Corabelle Lake

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INTRODUCTION
Corabelle Lake is a 107-acre lake located 3 miles south of the City of Iona in Murray County. Corabelle Lake is shallow with a maximum depth of 6.0 feet. Corabelle Lake has a watershed-to-lake ratio of 4:1 which indicates that it has a relatively small watershed. Despite the small watershed, Corabelle Lake's water quality is poor as indicated by a secchi depth of 0.7 feet. The poor water quality is likely a result of nutrient runoff from adjacent agricultural fields. The primary management species in Corabelle Lake is northern pike, while yellow perch and black crappie are managed secondarily. The northern pike population is maintained through fingerling stocking one out of four years (2004, 2007, 2010, and 2014). Adult black crappies have also occasionally been stocked after suspected winterkills to maintain the spawning broodstock (2005 and 2012). The yellow perch population has been self-sustaining, with no stocking occurring in the recent past. A population assessment was conducted during the week of July 14, 2014 to monitor fish populations using nine trap nets.

NORTHERN PIKE
Historically, northern pike have occurred in low abundance in Corabelle Lake, with catch rates ranging from 0.6 per net in 2001 to 2.2 per net in 1996. The 2014 catch rate was within this range as northern pike were captured at a rate of 0.7 per trap net, slightly below the long term average of 1.1 per trap net and down from the 2008 catch rate of 1.0 per trap net. Lengths of northern pike ranged from 24.2 to 31.7 inches and averaged 28.0 inches. Northern pike were chunky, weighing an average of almost five pounds.

YELLOW PERCH
The yellow perch catch rate in 2014 (3.7 per trap net) was similar to the catch rate in 2008 (4.4 per trap net) and was within the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (0.3 to 3.8 per trap net). The 2014 catch rate of 3.7 per trap net is below the long term average of 7.3 per trap net; however, the long term average was highly influenced by high catch rates in the 1996 and 2001 surveys (10.3 and 10.8 per trap net, respectively). A winterkill assessment was done in April 2011, during which yellow perch were captured at a rate of 105.0 per trap net. The timing of the survey likely resulted in this high catch rate because nets were set when yellow perch were likely moving inshore to find spawning areas. In 2014, yellow perch were small, ranging in length from 4.7 to 6.6 inches and averaging 5.5 inches. In comparison, lengths during the 2011 winterkill assessment ranged from 3.2 to 11.1 inches and averaged 8.0 inches. Yellow perch are typically sampled more effectively with gill nets; however gill nets were not used in 2014 because of the shallowness of the basin. The time of year (mid-July) and the gear used (trap nets) in 2014 may be underestimating perch abundance and size structure in Corabelle Lake.

BLACK CRAPPIE
The black crappie population has been increasing since the 2001 survey, from 0.2 per trap net in 2001 to 2.2 per trap net in 2008 to 3.4 per trap net in 2014. The 2014 catch rate was within the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (1.2 to 20.5 per trap net). Black crappies ranged in length from 4.3 to 5.3 inches and averaged 4.9 inches. The narrow range of lengths indicate the presence of one year class, likely age-2 fish, that were a result of the pre-spawn adult black crappies stocked in early May of 2012, following the partial winterkill during the winter of 2010. In a couple of years, crappies should attain a length that is acceptable to anglers.

OTHER SPECIES
The black bullhead catch rate in 2014 (11.7 per trap net) remained unchanged from the 2008 catch rate (11.8 per trap net), and was significantly less than catch rates observed in 2001 and 1996 (44.9 and 52.8 per trap net, respectively). The 2014 catch rate was toward the low end of expected catch rates for similar lakes (11.5 to 132.6 per trap net). Black bullheads ranged in length from 4.1 to 11.9 inches and averaged 7.7 inches.

The common carp population has remained stable in Corabelle Lake, with catch rates ranging from 1.2 per trap net in 1996 to 2.7 per trap net in 2008. The 2014 catch rate was within this range at 2.0 per trap net and was within the expected range of catch rates for similar lakes (1.0 to 5.5 per trap net). Many lengths of common carp were present with lengths ranging from 8.7 to 28.2 inches and averaging 12.7 inches.

The white sucker catch rate increased from 0.0 in 2008 to 4.8 in 2014. White sucker were between 14.6 and 19.0 inches in length.

The 2011 winterkill assessment was the first time that bigmouth buffalo were captured in Corabelle Lake. In 2014, the bigmouth buffalo were still present and were captured at a rate of 0.6 per trap net (n=5). In 2011, bigmouth buffalo averaged 7.8 inches and in 2014 they averaged 24.5 inches.

Other species captured include orange spotted sunfish (n=90) and yellow bullhead (n=1). This is the first time that yellow bullhead have been sampled in Corabelle Lake (6.1 inches in length).

Plants in the water and at the water's edge provide habitat, prevent erosion, and absorb excess nutrients. Shrubs, trees, and woody debris such as fallen trees or limbs provide good habitat both above and below the water and should be left in place. By leaving a buffer strip of natural vegetation along the shoreline, property owners can reduce erosion, help maintain or improve water quality, and provide habitat and travel corridors for wildlife.

Best management practices within the watershed (no-till farming, cover crops, buffer strips, targeted fertilizer application, reduced or metered tiling) would help reduce nutrients entering the lake. High nutrient and sediment input can cause algae blooms and reduce overall water quality. Any improvements in the watershed are likely to have positive impacts on the fishery.

Prepared by Jonah Dagel

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