TPWD 1955 F-4-R-2 #164: Inventory of Species Present in Possum Kingdom Lake, Palo Pinto County, Texas: Segment Completion Report

""‘ " STATE Texas PROJECT N0. thR-2 Job Bah PERIOD June I 195Em0ctober _______.L._._...._._..______._ 31; 1955 SEGMENT COMPLETION.REPORT by Leonard D. Lamb Project leader TITIE Inventory of species present in Possum Kingdom Lake, Palo Pinto County, Texaso OBJECTIVES To determine the species present and their relative abundance as well as to determine the ecological factors influencing their distributiono HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION Possum Kingdom Reservoir is a multipurpose reservoir providing water for hydroelectric, irrigation, and municipal usese It is owned and operated by the Brazos iiver Conservation and Reclamation District and was completed in l9hl¢ This lake is subject to heavy fluctuations in water level because of the variations in demand by power and irrigation needso This is a clear water lake that impounds 19,991 surface acres at spillway level and has a 310 mile shoreline“ The lake is a long narrow body of water that winds among the foothill type mountains that comprise the terrain of these portions of Palo Pinto, Stephens, Young, and Jack Counties° The major portion of the lake is in Palo Pinto County but when full extends into the other counties namedo The shoreline is irregular and consists of gently sloping valleys and high limestone bluffso The original vegetation was not removed because of early rains that filled the basin in six days soon after completion of dam. This vegetation has been augmented by the saltcedar, and willows that have encroached upon the marginal area that remained exposed during the long period of low water that preceded the refilling in 19530 The aquatic vegetation present is not a problem except during periods of low water when much of the better fishing areas are choked with Najas guadalupensis'to the extent that a motor boat is unable to penetrate the large fields of this plants This condition exists in areas where the water depth is less than six feeto In water areas where the depth is above six feet the fishing was generally good above these weed beds which provided both feeding and resting cover for the fish presento FINDINGS Table 1 presents the checklist of species taken in both seine and net collec- ions, This total of 33 species includes 10 species not present in the checklist for the previous segment and fails to include two species taken in the 1953m54 segmento The Rio Grande tetra and the Striped mullet were introduced as bait minnows and have not 2. become established as yet. The species that are new to this checklist are; Shortness gar, Texas grey redhorse, Sharpness Shiner; Southern sand Shiner, BlackSpot Shiner, Yellow bullhead, Blackstripe topminnow, Kentucky spotted bass, western spotted sunfish, and Black crappie. Eleven seine and 120 net collections were madeo Table 2 shows the results of the eleven seine collections at eight seining stationso The seining station number 2 was abandoned when high water made collections here impossiblea A total of 19 species and 1,1h2 specimens were takeno The most numerous species in the seine collections was Bluegill sunfish followed by Largemouth bass and Plains red shinero The comparison of the catch of game and rough species is given in Table 30 All catfishes are included in the game fishes since they are so regarded in this vicinity and are much sought after by the local fisherman. The predominance of rough fish in the catch is quite marked since of the l,h6h specimens taken 71°17% were rough fish and 79°39% of the 1,518,52 pounds were of those less desirable specieso In Table # the results of the netting of Possum Kingdom are given in terms of the success by months in number and pounds of fish taken per 100 feet of net seto The 120 nets set totaled 12,675 feet and took 1,h66 fish weighing 1,520.05 poundso The average number of nets set pertnnmtlwas 7906 and they took a total per month of 86023 fish weighing 89.41 pounds for an average catch per 100 feet of net of 12022 fish weighing 12°65 poundso The length, weight and coefficient of condition data presented by Table 5, _was based on the standard length in millimeters and weight in grams for all specimens taken in net collectionso The monthly variations in the distribution of species in the net catches on Possum Kingdom by both number and weight are shown in Tables 6,7,8, and 9a The gizzard shad provided the largest number of specimens making up 5206% of the total number of fish caughto Bluegill sunfish were the most numerous game fish making up 10°18% of the total numbero Gizsard shad also make up the greatest weight and percentage of total° They weighed a total of h68a9l'pounds for 30°91% of the total catcho Smallmouth buffalo weighed 315¢1h pounds and were 2OQTT% of the total weighta Channel catfish and Largem mouth bass weighed 109005 and 103GH5 pounds respectively and make up 7°19% and 6°82% of_the total weighto ' Table 10 shows the number of each species caught per month in each 100 foot gill net set overnight in