TPWD 1973 F-3-R-20 #1526: Fisheries Management Recommendations, Job No. 15: Federal Aid Project No. F-3—R-20, Region III-B Fisheries Studies

JOB PROGRESS REPORT As Required By FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT TEXAS Federal Aid Project No. F-3—R-20 Region III-B Fisheries Studies Job No. 15: Fisheries Management Recommendations Project Leader: Joe E. Toole Assistant Leader: Danny Bodeker Clayton Garrison Executive Director Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, Texas Lonnie J. Peters Robert J. Kemp, Director Chief, Inland Fisheries Fish and Wildlife Division February 9, 1973 ABSTRACT A preliminary meeting was held in Tyler on March 22, 1972 between Depart- ment Biologists and Game Management supervisory personnel for the discussion of proposed regulation changes in regulatory authority areas. Inland Fisheries Region III-B includes counties in two regulatory districts, the Northeast Dis— trict and the Southeast District. Several changes were made in statewide fish- eries regulations applicable to regulatory authority counties within Region III-B. l. A.minimum size limit of 10 inches on largemouth bass, spotted bass and smallmouth bass. 2. A daily limit of no more than 10 largemouth, smallmouth or Spotted bass in the aggregate. 3. Toledo Bend Reservoir closed to netting. 4. Prohibit the taking of catfish in nets in all regulatory counties with the exception of those counties in and around Lake Texarkana. 5. All trot lines that remain in public water shall be redated at the expi- ration of each 90 day period. 6. The ll inch minimum size limit was dropped on flathead, blue and channel catfish. Management recommendations derived from 1972 segment field data include: 1. Discontinue channel catfish stocking-rearing program on Lake Murvaul. 2. No commercial netting of any type on Lake Murvaul. 3. Stocking of threadfin shad is recommended for Lake Striker. 4. No additional stocking of game fish is recommended for Caddo Lake. 5. No additional stocking of game fish is recommended for Toledo Bend Reser- voir. 6. Chemical control of water hyacinths on Toledo Bend Reservoir and Caddo Lake where economically feasible. 7. Commercial netting be closed on Lake 0' the Pines, for protection of flathead catfish and other game fish Species. 8. It is recommended that water elevation in Lake 0' the Pines be maintained two vertical feet above normal pool level in the spring in order to cur- tail heavy infestation of submerged vegetation in shoreline areas. SEGMENT COMPLETION REPORT State Texas Name: Fisheries Investi ation and Surve s ____________n_____________ .________._______Ji______________JL. Project No. F-3-R—20 of the waters in Region III—B Job No. 15 Title: Fisheries Management Recommendations Period Covered: February 1, 1972 to January 31, 1973 OBJECTIVES: To determine, in Region III-B the need for: 1. Changes in fish harvest regulations 2. Fish population control 3. Stocking of game fish species 4. Noxious vegetation control 5. Emergency measures needed to correct unpredictable events ad- versely affecting fish. SEGMENT: As above listed P.S. Objective PROCEDURES: Quarterly surveys were made on each of the above reservoirs this seg- ment. Experimental gill nets and bag seines were utilized in making fish collections. Experimental nets used in these collections were 150 feet in length and 8 feet deep, with mesh size ranging from 1 inch to 3 l/2 inches with increments every 25 feet. A 15 foot nylon bag seine with 3/l6 inch mesh and a 30 foot bag seine with 3/8 inch mesh were used in seining collections. Each of the candidate waters in this study contain established fish populations. Criteria for making stocking recommendations consist primarily of food availability and degree of reproduction. Where field sampling indicated little or no reproduction, the normal stock- ing recommendation was 100 bass fry or 50 bass fingerlings and 25 catfish per acre. Of course, in large reservoirs such as Toledo Bend Reservoir this rate cannot be feasibly maintained. 