Fish salvage declaration in effect at Little Grassy Lake

As Little Grassy Lake in southern Illinois is being drained, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has issued a fish salvage declaration.

The Little Grassy dam and spillway structure has aged beyond its engineered design life, and a complete lake draw-down is necessary to initiate repairs. The draw-down will render the fish population in imminent danger of loss.

Salvage may be conducted for the next year, until April 2026. Aquatic life may be taken by a person possessing a valid sport fishing license or a combination hunting and fishing license.There are no daily or possession limits for any species during the fish salvage declaration.

Legal methods for taking any species of fish shall include two pole and line fishing only; anglers may also take carp, carpsuckers, buffalo, gar, bowfin and suckers by pitchfork, gigs, or bow and arrow devices. 

According to the IDNR, no fish may be cleaned on site, nor can any fish offal be dumped on the site.

Little Grassy Lake in Makanda is a 1,000-acre lake operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service located in the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge complex between Marion and Carbondale in Williamson County.