TPWD 1965 F-3-R-12 #958: Job Completion Report: Basic Survey of Fish Species in Lake Palestine, Project F-3-R-12
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JOB COMPLETION REPORT
As required by
FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT
TEXAS
Federal Aid Project FwB-Rwla
Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region SmB
Job No. Em19 Basic Survey of Fish Species in Lake Palestine
Projeot Leader Joe E. Toole
J. Weldon Watson
Executive Director
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Austin, Texas
Marion Toole .Eugene A. Walker
DmJ Coordinator Assistant Director for Wildlife
May 28, 1965
ABSTRACT
Three collections were made on Lake Palestine during the 1964 segment.
The data collected indicated a slight decrease in the game fish populations
since 1963. Some increase in per cent of number and weight of black crappie
was noted. Largemouth bass and channel catfish have decreased.
Aquatic vegetation made seining difficult during this segment and pre—
sents a major problem in the shallow areas of the reservoir.
The high percentage of rough fish in the lake presents the greatest
problem. Two contract commercial fishermen are now on the lake. Each is
averaging approximately 1.000 pounds per week of rough fish.
It is recommended that the basic fisheries survey of Lake Palestine
be terminated with the completion of this segment.
JOB COMPLETION REPORT
State of Texas
Project No. F—S—R—l2 Name: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys
__a_ni______________l______i________i
of the Waters of Region S—B.
Job No. B—l9 (Seg. 5 of 5) Title: Basic Survey of Fish Species in Lake
Palestine.
Period Covered: February 1, 1964 _ January 31 1965
_________________.__i_l__n______a_i_____.____._________n_____
OBJECTIVES:
1. To determine gross changes in fish populations.
2. To determine the growth rate and food of game species.
5. To determine chemical changes of the water.
4. To determine the influx of vegetation and to recommend control
of noxious species if feasible.
HISTORY:
Lake Palestine, located on the Neches River near Frankston, Texas is
impounded by an earthen dam and covers approximately 6,000 surface acres.
The dam is located at Blackburn's Crossing approximately 4 miles east of
Frankston. The reservoir lies in Anderson, Cherokee, Henderson and Smith
Counties.
TECHNIQUES USED:
Monthly collections were made during the first segment in 1962 and bi—
monthly collections were made in 1965. Three collections were made during
this segment.
Netting Methods
Experimental type gill nets 125 feet in length with mesh size ranging
from 1 to 5 inches were used during this segment. In April the collection
was made with fourteen nets set 1 night. During August and January 7 nets
were used for each collection. A total of 28 nets were set during this seg—
ment. Table 1 includes the numbers and weights as well as the per cents of
number and weight by species of fish collected during the 1964 segment.
Game fish species were measured for standard length and weighed for
individual weights. Sexual conditions and stomach contents were recorded.
The coefficients of condition factors were calculated according to species.
Table 2 contains data on the condition of some game fish species collected.
Water Analysis
Routine water analyses were made during each collection. These included
pH, total alkalinity, chlorides, temperature and turbidity. Table 5 contains
water analyses data collected during the three segments of this job.
Species
Spotted gar “
Bowfin 8
Gizzard shad 8
Smallmouth buffalot
Bigmouth buffalo“
Spotted sucker*
Chubsucker"we
Carpf
Golden shinert
Channel catfish
Black bullheadf
Yellow bullheadt
Flathead catfish
Spotted bass
Largemouth bass
Warmouth
Redear sunfish
Redbreast sunfish
Bluegill sunfish
Spotted sunfish
Black crappie
White crappie
TOTALS
Game fish
Rough fish
1964 Netting Data on Lake
April
No.
H:
45
5
500
41
12
Ch
l—‘(OR'JGii—‘Hii
552
52
500
Wt.
81.56
16.57
88.08
159.15
56.69
. x...
52.18
0.19
25.06
59.44
17.15
4.00
1.51
2.00
1.97
5.64
0.51
4.50
515.76
44.99
470.77
Per Cent Game Fish 9.42 8.72
90.58 91.28
Per Cent Rough Fish
Jr":
..
Denotes rough fish species.
-2m
Table 1.
August
No. Wt.
8 15.10
129 28.81
7 27.75
10 15.51
1 7.75
E7 21.62
25 16.45
2 0.74
1 0.57
1 0.50
2 0.87
2 0.75
18 5.95
57 15.51
2 1.00
250 154.26
70 44.57
180 109.89
28.00 28.76
72.00 71.24
Table 2
Palestine
January To
1:19; in we;
~ ~ 51
_ — 5
21 7.25 450
l 2.50 49
~ _ 12
27 51.57 57
4 2.25 4
e — 8
m m 1
1 — 15
18 12.81 105
5 4.12 56
m w 1
i _ 1
1 1.19 4
w — 2
1 0.51 7
_ m 7
_ ~ 55
m _ 2
4 1.94 54
i 0.62 _§_
85 84.56 885
7 4.06 129
76 80.50 756
8.45 4.81 14.57
91.57
95.19 85.45
DJ
Hi—‘OROl-JCNOCNOrP-
759.
