TPWD 1970 F-3-R-17 #1321: Region III—B Fisheries Studies: Fishery Management Recommendations, Segment Completion Report, February 1, 1969 — January 31, 1970

Marion Toole D—J Coordinator SEGMENT COMPLETION REPORT As required by FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT TEXAS Federal Aid Project No. F—3—l7 Region III—B Fisheries Studies Job No. 15 Fishery Management Recommendations_ Project Leader: Joe E. Toole J. R. Singleton Executive Director Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, Texas Eugene A. Walker Director, Wildlife Services March 1?, 1970 J m ABSTRACT A preliminary meeting of Department field biologists, game management officers, and supervisory personnel was held in Palestine on April 24, 1969, to discuss proposed regu— lation changes for the Northeast Texas, Southeast Texas and Trinity—Brazos Regulatory Areas. Public hearings were held in all regulatory counties within Region III—B in June 1969 for the presentation of preposed proclamations. Fisheries regulation changes.were proposed for Toledo Bend Reservoir and Lake Palestine. These changes were passed into law by the Parks and Wildlife Commission. Quarterly field collections were conducted on the seven major reservoirs in regu— latory areas of Region III—B. These reservoirs include Sam Rayburn, Dam "B", Murvaul, Striker, Palestine, Caddo and Livingston. Toledo Bend will be surveyed during the coming segment and Lake Livingston will become the reSponsibility of Region IV fisheries personnel. A recommendation will be made at the preliminary meeting this year to prohibit the taking of flathead and blue catfish in nets in Sam Rayburn. Other fishery recommendations include the stocking of threadfin shad in Lake Striker and the removal of carp from this lake. A continuation of the channel catfish stocking program at Lake Murvaul is recom— mended as well as a limited water drawdown if submerged vegetation becomes a renewed problem. Additional stocking of bass and channel catfish is recommended for Lake Palestine upon completion of the third stage construction now in progress. A fall draw— down was recommended for Dam ”B” in 1969 and proved effective in controlling aquatic vegetation. An annual drawdown program is recommended for this lake. The continued spot— treatment of water hyacinths with 2,4—D amine is recommended on Caddo Lake to control this noxious Species. It is recommended that this job be continued to provide current fish population data, vegetation control needs and stocking needs in these major reservoirs. State of SEGMENT COMPLETION REPORT Project No. Job No. Texas Name: Region III—B Fishery Studies F—3-l7 Title: Fishery Management Recommendations 15 Period Covered: February 1, 1969 — January 31, 1970 PS OBJECTIVES: To determine, in Region III—B waters, the need for: Fish m-DLDNH fish . Changes in fish harvest regulations, p0pulation control, Stocking of game fish species, . Noxious vegetation control, and . Emergency measures needed to correct unpredictable events adversely affecting pOpulations. SEGMENT OBJECTIVES: Same as PS Objectives. PROCEDURES: 1. A. B. 2 A. 30 A. Field data from quarterly surveys in Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Dam ”B” Reservoir, Lake Murvaul, Lake Striker, Lake Palestine, Caddo Lake, and Lake Livingston were analyzed to formulate advantageous fishery regulations. Proposed fishery regulations will be presented at public hearings in regulatory authority counties within Region III—B. Quarterly surveys were made on each of the above listed reservoirs this segment. Experimental gill nets and bag seines were utilized for making fish collections. Rotenone sampling supplemented seining activities in some collections to better determine spawning success of game fish species. Experimental gill-netsyused in these collections are 150 feet in length and 8 feet in depth, with square mesh ranging from 1 to 3—1/2 inches. Mesh size increased in 1/2 inch increments with every 25 feet. One 16—foot nylon bag seine with 1/4 inch mesh and a 32—foot bag seine with 3/8 inch mesh was used in seining collections. Each of the candidate waters in this study contain established game fish populations with the exception of newly impounded Lake Livingston. Criteria for making stocking recommendations consist primarily of food availability and degree of reproduction. Where field sampling indicates little or no successful reproduction, the normal stocking recommendation rate will be 100 bass fry or 50 bass fingerlings and 25 channel catfish per acre. Of course, in large reservoirs such as Sam Rayburn, this rate cannot feasibly be maintained. ” 4. A. In conjunction with fisheries surveys, visual observations of aquatic vegetation were made and recorded to determine those areas infested with noxious plants detrimental to fisherman access and useage. B. Control recommendations for such areas of noxious vegetation were made if feasible. 