TPWD 1960 F-4-R-7 #616: Resurvey and Appraisal of Several Public Waters in Region 4-B

Report of Fisheries Investigations Resurvey and Appraisal of Several Public waters in‘ngion.h-B by LSQnard D. Lamb Project Leader Dingell—Johnson Project F-h—R—7, Job 3-261 'Novembsr l, 1959 - Octdber 31, 1960 H. D. Dodgen - Executive Secretary Texas Game and Fish Commission Austin, Tsxas Marion Tools Ksnnsth C. Jurgens and William E. Brown Cecrdinator Assistanfi Coordinators A B S T R A C T Seven lakes in Region h-B were resurveyed. These include Lakes Bcnbrook, Eagle Mountain, Fincastle, Fort Parker, waco, Whitney, and worth. The results of the resurvey work on Fort Parker was included in the completion report for Project F-lfi-D—h, Jdb 16a2h. The results of resurvey‘work on Fincastle Lake and Lake Whitney have been included in completion reports for Project F-h-R-T, Jdbs E—h and E-7. An abstract and discussion of each lake, including population changes, is made separately. Segment Completion Report State of TEXAS Project No. F—h-R-T Name: ”Fisheries Investi ations and Surve s of the waters of Region E-B. Job No. I _ B-26 Title: Resurve and A' raisal of Several Public waters in Region E-B. Period covered: ' ' November 12 1959 - October 312 1960 OBJECTIVES To determine the present status of waters and fish populations which have been previously surveyed in Project F-h-R. PROCEDURE Certain previously surveyed waters in Region h-B were revisited and seine or net checks made. The data collected was examined and compared to that collected during the previous survey to determine any changes that might have occurred. Netting or seining was done at the site of previously established stations if water conditions permitted. Net colleCtions were made with nylon gill nets 100 feet by 8 feet with l%-inch mesh. water analysis was not attempted because of the diffi- culty encountered in keeping fresh reagents. Changes in ecological conditions were noted as were changes in populations. The waters that were revisited during this segment were Lakes Benbrook, Eagle Mountain, Fincastle, Fort Parker, waco, Whitney, and WOrth. The results of the resurvey of Fort Parker Lake has been included in completion report for Project F-l5-D-h, Job l6a2h.i The results of resurveys on Fincastle Lake and Lake Whitney have been included in completion reports for Project F—h-R-T, Jabs E-h and E-7. ' Seining was made difficult by rises in water level that made the previously cleared seining beaches unfit for use.. Prepared by Leonard D. Lamb Approved by 2 32W l/M'é Project Leader Dire tor Inland Fisheries Division Date February 102 1261 -2- Lake Benbrook ABSTRACT The population of_Benbrook Lake showed a definite game fish dominance in the 1953- l95h netting with.89 percent game fish. Largemouth bass,_Micropterus salmoides, com- posed 8h.77 percent of this total. Rough fish became dominant in 195u-1955 when bass ”dropped to 15.9 percent. The rough fish dominance continued in 1955-1956 when spotted suckers, Minytrema melanops, provided 51.h8 percent of the catch and white crappie, :_Pomoxis annularis, composed 21.39 percent. Game fish were 29.50 percent of the total “ catch. The 1958-59 not catch showed a marked change when game fish provided 63 percent of the catch. Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, accounted for 30.hh percent. The 1959-1960 netting showed a return to rough fish dominance with rough fish comprising.69.l3 percent. Gizzard shad, Dorosoma ce edianum,-made up 62.67 percent of the catch and white crappie, the most numerous game species, provided 11.73 percent. DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS Lake Benbrook is.a flood control and water conservation impoundment on the Clear Fork of the Trinity River near Fort Worth, Texas. The dam was constructed by the U.S. Corps of Engineers and was closed September 29, 1952, but lack of rainfall delayed filling until 1957. Changes in population trends have been marked (Table 1). The l953-l95h net catches were 89.07 percent game fish, with largemouth'bass making up 8h.77 percent 0’ that total. The l95h-1955 net catch contained only 15.9 percent bass, while gizzard shad proved to be the most numerous species with 22.22 percent. Spotted suckers com- prised lh.78 percent to be the third species in abundance.“ The 1955—1956 netting was dominated by the spotted suckers, with 51.h8 percent, while game fish made up 29.5 percent of which 21.39 percent was white crappie. Gizzard shad provided 11.75 percent. There was no netting on this lake in 1957, but the l958~l959 netting showed a marked change. Game fish then made up 63 percent of the total with channel catfish providing 30.hh percent. Spotted suckers, gizzard shed, and largemouth bass followed with 18.u7, 17.39, and 16.30 percent respectively. The 1959-1960 netting showed still further rough fish dominance but spotted suckers did not appear in the catch (Table 2). Gizzard shad made up 62.67 percent of the 69.13 percent contributed by rough fish. White crappie, largemouth bass, and bluegill sunfish,_Lepomis macrochirus, provided 11.73, 8.38, and 7.65 percent re— spectively. Carp, Cyprinus carpio, and river carpsuckers, Carpiodes carpio, appeared in thegcateh with carp providing 5.27 percent of the catch. This increase in the relative abundance of rough fish is not unexpected since this lake is now eight years old and appears to be following the usual pattern of reservoirs in this area. assoc H. accesses beam essence scccwacc Hmmm-eomm. memowem mememna mfimm$ mdedcm mooWoe* oomoomw omdwwmo meOW ooHHWmmmx bmsmmeoodo ommm WHQomMHH moowwmo soweo oemumwm HOdem _ ..HO0.00 *Hooeomdmm Hocmo wwmo memoeom Poo weed cm and H00 ammo 0% sad seamen eon- H.woum.:o .H.mmIH.m4 H.molm.wo .m.mo-m.mo m.oo:m.40 m.w01r.wo m.m01w.oo m.40 assoc m. wcsseoow scam scaaosm accuses. Hmmcapwmo. assume mangoes” zeemoa financed rdeemmm . Heomdo moeowmm mwmnmem momm* meson omHemSmweH* omee* oommomw nmawemo meoW ooHHocmo* Hmwmeaossw ommw wHommeH moowwmo sowam sweeten Hoempm :Hm Hoo.oo *Hooeomsmm Hocmo memo memowom Aecc.v NHm.©m ow mm.m4 om.mo ::.:o HO0.00 assume one red m4.m4 woooom was .Hoo acme 0% H00 meme 0% one Hr.ww H.cm-m.co m.0mum.eo m.oo-m.mo H.moup.wo m.mouw.wo P.wm-w.mo w.00tm.oo m.molw.mo Hm: bcmeeme rem m.mm m.uo H.mw Pam m.wo s.oo m.mm ,5— Eagle Mountain Lake ABSTRACT The dominance of game fish in the 1955-1956 net collections was not continued in subsequent nettings. Rough fish provided 78.57 and 57.25 percent of the 1958—1959 and 1959—1960 net collections, respectively. Gars, Lepisosteus sps., and gizzard shad are the most numerous rough fish while white bass, Roccus chrysops, and white crappie provided the highest percentages of the game species. Gar make up the majority of the weight of the catch and it is believed that much benefit could be obtained from a satisfactory means of gar control. DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS Eagle Mountain Lake is located on the west Fork of the Trinity River between Lake Worth and Lake Bridgeport. The dam was completed in 1932 as a water supply for the City of Fort Worth, Texas. A fishery survey made in 1955~l956 showed a game fish dominance in the net catches. Game species made up 67.67 percent of the catch with white bass providing h8.99 per— cent. In 1958-1959, a recheck was made and the results of netting indicated that the rough fish were predominant as they made up 78.57 percent of the total with gars and gizzard shad accounting for h1.h3 and 25.72 percent respectively. White