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Monday, October 26th, 2026

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Longtime Illinois DNR fisheries biologist leaves behind legacy for anglers

Wayne Herndon, left, and fellow Illinois DNR fisheries biologist Nerissa McClelland with blue catfish sampled at Powerton Lake in November 2015. (Photo courtesy of DNR)

He referred to himself as a “river rat” and spent his career working to better Illinois’ fisheries. Wayne Herndon Jr., a DNR fisheries biologist who worked over a span that covered five different decades, died Oct. 18 at his home in Pekin at the age of 81.
Herndon had many stories to tell, including the one when he and a fellow biologist had to abandon a sinking boat while on the job. But most of his stories involved fish – the various species he managed.

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