TPWD 1955 F-4-R-2 #138: Creel Census of Benbrook Reservoir

--- Page 1 --- STATE Texas PROJECT NO.F-4-R-2 Job B-10 PERIOD June 1, 1953-October 31, 1955 filg JOB COMPLETION REPORT BY LEONARD D. LAMB PROJECT LEADER TITLE Creel Census of Benbrook Reservoir. OBJECTIVES To estimate the total catch by species and to obtain data regarding the growth rate and relative abundance of each species in the catch. METHODS The data used in this report was obtained by inspection of the creels of fish- rmen using Benbrook Reservoir. Census stations were established on the three roads leading into the Reservoir area 3ad were manned by Game and Fish Commission personnel for a total of six days each month. These days were selected to include both week~end days and week days. A check was made to determine what the difference in lake use would be on week days and week end days. The results of this check showed that a greater number of people visited the lake on week ends but the percentage of fishermen remained almost constant. Since the lake is so near a large population center where there is a number of large plants that work night shifts allowing persons to be able to visit the lake at almost any hour, the choice of days had little effect on the results. The U. 5. Army Corps of Engineers maintained traffic counters on all access roads which gave accurate data as to the number of persons visiting the lake for any given period. Spot checks were run by both Game and Fish Commission and U. S. Army Engineer personnel to determine the average number of people per car for the traffic over the counters. The creel census stations were set up in such a manner that all persons going over the counters would be halted by road blocks. Those persons who were not fishing were recorded as such and those who had been fishing were required to submit their catch to examination. The fish were measured and recorded in inch length groups on forms devised for that purpose. The other pertinent data was obtained by questioning the fisherman and included; method of fishing, type of bait, number of hours fished and part of day when fishing was done. The data obtained from actual contaet with fishermen and count of his catch as expanded to provide the fishing pressure per acre and the total harvest. This expan- sion was made by finding the average number of fish caught per fisherman contacted and --- Page 2 --- ee multiplying the total number of fishermen to visit the lake, as shown by traffic counters, “y this figure. The same procedure was followed to determine the total hours of fishing 4S well as to determine the number of each species taken. Since the sampling was done during good days and bad and on week days as well as week ends, it is believed that the calculated totals are reasonably accurate. Calculated data was used in Tables 3 and 4, but the data used in all other tables is actual data obtained by a count of the fish taken by the fishermen. In calculatirgthese totals it was assumed that the average numbers of fish taken and hours fished by the fishermen contacted would hold true for those not contacted. Hach month the totals obtained by actual contact were expanded to cover the total number of of fishermen as represented by the traffic counters. The total number of cars passing the counters was divided by two to account for the fact that the car crossed the counter twice on each trip. Further adjustments were made to account for the percentage of the cars found to be pulling a boat trailer. The final result was then multiplied by the average number of persons per car, as determined by the spot checks to give the total num- ber of persons visiting the lake during that month. The road blocks provided the number of fishermen as well as the number of non-fishermen from which the percentage of fishermen among the total visitors could be determined. This percentage was then taken of the total visitors to give the calculated total fishermen for that month. By this method the calculated totals are: Total Fishermen 