There’s a catch to this catch
Non- native fish on Chicago waterways a CAWS for concern
ANavy man should be prepared for anything on the water, but Shawn
Eisenberg took it to new lengths when he boated a tilapia Sunday on the Chicago River.
‘‘ We were catching crappie,’’ Capt. Pat Harrison said. ‘‘ He reached down and said, ‘ Hey, this one has teeth.’ ’’
That’s right, Eisenberg caught a 13- inch tilapia by a downtown discharge on the main stem of the Chicago River.
That’s not what was expected on an outing for Veterans R& R, aWauconda- based not- for- profit that helps veterans. Eisenberg is an active- duty Navy man, as was Arthur Rodriguez. The third fisherman was Steve
Keller, an Air Force veteran. I expect many surprises from the Chicago River system, but I could do without these. Dreams of swimming the Chicago River aside, it’s not a pristine trout stream in the Driftless Area. It is an urban waterway that flows backward, an unnatural setting.
Normally, our winters wipe out such released fish. The problem is the warm- water areas ( such as some discharges) on the Chicago Area Waterway System ( CAWS), which includes the Calumet and the Chicago River systems. As the water quality keeps improving, nonnative species have better chances to survive our winters around the warmer- water areas.
It irks me that every year or so I need to check in with Jason
Duracka of Animal Island Pet Shop in Midlothian to confirm an ID on a non- native fish. Then we go over the same routine.
If your aquarium fish have grown too large or you don’t want them anymore, don’t just release them, thinking that’s more humane. This is the 21st century.
‘‘ I am one of the few shops who will take them,’’ Duracka said. ‘‘ They can drop them off at the shop at any time.’’
Animal Island Pet Shop is at 14411 Cicero Ave. in Midlothian. Its phone number is ( 708) 293- 0600.
It shouldn’t happen, but too many reports come too often about oddities such as pacus and piranhas in our waters.
Carl Vizzone, a veteran Chicago fisherman and the son of a bait- shop owner, said he knows of several tilapia caught from the Chicago River through the decades. He said it reminded him of the 1980s, when oscars were the rage. They would grow too large, then end up in Chicago lagoons, ponds and lakes.
The North Shore Channel had a rash of unexpected nonnative fish many years ago. They were suspected to have come from a closed pet shop.
But some cool surprises also have come from the Chicago River system. And I mean even beyond the occasional walleye, sauger and hybrid striped bass.
In the summer of 2014, a spotted gar showed up during an Asian- carp survey by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources on the North Shore Channel. That was particularly notable because spotted gar require cleaner water.
I could go for more natives on the CAWS and no non- natives.
Stray cast
Rudy Giuliani more and more mimics a just- caught channel catfish, flopping around, flapping his lips and croaking.