HOMER LAKE STATUS REPORT SUMMARY

CHANNEL CATFISH: The channel catfish fishery is sustained through stockings from the State Hatchery System. Each year 8" channel catfish are stocked into Homer Lake. The catfish population is dominated by catfish in the 16 to 24 inch range. The average weight for channel catfish harvested in the latest creel survey was 1.323 pounds. There is always a good number of catfish in the population. Homer Lake has a two pole and line fishing only regulation and a 6 fish per day harvest restriction on channel catfish.

LARGEMOUTH BASS: HOMER LAKE The largemouth bass population on this lake has been great for the past 5 years. Catch rates have declined since the early 90s but the number of largemouth bass over 15 inches has increased. The Illinois Natural History Survey is conducting a bluegill research project on this lake and stocks largemouth bass each year. These stockings have helped maintain the number of bass in the lake. Approximately 55 bass per hour were collected in 2003, this is an increase from 40 per hour in 2001. Based on bass collected in 2003 that were large than 8 inches, 56% were larger than 12 inches and 37% were larger than 15 inches. The bass regulation at Homer Lake is a 14" minimum length limit with a 6 fish daily creel limit.

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