(1954–1955) Job Completion Report: Inventory of Species Present in the Sabine River, Texas

--- Page 1 --- wis ee Pe EE STATE TEXAS PROJECT NO. F-3-R-2; Job B-8 PERIOD July 1, 1954 to May 31, 1955 JOB COMPLETION REPORT by Robert J. Kemp, dr. TITTLE Inventory of species present in those portions of the Sabine River which lie within and along the borders of Van Zandt, Wood, Upshur, Harrison, Panola, and Shelby counties, Texas. OBJECTIVES To determine the disiribution of species present, their relative abundance, and the ecological factors influencing their distribution. METHODS AND PROCEDURES Water Analysis: The pH, Chlorides, Dissolved Oxygen, Dissolved Carbon Dioxide, Turbidity, and Total Alkalinities were run at various stations. Ecolog- ileal data were also collected in conjunction with the basic survey. Seining: The most frequently used method of collecting fish was by seining. Collections were made with a 30 x 6 foot ba; seineof t inch mesh. ‘The fish were preserved in 10% formalin and later counted, identified and recorded in the lab- oratory. There were 45 seining stations on the river proper and three on creeks on the watershed. In the upper portion of the river, collections were made at all bridge crossings. Further down it was found that crossings were too far apart, so collections were made by boat at approximate 5 mile intervals in Harrison, Panola, and Shelby counties. Hoop Netting: Hoop nets were used for colle ‘ting lerger specimens when the river was on @ rise, with fish moving up stream. The nets were 8 to 14 feet long, 3s to 5 feet in diameter, and 1 to 3 inches mesh. All fish were weighed and counted at the river. Game species were brought back to the lab for stomachs and length-weight studies. Gill Netting: Gill Nets were used in 10 lakes on tre watershed, one over- flow lake, and on one occasion in the river when the water was verv low. The nets were 125 feet long wd $ °cev in aepth, with mesh from 1 to 3 inches. All fishwere reighed and couited. wame ijisn were brought back to the lab for stomach and length-weight studies. Rotenone Coliections: Rotenone was used on two occesions for collecting the fish when the river was in holes during the summer months. A few species cu.lect- ed in this manner were not taken by other collection means. RESULTS Water Analysis: The results of water analysis are shown by station on --- Page 2 --- 2s Table #1. Van Zandt and Wood counties, where the river bottom has been invaded by black silt, showed a high turbidity, high alkalinity (Ca Coz), and high pH. Chlor- ides in this area were low. The lower portion, from Upshur through Shelby counties through the sandy, Pine Forest Belt, showed a low pH, low turbidity, and low al- kalinity. Chlorides in this area, due to many local oil wells, were relatively high. Water surface temperatures in the river as a whole ran from Lk” F. to 96° F., arrange of 52 F. FISH COLLECTION RESULTS A total of 120,660 specimens made up by 77 different species were collected in the Sabine River and its watershed from Van Zandt through Shelby counties. Table #2 shcews the distribution and abundance of each species by station, and the total number of each species collected. A key to collection stations follows Table #2. Map #1 shows the location of each of the 59 collection stations. The 240 seining collections took 114,184 fish. Notropis lutrensis was by far the most abundant single species, making up 57% of the seining collection. Notrop- is sabinae, Notropis buchanani. and Pimphales vigilax each made up slightly more than 10% of the total. All other species each made up less than 2% of the sein- ing collections, es The 206 hoop net sets caught 385 fish. The total catch was small, but this was the only method available for catching larger specimens when the river was running. There were 308 gill