Fulton County Camping and Recreation Area Lakes - FCRA
Info / Fulton County
Family Friendly
Yes
Handicap Access
No
Boat Fishing
Yes
Boat Ramps
Yes
Boat Rentals
No
Camping
Yes - More Info
Picnicking
No
Skiing
No
Swimming
No
Trout Stocking
No
Zebra Mussels
None
Location 440 acres
Contact
General Inquiries
309-668-2931
Description
The Fulton County Board leases the 440 acres of land, which contains 12 lakes and 134 acres of surface water from the metropolitan sanitary district of greater Chicago. The Illinois Department of Conservation signed a Cooperative Fisheries Management Agreement with Fulton County for the lakes in 1985 and then continued this agreement as IDNR in 1995 to the present.The four major lakes at the site are described as follows:
Lake #3 has a surface area of 45.6 acres, maximum depth of 20 feet, with an average depth of 10.0 feet. The shoreline length is 6.3 miles with a watershed of 450 acres. The lake is a long, narrow final cut with an aquatic vegetation coverage of less than 10 percent of the surface. The major aquatic vegetation consists of coontail, curlyleaf pondweed, american pondweed, filamentous algae and duckweed.
Lake #3.5 has a surface area of 15.3 acres, maximum depth of 18 feet, with an average depth of 6.0 feet. The shoreline length is 2 miles with a watershed of 450 acres. The lake is a long, narrow final cut with an aquatic vegetation coverage of less than 10 percent of the surface. The major aquatic vegetation consists of coontail, curlyleaf pondweed and duckweed.
Lake #4 has a surface area of 18.5 acres, maximum depth of 33 feet, with an average depth of 16.51 feet. The shoreline length is 2.1 miles with a watershed of 450 acres. The lake is a long, narrow final cut with an aquatic vegetation coverage of less than 5 percent of the surface. The major aquatic vegetation consists of coontail, curlyleaf pondweed, american pondweed, brittle naiad, water milfoil and small pondweed.
Little Sister Lake has a surface area of 35.8 acres, maximum depth of 25 feet, with an average depth of 10.87 feet. Storage capacity is 388.15 acre-feet, with a shoreline length of 11,550 feet and a watershed of 1,556 acres. The lake is characterized by a long (4,290 feet), narrow (330 feet average width) basin. Submerged trees, logs and stumps are abundant in the upper half and coves of the lake. Extensive littoral areas throughout the lake often contain dense growth of coontail, curlyleaf pondweed and filamentous algae. The upper end of the lake and the back of coves have accumulated leaf litter and sedimentation over the last 48 years. This flocculent material has reduced water depth and created anaerobic conditions in these areas.
Fishery History
From 1980 to 1993, IDNR biologist, Ken Russell had assisted the F.C.R.A. with fish management advice for regulations and stocking procedures to establish a quality fishery focusing on Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish and Channel Catfish. Since 1994, the IDNR biologist has completed annual electrofishing surveys and supplemental fish stockings. Due to the deteriorated condition of the sport fishery, a complete removal of the existing fishery was completed on April 20, 1987, and then again on November 27, 2006 for Little Sister Lake.All four of these lakes are in average shape overall with quality Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, crappie and Channel Catfish available for anglers in each lake. All four lakes receive an annual stocking of non-vulnerable Channel Catfish from the state hatchery system. Lake #3 and Lake #4 were added to the state Muskie stocking priority list. Both lakes have received a Muskie stocking from the state hatchery system since 2007. A low density population of muskie has been created in each lake with fish over 40 inches present.
Additional species found in each lake include a low density of Warmouth (sunfish) and Redear Sunfish x Bluegill hybrids. A low density of very large Common Carp are found in Lake#3 and Little Sister Lake.
Site Regulations
Site-Specific Fishing Regulations:
- All Fish: 2 pole and line fishing only and each pole must not have more than 2 hooks or lures attached while fishing
- All live bait greater than 8 inches must be rigged with a quick set rig
- Bluegill or Redear Sunfish: 25 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- Channel Catfish: 6 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- Hybrid Walleye: 14 inch Minimum Length Limit (statewide regulation); 3 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- Large or Smallmouth Bass: Protected Slot Length Limit with no possession of fish greater than or equal to 12 inches and less than 15 inches; 3 Fish Daily Harvest Limit
- Muskie: 42 inch Minimum Length Limit; 1 Fish Daily Harvest Limit