TPWD 1971 F-3-R-18 #1383: Project Segment Completion Report: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys, Region III-B, Texas, Job No. 15 Fishery Management Recommendations, Federal Aid Project No. F

In I 6" Marion Toole D—J Coordinator PROJECT SEGMENT COMPLETION REPORT As required by FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT TEXAS ' Federal Aid Project No. F-3-R—l8 Region III—B Fisheries Studies Job N00 15 Fishery Management Recommendations Project Leader: Joe EC Toole James Uo Cross Executive Director Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, Texas J. M. Beall Director, Current Operations ABSTRACT A preliminary meeting of Department field biologists, game management officers, and supervisory personnel was held in Palestine on April 24, 1970, to discuss pr0posed reg— ulation changes for the Northeast Texas, Southeast Texas, and Trinity—Brazos Regulatory Areas, Public hearings were held in all regulatory counties within Region III-B during June made 1—5, 1970, for the presentation of proposed proclamationss A recommendation was to close Sam Rayburn Reservoir to commercial netting except by State contract for the protection of the flathead catfish; This proposal was passed into law and is now in effecta Quarterly field collections were again conducted on seven major reservoirs in regulatory areas of Region III_B, These reservoirs include Sam Rayburn, B, Aa Steinhagen, Murvaul, Striker, Palestine, Caddo, and Toledo Bendc Management recommendations derived from 1970 segment field data include: Continued contract netting on Sam Rayburn, No additional stocking of game fish in Sam Rayburn. A fall water drawdown on B3 A, Steinhagen for vegetation control, No additional stocking in Steinhagen- Continuation of contract netting in Steinhageng Continuation of channel catfish stocking in Murvaul, No commercial netting of any type in Murvaulz Additional stocking of threadfin shad in Lake Striker. 9— No additional stocking of game fish in Strikera 10, Additional Stocking of game fish in Palestine with third stage, ”J G U OO‘NLOU‘I-L‘WNJ-d a lle No contract netting in Palestine until conservation pool level is reached, 12, Spot treatment of water hyacinths on Caddo Lake, 13v No additional stocking on Caddo Lake, 1&5 No additional stocking on Toledo Bend, It is recommended that this study be continued to provide valid fish harvest regulations through current pepulation sampling data, vegetation control needs and stocking needs where feasiblee Field data compiled from this study are vital in continuing these important object— ivesr SEGMENT COMPLETION REPORT State Texas Name: Fisheries_lnvesti_ations and Surve s Project Noe " _ F—3—R—l8 of the waters of Region III-Bc Job Nos 15 Ti tie= Pause Ra _ Period Covered: ‘_ _Februar9 l, 1970_PQ Januar _3l, l97l_r_a_rfi OBJECTIVES: POSG: To determine, in Region ill—B waters, the need for: lg Changes in fish harvest regulationsa 20 Fish pOpulation control: 33 Stocking of game fish speciesc 40 Noxious vegetation controlo 5: Emergency measures needed to correct unpredictable events adversely affecting fish populations: Segment: As above listed PCSa Objectiveso PROCEDURES: 1a A: Field data from quarterly surveys in Sam Rayburn Reservoir, B0 A0 Steinhagen Reservoir, Lake Murvaul, Lake Striker, Lake Palestine, Caddo Lake, and Toledo Bend Reservoir were analyzed to formulate needs for advantageous fishery regulationsc B, PrOposed fishery regulations will be presented at public hearings in regulatory authority counties within Region Illec Quarterly surveys were made on each of the above listed reservoirs this segmento Experimental gill nets and bag seines were utilized for making fish collections: Experimental nets used in these collections are 150 feet in length and 8 feet in depth, with square mesh ranging from 1 inch to 3-l/2 incheso Mesh size increased in 1/2winch increments with every 25 feetc_ One 16-foot nylon bag seine with 1/4 inch mesh and a 32-foot bag seine with 3f8 inch mesh was used in seining collectionsg Each of the candidate waters in this study contain established game fish populationsc Criteria for making stocking recommendations consist primarily of food availability and degree of reproduction, Where field sampling indicates little or no successful reproduction, the normal stocking recommendation rate will be 100 bass fry or 50 bass fingerlings and 25 channel catfish per acre, Of course in large reservoirs such as Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend, this rate cannot be feasibly maintained. A: A? In conjunction with fisheries surveys, visual observations of aquatic vegetation were made and recorded to determine those areas infested with noxious plants detriw mental to fisherman access and useage: B; Control recommendations for such areas of noxious vegetation were made if fess” lblE~ 5: Whenever conditions or events that would threaten fish life come to the attention of project personnel, circumscances will be invescigated and reported along with recom- mendations for remedial action, FINDINGS: A preliminary meeting was held in Palestine on April 24, between Parks and Wildlife field biologists, game management officers, and supervisory personnel for the discussion of preposed regulation changes in regulatory authority arease Inland Fisheries Region IIIwB includes counties in three regulatory authority areas: Northeast Texas Area, Southeast Texas Area and the Trinitywhrazos Area. A.rccoomcndation was made at this meeting to close Sam Rayburn Reservoir to netting except through State contract for the protection of the flathead catfish; Public hearings were attended by project personnel in each regulatory county on June 1 through 5: The following resumes and data tables are submitted for field activities on the seven major reservoirs included in this studya Table l is a checklist of fish species collected from all waters in 19700 NOTE: Abbreviations are as follows: SR Sam Rayburn Reservoir B Dam B M Lake Murvaul S Lake Striker P Palestine C Caddo T Toledo Bend TABLE 1 Scientific Name Common Name Location Lepisosteus spatula Alligator gar SR Es oculatus Spotted gar All Ls osseus Longnose gar SR, B, C, P, U and T Amia calva Bowfin SR, B. M, C, ' " P, and T (Table 1 continued on Page 3) (Table 1 continued) Sr; i e n t if i t Name yaw-hr. ._—.-wr---r—.- wu-«r- .“g- - .— Alosa chrtsochloris -'I-=nn‘—a--——=I—— . Dorosoma petenense D, cepedianum Esox_americanus £3 niger Ictiobus_bubalus car in Carpiodes , Moxostoma poecilurum Minytrema melanops Erimyzon_sucetta US Cyprin_ car=io Notemigonus crysoleucas Notropis_fumeus N, chalybaeus E, texanus i2 0 venustus c lutrensis [2 No stramineus Pimephales vigilax Ictalurus punctatus I, furcatus an... I, melas I, natalis Pylodictis olivaris :- mu. 45—w— (Table 1 continued on Page 4) Common Nam§__ Skipjack herring Threadfin shad Gizzard shad Grass pickerel Chain pickerel Smallmouth buffalo River carpsucker Gray redhorse Spotted sucker Lake chubsucker Carp Golden Shiner Ribbon shiner Ironcolor Shiner Weed shiner Blacktail Shiner Red Shiner Sand Shiner Bullhead minnow Channel catfish Blue catfish Black bullhead Yellow bullhead Flathead catfish Location C SR, B, and S All SR, B, C, P, and T SR and T All SR, B, M, C, and T SR, B, s, M All SR, B, M, C, and T SR, B, M, C, P, and T B, S, C, P, T (Table 1 continued) Scientific Name Common Name Location, EEndulus gh§fi§2333,I Golden tOpminnow B, M, C E, notatus Blackstripe tepminnow All Gambusia affinis Mosquitofish ‘ B, S, M, C, I and P Labidesthes sicculus _ Brook silversides SR, B, C, P, and T Aphredoderus sayanus Pirate perch B Roccus chrysops . White bass B, S, C R, mississippiensis Yellow bass C, T MicroEterus punctulatus Spotted bass SR, P, T Rh salmoides ' I I Largemouth bass All Chaenobryttus gulosus Warmouth - S, M, C, P, ' . and T Lepomis symmetricus Bantam sunfish T L; punctatus Spotted sunfish SR, B, S, M, ' C and P L? microlophus ‘ . Redear sunfish , All L3 macrochirus- I: I I' . fii| . . Bluegill'sunfish112'fjli "1,1“ S, M, C, P, "whflnflrm'rt . . - '3. .“w. ' . - - and T L, humilis I ' Orangespotted sunfish' B, T L, auritus , ' Redbreast sunfish SR, B, P L, megalotis Longear sunfish SR, S, M, P, and T Pomoxis annularis White crappie All 3, nigromaculatus Black crappie All Centrarchus macr0pterus Flier T Etheostoma fonticola Fountain darter C Percina caprodes Logperch SR, B, M (Table 1 continued on Page 5) (Table 1 continued) _Scientific Name Common Name~ Location_ Ammocrypta vivax Scaly sand darter B Aplodinotus grunniens Freshwater drum SR, B, C, T TABLE 2 NOTE: Table 2 contains netting collection totals for each water, These data are con- colidations of individual field collections conducted during this segment, __CQNSOLIDAIEP.NETTING,DATA.RATEQS.FQRNl970‘LWE-".m-, lI-A Sam Rayburn Reservoir Number Per Cent Total Per Cent Collected By Number 'Weight-(lbs) By Weight Rough Fish 390 57,53 680,60 74,04 Game Fish 288 42,4? 