342 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



There were from 150 to 200 Carp taken out of that field and the 

 Outlet between the two bridges. In Harvey Norris's field south 

 of his house, one 16-pounder and 20 or more smaller were caught." 



In 1907, late in June, many Carp were seen in Green's marsh. 

 One man shot two and speared five others, and many others were 

 taken. The largest obtained this year that we have any record 

 of weighed 8 pounds. 



In the autumn of 1907, a trip was taken by boat from Lake 

 Maxinkuckee down the Outlet to the Tippecanoe River. No sign 

 of Carp was seen either in Lost Lake or in the Outlet. It is some- 

 what surprising that this fish, so much in evidence in the flats in 

 the high water of spring, should appear to be wholly absent during 

 the rest of the year. 



In October, 1913, a party from Wisconsin came to Lake Maxin- 

 kuckee prepared to "rid the lake of the carp." They were equipped 

 with a seine several hundred yards long and all the necessary boats, 

 winches and all other needful paraphernalia and authority, includ- 

 ing a permit and moral support from the State Fish and Game 

 Commission. On October 20, one haul was made in Aubeenaubee 

 Bay; result, about 1,000 bass, but not one Carp! The next day 

 Lost Lake was seined with only slightly better success, the catch 

 consisting of an immense number of straw bass (some weighing 

 about seven pounds each), a great many bluegills, a few dog- 

 fish, a few redhorse, two striped suckers, a lot of miscellaneous 

 species, and three Carp! 



From which it appears that the Carp is not, as yet, very com- 

 mon in Lake Maxinkuckee. 



About the lake, as in other places throughout the country, there 

 is a good deal of prejudice against the Carp, which has no founda- 

 tion in fact. They are supposed to devour the eggs of other fishes, 

 but very few eggs have ever been reported as having been found 

 in their stomachs.* They are supposed to drive away other fishes, 

 but almost any of our spiny-rayed fishes could probably drive away 

 the Carp. They are omnivorous, living on vegetable food, and al- 

 most anything else small enough to take into their mouths. The 

 young furnish a large amount of food to carnivorous fishes, such 

 as bass and perch. 



In the winter of 1903 Carp were observed in great numbers in 

 lagoons in Jackson Park, Chicago; the fishes swarmed up to air- 

 holes by the thousands and many people caught them in their 

 bare hands. 



* Leon J. Cole examined the stomach contents of 33 carp critically and many others less 

 carefully and found only 3 fish eggs. 



