarcity in some years of 2- or 3- were collected from Lake Chautauqua

20.0- March, 1965 Starrett & Fbitz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 53 in eacli summer during our investigation except that of 1954 (Table 30). The strength of the year-classes varied 951 (157 FISH) considerably ( Fig. 27 ) . Bailey & Harri- son (1945:69) noted variations in the 10.0 10.5 no 11.5 12.0 12.5 110 135 \A.O 145 15.0 15.5 16,016.5 strength of year-classes of yellow bass at Clear Lake, Iowa. 952 (91 FISH) We believe that our data on the anglers' spring catch at Lake Chautauqua gave a fair representation of the age composition of the population of yellow bass of 2 years and older. Fig. 27, per- taining to the spring months of 1950- 1952, indicates that a fairly large year- class spawned in 1948. Members of this Fig. 28.—Length-frequency and age distri- year-class appeared as 2-year-old fish bution of white bass in commercial seine hauls in 1950 (Fig. 27). Our creel data at Lake Chautauqua during the month of Sep- tember in 1951, 1952, and 1956. The graphs (lengths, weights, and scales) on yel- reveal that the white bass population was low bass in the years 1953-1955 were dominated by single year-classes. too meager to reflect the fate of the 1948 brood after the fourth year. In quency study. The length-frequency 1953, another large spawn of yellow graphs for the years 1951 and 1952 re- bass was produced. The graph for the flect the strength of the 1950 year-class spring of 1957 shows the relative and the scarcity of fish of other year- strength of the 1953 brood as 4-year-old classes. In 1956, the white bass popu- fish (Fig. 27). Members of the 1953 lation was dominated by a single year- brood appear as 5-year-olds on the class, that of 1954 (Fig. 28). 1958 graph and as 6-year-olds on the 1959 graph. A .'ew yellow bass were POPULATION DYNAMICS found to have attained 7 years of age. The flow or dynamics of a fish popu-

White Bass: Age Composition of lation is quite complex and diffcult to Catch.—Spawning success of white follow. Certain data presented in pre- bass in Lake Chautauqua was quite ceding sections show that the age com- sporadic in the years of our study. position of the most abundant species Young white bass (1.5-3.0 inches total did not remain constant but varied from length) were collected in small num- year to year. They indicate that, like- bers from the lake in the summer wise, the spawning success and survival months of 1950, 1951, 1952, 1954, and of year-classes of these species varied.

1959. Only the 1950 and 1954 year- This section is cliiefly concerned with classes appeared in subsequent years as the various aspects of population dy- broods of even moderate size. Our tag- namics dealing with the year-to-year ging studies indicated that a large per- changes in the sizes of populations of centage of the white bass over 1 year the most abundant species. old moved out of the lake in periods of high water. Length-frequency distribu- Sampling Techniques tion graphs of white bass in the com- The optimum time of sampling, the mercial seine hauls of September, 1951, proper sampling techniques, and the 1952, and 1956 are presented in Fig. 28. number of samples required to obtain

In some years, white bass ( 10.0 inches adequate population data had to be de-

or more total length ) were too scarce in termined for our study. the commercial seine hauls to provide At the beginning of our study, avail- enough specimens to make a length-fre- able data on the water levels of Lake .

54 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

Chautauqua and the IlHnois River were rotenone sampling were used in the reviewed. We wanted a sampHng pe- population analvsis wherever applica- riod during which the IlHnois Ri\'er ble. would not be connected with Lake The controlled commercial seining Chautauqua— a period in which sam- that was originally included as part of pling could be done each year in the program for increasing the removal water of appro.ximately the same depth. of fish from the lake appeared to be Recruitment of fish from the river and the best method available for obtain- escapement of fish from the lake to the ing population statistics on the abun- river would be eliminated during a dant large fish in the lake. sampling period having low water lev- Commercial Seining as a Sampling els. October or November could not be TECHNiQUE.-Moody (1954:163-164) used for a large sampling program be- considered the drag or haul seine as the cause federal regulations designed for most efficient device for sampling fish the protection of waterfowl restricted populations in large, shallow Florida activity on the lake during these lakes with relatively level bottoms. He months. September was selected as the pointed out certain limitations of the

best month for our sampling program. seine in sampling: (i) it does not give It appeared to provide low and rela- adequate quantitive samples of those tively stable water levels and weather species of fish that are limited in their that was warm and otherwise favorable distribution mainly to the peripheral for sampling activities. It allowed us to areas of a lake and (ii), if the sampling

collect scales and spine samples from is not carried out over a protracted pe- fish after much of the growth for the riod of time, the catches may be unduly year had been completed. influenced bv dispersal or schooling of At one time, we considered a plan for fish. sampling the fish populations of the The second limitation mentioned by lake by using rotenone to poison the Moody was not overcome in our study fish in a series of 1-acre plots. We dis- of Lake Chautauqua, as the seining was carded the plan for the following rea- restricted to a single month in each

: ( sons i ) the number of samples needed year ( September ) to determine population sizes and The first limitation was possibly of trends was too large for the limited less consequence at Lake Chautauqua time and manpower available; (ii) poi- than in the Florida lakes studied by soning large numbers of fish would Moody (1954:150-158). The Florida have damaged our relations with fisher- lakes had depths that ranged from 3 to men; (iii) the number of fish killed 12 feet. Lake Chautauqua had a rela- would have been great enough to inval- tively even depth of 2 to 3 feet. Most or idate our attempts to determine the ef- all of the Florida lakes had peripheral M fects of commercial fishing on the fish or shoreline vegetation that undoubt- 1 populations. edly interfered with seining. The lower- Because of limited time and person- ing of the water of Lake Chautauqua nel, an extensive tagging and recovery earlier in the season to its level at the program was not feasible. However, a time of our seining greatly reduced the few tagging studies designed to give acreage of shoreline that could not be population estimates of crappies, blue- fished effectively with seines. The level gills, and white bass were attempted. of the water in September left exposed The number of bluegills tagged and re- to the air some of the tree, shrub, and covered was too small to be included stumpy areas that at higher water in our findings. levels were part of the lake; in parts of Creel censuses, test-netting, minnow the stumpy areas remaining in the lake seine hauls, and to a very limited extent the water was too shallow for fish. March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 55

Much of tlie lake as it was in Septem- buflFalo ) were the fish most sought after ber was seined. The principal large by the seine crews and, for that reason, areas that could not be seined were a in constructing our diagram we used stumpy area at the upper end of the only the catch data for these fish. Evi- lake and a narrow portion of the bluff- dently year-to-year variations in catch side where the area was restricted to sport fishing. ol Oiu" selection of the month of Sep- .1(717) 700- tember for sampling proved to be a 500 good one. It gave ma.ximum uniformity in sampling, as we had constant and low water levels each year, 1951-1958. The shortness of the sampling period kept to a small number the fish that, dining the period, grew to a size that could be taken in a seine haul ( recruitment from within the lake). Several variables in our seining operations lessened the value of some of our population data. For example, in 1953, heavy stands of vegetation reduced the efficiency of the seines in some areas. Temporary refuge regulations (for 1953 only) designed to pro- tect the vegetation and make it available to ducks later in the year prohibited seining in other areas. Because of the unusual conditions in 1953, most of the data collected in that year were not comparable to the data collected in other years and were considered of little value for reflecting the population 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 trends of fish. Fig. 29. In the first year of seining (1951), —Annual catches of buffalo by I 1 different commercial seine crews at Lake we restricted the number of seine hauls Chautauqua, 1951-1958. Each dot with a to allow the senior author to closely su- numeral beside it indicates the average num- pervise the operations. Close supervi- ber of pounds of buffalo caught per 100 yards of seine employed by a given crew (indicated sion proved to be unnecessary, and the by numeral) in a given year. Graph is based on number of seine hauls made in each of data from 34S completed seine hauls. the succeeding years was considerably greater than in 1951 (Table 4). In the 8 by seine crews are to be expected. Data years of the seining program, 11 difiFer- from all of the 348 completed seine ent crews operated seines in the lake; hauls are included in our analysis, even however, only 3 to 6 crews operated in though \'ariations among hauls were so any one season. great that we suspected we had some Individual crews varied from year to poor samples. year in the size of their catches. For ex- The variations in catch from haul to ample, as the scatter diagram in Fig. 29 haul were evidently a result of sc\eral indicates, seine crew No. 1 had a poor factors: (i) uneven distribution or con- catch in 1956, an excellent catch in centration of fishes in the lake, (ii) 1957, and a mediocre or poor catch in movement of fishes within the lake, and 1958. BufiFalofishes (nearly all bigmouth (iii) accidental loss of fish from the 56 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

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Table 32.—Number of seine hauls required to detect various percentage changes in the populations of carp, buffalofishes, freshwater drum, and channel catfish at Lake Chautauqua in September of 1954 and 1957.*

Number of Hauls Required to Detect a Population Number Change of the Percentage Indicated Year and of Kind of Hauls 10 Fish Actually Made 58 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1 ences existed among the sections in to discover a method for determining 1954 (Table 31). However, in 1957 the the area covered by the seines in a sein- catch of catfish in the lower lake was ing period so that the catch data could significantly greater than the catches in be converted to pounds of fish caught the other sections. per acre. The pounds of fish caught per The analysis in Table 31 indicates acre could then be referred to as a that no significant differences existed crude estimate of standing crop. among the mean values for the catches Commercial fishermen at Lake Chau- of bufFalofishes and drum in the three tauqua used three basic methods for parts of the lake seined. The catches of laying out their seines, each seine usu- these species varied considerably be- ally about 800 to 1,000 yards in length. tween hauls within a section. Gizzard An important device employed in all shad had a distribution similar to the three methods was a backstop, a wire distributions of buffalofishes and drum. mesh fence usually 30 to 50 feet long, Since so much variation occurred tall enough to extend about 4 feet above among hauls, we wished to determine the water, and held in place with stakes the number of hauls required per sein- driven into the lake bottom. In the first ing period to detect population changes method, one end of the seine was at- from year to year. In making our analy- tached to one end of the backstop, the sis for detecting population changes, seine was laid out in the form of an ap- we assumed that within 30 days ( month proximate circle, and the other end of of September ) very few fish were added the seine was brought to the other end to the commercial fishery through of the backstop. In the second method, growth of fish, and we knew there was the seine was laid out in the form of a no recruitment of fish from the river or trapezoid, with one side of the trape- escapement of fish to the river during zoid parallel with the backstoo and the seining period. The analysis, as we with approximately 100 yards of open had anticipated, indicated that imprac- water between each end of the back- tical numbers of seine hauls (438 or stop and the nearest end of the seine; more ) in 1 month were required to de- the open areas were closed soon after tect a 10 per cent change in the popula- the fishermen started hauling in the tions of the most numerous fish species seine. In the third method, a section of

( Table 32 ) . Sufficient numbers of hauls seine 100 or more yards in length was were made to detect 40 to 50 per cent attached to one end of the backstop, ex- changes in the populations of buffalo- tended in line with the backstop, and fishes, drum, and channel catfish. The staked. The seine proper was secured at analysis indicated that the data for one end to the free end of the backstop carp, which were concentrated in one and laid out so that with the backstop section of the lake, were of little value and section of staked seine it formed an in detecting other than more drastic open end or partial D, with open water population changes. between the free end of the seine The carp and bigmouth buffalo of proper and the staked seine. Finally, less than commercial sizes taken in the the free end of the seine proper was seine hauls were returned to the lake. dragged across the open water to the Sight estimates were made of the oc- nearer end of the staked seine. currence of these subusable-size fish in We calculated the areas covered in the seine hauls, and some length and various seine hauls made by each of the weight data on them were collected. three methods outlined above. The ^Ve were interested in making stand- areas were of various shapes, but most ing crop estimates of the large abun- of them were roughly circular. We dant fishes from the seine haul data. In found that close approximations of the making these estimates we needed first actual areas covered in the seine hauls ;

March, 1965 Starbett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 59

could be made if we considered the 543,827.8 =12.5 seines as the circumferences of circles. The methods we used in estimating the area covered in an average seine haul and in estimating our catch of various species per acre are shown below. The figures are for 1954, in which the cumulative length of seine used in the total number of hauls was 49,650 yards.

1) To estimate the number of linear yards or feet of seine in average haul when 49,650 yards=cumulative length of seines used in 1954 and 57=number of seine hauls made in that year:

49,650 =871.1 57 number of yards (2,613.3 feet) of seine in average haul

2) To estimate the number of square feet covered in average seine haul

( 2,613.3 feet, the length of seine in

average haul, is assumed to be equal to the circumference, C, of the roughlv circular area covered in a haul):' C a) Diameter (d)^ — TT 60 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. ]

discussed the technique in 1896 ( Ricker M = number of fish marked 1958:81). C = number of fish caught Although in our Lake Chautauqua R ^ number of tagged fish recap- studies we tagged and released crap- tured

pies ( both species ) and bluegills in 1950-1954 and white bass in 1951-1954, (547 + 1) (21,514 + 1)^ the number of tagged fish recovered 1)' 41 + 1 was so small that, in estimating popula- number of adult crappies in lake tions or standing crops, we were able to use only the data on crappies tagged in 0.5 pound = average weight of adult 1950 and 1951. We estimated the stand- crappies ing crops of crappies in the fall months of 1950 and 1951 by using Chapman's 2) 280,719x0.5=140,360 variation of the Petersen method number of pounds of adult crappies (Ricker 1958:85), which was based on in lake the number of marked and unmarked fish caught in a given period of time. 3,562 = number of acres in lake The procedure we used in 1950 was „. 140.360 • _. . ,

1952 period. This estimate is similar to not far below the estimated standing Thompson's. crop of usable-size fish of these kinds The removal of fish during the pro- in the 1951-1952 period (Table 33). gram (Table 5) no doubt reduced the The species composition of the popula- abundance of commercial-size buffalo- tions in the two periods was different. fishes, carp, drum, and channel catfish Gizzard shad were much more abun- in Lake Chautauqua. Natural mortality, dant in 1957 than in the earlier period. escapement from the lake to the Illinois Also in 1957, undersize or subusable River, and recruitment from the river carp were more abundant. Data in to the lake no doubt contributed to Table 37 indicate that, in 1958, much changes in the composition of the fish of the poundage of commercial-size population in the lake (Table 33). By gizzard shad lost through the extensive

Table 33.—Calculated poundage of usable-size buffalofishes, carp, freshwater drum, channel catfish, and gizzard shad caught per estimated acre seined at Lake Chautauqua, 1951 —

1 952 and 1954—1 958." Because of restrictions on seining in 1 953, the data for that year were not representative and were not used. Estimates were made of abundance of subusable-size buffalofishes and carp in seine hauls.

