TPWD 1966 F-3-R-13 #1025: Basic Survey and Inventory of Fish Species in Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Segment Completion Report

SEGMENT COMPLETION REPORT As required by FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT TEXAS Federal Aid Project No. F-S-R-lS Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the waters of Region B-B Job No. 8—22 (Seg. 1) Basic Survey and Inventory of Fish Species in Sam Rayburn Reservoirc Project leader: Joe E. Toole J. R. Singleton Executive Director Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, Texas I _Marion Toole ' Eugene An Walker D—J Coordinator Director, Wildlife Services October 17, 1966 ABSTRACT A total of 27 species of fish was netted from Sam Rayburn Reservoir this segment. This newly impounded reservoir on the Angelina River will contain approximately 114,000 surface acres at conservation pool level“ At present, the reservoir contains 50_000 — 40.000 surface acres of water. To date, lq0625400 game fish have been stocked in the reservoir by the Jasper Fish Hatchery. Game fish species collected are in good condition and many reports of good catches have been received from fishermenq Large areas of the reservoir basin have been cleared of timber. Logs and brush clutter much of the present shorelire but this condition should improve with the impoundment of additional water” Accessibility to the lake is good and many fine camping and launching facilities are available. Sam Rayburn Reservoir is destined to become a favorite with many Texas sportsmenh SEGMENT COMPLETION REPORT State of Texas Project No. F-S-R-lS Name: Fisheries Investigations and Snrveys of the Waters of Region 51%. Job No. B-22 (Seg. l of 5) Title: Basic Survey and Inventory_gf Fish Species in Sam Rayburn Reservcir. Period Covered: February 1, l965 — January El, 1966 Objectives: To gather fundamental information on the newly impounded waters of Sam Rayburn Reservoir in relation to their physical, chemical and biological aspects. History: Sam Rayburn Reservoir was authorized by the River and Harbor Act of March 2, 1945. Work was begun on the dam in 1957 and completed in 1965. The earth filled dam is located on the Angelina River, 25.8 river miles above its confluence with the Neches River and approximately 10 miles north- west of Jasper, Texas. The dam has a height of 120 feet above the stream bed, a 50 foot crown and a overall length of 19,450 feet. The dam has ar gncontrolled spillway of 2,200 feet. The upstream slope of the dam is protected from erosion by rip-rap. Water was impounded in April, 1965. At the top of the power pocl, eleva— tion 164.0 feet, the lake will cover an area of approximately 114 500 acres with approximately 560 miles of shore line, the present surface acreage is approximately 50,000 - 40,000. Sam Rayburn Dam is designed as a multiupurpose dam providing water con« servation, hydro—electric power, flood control, recreation and benefits to navigation. Procedure: A collecting trip was planned for each month of the segment Data cola lected each month included gill netting results and seining collections. Netting Methods Ten standardized experimental type gill nets were set each month, With the exception of November, when only 5 nets were set. The nets were set at 5 random locations each month. The nets were 150 feet long and 8 feet deep with mesh size ranging from 1 to 5% inches in 25 foot sections. The nets were set in the afternoon and picked up the following morning. -2- A11 netted fish were separated according to species, then counted and weighed. The game fish were individually weighed and measured for standard length. Their sexual condition and stomach contents were also recorded. 00- efficients of condition ("K” factors) of the game fish were calculated. Seining Seining collections were made with a 26 by 6 foot bag seine with & inch mesh and a 15 by 4 foot bag seine with 1/8 inch mesh. Seining was very diffi- cult due to the amount of brush and driftwood found along the edge of the lake. Most seining collections were made on old road beds leading into the lake. Figure 2 is a typical example of shoreline on the reservoir. Findings: Stocking The following fish were put in the lake by the Jasper Hatchery: Channel catfish 55,500 Longear sunfish 40,000 Goggle-eye (warmouth) 80,000 Crappie 7,000 Redear sunfish 550,000 largemouth bass 564,000 The following fish were put in the lake by the Huntsville Hatchery: Channel catfish 6,100 Fish Collections