Your News: Friends of the Parks sponsor Carp and Crappie Fishing Contest
A free two-week Carp and Crappie Sport Fishing Contest kicks off on Saturday, June 5, at Lake Opeka.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Parks, the contest runs through Saturday, June 19, daily from 6 a.m. until dusk, and is open to fishermen of all ages. Prizes will be awarded in two groups: age 17 and younger, and age 18 and older, to the angler who reels in the most fish over the two-week event.
Unlike many fishing contests, this is not a catch and release event: the tournament is designed to improve the overall health of Lake Opeka. Common carp, a bottom feeding fish, constantly stir up the sediment in the lake as they root through the mud looking for food. Murky water makes it difficult for other types of fish to breathe, and, because they consume most of the aquatic plant life, the abundant carp population threatens the delicate balance of the lake's ecosystem. White crappie, in addition to stirring up silt, feed on minnows, including the young bass. Removing the carp and crappie will aid in the growth and hardiness of the lake's largemouth bass, green sunfish, bluegill, northern pike and channel catfish populations, and assist in the overall ecological management of Lake Opeka.
The event is free: no Illinois fishing license or Park District fishing activity fee is required on contest days. Fishermen are required to supply their own rods and bait. All species of carp and crappie caught should be brought to the Lake Park Clubhouse, 1015 Howard Ave., between 7 a.m. and dusk, recorded for the contest and then placed in the holding crib located at the adjacent Lake Park Marina. Bow and spear fishing are not permitted at Lake Opeka.
Participants can register on any day of the contest, beginning Saturday, June 5, at the Lake Park Clubhouse from 7 a.m. until dusk. Before and after hours, participants should call the clubhouse: (847) 391-5730, to report their day's catch.
For more information, visit www.DPParks.org.
Friends of the Park is a recently formed volunteer organization dedicated to supporting and promoting the Des Plaines Park District.
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