TPWD 1960 F-3-R-7 #539: Basic Survey and Inventory of Fish Species in Murvaul Bayou Reservoir

Basic Survey and Inventory of Fish Species in Murvaul Bayou Reservoir by John H. Dorchester - Assistant Project Leader Dingell-Johnsen Project F-3-R—7, Jdb 3-13 'December 1, 1958 u may 31, 1960 H. D. Dodgen - Executive Secretary TeXas Game and Fish Commission Austin, Tbxas Marion Toele . _ _ .. .Coord inator Assistant: Coordinators A B S T R A C T This report covers the second year of Lake Murvaul's -existence, December 1, 1958, through November 30, 1959, in detail. Data was collected on a bimonthly basis and includes netting_and seining results and certain limnol- ogical observations. It was found during this second year that the largemouth bass was the only game fish species to show continuous gains both in size and numbers. Other game fish species such as bluegill, redear, and other Lepomis._p. showed reductions in numbers and condition, While on the other hand black crappie increased in numbers but lost in condition. Overall, rough fish in- creased while game fish declined. The principal problems encountered during the second-year were the increasing numbers of large bowfin, gizzard shed, and small crappie. Also, the first signs of aquatic vegetation became evident. There was a definite lack of specimens col- lected by seining during this period, compared to the first year. Recommendations were made to continue gath— ering data for another year, but only on a quarterly basis. JOb Completion Report Investigation Project State of TEXAS Project No. F—3uRu7 Name: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the waters of Region 5wB _ _Mm________nl_u_______i_i__i_________l_ JOb No. 3-13 Title: Basic Survey and Inventory of Fish Species in_Mnrvau1 Bayou Reservoir Period Covered: December 1 1958 a May 31 1960 ___a_____nL________i_i___a___i_i__iii_i OBJECTIVES To continue to gather information regarding the fish population in Lake Murvaul concerning numbers and condition of fish. This work stems from the fact that the of the lake on an annual basis. The first part goes back beyond the present segment period and begins with the lake’s second year of existence. The second part, which is less detailed, covers the beginning of the third year of the lakeis existence to the present. This is done because collection of the initial data on Lake Murvaul was begun in the middle of a project year in December 1957. Lake.Murvaul began filling in October 1957. PART I PROCEDURE Data was collected bimonthly, generally on the 20th of each month, during the second year. The only limnological data recorded were turbidity (Secchi disk}, color of the water, sky conditions, wind, time and air and surface water temperatures. Netting Eight experimental type gill nets (1,000 feet) were set at six random locations each collection month. The dimensions of the nets were 125 feet long, eight feet deep with mesh sizes of la, 15m, 2w, 2%w, and 3minches changing every 25 feet. The nets were set late in the afternoon and picked up the following morning. A total of 36 sets made up of #8 nets were made. All fish caught in nets were saved. These fish were then separated according to species, counted, and their total weight taken. The rough fish were then destroyed and returned to the lake. The game fish were also individually weighed and measured for both standard and total lengths. Spot checks were made on stomach contents and Coefficients of condition ("K" factors) were determined in sexual developments. weights,.and condition factors were calculated the laboratory. The average lengths, for each species. denies 1 Seining collections were made with a 26- by 6-foot bag seine witha a Ewinch mesh. Six collections, consisting of #7 hauls, were made. All specimens were pre- served in 10 percent formalin solution and brought back to the laboratory for identification. Additional Stocking During this second year, the most significant stocking was with adult flathead catfish and blue catfish. Through the cooperation of the U. S. Corps of Engineers and Game and Fish Commission personnel of Region 2—D, fish were obtained from the draft tubes at Denison Dam Powerhouse during February 1959. In all, there were 103 flathead catfish taken from these tubes and transferred to Lake Murvaul. The fish ranged from an estimated 2 to #0 pounds and averaged an estimated 5 to 6 pounds. addition, there were #6 blue catfish, averaging about 2 pounds each, transferred. In FINDINGS Netting and seining collections yielded a total of thirty~three species of fish representing nine families during the second year compared to fortywtwo species and twelve families the first year. Table 1 lists each species phylogenetically. The names are those used by Hobbs in his "A Checklist of Texas Freshwater Fishes“, dated December 1958. Netting_Resu1ts Table 2 gives a tabulation of monthly results of netting. There were twenty~ five species collected in this manner. As can be seen from this table there