bass had been the dominant species during the previous netting but provided only h.29 percent of the 1958-1959 catch (Table 3). Rough fish continued to dominate the not catch in 1959-1960 but to a smaller degree. Gizzard shad comprised over half of the total rough fish percentage with 33.59 percent. Rough fish comprised a total of 57.25 percent of the not catch. White bass again were the most numerous game fish in the catch with 25.19 percent. White crappie were in fourth position with 11.46 percent just behind longnose gar, Lepisosteus osseus, with 17.56 percent (Table h). The gars continue to be prominent in the fish population of this lake. They pro- vided an even greater percentage of the total poundage than they do of the numbers. A satisfactory means of control for these species should be of great benefit to this and many other lakes. Hedwe w. mempe.zosndmwu HEWm neeawnm HmmstmH meminmw. assume new ;_wosnmm wee H00 Heme om gwoo meme 0. . new new momowmm wooedmo mmH* HemmUOme mmu¢ guesses meme» m.mw msmHHsoeaw.GmwamHoi w.mm waded omewmsQWmH* H.m4 nemesap omames H.mm szee dmmm m.Hm . hmwmesosdw_dmmm m.rm sz¢e nemvwwe m.4H BOdem _ &O HO0.00 *Hnmwoedem scams awe: mweowem amem r. memwm zosoaews HeWe omedwdm emmswemc memnmeo. memowem bdewwme meoweem mews In: Hoomoomm mew* In: mwnnmem momma . . _. H.ro:m.:o H.0w mBmHHsosew demeHo . . m.40:r.mo w.mo wadee omeomnowme*., , H.m4:m.mo m.rH QSmSSeH omemwmw - H.wo:H.mm. H.mr afiwde deem . _ . H.mm:m.mo H.m© Heemesosdw_emmm . "mqo mqo Evade osmowwm . . . H.mo:w.wo m.rm aoamwm Hwy . accroo www.ee mm.mo *Homwomdem Honmw mHmU memowmm --8-- Lake WOrth Lake Worth was impounded in 1912 and was the first of a chain of three water sup- ply lakes for Fort Werth, Texas. It is located on the West Fork of the Trinity River above the confluence with the Clear Fork. Early gill net collections showed a game fish dominance when 57.02 percent of the catch were game species. White crappie provided H3.80 percent. 'This predominance of game fish continued in 1958-1959 when'game species made up 75.61 percent of which blue- gill sunfish and largemouth bass provided 36.59 and 12.20 percent respectively. The 1959-1960 nettingeshowed still further overbalance in favor of game species when net catches showed 86.07 percent with white crappie and white bass making up h8.36 and 22.13 percent respectively. ' DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS Lake Worth was constructed in 1912 to provide a water supply for the City of Fort Worth, Texas. It is the first of a chain of three lakes on the West Fork of the Trinity and is located about six miles above the confluence with the Clear Fork. Gill net collections made during 1955—1956 showed game species to dominate the catch with white-crappie providing h3.80 percent of the 57.02 percent total. Gizzard shad were the most numerous rough fish present with 23.h7 percent. The 1958-59 net collections were also dominated by game fish as-bluegill sunfish and largemouth bass provided 36.59 and 12.20 percent respectively of the 75.61 percent that were game fish species (Table 5). The 1959-1960 netting was overbalanced still further in favor of the game fish species. They provided 86.07 percent of the total catch. White crappie made up h8.36 percent followed by white bass with 22.13 percent. Gizzard shad were the most numerous rough species with 5.7% percent of the total (Table 6). Lake WOrth is located within the Fort Werth City limits and is almost completely surrounded by homes. The residents of these homes fish almost constantly with trotn lines and set lines, along with artificial lures or minnows when weather conditions are favorable. Many large flathead catfish, Eylodictus olivaris, are taken from this lake by trotline fishermen.- '