TPWD 1962 F-7-R-10 #782: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region I-A: Fisheries Reconnaissance

JOB COMPLETION REPORT As required by FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT TEXAS Federal Aid Project Ncu'F-7-R~10 FISHERIES INVESTIGATIONS AND SURVEYS OF THE WATERS OF REGION I-A Job No. B—18 Fisheries Reconnaissance Project Leader: Lonnie Peters H. D. Dodgen Executive Secretary Texas Game and Fish Commission Austin, Texas Marion Toole . Eugene A0 Walker D-J Coordinator Director, Program Planning March 22, 1963 ABSTRACT Reconnaissance surveys were made at Lakes Pauline, Childress, Baylor, Buffalo and Buffalo Springs to determine changes in fish p0pu1ations, to note specific fisheries problems, and to recommend deve10pment or management measures. Surveys at Lakes Fryer, Tulia, and Aspermont were made to provide basic data, since no previous survey data were available. Survey data from Lake Pauline substantiated previous data which indicated a need for a complete :renovation of the fishery. An F-14-D job description for this lake is being submitted. Lakes Baylor and Childressstill have high bullhead populations, but both lakes were stocked with flathead catfish as a control measure. The black bullhead is the only undesirable species recorded from Lake Childress, while Lake Baylor has both bullheads and carp. Tulia Lake is far out of balance and will receive a total kill. Lake Fryer has high bull- head and stunted crappie p0pulations, and will need some development work. Extensive development will not be done, however,unti1 the spillway is modified to prevent fish from entering the lake from downstream areas. Buffalo Springs Lake was found to have an excessive bullhead p0pu1ation and was stocked with 1200 to 1500 flathead catfish fingerlings to help alleviate the problem. Aspermont Lake has a fairly well balanced fish p0pu1ation, but needs a selective kill to remove shad and stunted crappie. Aspermont Lake also needs spraying for bulrush control.. JOB COMPLETION REPORT State of Texas Project No. F-7-R-10 Name: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region l-A Job No. B-18 Title: Fisheries Reconnaissance Period Covered January 1, 1962 - December 312 1962 Objectives: To conduct limited investigations to obtain current information concerning gross changes in fishing conditions and factors influencing fish populations. Techniques Used: In most cases, seine samples were collected with twenty-foot one-eighth inch mesh minnow seines, but in some cases where the twenty-foot seines were not effective or where additional data were needed, 200 and 300 foot, onephalf inch mesh seines were used. Samples were taken from different ecological areas and were preserved in 10 per cent formalin for laboratory identification and counting. Gill nets ranging in mesh size from one inch to three inches were used to collect samples of larger fish. From netting collections; percentage composition, K factors, average weights, and food habits of game species were determined. K factors were determined from standard length measurements using the alignment chart method. Physical data collected during each survey included water and air temperatures, wind speed and direction, and weather conditions. Other data concerning vege- tation, cover, fishing pressure, chemical analysis, etc. were collected where pertinent to the fishery problems involved. Table 51 at the end of this report is a checklist of fish species taken from the waters surveyed during this segment. Findings: During this segment, reconnaissance work was done at Lakes Fryer, Pauline, Childress, Baylor, Buffalo, Buffalo Springs, Aspermont, and Tulia, Lakes Fryer, Aspermont, and Tulia, all fairly small impoundments, were surveyed to obtain basic information. The remaining lakes have been surveyed in the past. Lake Pauline A survey of Lake Pauline in April 1961, revealed a fish population consisting of less than 10 per cent game fish species. Gizzard shad, carp, and carpsucker accounted for 75 per cent of the population. Carpsucker alone comprised 45.44 per cent. All game species and most rough species were in poor condition due to the overcrowded condition existing. A recommendation was made to eradicate the entire fish population and to restock with adequate numbers of game and forage speC1es. During May 1962, a similar survey was made using eight gill nets each consisting of 25 feet of 1, 1%, 2, 2%, and 125 feet of 3-inch mesh. The