Fish Stocking

Year

Species

Size

Count

2024

Walleye x Sauger (Saugeye)

Fingerling 1 - 3"

8739

Species

Rank

Fish Status

BLUEGILL

Poor

The Bluegill population is relatively poor regarding size structure and growth. Of the 253 Bluegill collected during 2022, only 7% were over 7 inches and none were over 8 inches. Bluegills appear to be overpopulated and stunted due to the abundance of Gizzard Shad and small Black Crappie in the lake.

CHANNEL CATFISH

Very Good

Pinckneyville City Lake harbors a very good Channel Catfish population that demonstrates impressive growth potential. Channel Catfish over 15 lbs. have been collected in the past. During 2022, 25 Channel Catfish were collected in two experimental gill nets set overnight. Catfish in the sample ranged in length from 14 to over 31 inches. The largest catfish collected was 31.7 inches and weighed 12 lbs. Non-vulnerable Channel Catfish (≥8”) are stocked when surplus fish are available from Little Grassy Fish Hatchery to supplement natural recruitment.

CRAPPIE

Poor

Pinckneyville City Lake contains both Black and White Crappie. During the spring electrofishing survey, 42 White Crappie and 28 Black Crappie were collected. An additional 48 White Crappie and 98 Black Crappie were collected during the fall netting survey. The crappie population can be described as overabundant and stunted. Less than 10% of crappie collected during 2022 were over 9 inches in length, the vast majority being between 6-8 inches. All crappie collected during the netting survey were retained for otolith extraction and aging. Black Crappie growth was ubiquitously poor, as fish generally did not reach 8 inches until age 9. The largest Black Crappie was just under 9 inches and was very old at age 11. White Crappie growth rates were more variable, as some fish grew quickly and exceeded 10 inches by age 3, while others grew slowly and were still under 10 inches after 7 to 11 years of growth. Anglers are encouraged to harvest all crappie they catch to improve growth rates.

LARGEMOUTH BASS

Excellent

Pinckneyville City Lake possesses an excellent Largemouth Bass fishery. During the 2022 electrofishing survey, 122 Largemouth Bass were collected during 1 hour of electrofishing. Of the bass collected, 61% were over 15 inches and 23% were over 18 inches. The largest bass collected was nearly 22 inches and weighed 7.2 lbs. Bass body condition was very good, greatly exceeding the management goal. Bass relative weight rapidly increases once they reach 13-14 inches, suggesting that bass can begin utilizing the abundance of adult gizzard shad at that size. Anglers should expect to find quality bass fishing opportunities at this lake.

SAUGEYE (Walleye/Sauger Hybrid)

Developing

Given that Gizzard Shad are abundant and panfish growth rates are poor, an additional predatory species would likely benefit the lake. Therefore, an initial year class of 11,000 Saugeye (Walleye x Sauger Hybrids) fingerlings were stocked in 2022. However, insufficient numbers were available from the state hatchery system for a repeat stocking in 2023. During November of 2023, a 30-minute nocturnal electrofishing survey yielded a Saugeye catch rate of 12/hour, which exceeded the management goal of 10/hour despite the absence of young-of-year Saugeye. Saugeye collected from the survey ranged from 13 to 16 inches in length. All of these fish were from the 2022 stocking, and thus were pushing 2 years old at the time of the survey. Additional year classes of Saugeye will be stocked if adequate numbers are available from the state hatchery system.

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