CRAPPIE, BASS, WALLEYE, CATFISH: A VARIETY OF RIVER FISH TO CATCH

The rock dam looked ideal for crappie. It was in a chute just north of the Mississippi River bridge on the Illinois side of the river.

Armed with Missouri and Illinois fishing licenses, we quietly paddled the boat around some dead tree trunks growing in the water.

The first hour was dull. The fish snubbed every type of lure we tossed out. Another half-hour, and we were ready to move out. Then something hit my bucktail lure.

Then another.

Within another half-hour, we had 16 crappie, most of them "slabs." Not a bad afternoon's catch.

That's the way crappie are, whether you're in a small or large lake, or in the waters of the Mississippi River.

The Mississippi River is loaded with fish, all kinds of fish -- gar, dogfish, buffalo, redhorse, carp, mooneye, drum.

The list goes on: Crappie, walleye, sauger, bass, bluegill.

Conservationists say 2001 will be a great year to fish the Mississippi River.

Crappie, walleye and sauger are sought after recreational fish. Currently, walleye and sauger populations are in good shape, following good hatches in 1996, 1997 and 1998. Smallmouth bass, a favorite of many anglers, and largemouth bass, the most sought after recreational fish in the United States, provide consistent fishing for anglers in the Mississippi, and the current population of largemouth is good. River surveys show good numbers of bass in the three-to-six-pound range.

Historically, bluegill fishing on the Mississippi River has varied greatly. There have been years when fishing is phenomenal and years when bluegills are hard to come by. River bluegills, angler experts say, have extremely high growth rates.

Two species of crappie are found in the Mississippi River, black crappie and white crappie, with black crappies far more prevalent. Net counts have shown crappie in the 13- to 15-inch range.

Channel catfish have always been an often-caught species. They're easy to catch, excellent to eat and can be found near the shore.

But are Mississippi River fish good to eat?

The Illinois Department off Natural Resources publishes a "fish advisory" to help you plan what sport fish to eat, and how often they can be eaten safely. But Mississippi River fish are no worse than many others -- from the Chicago River, Crab Orchard Lake, Kinkaid Lake, the Ohio River and other water impoundments.

The amount of PCBs in a fish taken out of the Mississippi River is dependent upon many factors. The kind of fish, its size, age, fat content, diet and location all can influence the amount of PCBs. Usually older and larger fish of the same species will have a greater amount of PCBs. Special cleaning, trimming, skinning and cooking can reduce the amount of chemicals in a catch. An advisory is available from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.