230 Woodlawn Avenue • Aurora, IL 60506 • Phone: (630) 897-8380 • Fax: (630) 897-5696 Project Number: 15005-01 Bangs Lake Fish Community Assessment 2018 Prepared For: Bangs Lake Advisory Committee Village of Wauconda 101 N. Main St. Wauconda, IL 60084 Prepared By: Leonard Dane, Fisheries Biologist Karen K. Clementi, Senior Biologist Matt Drabik, Biologist July 2018 Bangs Lake Fish Community Assessment 2018 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This study was conducted for the Bangs Lake Advisory Committee to provide biological data of the fish composition in Bangs Lake in Wauconda, Illinois. The entire shoreline was electrofished and four locations were seined. The study yielded a total of 617 individual fish representing 9 families and 23 species. There was a total of 407 fish collected during the electrofishing effort. The catch was dominated by Bluegill (25%), Largemouth Bass (19%), Yellow Perch (14%), Common Carp (11%) and Lake Chubsucker (6%). Bangs Lake has a diverse fish population with a mix of forage and predator species. Most species were within management goals, indicating a healthy and productive system. However, there are several species that are in need of some immediate management attention. These species populations will be improved with adjustments to the fish creel limits and the stocking program. The Illinois State listed threatened and endangered fish known to inhabit Bangs Lake were all collected. Banded Killifish, Blacknose Shiner and Iowa Darter were collected by seining and Blackchin Shiner was collected by seining and electrofishing. Recommendations to improve the fishing and maintain the water quality include: • Continue the fish stocking program • Fish creel limits • Aquatic plant management • Watershed management • Exotic and invasive fish species management • Future fish surveys • Fish habitat enhancement 2 Bangs Lake Fish Community Assessment 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. 1.0 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................5 1.1 Purpose ............................................................................................5 1.2 Sample Location Description ...........................................................5 2.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS ..............................................................6 2.1 Sampling Plan .................................................................................6 2.2 Gear Types ......................................................................................6 2.2.1 Electrofishing ....................................................................6 2.2.2 Seining...............................................................................7 3.0 RESULTS ...................................................................................................9 3.1 Assessment Metrics .........................................................................9 3.2 Largemouth Bass ..........................................................................10 3.3 Bluegill ..........................................................................................12 3.4 Pumpkinseed .................................................................................13 3.5 Yellow Perch .................................................................................14 3.6 Black Crappie ...............................................................................15 3.7 Bullhead ........................................................................................16 3.8 Other Species .................................................................................17 3.9 Non-game Species .........................................................................21 4.0 DISCUSSION ...........................................................................................23 4.1 Fish ...............................................................................................23 4.2 Aquatic Plants ...............................................................................23 3 Bangs Lake Fish Community Assessment 2018 4.3 Recommendations ..........................................................................24 4.3.1 Continue Fish Stocking Program....................................24 4.3.2 Fish Creel Limits.............................................................25 4.3.3 Aquatic Plant Management.............................................26 4.3.4 Watershed Management..................................................27 4.3.5 Exotic and Invasive Fish Species Management ..............27 4.3.6 Future Fish Surveys ........................................................27 4.3.7 Continue Fish Habitat Enhancement Program ..............28 5.0 REFERENCES .........................................................................................29 FIGURES Figure 1 – Seine Sampling Locations on Bangs Lake 2018 Figure 2 – Electrofishing Sampling Area on Bangs Lake 2018 Figure 3 – Length Distribution of Largemouth Bass Collected in 2018 Figure 4 – Length Distribution of Bluegill Collected in 2018 Figure 5 – Length Distribution of Pumpkinseed Collected in 2018 Figure 6 – Length Distribution of Yellow Perch Collected in 2018 Figure 7 – Length Distribution of Black Crappie Collected in 2018 Figure 8 – Length Distribution of Bullhead Collected in 2018 TABLES Table 1 – Total Number and Percent Composition of Fish Species Collected in 2018 Table 2 – Bangs Lake Fish Stocking History 4 Bangs Lake Fish Community Assessment 2018 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose Deuchler Environmental, Inc. (Deuchler) was contracted by the Bangs Lake Advisory Committee (BLAC) to provide current biological data of fish composition in Bangs Lake. Deuchler conducted a survey in 2015 (Deuchler 2015) and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has conducted fish surveys of Bangs Lake in the past with the most recent occurring in 2007 (Jakubicek 2008). In addition, EA Engineering, Science, and Technology conducted a survey of the Illinois State listed threatened and endangered fishes in 2009 (EA 2009). This report summarizes these current results from Deuchler’s sampling and compares the results to the previous surveys. 1.2 Sample Location Description Bangs Lake is a 306-acre lake located in the Village of Wauconda, Illinois. A map depicting the four seine locations is included as Figure 1. These sites were chosen based on the survey conducted by EA Engineering, Science, and Technology in 2009. The objective of the seining was to confirm the presence of the Illinois State listed threatened and endangered fish that have been known to exist in Bangs Lake. These fish are the state threatened Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, and Iowa Darter and the state endangered Blacknose Shiner. In addition to the seining, the entire shoreline of Bangs Lake was electrofished (Figure 2). The channels were not included in the electrofishing effort. 5 Bangs Lake Fish Community Assessment 2018 2.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1 Sampling Plan Deuchler boat electrofished the shoreline of Bangs Lake as well as sampled four locations using a seine to emphasize the collection of small fish and the threatened and endangered fish species present in Bangs Lake. All game fish collected during the electrofishing were identified, measured and weighed. All minnow species collected during electrofishing and all fish collected during seining were identified and counted. All fish were released back into Bangs Lake except for three Common Carp that were disposed of in a dumpster. Sampling was conducted on May 24, 2018. 2.2 Gear Types The fish sampling was conducted using two standard sampling gears: electrofishing and shoreline seining. To minimize the bias created from electrofishing, increase species diversity, and sample for the state listed fishes, shoreline seining was also conducted. 2.2.1 Electrofishing Electrofishing is a standard gear type for sampling lakes and rivers used by various government research agencies, including the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Natural History Survey. Electrofishing is a shallow water gear that targets all sizes and species of fish, though it is somewhat biased towards collecting larger individuals. A 16’ Alumacraft boat equipped with a Smith-Root 5.0 Generator Powered Pulsator (GPP) electrofisher system was used to sample the perimeter of Bangs Lake (Photo 1). The electrode array consisted of the aluminum boat hull as the cathode and 6 droppers suspended from two retractable booms as the anode. Each 6 Bangs Lake Fish Community Assessment 2018 anode dropper is 3/8” woven steel cable that has a length of three feet. The booms extend eight feet in front of the bow of the boat. The electrofishing sampling crew consisted of a boat operator and a crew member responsible for netting the stunned fish. Electrofishing was conducted in a clockwise direction around the lake with a total pedal time of 175 minutes. A concerted effort was made to net every stunned fish. The electrofishing boat maneuvered along the shoreline out to the aquatic plant edge. The catch was placed into a 75 gallon stock tank that was aerated with oxygen. After 50 to 60 minutes of electrofishing, the fish were measured to the nearest millimeter, weighed to the nearest gram, and analyzed for anomalies before being released back into Bangs Lake. Photo 1. Boat Electrofishing 2.2.2 Seining A straight seine was used to conduct the shoreline seining. The seine was 25 feet in length and four feet tall with 3/16 inch mesh. The seine was attached to two wooden handles. Three to four seine