net sets takire a total of 5,820 fish. The great major- ity of these sets were in ciub and private lakes on the watershed. The species taken here were added to the checklist, but numbers were not compared for relative abundance. The value of these collections wa3 the distribution records of the species collected. The ’akes varied in size from 10 to 4,000 acres. The two largest lakes were Cherokee (4,000 acres) and Gladewater (900 acres). Reports on individual lakes were made for lake owners, but will not be included here. All the lakes had an abundance of Spotted sucker and/or shubsucker, black and/or yellow buliheads, and bluegill. Some had large populations of shad. Only one, Gladewater, had a large crappie population. Two Rotenone collections accounted for 241 specimens. The Eel, blue cat, and two apecice of darters were not collected by other methods. Both collections showed high buffalo and carp populations, th few bass and crappie. The alkaline turbid waters of Van Zandt and Wood counties contained Etheostoma whipplei, Percina carpodes, Lepomis humilis, Elassoma zonatum, Ictalurus furcatus, Schilbeodes mollis, Schilbeodes noctrunus, Anguilla rostrata, and Notropis umbra- tilis, which were not found further down stream. The clear, acid waters of Upshur, Harrison, Panola, and Shelby counties contained Lepisosteus platostomus, Hybopsis aestivalis, Notropis amabilis, Notropis maculatus, Etheos toma asprigenis, Amocrypta clara, and Amocrypta vivax, which were not found up streem. Notropis sabinae and Pomoxis nigromaculatus were rarely taken in the turbid alkaline waters. COEFFICIENT OF CONDITION DATA All game fish taken in hoop and gil. nets in river proper were worked for coefficient of condition. Table #3 lists lengths, weights, and coefficient of con- dition of the game species. The game fish were in very good condition, probably due to the large numbers of forage fish present. --- Page 3 --- STOMACH ANALYSIS A total of 62 game fish stomachs were analized for seven species. All stomachs which were not empty contained one or more forage fish. It is inter- esting to note that minnows were the only identifiable item found in any of the stomachs. Table #4 shows average results of stomach analysis. OBSERVATIONS The Sabine River has a tremendous forage fish populetion, mostl, min- nows, and a lack of predators to feed on them. Both spotted and largemouth bass are scattered up and down the river, but are few in number. Both species of crappie are in excellent condition and are probably the most numerous game species in the Sabine River. Catfish are almost nonexistent in the river as of the time of this writ- ing. Very few of any species were collected in the river itself Commercial fishermen have caught very few over the past several months. Most people living on the river claim that \llegal fishermen using electricel devices cleaned all the catfish out when the water was low in the summer of 1954. Buffalo, drum, and carpsucker are probably the most abundant of the large species in the river at the present time. They are most frequently taken by commercial fishermen. SUMMARY 1) 77 species of fish were collected by all methods during this inventory. 2) Watershed lakes have common problem of suckers and bullheads. 3) There were 114,184 specimens taken by seining, with Notropis lutrensis the most abundant species. 4) Certain species were found restricted to the turbid, alkaline waters up stream, while others were restricted to clear, acic waters further down. 5) Minnows and other forage species are very abundant, but few predators present to feed on them. 6) Bass and crappie wide spread but few in numbers. 7) Cetfish of all species very scarce. 