4. A. In conjunction with the surveys, visual observations of aquatic vege- tation were made and recorded to determine those areas infested with noxious plants detrimental to fishermen usage and access. B. Control recommendations for such areas of noxious vegetation were made if feasible. FINDINGS: Fishing Regulations A preliminary meeting was held in Tyler on March 22, 1972 between Parks and Wildlife Biologists and Game Management supervisory personnel for the dis- cussion of proposed regulation changes. Inland Fisheries Region III—B includes counties in two regulatory districts, Northeast Texas and Southeast Texas Districts. Several changes were made in the statewide fisheries regulations applying to most regulatory authority counties. 1. A minimum size limit of 10 inches was placed on largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. 2. The daily bag limit was reduced from 15 to 10 largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, in the aggregate. 3. Toledo Bend Reservoir be closed to all commercial netting. 4. Prohibit the taking of catfish in nets in all regulatory counties with the exception of those counties in and around Lake Texarkana. 5. All trot lines that remain in public water shall be redated at the eXpi- ration of each 90 day period. 6. The 11 inch size limit was dropped on all Species of catfish. Public hearings were attended by project personnel in each regulatory county between May 1, and May 5, 1972. Lake Surveys Caddo Lake Caddo game fish percentages decreased this past segment, due primarily to the decrease in yellow bass netted and an increase in gizzard shad and Spotted suckers, as indicated in Table 1. Adequate samples of all game fish were col- lected from Caddo Lake this segment and fishing success has been generally fair. Submerged and emergent vegetation continues to be an acute problem in Caddo. Some 400 acres of water hyacinths have been observed throughout the lake. During the summer, many areas become completely inaccesable to fishermen. No additional stocking of game fish is recommended for Caddo Lake, as netting and seining collections (Table 2) reflect adequate reproduction. Table 1 Caddo Lake Netting Results MM Percent Percent of Weight of Average Species Number Number glbs! Weight Weight Spotted gar 14 3.53 18.13 4.01 1.29 Longnose gar 5 1.26 26.06 10.18 9.21 Bowfin 4 1.01 25.00 5.52 6.25 Gizzard Shad 73 18.43 71.94 15.89 0.99 Chain pickerel 31 7.92 37.19 8.22 1.19 Spotted sucker 51 12.87 112.31 24.81' 2.20 Lake chubsucker 23 5.81 12.95 2.86 0.56 Golden Shiner 2 0.52 0.32 0.07 0.16 *Channel catfish 17 4.29 24.39 5.39 1.43 Black bullhead 11 2.77 18.01 3.98 1.63 Yellow bullhead 2 0.51 2.00 0.44 1.00 7'~"White bass 3 0.75 4.13 0.91 1.38 *Yellow bass 93 23.48 31.70 7.00 0.34 *Largemouth bass 5 1.26 8.13 1.80 1.63 *Warmouth 13 3.28 3.81 0.84 0.29 *Redear sunfish 15 3.78 3.81 0.89 0.25 *Bluegill 2 0.51 0.13 0.03 0.06 *Black crappie 30 7.57 30.99 6.85 1.03 *White crappie 1 0.25 0.25 0.06 0.25 Freshwater drum 1 0.25 1.37 0.30 1.37 —am__________________________________________n____________________________________. TOTAL 396 100.00 452.62 100.00 Rough fish 217 54.80 345.28 76.28 *Game fish 179 45.20 107.34 23.72 -4- Table 2 Caddo Lake Seining Results Species Number Adult Young-of—Year Spotted gar 2 x Gizzard Shad 5 x Grass pickerel 20 x x Golden Shiner 2 x Blacktail Shiner ' I 3 x x Bullhead minnow 1 x Lake chubsucker 9 x Golden topminnow 9 x x Blackstripe topminnow 7 x Mosquitofish , 8 x x Brook Silverside 38 x x Largemouth bass 29 x Redear sunfish 126 x x Bluegill 97 x x Longear sunfish 23 x x White crappie 47 x Black crappie 21 x Lake 9' The Pines Game fish percentages are up this segment due primarily to the large numbers of sunfish and crappie netted. Netting data this segment indicate an expanding carp population. Spotted bass Still exist in large numbers despite the indication of netting results (Table 3). Some 125 spotted bass were collected last spring with the aid of the electro-fishing rig. Forage fish populations remain in good numbers as reproduction was excellent for threadfin shed and gizzard shad.l Many Notropis species were found in large numbers throughout the lake as reflected in Table 4. -5- Table 3 Lake 0' The Pines Netting Results W Percent Percent of Weight of Average Species Number Number gle! Weight Weight Spotted gar I 38 