gill net results of this survey are given in Table l. A comparison with the gill net results of the survey made in 1961 (Table 2) shows a similar rough fish to game fish ratio. Table 1. Percentage Composition by Number and Weight, and Average Weight of Fish Species Taken by Gill Nets from Lake Pauline. April 1962. Per Cent Per Cent by Total by Average Species Number Number Weight Weight Weight Channel Catfish 7 ' 2.09 4.05 1.14 .58 White Bass 7 2.10 8.46 2.39 1.21 Bluegill Sunfish 4 1.19 .35 .10 .09 Shad 155 46.41 30.63 8.67 .20 Carp 73 21.86 105.30 29.80 1.44 Carpsucker 81 24.25 196.55 55.61 2.43 Largemouth Bass 2 .60 3.89 1.10 1.95 Freshwater Drum 4 1.20 4.04 1.14 1.01 Green Sunfish 1 .30 .15 .05 .15 Totals 334 100.00 353.42 100.00 Game Fish 21 6.28 Rou h Fish 313 93.72 Table 2. Lake Pauline Netting Results, April 26—27, 1961, Using 1,625 Feet Gill Net with 1- to 3-inch Mesh. Per Cent Per Cent by Total by Average Species Number Number Weight Weight Weight Longnose Gar 1 0.25 4.22 0.75 4.22 Gizzard Shad 54 13.70 15.71 2.83 0.29 Carpsucker 179 45.44 452.78 81.34 2.64 Carp 68 17.25 30.34 5.45 0.45 Channel Catfish 14 3.56 12.96 2.33 0.93 Black Bullhead 42 10.66 7.16 1.28 0.17 White Bass 10 2.54 13.25 2.38 1.33 Largemouth Bass 6 1.52 4.69 0.85 0.78 White Crappie .4 1.01 2.08 0.37 0.52 Freshwater Drum 11 2.80 13.16 2.36 1.20 Spotted Sunfish 3 0.76 0.15 0.03 0.05 Bluegill Sunfish _ 2 0.51 0.13 0.03 0.07 Totals 394 100.00 556.63 100.00 Game Fish 39 9.90 Rough Fish 355 90.10 During this segment, 334 fish were taken by gill nets, of which only 21 (6.28 per cent) were game species. Channel catfish and white bass each accounted for 2.09 per cent while bluegills and drum each accounted for 1.20 per cent. Two largemouth bass and one green sunfish were taken. The remainder were shad (46.41 per cent), carp (21.86 per cent), and river carpsucker (24.25 per cent). Average weights for game species ranged from 0.09 pounds for bluegill to 1.95 pounds for largemouth bass. Channel catfish averaged 0.58 pounds and white bass 1.21 pounds. The game fish population comprised only 4.78 per cent of the total weight, while the river carpsucker alone accounted for 55.61 per cent. The physical condition of game species, as revealed by K factors shown in Table 3, continues to be poor. Channel catfish had K factors ranging from 1.2 to 1.9 and averaging 1.5. White bass showed a decrease from 3.1 last year to 3.0 this year. Largemouth bass, however, increased to 3.3 from a 2.6 average last year. This is based on two individuals, however. Table 3. K Factor Range and Average for Fish Species Taken by Gill Net From Lake Pauline, April 1962. Species Rang Average Channel Catfish (7) 1.2 — 1.9 1.5 White Bass (7) 2.5 - 3.4 3.0 Bluegill Sunfish (4) 4.3 — 5.0 4.5 Gizzard Shad (19) 1.6 - 2.4 1.9 Carp (9) 2.5 — 3.2 2.8 Carpsucker (24) 2.5 - 4.0 3.2 Largemouth Bass (2) 2.9 - 3.7 3.3 Freshwater Drum (4) 2.3 — 3.2 2.7 Green Sunfish (1) 4.4 4.4 M Stomach analysis, shown in Table 4, show that white bass and largemouth bass fed on fish, primarily, while channel catfish, drum, and black bullheads fed on vegetation, fish, and insects. Table 4. Frequency of Occurrence Food Items of Predaceous Species Taken From Lake Pauline, April 1962. Species Number Number Frequency Examined Containing Food Food Items Occurrence_ Freshwater Drum 4 1 Vegetation 1 Insect Larvae 1 Black Bullhead 7 4 Fish Remains 3 Insect Larvae 1 Vegetation 2 Mud 1 Bluegill Sunfish 4 2 Fish Remains 2 Crayfish 1 White Bass 7 3 Shad 2 Fish Remains 1 Table 4 (continued) Species Number Number ' Frequency Examined Containing Food Food Items Occurrence Channel Catfish 7 6 Fish Remains 6 Vegetation 2 Insect Remains 2 Wood Bits l Largemouth Bass 2 2 Fish Remains 2 Seining with a 20-foot minnow seine produced 496 fish of which 392 were red shiners, and 78 were fathead minnows. Other species taken were green sunfish, largemouth bass, plains killifish, shad, and carp. Table 5 gives the minnow seining results. Two drags were made with a ZOO-foot 1/2-inch mesh seine, producing 66 shad, 22 carp, and 11 green sunfish. Table 5. Percentage Composition of Fish Species Taken with a Twenty-foot Minnow Seine from Lake Pauline, April 1962. Species Number Per Cent Green Sunfish 11 2.21 Largemouth Bass 1 .20 Plains Killifish 7 1.42 Red Shiner 392 79.03 Fathead Minnow 78 15.72 Gizzard Shad 5 1.01 Carp 2 .41 Totals 496 100.00 In view of the poor condition of the Lake Pauline fishery, an F-l4-D job description