Little Cascade Lake

How big is Little Cascade Lake?

How deep is Little Cascade Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Little Cascade Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Little Cascade Lake?

A special regulation for Northern Pike (a 24 to 36-in protected slot) was implemented on Little Cascade Lake in 2003, and remained in force in 2017. The objective for the regulation was to produce a significant increase in the proportion of Northern Pike falling within the protected size range. An acceptable outcome would have been to have that proportion remain stable in Little Cascade Lake, if it had been seen to decline (presumably as a result of increased fishing pressure) in the control lake (Pickerel Lake, Cook County).

This was the first of two population assessments scheduled in the 2013 lake management plan to complete an extended evaluation of the Northern Pike special regulation. The second is scheduled for the spring of 2019. A change in statewide Northern Pike regulations, effective in March 2018, means that Pickerel Lake's value as a control in this evaluation will be diminished after that date, since the 2018 change (bag limit reduced to two fish, with a 30-40-inch protected slot limit) will affect Pickerel Lake. The change will not affect Little Cascade Lake, where the current special regulation will remain in effect.

As has usually been the case in this lake, Northern Pike numbers were high in Little Cascade Lake in 2017, as was the average size of those fish. The gill net catch was above the normal range for the lake class, but was similar to catches seen in the past in this lake. Mean weight for Northern Pike taken in gill nets in 2017 was also above the normal range, and was similar to values consistently seen in this lake since 1988. Many year classes contributed to the 2017 catch, including relatively strong year classes produced in 2014, 2012, and 2011. Fish as old as 11 years were collected. Northern Pike growth appeared to have been slow; fish reached a mean length of 23.0 inches at the end of their fifth year, compared to an area average of 24.5 inches.

Based on recaptures of fish tagged in April of 2017, the lake supported an estimated 558 Northern Pike over 14 inches in length in April 2017. About 28% of those fish would have fallen within the protected slot. No fish over 36 inches in length were sampled in 2017.

As has been the case in past assessments, the only other fish species taken in 2017 were White Sucker and Yellow Perch. The White Sucker gill net catch was relatively low for a lake of this class, but was similar to catches observed in this lake historically. The Yellow Perch catch was was within the normal range for the lake class, and was similar to catches seen in this lake since 1988. All of the Yellow Perch taken in gill nets and trap nets in 2017 were too small to have been of much interest to anglers; however, perch provided an essential forage base for Northern Pike.

Are there any state parks near Little Cascade Lake?