Surveys and investigations for sportfish management in lakes and rivers in Illinois

Parkos, Joseph J., III; Porreca, Anthony P.; Nannini, Michael A.; Radford, Dakota S.; Yff, David J.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129138 Copy

Description

Title

Surveys and investigations for sportfish management in lakes and rivers in Illinois

Author(s)

• Parkos, Joseph J., III
• Porreca, Anthony P.
• Nannini, Michael A.
• Radford, Dakota S.
• Yff, David J.

Issue Date

2025-09

Keyword(s)

• Black Crappie
• White Crappie
• Bluegill
• Lakes
• Fishing
• Reservoir
• Anglers
• Population data
• Fish
• Illinois Department of Natural Resources
• Fisheries
• Regulations
• Government
• Outcomes
• Harvest
• Creel survey
• Sportfish
• Habitat

Date of Ingest

2025-10-08T14:00:27-05:00

Geographic Coverage

Illinois

Abstract

Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus), White Crappie (P. annularis), and Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) are some of the most widely harvested fish in Illinois lakes. The high harvest rates of these species make them particularly well suited for evaluating the use of regulations for managing size structure. In general, regulation outcomes have been variable and interpreting the causes for regulation success or failure has been hindered because most previous studies were conducted over too short a period and did not include creel data to document potential changes in angler catch rates In Study 101.1, we continued post-treatment data collection on 12 reservoirs chosen in consultation with Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) fisheries biologists to be part of an experimental assessment of crappie and Bluegill regulations. In 2024, we conducted another year of sampling for prey resources and fish assemblages from May – October, continuing to build on data from the study’s commencement in 2018. In this report, we summarized lake and population data from the pre-treatment phases for the crappie (2018-2020) and Bluegill (2018-2022) portions of the experiment and preliminary data from the post-treatment phases for both taxa (Crappie 2021-2025, Bluegill 2023-2027). We outline the intended analyses including the anticipated response variables and hypothesized treatment-effect covariates that will be used to model the harvest regulation outcomes. Post-treatment data collection for the crappie portion of the study will conclude with the 2025 field season.

Publisher

Illinois Natural History Survey

Series/Report Name or Number

INHS Technical Report 2025 (11)

Type of Resource

text

Genre of Resource

technical report

Language

eng

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

Federal Aid Project F-185-R-13

Copyright and License Information

This document is a product of the Illinois Natural History Survey, and has been made available by the Illinois Natural History Survey and the University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It is intended solely for noncommercial research and educational use, and proper attribution is required.

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