Year and 62 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1 removal of fish in 1957 was replaced by crappie, black crappie, bluegill, and a poundage of shad of less than 9.5 yellow bass. These were considered by inches in length, which were common us as the influential species in the lake, in the test-nets. and the variations in their abundance Thompson's and our estimates of probably affected the entire fish popu- pounds of fish per acre in Illinois River lation. Although other species also floodplain lakes were slightly higher varied in abundance, most of them than estimates made by Lambou ( 1959: were not abundant enough to have had 11) for lakes along the Mississippi more than minor roles in the ecology River in Louisiana (average of 397 of the lake. pounds per acre). Lambou (1959:10) Freshwater Drum: Population found that some species—buffalofishes, Changes.—The trends in the freshwater white bass, and catfishes—were highly drum population at Lake Chautauqua migratory in backwater habitats; they are reflected in Table 34. Because of were more abundant in the lakes in pe- poor seining conditions and unusually riods of high water than in periods of restrictive fishing regulations in 1953, low water. A similar situation probably we have omitted the catches for that prevailed at Lake Chautauqua; our ob- year from the analysis of the catch data. servations indicated that movement of The means of the catches per 100 yards some species of fish between the river of seine used varied from year to year; and the lake occurred during times of however, these differences must be high water. However, we believe that evaluated carefully because of the large certain other species did little migrat- variations in catch among the hauls, as ing; either most individuals of these discussed in the subsection "Commer- species remained in the lake during cial Seining as a Sampling Technique." high water levels or they returned to The analyses presented in Tables 31 the lake before they could be cut ofi^ and 32 indicate that in 1954 and 1957 from the lake by receding water. This drum were fairly well distributed belief was at least partly confirmed by among the three components of the our finding of year-to-year continuity lake and that enough hauls were made in year-classes of certain species and to detect at least 50 per cent popula- by our tag returns from certain species. tion changes. The differences among Data on the continuity of year-classes drum populations in the various years in certain species are given in the sec- of seining (populations based on catch tion of this paper entitled "Age Compo- per 100 yards of seine used) were sition of Catch." shghtly significant F = 2.62, ^= 5 ( d.f- and 295); the difference between the Population Changes drum population of 1954 and the Estimates of the standing crop indi- smaller population of 1956 was slightly cated that the carrying capacity of Lake significant (f = 2.57, rf./. = 52). (The Chautauqua at the time of our study catch data in Table 34 show that the was at least 500 pounds of fish per sur- trend of the population of drum was face acre. The population was known downward after 1954. ) The drum catch to have included as many as 64 differ- dropped to its lowest point in 1958. ent species of fish. Considerable varia- The decline was apparently related tion in population size of the various to the increased removal of drum in species occurred during the years of 1954 and 1955 (Table 34) and the our study. The bulk of the population, scarcity of individuals of two year- as estimated by weight of the catch, classes in the lake in the 1956-1958 pe- was composed of nine species: big- riod. In 1954 and 1955, the drum fishery mouth buffalo, carp, freshwater drum, was largely dependent upon 4-, 5-, and channel catfish, gizzard shad, white 6-year-old fish (Fig. 17). By September

I March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 63

Table 34.—Population trends of freshwater drum at Lake Chautauqua as reflected In commercial seine hauls (made during September) and in total catch per acre of water (all fishing methods combined), 1951-1958. 64 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1 tion (estimate based on data given in wing-net fishermen informed us that Table 35). The catfish population was catfish were "fairly abundant" in 1960. no doubt affected by fishing. The fish- The catch rates of pole-and-line fisher- ing success that continued up to 1958 men, 1950-1959 (Table 35), offered no indicated that increased removal of fish clear indication of either a decline or may have contributed to spawning suc- a recovery in the catfish population dur- cess and survival and provided space ing the period of our study. However, for young catfish entering the lake from the low pole-and-line catch rate for the river. 1958 tends to confirm other low figures During high-water periods, probably for 1958 (Table 35). some channel catfish left the lake while The estimated standing crop of chan- others entered it. In the course of aging nel catfish, or estimated catch per year catfish, we noted that some of the fish per acre seined, was about 17 pounds had made poor growth in their early in the 1954-1957 period. In Oklahoma, years, and we considered that such Houser ( 1960fl:12) estimated the stand- fish might have been recruited from ing crop of channel catfish in Lake the river. They were not very common Lawtonka to be 10.9 pounds per acre; in the collections, and we are of the he contrasted this figure with 28.0 opinion that a goodly percentage of pounds per acre, the average standing the catfish that we caught were either crop of catfish (all ages) in 16 Okla- spawned in the lake or were recruited homa reservoirs. Sandoz (1960:141), from the river as very young fish. also in Oklahoma, estimated standing Our collection of population data on crops of channel catfish to be 16.6 catfish stopped after the 1958 season. pounds per acre in Laughridge Pond Commercial trotline fishennen report- and 19.0 pounds per acre in Mahan ed that the catch of legal-size catfish Pond. The high annual yields at Lake was "poor" in 1959, while commercial Chautauqua of 8.3 to 9.0 pounds of

Table 35. —Population trends of channel catfish at Lake Chautauqua as reflected in pole- and-line catch, in commercial seine hauls, and in total catch per acre of water (all fishing methods combined), 1950-1959. March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 63 usable-size catfish per acre, 1954-1956, seine (142.5 pounds per acre) in 1957 as shown in Table 35, tended to confirm to 84.3 pounds per 100 yards of seine our estimates that Lake Chautauqua (60.5 pounds per acre) in 1958 was contained a large catfish population. rather significant (f^4.04, d.f. ^44). BiGMOUTH Buffalo: Population The large 1953 year-class first suffered Changes.—In the years of our study, fishing mortality in 1955 at the age of 3 the sizes of the catch of bigmouth buf- years (Fig. 18). In our opinion, in that falo at Lake Chautauqua changed con- year large numbers of the smaller mem- siderably (Table 36). Some of the bers (less than 15 inches) of the 1953 changes in catch per 100 yards of seine year-class that were caught and re- were highly significant (F=14.15, leased died as a result of being bagged cl.f. = 5 and 295 ) and were probably in the seine. On one haul in 1955, the caused for the most part by increased senior author saw about 20,000 pounds fish removals. The largest catches oc- of these undersize fish released. No in- curred in the years 1951-1952 com- dividuals of a series of undersize buf- bined and 1957. The di£Ference in catch falo that were tagged were ever re- between these two periods was only taken. From time to time during the slightly significant (f=2.21, d.f.=39). seining period, dead members of tliis The population in 1951-1952 was com- group of small fish were seen floating in posed mainly of members of the large the water. In 1956 and 1957, the 1953 1948 year-class and a considerable year-class, as well as older year-classes, number of older fish; the population in sufi^ered heavy fishing mortality. The 1957 was dominated by the large 1953 presence of large numbers of old fish in year-class ard contained very few older the population in the eaily years of our fish (Fig. 18). A scarcity of older fish seining program (Fig. 18) demon- in the collections after 1955 resulted strates that the bigmouth buffalo is a from the removal of many of these fish long-lived fish. We believe that the de- and from natural mortality. cline in the bigmouth buffalo popula- The drop in the catch (Table 36) tion in 1958 might have been minor had from 215.7 pounds per 100 yards of there been no fishing after 1954.

Table 36. —Population trends of bigmouth buffalo at Lake Chautauqua as reflected in commercial seine hauls (made during September) and in total catch per acre of water (all fishing methods combined), 1951-1958. 66 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

Gizzard Shad: Population Changes. (F = 5.95, d.f. = 6 and 317) existed in —Because we found that sampling the number of pounds of adult shad methods were selective for various caught per 100 yards of seine in the sizes of gizzard shad, we have included various years. The shad catch was sig- in our population analysis of this spe- nificantly greater per 100 yards of seine cies the catch data from each of the in 1954 than in 1951 t = 4.02, = ( d.f. three methods we used: minnow sein- 26). Similarly, the catch in 1957 was ing, test-netting, and commercial sein- significantly greater than in t == 1954 ( ing (Table 37). 3.34, f/./. = 49). Minnow seine collections indicated The fluctviations in the numerical size that a great amount of variation oc- of the shad population (as reflected in curred from year to year in the spawn- the catch) were probably related to a

Table 37.—Population trends of gizzard shad at Lake Chautauqua as reflected by minnow seining, test-netting, and commercial seining, 1950—1959. March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 67 lake after having gone out to the river. used to detect only large changes in Subadult shad were scarce in the fall the carp population. Analysis of vari- test-net collections in 1956 (Table 37). ance calculated for the catch of adult Predadon upon young shad by an ex- carp per 100 yards of seine used indi- tremely large adult crappie population cated that significant differences existed that was present in the 1949-1951 pe- between the catches for various years riod may have been partly responsible (F=4.42, J./.=5 and 295). The catch for small adult shad populations in 1951 of adult carp in 1951-1952 combined and 1952. Jenkins (1953:53) reported a and in 1954 was about 70 pounds per striking decrease in the young-of-the- acre (Table 38). In 1957 and 1958, the year shad population in Grand Lake, catch of adult carp was a few pounds Oklahoma, and thought the decrease more per acre. No significant difference might have been linked with the tre- was detected for the carp on a catch- mendous expansion of the white bass per-acre-seined basis between 1951 and population in the lake. The increased 1952 combined and 1957 (f = 0.52, removal of large channel catfish from f/./. = 39). The catch of carp in 1955 Lake Chautauqua by commercial fish- was much lower than in 1954, and the ing reduced catfish predation difference slightly significant t = upon was ( adult shad after 1954 (many catfish 2.20, d.f. = 60). The catch in 1957 was 20.0 inches or more in length were ob- significantly higher than the catch in served to contain large shad). Winter- 1956 (f = 3.52, d.f. = 45). The carp kill resulting from sudden changes in catch in 1955 and 1956 appeared to be temperature and in carbon dioxide ten- significantly lower than in other years sions (Miller 1960:385-386; Powers, of our study, and we have assumed Shields, & Hickman 1939:259) may that the adult population in 1955 and have been an important factor influenc- 1956 also was lower. ing the abundance of adult shad in the Carp taken in the seine hauls were lake. notably smaller in 1955-1956 than in Carp: Population Changes.—It was 1951-1954 (Table 38). The decrease in pointed out earlier in this paper that size was evidently related to fishing the commercial seine data could be mortality or to movement of the larger

Table 38.—Population trends of carp at Lake Chautauqua as reflected in commercial seine hauls (made during September) and in total catch per acre of water (all fishing methods combined), 1951-1958. 68 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1 fish out of the lake prior to the fall of pie recovered in the river was caught 1955. We have been led to believe that in a commercial net 3 miles from the both carp and gizzard shad moved in point of release in the lake 147 days and out of Lake Chautauqua during after being tagged. The few returns we periods in which the lake was con- obtained indicated that the black crap- nected with the river and that they re- pie was more mobile than the N\'hite mained in the lake when acceptable crappie. niches there were available to them. The adult crappie population (both Crappies: Population Changes.— In species) at Lake Chautauqua was esti- the period 1950-1954, we tagged 2,963 mated from tag returns to have been white crappies at Lake Chautauqua. 100 pounds per acre in 1950 and 40 From these tagged fish we obtained 61 pounds per acre in 1951. Data from our returns, all of which were taken from fall netting studies (Table 39) indicate the lake. The tagging study indicated that in several years the population that the white crappie population at was probably as low as 10 or 15 pounds Lake Chautauqua was not mobile and per acre. The large population of crap- that the fish tended to remain in the pies in the fall of 1950 was composed lake, even though ample opportunity mainly of 3-year-old fish from the large was afforded them to move out during and dominant broods of both species periods of high water. spawned in 1948 (Fig. 25 and 26). The We also tagged 1,332 black crappies 1948 brood of white crappies was much at Lake Chautauqua. Only 10 returns larger than the 1948 brood of black were obtained from these tagged fish. crappies. Eight of the returns were from fish re- The aging studies presented earlier captured in the lake, and two were from in this paper showed that very few fish taken in the Illinois River. In a pe- white crappies in Lake Chautauqua riod of 121 days, one tagged black lived to be more than 5 years of age. crappie (7.2 inches total length) left Comparison of data from spring angling the lake and moved 35 miles up the (Fig. 24) with data from fall test-net- Illinois River, where it was caught by ting (Fig. 25) indicates that a high an angler. The other tagged black crap- natural mortality of adult crappies oc-

Table 39.—Data relative to the crappie population at Lake Chautauqua, 1950—1959. The standing crop was estimated through tagging operations. .

March, 1965 Stabrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua

curred at Lake Chautauqua during the (1955:1) found that the inortahty of warm months of certani years. For ex- crappies (mainly black) was "rapid

ample, fish of the 1955 year-class as 3- after the fourth year. " At Lake Chau- year-olds made up a large part of the tauqua, the high mortality rate among anglers' catch of white crappies in the white crappies during their third year

spring of 1958 ( Fig. 24 ) ; at the end of of life prevented us from even attempt- the summer of 1958, fish of this year- ing to make estimates of the mortality class as 4-year-olds made up only a rates for the smaller broods that oc-

small part of the catch in test-nets ( Fig, curred in the lake after the passing of 25). Hansen (1951:249) suggested that the 1948 brood. The high mortality rate heavy mortality in one or more broods estimated above for the large 1948 of white crappies took place in the sum- brood during its third summer of life mer months of his study at Lake De- may apply also to the small broods; a catur, Illinois. scarcity of white crappies over 3 years The 1950 and 1951 test-netting, com- of age was evident in the net collections mercial seining, angling, and tagging after 1954 (Fig. 25). data were of value in assessing the mor- The factors involved in the extended tality of the large 1948 brood of white survival of an extremely large brood, crappies. In the fall of 1950, the 1948 like that of 1948, were not detected in broods of crappies (both species), our study. Scidmore (1955:1) found which had just completed their third evidence that a drastic reduction in the summer of growth, dominated the net size of the adult population of crappies

catches ( Fig. 25 and 26 ) ; the estimated (black) was related to the establish- standing crop of the 1948 brood of ment of a dominant year-class. He white crappies was 70 pounds per acre. noted that a dominant year-class was The entire adult crappie population usually separated from the next domi- (both species), as shown in Table 39, nant year-class by 2 or more years. was estimated to average 100 pounds Thompson (1941:209) believed that a per acre. Test-net data showed that 74.1 4- or 5-year cycle of size and abundance per cent of the crappies were whites occurred in fish populations at Lake and 25.9 per cent were blacks. Senachwine, Illinois. He hypothesized

In the f.ill of 1951, the estimated that a large, new year-class of crappies standing crop of all white crappies was appeared at Lake Senachwine after nat- 30 pounds per acre, while the estimated ural mortality had reduced the preced- standing crop of the 4-year-old white ing dominant year-class to such a low crappies of the 1948 brood was 16 level that its cannabalistic food require- pounds per acre. In the fall of 1951, ments had little effect upon the survival white crappies comprised 75.3 per cent of its own young. of the crappie population and black As has been pointed out earlier in crappies 24.7 per cent. We estimated this paper, only one extremely large or that the 1948 brood of white crappies dominant brood of crappies (both spe- lost 60 to 75 per cent of their numbers cies) appeared in Lake Chautauqua during their third year of life. About during our study. The crappies at Lake 95 per cent of this loss was ciuised Chautauqua in 13 years failed to show by natural mortality and about 5 per any tendency toward being cyclic in cent through fishing (sport and com- their abundance. The species composi-

mercial ) tion data presented graphically in Fig. Hansen (1951:249) found in two 30, which is based on creel census data, broods of white crappies at Lake De- give evidence that the adult popula- catur a major decline in numbers when tions of crappies, bluegills, and yellow the fish were approximately 3 years old. bass fluctuated widely. Each of these At Clear Lake, in Minnesota, Scidmore species at one time or another domi- 70 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

100-

1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 I960 1961 — Fig. 30. —Species composition of fish in the anglers' catches at Lake Chautauqua, 1941 1961. The graph, which is based on numbers of fish, gives evidence that the adult populations of crappies, bluegills, and yellow bass fluctuated widely in the 21 -year period.

nated the catch. Fishing conditions un- tauqua was larger in the 1954-1959 pe- doubtedly had some effect on the spe- riod than at any other time during the cies composition shown in the graph; study. During much of this period of however, anglers at the lake usually high bluegill population, the crappie fished for the species that were abun- and yellow bass populations were com- dant, and upon this basis we believe paratively low ( Fig. 30 ) . Over most of that the graph gives a fairly accurate this period, the yellow bass population picture of the natural fluctuations in was evidently increasing in size and in abundance of the sport fishes of catch- 1961 it was large enough to dominate able sizes. the anglers' catch.

Bluegill and Yellow Bass: Popula- White Bass : Population Changes.— tion Changes. — The catch data pre- The tagging studies at Lake Chautau- sented in Table 40 indicate that the qua indicated that the white bass pop- adult bluegill population of Lake Chau- ulation was quite mobile. During pe-

Table 40.—Data relative to the anglers' catch of bluegills at Lake Chautauqua in the period 1950-1959. .