471,683 Total Hrs. Fished 1,855,351 Total Fish Caught 637, 34-4 Av. Fish per Man Hr. 343 TSTORY OF LAKE The Benbrook Dam is located on the Clear Fork of the Trinity River, 15 river miles above the stream's juncture with the West Fork of the Trinity and about 574 river miles above the mouth of the Trinity. The dam was constructed by the U. S. Corps of Engineers as a dual purpose impound= ment. Flood control and water conservation are the primary purposes, but recreation and municipal uses are given definite consideration. The dam was closed September 29, 1952 and the impoundment was begun. The lack of rainfall since that date has caused the water level to remain low. The lake was stocked by State and Federal Fish Hatcheries in May and June of 1953 and was closed to fishing in October of 1953. The lake was opened to fishing on June 1, 1954 at which time this creel census was begun. FINDINGS Table 1 shows the fishing success as represented by data collected by actual contact with the fishermen and it may be noted that the month of June 1954 was the best fishing month with January 1955 as the poorest. The fact that the month of June 1955 was the first month of fishing since the closing of the lake in October 1953 may be con-~ sidered responsible for the unusually high catch as well as the heavy fishing pressure. The high degree of success during this month is also marked since 64% of all fishermen were successful as compared to a high of 35% during the other months and a low of 7.06% 1 January 1955. --- Page 3 --- Table 2 presents the monthly variation in species taken by fishermen and here the intensity of the fishing pressure during June 1954 is apparent. The catch of this month made up about 45% of the total catch for the entire 17 months period while the bass catch for June 1954 composed 83% of the total bass catch. ‘The bass were able to dominate the catch in only two months of the entire period. They made up 77.97% of the catch in June 1954 and 59.38% in November. An examination of figure 1 will show that except for the months of June and November, 1954, the brunt of the fishing pressure was taken by the sunfish and bullheads with white crappie increasing in the last three months. The monthly variation in average weight for the fish taken from Lake Benbrook is presented in Table 3 and closely corresponds to the variations in standard length groups shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4. The larger fish of each species appear to have been rather heavily harvested during the first month the Lake was Open to fishing. Five months were required to raise the average weight of the bass caught above the .84 los. of the first month. Only four of the seventeen months offered an average weight for bass greater than that of the opening month. Sunfish exceeded the opening month average weight in only one month while the crappie averaged 1.69 lbs. in June 195% and had attained an average of .65 lbs. by October 1955. The crappie average in June 1954 was based on only six fish which is not large enough sample to give good results. The channel catfish did not appear in good numbers in the catch at any time and averaged ©53 lbs. in June 1954 and after disappearing from the catch until May 1955 attained an average weight of 1.53 lbs. and 1.28 lbs. in May and June 1955 respectively. The bull- heads however were unable to exceed the .48 lbs. average of June 195}. In Table 4 the monthly variations in fishing pressure per acre of water are hown. This is calculated from creel census data and is based on the results obtained by the use of information furnished by the automatic traffic counters. The average acreage represents the average for the month. The catch per acre in both numbers and pounds is very high but when the monthly variations are noted it becomes apparent that the majority of the harvest was completed during the first month the lake was open to fishing. This month provided 44% of the total number and 71% of the total pounds that were produced during the entire 