Early History of Lake Maxinkuckee - Fish Commisioners' Report  

The biennial report of Z. T. Sweeny, Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries of Indiana, 1901-02, is a pretentious volume of over 600 pages, voluminously illustrated, and describes the various kinds of river and lake fish common to Indiana. It has, however, nothing new in regard to Maxinkuckee not already embraced in this paper. From the statement contained in the work of fish deposited in the lake by the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries during the fisical years from June 30, 1900, to June 30, 1902, it is shown that 10,000,000 perch pike were so deposited, and of black bass during the same period, 800. Those who have watched the catch of fish from the lake during that time will wonder what became of all thses millions of spawn with which the lake was stocked.

The report of Prof. B. W. Everman, Ischthyologist of the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries, who survyed the lake and made a complete report of everything to it during the year of 1900 under the direction of the Government, has not yet been issued. The map, however, to accompany the report has been printed and a few copies have been distributed to those interested in the future of the lake. The map is drawn from surveys and soundings made under the direction of Professor Everman. The area of the lake is shown to be 1,864 acres. The contour lines of the bottom of the lake are from soudnings taken on section and half-section lines and is the first and only map of the 'bottom of the lake' ever published. The deepest place in the lake is on a line about half way across from Long Point and Maxinkuckee Landing. At that point it is eighty-eight feet deep. In the immediate vicinity the depth ranges from seventy to eighty-five feet in several places. What is designated as 'Sugar Loaf', is a few hundred feet north of the deepest place, and the water there is but ten feet deep. The 'Weed Patch', which is only ten feet deep, is a few hundred feet south of the east and west section line, being the north line of section 28, or nearly half way across the lake from Long Point to Indianapolis Pier on the east side. The 'Kettle Hole', fourty feet deep, is a short distance west of Colonel Farrar's cottage on the south side. The remarkable thing about it is, that while it covers only a acre or two, the water surrounding it is from six to twelve feet deep. is a tradition that there are some very large fish in the 'Kettle Hole', but the experience of the writer is that is nothing but 'tradition'.

The map is a valuable production, and undoubtedly the most correct one that has yet been made. It is to accompany a f ull report prepared by Professor Everman embracing a description of the numerous varieties of fish found in the lake which is soon to be published by the Government.