A Popular Activity
One of the most popular activities at Horner Park is fishing.
To insure the health of the fish population, there are daily catch limits, which are posted at the park entrance.
All applicable Illinois fishing regulations apply when you are at the park.
The following are the game fish that are stocked in the park lake.
Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Carp can grow quite large, some recorded over 90 pounds. Eats mostly smaller plants and animals strained from bottom mud.
The Illinois record is 51 pounds.
White Amur – Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)
These eat grass and keep the grass level under control in the lake. Some are said to be over four feet long.
Illinois record is 58 pounds.
White Crappie (Pomoxis annularis)
Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigro-maclatus)
These can be up to one foot long. These are popular pan fish that feed most commonly on aquatic insects and other fish. They are not plentiful in our lake.
The Illinois record for the White Crappie is 4 pounds 7 ounces, and for the Black Crappie 4 pounds 8 ounces.
Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
Redear Sunfish (Lepomis microlophus)
These feed primarily on insects, with the average size being one quarter pound.
The Illinois record for a Bluegill is 3 pounds 8 ounces, but they can grow to five pounds. Redears up to
eleven inches long have been caught in the lake.
The Illinois record for the Reaear is 2 pounds 12.3 ounces.
Warmouth (Chaenobryttus gulosus)
Similar to the Bluegill and the Redear.
Illinois record is 1 pound 13 ounces.
Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Average size is three quarter pounds.
Illinois record is 13 pounds 1 ounce, with a maximum size of 22 pounds.
Black Bullhead (Ictalurus melas)
The Black Bullhead will eat almost anything. Average size is one half to one pound.
Illinois record is 5 pounds 6 ounces, with a maximum of eight pounds.
Yellow Bullhead (Ictalurus natalis)
These eat all types of food. Average size is one half to one pound.
Illinois record is 5 pounds 4 ounces, with a maximum of six pounds.
Brown Bullhead (Ictaburus nebulosus)
These eat all types of food. Average size is three quarters to one and a half pound.
Illinois record is 2 pounds 10.4 ounces, with a maximum of 23 pounds.
Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)
These will eat insects, worms, chicken livers, other fish and many other things.
Illinois record is 79 pounds 12 ounces, with a maximum of 109 pounds 4 ounces.
Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Eating habits are similar to the Blue Catfish. Average size one to two pounds.
Illinois record is 45 pounds 4 ounces, with a maximum of 50 pounds.
Flathead Catfish (Pilodictis olivaris)
These will eat almost anything that won’t eat them. Average size is three to five pounds.
Illinois record is 78 pounds, with a maximum of 117 pounds.
This information was compiled by Commissioner Roland Clark from the Illinois Department of
Natural Resources manual “What Fish Is This?” published in 1996.