238.63 25,96 Istal__ n m___-,_-fl678_____v ,h_q,_,_109;00;_u .9i9p23____ mm_,_u_m.1ooyoo__ II—B Dam ”B” Reservoir Rough Fish 356 62,90 . 479,71 79,43 Game Fish 210 87,10 111,29 20,57 Tptalu.tab_ .s,., 556 ._H_ ,___ __109290. . _ J.L._.,591é00_w.m_uu _,., 100000.” II—C Lake Murvaul Rough Fish 442 55,39 301,49 52,65 Game Fish 356 44,61 271,16 47,35 Tetal _‘.,__ _m.-n 798m__. _. u_. 199300-.,____ ..,__572v65,ah.. _ _, N 100:00“.__ II—D Lake Striker Rough Fish 198 58,06 422,64 80,43 Game Fish 143 41,94 102,85 19057 Total 341 mml00,00 _ . _.,,§25'49 100.00 (Table 2 continued on Page 6) (Table 2 continued) ll-E Lake Palestine Number Per Cent Total Per Cent Collecred By Number Weight (lbs.) By Weight Rough Fish 192 65.31 192.70 62.26 Game Fish 102 _34.69, 116.82 37.74 E23a}______lll__all2EElllll__lll___l__£29a99___lll_l___l_LflEldEL_l_l_l_ll______1192;99_____ ll-F Caddo Lake Rough Fish 703 72.70 998.13 88.07 Game Fish 264 27.30 _ 135.25 11.93 Tetal-_u_u.-. u__.n96? ____.--_-.-_ 100:90-__---.--_.1-133238-_ _ .-..--- _..l90900--. II—G Toledo Bend Rough Fish 579 69.84 640.03 76.53 Game Fish 250 20.16 ' 196.34 23.47 12Esl_l_l____l_____E22_l1llllll_lll_a199a22lal._________§2éa2Z_________.l____lE£Eh£Ell___ ll—H Re ion Totals Rough Fish 2,860 63.94 3,665.30 75.76 Game Fish 1,613 36.06 1,172.64 24.24 EPELmixfn _ - _ _ ._ - ._ _ _ _ 0110000 _. - - - _ _ - _ _ _. - ...... 100.00 .. .. NOTE: Individual percentages by weight and number_for each species, K—factor data for game fish species and seining collection data were also compiled but-are not listed in table form.' Significant aspects of these data are included in the resumes for given waters. SAM RAYBURN RESERVOIR: Game fish percentages increased slightly this segment in the netting data totals. Bass fishing pressure may have reduced slightly on Sam Rayburn Reservoir due to the rel- atively newly impounded Toledo Bend and Livingston Reservoirs in the area. However, the Splendid public access and camping facilities on Sam Rayburn are utilized to the fullest during the summer months and numerous bass tournaments are scheduled on Sam Rayburn. Pursuant to the recommendation made in the previous segment report concerning the taking of flathead catfish in nets, Sam Rayburn is now closed to netting except by State contract, which excludes the taking of catfish. Current segment netting data did not include any flathead catfish. It is anticipated that future date will indicate an in— crease of this important predator species if adequate pretection from nets is maintained. Additional stocking of largemouth bass or channel catfish is not recommended for Sam Rayburn Reservoir at this time. Survey data indicate reproduction of these species is adequate. Aquatic vegetation is not a problem in most areas of Sam Rayburn. Scattered water hyacinths have been sighted in previous years but none were observed this segment. Scat— tered plants are removed by project personnel in conjunction with netting activities when found. B. A. STEINHAGEN RESERVOIR: (DAM "B”) Located in Jasper and Tyler counties below the confluence of the Angelina and Neches Rivers, Dam ”B” continues to be a productive reservoir. This shallow lake provides a habitat resembling a natural lake such as Caddo and has continually produced channel and blue catfish, crappie, and largemouth bass. Alligator weed (Althernenthera philoxeroides , water hyacinths (Eichornia crassipesj and numerous submerged aquatics are a continuing problem in the reservoir. Due to good water fluctuations and resulting increased tur— bidity, submerged vegetation has been subdued during the last two segments. The rec— ommendation for a fall drawdown each year on this reservoir is continued. Good representations of the previously mentioned game fiSh species were collected this segment. Excellent seining collections were made which included Class O specimens of channel catfish, black crappie, white crappie, and largemouth bass. Numerous thread— fin shad were also collected which indicates an abundance of this important forage species. Based on these data, the recommendation is made that no additional stocking be conducted at this time. It is also recommended that continued commercial netting on Dam ”B" be allowed only under State contract as present regulations provide. LAKE MURVAUL: This relatively small reservoir in Panola County continues to produce excellent large— mouth bass pOpulations in spite of