This is believed to be the first confirmation of the presence of drum above the reservoir since it was built. Paddlefish were collected at three stations, six at two lower river stations near New Harmony and one near Lafayette. Fisheries personnel have previously collected paddlefish in the lower Wabash, but the Lafayette collection confirms that at least some paddlefish are present in the higher reaches of the Wabash. One American eel was seen, but not collected, near Cayuga. It is not surprising that the eel was not collected, since they usually are not stunned by the electrofisher.
Indications are that the American eel population has declined in recent years.
Only female eels migrate upstream from salt water. They spend from 7-20 years in fresh water then migrate to the Sargasso Sea to spawn, picking up a male at the mouth of the Mississippi River on the way. Biologists netted dozens of blue suckers in the river. This species is currently listed as a species of special concern. The fact that so many were caught may indicate that the species is making a comeback.