Species

Rank

Fish Status

BLUEGILL

Good

As usual, bluegill were less abundant than bass during the 2016 Devils Kitchen Lake survey. However, bluegill numbers were so low (12 per hour of electrofishing) that the change was attributed to very cold weather conditions at the time of the survey, which pushed these fish away from the shoreline. The fish that were collected along the shoreline were generally small, as demonstrated by 15% over 6 inches and 8% larger than 8 inches. Site Regulation: 8” length limit, 25 per day creel limit (in aggregate).

LARGEMOUTH BASS

Good

Devils Kitchen Lake has historically contained a bass population consisting of abundant small fish and a few giants, without much in between. However, the spring 2015 and 2016 electrofishing surveys have documented a slight shift toward a more balanced population. Largemouth bass were collected at a rate of 142 per hour in 2015 and 113 per hour in 2016, and 61% (2015) and 53% (2016) were larger than 12 inches, while 6% (2015) and 4% (2016) were larger than 15 inches. Although most bass are generally 9 to 13 inches in length, it is not unusual for bass in the 5 to 10-pound range to show up in spring electrofishing samples and/or tournament weigh-ins. The 2016 survey produced two bass over 22 inches in length and the heaviest of these weighed 6.7 pounds. Anglers are encouraged to harvest small bass to boost the average size of fish in the population. Threadfin shad stockings are part of an ongoing plan for improving Devils Kitchen Lake bass growth rates, and annual spring stockings will be continued as long as these fish are available. Site Regulation:

RAINBOW TROUT

Very Good

Rainbow trout are stocked in Devils Kitchen Lake each fall to maintain the population, and there is no closed season. The Devils Kitchen trout fishery is very popular with the angling public. Possession of an inland trout stamp is required for harvesting rainbow trout.

REDEAR SUNFISH

Very Good

The Devils Kitchen redear population remained impressive in spring 2015. Redear abundance was lower than that of bluegill, but average size of these fish was much larger. 62% of redear were larger than 7 inches, 49% exceeded 8 inches, 15% were over 9 inches, and a few fish even eclipsed the 10-inch mark. Site Regulation: 8” length limit, 25 per day creel limit (in aggregate).

YELLOW PERCH

Developing

Yellow perch were “officially” stocked in Devils Kitchen Lake in 2014 for the first time in the lake’s history, and additional stockings were completed in 2015 and 2016. A small population of perch (of unknown origin) already existed, and was popular, but few fish ever entered anglers’ creels. The goal of the yellow perch stocking program is to produce a viable, self-sustaining fishery, and additional fish will be stocked in 2017, if available and deemed appropriate by results of the spring 2017 fish population survey.

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