Fish Stocking

Year

Species

Size

Count

2021

Muskellunge

Adult

240

2021

Muskellunge

Fingerling 1 - 3"

2788

Species

Rank

Fish Status

BLUEGILL

Poor

No bluegill were sampled for data in 2020. The bluegill population has remained poor in size structure and body condition.

CHANNEL CATFISH

Average

No channel catfish were sampled in 2020. A low density population is present and a stocking of 500 fish every three years is scheduled.

CRAPPIE

Good

The black crappie population was surveyed by 26 stock size fish in 2020. The PSD was 73, the the RSD9 was 39 and the RSD11 was 4. The body condition was good with a Wr value at 97. The black crappie population is very good with the 11 to 14 inch fish weighing .89 to 1.1 pounds. LAKE MANAGEMENT STATUS REPORT SHOVEL LAKE Page 5 No white crappie were surveyed in 2019. This population is present in a very low density of quality fish.

LARGEMOUTH BASS

Good

In 2020, spring trapnetting did not occur due to COVID work restrictions. Fall D.C. electrofishing was used to survey the fish population. The largemouth bass population was evaluated by 175 bass from electrofishing in 2020. The largemouth bass population appears to be defined by a high percentage of fish from 7.0 to 21.3 inches in length with good average Relative weights. In 2000, the bass regulation for the Marsh was changed from a 14 inch minimum size limit and 1 fish per day - to a 12 to 18 inch protected slot length with a harvest of 3 fish under or over the slot per day. The 2020 fall electrofishing survey indicated a size structure that is continuing to maintain a very good level and stability since 2004. The PSD of 40, the RSD14 of 29, the RSD16 of 21 and the RSD 18 of 12 were all very good. The goal of the protected slot length limit was to create a high density bass population that is composed of fish large enough to be efficient predators upon the high density of slow growing panfish and the rough fish population. The benefit to bass anglers will be more fish surviving past 14 inches to catch, and for anglers wanting to harvest bass will be the opportunity to harvest more fish. LAKE MANAGEMENT STATUS REPORT SHOVEL LAKE Page 4 The online IFISH tournament registration and result system was started in 2015. The tournament results showed these anglers spent 1,552 hours in 2016, 1,140 hours in 2017, 932 hours in 2018, and 556 hours in 2019 on Shovel Lake. They reported 141 legal fish in 2016 for .09 fish per angler hour. They reported 131 legal fish in 2017 for .11 fish per angler hour. They reported 133 legal fish in 2018 for .14 fish per angler hour. They reported 110 legal fish in 2019 for .20 fish per angler hour. They reported 129 legal fish in 2020 for .10 fish per angler hour.

MUSKELLUNGE

Good

No spring muskie trap netting occurred in 2020. A total of 10 muskie were sampled by the spring trapnet survey in 2019. These fish ranged from 27.5 to 40.7 inches long. The body condition of these fish was good at an average Wr of 94. The first stocking of 450 fish at 11 inches was in 1999. In 2000, a total of 200, 2001-600, 2002-200, 2003-200, 2004-0, and 200 annually from 2005 through 2014 at an average size of 11.2 inches were stocked. No muskie were stocked in 2015 or 2016. In 2017, 200 fish at 12.4 inches long were stocked. A triennial stocking is now scheduled to maintain a moderate density of healthy muskie. Illinois (Jake Wolf) muskie strain appear to be doing good in this lake. No muskie stocking occurred in 2020 due to COVID work restrictions effecting hatchery production.

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