17 months. The pounds of fish per man-hour of fishing is not good since the month of June 1954 produced the high mark with .38 lbs. and the entire 17 months only produced .2 lbs. per man-hour of fishing. The data in Table 5 is based on the actual data expanded by the information given by the U. S. Corps of Engineers traffic counters and presents the calculated total harvest in number, percent, and weight of each species in the catch. The bass catch provided 49.71% of the total number of fish caught and 80.14% of the total weight. Sunfish furnished 30.37% of the total number but afforded only 741% of the total weight. Table 6 shows the comparative success of the various fishing methods used on Benbrook Lake and is based on the data obtained from contact with the fishermen. Still- fishing accounted for 83.41% of the total fish caught and usually produced the greatest catch per man-hour fished. The comparative data on number of fish caught on various baits shows that in June 1954 more fish were caught on artificial lures than any other (42.28%) but in July 1954 combinations of live baits produced 61.32% of the total catch. ‘the catch for ae remaining fifteen months of the creel census was dominated by minnows and worms with worms accounting for the majority of the catch. (Table 7) --- Page 4 --- The stocking of Benbrook Lake by both State and Federal Hatcheries is presented in Table 8. The initial stocking was made in May and June of 1953 following the closure of the dam in September of 1952. The stream had been almost dry above the dam before closure and few fish were Present when the stocking was made. The only stocking in 1954 was made by the Eagle Mountain State Fish Hatchery and consisted of 109,000 bass from 6 inches to 9 inches in length. This stocking was made about November 27, 1954. The 1955 stocking was made by both State and Federal Hatcheries and included yellowbelly sunfish in addition to the species originally stocked with the exception of black crappie which have not appeared in the catch of experimental nets of the biologists. DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS The percentage of fishermen who caught at least one fish remained fairly constant except for June1954 when the high of 64.06% was reached and January and February when 7.06% and 14.82% respectively were the low percentages for the period. This lack of suc- cess is somewhat due to the fact that the closed season together with the volume of news- paper publicity given the lake during the period when it was closed to fishing caused many people to fish in this lake who were not experienced anglers and who for this reason were unable to catch any fish. The catch was dominated by largemouth bass during the month of June 1954 when 77.79% of the total catch was composed of this species, Table 2. November of that year was the only other month when bass predominated the catch. The predominance of bass in the catch for June was sufficient to give that species first place with 42.98% of the total catch while sunfish and bullheads make up 31.77% and 21.24% respectively. This domination by bass was due to the heavy stocking of that species in May and June 1953 then 370,325 bass fingerlings were stocked in the lake. The monthly variation in average weight for the various species taken from Benbrook Lake show that the largemouth bass averaged 4. lbs. during June 1954, Table 3. These fish were believed to be those stocked or spawned in the lake during the previous spring with the exception of a few fish taken that were obviously present in the stream before impoundment. These older fish were few since the low rainfall during the previous three years had allowed the stream to dry up into a few potholes that were so small and shallow that they supported only a limited population. The average weight of this species remained below that of the first month, with the exception of November 1954 and February 1955, until the following June when the average weight reached 85 pounds. August and September