Possum Kingdom Lakea Giszard shad dominated the catch each month and averaged 6018 for the entire periodo Bleugills and Largemouth base were the predominant game species with 1°3h and 688 average per 100 feet of net set for the entire periodo The results of the examination of stomachs of fish taken in gill nets are presented by Table 110 The examination of 206 stomachs that contained food showed 70 to contain fish or fish remainso The sunfish and frequently catfish had been feeding on algae, usually Najasa This may have been accidental in some cases but the majority contained an amount sufficient to indicate deliberate intents The one fish containing fish eggs was a small bluegillo The stocking of Possum.Kingdom Lake prior to 19h5 is not known since several 30 fish hatcheries, both State and Federal, stocked this Lake at irregular intervals, ' The stocking since 19hh is known since the entire stocking has been done by the Poem sum Kingdom State Fish Hatcheryo Table 12 contains the numbers of each species ' Jcked into this lake each of the years 19h5 through 19550 The Largemouth Bass have been most heavily stocked as almost 97% of the total stocking was made up of this specieso DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The seine samples indicate that the hatch of largemouth bass was rather adequate since they were present in comparatively large numbers at almost every seining stationo The production of forage species appears to be adequate to support the game fish population and the physical condition of the game fish taken indicate this to be the casea The predominance of rough species in the net catches from Possum Kingdom is to be expected since the lake is fourteen years old and the usual history of re» servoirs is that the first few years provides the best game fish productiona The trend is toward rough species as the lake ages, Possum Kingdom has resisted the afm facts of age with some successo This is probably due to the extreme fluctuation of the water level which provides many acres of newly inundated vegetationa This has the effect of renewing portions of the lake periodically and provides stimulus for game fish productiono Despite the contract netting program that has been in operation on this lake for several years the relative abundance of rough species is quite pronouncedo The success of gill netting in terms of number and pounds of fish caught per month per iOO feet of net set varies with the season and weather conditions (Table h)a The high average number per net corresponds rather closely with the shad ' tch, while the increase and decrease in weight appear to correspond to the appearance the buffalo in the catcho (Table 1050 The validity of annulus formation in this area has been found to be open to question and for this reason the taking of scale sam plea was discontinueda The length, weight and coefficient of condition data has been continued and the physical condition appears to be satisfactory in all species examinedo There was little evim dence of parasitism or diseaseo The infrequent occurrence of an apparently cancerous condition in gissard shad constitued the observations on disease and parasitismo The distribution of species in the net catch shows the gizzard shad to be the most abundant species in both number and weight since 5206% of the total number and 30o9l% of the total weight were shado The percentage of the weight provided by each species was more evenly divided than was that of the numbers, since the relative sizes of the species tended to compensate for the superiority in numbers provided by the shed Buffalo and gar provided 20°77% and 15°15% of the total weights, although they were only 6008% and 3955% of the total number respectivelyo (tables 6,7,8, and 93° The tendency of fish to regurgitate food when captured in a net together with the rapid rate of digestion at high temperatures prevents the collection of much of the data that might be present at the time of capture, There were only 206 fish that contained food which was recognizableo This constitutes lh% of the net catcho The buffalo, carp, carpsuckers, suckers, and shad that contained food did not contain any recognizable item, The food mass resembled a greenish mucko Algae occurred in the stomachs of 95 fisha There is little doubt that a number of these fish took the algae ' the process of feeding on organisms found amongthe vegetation, but catfish and suns 0 sh had taken Najas in sufficient quantity to indicate a deliberate feeding on this materialo The importance of fish in the diet of species taken is indicated by the fact that 70 fish or about 3h% of the total containing food had been feeding on fisho The t. one stomach that contained fish eggs was that of a bluegill sunfish which may have taken the eggs accidentally. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. It is recommended that the apparent overabundance of rough species be given careful study to determine means of controlling these species. 2. It is further recommended that the operations of the contract netters be studied in order that more effective use may be made of this method of control of undesirable species. 