95
58
.42
665.
12.
87.
96
50
70
Per Cent
No.
5.76 12.
.56 2.
.85 16.
.54 2
.56
.20
.45
.90
.11
.47
.64
.06
.ll
.11
.45
.25
.79
.79
.95
.25
.10
.54
D
m
OOEOWOOOOOOH‘l-l—Jl—‘OOOITAI—‘UIO
ONCE—‘OOOQOONKOO‘JOU‘IOODQ
100.00 100.
A Comparison of Condition Data of Some Game Fish Species from Lake Palestine
Species
Channel catfish
Flathead catfish
Spotted bass
Largemouth bass
Warmouth
Bluegill sunfish
Redbreast sunfish
White crappie
Black crappie
Z
n
I N.
G
I
I.._..J
Cr]
C23
1965
1964
Average K N9.
1.90 65
1.90 7
2.16 5
2.54 44
4.05 12
4.45 54
5.24 5
2.71 5
5.22 104
Average K
.92
.02
.25
.70
.24
.65
.85
.50
.28
mme—semmmw
No.
210
9
55
99
41
59
24
5
45
1962
Average K
CflCflCfiO‘I‘r-PMCNHH
.88
.97
.26
.78
.42
.52
.76
.04
.51
Regional
Average
1.70
2.05
2.55
2.72
4.10
4.58
Wt.
47
16
55
.96
.47
.78
.50
.26
.05
.15
.04
.90
.55
.04
.59
.11
.40
.26
.26
.07
Ogi-
00
15W
Table 5
Surface Water Analyses Data on Lake Palestine
1964
__iAa________i__in___i_________
April August January Average 1965 Average 1962 Average
pH 7.0 6.6 6.8 6.8 6.9 6.8
Alkalinity~
methyl orange p.p.m. 25 52 68 41 58.80 52.50
Chlorides p.p.m. 70.92 70.92 28.57 56.75 58.29 59.59
Air Temperature
degree F. 76 86 58 75 71 74
Water Temperature
Surface degree F. 70 81 55 68 75 72
Turbidity - inches 55 42 40 59 57‘ 40
secchi disc
1___1_________________1___1___111_1________________1___1_1___1.1_._1__1111___________1
Fish Collections
A total of 885 fish was netted in 1964, 14.57 per cent by number of which
were game fish. Black crappie (PomOXis nigromaculatus) was the most numerous game
fish species netted, compiling 6.10 per cent by number of the catch.
A grand total of 6,450 fish were netted from Lake Palestine during the 1962,
1965 and 1964 segments. Of this total, 1,579 or 21.58 per cent were game fish.
Gizzard shad made up 21.04 per cent of the catch. Black bullhead catfish (Ictalurus
melas) made up 15.78 per cent by number. Spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) were
present in good numbers and made up 10.54 per cent of the catch. Smallmouth buffalo
and bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus) combined made up 8.59 per cent by number.
Table 6 is a graph comparing per cents of game fish populations in Lake Palestine
collected in 1962, 1965 and 1964.
having 1/8winch mesh. Seining was done where access to the shore was not obstructed
by timber. brush or aquatic vegetation. Fish collected were preserved in formalin
and counted by Species at the laboratory. Table 7 gives the species and numbers of
fish collected each segment.
141
Table 4
A Comparison of Netting Data from Lake Palestine
Species
Spotted gar *
Longnose gar 8
Bowfin *
Gizzard shad *
Grass pickerel 8
Smallmouth buffalo 8
Bigmouth buffalo 8
Blacktail redhorse 8
Spotted sucker *
River carpsucker
Chubsucker *
Carp *
Golden shiner
Channel catfish
Black bullhead 8
Yellow bullhead *
Flathead catfish
Spotted bass
Largemouth bass
Warmouth
Green sunfish
Redear sunfish
Redbreast sunfish
Bluegill sunfish
Spotted sunfish
Longear sunfish
White crappie
Black crappie
Flier
Freshwater drum
{"5-
Totals
Game fish
Rough fish
Per cent game fish
Per cent rough fish
1962
Number Weight
447 575.58
15 25.19
197 215.75
519 207.82
2 0.58
294 401.00
41 85.18
48 80.62
168 225.80
25 4.99
74 18.11
157 200.11
22 5.52
242 427.50
522 96.95
101 75.68
12 57.65
49 55.55
225 147.87
65 22.64
1 0.19
8 2.58
44 12.05
168 41.94
21 5.78
7 1.81
9 7.57
50 12.98
88 125.28
5,217 2,905.75
890 775.67
2,527 2,152.08
27.67 26.65
72.55 75.57
1965
Number Weight
182 250.00
1 1.50
64 119.25
595 146.54
1 0.25
160 555.75
50 105.18
168 202.57
118 42.57
50 112.52
18 2.87
62 180.76
464 146.95
127 68.81
7 29.75
5 5.44
45 57.52
14 4.57
5 2.45
4 1.51
74 19.57
4 0.87
5 5.15
159 59.68
2 0.19
12 26.94
560
1,988
15.55
84.67
2,548 1,860.50
525.02
1,557.48
17.56
82.64
1964
Number Weight
51 94.66
5 16.57
450 124.14
49 174.58
12 56.69
57 66.68
4 2.25
8 59.95
1 0.19
15 46.68
105 68.68
56 21.99
1 4.00
1 0.57
4 5.00
2 0.87
7 5.06
7 1.97
55 9.59
2 0.51
5 1.62
54 21.75
885 759.58
129 95.42
756 665.96
14.57 12.50
85.45 87.70
II.