for the eradication of the present fish population is being sub- mitted. Approval of landowners to treat watershed pot—holes, tanks, and tributaries has been obtained, and this project will be carried out in early 1963 if approved. The lake will be restocked with game Species immediately following treatment and the lake probably will be reOpened to fishing in the fall of 1964. Lake Childress Netting results from June 1961 revealed a high population of black bull- heads (73.81 per cent) but no other rough species present. Channel catfish comprised 16.66 per cent, largemouth bass 4.76 per cent, and bluegill 4.77 per cent of the total number. Recommendations for fertilization and bullhead control were made. ' During this segment, the lake was again netted with the results being similar to those of last year. Table 6 gives the percentage composition by number and weight and average weights. Channel catfish showed a decrease from 16.66 per cent to 10.16 per cent, but largemouth bass increased from 4.76 to 11.87 per cent. The percentage of bullheads remained high at 67.80 per cent. Since largemouth bass are ordinarily difficult to net in lakes having extremely clear water, it is felt that the bass population in this lake is considerably higher than indicated by the gill net results. A check of fishing success revealed that bass fishermen consistently caught good strings of bass ranging from two to three pounds in weight during this year. Table 6. Percentage Composition by Number and Weight and Average Weights of Species Taken from Gill Nets from Childress Lake, May 1962. MSPECIES - I I - I . - - ' I Nmber - - - Cent - ‘ - I ' I I - I ‘ - 0.81: Cent . _ , _ , _ N.uber . _____ Welt _ _ Ne1-ht Channel Catfish 6 10.16 17.84 25.95 2.97 Largemouth Bass 7 11.87 8.03 11.69 1.15 Black Bullhead 40 67.80 40.51 58.94 1.01 Redear Sunfish 2 3.39 1.62 2.35 .81 Bluegill Sunfish l 1.69 .31 .45 .31 Green Sunfish 3 5.09 .42 .62 .14 Totals 59 100.00 68.73 100.00 Game Fish 19 32.20 Rough Fish 40 67.80 In an effort to control the bullhead population in the future, this lake was stocked with flathead catfish at the rate of one per surface acre. If these flatheads survive and grow normally, they should provide considerable predation on bullheads within two years. Seining with a twenty—foot seine produced no fish in eight drags. Limited seinable areas, thick vegetation, and water clarity were responsible. Two drags with a ZOO-foot seine produced 765 fish of which 697 (91.11 per cent) were bullheads. Table 7 gives the 200-foot seine results. Table 7.3 Percentage compdSitidn'sf Fish Taken With a Two—HundredéFoot seine From Lake Childress, May 1962. SIBCieS. _ _.-v-._...._ _.._ _.-....._Number. .. . _ . .,. ___.Per Cent. Largemouth Bass 12 1.57 Black Bullheads 697 91.11 Bluegill Sunfish 46 6.01 Redear Sunfish _ _19 1.31 .TotalS.. ,.-__. _... ,__ .. _ ..765 _.. ._ _ ..1OO¢OO. U. Tabulation of K factors revealed all species to be in good condition. Channel catfish at 2.1 were exceptionally fat. Table 8 gives the K factor range and average for both sexes of the species taken by gill nets. Table 8. K Factor Range and Average for Species Taken by Gill Nets from Lake Childress, May 1962. Species Range Average Channel Catfish Male 1.5 — 3.0 2.1 Female 2.0 _ 2.3 2 1 Largemouth Bass Male 2.7 2 7 Female 2.5 - 3.4 2.8 Black Bullheads Male _2.2 - 3.5 2.9 Female 2.5 - 3.8 2.9 Redear Sunfish Female 4.2 - 6.0 5.1 Bluegill Sunfish Male 5.0 5.0 Green Sunfish Male 4.3 4.3 Female 4.2 - 5.0 4.6 Results of stomach analysis, Table 9, revealed that two species had fed on black bullheads. Seven largemouth bass stomachs were examined. Six contained food, with fish remains occurring five times, black bullheads three times, and dragonflies once. Five channel catfish stomachs contained food, with fish and vegetation each occurring in three individuals. Twentymfive bullhead stomachs were checked, and seventeen contained food. Most common was insect larvae (11 times), followed by vegetation (7 times), and fish remains (4 times). Cannibalism by bullheads was noted by the occurrence of small bullheads in the stomachs of larger bullheads on two occasions. Table 9. Frequency of Occurrence of Food Items of Predaceous Species Taken From Lake Childress, May 1962. Number- - ‘Numséf -... I. "' Frequency Species Examined Containing Food Food Items Occurrenace Black Bullhead 25 Insect Larva.e Vegetation 17 Fish Remains 4 Black Bullheads 2 Snails 1 Channel Catfish 6 5 IMaize l Vegetation 3 Sand 1 Insect Larvae l Insects 1 Fish Remains 3 Largemouth Bass 7. 