provided average weights 1.18 and 1.01 pounds respectively. The monthly average weights of sunfish and bullheads did not exceed the weight of June 1954 except for sunfish in December when an average weight of .19 lbs. was reached. The harvest of these species is far below the optimum and the lack of larger individuals in the catch indicates that the danger of overcrowding is present. The streams that form the watershed of this lake were well known for their production of large sunfish in the years past but the recent drought has eliminated the habitat that formerly existed. This has resulted in a population of small sunfish in the limited, shallow pools that are left in these streams, and with each rain that produces stream flow these small specimens are added to the population of the lake resulting in a still further reduction of the average size of the sunfish present. The data shown in Figure 2 indicates that the small sunfish bear the bulk of the ishing pressure for that species since 5u% of the total catch fell in the 3" and 4" standard length groups. The 5" length group provided 32% leaving only 14 4 to be made up of the sizes that are usually considered to be above average. . --- Page 5 --- Be The bullhead harvest (Fig. 3) is made up, largely, of the smaller fish since 68% of the total catch was in the 3" to 6" standard length group. Lake Benbrook suffered from drastic changes in water level, Table 4 , as the 912 acre average in June 195) had steadily decreased until only 501 acres remained in February 1955. Rainfall increased in 1955 however and the water rose rather steadily until the basin contained 1,275 acres in October 1955. This change in water level during the first nine months forced the fish to concentrate themselves and their feeding into smaller areas and increased the pressure on the food supply. This should have increased the take of fish per man-hour of fishing but such was not the case. The abnormally high yield in both number and pounds per acre during June 1954 had apparently reduced the population of bass until that species was not crowded to the point where their food supply became critical. The crowded conditions that prevailed during the winter and spring of 1953-54 had either prevented a spawn of bass or had resulted in the young being eaten soon after hatching since seining operations in all parts of the lake failed to produce young bass. This was in direct opposition to the condition in the spring of 1953 when minnow seine drags in any shallow area of the lake produced an abundance of small bass. The minnow seine did not produce an appreciable number of any forage species at this time to further indicate a crowded condition with regard to the carniverous species. The total production shown in Table 5 was calculated on the basis of data proe- vided by the automatic traffic counters regarding the total number of fishermen visiting the Lake each month. The average number of fish in each size group found in the creels of the fishermen was expanded by the calculated number of fishermen to give the totals ised in this table. The average lengths and weights along with the percentage of number and weight remain constant with the fisherman. These totals show that three species provided almost the entire production of the lake with largemouth bass carrying the major portion of the load. The 316,833 bass averaged 9.35 inches in standard length and 86 pounds in weight for the entire 17 months period and constituted 49.71% of the total number and 80.14% of the total weight. The 193,585 sunfish averaged 4.83 inches in standard length and .13 pounds in weight to make up 30.37% of the total number and 7.41% of the total weight. Bullheads numbered 111,126 and averaged 6.23 inches standard length and .29 pounds in weight for 17.43% of the total number and 9.47% of the total weight. The other three species in the catch were in such small numbers that they appear to be negligible. The black crappie did not appear in either the creel checks or the netting