TPWD 1954 F-6-R-1 #86: Inventory of the Fish Species Present in Some Small Lakes in the Lower Rio Grande Valley

TITLE STATE Texas PROJECT NO. F-Ewfi-l, Jab 3—5 PERIOD July 1, 1953eJune 30, 195]:L ‘ Segment Completion Report by Alvin Flory and Luciano Guerra Inventory of the Fish Species Present in Some Small Lakes in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. OBJECTIVES To determine the species present and their relative numbers in the above waters. PROCEDURE a. b0 RESUETS Netting Collections. 1. Two experimental gill net stations were established in each of the three lakes studied. Ten experimental nets were set in both Lake Bentsen and Delta Orchards Lake from January through June lQSh. Six experimental nets were set in Olmito Lake from April through June 195h. One 1% inch square mesh not was set by mistake in Delta Orchards Lake but no 2” or 3" mesh nets were used in any of the lakes. No hoop or fyke nets were set in any of the lakes. All fish taken in nets after weighing and measuring equipment was deliv- ered in February 195% were weighed, measured, sexed and parasites noted. No stomachs were collected. Seining Collections. 1. A straight seine, 30 feet long with % inch mesh was used to make one sein— ing collection in Lake Bentsen and two collections in Delta Orchards Lake. ND seining beach has been found in Olmito Lake. Fish caught in nets were weighed, measured, sexed and parasites noted. Fish from seining collections were tabulated. Records were kept on fish cards and fish collection sheets. a. Netting Collections. 1. From Lake Bentsen, a total of 1A6 fish of eight species were taken and 2. #28 fish of 13 species were taken from Delta Orchards Lake. 2&7 fish of ten species were taken from Olmito Lake. The l% inch mesh net set in Delta Orchards Lake took Tl fish of ten species. 29 3. No fish were taken by hoop and fyke nets. h. The information gathered from the collections was recorded and filed for use in making up the job completion report. b. Seining Collections. 1. The seining collections from Lake Bentsen produced #59 fish of seven spe- cies; those from Delta Orchards Lake produced 2,179 fishcf eight species. No fish were seined from Olmito Lake. c; '. A total count of la species of fish were recorded from Lake Bentsen, 18 from Delta Orchards Lake and 10 from Olmito Lake. “Data concerning the fishes' condition and Size were'preserved and will be used to make tables and Charts for the job completion reports= The.attached fish list shows - the numbers and frequency of fish taken. SUMMARY Fish fremmthreessmallihhe in the lower Rio-Grands Valley, Lake Bentsen, Delta Orchards Lake and Olmito Lake were weighed, measured, sexed and parasites noted and the data colm lected will be presented in the job completion report. Fish lists show the numbers and percentages of each species of fish taken from the three lakes during the first segment. Name of water 18 Species Seining Sta. Lepisosteus spatula O Lepisosteus productus O Lepisosteus osseus O Dorosoma cepedianum 6 Dorosoma petenensis l Ictiobus bubalus O Notropis braytoni- 8 Ictalurus furcatus O Cyrpinodon varigatus V. 1&6 Gambusia affinis a. 262 Menidia beryllina 35 Micropterus salmoides O Lepomis macrochirus O Aplodinotus grunniens 1 Totals Fish List Bentsen Lake Date Netting Sta. 5 1 1M6 A1 1&6 262 35 605 1.32 .17 11L.05 1.32 6.78 2h.13 18.31 5.79 .50 .50 .17 99°95 #. Fish List Name of water Delta Orchards Lake Date Species Seining Sta. Netting Sta. Total % Lepisosteus spatula O 22 22 .8# Lepisosteus productus O 3 3 .12 Lepisosteus osseus O ‘ =5 5 .19 Dorosoma cepedianum 1,#O8 81 l,#89 57.09 Astyanax fasciatus m. #16 O #16 15.95 Ictiobus bubalus 33 61 9# 3.60 Carpiodes carpio O 116 116 #.#5 Notropis lutrensis 7# O 7# 2.83 Cyprinodon varigatus v. 9 O 9 .35 Ictalurus punctatus O 28 28 1.07 Ictalurus furcatus O 15 ' 15 .58 Mugil cephalus 0 16 16 .61 Menidia beryllina 233 - 0 233 8.93 Lepomis macrochirus 3 3 6 .23 lepomis auritus O 1 1 .O# Pomoxis annularis O 10 10 .38 Aplodinotus grunniens O 68 68 2.68 Cichlasona cyanogutta c. 3 O 3 .12 18 species Totals 2,179 #28 2,608 99.99 Name of Water Olmito Lake Date Species Seining Sta. Netting Sta. Total % Lepisosteus spatula 0 22 22 8.91 Lepisosteus productus O 61 61 2#.7O Dorosoma cepedianum O #5 #5 18.22 Ictiobus bubalus O 57 57 23.08 Carpiodes carpio O 52 52 21.05 Lepomis cyanellus O I 3 3 1.21 Lepomis macrochirus O '2 2 .81 Lepomis megalotus O 2 2 I .81 Chaenobryttus coronarius O 1 l .#O Pomoxis annularis O 2 2 .81 Totals 0 2#T 2#T 99.99