18 



flub has a beautiful club luniso at the lake, which is a little over a 

 mile south of Waterloo. The water is supplied by spriii.i^s that never 

 fail, and the lake is said to be one of the finest artificial ones in the 

 State. This club also controls Beaver Lakes, three lakes situated 

 hve and one-half miles south of Waterloo. These lakes were all 

 stocked by the Illinois Fish Commission. 



While not in our neighborhood literally, yet near enouuh. to count, 

 is the lake of the Chester Fishinu' Clul). Lake Langford. named for 

 the late secretary of the Illinois State Fish Commission. The club 

 is a stock company, limited to a membership of tM^enty-five, and was 

 organized in 18U4:. The lake is an artificial one, fed by springs, and 

 was made by throwing a dam across the ravine. The lake covers 

 nbout one and one-half acres of ground, and is situated about one 

 mile from the city of Chester. The stock was originally ol)tained 

 from Bois Brule bottom and the Illinois State Fish Commission. 

 The by-laws of the club restricts the catch as to size of fish, and this 

 rule is rigidly enforced. 



The interest in pond culture and the care"^of our lakes has made 

 lishing very popular, ily casting being the prevailing method. Many 

 of our boys have become quite expert. A size limit as to fish caught 

 is a rule in most of the clubs, and our people are being educated to 

 the necessity of protection of our waters in every way possible." 



FISH WAYS. 



With each succeeding year the necessity for good practical fish- 

 ways that will permit the passage of fish up the streams becomes more 

 apparent. The scarcity of the catfish above the locks on the Illinois 

 river would demonstrate this fact without further argument. Large 

 cattish, such as were caught in great quantities •rery season in 

 former years, are now extremel)' rare, and the catch is limited to 

 smaller fish. This is true not only of the catfish but of a number of 

 other varieties as well. Since our last report fishways have been put 

 into the government dams at Kampsville and La Grange on the Illi- 

 nois river, and the government dam on the Wabash river near Mt. 

 Carmel. Major Marshall, in charge of the U. S. Engineering Corps, 

 and having charge of the improvements of rivers and harbors, with 

 headquarters at Chicago, has given us all the assistance in his power, 

 and through his courtesy we have been enabled to open up a part of 

 the Illinois river. We have received several complaints this season 

 regarding dams unprovidetl with fishways, but we think we shall be 

 able to arrange satisfactorily with all so situated. 



We give herewith cuts of fishway in position and perspective views 

 of same. Drawings and specifications are furnished on api)lication 

 to the Commissioners. 



NATIVE FISH DISTRIBUTION. 



The distribution of fish for the two seasons 1894-5 and 1895-(>, has 

 been mainly of the better kinds of food fishes, such as the black bass, 

 crappie. white and striped bass, wall-eyed pike, channel catfish and 



