What Kind of Fish Live in Crystal Lake?
Bass Spawning Bed
By Liane Hartnett and Frank Bachner
You may have walked by Crystal Lake and seen people fishing in Levingston Cove. Now, there is a new fishing platform being built during the renovation of the Cove. What type of fish do people expect to catch here?
One common type of fish is the Bluegill, also called sunfish.. They spawn in Crystal Lake and when the temperature reaches around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the male fish construct spawning beds in shallow water. Their beds are circular cleared out areas of sand, and some fishermen say that fish are easy to catch on the spawning beds because they are aggressive.
Another species of fish found in Crystal Lake is the large-mouthed bass. The male fish also construct spawning beds in shallow water of cleared out areas of sand, with small rocks in the middle of the bed. The bass generally start making these beds when the water temperature is around 63-65 degrees. Again, bass are very aggressive when they are on the beds so are easily caught. A picture of a bass bed is included below.
Two other species of fish that have been reported in Crystal Lake are the pickerel and perch. Pickerel are long thin fish with sharp teeth. They feed mostly on other fish. Perch are generally smaller than pickerel and feed on insects and small fish.
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Once a year, the lake is stocked with trout for people fishing to enjoy. The trout are quickly snapped up and are not found too many days after stocking. Some pictures of the stocking are on the website.
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One other specific fish that has been observed in Crystal Lake has the name Moby Carp. It is a three foot long white fish that grew from a koi to a large fish. It was caught once but was thrown back. There may actually be two Moby Carp in Crystal Lake. Carp are aggressive predators of other fish, so Moby should be removed from the Lake (that is, if he is caught again!). He is an example of why people should not release pet goldfish or koi into the Lake.
We would like to hear from you. What information do you have about the fish in Crystal Lake? What fish have you caught in Crystal Lake? Tell us some of the reasons you enjoy fishing.
Have you ever seen Moby Carp?