March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 71

riods of high water, large numbers of moval are considered as possible factors white bass moved out of Lake Chautau- affecting year-to-year changes in the qua into the Ilhnois River. Of 605 white growth and condition of the abundant bass tagged and released in Lake Chau- species of fish at Lake Chautauqua. tauqua, 31 were recovered. Only 12 of Water Levels and Vegetation. — the tag returns were from fish recap- The most apparent abiotic factor affect- tured in the lake. The other returns ing the ecology of Lake Chautauqua were from fish collected in the Illinois during the years of our study was the River and in other waters connected fluctuating water level caused by over- with the river. One tagged white bass flowing of the Illinois River into the mo\ed out of the lake into the Illinois lake during periods of high river River and thence up Spoon River, a stages. During the 1950-1959 period, distance of 20 miles, within 8 days. A the normal pool stage of the lake was similar observation was recorded by 435.0 feet above mean sea level (5.0

Barber (1952:115) on a white bass feet on the graphs in Fig. 31 ) . The Illi- tagged and released in the Kentucky nois River overflowed into Lake Chau- River. This fish moved 20 miles from tauqua when the river reached a stage its point of release in 13 days. of about 437.5 feet on the gauge at the

The short life span and limited lake ( 7.5 feet on the graphs in Fig. 31 ) spawning success of the white bass in The graphs show that fluctuations of Lake Chautauqua made the species of river stages had no effect on the water varying importance as a predator dur- levels of the lake until the stage of 437.5 ing our investigation. This fish was feet was reached. At this stage and probably of some importance as a pred- higher, the lake levels fluctuated with ator on young gizzard shad and to a the river. The number of days each year lesser extent on other forage species in in the months of June, July, and Au- 1950-1952 and 1954-1956. (Only limit- gust that water levels were 437.5 feet ed food studies were made.) It is or higher are given in Table 41. These doubtful if the species was abundant numbers closely approximated the enough in other years to have had much length of time during each summer of effect as a predatory species. the investigation that the river was connected with the lake and that high GROWTH AND CONDITON OF FISHES water levels existed in the lake. Our The data presented in preceding sec- measure of the effect water levels had tions of this paper indicate that the on growth and condition of fishes was sizes of the populations of the abundant based on the number of days the lake fishes in Lake Chautauqua varied from stage was 437.5 feet or higher (Table year to year during the period of our 41). study. The variations apparently were At Lake Chautauqua, low water related to several factors involving the levels in summer were associated witli fish: (i) natural mortality, (ii) mor- abundant growth of sago pondweod, tality due to fishing, (iii) spawning suc- which, in turn, was associated with low cess, (iv) absence or presence of large turbidity. Estimates made of the abun- or dominant year-classes, (v) recruit- dance of sago pondweed in the lake in ment of individuals from the Illinois the months of June, July, and August River and escape of individuals from are given in Table 41. Sago pondweed the lake to the river, (vi) competi- began to appear in the lake in May tion between species, and (vii) growth. and continued to be present until late

October or early November, if water Factors Affecting Growth and Condition levels remained low and stable. During In this section, water levels and veg- our investigation, heavy growths of

etation, population density, and fish rc^- sago pondweed occurred in the lake in 72 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1 the summers of 1953, 1956, and 1959. Water levels were considered by us Those were the only years in which as a density-independent factor affect- water levels remained low from June ing the condition and growth of blue- through August (Table 41). Jackson gills, crappies, and possibly other spe- & Starrett (1959:161-163) found that cies of fish in Lake Chautauqua. Dur- turbidity in the lake was lower when ing growing seasons in wliich vegeta- vegetation was abundant than when tion abounded throughout the lake, it was absent. We may assume that crappies and bluegills were found in lower turbidities occurred in the sum- our seining operations to be well dis- mer months of 1953, 1956, and 1959 tributed in the lake. than in the other years of the program. In years in which vegetation was In those years die vegetation provided scarce or absent as a result of high a habitat for a large population of Ten- water levels in summer, we took very dipedidae larvae and other insects that few bluegills and crappies in our Sep- are eaten by fish. tember seine hauls. Test-netting indi-

ILLINOIS RIVER LAKE CHAUTAUQUA

Fig. 31 . —The water levels or stages of the Illinois River and of Lake Chautauqua, 1950— 1959. Pool stage at Lake Chautauqua during the growing season was 435.0 feet above mean sea level, or 5.0 feet as shown on the graphs. The river overflowed into the lake at a stage of about 437.5 feet above mean sea level. The graphs (except part of the graph for 1950) were based on weekly summaries of water level data. They show the fluctuations that occurred in water levels and the effects of the river stages on water levels at Lake Chautauqua. The broken line in the graph for 1950 represents estimated levels during a short period in which no readings were taken. i .

March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 73

cated that these species were in areas cupied by the fish ( the slowest growth of the lake in which stumps and other in the most densely populated lake ) suitable habitat were present. The Pirognikoff (1927:17) reported that amount of vegetation (or the absence the growth rate of the Siberian dace in of it) appeared to us to control the Lake Chani (West Siberia) had been amount of suitable space available to retarded considerably in a compara-

Table 41. —Number of days each year, 1950 through 1959, in which lake level elevation was 437.5 feet above mean sea level or higher, and the maximum elevation attained during the months of June, July, and August at Lake Chautauqua; also, the abundance of sago pondweed. At the stage of 437.5 feet, the lake was connected with the Illinois River.* 74 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1 dock in tlie North Sea—the smaller the Part of the concept of modern-day brood the faster its rate of growth. management of fish in \\'armwater lakes Similarly, Biickmann (1939:26) found and ponds is based upon the hypothesis that in the German Bight the growth that an inverse ratio exists between the rate of the plaice was inversely propor- density of a population and the growth tional to the density of the stock of fish rates of individuals in that population, on the grounds. In Japan, Yoshihara and that therefore growth rates can be (1952:59-60) investigated carp growth increased by reducing the density in nine ponds and found poor growth through removal of individuals from in ponds having dense populations. the population. Some investigators have reported a Beckman (1941 and 1943) found an lack of inverse relationship between increase in the growth rates of rock growth rate and population density of bass in a Michigan lake after the fish fish. population had been reduced through Hickling (1946:406-407) found that application of poison to one basin of haddock stock on the Porcupine Bank the lake. In Alabama, Swingle, Prather,

( about 120 miles west of Ireland ) after & Lawrence ( 1953 ) tried improving the 4 years of no fishing in World War II growth rates of fish populations in over- was five times as dense as in the best crowded ponds by applying rotenone years immediately before the war. The to x^arts of the ponds. Bennett (1954a: brood of 1942, existing under compara- 251 ) reported maintaining relatively tively crowded conditions, grew no less rapid growth of largemouth bass over rapidly than that of 1938; all the had- a 10-year period at Ridge Lake, Illinois, dock examined were in excellent con- by culling out the small bass and re- dition. ducing the bluegill population during Le Cren (1949:258), in England, re- draining operations in alternate years. ported "no marked general increase in Bicker & Gottschalk (1941:.382) in growth rate" in a population of perch Indiana and Rose & Moen (1953:104) at Lake Windermere after the popula- in Iowa reported improved angling and tion had been "severely reduced" by 8 increases in populations of game fish in years of trap fishery. He noted, how- warmwater lakes after populations of ever, that the mean lengths of the age coarse fish in the lakes had been re- groups of fish caught in the traps had duced with seines. Moyle, Kuehn, & shown significant variations from year Burrows (1950:163), who studied lakes to year and that the mean lengths were from which some rough fish had been "somewhat greater" at the end of the removed annually for 25 years, con- 8 years than at the beginning. cluded: "In general, rough fish appear Kawanabe (1958:178), in his studies to have little efl^ect on the total pound- of the "Ayu" in the River Ukawa, Ja- age of game fish in southern Minnesota pan, found that its growth was better lakes." In a later paper, Moyle & in a dense population than in a thin Clothier (1959:183-184) suggested that one, and he concluded that "population the decline in carp in Lake Traverse, density influences the growth of the Minnesota, might be related to the in- fish, but it does so through the definite crease that occurred in crappies and social structure peculiar to a species." bullheads in that lake. Concerning marine fish populations, In Massachusetts, Grice (1958:108)

Hjort (1932:5) wrote: "We may . . . found that fyke netting of panfish and safely conclude that the hypothesis of other nongame fish increased the an inverse ratio between the number of growth rates of the species being individuals in a given population and thinned, but that it failed to improve the growth of these individuals is by the populations of game fish; where no means of universal application." "removal was intensive, growth rates March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 75

of panfish increased markedly. " Lam- tions resulting from fish removal. Also, boii & Stern (1959:54-55) found that the lake probably recruited additional soon after removal of rough fishes from stocks of fish from the river during high a lake they studied in Louisiana the water levels. sunfish population became overcrowd- The annual yields of sport fish were ed, and a decrease occurred in the approximately the same at the end of average weight of sunfish in the creel. our fish removal program as at the be- Scidmore & Woods (1961:12, 18) re- ginning. Apparently the commercial ported that even with almost contin- removal of fishes did not greatly benefit uous efforts to remove carp from Clear or harm the sport fishery at the lake. Lake, Minnesota, "the carp population recovered quite rapidly with a shift in Growth and Condition Data population structure toward greater From length and age data in Tables numbers of young fish." These writers 1, 9, 15, 18, 21, and 24, we derived in- concluded from their studies on several dices of growth ( as described on page Minnesota lakes that no direct relation- 8) for each of six species of fish abun- ship could be foimd between the dant at Lake Chautauqua in the years amount of rough fish removal and sub- of our study. From data collected in the sequent improvement in panfish popu- fall months, we derived indices of con- lations. dition ( C ) or average annual fall con- Our Lake Chautauqua study, as dis- dition factors (as described on page cussed in the section below, "Crowth 7) for each of eight species, the si,\ and Condition Data," revealed either referred to above and two others (Ta- that (i) an intensive program of fish ble 42). removal had little effect on population Bluegill: Growth and Condition density or that (ii) growth and condi- Data.—The year-to-year variations that tion of the fish were influenced by more occurred in the average lengths of 3-, factors than population density. At the 4-, and 5-year-old bluegills in Lake end of 4 or 5 years of our study, the Chautauqua are shown in Fig. 32 and growth and condition of bluegills, crap- Table 9. The indices of growth based pies, freshwater drum, and bigmouth on data in Table 9 are expressed graph- buffalo showed improvement. Such im- ically in Fig. 33. provement could, at that time, have The average lengths of 3-year-old been correlated with the increased re- bluegills tended to vary more from moval of commercial fishes from the year to year than did the average lake. By continuing the study o\'er a lengths of older bluegills (Table 9 and longer period, we found that the im- Fig. .32). Fish of the three age-groups provement in growth and condition that ( 3-, 4-, and 5-year ) made better growth was evident early in the study tended to be lost. Perhaps a more intensive UJ X removal program would have had a o measurable effect upon the growth and ^8.0- z condition of fishes in the lake. How- ever, the program apparently was intensive enough to reduce the average lengths of bigmouth buffalo, freshwater drum, carp, and channel catfish taken in commercial seines. Successful reproduction of certain fishes, particularly carp, bigmouth buffalo, gizzard shad, bluegill, and yellow bass, may have offset population reduc- 76 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

(as shown by average lengths) during edge that the heaviest removal of com- the 1953-1957 period than during the mercial species and shad from the lake preceding 3-year period or the follow- came in 1957, the year before a marked ing year, 1958. Although most of this drop in bluegill growth rate occurred. period of good growth coincided with If the heavy removal of commercial years of heavy removal of commercial species and shad had been responsible fishes and shad from Lake Chautauqua for good bluegill growth in the 1953- (Table 5), we believe that commercial 1957 period, then good growth should fish removal was not an important fac- have continued through 1958. tor in the growth of bluegills in the lake. The period of good bluegill growth

Our conclusion is supported by knowl- appears to have coincided with the pe-

Table 42. —Average annual fall condition (C) factors of the bluegill, white crappie, black crappie, carp, channel catfish, gizzard shad, bigmouth buffalo, and freshwater drum at Lake Chautauqua, 1950-1959. March, 1965 Stahrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 77 riod of largest catches per acre (and long enough to permit moderate growth presumably of largest populations) of of vegetation in some places (Table adult bluegills (Fig. 33). The occur- 41 ) . The sharp decline that occurred in rence of good growth with compara- growth of bluegills in 1958 was, in our tively large populations of bluegills was opinion, a result of continued high wa-

ter levels ( and consequent high tinbid- ity) during the growing season of that year. A slight negative correlation was found to e.xist between high water lev- fe30- OH WATER LEVELS els and growth inde.x of bluegills (r= 437.5 FEET OR MORE -0.46). 2 70- During the years 1953-1956, in which li 1952 1954 no, or only a few, days of high water levels occurred, turbidity J 3.0- the was comparatively low, and vegetative growth 5g2.0- was moderate to abundant; vegetation cover, and, directly or indi- 5S 10- provided rectly, suitable space and food for fish. ? 0,0- 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 These conditions evidently were favor- 10-1 able to the growth of bluegills. Patri- INDEX OF GROWTH arche (1953:249), in discussing poor growth of bluegills in Lake Wappa- pello, Missouri, stated, "Presumably the lack of vegetation, unstable water levels, and competition for food curtail the insect and plant food supply upon which tlie bluegill depends." The average annual fall condition o 1950 1952 1958 factors of bluegills (Table 42) tended to follow a trend similar to that of the Fig. 33.—Trend in water levels at Lake growth inde.x ( Fig. 33 ) . Fall condition, Chautauqua (number of days water levels were at least 437.5 feet above mean sea level like growth, declined sharply in 1958. in June, July, and August, Table 41 ) and We believe that, during the time of our trends in population sizes las reflected by study, water levels were the principal anglers' catch, Table 40), indices of growth, and indices of fall condition (C) of bluegills factor affecting fall condition, as well as at Lake Chautauqua. 1950-1959. The trend growth. Condition values were lower in in the indices of condition was quite similar autumns following summers of high to the trend in water levels. Part of the curve representing catch is broken to indicate de- water levels than in autumns following viation from actual 1953 data (shown by a summers of low water levels. The cor- dot), which were considered inadequate and atypical. relation coefficient of r^ -0.81 indicated a rather highly significant nega- believed by us to have been related to tive relationship between high water some density-independent factor that levels of Lake Chautauqua and high av- raised the lake's carrying capacity for erage fall condition factors of the blue- bluegills. The factor involved here was, gill. in our opinion, water levels. The best White Crappie: Growth and Con- bluegill growth occurred in years dition Data.—The annual variations (other than 1957) in which the water that occurred in the growth patterns of

was low ( and therefore relatively stable 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old white crappies in and low in turbidity) during the sum- the years 1950-1959 at Lake Chautau- mer months (Fig. 33); even in 1957 qua are reflected in the average lengths the water was low, stable, and clear of the fisli in these age-classes (Table ,

Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

15 and Fig. 34). The 2-year-old white We did not find that any correlation crappies of 1950-1952 had smaller av- (;'^—0.16) existed between the growth erage lengths than the 2-year-olds of indices of 3- and 4-year-old white crap- any other year of our study. The 2-year- pies and the Lake Chautauqua water old fish of 1953 showed a drastic in- levels (Fig. 35). The calculated corre- crease in growth rate (as measured by lation coefficient may be misleading, since more than one age-group was in- WHITE CRAPPIE volved in the computation. In 1953, a year of low water levels, the 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old fish showed increases in average lengths (Fig. 34). In 1956, a year of low water levels, the 2- and 4-year- old fish showed increases in average

2 6.0

1950 1952 1954 1956 1958

BLACK CRAPPIE ^ yeors l&O-

9.0-

eo-

7.0- ----.L^ °1'^

6.0-

1954 1956 1958

Fig. 34.—Year-to-year variations in growth 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 rates (as indicated by length I of 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old white crappies and black crappies 10 IMDEX OF GROWTH at Lake Chautauqua, 1950-1959 (data from Table 15 and Table 18). -5- WHITE' 10- 3-(tillAND 4 -YEAR OLD FISH CRAPPIE average length in the fall ) , and 2-year- 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 old fish continued to show good growth rates each year through 1959. The improved growth rates probably were related to the comparatively small populations of crappies present in the lake after 1952. The average lengths of the 3- and 4- year-old white crappies varied less from year to year than the average lengths of the 2-year-olds. After 1956, the average lengths of the 3- and 4-year-old fish declined slightly. By 1958 and 1959, the 1952 1958 average lengths of fish of these ages had dropped to about where they had been Fig. 35.—Trend in water levels at Lake in 1950 and 1951. The length data given Chautauqua (number of days water levels were at least 437.5 feet above mean sea level here on the 3- and 4-year-old white in June, July, and August, Table 41 ) and crappies indicate that the increased re- trends in population sizes (as reflected by indices growth, moval of commercial fishes had no ap- test-netting, Table 39), of and indices of fall condition (C) of white parent beneficial effect on growth of crappies and black crappies at Lake Chautau- these crappies. qua, 1950-1959.