5.07 103.31 13.34 2.72 Gizzard Shad 226 30.14 175.74 22.69 0.78 Chain pickerel 51 6.80 73.06 9.43 1.43 Spotted sucker 13 1.73 29.61 3.82 2.28 Bigmouth buffalo 1 0.13 14.50 1.87 14.50 Lake chubsucker 7 0.93 5.25 0.68 0.75 Golden Shiner 7 0.93 2.31 0.30 0.33 Carp 16 2.13 46.12 5.96 2.88 *Channel catfish 39 5.20 124.63 16.09 3.20 *Blue catfish 3 0.40 1.13 0.15 0.38 Black bullhead 11 1.47 17.43 2.25 1.58 Yellow bullhead 10 1.33 6.44 0.83 0.64 *Flathead catfish 2 0.27 11.75 1.52 5.88 *Largemouth bass 14 1.87 40.05 5.17 2.86 *Spotted bass 2 0.27 1.93 0.25 0.97 *White bass 1 0.13 2.25 0.29 2.25 *Redear sunfish 156 20.80 35.94 4.64 0.23 *Bluegill 86 11.47 12.82 1.66 0.15 *Spotted sunfish 3 0.40 0.25 0.03 0.08 *Black crappie 63 8.40 69.31 8.95 1.10 *White crappie l 0.13 0.62 0.08 0.62 W TOTAL 750 100.00 774.45 100.00 Rough fish 380 50.67 473.77 61.18 *Game fish 370 49.33 300.68 38.82 -5- Table 4 Lake 0' The Pines Seining Results Species Number Adult Young-of-Year Threadfin shad 15 x x Grass pickerel 3 x Golden Shiner 5 x Blacktail Shiner 26 x x Blackspot Shiner 24 x x Golden topminnow I 4 x Starhead topminnow 41 x x Blackstripe topminnow 39 x x Mosquitofish 3 x Brook Silverside 46 x x Spotted bass 51 x x Largemouth bass 51 x Spotted sunfish 8 x x Redear sunfish 105 x x Bluegill 19 x x Good reproduction was found in all major game fish species with the exception of channel and blue catfish. Channel catfish still exist in relatively large numbers. Therefore, no additional stocking is recommended for this segment. Other game fish were recorded in adequate numbers and age groups. Lake Murvaul Lake Murvaul remains one of the State's top bass lakes as some 300 bass in excess of Six pounds have been recorded in 1972. Creel census data just com- pleted indicate fishermen success to be relatively low, but the quality of fish caught has been above average. Reproduction of bass remains excellent as some 1,400 young-of—the-year were collected by seining under Job 17 in’l971-72. -7- Table 5 Lake Murvaul Netting Results % Percent Percent of Weight of Average Species Number Number {lbs} Weight Weight Spotted gar 5 0.55 20.62 2.77 4.12 Bowfin 10 1.10 114.25 15.37 11.43 Gizzard Shad 424 46.70 154.74 20.82 0.36 Grass pickerel 1 0.11 0.37 0.05 0.37 Spotted sucker 2 0.22 3.63 0.49 1.81 Lake chubsucker 82 9.03 44.49 5.99 0.54 Golden Shiner 6 0.66 1.19 0.16 0.20 *Channel catfish 35 3.86 82.43 11.09 2.36 Black bullhead 5 0.55 5.94 0.80 1.19 Yellow bullhead 86 9.47 80.69 10.85 0.94 *Flathead catfish .3 0.33 57.25 7.70 19.08 *Largemouth bass 35 3.85 87.39 11.76 2.50 *Warmouth 5 0.55 1.07 0.14 0.21 *Redear sunfish 44 4.85 9.93 1.34 0.23 *Bluegill 86 9.47 14.00 1.88 0.16 *Longear sunfish 3 0.33 0.26 0.03 0.09 *White crappie 19 2.09 19.82 2.67 1.04 *Black crappie 57 6.28 45.25 6.09 0.79 “mm TOTAL 908 100.00 743.32 100.00 Rough Fish 621 68.39 425.92 57.30 *Game Fish 287 31.61 317.40 42.70 -8— Fishing success for channel catfish has risen significantly as many fisher- men have reported large catches of channel catfish. The stocking program for channel catfish has been discontinued due to the large population that now exists in the lake. The white and black crappie are still demonstrating excellent growth rates and good reproduction was found for both Species. Netting data (Table 5) indicate a good representation of all game fish. Total rough fish percentages in Murvaul have increased due to the large numbers of gizzard shad, lake chubsuckers and bowfin collected this year. No additional stocking of game fish is recommended for 1973 segment. Table 6 Lake Murvaul Seining Results Species Number Adult Young-of-Year Golden Shiner 4 x Bullhead minnow 1 x Blacktail Shiner 11 x Sand Shiner 25 . x x Lake chubsucker 8 . x x Golden topminnow 14 x Blackstripe topminnow 10 x ‘ x Mosquitofish 28 x x Largemouth bass 427 x Redear sunfish 289 x x Bluegill 103 x x White crappie /' 28 x /' Lake Striker Game fish percentages increased this segment, primarily due to the large number of channel catfish netted as Shown in Table 7. A good representation of all game fish were netted, with the exception of largemouth bass. White bass have increased in number but the average weight has decreased.