A total of 29 species, representing 9 families were collected from Sam Rayburn Reservoir as shown in Table 1. Netting A total of 885 fish made up of 27 species was collected by netting. The carp (Cyprinus carpio) was the most numerous species collected with a total of 259 {27.00 percent). Smallmouth buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus) was the second most numerous species collected with 158 (15.60 percent). The most numerous game fish species netted was the warmouth (Chaenobryttus gulosus). A total of 21 (2.57 percent) were caught. Table 5 contains the number, percent of number, weight and percent of weight of the total netting results. Table 2 indicates the coefficient of condition ("K" factor) for each species of game fish collected. All species of game fish collected were in excellent condition. .4 n-UI—r Fig. 1. Cleared area one mile above dam. Fig. 2. Good seining station: II. III. IV. VI. VII. -4- Table 1 A Checklish of Sam Rayburn Reservoir Fish Species Family: LEPISOSTEIDAE — gars l. Lepisosteus spatula - alligator gar 2. Lepisosteus Oculatus — spotted gar 5. Lepisosteus osseus - longnose gar Family AMIIDMB- bowfin 4. Amie calva - bowfin Family: CLUPEIDAE - herrings 5. Dorosoma cepedianum — gizzard shad Family: CATOSTOMIDAE — suckers and buffalofishes 6. Cycleptus elongatus - blue sucker 7. Ictiobus cyprinellus — bigmouth buffalo 8. Ictiobus bubalus * smallmouth buffalo 9. Carpiodes carpio — river carpsucker 10. Minytrema melanops — spotted sucker 11. Erimyzon sucetta - lake chubsucker Family: CYPRINIDAE w shiners and minnows 12. Cyprinus carpio — carp Family: AMEIURIDAE — freshwater catfish 15. Ictalurus punctatus - channel catfish l4. Ictalurus furcatus — blue catfish 15. Ictalurus melas — black bullhead 16. Ictalurus natalis - yellow bullhead l7. Pylodictis olivaris — flathead catfish Family: CYPRINODONTIDAE - killifishes and topminnows 18. Fundulus notatus - blackstripe topminnows -5- VIII. Family: CENTRARCHIDAE - black basses and sunfishes l9. Micropterus punctulatus — spotted bass 20. Micropterus salmoides — largemouth bass 21. Chaenobryttus gulosus - warmouth 22. Lepomis microlophus — redear sunfish 25. Lepomis macrochirus — bluegill sunfish 24. Lepomis auritus — redbreasted sunfish 25. Lepomis megalotis — longear sunfish 26. Pomoxis annularis — white crappie 27. Pomoxis nigromaculatus — black crappie 28. Centrarchus macropterus — flier 1X. Family: SCIAENIDAE — croakers, drum and weakfishes 29. Aplodinotus grunniens — freshwater drum Table 2 Coefficient of condition (”K" factor) for Sam Rayburn Reservoir Species Number Range Average Channel catfish 10 1.52 - 2.64 1.89 Blue catfish 8 1.76 - 2.54 2.52 Flathead catfish 5 2.20 - 2.57 2.41 Spotted bass 5 2.58 - 5.61 5.00 Largemouth bass 7 2.58 - 5.88 5.50 Warmouth 16 2.57 — 6.01 4.51 Spotted sunfish 2 4.25 ~ 4.87 4.56 Bluegill sunfish 15 4.55 - 6.05 5.21 Redbreasted sunfish 2 5.20 — 6.01 5.61 Longear sunfish 1 4.26 White crappie 12 2.52 - 4.62 5.49 Black crappie 7 2.27 ~ 5.96 5.25 Netting collection from Sam Rayburn Reservoir -5- Table 5 Species Number Percent of No. Weight Percent of Weight Alligator gar* 121 15.67 495.19 54.56 Spotted gar* 25 2.82 29.51 2.05 Longnose gar* 44 4.97 77.57 5.42 Bowfin* 96 10.84 184.64 12.95 Gizzard shad* 6 .68 6.57 .47 Blue sucker* 1 .11 2.75 .19 Bigmouth buffalo* 15 1.47 26.12 1.85 Smallmouth buffalo* 158 15.60 145.67 10.21 River carpsucker* 22 2.49 5.26 .57 Spotted sucker* 5 .54 2.50 .18 Lake chubsucker* 1 .11. .19 .02 Carp* 259 27.00 280.62 19.66 Channel catfish 14 1.58 18.75 1.51 Blue catfish 8 .91 56.15 2.55 Black bullhead* 49 5.55 22.58 1.56 Yellow bullhead* 9 1.01 7.12 .50 Flathead catfish 9 1.02 29.29 2.05 Spotted bass 2 .25 2.68 .19 Largemouth bass 8 .90 9.57 .66 Warmouth 21 2.57 4.44 .51 Bluegill sunfish 16 1.81 5.56 .25 Redbreasted sunfish 5 .54 .26 .02 Longear sunfish 1 .12 .19 .01 White crappie 12 1.56 10.24 .72 Black crappie 8 .90 5.15 .22 Flier 1 .12 .25 .02 Drum* 15 1.70 25 12 1.76 Totals 885 100.00 1427.10 100.00 Rough Fish* 782 88.56 1508.81 91.71 Game Fish 105 11.64 118.29 8.29 -71 Seining Collections Five seining collections were made consisting of 25 seine drags. A total of 90 specimens, representing 6 species were collected. Seining con— ditions were extremely difficult due to the amount of brush and floating logs found along the marginal areas of the lake. When conservation pool level is obtained seining conditions will improve. Food Most of the fish stomachs that were