Fishing on Lake Maxinkuckee
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Location |
Fishing in Lake Maxinkuckee has been a favorite past time for years. Many of the
longtime old fisherman are gone -
David Burns,
"Bob" Hodges, Dale Sensibaugh
and many others.
The fishing is of all variety's - ice; summer fishing: from the lake edge, boats and piers;
fly fishing; and fishing clubs have came into style and bass clubs from all over
come to fish the waters of Lake Maxinkuckee.
The fishing holes and area's are represented by this
map.
An interesting article ont the
wetlands of Maxinkuckee by Frederick Karst.
1879 - May 8 - The FIshing CLub of Plymouth has contracted with the governement for
75,000 fish spawn to be used in stocking Lake Maxinkuckee - - - Indiana State Sentinel
1879 -May 21 - Land locked salmon will be supplied to Lake Maxinkuckee this spring
and other species as soon as the spawn may be shipped with safte y -
- - Indiana State Sentinel
1882 - 17 June - Maxinkuckee must be regaining its excellenceas a fishing ground. The Salmon Fishing Club of
Indianapolis, reports the following catch in five days' fishing: bass.150, average weight 2 3/4 pounds;
wall-eyed salmon or pike, 35; croppies and red eyes 27; total, 212; total weight a little over 500 pounds.-
Logansport Pharos Tribune
1890 - Feb 14 - Trout for Lake Maxinkuckee - Indianapolis Journal: Mr. Fred Baggs recently wrote the
United States Fish Commissioner asking for a lot of fish for Lake Maxinkuckee. Today he received
replay hat a shipmen of trout has been made. They will be received in a day or two, and will be
taken to the lake. A year ago a similar batch was put into the lake they have grown nicely -
Logansport Pharos Tribune.
1896 - May 27 - An epidemic is said to prevail among the blue-gilled sunfish in Lake Maxinkuckee, and
bushels of these fish have been washed ashore along the north bank - Logansport Pharos Tribune
1899 - apr 6 - It is claimed that a special deputy fish commissioner is now in this part of the state,
looking up violations of the law, and will visit Maxinkuckee and other northern lakes. - Logansport
Pharos Tribune
From: One Township Yesterday's - Corwin:
Old Time Fishermen
Not much is said about the old time fisherman needing the old time doctor. On the Contrary, fishing was said
to cure a multitude of ancient ills. Many in these parts were "born with a fishing pole in their hands."
Very little is said about, fish ague, but many were afflicted with tales of fish that towed dug-out canoes
around the lake (with passengers) and several monsters of assorted shapes and sizes that lurked in the waters
of Maxinkuckee, and even in smaller nearby bodies of water.
One of the local fishermen of considerable renown and recognized prowess, who fished in later days, but not so
very much later than the pioneer anglers, was James McGuire.
Some thirty years ago, he was known as "Grandpa McGuire," and later yet as "Old Grandpa McGuire." He lived in
what is one of the oldest dwellings in Culver , a low-built house, the second west of the Evangelical Church.
Old Grandpa McGuire fished and fished, and kept on fishing until he was past eighty years of age. At the age of
eighty, in October, 1905, he caught a big straw bass, one of the largest bass ever taken from Lake Maxinkuckee
up to that time. He got it at the depot pier on the second of October. And it was guaranteed and accredited and
bona fide and true. The fish was 24 inches long, 15 inches around, and weighed seven pounds. He took it with an
ordinary cane pole and, medium sized hook.
1900 - Jan -19 Local fishermen at Lake Maxinkuckee are reported as gathering a fine harvest of fish through
openings made in the ice, Most of the fish caught are bass and some of them quite large. Logansport Pharos
Tribune
1900 Mar 23 - The government fish commissioners have notified Maxinkuckee parties that about the first of next
month a carload of salmon from Lake Michigan will be put in Maxinkuckee. - Logansport Pharos Tribune
1900 Mar 27 - Stocking Lake Maxinkuckee - Culver, Ind. - March 27 - The governement fish
commissioners have yielded to the request of the cottage holders at Lake Maxinkuckee, and
during the coming month a car load of young salmon will be placed in the lake to be brought
from the fisheries in Michigan - Palladium Item (Richmond, Indiana)
1901 - Aug 29 Fish Commissioner's Car No. 1 transferred 500 black bass to Lake Maxinkuckee
Saturday. - Weekly Republican, Plymouth, Indiana
1903 - May 23 - The United States Fish Commission last week placed 10,000,000 wall-eyed pike
in Lake Maxinkuckee. The fish were brought here from the government hatcheries at Toledo -
White County Democrat, Monticello Indiana.
1903 - May 29 - Lake Maxinkuckee Stocked With Pike
Thursday the United State fish commissioer's special car arrieved at Culver with
10,000,000 pike perch, commonly called wall-eyed pike, on board.
Of this number 8,200,000 pr 85 tanks full, were put in old Lake Maxinkuckee under the
direction of Capt. Ed. Morris.
They were dumped in water from 20 to 40 feet deep and an average temperature of 54
degrees.
These small fish came from Put-in-Bay on Lake Erire, and were about one-fourth of an
inch long and from a spectator's standpoint seem to consist chiefly og eyes.
Maxinkuckee is chief of the few stocked lakes if Indiana.
It is stated that a number of bass will be sent to the lake later this season.
THe small fish put in Thursday were forty-eight hours old and it will be three years
before they are old enough to be used for food. - White County Democrat, Monticello
Indiana.
