LAKE CARLTON STATUS REPORT SUMMARY

LARGEMOUTH BASS: LAKE CARLTON - is a small 78 acre lake that has gained its reputation as being the premiere muskie lake in the State. Although the lake has an excellent muskie fishery it also has an excellent largemouth bass fishery. The lake has a number of 4 to 6 pound bass present and every spring a few 6 to 8 pound bass are caught.

In 1998, stock size bass were collected at a rate of 106 bass per hour and the PSD had improved to 35.2. In 1999, stock size bass were collected at a rate of 77 bass per hour and the PSD continued to 38.5. In 2000, stocked size bass were collected at a rate of 72 bass per hour and the PSD was 28.7. In 2001, stocked size bass were collected at a rate of 151 bass per hour and the PSD was 20.5 and in 2002, they were collected at a rate of 119 bass per hour and the PSD was 20.2. In 2003, they were collected at a rate of 74 bass per hour and the PSD was 15.5.

In 1994 a population estimate put the number of bass greater than 8 inches at approximately 50 pounds/acre. The number of stock-sized bass collected in the fall survey in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003 were 106, 77, 72, 151, 119, and 74 respectively. Quality sized bass during the same period were collected at a rate of 23, 28, 22, 15, 24, and 12 fish per hour, respectively. Six strong year-classes were present.

The black bass fishing regulations for Lake Carlton are a 14 inch minimum length limit and a one per day creel. These stringent regulations were enacted because Lake Carlton receives annually between 600 and 800 man-hours fishing pressure per acre. Lake Carlton should have an excellent bass fishery for years to come. Prime fishing areas include the edge of the weed beds and the brush piles or fish cribs.

MUSKIE: LAKE CARLTON - The lake was originally stocked with tiger muskie in 1978. Pure muskie were not stocked until 1983. Since then, 1,478 - 12 inch muskie have been stocked in the lake. The 75 - 11.5 inch muskie stocked in 1995 were purchased by the Illinois Chapter of Muskie, Inc. In 2002, 76 - 11.9 inch muskie were stocked by the State, and in 2003, 76 - 11.0 inch muskie were stocked by the State. Lake Carlton possesses high water clarity with visibility occasionally extending down 15 feet. The lake has numerous bays, points, and extremely shallow flats of submerged vegetation and water lotus beds.

Lake Carlton, although only 77 acres, has been the number one muskie lake for almost every year since 1987. The lake has produced more legal sized bass than any other lake in the state. Creel data from 1994 found a catch of 148 muskie and a harvest of only three. The fishing pressure was reported as 606 man hours per acre. Lake Carlton should remain as one of Illinois’ premiere muskie lakes for years to come. The fall electrofishing survey in 1995 produced five muskie in excess of 40 inches. Ten trapnets set in April of 1998 resulted in the collection of 32 muskie greater than 28 inches. Eleven trapnets set in April of 1999 resulted in the collection of 29 muskie greater than 30 inches and five trapnets in April 2000 collected 11 muskie over 33 inches. Twelve trapnets in 2001 resulted in the collection of 23 muskie greater than 19 inches. Six trapnets set in April of 2002 resulted in the collection of 29 muskie between 30 and 46.5 inches. Fourteen minutes of night electrofishing resulted in the collection of 4 muskie. Two of the muskie were greater than 42 inches. Five trapnets set overnight in April of 2003 resulted in the collection of 12 muskie greater than 26 inches. The muskie body condition showed improvement in 2003. The lake has a 36 inch size restriction on muskie with a one fish per day limit.

WALLEYE AND SAUGER: Lake Carlton is a small 78 acre lake that has gained its reputation as being the premiere muskie lake in the State. Although the lake has an excellent muskie fishery, it also has a fairly good saugeye fishery. Lake Carlton was stocked annually with 1,900 - 4 inch walleye or 25 per acre until 1992. In 1992, this changed as the lake became a saugeye research lake. Since 1992, the lake has been stocked annually with approximately 25 - 50, 4 inch saugeye per acre. The creel report conducted in 1994 reported 606 man-hours per acre fishing pressure.

Only 122 walleye were caught in 1994 of which 15 were harvested. They averaged 4.9 pounds. Saugeye in the fall of 1997 were collected by night electrofishing at a rate of 13 fish per hour. This is the highest rate walleye or saugeye had been collected. In 1998, saugeye were collected at a new high rate of 37.5 per hour. In 1999, saugeye were collected at a new night rate of 51 fish per hour. In 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, saugeye were collected at 40, 20, 26, 58, and 25 fish per hour, respectively. Lake Carlton will be stocked with saugeye again in 2006. The numbers of quality-size saugeye are improving and 2006 should provide anglers with an excellent saugeye fishery.

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