ever-increasing fishing pressure. Numerous area bass clubs fish the lake each weekend and good catches of various age class bass are common. Current netting data from Lake Murvaul reflect this bass production. Twenty—six large- mouth bass weighing a total of 85 pounds were netted in February 1970. These data and those of previous segments have prompted a separate bass study on Lake Murvaul. The success of a private channel catfish stocking program on Murvaul has not been exceptional but 1970 data indicate the channel catfish pOpulation in Murvaul is slowly increasing. It is recommended that this program be continued by the Panola water District. A recommendation was made this year to the Water District concerning a commercial fisherman‘s request to net gar in Lake Murvaul. It was recommended that this request be denied as netting data did not indicate an excessive population of gar and a previous food study in Region III-B (Job B—20) substantiated the value of these fishes as predators. This recommendation was honored by the Water District. LAKE PALESTINE The third stage construction on Lake Palestine in nearing completion. When storage 9001 elevation is reached, the reservoir will contain 21,000 acres as compared to the 6,000 acres of the SECODd stage. It is recommended that the newly enlarged reservoir be stocked with channel catfish and largemouth bass during the 1970 segment. Netting data collected during the two segments of extended drawndown for construction indicate that game fish populations have remained relatively stable. The recommendation has been made to prom hibit contract netting on the lake during this period due to the drastically reduced habitat area for the protection of game fish species, particularly the largemouth bass and flathead catfish. ' CADDO LAKE: Caddo game fish percentages continue to be the lowest of Region III—B lakes, primarily due to large numbers of adult gizzard-shad netted. Adequate samples of all game fish species were collected from Caddo this year and fishing is generally good. Submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation continues to be an acute problem in.Caddo. During late summer, many areas are completely inaccessable to fishermen. Spot treat— ment of water hyacinths was continued this segment and is recommended for the coming year. Treatment of this noxious plant was most difficult this year as major plant growth did not occur until late summer and submerged aquatics made access by boat difficult. No additional stocking of game fish is recommended for Caddo Lake as seining and netting collections reflect adequate reproduction. TOLEDO BEND: This 186,000 surface acre reservoir on the Sabine River has now achieved recognition as one of the nation's finest sport fisheries. Although access and recreational facilities have been relatively poor in comparison to the reservoir’s size, they are steadily im— proving as millions of sportsmen continue to discover Toledo Bend. Fishing is now ex— cellent for all game fish species in the new lake. Numerous areas of water hyacinths have been observed in the reservoir and an estimated 10,000 acres of hyacinths existed in late summer of 1970. This estimate has been forwarded to the Director of the State- wide Noxious Vegetation Control program. Netting data collected this segment indicates good representation of largemouth bass, black crappie, white crappie, channel catfish, and blue catfish. It is surprising that only four smallmouth buffalo, an important commercial species, were collected. Seining collections were often limited due to brush and debris along the banks but Class O largemouth bass and crappie were collected. Based on these data, no additional stocking is recommended for Toledo Bend Reservoir. LAKE STRIKER: Game fish percentages declined this segment in Lake Striker, primarily due to a decrease in channel catfish collected and an increase in large carp netted in March 1970. Due to low condition factors (K—factor) on largemouth bass examined in 1969, and an apparent slow growth of white bass in the reservoir, a recommendation was made to stock the lake with threadfin shad to provide additional forage. This was achieved this year with apparent success. A total of approximately 7,000 adult threadfin were transported from Lake 0' the Pines by project personnel in early March. Suqsequent seining collect- ions this segment included numerous young threadfin shad. K—factor data from white bass