Fish Stocking

Year

Species

Size

Count

2024

Largemouth Bass

Fingerling 1 - 3"

69120

Species

Rank

Fish Status

BLUEGILL

Poor

The size structure of the bluegill population remained poor in 2024. Very few fish over 7” long were collected and only 35% of the adult bluegill collected were over 6” long. Average body condition for the bluegill population fell below target and the overall size structure will likely always be hindered by the presence of gizzard shad. Angler catches in 2025 will be primarily composed of bluegill less than 7” long, weighing less than 0.21 pounds.

CHANNEL CATFISH

Good

Channel catfish are very abundant in Vandalia Lake, but their average body condition is poor. Approximately 90% of the adult fish sampled were over 14” long and 40% were 18” or longer. Most channel catfish caught in 2025 will be 1 – 4 pounds with some exceeding 5 pounds.

CRAPPIE

Average

Black and white crappies are both present in the lake, but white crappie are much more numerous. Approximately 62% of the adult white crappie were over 9” long, 37% were over 10” long, and average body condition was above the lake management plan minimum target. Most angler catches in 2025 are likely to be white crappie 8” – 10” long, weighing 0.25 – 0.5 pounds. Four black crappie less than 7.5” were also collected.

FLATHEAD CATFISH

Fair

Two flathead catfish were collected in 2024. The smaller flathead was 23” long and weighed 6 pounds, while the larger fish was 28” long and weighed 10 pounds.

LARGEMOUTH BASS

Improving

Vandalia Lake has historically had low numbers of largemouth bass. Recent surveys have seen the electrofishing catch rate oscillate above and below the lake management plan target of 60 bass per hour. In 2024, approximately 69,000 fingerling bass were stocked to help supplement the low population numbers. Following this stocking, the catch rate in 2024 was the highest in recent years at 96 per hour. Approximately 32% of the adult bass collected in 2024 were in the 12” – 15” size range, 36% were in the 15” – 20” size range, and 54% exceeded the 14” minimum length limit. Average body condition for the largemouth bass population was above average (Wr = 101). The population’s high average body condition is due primarily to two factors: low bass densities and abundant numbers of shad. These factors can make catching bass difficult because there are fewer overall numbers of bass, and they are very well fed. The two largest size groups of shad sampled in 2024 were 2.4” – 3.5” (32%) and 4.7” – 5.9” (59%). Most bass in 2025 over the 14” minimum length limit should exceed 1.48 pounds.

IDNR   Biologist Login   FAQs   Contact Us    Privacy

Copyright © 2004-2023 IDNR INHS