The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-12
rNDrANA,s WATERS AND FISHES.

missioner of fisheries and game contains
much interesting information concerning
the waters and fishes of Indiana. A chap
ter on the lake system of Indiana by State
GeoIogist Blatchley gives the scientific
theory as to the origin of the numerous
lakes in the northern part of the State and
adds m ny facts regarding them that will
interest others than scientists. There are
hundreds of these lakes, varying In size
six square miles. They all owe their origin
to the irregular deposits of the drift
brought on by the glaciers at a remote
period. by which depressions were produced
which became filled with water. Some of
the lakes have kettle holes" round caul-
dron-shaped basins where the water is
fifty to seventy feet deep. These holes
were originally caused by great masses of
ice becoming imbedded in the debris that
collected around them, and when, in time.
the ice melted the holes were left. Not all
of the lakes have these deep holes, but they
all alike owe their origin to glacial action.
They are found mostly in til, three north
There are more than 100 in Steuben county.
about forty in Lagrange county. about 100
in Noble county, about forty in Koscuisko
county. and a few in each of the counties
of Elkhart, Whitley. st. Joseph. Marshall,
Fulton. Laporte. Starke and Porter. All
of the lakes contain fish. Some Of them
are popular resorts and widely known,
while many others have only a neighbor-
hood reputation, Many of the smaller and
most beautiful ones cannot be reached
by railroads and are comparatively little
known. Among the best known are Turkey
or Wawasee lake, in Kosciusko county,
the largest lake in the State; Tippecanoe.
the fifth largest lake and the deepest
one i'm the State, and Webster, Eagle and
Silver lakes in the same county. One of
the most beautiful and the best improved
lakes in the State, Maxinkuckee, in Mar
shall county, is more of society than a
fishing resort. though it still furnishes
fairly good sport for fishermen. The best
known lakes in Steuben county are Crook
ed lake, Gaines lake, Hogback lake, Fish
lake and Bass lake. but there are dozens
of others equally as attractive for fisher
men. There is also Bass lake in Starke
county which is much frequented. There
are two Tippecanoe lakes and two Cedar
lakes in different counties. One of the
prettiest groups or chains of lakes in the
State is known Barbee lake, in Kos
ciuskO county. 1t includes six connecting
lakes, all renowned as fishing resorts. 1t
is sad TO learn that at some remote period
all of these beautiful lakes may disappear.
The State geologist says: "A lake of small
size like those of Indiana, begins to die
the moment it is born. In other words,
its basin begins to fill with material other
than water and the process of final extinc-
ton is commenced. There are more beds
of extinct lakes in Indiana to-day than
there are existing Ones. Their former
basins are now the sites of extensive boys
or meadows underlain by fifteen to twenty
feet of muck mari. All of the lakes
now here are in various stages of ex-
istence or extinction" The extinction of
ened by artificial drainage in order to re-
claim marsh land. Bruce lake, Fulton
county; High and Bear lakes, Noble coun-
ty, and Loon lake. Whitley county former
ly beautiful bodies of water Astounding
with fish. have been brought by drainage
to be mere mud holes. Many others have
| been greatly reduced in size. 1t is species
| of recklessness and greed that should be
stopped. Eventually. the lakes will prob
| ably disappear through natural causes, but
| that time is very distant, and their extinc-
| ton should not be FASTENED by artificial
| drainage.
The rivers of Indiana furnish distinct
branch of its water system. An illustrated
paper on this subject by Mr.. Frank Lew
| erett, United States photographer. shows
that from the extreme northwestern part
of the State the discharge of the rivers is
| into Lake Michigan; south of this is a
| small area which drains. to the Illinois,
! from the northeast the drainage enters
Lake Erie. The drainage of the greater
part of the State is tributary to the Wa
bash, itself a tributary of the Ohio; the
southern end of the State is directly tribu-
tary to the Ohio through small streams.
| The southern border of Indiana is washed
| by the Ohio river for 352 miles, but the
| principal river within the State is the Wa
| bash. This fine stream, which has it's
| headwaters in Ohio, has drainage basin
| of about $1,000 square mies-40O square
miles in Ohio. 24.S50 in Indiana and $3.50
| In Illinois. 1t and its tributaries drain
more than two-thirds of the area of In
| diana. Its main tributaries are the Mis-
| sissinewa river, Eel river, Tippecanoe, East
| White. West White and Patoka rivers;
| each of which has a large number of lesser
tributaries.
The principal fishes found in these vari-
| Gus streams or in the lakes are the small
| mouth black bass. king of game fishes,
| the large-mouth black bass, yellow perch.
wall-eye or pike perch, rock bass, also
called redeye or goggleeye, crappie, straw
berry bass. blue gill. several varieties of
sunfish. yellow catfish, channel catfish, buff
falo, sucker. carp. Some other varieties
are occasionally taken, but those above
named include most of the fishes found in
respects. nature was beautifully kind to
the State originally. and with reasonable