TPWD 1974 F-3-R-21 #1599: Region 3-B Fisheries Studies: Fisheries Management Recommendations, Performance Report F-3-R-21

‘II' PERFORMANCE REPORT As Required By FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT TEXAS Federal Aid Project F—39Rr21 Region 3-B Fisheries Studies Objective 15: Fisheries Management Recommendations Project Leader: Joe E. Toole Clayton T. Garrison Executive Director Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, Texas Lonnie J. Peters Robert J. Kemp Chief, Inland Fisheries Fisheries Director April 10, 1974 ABSTRACT The objective of this study is to recommend fisheries management practices for the public waters of Northeast Texas. Fisheries surveys were made on the following major reservoirs of Region 3—B in 1973: Toledo Bend (Panola, Shelby, and Sabine Counties), Caddo Lake (Marion—Harrison Counties),Lake 0' the Pines (Marion-Upshur Counties), Lake Blundell (Titus County), Lake Striker (Rusk-Cherokee Counties), Lake Murvaul (Panola County) and Lake Texarkana (Bowie-Cass Counties). Survey results were tabulated and comparisons made with previous survey data for given waters. Proposed fishery regulation changes were presented by project personnel at public hearings in each regulatory authority county within Region 3—B. Management recommendations made for the candidate waters in 1973 included: 1 ) the treatment of water hyacinths on Caddo Lake, 2.) the construction of nursery ponds on Lake Texarkana and Lake 0' the Pines, 3.) the construction of lighted fishing piers on Lake Texarkana and Lake 0' the Pines, 4.) periodic water drawdowns from October - January every third year on Lake Texarkana and Lake 0' the Pines, the opening of Lake Blundell to sport fishing June 1, 1974, a reduction of daily bag limits on blue, channel and flathead catfish in Lake Blundell, 7.) the continuance of_spot treatment of marginal vegetation in Lake 0' the Pines by U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, ) the continuation of channel catfish rearing at Lake Murvaul, .) the stocking of Lake Texarkana with walleye to provide an additional game fish, 10.) the stocking of Tilapia sp. for additional forage in Lake Striker. O‘U‘l VV \OW‘ PERFORMANCE REPORT State: Texas Project Number: F-3-R-21 Project Title: Region 3-B Fisheries Studies Project Section: 'Research and Surveys Study Title: Fisheries Management Recommendations Contract Period: From February 1, 1973 To January 31, 1974 Program Narrative Objective Number: 15 Objective: To determine, in Region 3uB waters, 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 adversely affecting fish populations. 1. Segment Objective: Same as 1—5 above. II. Summary of Progress: Public hearings were attended by project biologists in all re— gulatory counties within Region 3—B (Figure 1). Recommended changes affecting area waters included the prohibition of nets in the Panola and Harrison County portions of the Sabine River, and the prohibition of sport fishing in Lake Blundell. For clarification purposes, the following definitions were pre— sented as Statewide changes: 1. "The term 'trotline' when used in this proclamation includes a sail line or rubber band line and shall be constructed of nonmetallic materials." 2. "For the purpose of this Act a trotline shall be defined as a main fishing line with more than five hooks attached at a minimum interval of three horizontal feet." LEGEND Regulatory Counties - - _ Non-regulatory Counties - - -3- 3. "For the purpose of this Act a throwline shall be defined as a main fishing line with five or less hooks attached at a minimum interval of three horizontal feet, with one end permanently attached to a permanent fixture.” 4. ”For the purpose of this Act a jug line shall be defined as a free floating main fishing line with five or less hooks attached at a minimum of three horizontal feet with the main line tied to a free floating device." Proclamation No. A—l, 1973-74 was approved by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission on April 26, 1973. Fisheries Management Surveys Fisheries surveys to determine the need for management recomr mendations were made on Toledo Bend Reservoir, Caddo Lake, Lake 0‘ the Pines, Lake Blundell, Lake Striker, Lake Murvaul, and Lake Texarkana in 1973. Multifilament nylon gill nets and bag seines were used as stand— ard collection equipment on these surveys. Each unit of