TPWD 1973 F-5-R-20 #1520: Region 1-B Fisheries Studies: Fisheries Management Recommendations, Job No. 13

JOB PROGRESS REPORT As required by FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT TEXAS Federal Aid Project No. F-5—R—20 ' Region l-B Fisheries Studies Job No. 13 Fisheries Management Recommendations Project Leader: Billy J. Follis Clayton T. Garrison Executive Director Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, Texas Lonnie J. Peters Robert J. Kemp, Director Chief, Inland Fisheries Fish and Wildlife Division July 26, 1973 SUMMARY The major public waters of Region 1-3 were surveyed to determine and recommend management practices. Surveys included fish sampling with gill nets, seines and trawls; collection of physical, hydrological and ecolo— gical data; aquatic vegetation checks and water-analysis. Existing fisheries regulations and pr0posed changes were discussed at preliminary meetings. Public hearings were attended in all regulatory counties and the pr0posed changes were presented to the public. Changes in fishing regulations for this region included the removal of the 11-inch size limit on catfish, the reduction in daily bag limit of bass to 10 and possession limit to 20 and placing a minimum size limit of 10 inches on bass. Survey data indicated that a few of the lakes in Region l-B met the criteria for renovation; however, varidUs circumstances prevented remedial treatments during this segment. Aquatic vegetation was found to be troublesome at one reservoir but municipal usage of the water prevented any chemical control. Other con- trol measures were discussed with the controlling authorities. Many public lakes and streams of thfs region received supplementary hatchery stocking. These waters received 1,415,870 fry and 660,335 fingerling fish of 8 species from State hatcheries. JOB PROGRESS REPORT State of Texas Name: Region l-B Fisheries Studies Project No.: F—5—R-2O Title: Fisheries Management Job No.: 13 Recommendations Period Covered: March 1, 1972 to February 28, 1973 P.S. Objectives: To determine the need for, in Region l—B waters: 1. changes in fish harvest regulations 2. population control 3. stocking 4. vegetation control 5. updating public access bulletin. Segment Objectives: One through five above. Procedures: Current fisheries survey data, existing fisheries regulations, and applicable developments in fisheries management elsewhere provided the basis for proposed fish harvest regulations. Proposed regulations were discussed with concerned Department personnel at preliminary meetings in the Edwards Plateau and Permian Basin Regulatory Districts. The resulting prOposals were presented to the public at public hearings in each of the counties under regulatory responsibility. Procedures for Objectives 2, 3 and 4 will be combined for expediency. The findings and discussions will be reported separately for each concerned body of water for the same reasons. Fish pOpulations were sampled with standard gill nets, seines, and trawls when possible. The standard gill net used is 150 feet long and 8 feet deep with mesh size varying from 1 to 3% square inches. Additional large mesh gill nets were used to more adequately sample fishes of larger sizes and will be shown on each netting table concerned. The number of nets set was determined by the size of the impoundment, water conditions, and time of year. The size of seines and trawls used is given with each survey results table. A trawling sample unit was a 10-minute drag at approximately 5 miles per hour. -2- All fish collected in gill nets were counted and weighed. A sample of fish, usually up to 15 of each game species was measured and examined for sexual development and stomach content. Total numbers, total weights, percentage composition, average weights and condition factors (”K”) were tabulated. Fish taken in seines and trawl were counted and length ranges were recorded. Several specimens of each species were preserved in formalin solution and returned to the laboratory where identifications were confirmed. Vegetation observations were made during each survey and records were made as to the kind and abundance. This information