I )

March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 79 lengths. In 1958, a year of high water Increased removal of commercial fish levels, the 3-year-old fish showed a drop apparently had no effect upon the aver- in average length. Both the 2- and 3- age fall condition factor of white crap- year-old fish showed increased average pies, inasmuch as this factor was low in lengths in 1959, a year of low water 1958, the year following an extensive levels. The 4-year-old fish showed a de- remo\'al of commercial fish, the largest crease in average length in that year; removal of the entire research program this decrease may have been caused at (Table 2). least partially by the small size of these Black Cr.appie: Growth and Condi- fish as 3-year-olds in the previous year. tion Data.—The annual growth pat- The importance of the density-inde- terns of 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old black pendent factor, water levels, on the crappies are presented with those of the white crappies of Lake Chautauqua is white crappies in Fig. 34. The 3- and developed further in the following dis- 4-year-old black crappies showed more cussion on condition. variation in growth rates than did white The average fall condition factor ( C crappies of the same age-groups. The of the white crappies of Lake Chautau- large and dominant 1948 brood of crap- qua ranged from a low of 4.91 in 1950 pies, together with high water levels, to a high of 5.80 in 1953 (Table 42). seems to have had more effect on The 1950-1959 data indicate that a growth of the black crappies than it did rather close negative correlation existed on growth of the whites. In the fall of between high summer water levels and 1950, the dominant brood, which was average fall condition factors of tliese then classified as 3 years of age, had the crappies ( c^—0.79 ) . The graphs shown smallest average length recorded dur- in Fig. 35 indicate that in an autumn ing the study for black crappies of that following a summer of low water levels age ( Table 18 ) . As might have been ex- the average condition factor was high pected, fish of the 1948 brood had a low and in an autumn following a summer average length as 4-year-olds in 1951. of high and fluctuating water levels the In 1953, the black crappies of the 1950 average condition factor was low. We brood made poor growth, as shown by believe that water levels acted as a den- their average lengths in the fall as 4- sity-independent factor that affected year-olds, whereas fish of most other the Lake Chautauqua carrying capacity age-groups of both species showed for fishes, such as crappies and blue- marked improvement in their growth gills, that feed by sight and tend to re- rates. Possibly fish of the 1948 broods main close to cover. of both species were still present in suf- The low average condition of white ficient numbers in 1953 to affect the crappies in the fall of 1950 demon- growth of black crappies of the 1950 strated the effect of lowered carrying brood. The poor growth of black crap- capacity (created by high water levels pies in the period 1950-1952 was prob- the previous summer) combined with ably related to the large numbers of high population density. In the sum- crappies in the population at that time mers of 1957 and 1958, water levels of and to high water levels. Three- and 4- Lake Chautauqua were high, and the year-old black crappies showed im- carrying capacity of the lake was con- provement in growth in the vears 1954- sequently reduced. In these years, the 1956 (Fig. 34 and Table IS'). population density of white crappies After 1956, the average lengths of the was comparatively low, and, although 3- and 4-year-old crappies of both spe- the fall condition of the fish was low in cies declined. The 2-year-old black both years, it was not so low as it had crappies exiiibited a growth pattern been in 1950, when the population den- quite similar to that of white crappies sity of crappies was high. of tlic same age. After 1952, 2-ycar-olds 80 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1 of both species continued to show in- CHANNEL CATFISH creases in average length (Fig. 34). ..6 zi.o- / The relatively small number of 2-year- to s iii X o'/ with 1 20.0- old crappies after 1952, coupled o H years of low water levels, evidently fa- Old 19.0- Years vored the growth of crappies in their 5 ISO --' second summer of life.

As shown by condition factors (Ta- z 170 ble 42), the black crappie at Lake _l _, 160- Chautauqua in the years of our study < was a plumper fish than the white crap- 2 15.0 pie. The two species made similar year- I4.0. to-year changes in plumpness or con- 1953 1957 dition (Fig. 35). Like the white crappie, the black Fig. 36.—Year-to-year variations in growth rates (as indicated by length) of 4-, 5-, and crappie had fall condition values that 6-year-old channel catfish at Lake Chautau- were negatively correlated with high qua, 1953-1958 (data from Table 21). water levels ( r=—0.73 ) . The relationship between water levels and average INDEX OF GROWTH fall condition factors (Fig. 34) discussed above for the white crappie is applicable to the black crappie. -+- Channel Catfish: Growth and INDEX OF CONDITION Condition Data.—The year-to-year variations that occurred in the average lengths attained by 4-, 5-, and 6-year- old channel catfish of Lake Chautauqua are shown in Fig. 36 and Table 21. Each year, 1953-1956, the 4-year-old 1955 1957 channel catfish showed increases in average length, but in the following Fig. 37.—Patterns of growth and fall condition (C) of channel catfish in Lake Chau- 2-year period they showed decreases. tauqua and number of pounds of catfish re- The period of good growth coincided moved per acre from the lake. 1953—1958 with a period of summers of compara- (fish removal data from Table 35). tively low water levels ( Table 41 ) . We believe that during this period the car- should have continued to be good rying capacity of the lake for catfish in- through 1957 and 1958 ( instead of de- creased as a result of the low water lev- creasing in 1957 and 1958), since 1956 els. During part of this period, the size and 1957 were years of extensive re- of the catfish population (as deter- moval of fish, including catfish. mined by the catch per acre seined) The 5-year-old channel catfish fol- was relatively high (Table 35); normal- lowed a pattern of average lengths simi- ly the large population would have had lar to the pattern followed by the 4- an adverse effect on growth of the fish year-olds except in 1957, when an in- if the carrying capacity of the lake had crease rather than a decrease in average not been increased. Part of this period length occurred (Fig. 36). The increase of good growth rates of 4-year-old cat- in 1957 was made by 5-year-old fish of fish was in the years of increased re- the 1953 year-class and may be ex- moval of catfish and other fish ( Fig. 37 plained in part, at least, by the unusu- and Table 5 ) . However, had removal of ally good average length of individuals fish been the principal factor involved of this year-class as 4-year-old fish in here, growth rates of 4-year-old fish 19.56. In 1958, fish of the 1953 year-class . )

March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 81 as 6-year-olds were larger than fish of of 1950-1958 showed no significant cor- the 1952 year-class were in 1957; the 4- relation with the high water levels of and 5-year-old fish were smaller in 1958 the respective preceding summers (r^ than in 1957. We cannot explain why +0.10). The low condition value in the the average length of the 6-year-old fish fall of 1953 followed a summer of low dropped in 1956 while the average water levels ( Table 41 ) . This low con- lengths of the 4- and the 5-year-olds dition value was possibly related to showed increases. the large brood of bigmouth buffalo The indices of growth of 4-, 5-, and spawned in 1953. 6-year-old channel catfish (Fig. 37) Bigmouth Buffalo: Growth and showed a slight negative correlation CoNTJiTiON Data.—The average lengths with the high water levels of Lake that the 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old buffalo at

Chautanqna ( r^ —0.47 ) Lake Chautauqua attained in the pe- Only very slight variations occurred riod 1951-1958 are shown in Fig. 38 from year to year in the average fall and Table 24. Other than in 1953 and condition factors of channel catfish 1954, the year-to-year trends in average (Table 42 and Fig. 37). The small changes that occurred in condition in- BIGMOUTH BUFFALO dicated a sHght negative correlation ^21.0-1 . -1. Yea-^.Old with high water levels ( (•^—0.39 ) . Fin- nell & Jenkins (1954:20-21) and Buck 20,0- 5 Yea''^„°ld found that turbidity retarded ( 1956:46) X 19,0- ~^ the growth of channel catfish in Okla- o ^ 18.0- homa. At Lake Chautauqua, the rela- _j tively clear waters during the growing -J I7.0-- seasons in years of low water evidently

: 16.0 1 1 1 1 1 \ \ had some beneficial effect on condition 1951 1953 1955 1957 and growth of channel catfish. Gizzard Shad- Condition Data. — Fig. 38. —Year-to-year variations in growth rates (as indicated by length) of 4-, 5-, and fall The average condition factors for 6-year-old bigmouth buffalo at Lake Chau- gizzard shad at Lake Chautauqua, as tauqua, 1951-1958 (data from Table 24). determined from length and weight data collected in September and early length of individuals in the three age- October, 1950 and 1952-1958, showed groups were quite similar. The decline little variation, except in 2 years of low in average length of the 4-year-old fish condition factors, 1953 and 1954 ( Table in 1953 may have resulted from com-

42 ) . The increased removal of fish dur- petition with the large population of ing the 1954-1957 period ( Table 5 ) ap- buffalo spawned in that year. parently had no desirable effect on the The variations that occurred from average fall condition of shad; the con- year to year in average length of the dition values were lower in 1956, 1957, buffalo were small. The average lengths, and 1958 than in 1950 and 1952 ( Table other than length of the 4-year-old fish 42). The increase in abundance of adult in 1953, tended to be greater in the shad after 1953 apparently had some 1953-19.56 period than at any other effect upon the condition of the shad, time in the study except possibly 1951 since average fall condition factors after (Table 24). With few exceptions, the that year were not as high as they had years of good growth of buffalo (as been in 1950 and 1952 when tlic adult measured by axerage length in the fall populations, as measured by the catch, coincided with years in which the sum- were small (Table 37). mer water levels were low (Tables 24 The fluctuations in average condition and 41 and Fig. 38). The range in the factors of gizzard shad in the autumns indices of growth was minor (—2.6 to 82 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

+2.0). The increased removal of fisli old fish of 1957 were larger than those during the investigation apparently did of any previous year. In that year the not increase the growth rate of big- 3- and 5-year-olds were appro.ximately mouth buffalo; the average length of as large as in any earlier year. In 1958, buffalo was slightly less in 1958 than the 3-year-olds were larger than in any at the beginning of the removal pro- other year of the study. The 4- and 5- gram in 1951 (Fig. 38 and Table 24). year-olds were much smaller than in The variations that occurred in the 1957. average fall condition factors for big- The sliarp decfine that occurred in mouth buffalo (Table 42) were quite average length of drum individuals in small but were more pronounced than 1955 followed the year of the largest those noted for the indices of growth. removal of drum (73,197 pounds.

The lowest average fall condition fac- Table 5 ) during the entire fish removal tors for the bigmouth buffalo, as for program. Another decline in average the gizzard shad, occurred in 1953 and length of drum occurred in 1958, a year

1954. From 1951 through 1958, high after the largest removal of fish ( all of summer water levels seemed to have a the species combined ) . The population minor effect on the average fall condi- density of drum ( as indicated by catch tion factors (r= +0.301 After 1954, per 100 yards of seine) was at its low- the C factors for buffalo increased est in 1958 (Table 34). Water levels slightly each year until 1958, when the did not seem to have any noticeable factor dropped to 6.41, a figure close effect on growth rates. The factors af- to that calculated for the year 1955. If fecting the growth rates of the drum the increased removal of buffalo and at Lake Chautauqua were not apparent other fishes had been responsible for to us. the slightly higher condition values in The average fall condition factor of the years 1955^1957, then the C value freshwater drum at Lake Chautauqua should have been high in 1958, since was at its highest in 1953 ( Fig. 40 and more fish were removed from Lake Table 42). In 1954, the condition fac- Chautauqua in 1957 than in any other tor dropped to approximately its level year during the program (Table 5). in 1951. Then, in 1955, the condition Freshwater Drum: Growth and factor made a sharp decline and did Condition Data.—The average lengths not recover to the 1954 level during the of the 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old drum at 1955-1958 period. Lake Chautauqua varied only sfightly In 1955 and subsequent years, fish from vear to year in the 1951-1954 pe- buyers in Chicago reported back to us riod (Fig. 39 and Table 1). In 1955, de- that the flesh of some of the drum from clines occurred in the average lengths Lake Chautauqua was "hard-meated" of fish of all three age-groups—sharp declines in the 3- and 4-year-old fish. FRESHWATER DRUM ii! 15.0- In the following year, average lengths of the 3- and 4-year-old fish increased I to about the levels of the years before 1955. The average length of the 5-year- old fish in 1956 was slightly less than the average length of this age-group in 1955. The decrease in average length of this age-group in 1956 may have been a result of the small size of the individuals the preceding year as 4- Fig. 39.—Year-to-year variations in growth rates (as indicated by length) of 3-, 4-, and year-olds. In all three 1957, age-groups 5-year-old freshwater drum at Lake Chautau- increased in average length. The 4-year- qua, 1951-1958 (data from Table 1). March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 83

(rubbery). This condition affected the bluegill that occurred after 1952, fol- sale of drum from the lake, and lowing the extensive remo\al of buffalo. the local wholesale undressed price The effect of the increase in abundance dropped from about 8 cents to 3.5 cents of these species cannot be proved. a pound. Prior to 1955, we had never Another factor that may have af- received a complaint regarding the fected the condition of drum in Lake flesh of drum from Lake Chautauqua. Chautauqua was a change in abun- The low average fall condition factor dance of food. This change may have of drum in the 1956-1958 period oc- affected the condition of carp, also. The curred during the years the population effect of this change is developed for density of drum ( as estimated by catch both carp and drum in the following per 100 yards of seine) was relatively paragraphs. low. The poor condition of drum in the Carp: Condition; Data.—After 1953, 1956-1958 period occurred during and the average fall condition factors of following the time of the most extensive drum and carp followed rather similar removal of fish (all kinds) from the downward trends ( Fig. 40 ) . These spe- lake. At Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin, cies were the only ones studied that Wirth (1958:32) observed an improve- exhibited such trends in condition after ment in the condition of drum follow- 1953. We suspect that the condition of ing a drastic reduction of drum stocks— both species was affected by the same "little improvement" in the first 3 years factor or factors. As suggested above, of a removal program but "a decided the decline in condition may have been change" in the next 2 years. caused by a change in abundance of In most years of our study, we foimd food. little relationship between water levels Since 1956, commercial fishermen of Lake Chautauqua and average fall have complained that a large percent- condition factors of the freshwater age of the carp caught in the Illinois drum in the lake (Tables 41 and 42). River were too small for commercial

This finding is not surprising, since, ac- sale. The predominance of small carp cording to Langlois (1954:262), adult has damaged the Illinois River commer- drum can find their food by taste and cial fishery. In 1957, we began to study smell. Possibly at Lake Chautauqua, the growth rate of carp in the river. high turbidity resulting from high water We found this growth rate to be rela- and the absence of vegetation would tively poor for the middle and upper not seriously interfere with feeding. reaches of the Illinois. Small size and One factor that possibly affected the low condition of the Illinois River carp, condition of drum was the increase in we foimd, were related to this poor abundance of carp, gizzard shad, and growth rate. A decrease in the general

