268 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



The boat is slowly rowed over what is thought to be likely 

 water, the angler casting the meanwhile, on either side or from 

 the bow, 50 to 75 feet, depending upon the skill he happens to pos- 

 sess in the art. Many of those who come to the lake are quite 

 successful and easily reach the lawful limit. The species taken are 

 large-mouth bass, small-mouth black bass, and walleyed pike. Oc- 

 casionally two bass or a bass and a walleyed pike are taken at one 

 cast. 



A favorite and usually successful method practiced by those who 

 are seeking large-mouth bass is to row slowly late in the evening 

 or very early in the morning along near the shore and cast into 

 the edges of the patches of weeds. 



Fly-casting: Not many fly fishermen come to Lake Maxin- 

 kuckee and not much fly casting is seen there. Those who do come 

 use a 9 to 10-foot rod, and a very light oiled or Japan waxed silk 

 line of 10 to 14-pounds tension. The small-mouth bass is the 

 species usually taken ; rarely a large-mouth bass or a walleyed pike 

 is secured. But several other species will rise to the fly on occa- 

 sion; among them may be mentioned the rock bass, yellow perch, 

 pumpkinseed, bluegill, calico bass, crappie, and the warmouth bass. 



Baits and lures: The baits and lures used by the fishermen who 

 visit this lake have a very wide range. They include, among live 

 bait, minnows, frogs, grasshoppers, crickets, grubs, angleworms; 

 among cut bait, mussels, meat, cut fish, crawfish, etc. ; and among 

 artificial lures, Dowagiacs of all patterns, Hildebrandt spinners, 

 Skinner fluted spoons, buck tail, squirrel tail, pork rind, pork chunk, 

 and doubtless others. 



Beginning in the spring live minnows are used. The principal 

 bait minnows are the following: creek chub, river chub, blunt- 

 nosed minnow, Storer's chub, common shiner, silverside, young 

 goldfish, mud minnow, straw-colored minnow, grayback minnow, 

 mad torn, darters of various kinds, and various other small fishes. 

 For large bass and walleyed pike, creek and river chubs of moder- 

 ate size are preferred ; for smaller bass any of the other species 

 mentioned are good; and for bluegills, rock bass and perch, small 

 minnows of almost any kind are suitable if not too large. The 

 value of any particular kind of minnow depends largely upon its 

 ability to live on the hook; if the minnow is delicate and dies 

 promptly, it is not of great value, however attractive it may other- 

 wise be. For this reason the common mud minnow ( Umbra limi) 

 is popular. Its dark, somber color, however, prevents it from 

 being very attractive to bass and walleyed pike. The mad torn 



