40 



ATTg'ust 22. Seininj?' postponed owing to hig-h water. Heavy rains caused a 

 rise of over four feet wiiich lield at that stae-e for two days, when dropped 

 Tapidly. Attempt made to seine Running Slouprh lake. Fishermen say its 

 full of fish, but vegetation prevented successful work. Catch small, about 

 Iweaty five carp. 



August 22. Three hauls. Catch aVjout 700 pounds carp and buffalo; 200 

 pounds skips and turtles. ^ 



CARTHAGE LAKE. 



Angust 24. Seven hauls, about 1,200 pounds carp; 400 pounds buffalo and 

 aboBt 500 pounds skipjacks, dogs and turtles equally divided. This work 

 «TeT the usual ground. 



August 26. Nine hauls, about 1,100 pounds carp and buffalo: 500 pounds 

 tmrtles, dogs, etc.; about 700 pounds bass and croppie. 



August 29. Seven hauls, about 1,000 pounds carp and buffalo; about 400 

 jjOBuds turtles, dogs. etc. and 400 pounds game fish. 



August 31. Eight hauls. 1,000 pounds carp and btiffalo; 300 pounds tur- 

 fites, dogs, etc.; 200 pounds large bass and 300 pounds other game fish. 



September 2. Seven hauls. 450 to 500 pounds carp and buffalo; 300 pounds 

 turtles and dogs. Not so many game f]sh as usual, but those taken very fine. 

 Several nice pike, bass large size, also croppie. 



November 4. Eleven hauls. Catch 1,200 to 1,.300 pounds carp and buffalo; 

 200 pounds dog, gar and skips. Three hauls in upper end of lake showed 

 800 pounds game fish, nearly all bass and of fine size; not so many croppie. 



I irust this report will be satisfactory to you as well as interesting. Car- 

 tlhage lake, some years ago was noted for its pike fishing. In the last five 

 years nothing had been taken by hook and line, although I have often when 

 hunting bait, before the lake became Club property, taken out of small holes 

 in Running blough, when it was almost dry, numerous small pike, 4 to 6 

 inches long, yet no one was taking any large fish, unless the fishermen had 

 killed them off, as the place was seined to death previous to our securing it. 

 This year has been taken by our members with the rod some ten or twelve 

 pike, all good, big, fish, from which I am lead to believe the fish are begin- 

 ning- to use the lake again. Possibly it arises from the fact that the waters 

 are protected. 



The bass and croppie taken this fall have been very fine and some good 

 catcies have been made, although latelj' the fishing has been poor. You 

 BOtiee in my report that at the upper end of the lake is whei-e the best 

 eatches of game fish are made. I attributed this to the fact, that since the 

 conittry road rpposite Crystal lake was opened, it gives us clear running 

 water directly into the lake and the bass naturally drew to this new water as 

 it probably brought down food for tliem. The water except in the center, 

 where there's six to seven feet, is shallow with soft mud bottom. None of 

 our boys seemingly ever tried the rod up above, but I imagine there could 

 been some good strings made. My spare time I occupied hunting, but had 

 intended trying up the lake, now I expect its frozen over. 



Yours truly, 



J. C. Latham, Secretari/. 



CORRESrOXDENCE. 



Peoria, 111., December 17, 189S. 



Man, S. P. Bartlett, Superintendent Fish Commission, Quinct/, III. 



Dkar Sir: — In answer to your question as to tny orinion of carp, will say, 

 as I have often said, that the carp is the breadwinner of the fishermen and is 

 a ffheap food fish in big demand in New Yoi-k, Boston. Pliiladelphia and 

 Gfaicago. 



