and that none were taken in 1974. Several commercial fishermen at 

 Kampsville landing and Godar landing on the Alton Pool said that they 

 too were catching very few bigmouth buffalo in 1974. Bigmouth buffalo 

 rank second to carp in the commercial catch from the Illinois River. 

 Black buffalo (Ictiobus niger) 



The black buffalo is a commercial species. It was not abundant in 

 the Illinois River electrof ishing collections and was taken only in the 

 lower three pools prior to 1974 (Table 17). In 1974, the few black 

 buffalo taken came from Starved Rock Pool. 

 Shorthead redhorse (Moxostoma macrolepidotum) 



The shorthead redhorse occurred sporadically in the collections 

 throughout the river (Table 18). 

 White catfish (Ictalurus catus) 



The white catfish is a native of brackish to fresh waters along the 

 East Coast from Pennsylvania to Florida. It has been introduced widely 

 in the Midwest, and several have been taken from the Illinois River by 

 commercial fishermen at Havana, including one on 13 May 1974. White 

 catfish have never been taken in our electrof ishing surveys. White 

 catfish seem to exist in the Illinois River at a stable, low density. 

 Black bullhead (Ictalurus melas) 



The black bullhead is considered a commercial species, but most of 

 the bullheads in the electrof ishing collections were small. Most of 

 the black bullheads were taken from one station (Table 19), Ballard 

 Island Chute (river mile 247.8-248.2) in Marseilles Pool. As described 

 earlier this location is an unusually shallow, broad, marsh-fringed area 

 with very little current; the black bullhead prefers this type of 

 habitat. 



Black bullhead were collected occasionally in the main navigation 

 channel, by means of an otter trawl. For example, On 26 August 1964, 

 51 black bullheads averaging 7 in. in total length were taken in 

 49 minutes of trawling at mile 193. 



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