III.
IV.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
Family:
1.
Family:
2.
5.
Family:
Family:
Family:
Family:
Dorosoma cepedianum m
_5_
Table 5
A Checklist of Lake Palestine Fish Species
PETROMYZONTIDAE w lampreys
m chestnut lamprey
“Wm—«ml
LEPISOSTEIDAE m gars
Lepisosteus oculatus _ spotted gar
L. osseus . longnose gar
.-....1...-... -_-._.. u'J-I-w;_
AMIIDAE - bowfin
Amia calva m bowfin
CLUPEIDAE - herrings
gizzard shad
ESOCIDAE m pickerels
Esox americanus m grass pickerel
CATOSTOMIDAE m suckers and buffalofishes
Ictiobus cyprinellus w bigmouth buffalo
I. bubalus w smallmouth buffalo
Carpiodes carpio m river carpsucker
Moxostoma poecilurum — blacktail redhorse
Minytrema melanops _ spotted sucker
Erimyzon sucetta ~ lake chubsucker
CYPRINIDAE ~ shiners and minnows
Cyprinus carpio ~ carp
Notemigonus crysoleucas 1 golden shiner
Notropis atherinoides _ emerald shiner
‘N. fumeus - ribbon shiner
N. texanus - weed shiner
N. potteri w chub shiner
N. Egnustus = spottail shiner
‘N. stramineus . sand shiner
N. yolucellus m mimic shiner
N. maculatus ~ taillight shiner
Pimephales vigilax m parrot minnow
AMEIURIDAE ~ freshwater catfishes
Ictalurus punctatus m channel catfish
1. males m black bullhead
I. natalisnw yellow bullhead
Pylodictis olivaris . flathead catfish
Schilbeodes gyrinus ~ tadpole madtom
IX.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
XIV.
Family:
29.
50.
Family:
51.
Family:
52.
Family:
55.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
40.
41.
45.
44.
45.
Family:
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
Family:
52.
~6—
Table 5 (Continued)
CYPRINODONTIDAE — killifishes and topminnows
Fundulus chrysotus — golden topminnow
F. notatus — blackstripe topminnow
POECILIIDAE — Mosquitofishes
Gambusia affinis — mosquitofish
ATHERINTDAE ~ silversides
Labidesthes sicculus — brook silversides
CENTRARCHIDAE ~ black basses and sunfishes
Micropterus punctulatus — spotted bass
.M' salmoides a largemouth bass
Chaenobryttus gulosus — warmouth
Lepomis cyanellus — green sunfish
L. punctatus — spotted sunfish
. microlophus — redear sunfish
. macrochirus ~ bluegill sunfish
auritus — redbreast sunfish
. megalotis — longear sunfish
Pomoxis annularis — white crappie
.3: nigromaculatus — black crappie
Centrarchus macropterus — flier
Elassoma zonatum — banded pigmy sunfish
Ielelelel
PERCIDAE m perches and darters
Hadropterus scierus ~ dusky darter
H. shumardi - river darter
Percina caprodes ~ logperch
Ammocrypta vivax - scaly sand darter
Etheostoma chlorosomum — bluntnose darter
E. gracile ~ slough darter
SCIAENIDAE — croakers, drums and weakfishes
Aplodinotus grunniens — freshwater drum
,Table 6
Comparison of Percentages of Game Fish Collected in
Lake Palestine during 1964, 1965 and 1964
1962
1,963 _..........___.____
19615 ...__ - ...._._ -...__.
_8_
Table 7
Tabulation of Seining Collections from Lake Palestine
Species
Spotted gar
Bowfin
Gizzard shad
Grass pickerel
Bigmouth buffalo
River carpsucker
Lake chubsucker
Carp
Golden shiner
Emerald shiner
Ribbon shiner
Redhorse shiner
Chub shiner
Spottail shiner
Sand shiner
Mimic shiner
Taillight shiner
Parrot minnow
Black bullhead
Yellow bullhead
Tadpole madtom
Golden topminnow
Blackstripe topminnow
Mosquitofish
Brook silversides
Spotted bass
Largemouth bass
Warmouth
Green sunfish
Spotted sunfish
Redear sunfish
Bluegill sunfish
Redbreast sunfish
White crappie
Black crappie
Flier
Banded pigmy sunfish
Dusky darter
River darter
Logperch
Scaly sand darter
Bluntnose darter
Slough darter
TOTALS
1
1,267
10
108
1
15
1
1
91
5
18
68
581
1,241
15
5
1
18
10
250
1,155
49
27
559
5
5
64
47
59
17
2
144
625
1962—65
nine
|_l
5,515
'1964—65