examined contained some type of food. The most common food item found was small shad, with crayfish also abundant. During this segment many schools of small shad were sighted which indicates that there is a good supply of forage fish available for the game species. Game and Rough .ish Ratio During the year, 12 game fish species and 15 rough fish species were netted. Out of 885 individual specimens netted 105 were game fish and 782 were rough fish. By per cent of number this was 11.64 per cent game fish and 88.56 per cent rough fish. The percentage by weight was 8.29 per cent game fish and 91.71 per cent rough fish. The carp was the most common rough fish netted, with 27 per cent of the total number. The smallmouth buffalo was next with 15.60 per cent of the total number. The alligator gar comprised 15.67 per cent of the total number and 54.56 per cent of the total weight. Bowfin made up 10.84 per cent of the total number and 12 95 per cent of the total weight. Fishing Success and Recreational Facilities Sam Rayburn Reservoir has been open to the public for fishing since water was first impounded. Fishing pressure has increased as the lake has increased in.size. Bass fishing has been very good with many fishermen catching their limits. Crappie fishing has been good below the dam. Several trotline fishermen report good catches of channel catfish. Public access to the lake is very good with numerous launching sites and camping areas being constructed by the U. S. Corps of Engineers. Premlmpoundment Clearing Large areas of the reservoir have been cleared of timber. Brush has grown in the basin since clearing operations and is quite thick in many marginal areas of the lake at the present water level. Floating logs have drifted into shallow water in many areas. Felled trees are floating or partly submerged in many areas of the lake and are potential hazards to boats. Fishermen should also use caution when boating in the large areas of open water if windy conditions prevail. ~8- Vegetation Observations were made of aquatic vegetation in the reservoir in con- junction with netting activities. The only noxious species of plant noted was the water hyacinth. Small patches of hyacinths were observed south of Highway 147 crossing near the old river channel in a wooded area. Control measures may be necessary under a separate project. Conclusions and Recommendations: Lake Sam Rayburn will undoubtedly become a favorite fishing and re- creational area to thousands of people each year. Many fine camping and launching areas are now under construction by the U. S. Corps of Engineers. Several sites have been completed. At present water level, accessibility to the reservoir is good. It will improve however, when conservation pool level is obtained as the concrete boat ramps can be utilized. Many catches of largemouth bass have been reported by sport fisher— men. The initial stocking program and the original population from the Angelina River have established this important species in the reservoir. Black and white crappie have also provided good sport to fishermen in Lake Sam Rayburn and all specimens netted exhibited a high coefficient of con- dition. Netting collections will be continued on a monthly basis during the coming segment with ten standard units of experimental gill nets set each month at random sites. With the impoundment of additional water, the size of the reservoir is expected to increase rapidly. Seining collections were not complete this segment due to extremely difficult conditions caused by brush and floating debris in the marginal areas of the lake. This condition will improve with the impoundment of additional water and a complete checklist of species collected by seining will be made. Game fish collected this segment showed high condition coefficients and growth rates are rapid. Fishing should be excellent in Lake Sam Rayburn this spring. Rough fish species comprised 88.56 per cent of the segments netting record by number. Of this figure however, carp (Cyprinus carpio) and small- mouth buffalo (lctiobus bubalus) made up 42.60 per cent. These species may support a substantial commercial fishery in the future. - . It is anticipated that a higher percentage of game fish will be col— lected during the coming segment as a successful spawn should be obtained in the new reservoir in the spring of 1966. Prepared by Joe E. Toole Approved Zizmdflrfl’é/ Coordinator Date October 17, 1966 Charles E. Gray Regional Supervisor