gill net consisted of 150 feet of bar mesh increasing each 25 feet by 1/2 inch increments from 1 to 3 1/2 inches. These nets were 8 feet in depth. A 30 foot nylon bag seine of 3/8 inch mesh was used in conjunction with a 15 foot bag seine of 3/16 inch mesh for making seine collections. Gill nets were randomly set overnight. On Toledo Bend, Lake Texarkana, Lake 0' the Pines and Caddo, netting was conducted on two successive nights when work schedules permitted. Total net units set in each reservoir were: Toledo Bend - 30; Caddo- 24; Lake 0' the Pines - 24; Blundell — 24; Texarkana — l8; Murvaul - 12; Striker - 12. Specific collection dates are in— cluded in the netting tables for each candidate water. Net data were compiled by species to include number and weight, percent of number and weight, average weight, and catch per unit (net) by weight and number. Seining samples were separated by species, with reference to the presence of adult and youngflof-the—year size groups. Sein— ing data were analyzed to determine stocking recommendations from the standpoint of degree of reproduction by game fishes, the need for an additional introduced species to provide an additional sport fishery or control of undesirable species, and the introduction of forage species where inadequate forage was available for standing crops of game fishes. -4- Observations were made in conjunction with field survey work to determine the extent of aquatic vegetation and evaluate the need and feasibility of control in problematic areas. Water quality analyses were made with a Each Model DR-EL kit. Oxygen—temperature analyses were made with a Yellowsprings Model 51-A meter. Additional conductivity and salinity tests were made with a YSI Model 33 meter. A checklist of the scientific and common names of fishes re— ferred to in this report is included in appendix I. The names are those accepted by the American Fisheries Society and found in Special Publication No. 6, A List of Common and Scientific of Fishes from the United States and Canada, 1970. Toledo Bend Reservoir Toledo Bend, an impoundment on the Sabine River in Panola, Shelby, Sabine, and Newton Counties, contains 184,000 acres of water. This giant reservoir was constructed in 1967—68 by the Lower Sabine River Authority for hydro-electric power generation, flood control, water supply, and recreation. A comparison of 1971—72 survey data with similar 1973 tab- ulations indicated a relatively stable fish population in the reservoir. Catch per unit effort has been lower in Toledo than in other area lakes (Table 1.). This is partially attrib— uted to the extremely low turbidity often found in many areas of the lake. Gizzard shad, spotted gar and yellow bullhead catfish continued to be the most abundant rough fishes netted. Although collect- ion data were not indicative of a heavy carp population, this species does exist in large numbers and may be a problem within the next few years. Seining collections indicated poor reproduction of most game fishes with the exception of largemouth bass (Table 2). Toledo Bend continued to be a national attraction to bass fish- ermen in 1973. The daily bag limit has been maintained at 15 per day on black basses to conform to Louisiana regulations. A daily bag limit of 2 was placed on striped bass in Toledo Bend to provide uniform inter—state regulations on this species. Through repeated stocking efforts of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, a striped bass fishery has been established in the reservoir. To date the largest striper taken weighed 21 -5- Table I. Toledo Bend Netting Results netting units-March 13,1973; 12 units-June 25,26,1973; 12 units-September 18,19,1973 percent Percent 30 net units of Weights of Average Catch/effort Catch/effort Species Number Number (lbs) Weight Weight Number Weight Spotted gar 56 13.66 120.05 21.26 2.14 1.87 4.00 Longnose gar 6 1.46 17.75 3.14 2.96 0.20 0.59 Bowfin 6 1.46 57.25 10.14 9.54 0.02 1.91 Golden Shiner 1 0.24 0.77 0.14 ——- 0.03 0.03 Gizzard shad 83 20.24 50.74 8.99 0.61 2.77 1.92 Carp 10 2.44 73.53 13.02 7.35 0.33 2.45 River carpsucker 17 4.14 39.25 6.95 2.31 0.57 1.30 Spotted sucker 9 2.20 25.50 4.52 2.83 0.30 0.85 Lake chubsucker 1 0.24 0.75 0.13 ——- 0.03 0.02 *Channel catfish 10 2.44 ' 23.38 4.14 2.34 0.33 0.78 Black bullhead 3_ 0.73 5.37 0.95 1.79 0.10 0.18 Yellow bullhead 45 10.98 47.87 8.48 1.06 1.50 