operations involved in the inventory job that was carried on at the same time as the creel census. This was not expected since 23,650 of this species were stocked in the lake in 1953. The analysis of the various fishing methods revealed that after September 1954 only stillfishing and casting were used to any extent and only stillfishing continued to be productive. (Table 6). The favored method of fishing during the month of June 1954 * was stillfishing but trolling produced the best catch per man-hour. Trolling however soon failed to produce and stillfishing became the accepted method with a few fishermen continuing to cast with comparative poor results. Artificial lures proved to be the most effective bait during June 1954 when approximately 78% of the total catch was largemouth bass but that condition lasted only during that month (Table 7). The percentage of fish caught on lures fell from 42.28% in June to 2.19% in July and never exceeded 14.05% thereafter. Combinations of live baits proved to be the most productive in July producing “1.32% of the total catch but the bulk of the catch after July was made by minnows and worms with worms accounting for the majority. This may be attributed to the fact that ex- cept for June and November 1954 the entire catch was predominately sunfish and bullheads. These species are readily taken on both worms and minnows with worms being most readily accepted and least expensive to use. --- Page 6 --- The initial stocking of Benbrook Lake was made with the assumption that reasonably aormal rainfall would occur. This was not the case, however, and the 940 surface acre area at the time of the initial stocking was reduced to 912 surface ares by June 1954 when the lake was opened to fishing and this creel census was begun. The initial stocking of 548,575 fish amounted to 583.6 fish per surface acre of which 393.9 were largemouth bass. This stocking was in addition to the fish already present in the lake, some of which had spawned during the spring and early summer. The usual stocking of bass in waters that do not contain fish is 150 per acre when stocked alone or 100 per acre in combination with other species. This apparent overstocking was further complicated by the lack of rainfall and the closing of the lake to fishing. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The results of this study have indicated a need for further study and it is recommended that a similar study be considered within the next four years to check On changes that may occur in the fishing success and pressure. 2. It is further recommended that the policy of closing lakes to fishing during the first year after closure be examined closely to determine if the lake benefits from such closure. ; 3. The need for an increased harvest of sunfish and bullheads is quite apparent and further study of this problem is suggested. h. The possible introduction of flathead catfish as a control on the small bullhead and sunfish population is offered as a possible aid in solving that and the ough fish problem. SUMMARY 1. Benbrook Lake is located on the Clear Fork of the Trinity River near Fort Worth, Texas. It is a flood control and water conservation impoundment constructed by the U. S. Corps of Engineers and completed September 29, 1952. 2. The lake was stocked with 548,575 fish in May and June, 1953 and closed to fishing October 1, of that year. 3. The fishing season was opened June 1, 1954 at which time the creel census was begun with census stations Operating on the three access roads. These stations were manned by Game and Fish personnel a total of six days each month with these days so dis- tributed as to include both week days and week-ends and good weather and bad to give an adequate sample of fishing conditions. 4, Road blocks were set up at these census stations which were so located as to stop all cars leaving the lake. These cars were required to pass over automatic traffic counters maintained by the U. S. Corps of Engineers and gave the total number of cars using the lake area. This data was used to expand the data that was obtained by the creel census stations during the six days per month they were in operation to give total productions. 