6 Dragon Fly 1 Fish Remains 5 Black Bullheads 3 _a—__ Baylor Lake Gill netting at Baylor Lake in 1961 produced 149 fish, the composition of which was similar to the adjacent Lake Childress. Both lakes have high bull- head populations, however, Baylor Lake contains white bass and carp which were not recorded from Lake Childress. Lake Baylor carp are mostly large, indicating little or no reproduction within the past two to three years. During April of this segment, 141 fish were taken by gill nets. The only great difference between this sample and the one from last year was that bullheads show an 11 per cent increase, while carp show an 11 per cent decrease. Other species were taken in about the same relative numbers. Table 10 gives the per- centage composition by number and weight and the average weight of gill netted fish. The average weights of channel catfish (1.56 pounds) and white bass (1.19 pounds) were about one-fourth pounds heavier than last year, while carp with an average weight of 3.73 pounds were about 1% pounds lighter. One largemouth bass was taken this year, as compared to none last year. Again water clarity was involved, and bass are considered more abundant than figures indicate. Fishermen at Baylor Lake caught many bass during this year, but practically all were four pounds or larger. The lack of yearling bass is puzzling, since in. 1961 the seine sample of 162 fish contained 148 bass fingerlings. Perhaps few small bass survive in the face of heavy predation from the larger bass and sunfish present. A lack of adequate forage species has been noted, and this would unw doubtedly increase predation on the young bass. WM Table 10. Percentage Composition by Number and Weight and Average Weight of Fish Species Taken by Gill Nets From Baylor Lake, May 1962. W Per Cent - Per Cent by Total by Average Species Number Number Weight Weight Weight Largemouth Bass 1 .70 4.41 5.12 4.41 White Bass 5 3.55 5.96 6.93 1.19 Channel Catfish 18 12.77 28.00 32.55 1.56 Carp 5 3.54 18.65 21.67 3.73 Bluegill Sunfish l .71 .25 .29 .25 Black Bullhead 110 78.02 28.60 33.25 .26 Orangespotted Sunfish 1 .71 .16 .19 .16 Totals 141 100.00 86.03 100.00 Game Fish 26 18.43 Rough Fish 115 81.57 Fertilization was recommended in 1961 to increase production of forage as well as.to help control submerged vegetation. However, since Lake Baylor water is used as a municipal water supply for the city of Childress and since there are no facilities for filtering the water, the production of plankton through fertilization would be undesirable in this case. Shallow protected areas con- ducive to production of forage species, are very limited in Baylor Lake; there- fore, the minnow pOpulation will probably remain low. The lack of forage fish is reflected in the diet of predaceous species. Table 11, which lists the frequency of occurrence of food items, reveals that vegetation, insects, insect larvae, and crayfish were much more important than fish in the diet of all fish except largemouth bass. The average largemouth in Baylor Lake is large enough to eat the average size bullhead, crappie, or sunfish; and thus is not faced with the shortage of forage which smaller predators are . Table 11. Frequency of Occurrence of Food Items of Predaceous Species Taken From Baylor Lake, May 1962. Number Number -' Frequency Species Examined Containing Food Food Items Occurrence Channel Catfish 18 17 Vegetation _ 13 Earthworm l Insect Larvae 6 Insect Remains 1 Insect 2 Dragon Fly Larvae 6 Seeds 1 Fish Remains 2 Grain 1 Crayfish 1 Black Bullheads ' 25 20 Dragon Fly Larvae 5 Vegetation 12 Insect Larvae 5 CrayfiSh 3 Insect Remains 2 White Bass 5 4 Dragon Fly Larvae ' 3 Fish Remains 1 Bluegill Sunfish l 1 Insect Larvae 1 Largemouth Bass 1 1 Fish Remains 1 Seining with a twenty-foot seine produced 442 fish in 15 drags. Table 12 which gives the percentage composition of the seine collections, shows that green sunfish (202) and bullheads (104) were the most common. Bluegills and fathead minnows were common with 78 and 47 respectively. Other species recorded were red shiners, golden shiners, mosquitofish, and orangespotted sunfish. A comparison of K factors shows a decrease in channel catfish and bullheads, but increases in carp and white bass. The one largemouth bass taken was in good condition with a K factor of 3.1. Table 13 gives the K factor range and averages.