KINKAID LAKE STATUS REPORT SUMMARY

CHANNEL CATFISH: This 2750-acre lake is located fives miles northwest of Murphysboro in Jackson County. Better known for its muskie population, this lake also has an unusually high population of channel catfish that are basically under harvested. During spring fish sampling, many catfish in the 2-5 pound category are seen. Fish up to 20 pounds are probably present. During summer months, channel catfish are commonly caught on crank baits by bass anglers. Trot lines and jugs are legal and commonly produce high catch rates of all sizes of channel catfish. A little over 37,000 channel catfish were stocked into Kinkaid Lake during 2005. There is no creel limit for channel catfish on this lake.

LARGEMOUTH BASS: KINKAID LAKE - Largemouth bass fishing in Kinkaid Lake for 2004 should be good. There is an abundance of bass less than 16 inches. Bass more than 16 inches are present but tend to be difficult to catch. A new regulation for largemouth bass of 16 inch minimum size limit and 3 fish daily creel limit went into effect on April 1, 1998. It has positively impacted this quality bass population. The bass in this lake are relatively slow growing but they are long lived. Smaller bass, less than 14 inches, tend to be skinny but once bass reach 12 13 inches the growth rates and body condition greatly improves. The best chance to catch bass in this lake is in the spring and fall as this lake receives a lot of recreational boat traffic during the summer months. Because of excessive angling pressure and lots of recreational boat traffic, anglers may have better luck if they fish slower and deeper than most bass anglers typically fish. Approximately 1500 7 8 inch largemouth bass were stocked into Kinkaid Lake during 2003.

MUSKIE: KINKAID LAKE - This lake was built in 1972 and first stocked with muskie in 1985. Muskie (MUE) habitat at Kinkaid is abundant with high water clarity, good depth, and 82 shoreline miles of necks, bays, and points. Weed beds can be found in certain shoreline areas. Large numbers of spotted suckers are available and preferred as forage. Growth rates and conditions are exceptional. During early summer of 1996, it was discovered that a high number of MUE escape over the spillway during periods of heavy rain. Since June 1996, electro sampling by biologists has resulted in 230 MUE (28 47 inches in total length) being returned to the lake. At least 12 of these MUE had been rescued below the spillway, tagged and returned to the lake, and subsequently recaptured again below the spillway. One fish has been documented as going over the spillway on three separate occasions. During the Fall of 1998, a spillway barrier was installed across the dam to reduce MUE escapement during periods of high water flow. This barrier should greatly enhance opportunities to grow trophy MUE and keep them in the lake. There has been no confirmed MUE escapement since the installation of the spillway barrier.

Kinkaid Lake was stocked with 2750 ten inch MUE during 2003. Sampling efforts will continue to assess the effectiveness of the spillway barrier and the resultant effect on the Lake’s MUE population. Anglers have reported a tremendous numbers of MUE in the 30 40 inch range which is the future of the MUE Fishery at Kinkaid Lake.

The largest documented MUE known from Kinkaid Lake was collected in an IDNR net in 2002. The female measured 50 inches and weighed 34.7 pounds (she had already lost most of her eggs). In each of the last three years, the size of the largest muskie that has been collected by IDNR biologists has increased. This is evidence that the spillway barrier may be effectively keeping the MUE in the lake and allowing them to grow to a larger size. A total of 214 muskie were collected during 2003 spring trap netting.

At the end of 2002, there were at least 700 tagged MUE in Kinkaid Lake. If you catch a tagged MUE from Kinkaid Lake DO NOT REMOVE THE TAG. Please contact Shawn Hirst, District 21 Fisheries Biologist at 618/687 4546 with the following information: date of catch, length of MUE, tag number (If number is covered with algae simply scrap the algae away with your fingernail or a knife). Anyone providing a tag number will receive the history of that particular fish.

WALLEYE: KINKAID LAKE - Walleye stockings over many years have periodically produced good years classes of 14 to 16-inch walleye. Growth has been excellent. In the past, walleye would commonly reach 2 to 2.5 pounds and exit the lake via the spillway during spawning season which corresponds to periods of heavy water flow over the spillway. The construction of a spillway barrier was completed in the fall of 1998 and should alleviate escapement of walleye just as they reach quality size. An effective spillway barrier should provide quality walleye fishing opportunities in the next 3 to 5 years depending on the amount of stocked walleye which survive.

The majority of walleye sampled in nets are typically in front of the spillway during heavy water flow in late March and early April. Spring gill netting (1-2 hour sets at day break) will continue to assess WAE populations and the effectiveness of the spillway barrier and the resultant effect on the Lake’s WAE population.

The largest walleye collected by IDNR biologists was collected during 2002 and weighed just over 10 pounds. During 2005 eight WAE (14-20 inches) were collected during standardized spring electrofishing. Eighteen WAE, ranging in size from 17-27 inches, were collected from gill nets, and three walleye (22-24 inches) were collected in trap nets. During the spring of 2005 130,000 two inch walleye were stocked into Kinkaid Lake. An additional stocking of 976 eight-inch fish was completed in September 2005. More and more reports of walleye catches are being reported each year.

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