5. The fishing during the month of June 1954 was largely for bass with still- ishing as the most popular method but trolling producing the greatest number of fish per man-hour and artificial lures accounting for the greatest number of fish. This con- dition changed rather rapidly and except fo November 1954, bass were exceeded in the catch by either sunfish or bullheads. The favored fishing method continued to be still-~ --- Page 7 --- Te “ishing with casting a poor second and minnows and worms becoming the most productive bait. 6. The average weights of the fish taken from Benbrook Lake indicated that after the first month the catch consisted largely of young of the year fish with an occasional catch of a fish that was present in the stream at the time of impoundment. The average weights during the succeeding months was generally below that of the opening month. 7. The loss of water due to lack of rainfall reduced the average acreage from 912 in June 1954 to’ 501 by February 1955. The increase in rainfall during 1955 increased the acreage to 1,275 acres by October 1955. The harvest of fish per acre and pounds per acre was very high for the first month but declined rather steadily until the lake started to increase in volume when the decrease in production became less pronounced. 8. The calculated total production indicates that bass, sunfish, and bullheads carry the load with white crappie beginning to show an increase during the latter months of the census period. Because of the heavy predominance of bass in the first month of the census that species accounts for 49.71% of the total number and 80.14% of the total weight, --- Page 8 --- 8. Table 1. Fishing Success as Represented by Data Collected From Benbrook Lake Creel Census, June 1, 1954 to October 31, 1955. Month Successful Unsuccessful Total Fish Unsuccessful Fish/Man Hr. Total Total Fish/Man Percent Fishermen Fishermen Caught Hours Fished Successful Fishermen Hours Hour of All Fishing Fished Fishermen Successful 1954 __ June 916 514 3636 1830 e715 1430 6912 2526 64.06 July 33 123 137 333 1.650 156 416 » 329 21.16 August 83 233 285 516 2925 316 82h 0 345 26.27 September 15 129 185 287 864 204 501 2369 36.77 October 37 102 139 181 o713 107 376 369 26.62 November 38 87 96 223 2565 125 393 »2by 30.40 December 11 Xe) 80 106 1.633 51 155 2516 21.57 1930 January 12 158 53 420 1,204 170 46k 2114 7.06 February 32 184 101 504 .971 216 608 166 14,82 March 109 202 364 545 £953 311 927 2392 35.05 April 167 667 529 1857 2459 834 2650 . 199 20.03 May 171 457 577 1398 ©1739 628 2179 2265 28.23 June 148 560 362 1949 620 708 2532 2143 20.91 July 94 20 194, 817 2570 334 1157 . 168 28.14 August 173 318 782 973 1.251 OL 1598 »489 35 «ah September 91 165 251 560 O84 256 927 s270 35.55 October 60 116 194 33f » 767 194, 590 0328 3h.10 g931 23,209 343 34.45 ON TOTAL 2,250 4,295 7,965 14,225 -865 --- Page 9 --- 9. Table 2. Monthly Variation in Species Taken from Benbrook Lake as Shown by Creel Census Data, June 1, 1954 to October 31, 1955. Species L. M. Bass Month No. I June=1954 duly August September October November December January-1955 February March April May June July August September October 42,98 2,531 Sunfish No i Bullheads No. % W. Crappie No. % C. Catfish No. I Carp No. h Totals --- Page 10 --- LO. Table 3. Monthly Variations in Average Weights of Species Taken from Benbrook Lake as Shown by Creel Census Data, June 1, 1954 to October 31, 1955. ene eerste geste Pensa ae Nn RAE Month German Carp Channel Bullhead Largemouth Catfish Catfish Black Bass Sunfish Crappie sistem germ 1954 | . . June «53 48 oh 18 1.69 July o13 272 215 #08 August 219 62 13 10 September «lS 20 269 16 October 17 a7a - LO November eat cpeme 215 Racaiber o4L afl o19 1955 January oS 68 . 