1.59 *Yellow bass 4 0.98 0.87 0.15 0.22 0.13 0.03 *Largemouth bass 15 3.66 21.63 3.83 1.44 0.50 0.72 *Warmouth 2 0.49 0.44 0.08 0.22 0.07 0.01 *Redear sunfish 15 3.66 4.56 0.81 0.30 0.50 0.15 *Bluegill 64 15.61 15.07 2.67 0.24 2.13 0.50 _*White crappie 10 2.44 20.06 3.56 2.01 0.33 0.67 *Black crappie 50 12.20 38.75 6.86 0.78 1.67 1.29 *Flier 3 0.73 1.00 0.18 0.33 0.10 0.03 TOTAL 410 100.00 564.59 100.00 - 13.66 18.82 Rough Fish 237 ‘ 57.79 438.83 77.72 7.90 14.63 * Game Fish 173 42.21 125.76 22.28 5.76 4.19 —6— Table 2. Toledo Bend Seining Results Species Number Number/unit effort Adult Young-of—year Golden Shiner 13 1.08 x x Blacktail Shiner 31 2.58 x x Sand Shiner I 30 2.50 x x Bullhead minnow .30 2.50 x x Golden topminnow 13 _ 1.08 x Blackstripe topminnow 33 2.75 x x Brook silverside 21 1.75 x x Largemouth bass 32 2.66 x Spotted sunfish 14 1.16 x Redear sunfish 52 4.33 x x Bluegill 210 ' 17.50 x x Longear sunfish 7 0.58 X x TOTAL 486 Total No. Date No. Hauls Seining Area Fish Catch/effort March 13, 1973 4 Six Mile Creek 132 33.00 June 25, 26, 1973 4 Dam Area 120 30.00 September 18, 19, 1973 4 Huxley Bay 234 58.50 TOTAL 12 486 40.50 £ pounds - 4 ounces, 3 new Texas state record. No evidence of reproduction by striped base has been found in Toledo Bend. Although commercial netting is prohibited in the Texas portions of Toledo Bend, it is legal in Louisiana and, in the writers opinion, poses a threat to the flathead catfish. Water-quality analyses made in 1973 were considered normal on Toledo Bend (Table 3). Low turbidity and complete thermal stratification occurred during the summer months in most areas. Although aquatic vegetation did not pose an immediate problem, observations of scattered water hyacinth plants indicated future control of this plant may be required. Submerged aquatics have become a nusiance in many marina areas. Caddo Lake Located on Cypress Bayou in Marion and Harrison Counties, Caddo Lake lies in Texas and Louisiana. The Texas portion of this natural lake contains some 14,000 acres, much of which is covered with dense cypress breaks. Caddo is an extremely shallow lake with an average depth of 4 feet. Siltation and deposition of organic plant material has slowly transformed many areas into swamp habitat. The recent construction of Blundell and Cypress Springs Reservoirs on the upper Cypress drainage will further reduce annual water flow to Caddo. Without the flushing action of annual flood waters excessive eutrophication will occurr in Caddo. Game fish production in Caddo Lake continued to be good in 1973, as indicated by collection data (Table 4). Unlike most reservoir basins, Caddo acreage is almost totally utilized for fish prOp— agation and abundant cover exists for fry protection. Numerous forage species were collected in seines on Caddo as well as abundant largemouth bass and black crappie young—of-the—year (Table 5). Chacteristics of Caddo water quality are low pH and high turb- idity as contained in Table 6. Aquatic vegetation of all types continued to be a serious problem in the lake. Many areas conjested with submerged plants during the summer and fall months became totally inaccessible to fish— ermen. The Statewide Noxious Vegetation Control project treated boat roads and public access areas in 1973 with pelleted 2,4—D at a rate of 100 pounds per acre. Two separate treatments were made in some areas. Hyacinths were also treated with liquid 2,4~D in problematic areas of the lake. Additional hyacinth control will no doubt be required in 1974. -3- Table 3. Toledo Bend Limnological Data Date: March 13, 1973 Air Temperature 21.7°C Dissolved Depth Temperature Oxygen Salinity Conductivity Turbidity surface 21. 2°C 8.6 ppm - — 16 inches e 3' 20. 5 7.4 - - 6' 19.8 7.4 — - 9' 15.0 5.6 - - 12' 12.5 3.4 - - 15' 11.5 2.1 - - 18' 11.0 1.2 - — 21' 11.0 0.8 - - 24'(bottom) 10.4 0.5 - - Surface Analyses: M.0. Alkalinity 55 ppm Total Hardness 70 ppm Chlorides 46 ppm pH 7.1 Weather Conditions cloudy and windy Dissolved Depth Temperature Oxygen Salinity Conductivity Turbidity surface 30.0°C 8.4 ppm 0.0 176 uhmos/cm 56 inches * 3' 30.0 8. 3 - - 6' 30.0 8.3 - - 9' 29.0 8. 3 0.0 176 12' 28.0 8.2 - - 15' 27.0 8.1 - - 18' 27.0 7.2 — - 21' 27.0 7.0 0.0 176 24' 25.5 2. 7 - - 27' 21.0 0.4 - - 30' 17.0 0. 3 - - 33' 16.0 0.3 - - 36' 15.0 0. 2 - - 39' 14.0 0.2 0 0 158 42' 13.0 0.2 - - 45' 12.0 0.2 - ~ * Secchi disk