8) Buffalo, drum, and carpsucker probably the dominant species in the river. --- Page 4 --- Oy On Oy oA ON Cy On On NO oD oo) os oO = ONNMH ODDAtNdFtOMA Lt TS Ot eORes Res ees ie. +S 9 Z T og of 0 € € zg At AAO into 4 ame," ao oe ch VOB TING ort ohe . * o PLAIN IN t O ENO INO moooo°oeoceo = o =t a . ° e LN LN EA LN EN © ON UN OO LN st NO peaTosstq 2°9 9°38 2°6 ng 1S°8 4° S 2*L 9°8 9°6 |e°TT g@°6 | g‘OoT €°Ot 9°6 6°9 o°9 9°g | S°OT 2°9 0°g o°er 9°TT 2°6 ‘OT Z‘Or . qa WtoOONMMnoro AM AO MABD DO WwW Q peATOsstq O fe) OS SL OTT OTT OOT id il a 06 Oo€ OOT LS2 GL Set S2T SLT 002 og2 022 Ge? 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BR FW 15. 1€. 17. 18. 19. 20. el. 2. an. KEY TO SABINE RIVER COLLECTION STATIONS IN TABLE #2 Sabine River at State Hwy. +7, 9 mi. NE Wills Point, Van Zandt County Sabine R‘ver at state Hwy. 19, 8 mi. NE Edgewood, Van Zandt County Sabine River at County Rd. --, 5 mi. NNW Grand Saline, Van Zandt County Sabine River at State Hwy. 17, 4 mi. W Golden, Wood County Sabine River at U.S. Hwy. 80, 4 mi. W Mineola, Wood County Kim-Juan Club Lake, 3 mi. NW Mineola, Wood County Rockfall Club Lake, 5 mi. NE Mineola, Wood County Woodvale Club Lake, 5 mi. E Mineola, Wood County Sabine River at Hwy. 69, 35 mi. S Mineola, Wood County Sabine River at State Hwy. 14, 2 mi. S Hawkins. Wood County Sabine River 6 mi. NE Lindale, Smith County Sabine River at State Hwy. 155, 2 mi. SW Big Sandy, Upshur County Lake Fork Creek at Hwy. 182, 5 mi. E Alba, Wood County Lake Fork Creek at Hwy. 80, 8 mi. W Hawkins, Wood County Little Sandy Creek at Hwy. 80, 24 mi. W Hawkins, Wood County Gladewater City Lake 3 mi. NW Gladewater, Upshur County Sabine River 1 mi. S Longview, Harrison County Sabine River 3 mi. SE Longview, Harrison County Sabine River 7 mi. S Hallsville, Harrison County Sabine River 10 mi. SE Hallsville, Harrison County Overton City Lake 1 mi. W Overton, Rusk County Cherokee Lake 6 mi. NW Tatum, Rusk County Long-Glade Lake 11 mi. NW Tatum, Rusk County Nix Club Lake 10 mi. SW Tatum, Rusk County Sabine River 12 mi. 5 Marshall, Harrison County Sabine River 13 mi. S Marshall, Harrison County Sabine River Hwy. 43, 5 mi. NE Tatum, Panola County Sabine River 7 mi. NE Tatum, Panola County Sabine River 9 mi. NE Tatum, Panola County Sabine River 8 mi. ENE Beckville, Panola County - Sabine River 8 mi. NE Beckville, Panola County Sabine River 7 mi. ENE Beckville, Panola County Sabine River 8 mi. N Carthage, Panola County Sabine River 6 mi. NX Carthage, Panola County Sabine River 6 mi. NE Carthage, Panola County Sabine River 7 mi. NE Carthage, Panola County Sabine River 8 mi. NE Carthage, Panloa County Sabine River 7 mi. ENE Carthage, Panola County 3-H Club Lake, 3 mi. W Carthage, Panola County Dixie Club Lake, 3 mi. SW Carthage, Panola County Sabine River 8 mi. E Carthage, Panola County . . Sabine River 83 mi. ESE Carthage, Panola County Sabine River 9 mi. SE Carthage, Panola County Sabine River 13 mi. Se Carthage, Panola County Fish Lake Slough, Sabine River, Panola County Sabine River 7 mi. NW Joacuin, Panola County Sabine River 44 mi. NW Joaquin, Panola County Sabine River 3 mi. NNW Joaquin, Panola County Sabine River 2 mi. N Joaquin, Panola County Sabine River 5 mi. ESE Joaquin, Shelby County Sabine River 8 mi. SE Joaquin, Shelby County Sabine River 11 mi. SE Joaquin, Shelby County Sabine River 13 mi. SE Joaquin, Shelby County Sabine River 14 mi. E Shelbyville, Shelby County Sabine River 16 mi. E Shelbyville, Shelby County Sabine River 9 mi. NE Goober Hill, Shelby County Sabine River / mi. ENE Goober Hili, Shelby County Sabine River 7 mi. ESE Goober Hill, Shelby County Sabine River 7 mi. SE Goober Hill, Shelby County --- Page 11 --- se si ow = ‘al Ye “ ao % \ ‘ Fa * a “ a oo \ v ~ wi * 7 Pa = : \ Pa \ ria Qo” . . - | ° ak es ‘. ° \ re af J " ste oa A ‘ . 2 a Ne ge Cd hy, \ coy Z ¢ = op . « er \, Q ane oe \ : ‘ one awd at coal Map" I. \\ Sabine River Collecting Stations oa 7 - eta ae “ Cal - en