FRESHWATER DRUM CARP

1951 1952 1956 1957 1958

Fig. 40.—Average fall condition (Ci factors of carp and freshwater drum at Lake Chau- tauqua, September, 1951-1958. 84 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

well-being of carp in the river was par- 381 ) re\'iewed the literature on the food alleled by a decline in the condition of habits of drum and stated that "the carp and drum in Lake Chautauqua. smallest individuals feed upon ento- Paloumpis & Starrett (1960:422-424) mostracans. These are followed by reported that the population of finger- aquatic insects, and the large drums nail clams ( Sphaeriidae ) in lower feed chiefly upon clams and snails, sup- Quiver Lake (part of the Illinois River) plemented by crayfish and other ma- dropped from 1,115 individuals per terials." Darnell examined four drum square foot in 1952 to 54 per square from Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, foot in 1953 and to in 1954. The that contained food and found that snail population in lower Quiver Lake about 73 per cent of the stomach con- also declined in this period. Fingernail tents consisted of clams, 11 per cent clams virtually disappeared from Lake mud crabs, 10 per cent undetermined Chautauqua after 1954. In a recent organic material, and 6 per cent amphi- study (unpublished), Starrett & Pa- pods. He also found traces of blue loumpis found that the principal foods crabs, gastropods, hydroids, and leaves available to carp in the middle Illinois and twigs of vascular plants. Dendy River were Tubificidae worms, filamen- (1946:117-118), who studied the food tous algae, Entomostraca, phytoplank- habits of drum in Norris Reservoir, ton, and, to a limited extent, insect lar- Tennessee, reported that when mollusks vae. were not available drum substituted Forbes & Richardson (1920:106) con- fish for the mollusks that were normally sidered carp as "omnivorous feeders, part of their diet. taking principally vegetable matter, but Two detailed food habits studies, one insect larvae, crustaceans and moUusks, by Daiber (1952:38) on Lake Erie and and other small aquatic animals as the other by Moen (1955:593) on four well." Moen (1953:675) found in his Iowa lakes, indicated that insect larvae, detailed study of the food habits of carp crustaceans, and fish comprised the in Iowa lakes that aquatic insect larvae, bulk of the food taken by drum. Mol- small crustaceans, and snails formed the lusks were available to the drum in bulk of the animal foods consumed dur- Lake Erie, but Daiber (1952:39) found ing the summer periods. Richardson no evidence that they were used for (1928:471) considered the increase of food by the drum. Moen (1955:591) small Sphaeriidae (fingernail clams) reported that mollusks (Gastropoda) that occurred in the Illinois River as a formed only about 3 per cent of the M result of pollution as beneficial to the total volume of food in the stomachs of "coarse fish" by afi^ording them a great- the drum collected from the four Iowa er supply of food. We believe that the lakes. Fingernail clams were present in fingernail clams in the Illinois River the lakes, but Moen found none in the formerly furnished an important source stomachs of the drimi. of food for carp and that with the vir- No detailed food habits study was tual disappearance of the fingernail made of drum at Lake Chautauqua; clams in the river in about 1953 the the few stomachs of drum collected growth of the carp in that river was from this lake after 1954 and examined affected adversely. by us contained insect larvae and fish. We have hesitated even to conjecture Benthic studies made at Lake Chautau- that the decline in condition of carp qua by Paloumpis & Starrett (1960: and drum in Lake Chautauqua was 417) indicated that each year in the related to the reduced fingernail clam period 1952-1956 the lake supported a population in that lake, as may have large population of dipterous larvae. been the case with the growth of carp Small-size fish that might have served in the Illinois River. Darnell (1958: as forage for drum occurred abundantly March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 85 each summer during the study. The in- "Growth and Condition Data." The sect larvae should have been abundant changes that occurred from year to year enough to furnish an adequate food in the mean weights of the four prin- supply for carp. However, in spite of cipal commercial species are given in the abundance of food in the lake, Table 43. The decreases in the weights other than mollusks, the condition of of these species occiured concurrently carp and drum declined. In 1957 ( Fig. with the increased fishing pressure and 40), the C values of these species are quite apparent. In some species, de- showed some improvement and then creases in size and weight would even- declined again. At Quiver Lake, there tually have occurred because of natural was a temporary increase in the fingernail clam population in 1957 (Palo- Table 43.—Mean weights (pounds) of commercial fishes caught in commercial seine umpis & Starrett 1960:425). Bottom hauls in September at Lake Chautauqua, fauna studies were not conducted on 1951-1958. Lake Chautauqua in 1957. Possibly the fingernail clam population increased that year in Lake Chautauqua as well as in Quiver Lake. Whether an increase in the clam population might have been related to the 1957 increase in the condition values of carp and drum can only be speculated. The literature reviewed above on the food habits of drum indicates that there is a conflict of opinions among biologists as to the importance of Mollusca in the diet of the drum. In the event that even small quantities of Mollusca are a nutritional requirement in the diet of carp and drum, then the decrease in the Mollusca population that occurred in Lake Chautauqua in the years of our study could have had an adverse effect on the condition values of these fishes in the lake.

EFFECTS OF FISH REMOVAL ON FISHING The effects of an intensive fish removal program on the growth and condition ( C ) of fish and on the size of fish populations at Lake Chautauqua have been discussed in the preceding sections. The effects that increased intensity of commercial fishing had on commercial and sport fishing are presented below.

Effect on Commercial Fishing The possible effects that tiie increased fish removal had on size of commercial species are discussed in another section. 86 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

Table 44.—Pounds of fish caught and removed from Lake Chautauqua with commer- bigmouth), freshwater drum, channel catfish, and gizzard shad, are given number of pounds March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 87

cial seines in September, 1951 — 1958. For each of five kinds, carp, buffalofishes (mainly and per cent of total catch. Data for other kinds are combined.

Channel Catfish 88 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

ern shore, and toward the upper end of tlie the grounds in a number of years, it is ad- lake where springy shores and sandy bottom visable to sow the mud flats widi Japanese are to be found, the vegetation partakes more millet seed and tubers of chufa. Chufa might of the permanent littoral character. Here well replace other less valuable nutgrasses, rushes, sedges, arrowleaf, and the aquatic which produce no tubers and which are die Cruciferae and Umbclliferae appear among more aljimdant of the species in the Illinois the Potamogetons and oUier floating plants. River valley. In the northern area, especially along its west- In order to make the seeds, tubers or root- ern shore, where more alluvium is found, stocks of the moist-soil plants available to water-lilies, pickerel-weed, and the lotus waterfowl, it is necessary to flood the beds abound, and the Potamogetons are more in the fall months. Springs, streams, pumps abundant .... The "wild celery" ( Vallisneria and natural rises in the Illinois River are used spiralis) is sparingly present in the channel in conjunction with dams . . . and levees to of the eastern arm of the lake, while in the flood such areas. tributary bottom-lands above are aquatic meadows of wild rice and otlier water-loving The second method ( Method B ) that grasses, rushes, and sedges. Bellrose (1941:274-275) proposed in-

In years of higher water . . . , such as the cluded the following: four following 1895, the vegetation difi^ers from that of low-water years more in quantity Water levels should be maintained as nearly than in kind. The main body of the lake and constant as possible at a depth of 2 to 3 feet. a considerable portion of both arms are This creates a habitat suitable for such sub- freed to a greater or less extent from their merged and floating aquatic plants as long- vegetation, a border of varying width remain- leaf, sago and bushy pondweeds and coon- ing near the shores, and scattered clumps tail. As a result of tlie water level created dotting the lake here and there in the broad by the Peoria navigation dam, bodies of water stretches of open water. between Peoria and Henry appear to be best adapted to tiiis type of management. Today Quiver Lake is devoid of aquatic plants. The formerly deep basin According to Bellrose ( personal com- of the lake has been filled in with 4- munication, July 9, 1963), since 1941, to 8-foot deposits of silt. Turbid water siltation has occurred to such an extent at depths of over 3 feet and a soft, that most Illinois River valley lakes flocculent bottom prevent the establish- have undergone serious deterioration as ment of aquatic plants in the lake. Con- aquatic plant habitats. The bottoms of ditions in Quiver Lake are duplicated these lakes have become increasingly in many of the other floodplain lakes of flocculent and soft, so that important the Illinois River; that is, in the past duck food plants, such as coontail, long- 35 years siltation has greatly changed leaf pondweed, bushy pondweed (Na- the ecology of these lakes. jas giiadalupensis), and wild celery In the late 1930's Bellrose (1941:237- (Vallisneria spiralis), can no longer, in 245) became aware of the changes oc- the presence of wave action, remain at- curring in the waterfowl habitat of the tached to the bottom. Moreover, tur- Ilhnois River valley. He proposed two bidity from wave action reduces the methods for managing the floodplain penetration of sunlight to such a degree lakes for waterfowl. These methods are that plants cannot thrive. Sago pond- extremely important here since they re- weed is able to attach itself to the soft late directly to habitat changes that bottom in the silt-laden lakes, provided affect the fishery. the water level is stable and the water The first of the methods (Method A) depth is not much more than 3 feet, as that Bellrose (1941:274) proposed con- is the case in many parts of Lake Chau- tained the following provisions: tauqua. Low & Bellrose (1944:10, 14) found that in the Illinois River valley The water levels should be lowered sufficiently by luly 1 to leave at least 30 per sago pondweed yielded only 10.6 cc of cent of the area in mud flats, allowing such seed per square meter in 1941 and 1942 moist-soil plants as nutgrasses, water hemp and that it ranked only 24th in seed or pigweed, various smartweeds, teal grass, wild and Japanese millets and rice cut-grass production among the aquatic plants in —all good duck food plants—to develop on those lakes. Bellrose does not now rec- the mud flats. These plants usually appear by natural means, widiout the necessity of sow- ommend management Method B in a ing. However, if they have not occurred on lake that does not have a firm bottom. March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 89

Bellrose's Method A is the most ef- by natural flooding from the Illinois fective technique used today in the IIH- River. If Method A were used, the lake nois River valley for managing a flood- would have very limited use for fish; plain lake for the benefit of ducks. If in the opinion of Frank C. Bellrose of the Illinois River does not overflow and the Illinois Natural History Survey flood the river basin during the sum- (personal communication May 14, mer months, an excellent stand of food 1964), the lake would have increased plants for ducks is almost certain to value for ducks. develop in the basin by fall. Since the If the lake were to be managed for basins of most of the floodplain lakes fish, the summer water level should be of the Illinois River valley have become equivalent to the 1950 level of 435.0 filled in with silt until they are nearly feet or slightly higher so that most of level, the type of drawdown called for the lake would be 2 to 4 feet deep. Sed- under Bellrose's Method A exposes imentation surveys at 10-year intervals much of the lake bottom to the air. The would show the e.\tent of storage loss remaining water is too shallow for the for each decade and allow a revision survival of sport fishes. We believe that of the base level to compensate for the efi^ective management of an Illinois loss in storage. The river should be per- River floodplain lake for both ducks mitted to flow into the lake at a level and fish is virtually impossible. of 437.5 feet or slightly higher. From 1950 through 1959, Lake Chau- In the years of our study, the density- tauqua was primarily managed under independent factor that includes all Bellrose's Method B, whereby the water phenomena associated with or influ- was held as nearly as possible at a enced by stable or varying water levels stable depth of 2 to 3 feet (435.0 feet was considered to be the single most above mean sea level). In those years, important factor affecting the dynamics production of duck food plants was of the fish populations of Lake Chau- limited largely to sago pondweed, for tauqua. In our opinion, if the river were reasons given above. In early fall, the kept out of the lake, and the water sago pondweed, when present ( 1953, could be held at a normal pool level 1956, and 1959), was used principally for a period of about 5 years, the popu- by baldpates {Anas americana). Some lations of some of the fishes would be- blue-winged teals {Anas discors) and come overabundant and the yield of also sport commercial fishes coots ( Fulica americana ) fed on both the and sago in early fall. By the time the large would decline. For nearly 40 years, the flight of mallards {Anas platyrhynchos) senior author has been somewhat fa- arrived in late October and November, miliar with the fishing at Spring Lake the sago was gone, except for scattered (Tazewell County), near Lake Chau- seeds on the lake bottom. tauqua. Since Spring Lake was isolated Because of siltation, the basin of Lake from the Illinois River in about 1910,

Chautauqua is now so nearly level that it has produced mainly small sunfish. use of the Method A management plan According to old-timers, prior to 1910 would be possible in years of low water the fishing in Spring Lake was excel- levels. This plan would involve drain- lent, and the fish were of sizes attrac- ing much of the lake basin during the tive to fishermen. summer to pemiit the growth (on ex- Many facets of fish population dy- posed areas) of moist-soil plants: namics involved with fluctuations of planted Japanese millet and volunteer water levels in river and lake and with native plants. In the autumn, the lake connections between river and lake are basin would be reflooded by water not clearly understood. However, the pumped from the river and diverted good growth rates and the apparent from Quiver Creek, or, in some years, lack of overpopulation of the fishes in 90 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

Lake Chautauqua during the period of tributed such nutrients to the lake. our study made us reahze that the Waterfowl contributed nutrients in the density-independent factor, water lev- form of excreta. The exposure and re- els, was probably the principal factor flooding of portions of the lake bottom acting upon the fish population of this undoubtedly were beneficial in making floodplain lake. Lack of regularity of certain nutrients available. At normal fluctuations was characteristic of Lake pool stage, most of the lake water was Chautauqua during our investigation. within the calculated euphotic zone, In one year, high water came in May which represented depths of 41.0 to and the following year it came in June 53.5 inches in the growing season of and July. In another year, water was 1953 (Jackson & Starrett 1959:159). In low and stable throughout the entire such a situation, the growth of bottom growing season. The water levels af- microflora, which served as food for fected such diverse needs of fish as macrobenthic organisms and fish, was food, cover, space, and spawning. possibly stimulated. Stable water levels favored the growth Stroud (1948:93-94) concluded from of sago pondweed, which provided his studies at Norris Reservoir, Tennes- cover for the fish and growing space see, that "The present long-term cycle

for the periphyton on which many fish of water-level fluctuation is beneficial fed. Fluctuating water levels undoubt- to the fish population as a whole result-

edly had an important eflFect upon the ing, as it apparently does, in periodic spawning success of some fish species. increases in the food supply and sub- For example, several nests of large- sequent improvement in growth rates." mouth bass were found stranded by a Wood (1951), Bennett (1954Z;), Hulsey 1-foot drop in water level. Possibly in (1957), and others have considered some years large numbers of carp eggs water levels as an important factor af- were destroyed by receding waters. fecting fish populations. Richardson (1913:402-403) recorded The commercial seine hauls made in the destruction of large numbers of Lake Chautauqua in September of each carp fry as a result of the drying up year, 1951-1958, were at approximately of spawning grounds near Havana. The the same water levels. In years of low largest broods of carp and bigmouth water levels during the growing season, buffalo produced in Lake Chautauqua sago pondweed was abundant and in during the course of our study occurred such years crappies and bluegills were in 1953, a year of low and stable water taken in considerable numbers in the levels during late spring and summer; seine hauls. In years of high water however, when similar water level con- levels during the growing season, sago ditions existed in 1956, no large sur- pondweed was either sparse or absent, vival of spawns of carp and bigmouth and only a few crappies and bluegills buffalo occurred. were caught in the commercial seines. Because, during periods of high We have concluded from the seining water, fish could enter or leave Lake and netting operations that in seasons Chautauqua, possibly the sizes of some in which sago pondweed was sparse fish populations were changed during or absent the crappie and bluegill pop- such periods. We found some evidence ulations were concentrated in the that carp and gizzard shad made popu- stump-filled semipermanent shoreline lation adjustments in periods of high habitats, while in seasons in which sago water. flourished crappies and bluegills were The influx of biogenic salts into Lake widely distributed. We believe that Chautauqua from the Illinois River was the density-independent factor, water not measured in the period of our levels, actually changed the carrying study, but probably the river con- capacity of the lake through bringing March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 91

about changes in turbidity, food sup- the lake ( all fishes ) in the period 1942- ply, vegetation, and suitable space. 1949 ranged from 12 to 45 pounds per We believe that the commercial fish acre (48.4 pounds per acre in 1950). removal program in Lake Chautauqua To increase the yield, supervised com- in the years of our study might have mercial seining was carried on at the had a measurable efFect upon the sport lake in September of each year, 1951- fishery had it not been for the fluctu- 1958. Roundup fishing with wing nets, ating water levels, successful reproduc- started at the lake in 1952, helped to tion of fishes in the lake, and recruit- increase the yield. In the 1951-1958 pe- ment of fishes from the Illinois River. riod, the annual yield of all fishes We believe that the principal benefit ranged from 73.1 to 121.0 pounds per resulting from the increased fish re- acre. During the 10-year period of the moval program at Lake Chautauqua study, 2,991,131 pounds or 8.39.7 pounds was in the economic gains to the par- per acre were removed. Buffalofishes ticipating commercial fishermen and in (mainly bigmouth buffalo) comprised the utilization of the fish as food for 49.1 per cent of the weight of fishes re- man, food that otherwise would have moved from the lake. been lost. 5.—Si.xty-four species of fish were collected from the lake. At least 30 of SUMMARY these species were either rare or rare-