1906 - Jan 5 - ICE AT MAXINKUCKEE. Culver Citizen: "The ice on the lake is at present an uncertain quanity
and rather treacherous.... J. F. Cromley was fishing near the edge of the ice when a large cake became
detached and began drifting to the center of the lake. He was very much frightened, although in no great
danger. A boat was secured and a resucue made in short order. - Logansport Daily Pharos
1906 - Jan 11 - There is no fishing through the ice at Maxinkuckee this winter because
there is no ice on the lake. - Logansport Daily Pharos
Water Mold kills fish.
It has been determined by the state officials who have examinded the water of Lake Maxinkuckee, that water mold
has caused the death of the many fish that have been discovered on the lake. this mold is known to have killed
many fish in the lakes of the state, but the epidemic that is visiting Lake Maxinkuckee this time is the worst
ever known. aithorities state that fish taken out of the lake may be eaten without any ill res ults.
Wednesday, May 28, 1919 Logansport, Indiana Logansport Pharos-Reporter
28 June 1933 - Three separate parties claim to have seen a fish in Lake Maxinkuckee with a side as broad as a boat;
- one party said it was 16 feet long;
- one said it towed his boat before the line broke;
- another is sure it's a sturgeon.
If anyone sees the fish,, they are encouraged to contact the citizen.
1935 - Oct 16 - Argos Hatchery Places Bass In Lake Maxinkuckee - 9,000 small mouth bass were placed
in Lake Maxinkuckee last week bu the Izaak Walton League FIsh hatchery of Argos...
1935 - Oct 23 - Fish added to lake from Rochester Hatchery - 3,000 six inch large moth bass were placed
in Lake Maxinkuckee this week ny the Fereral hatcher at ROchester. With these and the fish from the Argos
Hatchery and Macinkuckee fish and Game ponds the lake has been well restocked for next year, all of which
should be goog news to the fishermen
From an issue of the 1939 Culver Citizen:
Thaw Stops Ice Fishing on Lake Maxinkuckee
Ice fishing on Lake Maxinkuckee has been pop ular for several weeks with blue gills and red eyes and an
occassional bass, biting the best on live minnows. But a sudden thaw and high winds cleared the lake of
ice on Sunday and spolied the sport that had kept a large number of men of the ice through all kinds of
weather. Left to right in front of the puicture: James Drake, William Benner, Gene Hisey and Earl Croco.
1939 Stocking Lake Maxinkuckee is
Game Warden Herbert Slaon wearing hip boots dumps the small fish in their new home, Lake Maxinkuckee |
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Dentist and Physician from Fulton featured in unique fish story
Rochester, July 27 - two Fulton county doctors, a physician and a dentist, were featured in the
column, 'names in passing' in today's indianapolis star. the story follows:
Dr. J. A. Hafert, Fulton dentist, got hooked uyesterday, but he has a bass to show for it. he was fishing
in front of his summer home on Lake maxinkuckee, cool water running between his toes when a bass
grabed his plug. Dr. hafert heaved in and threw the fish on shore by the waters edge. seeing his prize
flopping back toward lake Maxinkuckee, dr. hafert attempted to step on it wiht his bare feet.
Instead, he landed on the plug. which had dislodged. it tool Dr. J. J. Kraning, a kewanna physician, who
lives in a nearby cottage, to separate his neighbor and his bait.
Logansport Press
Friday, July 28, 1950 Logansport, Indiana
Of course the fisherman's friend - was the local bait shop -
George's
Place it was owned and ran by George Franz and was located on S. Main St. across from the Culver Masonic Cemetery -
several other place over the years carried bait for fisherman too Hansen's; Don Neidlinger started a bait shop on Lakeshore drive
for a few years and years before that
Sperry's and
Bill Anderson carried bait amongest many
other who are those probably long forgotten
Catch Summary - May 19, 2007
| | | Length | |
Species | Number | percent | Min | Max |
Rick Bass | 84 1 | 9.7 | 2.6 | 11.1 |
Bluegill | 50 1 | 8.7 | 2.2 | 9.2 |
Smallmouth bass | 44 | 10.3 | 1.8 | 18.4 |
Largemouth bass | 43 | 10.1 | 1.9 | 15.8 |
Walleye | 35 | 8.2 | 3.4 | 20.5 |
Yellow Perch | 34 | 8.0 | 2.7 | 12.3 |
Spotted Gar | 26 | 6.1 | 24.6 | 48.1 |
Gizzard Shad | 11 | 26 | 13.2 | 2.0 |
Brown Bullhead | 10 | 2.3 | 8.0 | 14.3 |
Bowlin | 8 1 | 1.9 | 21.0 | 25.0 |
Shortnose Gar | 8 | 1.9 | 17.4 | 28.0 |
Fish Stocking
Year | Species | size | # realeasd |
2007 | Walleye | Fingerling | 189,235 |
2008 | Walleye | Fiingerling | 110,392 |
2009 | Walleye | Fingerling | 186,633 |
2010 | Walleye | Fingerling | 256,666 |
2011 | Walleye | Fingerling | 370,920 |
2012 | Walleye | Adult | 27,183 |
2012 | Walleye | Fingerling | 3.627 |
2013 | Walleye | Fingerling | 271,086 |
2014 | Walleye | Adult | 18,920 |
2015 | Walleye | Fingerling | 199,031 |
Fishing Index