3. Experimental work on nets, traps etc. is suggested in an effort to make the rough fish removal as efficient as possible. . h. Continuation of the present inventory work is advised in order that data may be obtained that will aid in evaluating the work done with regard to the effect it has on the gamafish harvest. SUMMARY 1. Possum Kingdom is a clear water lake built in l9hl by the Brazos River Conservation and Reclamation District and located on the Brazos River near Graford. It is a multipurpose reservoir built for hydroelectric, irrigation and municipal uses. 2. This lake covers 19,991 surface acres at spillway level and is situated in Palo Pinto, Stephens, Young, and Jack Counties. The lake is long and winding having a 310 mile shoreline. 3. The original vegetation was not removed from the lake basin before flooding and has been augmented by saltcedar and willows that grew up on the margins during the recent drouth and is now inundated.. t. Rages juadalupenSis chokes the shallow a.reas during periods of low water but does not appear to offer any problem when a normal lake level is reached 5. A total of 33 species was taken in seine and net samples during the 195hm55 segment. Ten species were a.dded to the checklist from the 1953m 5% segment and two were not found that were present in the previous checklist. These were Rio Grande tetra and striped mullet. These species were introduced as bait minnows but did not become established. 6. Rough species make up 71.17% of the total number in the net ca.tch and 79. 39% of the tota.l pounds. discard shad made up the greatest number and weight of a.ll the species taken. This species composed 52.6% of the totalnumber and 30.91% of the total weight. 7. The most popular food among the 206 fish, whose stomachs contained food, was algae, generally Hajas, since 95 or 46% had been feeding on this substance. The next food in relation to the preference shown was fish as 70 or 34% of the fish conm taining food had consumed fish. Fish eggs were found in only one specimen, a.b1uegill. 8. Hatchery stocking of this lake prior to 19th is not known since both State and Federal Hatcheries participated. Since l9ht, 97% of the 15,555,652 fish stocked in Possum Kingdom Lake were Largemouth Bass. ‘Table'lsCheoklist of Fishes from Possum Kingdom Lake, June 1, l95h~00tober 31, 1955. SCIENTIFIC NAME common RAME _lllM_____l_ll_l____l_fl___mm_flwwwflfl_______uH_flm_flH_____w_____________fl_u_fl_m___u_flfl___m shortness gar spotted gar longnose gar gizzard shad smallmouth buffalo river carpsuoker Texas gray redhorse European carp sharpnoss Shiner Southern ribbon Shiner hlacktail shiner Plains red Shiner Southern sand Shiner blackspot Shiner parrot minnow channel catfish yellow bullhead flathead catfish blackspot topminnow mosquitofish white bass spotted bass largemouth black bass lo Legisosteus Elatostomus 2o Lepisosteus Eroductus 3o Legisosteus osseus h. Dorosoma eegedianum 5. Iotiobus-bubalus 6. CarEiodes oargio To Moxostoma oongestum 8o ngrinus oargio 9o NetrOEis oxxghzgchus lOs'NotroEis fumeus ll. NotroEid venustus 12o Retrogis lutrensis 13s Notrogis deliciosus lhs Notrogis atrocaudalis l5o Pimeghales vigilax 16s Istalurus Eunctatus lTa Ameiurus natalis l8o Pilodiotus olivaris 19s Fundulus olivaeeus 20o Gambusia affinis 21o Morons ohrxsogs 220'Miorogterus Eunotulatus 23° Microgterua salmoides 2&0 Chaenobr* tus oorooarius warmouth 25s Legomis ozanellus green sunfish 26s Lepomis Eunotatus wastern spotted sunfish 27s LeEomis miorologhus redear sunfish 28s LeEomis maoroohirus bluegill sunfish 29s Legomis auritus yellowbelly Sunfish 3O° Pomoxis annularis white orappie' 31. Pomoxis nigromaoulatus black orappie 325 33a Porcine oagrodes Aglodiootus grunaiens Southwestern logperoh freshwater drum edem m, mvoonm ow meWem OOHHoodwm U% mmHoHoms Hess wommqa Wwommoas aw EEBWeH 0H meow mmoonm ames meow meHonm madeoou homo Hu HmmrnooaOGmH st mems. aHmm memoHam H w r m m m m eosmH vasomosm omwmmHosse m m H H Hm HodHOUom wodemm H . H okaHucm omHmHo H H EOdHomHm GMNH5NMQWzm H m w moawomHm finesse Hm Ho mm moasome smocmasm H H mw mm ‘ assaowsm Hssessmsm _ ms m Hw mm qu zoawomwm mmHHoHomom A w Hm aossomam sseoossssHsm Hm mH aw wHao_UmHom deHHmM w mm m Ho ma WoumoHsm QHHsoomcm H H H w W mssssmws saaHsHm ma m w _ m :H M EHowo fimwnm meHEOHmmm mm «M m NH mm mr me w . mosHm wonoaodom H4 H HH 4 mm m HmwosHm ommsmHHzm m m _ HomosHm sHoHOHomw:m Hr m mm mm 40 osmosas sssaossaesm mm a m mH em m so mmo Hmeosam ssaasss m Hw a up we so Hmm meoHom ommwommm m m esssHm Has Hmm HwH Hso wmm mm Hso HsHsm Table 3. A comparison of Game and Rough Species caught in Gill Nets from Possum Kingdom Lake, Texas, June 1, 195h-October 31, 1955. Total No. Specimens Caught 1&67 Total Wt. Specimens Caught (1bs.) 1518.52 Average Wt. Per Specimen (lbs) 1.0h Total Weight of Rough Fish (lbs.) 1205.5h Total Weight of Game Fish (lbs.) 312.98 Total No. of Rough Fish 10h3 Total No. of Game Fish #22 Average Wt. Per Rough Fish (lbs.) 1.06 Average wt. 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