5. A. Whenever conditions or events that would threaten fish life come to the attention of project personnel, circumstances will be investigated and reported along with recommendations for remedial action. FINDINGS: A preliminary meeting was held in Palestine on April 24, between Parks and Wildlife field biologists, game management officers, and supervisory personnel for the discussion of proposed regulation changes. Inland Fisheries Region III—B includes counties in three regulatory areas: the Northeast Texas Area, the Southeast Texas Area, and the Trinity-Brazos Area. Fisheries regulation changes for 1969 included the removal of size limits on largemeouth bass and channel catfish, flathead and blue catfish in Toledo Bend Reservoir and the removal of nets in Lake Palestine. Public hearings were attended in each regulatory county on June 5—6. Additional hearings were held later in June in newly added regulatory counties concerning Toledo Bend and Lake Palestine. The following resumes and data tables are submitted for seven major reservoirs included in this study. Table l is a checklist of all fish species collected during 1969. TABLE I — A checklist of fish species collected from all waters in 1969. NOTE: Abbreviations are as follows: SR — SantRayburn Reservoir, B — Dam ”B” Reservoir, M — Lake Murvaul, S - Lake Striker, P - Lake Palestine, C — Caddo Lake, and L — Lake Livingston. SCIENTIFIC NAME ._ C. OMMON Nat Irvin“... Lepisosteus spatula Alligator Gar SRHBWL L. oculatus Spotted Gar All L. osseus _ . Longnose Gar SR—B—C—L Amia calva Bowfin All TABLE I (continued): SCIENTIFIC NAME Alosa chrysochloris Dorosoma petenense D. cepedianum Esox americanus E. niger Ictiobus cyprinellus- I. bubalus Carpiodee carpio Minytrema melanops ‘rimyzon sucetta Cyprinus carpio NotemiEOnus crysoleucas Notropis fumeus N. chalybaeus N. venustus N. lutrensis N. stramineus Pimephales vigilax *Ictalurus punctatus *I. furcatus *1. males *I. natalis COMMON NAME Skipjack herring Threadfin shad . Gizzard shad gGrass pickerel Chain pickerel Bigmouth caitalo Smallmouth buffalo River carpsucker Spotted sucker Lake .fhubsucker 'Golden shiner Ribbon shiner -Ironcolor shiner lBlacktail shiner Red shiner Sand Shiner —Bullhead minnow 'Channel catfish Blue catfish Black bullhead Yellow bullhead LOCATIONM C TinRnI. All MmL C PmC BvaL SRHBH Squ-C SRwHHPwC SRWBHSMPwCML MwBMCmL SRHS SR SRwaS li~nl. KRwiwaui. SRuMwS~L All SRwaL 3R.fiwfi-G~L SRvaBuCMLHP TABLE I (continued): SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME LOCATION *Pylodictis olivaris :Flathead catfish M—B—S—ch Schilbeodes gyrinus I Tadpole madtom- SR—M—S Fundulus chrysotus_ Golden topminnow S—M-L F. notatusl Blackstripe topminnow SR—S—L Gambusia affinis Mosquitofish SR—S—L Labidesthes sicculus” Brook silversides SR-S—L Aphredoderus sayanus Pirate perch SR *Roccus chrysops White bass B—S-C-L *R. mississippiensis Yellow bass . C—L *Micropterus punctulatus 'Spotted bass I SR—B *M. salmoides Largemouth bass All *Chaenobryttus gulosus Warmouth All II‘Lepomis punctatus Spotted sunfish SR4M *L. microlthus Redear sunfish SR—M—B—S—P—C *L. macrochirus Bluegill sunfish All *L. humilis Orangespotted sunfish All *L. auritus Redbreast sunfish SR—M *L. megalotis Longear sunfish SRéM—S-L *Pomoxis annularis_ White crappie All I“HE“. nigromaculatus Black crappie All Hadropterus scierus Dusky darter SR TABLE I (continued): SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME LOCATION Etheostoma chlorosomum Bluntnose darter SR Percina caprodes Logperch SReM-L Ammocrypta vivaz Scaly sand darter S Aplodinotus grunniens Freshwater drum SR—B-C—L *DESIGNATES GAME FISH SPECIES ~-—fl——fl———_H-—_--———hflfi-—_—fl_———w__—-m—n_—n——_——_——__————--__—-—h————__——_———-_-—*——-"—“—_. TABLE II - Table 11 contains netting collection totals for each water. These data are consolidations of individual field collections conducted this segment. CONSOLIDATED NETTING DATA RATIOS FOR 1969 NUMBER PER CENT BY TOTAL PER SENT BY SELLEEIEP. .lliflfifliirlm HEIGHT (lbs ) WWWEEEEAAL-- ROUGH FISH 696 64.21 1,109.51 ' 84.09 GAME FISH _ 388‘ 35.79 209.94 15.91 TOTAL 1,084 100.00 1,319.45 100.00 II—B Dam ”B” Reservoir ROUGH FISH 409 63.02 703.80 81.48 GAME FISH 349_ '36.98 159.94 18.52 TOTAL 649 100.00 863.74 100.00 Il-C Lake Murvaul ROUGH FISH 679 58.18 687.13 54.35 “AME FISH m 488 _41.82 57?.23 _45.65 TOTAL 1,167 100 00 1,264.36 100.00 TABLE II (continued) NUMBER PER CENT BY TOTAL PER CENT BY COLLECTED NUMBER WEIGHT (lbs.) WEIGHT ROUGH FISH 136 35.70 169.89 52.96 GAME FISH 342- ..