will be discussed only when significant. Air and water temperatures, hydrological data, turbidity, weather conditions, and other physical data were recorded in each survey. Water analysis, including dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, alkalinity, total hardness, chlorides, and pH, was also conducted. This information will be discussed in this report only when pertinent. Data for each body of water were examined to determine which waters would be considered for chemical control measures. The criteria for con- sidering chemical management efforts were populations of undesirable spe- cies in excess of 80 per cent by weight and/or number, lake capacities, water usage, and the ”cost-benefit ratio” of a treatment. Many of the public waters surveyed during the segment were recom- mended for supplementary hatchery stocking of fingerling game fish for one or more of the following reasons: (1) the degree and survival of game fish reproduction, (2) reservoir capacities, (3) food abundance, (4) fishing pressure and (5) past production redords. Significant improvements and developments of access and/or facili— ties were investigated and data recorded at E. V. Spence Reservoir (Coke County) and Valley Creek Lake (Runnels County). These data will be furnished to the Information and Education Division of our Department for updating of the Statewide Public Access Bulletin. Findings and Discussion: The major public waters of Region l-B were surveyed during this segment (Table 1). Complete surveys were not necessary on some waters because of extremely low water levels. A comparison of the average coefficient of condition ("K" factor) for all game species collected with gill nets at all waters surveyed is given in Table 2. Table 3 presents the 1972 supplementary hatchery stocking for Region l-B public waters. Objective No. 1 Changes in the fishing regulations for Region l-B included the re- moval of the 11-inch size limit on channel, blue and flathead catfish. Table 1 Waters Surveyed During This Segment Name County Number of Visits Champion Creek Reservoir Mitchell 1 Colorado City Reservoir Mitchell 1 E. V. Spence Reservoir Coke l J. B. Thomas Reservoir Borden & Scurry 2 Moss Creek Reservoir Howard 1 Mountain Creek Lake Coke 1 Nasworthy Reservoir Tom Green 1 Oak Creek Lake Coke 1 San Angelo Reservoir Tom Green I 1 Twin Buttes Reservoir Tom Green 1 Valley Creek Lake Runnels l Winters Lake, New Runnels l Hmvwm N ooawmnmmws om ><mummm :W: wmononm om mmao muoowmm mmmnwmm .n 1.. n a h n .1 ,r .n .1 s a e .h .1 t s s F. .1 .6 .1 S t a S .1. n f P i a c s a f u n h P f c s b n s u t a t .d a .n u 1. s. u r a 1. a .D .d t s .1 r o c e c e e e u .1 a r m v. n .h e n. o n as e a e e e e n t t .1 m e e as e as t 1. u a a .1 a a m 1.... m a M .1 a Smnmum M mnu H mm S W G B L R L W W ormbHos Gamma wmmmudoHn H.un H.mo . N.ou w.oo N.uN N.mb oowoummo ownw wmmmndown H.m© N.om w.Hu w.wu w.mu w.um N.bm N.©H m. 4. mumsnm wmmmudowu H.9m v.00 N.Hm w.ww m.wu w.mu w.Ho b.Hb b.Hm N.©H N.om h. w. aroamm wmmmudows H.um N.bu N.mo w.mH b.mm m.mw N.uo ZOmm nummw Wmmmu<own N.OH N.bo. 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Hmuwm m mwmowmm menrmmm omnmwmr N.uoo H.ooo woo “.moo mm zrwnm onmmmwm Hmuooo Hm.ooo mu.ooo No.moo Wmmmmu mcsmwmr o.ooo mm.ooo mmnwvom wmmm ms.mom ZMHHmwm uo.ooo wom.ooo H.wmo.oooa -6- The daily bag and possession limit on largemouth, smallmouth and spotted black bass was reduced to 10 and zqrrespectively. Also, a minimum size limit of 10 inches was placed on these species of bass. The remaining fishing regulations remained unchanged. Objectives 2 through 5 Champion Creek Reservoir Champion Creek Reservoir serves as an auxiliary water supply for the Texas Electric Service Company generating plant located on the nearby Colorado City Lake. Water withdrawals and below-average rainfall have prevented Champion Creek from approaching its conservation size of 1,560 acres. It covered only about 500 acres throughout this segment. White bass dominated this year's netting collection, accounting for one-third of all fish netted and 37 per cent of the total weight (Table 4). Channel and flathead catfish were also important