1.—Lake Chautauqua is located near occ.isional, 21 species ranged from oc- Havana, in Mason County, Illinois. It casional to common, and only 13 spe-

is a restored 3,562-acre lateral-levee cies occurred abundantly. The abim- reservoir, shallow and subject to flood- dant species were bigmouth buffalo, ing by the Illinois River. gizzard shad, carp, freshwater drum, 2.—A biological investigation was bluegill, white crappie, black crappie, conducted on the fishes of this lake yellow bass, channel catfish, shortnose over a 10-year period, 1950-1959. The gar, emerald shiner, spottail shiner, and present paper is concerned principally brook silverside. with the various fishes and their rela- 6.—The growth rates of 14 species of tive abundance in Lake Chautauqua, fish at Lake Chautauqua were deter- their biology, the dynamics of their mined. Growth rates of most of the populations, and the eflFects of commer- species studied compared favorably cial fishing on them. Sedimentation, with growth rates of these species in turbidity, chemical, and bottom fauna other waters. A few species had excel- studies were made in conjunction with lent growth rates. Lack of stunted fish the fishery investigation. indicated that the fish populations in 3.— Field data were obtained on the the lake were not overcrowded. In fishery by creel censusing, commercial some species, the population was dom- wing-net fishing, commercial seining, inated for several years by one or two

test-net fishing ( 1-inch-square-mesh year-classes. wing nets), minnow seining, use of ro- 7.— VIost of the catch of freshwater tenone, and electrofishing. During the drum in the commercial seine hauls was investigation, 52,214 fish were weighed composed of 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old fish. and measured. In addition, 12,814 small Very few drum in the catch \\'ere more fish were measured; 23,812 fish were than 6 years old. aged. 8.—During the investigation, only two 4.— Prior to 1951, fishing pressure on dominant year-classes of adult big- tiie lake was comparatively light. Up to mouth buffalo were observed, those of that year, commercial fishing was re- 1948 and 19.53. The increased removal stricted to the use of individual wing of bigmoutii buffalo changed the buf- nets. The estimated annual vield from falo population in 4 years from one con- 92 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1 taining a high percentage of old, large curred in catch from haul to haul. fish to one of predominantly young, These variations were believed to have small fish. been related to (i) uneven distribution 9.—One large carp spawn was ob- or concentration of fishes in the lake, served during the study, that of 1953. ( ii ) movement of fishes within the lake, Apparently, after September, 1956, carp and (iii) accidental loss of fish from were recruited into the lake from the the seines. Tremendous variations in river. catch occurred among the seine hauls 10.—Five-year-old and older fish dom- made in a given section of the lake inated the catch of channel catfish in (three sections). Statistical analysis in- the commercial seine hauls in 1953 and dicated that impractical numbers of 1954. After 1954, the commercial fish- seine hauls were required to detect 10 ery of this species was dependent per cent changes in population of the mainly upon 4-year-olds. Apparently, most numerous fish species. In the the change in this fishery was caused study, enough hauls were made to de- by the increased removal of catfish. tect 40 to 50 per cent changes in the 11.—The bluegill population in most populations of buflfalofishes, drum, and years of the study was composed of channel catfish, but only more drastic several broods, of which one brood had changes in the populations of carp. better representation than the others. 16.—After the areas covered in seine The minnow seine hauls indicated that hauls were found to be roughly circu- bluegills spawned with varying de- lar, calculations were made of the num- grees of success; the success of several ber of pounds of fish caught per acre year-classes of bluegills varied con- seined. siderably in later life. Apparently, many 17.—Data from both tagging and test- of the fish of a large and dominant netting were used in estimating the brood of bluegills died from natural size of crappie populations. causes during their sixth summer of life 18.—The standing crop of all species (as 5-year-old fish). of fish at Lake Chautauqua was esti- 12.—One large and dominant brood mated to be about 500 pounds per acre of white crappies was observed during in the 1951-1952 period. In 1957, the the study. Natural mortality of white estimated standing crop of usable-size crappies was high in the fourth summer fish of four commercial kinds and giz- of life (as 3-year-old fish). In most zard shad was not far below the 1951- years, black crappies were less abun- 1952 estimate for these species. How- dant than white crappies. ever, the species composition had 13.—The strength of the year-classes changed. Populations of shad and of of yellow bass observed during the undersized carp had increased in size study varied considerably. since the earlier period. 14.—Only two year-classes of white 19.—The population of freshwater bass observed in the lake during the drum showed a downward trend after study were of even moderate size. 1954. This trend was apparently as- Tagging studies indicated that a large sociated with increased removal of percentage of white bass over 1 year drum and the scarcity of members of old moved out of the lake in periods two year-classes. of high water. 20.—In 1955, the percentage of large

15.—Controlled commercial seining channel catfish ( fish of 20 inches or appeared to be the best method avail- more total length) taken in the seine able to obtain population data on the hauls dropped considerably; the catch abundant large fish in the lake. Popula- showed an increase in the number of tion analysis was based on 348 com- 3- and 4-year-old fish. In 1958, a sharp pleted seine hauls. Large variations oc- decline occurred in the catch of catfish; March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 93 the decline was believed caused by the river, and water levels tended to offset small size of the 1955 brood and by any mcasureable benefits resulting from heavy removal in previous years of 4- the increased removal of fish. year-old and older fish. 25.—Water levels were considered as 21.—Increased fishing pressure on the a density-independent factor affecting lake reduced the size (weight) of the the condition and growth of bluegills, bigmouth buffalo population below the crappies, and possibly certain other size of the population of 1951-1952. The species. bigmouth buffalo population in the 26.-After 1953, the average fall con- 1951-1952 period was composed mainly dition factors of carp and drum fol- of members of the large 1948 year-class lowed rather similar downward trends. and a considerable number of older Other species of fish studied did not fish; the population in 1957 was dom- follow such trends in condition. The de- inated by the large 19.5.3 year-class and clines in condition of carp and drum contained very few older fish. may have been related to the scarcity 22.—The catch of gizzard shad per of fingernail clams in the lake after estimated acre seined in the 1951-1952 1953. period was 19.7 pounds, whereas in 27.— In the past 35 years, siltation has 1957 the catch was 88.5 pounds per greatly changed the ecology of many acre seined. Increases in the shad popu- of the floodplain lakes of the Illinois lation appeared to be associated with River. For management of the fishery, decreases in the bigmouth buffalo pop- sedimentation surveys of Lake Chau- ulation. tauqua should be made every 10 years 23.—Twenty-one years of creel-census and the summer pool stage of the lake data indicated that the adult popula- increased to compensate for any loss of tions of crappies (both species), blue- storage capacity caused by siltation. gills, and yellow bass in Lake Chau- 28.—The density-independent factor, tauqua fluctuated widely. water levels, was probably the single 24.—At the end of 4 or 5 years of most important factor affecting the dy- the investigation, improvements in the namics of the fish population of Lake growth and condition of bluegills, crap- Chautauqua. pies, freshwater drum, and bigmouth 29.—The principal benefit resulting buffalo could have been correlated with from the increased fish-removal pro- the increased removal of commercial gram at Lake Chautauqua was in eco- fishes. When the investigation was con- nomic gains to the participating com- tinued, the early improvements ap- merical fishermen and in the utilization parently were lost. Successful repro- of the fish as food for man, food that duction, recruitment of fish from the otherwise would have been lost. LITERATURE CITED

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. 1943. Further studies on the in- Daiber, Franklin C. 1952. The food and creased growth rate of the rock bass, Am- feeding relationships of the freshwater

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Bennett, George W. 1937. The growth of Acad. Sci. Jour. 21( 1 ) :105-127.

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, AND Hubert Pedracine. 1938. HuiSH, Melvin T. 1958. Life history of the Growth of the buffalo in Wisconsin lakes black crappie of lakes Eustis and Harris, and streams. Wis. Acad. Sci., Arts and Let- Florida. Southeast. Assoc. Game and Fish ters Trans. 31:513-525. Commis. Proc. for 1957, 11:302-312. GowANLOCK, James Nelson. 1951. Lake Hulsey, Andrew H. 1957. Effects of a fall management. La. Conserv. 3:10-13, 20-22. and winter drawdown on a flood control lake. Southeast. Assoc. and Fish Greer, J. K., and Frank B. Cross. 1956. Game Fishes of El Dorado City Lake, Butler Commis. Proc. for 1956, 10:285-289. County, Kansas. Kans. Acad. Sci. Trans. Hutchinson, G. Evelyn. 1957. A treatise 59(3):358-363. on Umnology. Vol. I. Geography, physics, Grice, Frank. 1958. Effect of remo\al of and chemistry. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., panfish and trashfish by fyke nets upon fish New York. 1,015 p. populations of some Massachusetts' ponds. Jackson, Harry Owen. 1954. Limnological Amer. Fish. Soc. Trans, for 1957, 87:108- investigation of three Illinois bottomland 115. lakes. Master of science in education thesis, Hall, Gordon E., Robert M. Jenkins, and Illinois State University, Normal. 99 p.

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, bass in AND Hilary J. Deason. 1934. ters on the growth of largemouth Growth of the whitefish, Coregontis cluprn- Oklahoma. Okla. Fish. Res. Lab. Hep. 30. formis (Mitchill), in Trout Lake, north- 43 p.

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52:205-266. ( Fish. Bui. 70.) McCoNNELL, William J. 1952. The oper- Kawanabe, Hiroya. 1958. On the signifi- cular bone as an indicator of age and cance of the social structure for the mode growth of the carp, Cyprimis carpio Lin- of density effect in a salmon-like fish, naeus. Amer. Fish. Soc. Trans, for 1951, "Ayu," Plecoglossus altivelis Temminck et 81:138-149. Schlegel. Kyoto Univ., Col. Sci. Mem., Ser. Marzolf, Richard C. 1955. Use of pectoral B (Biol), 25(3):171-180. spines and vertebrae for determining age KoFoiD, C. A. 1903. Plankton studies. IV. and rate of growth of the channel catfish. The plankton of die Illinois River, 1894- Jour. Wildlife Manag. 19(2) :243-249. 1899, with introductory notes upon the hy- Miller, Robert Rush. 1960. Systematics

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, AND Herbert Stern, Jr. 1959. Pre- 167. liminary report on the effects of the re- Moyle, John B., and William D. Clothier. moval of rough fishes on the Clear Lake 1959. Effects of management and winter sport fishery. Southeast. Assoc. Game and o.\ygen levels on tlie fish population of a Fish Commis. Proc. for 1958, 12:36-56. prairie lake. Amer. Fish. Soc. Trans. 88(.3): Langlois, Thomas H. 1954. The western 178-185.

end of Lake Erie and its ecology. J. W. , Jerome H. Kuehn, and Charles R. Edwards, Publisher, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich- Burrows. 1950. Fish-population and catch igan. 479 p. data from Minnesota lakes. Amer. Fish. Larimore, R. Weldon. 1957. Ecological life Soc. Trans, for 1948, 78:163-175.

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Lake, Iowa. Iowa State Col. Jour. Sci. , AND William C. Starrett. 1960. 24(3):273-277. An ecological study of benthic organisms in and Kenneth D. Carlander. 1948. three Illinois River flood plain lakes. Amer. Growth of the yellow bass, Morone inter- Midland Nat. 64(2) :406-435. nipta Gill, in Clear Lake, Iowa. Iowa State Parsons, John W. 1950. Life history of the Col. Jour. Sci. 22(2): 185-195. yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill), Low, Jessop B., and Frank C. Bellrose, Jr. of Clear Lake, Iowa. Iowa State Col. Jour. 1944. The seed and vegetative yield of Sci. 25(l):83-97. waterfowl food plants in the Illinois River Patriarche, Mercer H. 1953. The fishery valley. Jour. Wildlife Manag. 8(l):7-22. in Lake Wappapello, a flood-control res- McCaig, Robert S., and James W. Mul- ervoir on die St. Francis River, Missouri. LAN. 1960. Growth of eight species of Amer. Fish. Soc. Trans, for 1952, 82:242- fishes in Quabbin Reservoir, Massachusetts, 254. March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 97

PiHOGNDCOFF, P. L. 1927. Materials concfrn- Hclioperca macrochira (Rafinesque). Doc- ing age and growth rate of rudd (Rutilus toral thesis. University of Wisconsin, Madi-

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Laboratory Ichthyological in Siberia Re- Schoffman, Robert J. 1940. Age and ports 2(5):1-17. (Citation from English growth of the black and white crappie, summary, unnumbered p. 17.) the warmouth bass, and the yellow bass in Powers, Edwin B., A. Randolph Shields, Reelfoot Lake. Reelfoot Lake Biol. Sta. AND Mary E. Hickman. 1939. The mor- Rep. 4:22-42.

tality of fishes in Norris Lake. Tenn. Acad. . 1941. Age and growth of the drum Sci. Jour. 14(2):239-260. in Reelfoot Lake. Reelfoot Lake Biol. Sta. PuRKETT, Charles A., Jr. 1958. Growth Rep. 5:100-110. rates of Missouri stream fishes. Mo. 1942. Age and growth of die carp Conser\'. Commis., Fish and Game Div., in Reelfoot Lake. Tenn. Acad. Sci. Jour. D-J Ser. 1. 46 p. 17(l):68-77. Raitt, D. S. 1939. The rate of mortality of 1943. Age and growth of the gourd- the haddock of the North Sea stock, 1919- head buffalo in Reelfoot Lake. Tenn. Acad. 1938. Conseil Permanent International pour Sci. Jour. 18(1):.36-46. I'Exploration le la Mer Rapports et Proces- 1953. Growth of the largemouth Verbau.\ des Reunions 110:66-79. black bass in Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee RiCH.\RDSON, R. E. 1913. Observations on Tenn. Acad. Sci. Jour. 28(l):3-7. the breeding of the European carp in the 1954. Age and rate of growth of

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value in the study of stream pollution. 111. 33(1):101-105. rate growth of Nat. Hist, Surv. Bui. 17 ( 12) : 387-475. 1960. Age and of RiCKER, William E. 1942. The rate of the white crappie in Reelfoot Lake, Ten- growth of bluegill sunfish in lakes of north- nessee, for 1950 and 1959. Tenn. Acad. ern Indiana. Ind. Dep, Conserv,, Div. Fi.sh Sci. Jour. 35(l):3-8.

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lake. Amer. Fish. Soc. Trans, for 1940, . 1949/). Life history of the white 70:382-390. bass in Storm Lake, Iowa. Iowa State Col. AND Karl F. Lacler. 1942. The Jour. Sci. 23(4) :31 1-316. growth of spiny-rayed fishes in Foots Pond, Simpson, George Gaylord, Anne Roe, and Ind. Dep. Conserv., Div. of Fish and Game, Richard C. Lewontin. 1960. Quantita- and Ind. Univ. Dep. Zool,, Invest, Ind. tive zoology. Revised ed. Harcourt, Brace Lakes and Streams 2(5):85-97. and Co., New York and Burlingamc. 440 p. Rose, Earl T., and Tom Moen. 19.53. The Snedecor, George W. 1946. Statistical increase in game-fish populations in East methods. Fourth ed. Iowa State College Okoboji Lake, Iowa, following intensive re- Press, Ames. 485 p. moval of rough fish. Amer. Fish. Soc. Sneed, Kermit E. 1951. A method for cal- Trans, for 1952, 82:104-114, culating the growth of channel catfish, Sandoz, O'Reilly. 1960. Fish populations Ictahinifi laciistrh piinctcihis. Amer. Fish. of four ponds and two lakes two years Soc. Trans, for 1950, 80:174-183. after rehabilitation by rotenone lri_'atni_ nt. Snow, Howard, Arthur Ensign, and John Okla. Acad. Sci. Proc. 40:1.37-143. Klingdiel. 1960. The bluegill: its life Schloemer, Clarence Louis. 1939. The histor>', ecology and management. Wis. age and rate of growth of the bluegill Conserv. Dep. Pub. 2.30. 14 p. )

98 Illinois Natural Histoby Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

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Stall, J. B., and S. W. Melsted. 1951. The (Rafinesque), Lake Overholser and Lake silting of Lake Chautauqua. 111. Water Hefner, Oklahoma. Okla. Acad. Sci. Proe. Surv. Rep. Invest. 8. 15 p. 30:101-110. Starrett, William C. 1955. Liberalized Tompkins, William A., and Mercer M. largemouth bass fishing at Lake Chautau- Peters. 1951. The age and growth of the qua. III. Wildlife 10(4):6-7. white bass, Lepibema chrysops, of Herring-

. 1958. Fishery values of a restored ton Lake, Kentucky. Ky. Div. Game and

Illinois River bottomland lake. 111. Acad. Fish Fish. Bui. 8. 12 p. Sci. Trans, for 1957, 50:41^8. Trautman, Milton B. 1957. The fishes of AND Paul G. Barnickol. 1955. Ef- Ohio. Ohio State University Press, Colum-

ficiency and selectivity of commercial fish- bus, .wiii -I- 683 p. ing devices used on the Mississippi River. Upper Mississippi River Conservation 111. Nat. Hist. Surv. Bui. 26(4) :325-366. Committee. 1946. Second progress report

, AND Arnold W. Fritz. 1957. The of the Technical Committee for Fisheries.

crappie story in Illinois. Outdoors in 111. 27 p.