§ia§g 152:91_ 47.04 TOTAL 381 100.00 320.80 100.00 II—E Lake Palestine ROUGH FISH 367 61.38 376.25 68.23 GAME FISH .231 38.62 175.16 31.77 TOTAL 598 100.00 551.41 100.00 II-F ICaddo Lake ROUGH FISH ' 499 74.04 659.77 84.05 GAME FISH 115 e_2§;2§ 125:29. 15.95 TOTAL 674 100.00 784.97 100.00 II-G Lake Livingston ROUGH FISH 944 68.80 878.38 80.08 GAME FISH 428 31.20 218.49 19.92 TOTAL 1,372 100.00 1,096.87 100.00 II-H Region Totals ROUGH FISH 3,693 63.71 4,534.73 74.95 GAME FISH _2LIQ£= 36.29 1,515.88 25.05 TOTAL 5,797 100.00 6,050.61 100.00 II—D Lake Striker _—H-"—_——fl—_——u——_——-_-H—___—“-—-u—_—_u---_——_—-——--—_-———__—_---_—_-”—-d_———w Individual percentages by weight and number for each species, K—factor data for game fish species and seining—rotenone collection data were also compiled but are not listed in table form. Significant aspects of these field data are included in the resumes for given waters. Sam Rayburn Reservoir: Sam Rayburn Reservoir has now achieved full recognition as one of the finest bass fishing lakes in the nation. Largemouth bass collections this segment were higher than those of 1968, but still not indicative of the reservoir's bass population according to fishing success. Largemouth bass fry and fingerlings collected by seine and spot rotenone samples indicated continued successful bass reproduction in the lake. It is anticipated that nearby Toledo Bend Reservoir will reduce somewhat the fishing pressure on Sam-Rayburn bass during the next few years. The effects of professional fishermen and bass clubs on new reservoirs are not fully known but could be significant on Sam Rayburn. Rayburn has excellent potential for producing a new State record largemouth bass in the near future. In 1967, a fishery recommendation was presented at public hearings to exclude the taking of channel, flathead and blue catfish in nets on Sam Rayburn. This recommendation was not passed into law. Netting data from the 2—year basic survey conducted in 1965—66 (Job B—22) included only 28 channel catfish, 8 blue catfish and 14 flathead catfish. It was on the basis of these low catfish collections that the recommendation to exclude cat~ fish from nets was made. Netting collections of this study in 1968-69, made with com— parable equipment and collection effort, contained 25 channel catfish, 1 blue catfish, and no flathead catfish. These data comparisons suggest that while the channel catfish population in Sam Rayburn has remained relatively stable, the flathead and blue catfish have declined. It is concluded that commercial netting has been primarily responsible. Recommendations will again be made to prohibit the netting of these catfish species in ‘he reservoir. Four—inch nets are very effective in taking adult flathead and blue cat- rish. These species are in need of protection in Sam Rayburn because of their effective predation on large forage fish and also, they should be utilized by sport fishermen. Overall game fish percentages for Sam Rayburn remained stable in comparison to the 1968 data. Aquatic vegetation is not a serious problem in the reservoir. However, a few scattered individual water hyacinths have been observed and removed from the lake. This plant may require control in the future. Lake Murvaul: This 3,800—acre reservoir in Female County continues to produce a phenominal number of lunker largemouth bass. Experimental gill nets used for field sampling normally col- lect limited numbers of this species. However, in two collections from Lake Murvaul this year, 99 bass were netted with a total weight of 279.75 pounds. This is an average weight of 2.83 pounds. These bass collections far exceed any others from Region III—B reservoirs. As contained in the previous segment completion report, a program of raising and stocking channel catfish in Murvaul was initiated in 1967 by the Panola County Freshwater District, owners of the lake. This program is continuing with possible success, as 8 channel catfish were collected this segment. It is recommended that this stocking program be continued. Submerged vegetation did not become a serious problem in Murvaul this year due to increased turbidity and higher water levels in the spring. A variety of submerged aquatics did reach noxious levels in the lake in 1968. ‘h...r’