were seven species collected every time compared to only three species collected every month the first year. However, it must be considered that the second year collections equals only onewhalf the first year‘s. The three species collected the first year every time were also among the seven species of the second year. These species are the bowfin, gizzard shad and black bullhead. This table also gives the totals of game fish and rough fish and percentages of each. 0f the twentwaive species colm lected by gill nets, there were ten rough species and fourteen game species, compared to twelve rough species and fourteen game species the first year. The rough fish catch predominated the catch every month. The average percentages of rough fish and game fish were approximately 70 percent and 30 percent respectively over the second year, compared to 65 percent and 35 percent for the first year. A total of 1,083 fish were caught by six gill net collections over the year compared to 1,325 fish caught by twelve gill net collections during the first year. This includes 762 rough fish and 321 game fish. Gizzard shad were the most abundant with 210, or 19.39 percent of the total numbers caught. Black bullhead were next with 1M6 or l3.h8 percent, followed by largemouth bass with 132 or 12.19 percent, bowfin with 110 or 10.16 percent, and chubsuckers with 10% or 9.60 percent. The rough comparison can be made of the relative abundance of the species present.' Of the rough fish the bowfin, gizzard shad, chub sucker, and bullhead catfish present the greatest problem with their large numbers. The most abundant game fish species are the largemouth bass, bluegill, and black crappie and there is an apparent large population of each species. the bowfin alone was greater than all the game fish combined. The average weight of the black crappie was the least of any fish collected. The number of species collected each month ranged from none to ten and averaged h.5. No species could be collected consistently, though three species were collected three times and seven species were collected twice. Growth 2; Fish Standard length records were kept on six game fish species in order to determine their growth. An average length was determined each month from those specimens collected. Table 5 gives these standard lengths for each month (range and averages) as well as the number of specimens measured. The largemouth bass was the only species to show progressive, though slight, gains at all. The average lengths for bluegill, white and black crappie decreased during the year indicating little or no growth. Warmouth data followed no particular pattern. Condition 2f Fish Generally speaking the physical condition of game fish in Lake Murvaul during good, is below that of the first year. Only largemouth bass increased in condition. Table 6 gives data on condition of nine game species. The biggest decrease in condition was in the crappies which again points up a problem that is becoming apparent. Figure 3 shows the condition of a smallmouth buffalo. Food Habits Spot checks_were made of stomach contents of some game fish. It is safe to say that the chief food item among most predator fish was gizzard shad. Aquatic insects were found occasionally in all stomachs. Stomach contents of bass contained such items as crappie, chub suckers, crawfish, and sunfish, as well as shed. Sexual Development and Spawning Activity Spot checks were made on some game fish for sexual development. In February, the bass were approaching ripeness; in April, all the sunfish were ripe, including the bass. By June, the bass were spent and the bluegills were gravid. The crappie were immature in June. Annotated Checklist gleish Species This list includes all species collected in Lake Murvaul since the study began. 1. Lepisosteus productus (spotted gar) - none was collected during the second year. 2. Amie calva (bowfin) - one of the most abundant fishes in the lake. The average weight of those collected was 2.87 pounds. (gizzard shad) w the most commonly collected fish in fish indicated this species to be the favorite 3. Dorosoma cepedianum the lake. Stomach analyses of game food item. h. Esox ame ' the numbers taken the first year. 5. Ictiobus bubalus (smallmouth buffalo) - only one was collected and it weighed 7.25 pounds. 6. Carpiodes carpio (river carpsucker) - none was collected during the second year. 7. Moxostoma poecilurum (blacktail redhorse) - only one specimen was collected. 8. Minytrema melanops (spotted sucker) - their numbers increased considerably during the second year. 10. Notemigonus crysoleucas (golden shiner off considerably, especially by seining, compared to a total of 333 last year. ) - the numbers of this species fell as only one was collected by this method 11. Notropis fumeus year. 16. E. volucellus (mimic Shiner) - none was collected during the second year 17. E, maculatus (taillight Shiner) - none was collected during the second year. 18. gybognathus nuchalis (silvery minnow) - none was collected during the second year. 19. Pimephales vigilax (parrot minnow) - collected only once and in small numbers. 