game species found. The once dominant centrarchid population has been drastically reduced, presumably by water level fluctuations. Gizzard shad and river carp- sucker were the most numerous rough fish found. Seining collections were hampered by clear water and brushy shorelines. Fishing pressure as well as harvest has declined as the water level remains low. Colorado City Reservoir This 1,655-acre impoundment on Morgan Creek, 6 miles southwest of Colorado City, is owned and operated by Texas Electric Service Company and is used for generator cooling. The water level is maintained usually within 10 feet of conservation level. A large portion of the west side of the lake is now a State park with plans for major recreational improve- ment S . Survey results (Table 5) show a continuing high level of game fish present. Flathead catfish comprised 34.66 per cent weight of the netting sample. Channel catfish, white bass and white crappie are also present in good numbers and are very popular in the creel. Forage species, including gizzard shad, red shiner and blacktail shiner, were taken in good numbers by shoreline seining. Natural repro- duction of game fish was sufficient and no supplementary stocking was needed. E. V. Spence Reservoir This municipal water supply reservoir began impoundment in 1969 and is slightly over one-third of its 15,000—acre capacity. However, the water level is expected to fluctuate as the Colorado River Municipal Water District makes withdrawals for city use. Construction of recreation facilities by the District is progressing satisfactorily. -7- Table 4 Survey results Champion Creek Reservoir, October 26, 1972. Results of six standard gill nets and two large-mesh nets. ___m________________m____________Hn__1________i_____________________________ Per Cent Total Wt. Avg.Wt. Per Cent Average Species Number by No. Pounds Pounds by Wt. ”K” Gizzard shad 65 34.94 26.00 .40 12.71 Carp 5 2.69 18.00 3.60 8.80 Golden shiner 7 3.76 1.43 .20 .70 River carpsucker 20 10.76 27.00 1.35 13.20 Channel catfish* 8 4.30 10.63 1.33 5.19 1.74 Flathead catfish* 5 2.68 43.06 8.61 21.06 1.80 White bass* 62 33.34 75.66 1.22 36.99 2.93 Bluegi11* 4 2.15 .51 .13 .24 3.90 Largemouth bass* 1 .54 .93 .93 .46 2.72 White crappie* 9 4.83 1.32 .15 .65 2.54 _____m_______________.________________________________________________,_____ Total 186 100.00 204.54 100.00 Game Fish* 89 47.84 132.11 64.58 Rough Fish* 97 52.16 72.43 35.42 M Seining results Champion Creek Reservoir (Bag 26' x 6' x %* inch-mesh seine). m Species Size Range In Inches W Gizzard shad 2 Blacktail shiner 75 Redear sunfish 1 Largemouth bass 3 12 1-3% 5 6 Total 81 M -8— Table 5 Survey results Colorado City Reservoir, June 8, 9, 1972. Results of twelve standard gill nets and six large-mesh nets. _______________________—__—__—_—_-——-—————~-————-—-—--— Per Cent Total Wt. Avg.Wt. Per Cent Average Species Number by No. Pounds Pounds by Wt. ”K” Gizzard shad 178 33.96 21.82 .12 4.51 Carp 11 2.10 40.20 3.65 8.32 Blacktail shiner 1 .19 .04 .04 .01 River carpsucker 116 22.14 141.00 1.22 29.18 Black bullhead 2 .38 .48 .24 .09 Channel catfish* ‘55 10.50 24.89 .45 5.16 1.69 Flathead catfish* 20 3.82 167.51 8.38 34.66 2.05 White bass* 51 9.73 63.70 1.25 13.18 3.17 Warmouthw 1 .19 .16 .16 .03 3.37 Bluegillw 21 4.01 1.57 .07 .33 3.87 Redear sunfish* .4 .76 .35 .09 .07 3.76 Largemouth bass* 6 1.15 5.01 .83 1.04 2.48 White crappie* 58 11.07 16.51 .28 3.42 2.91 ____H_______________________________________________m_________________________ Total 524 100.00 483.24 100.00 Game Fish* 216 41.22 279.70 57.88 Rough Fish 308 58.78 203.54 42.12 ____________—_—____________.————_-—_—————-_-—-— Seining results Colorado City Reservoir (Bag 26' x 6' x %“ mesh seine and 20' x 6' x 1/8” mesh seine). ________________—__________—____—____—__—_——_———-——————-— Species Number Size Range In Inches Gizzard shad 512 %-7 Golden shiner 20 2-3 Red shiner 201 %-2% Blacktail shiner 154 1-3 Fathead minnow 50 1-2 Bullhead minnow 5 1-2% Mosquitofish 134 %-3 Green sunfish 4 1-3% Orangespotted sunfish 6 1-2 Bluegill 33 %-4 Longear sunfish 4 2—3 Redear sunfish 12 2-3 Largemouth bass 8 3 Logperch 8 2-3 Total 1,151