Anglers should fish hard for white bass in 1952 
and 1953 in order to take advantage of the 1950 
and 1951 age groups, still abundant in the lake. 
Largemouth Black Bass 
All black bass reported caught by anglers at 
Lake Chautauqua in 1950 and 1951 were large- 
mouths, except one, a smallmouth. 
Successful black bass fishermen at Lake 
Chautauqua use a stiff cane pole, heavy line, 
bobber, sinker, and a No. 1/0 or similar size bass 
hook. The hook is baited with a 5- to 8-inch chub 
minnow hooked through the lips. The chub is fished 
in the buckbrush, in smartweed beds, and around 
stumps in the manner described for crappie fishing 
in the buckbrush under the heading of white crappie. 
One of the more important aspects of successful 
fishing with chubs is to approach the area to be 
fished in a very quiet manner. A.T. Peara, fig. 
21, one of the successful fishermen at Lake 
Chautauqua, says, “You have tosneak up onthem.” 
A stiff cane pole and heavy line are a 
necessity to “horse” a bass out of the brush. Often 
the angler will have to raise a 2- or 3-pound bass 
straight out of the water; otherwise, the bass will 
become entangled in the brush or will tear itself 
loose from the hook. 
In 1950 and 1951 more largemouth bass were 
caught per fisherman-day when the water level 
either was falling or was at a low, stable stage, 
fig. 22, than when the water was rising or 
at a high stage. 
Liberalized Bass Fishing 
On an experimental basis, in both 1950 and 
1951, fishing for largemouth bass was permitted at 
Lake Chautauqua during the period of April 16 
through May 31, which is by state law a closed 
seasonon these bass inthe Central Zone, in which 
Lake Chautauqua is located. Largemouth bass 
caught by anglers during this period were marked 
at the boat liveries with metal seal tags. These 
tags were placed on the fish for the protection of 
each angler in the event his catch was examined 
later by a conservation officer. 
In the normally closed season in 1950, Lake 
Fig. 21. -- A string of largemouth black bass caught and displayed by A. T. Peara of Havana in the 
summer of 1950. These bass were taken at Lake Chautauqua with cane pole, line, and hook baited with 
large, live chubs. Photo by J. B. Stall of the Illinois Water Survey. 
27 