10 ebruary 246 1.27 213 mike, March 2.01 ,22 «Te 215 | 2h April 1.25 oel »78 .12 42 May 2.41 1a53 222 .80 oS 035 June 1.28 mi 085 » LO 039 July 026 °15 212 August 1.08 238 222 1.18 ales 2 34 September 023 LOL oO) ob October 36 °36 TL pli 65 we 17 MONTH 1.63 90 229 86 «3 40 AVERAGE --- Page 11 --- cdicloy ‘able 4. Monthly Variations in Fishing Pressure on Lake Benbrook as Calculated from Creel Census Data, June 1, 1954 to October 31, 1955. ——eomeecmecoeneranncnaeneneneea nents cnn nt ene ecptonenpencneineegpennenttnses Month Average No. Fish Pounds of No. Fish Pounds Fish Acres Per Acre Fish Per Acre Een Man / Per Man Hr. ere sip ovr leg ttn nascent 1954 - June 912 377-3 272.7 526 38 July 853 58.3 12,2 «329 .O7 August 802 43.8 8.5 0 345 .07 September 732. 7 15.4 369 .12 October 685 24.5 B.5 369 3 November 665 17.0 12.4 » 2h 18 December 645 18.4 5.4 516 «a 1955 January 626 2.6 i.e 114 205 ‘bruary 501 16.4 6.6 . 166 «OT March 628 50.2 13.6 2392 211 April 628 24.8 6.9 2199 206 May 772 15.9 4.3 265 07 June 1,165 12.6 2.9 e131 203 July 1,265 6.5 1.8 » 168 005 August 1,254 14.2 2.9 2358 207 September 1,238 13.3 4.3 2270 209 October 1,275 6.1 2.6 2328 14 ee ee ee TOTAL 8h9.2 381.8 2379 .20 --- Page 12 --- fH ne) Table 5. Number, Weight and Percentage each Species Represents in Total Weight and Number as shown by Benbrook Lake Creel Census, June 1, 1954 to October 31, 1955. Species Total Number Average Average Total Weight Percent of Percent of Weight Length(std) Weight(lbs) (Lbs) Number European Carp 1,791 11.20 1.63 2,919 29 86 Channel Catfish 2, 2TT 10.06 90 2,493 236 74 Bullhead Catfish 111,126 6.23 029 32,226 17.43 9.47 Largemouth Bass 316,833 9.36 .86 272,476 49.71 80.14 Sunfish 193,585 4,83 £13 25,166 30.37 Tel White Crappie 11,732 7.02 40 4,692 1.84 1.38 TOTALS 637, 344 339,972 100.00 100.00 --- Page 13 --- 13% “able 6. Comparative Success of Various Fishing Methods Used on Lake Benbrook as Revealed by Creel Census Data, June 1, 1954 to October 31, 1955. Method Still Fishing Hours Fished Fish/Man Hr. % of Total Casting Hours Fished Fish/Man Hrs. % of Total Trolling Hours Fished Fish/Man Hr. % of Total Fly Fishing Hours Fished Fish/Man Hr. of Total Trotline Hours Fished Fish/Man Hr. % of Total 1954 J 1 2 37.01 2 4 . 6 6 4 1.409 17.27 h une 346 998 hg 19 27 512 02 28 46 5 . 800 211 O O ) July 131 323 2405 95.62 3 50 .060 2.18 O O O sO lil 265 606 437 92.98 3 106 028 1.05 2 2h 083 - 70 13 28 464 4.56 2 20 ad. «70 August Sept. 41 338 417 76,21 2h 81 296 12.97 13 18 722 7.02 oo9o Oct. 139 343 «405 100.0 O le O ONO oOO°0 ooo Nov. 8h 330 2254 87.50 2 2h 083 2.06 eoeze) OWO ooO°o 1955 Dec. Jan. Feb. March 19 53 99 127 OQ 536 .622 130 =. 185 98.75 100.0 98.01 1 ) 2 14 27 ay O72 @) O74 1.25 1.98 0 0 0 0 8 ) ) ©) O @) 0) O 0 0 @) @) O No Trotline Fishing 362 376 963 99.45 O WL 6) oO Mm © 0 O90 --- Page 14 --- able 6. (Continued) Method Still Fishing Hours Fished Fish/Man Hr. % of Total Casting Hours Fished Fish/Man Hr. % of Total Trolling Hours Fished Fish/Man Hr. % of Total Fly Fishing Hours Fished sh/Man Hr. y Of Total Troline Hours Fished Fish/Man Hr. % of Total 1955 April May ho7 509 1678 2070 .296 . 246 93.95 88.21 12 7 215 29 2056 2241 2.26 1,22 0 ) 8 @) @) ) fe) @) 0 @) 0 0) No Troline June July 14. 298 166 763 493 5360555 .604 .309 1.373 89.75 85.56 97.57 22 ah 16 46 62 56 e478 .387 =. 285 6.83 12.37 2.04 0 0 0 O 3 0 h 0 - 750 238 10 14 478 August September 222 903 88.4 29 lel 11.55 October 179 549 92.26 15 366 Tels Total 5333 13,170 83.48 379 1282 2295 5.93 630 LOS 1.272 9.86 34 66 «515 43 Le . 