4(2):11-14. (Citation is to the reprint, Van Oosten, John. 1938. The age and which contains additions and changes, in- growth of the Lake Erie sheepshead, Aplo- cluding order of authorship. dinotus grunniens Rafinesque. Mich. Acad.

-, William J. Harth, and Philip W. Sci., Arts, and Letters Papers for 1937, Smith. 1960. Parasitic lampreys of the 23:651-668.

genus Ichthyomyzon in the rivers of Illi- . 1942. The age and growdi of the nois. Copeia 1960(4):337-346. Lake Erie white bass, Lepibema elirysops AND Perl L. McNeil, Jr. 1952. (Rafinesque). Mich. Acad. Sci., Arts, and Sport fishing at Lake Chautauqua, near Ha- Letters Papers for 1941, 27:307-334.

vana, Illinois, in 1950 and 1951. 111. Nat. -, and Hilary J. Deason. 1957. His- Hist. Surv. Biol. Notes 30. 31 p. tory of Red Lakes Fishery, 1917-38, with Stroud, Richard H. 1947. The status of the observations on population status. U. S. yellow bass in T.V.A. waters. Tenn. Acad. Fish and Wildlife Serv. Spec. Sci. Rep. Sci. Jour. 22(l):79-86. Fisheries 229. 63 p.

. 1948. Growth of the basses and Ward, H. C. 1951. A study of fish popula- black crappie in Norris Reservoir, Tennes- tions, with special reference to the white •see. Tenn. Acad. Sci. Jour. 23(l):31-99. bass, Lepibema chrysops (Rafinesque), in 1949. Rate of growth and condition Lake Duncan, Oklahoma. Okla. Acad. Sci. of game and pan fish in Cherokee and Proc. for 1949, 30:69-84. Douglas reservoirs, Tennessee, and Hiwas- Willer, a. 1929. Untersuchungen fiber das see Reservoir, Nordi Carolina. Tenn. Acad. Wachstum von Fischen. Verhandlungcn Sci. Jour. 24(l):60-74. der Internationale Vereinigung fur Theo- Swingle, H. S., E. E. Pratheh, and J. M. retische uiid Angewandte Limnologie 4: Lawrence. 1953. Partial poisoning of 668-684. overcrowded fish populations. Ala. Poly- WiRTH, Thomas L. 1958. Lake Winnebago tech. Inst. Agr. E,xp. Sta. Circ. 113. 15 p. freshwater drum. Wis. Conserv. Bui. 23 Thompson, Bill. 1950. Investigation of the (5):30-32. fisheries resources of Grand Lake. Okla. Witt, Arthur, Jr. 1952. Age and growdi of Game and Fish Dep. Manag. Rep. 18. the white crappie, Pomoxis annularis Raf- 46 p. inesque, in Missouri. Doctoral thesis. Uni- Thompson, David H. 1928. The "knothead" versity of Missouri, Columbia. 213 p. caqi of the Illinois River. III. Nat. Hist. Wood, Roy. 1951. The significance of man- Surv. Bui. I7(8):285-.320. aged water levels in developing the fisheries

. 1941. The fish production of inland of large impoundments. Tenn. Acad. Sci. streams and lakes, p. 206-17. In A sympo- Jour. 26(3):214-235. sium on hydrobiology. University of Wis- Yoshihara, Tomokichi. 1952. Effect of pop- consin Press, Madison. 405 p. ulation-density and pond-area on tlie -, AND George W. Bennett. 1939. growth of fish. Tokyo University of Fish- Lake management reports. 3. Lincoln eries Journal 39(1):47-61. INDEX

Page numbers in italic type indicate principal references. Fish species liaving names of more than one word are hsted with the words in normal rather than inverted order: for example, Bigmouth buffulo rather than Buffalo, higmouth. Cross references are given only if believed necessary. Because Angler(s), Anglers' catch{es), and Angling are in close proximity in the index, no reference from one to the other is given; however, after Angler{s), reference is given to .tport fishermen.

Aphredoderus sayanus, 26 Age composition of catch {see also under in- Aphroderidae, 26 dividual species), 29, 42—53 Aplodinotus gruntuens, 28—29

Age group ( defined ) , 29 Aquatic plant(s) {see also vegetation), 2, 13, Aging fish, 5—7 16, 88 Algae Arrowleaf, 88 blue-green, 17 Atherinidae, 29 filamentous, 84 "Ayu," 74 Alosa chrijsochloris, 20 American eel, 25, 25 B Amia calva, 20 Bacteriological study(ies), 2 Amiidae, 20 Baldpates, 89 Amphipods, 84 Bass {see also largemouth bass), 20, 87 Anas liberalized regulations, 1—2

americana, 89 Bigmouth buffalo ( see also buffalofishes ) , 3, 4, discors, 89 12, 18, 22, 22-23, 62, 66, 75, 81, 90, 91, 93 platyrliynchos, 89 age composition of catch, 44—46 Angler(s) {see aha sport fishermen and pole- C factor, 76 and-line), 11, 19, 20 growth and condition data, 81—82 black crappie caught by, 68 growth rates, 38-39, 81 bluegills caught by, 86 in minnow seine hauls, 42 buffalo caught by, 23 population changes, 6.5 carp caught by, 21 pounds. 65, 85, 86-87 carpsuckers not caught b>-, 2.3 range of lengths in calculating C, 7 channel catfish caught by. 86 sought by seine crews, 55 crappies caught by, 60, 68, 86 Bigmouth shiner, 22 drum caught by, 28 Biology of fishes, 1, 2, 91 fishing for bluegills, 26 "Black bass" {see also largemouth bass), 12 fishing "college," 1 Black buffalo, 23, 23 fishing for largemouth bass, 26 Black bullhead, 25 freshwater drum caught by, 86 Black crappie(s) (see also crappie), 11, 18, green sunfish taken by, 27 27, 27, 62, 91, 92, 93 interest in orangespotted sunfish, 27 age composition of catch, 52 kinds of fish caught by, 17—18 C factor, 76, 78 largemouth bass taken by, 27, 86 growth and condition data, 79—80 number, 17 growth rates, 34-35, 78 perch in caught by, 28 minnow seine ( hauls ) , 35, 52 pounds per acre removed by, 86, 87 range of lengths in calculating C, 7 pounds of fish, 11, 17-18 tagged, 68 warmouth taken by, 27 in test-net (collections), 35, 51, 52 wlute bass taken by, 26 Blackstripe topminnow, 25 white crappies taken by, 27 Blue catfish, 24, 24 who fished for yellow bass, 42 Bluegill(s), 7, 11, 18, 26, 27, 62, 69, 73, 74, yellow bass taken by, 26, .52, 86 75, 79, 83, 90, 91, 92, 93 Anglers' catch (es), 11 affected b>' water levels, 72 black crappie, 27 age composition of catch, 49 bluegills, 48, 49, 70, 77 in anglers' catch (es), 48, 49, 70 crappies, 70 C factor, 76 drum, 70 caught by anglers, 17, 18, 86 largemouth bass, 70 in commercial .seine hauls, 49 white bass, 26 die-offs, 18 white crappie(s), 27, 49, 51-52, 69 growth and condition data, 75—77 yellow bass, 53, 70 growth rates, 29—31 yellow perch, 28, 70 indices of condition, 77 Angling, 6, U, 31, 68, 69, 74 indices of growth, 77 crappies caught by, 5 in minnow seine hauls, 43 pounds of fish per acre, 11 per cent of catch, 12 white bass caught by, 5 population clianges, 70 Anguilla rostrata, 25 pounds, 12-13, 70, 86 Anguillidae, 25 range of lengths in calculating C, 7 99 )

100 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

removal by Department of Conservation, 12 CeratoplujUum {see also coontail), 87 tagged, 54 demersum, 13 in test-nets, 60 Chaenolni/ttiis pulosus, 27 Blne-wingcd teals, 89 Channel catfish (sec also catfish), 11, 13, 18, Bluntnose darter, 2S 20, 24, 24, 25, 57-58, 62, 67, 75, 91, 92 Bluntnose minnow, 22 age composition of catch, 47—49

Boat livery operators ( owners of boat liveries, C (factor), 76, 80 boat liverymen caught by anglers, 18, 86 cooperating in program, 2 in commercial seine hauls, 46, 47 crappies cheeked by, 60 growth and condition data, 80—81 data collected by, .3 growth rates, 36—37, 80 smallmouth bass reported by, 26 per cent of catch, 12 Bottom fauna, 17 population changes, 63—65 sUidy(ies), 2, 17, 91 pounds, 10, 12-13, 56, 59, 60-61, 64, 80, Bowfin, 12, 20, 20 85, 86-87 Brook silverside, 18, 29, 91 range of lengths in calculating C, 7 Brown Inillhead, 24-25, 25 removed illegally, 4

BuHalofishcs (buffalo) ( sec o/to bigmouth buf- seine hauls required to detect population falo), 11, 57-.58, 62, 85, 87, 91, 92 changes, 57 caught by anglers, 18 standing crop, 64 growth rates, .39 trotlinc catch by sport fishermen, 18 per cent of yield, 12 Chemical study(ies), 2, 91 pounds, 9, 10, 12-13, 56, 59, 60-61, 86- Chestnut lamprey, 19 87 Chufa, 88 seine hauls required to detect population Clams, 84 changes, 57 fingernail, 84, 85, 93 sought by seine crews, 55 Classification of fishes, 5 tagged, 65 Clupeidae, 20

Bullhead(s), 11, 12, 18,24, 74 "Coarse fish" ( see also rough fish ) , 84 Bullliead minnow, 22 Coelotanijpus, 17 Collection of data, 3—5 Commercial fish(es), 23, 24, 28, 75, 76, 85, C {see also indices of condition and condition 89, 93 factor), 7, 75, 76, 77, 83, 85 management practices, 1 Calculations, 7—S yield, 2 Campostoma anomalum, 22 Commercial fi.shermen, 4, 11, 13, 14, 19, 64, Carassius aurat'is, 21 83, 85, 86, 91, 93 Carp, 18, 2J-22, 23, .57-58, 62, 74, 75, 90, 91, hluc catfish taken by, 24 92, 93 buffalo caught by, 23 age composition of catch, 46—47 bulUieads removed by, 25 age and growth, 7 carp removed by, 21 aging, 6-7 channel catfish a premium fish for, 24

C factor, 76 crappies taken ( caught ) by, 2, 60 cauglit by anglers, 18 data collected by, 3 in commercial seine hauls, 45 drimi removed by, 28 condition factor, 83 Hathead catfish caught by, 25 food habits, 84-85 methods of laying out seines, 58 growth rate(s), 39—iO, 83 participating in program, 2 in minnow seine hauls, 42 saugers caught by, 28 per cent of yield, 12 smallmouth buffalo taken by, 23 population changes, 67—68 total catch, 10 pounds, 10, 12-13, 56, 59, 60-61, 67, 85, using wing nets, 3, 9 86-87 Commercial fishery (catch), 1, 5, IS, 20, 43, range of lengths in calculating C, 7 86, 92 seine hauls retiuired to detect population annual catch, 18 changes, 57 effects of, 2, 91 Carpiodes, 23 Commercial fishing, 4, 9, 46, 69 carpio, 23 devices, 36, 37 cijprinu.s, 23 effect on sport fishing, 87 forhesi, 23 effects of, 2 forhesi-cijprimis, 23 effects of fish removal on, 85-87 Carpsuckers, 12 Commercial seining as a sampling technique, Carrying capacity, 62, 73, 80, 90 54-5.9 Catfish (es) (see also channel catfish), 24—25, Condition factor(s) {see also C and indices of 62 condition), 79, 81, 82, 83, 93 aging, 6-7 Condition and growth of fi.sh^s {see also under "Catfish," bowfin sold as, 20 individual species), 71—85 Catostomidac, 22-24 data, 75-

March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 101

Corn, 13, 87 F Crabs, 84 Factors affecting growth and condition, 71 — Crappie(s), 2, 20, 26, 60, 67. 68, 70, 73, 74, 75 75, 78, 79, 90, 93 Fathead minnow, 22

affected by water levels, 72 Fish ( see names of species, commercial fish,

in anglers' catches, 70 sport fish, etc. )

caught by angling (anglers), 5, 17, 18, Fish removal ( see removal of fish 68, 86 Flathead catfish, 24, 25 caught in test-nets, 68 Faod(s) (fish), 1, 77, 84, 85, 90, 91 caught in wing nets, 4, 5 habits of carp, 84-85 harvesting by commercial fishermen, 2 habits of drum, 84-85

in minnow seine hauls ( collections ) , 43, 52 studies, 71 per cent of catch, 12 Freshwater drum (sec also drum), 11, 13, 18, population changes, 68—70 20, 28-29, 57-58, 62, 75, 91, 92, 93 pounds, 12-13, 60, 68, 69, 86 age composition of catch, 42—44 removed by anglers and commercial fisher- C factor, 76, 83 men, 60 caught by anglers, 17 standing crops, 60, 61, 68 in commercial seine hauls, 43 tagged, 5, 54, 60 growth and condition data, 82—S3 test-nets used in estimating population growdi indices, 8 trends, 60 growth rates, 37-38, 82 Crayfish, 84 in minnow seine hauls, 42 Creek chub, 21 per cent of yield, 12 Creel census(ing), 1, 3, 25, 26, 53, 54, 60, 69, population changes, 62—63 91 pounds, 10, 12-13, 56, 60-61, 63, 85, 86 Cniciferae, 88 range of lengths in calculating C, 7 Crastaceans, 84 seine hauls required to detect population Cyprinidae, 21—22 changes, 57 Cyprinodontidae, 25 Fulica amcricana, 89 Cyprirms carpio, 21 Fundiihis nolatus, 2.5

Density-independent factor (water levels), 72, "Gambusia, ' 25 77, 79, 89, 90, 93 Gambiism affinis, 25 Department of Conservation Game fish, 74 fishing, 5 Garfishes, 4-5, 12, 19-20, 20 removal of fish by, 12 Gastropods, 84 Dip net, 5 Gizzard shad (see also shad), 11, 18, 20, 49- Dipterous larvae, 17, 84 50, 58, 62, 68, 71, 75, 82, 83, 85, 90, 91, Discussion, 87-91 92, 93 Dissolved oxygen, 2 C factor, 76 Dogfish caught by anglers, 18 condition data, 81 Dorosomu ccpedianum, 20 in minnow seine, 43, 66 Dnim (see also freshwater drum), 92 per cent of yield, 12 in anglers' catches, 70 population changes, 66—67 condition (factors), 83, 84, 93 pounds, 12-13, 59, 61-62, 66, 86-87 food habits, 84-85 range of lengths in calculating C, 7 growth index, 8 test-nets used in estimating population per cent of yield, 12 trends, 60 pounds, 59 weights estimated, 4—5 Duck (waterfowl) food plants, 13, 67, 88, 89 Golden shiner, 21 Ducks (see also waterfowl), 55, 89 Coldevc, 20 Dynamics of fish population (see population Goldfish, 21 dynamics Grass pickerel, 20 Grasses, 88 Green sunfish, 27, 32 Eel(s), 18, 25 Growth and age of fishes, 29—53 Electroflshing, 5, 6, 26, 91 Growth and condition of fishes (sec also iiiiilcr Elodea, 87 individual species), 71—85 Emerald shiner, 18, 21, 21-22. 22, 91 data, 75-.S'5 Entomostraca ( entomostracans ) , 84 Growtli of fish aficcted by population density Eriiniizon succtta kennerlyi, 24 and fish ri'nioval, 73—75 Esocidac, 20-21 Growth indices (index) (see also indices of Esox growtli and under individual species), 7—8 americanus vermiculatus, 20 Growth rates of species (see also under indi- lucius, 20 vidual species), 29-42, 91 Etheostoma aspri^eue. 28 H chlowsomum, 28 Haddock, 74 jessiae, 28 Herring, 20 102 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