20. Ictalurus punctatus (channel catfish ) — this species is on the increase in the lake. 21. I. furcatus (blue catfis '_ h) u this species, which was stocked by the water district, is also on the increase. - 22. .1. males (black bullhead netted fish by a wide margin. a favorable decline. ) - last year this species was the most commonly The second year it fell to second place indicating 23. .T. natalis collected. (yellow bullhead) - this_species fell slightly in numbers 2h. Pylodictus glizgris (flathead catfish) — only one specimen was COllected by netting. It was i ' - . collection. 25. Schilbeodes gyrinus (tadpole madtom) - none was collected during the second year. 26. Fundulus notatus (blackstripe topminnow) - only two were collected. 27. Gambusia affinis (common mosquitofish) - quite conspicuous by its sharp decline the second year. ) - none was collected during the 28. Aphredoderus sayanus (pirate perch second year. 29. Micropterus punctulatus (spotted bass) — only one specimen was collected during the second year, showing a decline in numbers. 30. g. salmoides (largemouth bass) - this species was third in numbers collected, which is an increase over the first year. (warmouth) — their numbers declined during the second 31. Chaenobryttus gulosus year. 32. Lepomis cyanellus (green sunfish) - fairly rare in the lake. 33. 'E. punctatus (spotted sunfish) f only one was collected by netting and a few by seining. ) - their numbers declined slightly over the 3h. 1? microlophus (redear sunfish first year. 35. .E' macrochirus (bluegill sunfish) - even though netting indicates the numbers are declining, this is one of the most common fish taken by anglers. The most commonly collected by seining. 36. L. auritus (yelloWbelly sunfish) - rare in the lake. 37. 'E. megalotis (longear) - only one was collected. 38. Pomoxis annularis (white crappie) — not too common; their numbers are declining. 39. P. nigromaculatus (black crappie) - this fish increased greatly in numbers during the second year and is presenting a problem by their small size. #0. Centrarchus macropterus (flier) — only one was collected by seining. hl. Ammocrypta vivax (Arkansas sand darter) - none was collected during the second year. #2. Etheostoma gracilie year. 7. Limnological Conditions During the second year, the turbidity (Secchi disk) 19 to 55 inches and averaged about 35 inches. different areas of the lake each time. of Lake Murvaul ranged from The turbidity varied somewhat over Air temperature ranged from 30 to 85 degrees F., while the water temperature ranged from 51 to 80 degrees F. The color of the wa ter was usually green, but had a brown stain at times. ' ' rom clear and calm, to sleet and light north winds. during the spring of 1959, ‘ this plan failed to materia from the lake. The second and most important practice was the open‘ fishing on Memorial Day, May 30, 1959. and removed several thousand bass, bluegill, crappie, the lake. However, since the opening date, "bream" fishing has been termed as excellent O CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS fish population. There was a marked flSh species. Abundant growths of aq lake. 8. Table l. A checklist of lake Murvaul species (second year , of study) I. Family: AMIIDAE _ Bowfins l. Amie calva _ bowfin II. Family: CLUPEIDAE - Earrings 2. Dorosoma cepedianum a gizzard shad III. Family: ESOCIDAE m Pickerels 3. Esox americanus - grass pickerel IV. Family: CATOSTOMIDAE e Suckers and buffalo fishes h. Ictidbus bubalus — smallmouth buffalo _ Moxostoma poecilurum - blacktail redhorse 5° W 6. Minytrema melanops u spotted sucker 7. Erimyzon sucetta - lake chubsucker V. Family: CYPRINIDAE m Shiners and minnows 8. Notemigonus crysoleucas — golden shiner 9. Opsopoeodus emiliae w pugnose minnow 10. Notropis fumeus a ribbon shiner 11. N. venustus m spottail shiner l2. lutrensis w redhorse shiner l3. stramineus a sand shiner 1h. Pimephales vigilax m parrot minnow E» E: IV. Family: AMEIURIDAE m Freshwater catfishes l5. Ictalurus punctatus m channel catfish 16. I. furcatus m blue catfish 17. :} melas a black bullhead 18. Ex natalis a yellow bullhead l9. Pylodictus olivaris » flathead catfish VII. Family: CYPRINODONTIDAE m Killifish and topminnows 20. Fundulus notatus w'blackstripe topminnow VIII. Family: POECILIIDAE e Mosquitofishes 21. Gambusia affinis e common mosquitofish IX. Family: CENTRARCHIDAE _ Black basses and sunfishes 22. Micropterus punctulatus w spotted bass 23. M. salmoides w largemouth bass 2h. Ehaenobryttus gulosus _ warmouth 25. Lepomis cyanellus w green sunfish 26. .E- punctatus m spotted sunfish 27. I? microlophus e redear sunfish 28. I? macrochirus w bluegill sunfish 29. I? auritus w yellowbelly sunfish 30. I? megalotis m longear sunfish 31. Pomoxis annularis 7 white crappie 32. £3 nigromaculatus a black crappie 33. Centrarchus macropterus w flier