187 215 --- Page 15 --- 15. Table 7. Number and Percentage of Fish Caught on Various Bait, Benbrook Lake Creel Census, June 1, 1954 to October 31, 1955. Month June 1954 July August September October November Bait No. % No. % No. % No. I No. I No. % Ww Minnows Grasshoppers Worms Other Live Bait Doughbait Bloodbait Shrimp Cutbait Liver Lures Spinners Flies Lure & Live Comb. Live Combination Live & Dead Comb Lure, Live & Dead Dead Bait Comb. Unknown Wo oon i) \o RO ONO OV [ee) For7 NO OOOO MOOCOOMCOOCOCOCOA OWMDCDOWONDOOAOCSO OO0DOCCOOCOCOCOOCOOFOOCOo O 0 1) O O 0 6) 2 O O O 0 a 2 O O zs 3 O 0 h 4 O 7 2 O O O O O 100.00 285 99.99 139 --- Page 16 --- 16. Table 7. (Continued) Month December Jan. 1955 February March BAIT No. % No. % No. % No. % bY oo Minnows Grasshoppers Worms Other Live Bait Doughbait Bloodbait Shrimp Cutbait Liver Lures Spinners Flies Lure & Live Comb. 33.96 26 25.74 82 22.53 66.04 6 16.25 Mo 82.50 ws) 67.33 210 57.69 oe 6.04 ne) 1.125, 1.98 April No. 219 0 204 1 16 O 3h 15 3 16 Live Combination 4.95 Live & Dead Comb. Lure, Live & Dead Dead Bait Comb. Unknown ON a DPODVDDOCCOFOOCOOONOW Mm Po ODOONNDNDCOCDOONONO eo0oCcoooocoooCcCc0oCCoMNo SCOOOMOCCONDOOCCO0O0O TOTAL 80 100.00 53 100.00 101 100.00 364 100.00 COCO MOOW 929 h1.40 60 38.56 4b1 keene) 3.02 7 6.43 15 2.83 0 297 13 3.02 13 67 3.40 11 99.99 5TT 100.00 --- Page 17 --- fs Table 7. (Continued). September October No. j No. Minnows Grasshoppers Worms Other Live Bait Doughbait Bloodbait Shrimp Cutbait Liver Lures Spinners Flies Lure & Live Comb. Live Combination Live & Dead Comb. Lure, Live & Dead Dead Bait Comb. Unknown TOTAL 331 99.99 194 100.00 782 99.99 251 99.99 194 100.00 7,921 100.00 --- Page 18 --- 18, Table 8. Hatchery Stocking of Fish in Benbrook Reservoir, May 1, 1953~October 31, 1955. Species 1953 Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) 25,875 Largemouth Bass (Microterus salmoides) 370, 325 Warmouth Bass ( Chaenobryttus coronarius ) 40,075 Redear Sunfish (Lepomis microlophus ) 50,525 Bluegill Sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus ) 22,325 Longear Sunfish (Lepomis megalotis) 4,500 Yellowbelly Sunfish (Lepomis auritus) White Crappie (Pomoxis annularis) 11, 300 Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) 23,650 TOTALS 548,575 1954 1955 Totals 41,000 66,875 109 , 000 34,970 514,295 20,000 60,075 12,660 63,185 12,660 34,985 . 4,500 12, 660 12,660 11, 300 23,650 LOY , 000 133,950 791,525 --- Page 19 --- 19, Figure 1. 100 907 a ; ann TICLES ot We RRR) RRR 1 RR RE Ra aan a TRUNTIGWAWETEI 2 WO IXY KY es ener XM Wir Vy Ra aN) Ke b XX) i me RX) AO HT ean LY «LR So {) ix Percentage of Total Catch Represented by Each Species, Benbrook Lake Creel Census, June 1, 1954 = October 31, 1955. p \ Mi, al al aX 1 | . x) | XA ) i im bar KY al X (i Ay | x Ms an 4 Au J Ly ob A XX s) Rx . White Crappie Ware rne AN Al”: Spee x ,\ yy ji y 24 ak! cae t ~ ’ j? bay, Brim © self ky = ~ F rl As ' ; # ay | Oct Nov Dec Jan. Feb March Xv TT TTT “TTY - ror rr y TE NOR oo ON a , er, An | aK i | i i . GL fo. i Pei di | Res} Channel Catfish -) Ql Sina | 28 Ty itt Bullhead Catfish Sunfish Largemouth Bass European Carp --- Page 20 --- 20. Figure 2. Sunfish Harvest Shown as Standard Length Groups and the Percentage of the Total Catch Represented by Each Group, Benbrook Lake Creel Census, June 1, 1954--August 31, 1955. | "D4, Of ta 3" Sunfish J TSS Dec. Feb. March | i Sunfish ' ak ° Sunfish 5" Sunfish 4" Sunfish \ --- Page 21 --- ZL. Figure 3. Bullhead Catfish Harvest Shown as Standard Length Groups and the Percentage of the Total Catch Represented . by Each Group, Benbrook Lake Creel Census, June 1, 1954 - October 31, 1955. 100 WOE AORN) BSSSSSE RXR! RRR PEAW ORY SES MAAN RRR aE 9 KX ROK SOO A , 4 ) vie » yA 1.2 \ , , ’ oy ae , Oo , ¢3 4 ) 4 November September October WEST T-TESTS WAS VA . rent a KKK KX KX AY \A\\\Y N AK ‘ ORY, ON “Wiles aX eae ww \\\\ 10"=15" Bullheads Le as _| BAAN, Ne TR BAX ERK 8" - 9” Bullheads 7 " Bullheads 6" Bullheads September October Avg. --- Page 22 --- 22 0 Figure 4, Largemouth Bass Harvest Shown as Standard Length Groups and the Percentage of the Total Catch Represented by Each Group, Benbrook Lake Creel Census, June 1, 1954-August 31, 1955. XXX V,0% y r A\\R AN X\ RSS SASSSS yi sv, RK TKR : a yy DACRE ROW, AA 2 7 ee NW NN x/ yh x KY eT ° YAK YS PRES YOY | 27 | Lg NINN RAN " ORY NS . ROK | YOO aun eee Nee Hh ' 31 | \ January February September October November AN AANA ALAN RRS EELS SORES RXYKA7Y wT Pd BO . . OY OK" SS ROX ) 13"=17" Bass al ALLS . KAXAX ; XXX | a | , : , Z 11"=-12" Bass | ( 1p d ae LO" Bass / 1G - Lay ) Bass Bass Bass