High water (river) {see also water levels), Measurements and aging materials, 5 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 28, 5.3, 62, 64 Micropterus Hiodon dolomieui, 26 alosoides, 20 salmoides, 26—27 tergisus, 20 Millet, 88, 89 Hiodontidae, 20 Minnow(s), 19, 20, 21-22 Historical background of Lake Chautauqua, Minnow seine(s), 23, 25, 27, 28, 35, 66 12-13 collections, 19, 21, 22, 26, 29, 32, 43, 47, 49, Hook-and-line yield (see (ilso pole-and-Une, .52, 66 anglers' catch, and similar listings), 1 haul(s), 22, 25, 26, 28, 42-43, 47, 49, 52, Hijbognathus nuchalis, 22 54,92 Hydroids, 84 number of fish taken, 5 number of hauls, 5

I Minnow seining, 3, .5, 61, 66, 91 Ichthijoini/zon castaneus, 19 Mimjtrema mclanops, 24 Ictakiridae, 24-25 Moist-soil plants, 88, 89 Ictahinis Mollusca (mollusks), 84, 85 furcatus, 24 Mooneye, 20 mekis, 25 Mosquitofi.sh, 25 natalis, 24 "Moss," 87 nebulosus, 24 Moxostoma punctatus, 24 macrolepidotuin, 23 Ictiohus bubalus, 23 sp., 23 ctjprincllus, 22—23 Mud darter, 28 niger, 23

Indices ( index ) of condition ( see also C, con- N dition factor, and under individual species), Najas guadalupensis, 88 7, 75, 77, 78, 80 Net(s) (netting), 2, 19, 20, 24, 25, 60, 68, Indices (index) of growth (see also growth 69, 90 indices and under individual species), 75, Net-days of fishing, 5 77, 78, 80, 81 Northern pike, 20-21 Insect(s), 16, 84, 85 Northern redhorse, 23 Notemigonus crysoleucas, 21 Notropis Kinds of fishes in Lake Chautauqua, IS—29 atherinoides, 21-22 dorsalis, 22 I hudsonius, 22 Labidesthes sicculus, 29 hitrensis, 22 Lake Chautauqua described, 12—18 stramineus, 22 Lamprey, 19 Noturus gyrinus, 25

Largemouth bass ( see also bass and "black Nutgrasses, 88 bass"), 12, 13, 20, 26-27, 74, 90 in anglers' catch, 70 caught by anglers, 18, 86 Orangespotted sunfish, 27 growth rates, 31 pounds, 86 Length-weight relationships, 7 Paddlefish, 19 Lepisosteidae, 19—20 Panfish, 74, 75 Lepisosteus Pelopia, 17 oculatus, 19 Perca flavescens, 28 osseus, 20 Perch, 27-2.S, 74 platostomus, 19 Percidae, 27-2.S cyanellus, 27 Percinu caprodes, 28 gibbosus, 27 carbonaria, 28 humilis, 27 semifasciata, 28 macrochirus, 27 Percina shumardi, 28 Limnological investigation, 2 Percopsidae, 25—26 Logperch, 27, 28 Percopsis omiscomaycus, 25—26 Longnose gar, 19, 20 Petroniyzontidac, 19 Lotus, 88 Plicnacohius mirahilis, 21

Low water ( river ) ( see also water levels ) , 4 Phytoplankton, 84 11, 13, 54, 5.5, 62, 88 Pickerel-weed, 88 Lymphocystis, 18 Pigweed, 88 Pike, 20-2i M Pilodictis olivaris, 25 Mallards, 89 Pimephales Map of Illinois River and adjoining bottom- notatus, 22 land lakes, 14, 15 promelas, 22 Marsh plants, 13 vigilax, 22

Materials and methods ( of research ) , 3—8 Pirate perch, 26, 26 I

i 1

March, 1965 Starrett & Fritz: Fishes of Lake Chautauqua 103

Plaice, 74 Poeciliidae, 25 Sago pondweed, 16, 71, 73, 89, 90 Pole-and-line {see also angler, liook-and-line Sampling techniques for obtaining population yield, sport fishing, mid similar listings) data, 53-60 catch of channel catfish, 64 Sand shiner, 22 catch per fisherman per hour, 17 Sauger, 27-28 fishing pressure, 11 Sciaenidae, 28-29 fishermen, 64 Sea basses, 26 pounds of fish, 9 Sedges, 88 Pollution (polluted water), 21, 84 Sediment(s), 13, 16, 17 Pohjoilon spathula, 19 Sedimentation, J6', 91 Polyodontidae, 19 survev(s), 2, 16, 93 Pomoxis annularis, 27 Seine(s), 2, 3, 4, 24, 27, 36, 37, 38, 54, 55, Pomoxis nigromaculatus, 27 56, 58, 59, 61, 65, 67 Pondweed lengths, 4 busliv, 88 mesh, 4

longleaf, 13, 88 pounds ( of fish ) caught, 9, 64, 65 sago, 88 Seine haul(s), 4, 5, 6, 8,' 11, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, Population(s) (size), 45, 46, 47, 54, 60, 71, 29, 36, 38, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 85, 92, 93 53, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, C factor relative to, 8 67, 85, 92 Population changes, 62-71, 92 calculating areas covered by, 58-59

seine hauls required to detect, 8, 57-58, 92 required to detect population changes ( fluc- Population density as factor affecting growth, tuations), 8, 57-58, 92 71, 73-75 Seiners, 12 Population dynamics, 1, 2, 53-71, 89, 91, 93 pounds of fish removed by, 5 Population fluctuations, seine hauls necessary Seining, 3, 4-5, 6, 11, 43, 61, 66, 69, 86, 90, to detect, 8 91, 92 Potamogeton(s), 87, 88 as sampling techniques, 54-59

americanus, 13 yield from ( per cent ) , 11 pectinatus, 16 Semotilus atrontacidatus, 21 Present status of Lake Chautauqua, 13-18 Serranidae, 26 Procladius, 17 Shad {see also gizzard shad), 76 Pumpkinseed, 27 Sheepshead (see also freshwater drum), 18, growth rates, 32 28 Shortnose gar, 18, 19, 20, 91 Siberian dace, 73 Quillback, 23 Silt (silted waters), 13, 19, 88, 89 Siltation, 13, 89, 93 Silver carp, 23 Raumfaktors, 73 Silvery minnow, 22 Red shiner, 22 Skipjack herring, 20 Removal of fish, 9-12 Smallmouth bass, 18, 26 by angling, 11 Smallmouth buffalo, 23 by Department of Conservation, 12 SmartAveeds, 88 effects on commercial fishing, 85-87 Snails, 84 effects on population, 9 Space (living), 64, 73, 77, 90, 91 effects on sport fishing, 87 "Space-factor(s)," 73 as factor affecting growth and condition, 71, Spawning, 13, 22, 41, 90 73-75, 76, 78, 79, 80, 82, 93 failure, 43 illegal, 9 periods, 29 pounds, 9, 10, 12-13 season, 28 principal benefit, 91, 93 success, 28, 42, 53, 64, 71 bv seining, 11 Spawn(s) (noun), 47, 49, 53, 90 total, 12 Spawn(cd) (verb), 6, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 26, by trothne fishing, 11 27, 28, 49, 53, 64, 68, 92

by wing-net fishing, 9-11 Species composition ( of populations or Rice cut-grass, 88 catches), 61, 69, 70 River carpsucker, 23 Species of fish taken from lake, IS Ri\er darter, 28 Sphacriidac {see also fingernail clams), 84 Rocciis "Spoonbill cat," 19 chrysups. 26 Sport fish(cs). 5, 24, 27, 28^70, 75, 89 m ississippiensis, 26 changes in populations, 87

Rock bass, 74 management practices, 1

Rotenone, 5, 25, 28, 29, 47, 54, 74, 91 removed by angling, 1

Rough fish ( cs ) see also ( "coarse fish" ) , 74, 75 removed In- Department of Conservation, 5

Roundup fishing (fishermen), 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, .Sport fishermen ( see also angler, polc-and- 86, 91 line, and similar listings) pounds (if fish, 9, 10 trotlinc catch, 18

Rushes, 88 Sport fishery, 1, 3, 17-18, 20, 27, 49, 75. 91 1

104 Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin Vol. 29, Art. 1

Sport fishing (see also pole-and-line), 2, 9, Water hemp, 88

18, 56, 69 Water levels ( see also high water, stable water, effects of fish removal on, 85, 87 low water, and density-independent factor), pounds of fish, 12-13 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 22, 53, 54, 55, 71, Spottail shiner, 18, 21, 22, 91 7J-73, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 88, 89, 90, Spotted gar, 19 91, 93 Spotted sucker, 24 Water-lilies, 88 Stable water {see uho water levels), 13, 54 Water and soil chemistry, 16 Standing crop (fish), 1, 58, 60, 60-62, 62, 92 Waterfowl (see also ducks), 1, 2, 13, 17, 54, bigmouth buffalo, 22 88, 90 channel catfish, 64 Western lake chubsucker, 24 white crappie, 69 White bass, 12, 20, 26, 26, 62, 67, 92 Statistics, 8 age composition of catch, 53 Stizostedion canadense, 27 caught by angling, 5 StoneroUer, 22 caught by seines, 5 Sucker(s), 22-24 caught by wing nets, 4, 5 Suckcrmouth minnow, 21 in commercial seine hauls, 53 Sunfish, 18, 26, 89 growth rates, 40-41 population changes, 70-71 tagged, 4, 5, 54, 71 Tadpole madtom, 25 White crappie(s) (see also crappie), 11. 18, Tagging (tag), 5, 5.3, .54, 68, 69, 71, 92 27, 27, 34, 52, 62, 68, 79, 80, 91, 92, 93 as sampling technique, 59—60 age composition of catch, 5J-52 Teal grass, 88 in anglers' catches, 49, 51, 52, 69 Tendipedidae, 72 C factor, 76 Tendipes, 17 growth and condition data, 77-79 Te.st-net(s), 35, 62, 68, 69 growth rates, 32-34 data, 69 range of lengths in calculating C, 7 Test-net collections, 19, 20, 23, 32, 50, 51, .52 standing crop, 69 Test-netting (test-net fishing), 3, 5, 25, 54, 61, tagged, 68 66, 68, 69, 72, 78, 91, 92 in test-net collections, 50, 51, 52 as sampling technique, 59—60 White perch (see also freshwater drum and Trotline(s), 3, 24, 25 sheepshead), 28 catch, 11, 18 White sucker, 23 illegal, 11 Wild celery, 88 legal, 11 Wild rice, 88 poimds of fish, 9 Wing net(s), 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 20, 21, 27, 33 Trotline fishing (fi.shermen), 9, 11, 64 pounds of fish, 5, 9, 10, 12-13 catch by anglers, 1 Wing-net fishermen, 64

commercial ( illegal ) , 4, 11 pounds of fish, 4

pounds of fi.sh, 12-13 Wing-net fishing ( wing-netting ) , 3-4, 5, 6, by sportsmen, 3 9-iI, 23, 46, 86, 91 Trout-perch, 25, 25-26 pounds of fish, 11 Tubificidae, 84 Turbidity (ies) (turbid water), 2, 16, 22, 71, 72, 77, 81, 83, 88, 91 Yellow bass, 7, 11, 12, 18, 20, 26, 26, 62, 69, 75, 91, 92, 93 U age composition of catch, 52-.53 Umbelliferae, 88 in anglers' catches, 70 caught (taken) by anglers, 17, 18, 52, 86 growtli rates, 41-42 Vallisneria spiralis, 88 in minnow seine hauls, 43 Value of Lake Chautauqua fishery in 1954, 1 population changes, 70 Vegetation (see also aquatic plants), 16, 55, pounds, 86 60, 67, 68, 71, 71-73, 77, 83, 87, 88, 91 removed by Department of Conservation, 12 submergent, 24, 28 Yellow bullhead, 24 Yellow perch, 13, 27, 28 W in anglers' catches, 70 Warmouth, 18, 27. 27 caught by anglers, 18 growth rates, 31-32 growth rates, 35-36

Some Publications of the ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY BULLETIN BIOLOGICAL NOTES Volume 27, Article 4.—Food Habits of Migra- 40.—Night-Lighting: A Technique for Cap- tory Ducks in Illinois. By Harry G. Ander- turing Birds and Mammals. By Ronald F. son. August, 1959. 56 p., frontis., 18 fig., Labisky. July, 1959. 12 p., 8 fig., bibliogr. bibUogr. 41.—Hawks and Owls: Population Trends Volume 27, Article 5.—Hook-and-Line Catch From Illinois Christmas Counts. By Richard in Fertilized and Unfertilized Ponds. By R. Graber and Tack S. Golden. March, 1960. Donald F. Hansen, George W. Bennett, 24 p., 24 fig., bibliogr. 42. Robert J. Webb, and John M. Lewis. Au- —Winter Foods of Die Bobwhite in South- gust, 1960. 46 p., frontis., 11 fig., bibliogr. em Illinois. By Edward J. Larimer. May, Volume 27, Article 6.—Sex Ratios and Age 1960. 36 p., 11 fig., bibUogr. Ratios in North American Ducks. By Frank 43.—Hot-Water and Chemical Treatment of C. Bellrose, Thomas G. Scott, Arthur S. Illinois-Grown Gladiolns Cormels. By J. L. Hawkins, and Jessop B. Low. August, 1961. Forsberg. March, 1961. 12 p., 8 fig., bib- 84 p., 2 frontis., 23 fig., bibliogr. hogr. Volume 28, Article 1.—The Amphibians and 44.—The Fihny Fern in IlUnois. By Robert A. Reptiles of Illinois. By Philip W. Smith. Evers. April, 1961. 15 p., 13 fig., bibhogr. November, 1961. 298 p., frontis., 252 fig., 45.—Techniques for Determining Age of Rac- bibliogr., index. coons. By Glen C. Sanderson. August, 1961. Volume 28, Article 2.—The Fishes of Cham- 16 p., 8 fig., bibliogr. paign County, Illinois, as Affected by 60 46.—Hybridization Between Three Species of Years of Stream Changes. By R. Weldon Sunfish (Lepomis). By William F. Childers Larimore and Philip W. Smith. March, and George W. Beimett. November, 1961. 1963. 84 p., frontis., 70 fig., bibliogr., in- 15 p., 6 fig., bibliogr. dex. 47.—Distribution and Abundance of Pheasants Volume 28, Article 3.—A Comparative Study in Illinois. By Frederick Greeley, Ronald F. of Bird Populations in Illinois, 1906-1909 Labisky, and Stuart H. Marm. March, 1962. and 1956-1958. By Richard R. Graber and 16 p., 16 fig., bibliogr. Jean W. Graber. October, 1963. 146 p., 4 48.—Systemic Insecticide Control of Some frontis., 32 fig., bibliogr., index. Pests of Trees and Shrubs—A Preliminary Report. By L. L. English and Walter Hart- CIRCULAR stim. August, 1962. 12 p., 9 fig., bibUogr. 49. Characters of Age, Sex, and Sexual 39. How to Collect and Preserve Insects. By — — Maturity in Canada Geese. By Harold C. H. H. Ross. July, 1962. (Sixth printing, Hanson, November, 1962. 15 p., 13 fig., with alterations.) 71 p., frontis., 79 fig. bibliogr. 46.—Illinois Trees: Their Diseases. By J. 50. Some Unusual Natural Areas in Illinois Cedric Carter. June, 1964. (Third printing, — and a Few of Their Plants. By Robert A. with alterations.) 96 p., frontis., 89 fig. Evers. July, 1963. 32 p., 43 fig., bibUogr. 47. Illinois Trees and Shrubs: Their Insect — 51. Influence of Land Use, Calcium, and Enemies. By L. L. English. March, 1962. — Weather on the Distribution and Abun- (Second printing, with revisions.) 92 p., dance of Pheasants in Illinois. By Ronald frontis., 59 fig., index. F. Labisky, James A. Harper, and Fred- 48.—Diseases of Wheat, Oats, Barley, and erick Greeley. December, 1964. 19 p., 7 Rye. By G. H. Boewe. June, 1960. 159 p., fig., bibliogr. frontis., 56 fig. 49.—The Dimesland Heritage of Illinois. By MANUAL Herbert H. Ross. ( In cooperation with Ilh- nois Department of Conservation. ) August, 4.—Fieldbook of Illinois Mammals. By Don- 1963. 28 p., frontis., 16 fig., bibliogr. ald F. Hoffmeister and Carl O. Mohr. June, 50.—The Wetwood Disease of Ehn. By J. 1957. 233 p., color frontis., 119 fig., glos- Cedric Carter. May, 1964. 20 p., 19 fig. sary, bibliogr., index.

List of available publications mailed on request

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