Jim Kovacek wrote on notebook paper that it was an ‘‘eye-opening experience’’ last month on the night survey of walleye at Wolf Lake.
‘‘Living in Whiting [Indiana] all of my life, I didn’t realize the exceptional and diverse fishery that we have right in my backyard,’’ Kovacek wrote. ‘‘As Bruce Caruso said, ‘It’s like a carnival ride that you do not want to end.’ ’’
Tom Bacula, a fisheries biologist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, had Perch America members Kovacek and Caruso along on the survey, which yielded walleye of 27, 25, 24 and 23 inches.
Bacula told me at the Wolf Lake Watershed Advisory Committee meeting Friday: ‘‘There were a lot of 20-inchers, including five in one spot.’’
Kovacek was surprised at the variety of species electroshocked: largemouth bass, white bass, northern pike, bluegills, crappie, white perch and ‘‘an abundance of bait fish.’’
Bacula was checking especially on how the 2022 stockings by Perch America and the Indiana DNR had done.
At noon Wednesday, Perch America plans to do its 25th stocking of advanced-growth walleye fingerlings into the Indiana side of Wolf Lake. Caruso spearheads that volunteer effort.
Wolf Lake, straddling the state line between Chicago and Hammond, is an industrial water with all kinds of threats, issues and, sometimes, tidbits of hope and good news. All that showed at the watershed meeting.
All that showed at the watershed meeting, hosted by the Association for the Wolf Lake Initiative, at Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting.
I’ll focus on the fish.
In the spring survey, Bacula noted a couple of highlights: For a change the non-native white perch were not the top species; that went to the bluegills. They also picked up a white bass, the first since 1999, then two more in the October survey.
Illinois DNR fisheries biologist Seth Love said they electroshocked 222 fish from 20 species in the spring survey. Bowfin and pumpkinseed jumped out to me. The top bluegill was only 6.5 inches, and they averaged 3.5. They had redears to 8 inches, plus a 27.5-inch pike and a 20.2-inch walleye.
Most years, Illinois stocks largemouth, pike, walleye, rainbow trout and channel catfish. Bluegills are often stocked for events. Love said he expects no regulation changes and stockings to remain about the same. The next survey is planned for the spring of 2025.
Illinois hunting
John Saban reported on the opener Saturday for pheasants: ‘‘Birds were scattered with the mild temps. We managed a dozen roosters out of three spots between Strawn and Saunemin [Livingston County]. We saw lots of hens, which is always a good sign.’’
Stray cast
The arc of Tim Anderson’s time with the White Sox felt like spelunking: All fun and games until the headlamp burned out.
