TPWD 1958 F-5-R-5 #397: Inventory of Species Present in Hords Creek Reservoir near Coleman, Texas: Dingell-Johnson Project F-5-R-5, Job B-19

--- Page 1 --- Report of Fisheries Investigations woo bs Inventory of Species Present in Hords Creek Reservoir near Coleman, Texas by Lawrence Campbell Project Leader Dingell-Johnson Project F-5-R-5, Job B-19 April 16, 1956 - April 15, 1958 H. D. Dodgen - Executive Secretary Texas Game and Fish Commission Austin, Texas Marion Toole . William H. Brown and Kenneth Jurgens Coordinator Assistant Coordinators --- Page 3 --- JOB COMPLETION REPORT State of TEXAS Project No. F-5-R-5 Name: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region 3-B. Joo No. B-19 Title: Inventory of Species Present in Hords Creek Reservoir near Coleman, Texas. Period Covered: April 16, 1956 through April 15, 1958 ABSTRACT: Twenty-four netting and twenty seining collections from Hords Creek Reservoir indicate that the gizzard shad is the dominant species in the lake but are not, at this time, sufficiently abundant to require control measures. Channel catfish and largemouth bass are plentiful, while crappie and sunfish are over-abundant. Redear sunfish grow large enough to be desirable in this lake and have provided good fish- ing in the history of the lake. River carpsuckers are abundant but are not yet a serious problem. OBJECTIVES: To determine the species present and their relative abundance as well as to determine the ecological factors influencing their distribution. PROCEDURE: Netting collections were made at twelve locations in the lake. Each location was used for two net sets making a total of twenty-four collections obtained from the lake. Experimental nylon gill nets, measuring 125 feet long by 8 feet in depth and made up in five, 25 foot, sections were used. Mesh size of these nets increased progressively in each following section at one-half inch intervals, beginning with one-inch mesh and terminating with a three-inch mesh section. Seining collections were made at ten locations. Each location was seined twice during the two year period covered for a total of twenty seining collections. Common sense seines with one-fourth inch mesh were used for these collections. To estimate relative abundance a count was made of all individuals taken. Samples from netting collections were weighed and measured in the field. Stomach contents and sexual maturity were also observed in an effort to obtain eco- logical information. FINDINGS: Description-Hords Creek Reservoir is located on Hords Creek, about twenty-eight miles upstream from the confluence of Hords Creek and Jim Ned Creek. It is about six miles west of the City of Coleman, in Coleman County, Texas. This reservoir was --- Page 4 --- constructed by the U. S. Corp of Engineers for flood control in 1949-50. The dam is impacted earth construction and the emergency spillway elevation is 1940 feet above mean sea level. At that elevation the reservoir contains 66,018 acre feet of water and has 2,920 surface acres. There are about 48 square miles in the contributing drainage area. Water in the reservoir is clear having no record- able turbidity under normal conditions. Recorded pH was 8.3 and dissolved oxygen content was 11 ppm. Netting Collections-Twenty-four netting collections were obtained from the lake during the two year period covered by the investigation. The result of the first years netting, which consisted of six collections, is given in Table 1. Table 2 shows the results of the eighteen netting collections obtained during the second year. Table 3 is a composite of the two years results, i.e., showing the total results for all netting done on the lake. Table 4 is a comparison by number and weight between game and rough and/or fcrage species. It is apparent from the tables showing netting results that the gizzard shad is the most abundant fish in the lake and is probably the most important forage species. It is perhaps significant that the percent by number for this species was approximately the same (38%) in the samples for both years and that the average size decreased. It would be advantageous to the lake if this percentage of shad represent- ed a "balance of nature" and did not increase. Besides shad and small fish of other species, the other important forage fish taken by netting was the golden shiner. This fish was not netted during the first segment but, possibly as a result of its larger size, was caught in gill nets during the latter segment. These fish were most likely introduced by the hatchery at one time or another and have apparently grown very fast. River carpsuckers are the principal rough fish present in the lake but they have thus far not exhibited the malignant increase in numbers that they have in other reservoirs of this region. Other undesirable species found in the netting collections were carp, buffalo, drum and bullheads. These species are at the present time in a minority. The absence of a large percentage of bullheads in the netting collections can probably be attributed to the presence of yellow catfish in the lake as these fish seem to thrive on bullheads when they are available. Channel catfish and largemouth bass are the two most important game species in the lake at the present time while three or four years ago the sunfish and white crappie held this distinction. The reason for this change is apparently due to the fact that the bass and channel catfish have continued to grow and many individuals in these two species are of a desirable size while on the other hand the crappie and sunfish have over-populated themselves and are for the most part fairly small fish. It should be noted, however, that the redear sunfish are still of a very desirable size and that this species is responsible for raising the average size of sunfish netted to a little over six ounces. These fish have provided some excellent fishing during the history of the lake. Some good size crappie remain but the average size is not nearly as large as it was once reported to be, As was mentioned previously the lake has some yellow catfish in it which is apparent- ly a very healthy situation. --- Page 5 --- d Go Summing up the netting sample collected it appears that the game fish to rough fish ratio by number is relatively good while the ratio by weight is even better. Table 4 shows these percentages. Seining Collections-Besides many of the same species taken in netting there were several additional species collected by means of seining. Among these were several species of minnows including the redhorse shiner, plains minnow, and parrot minnow. The grey redhorse sucker was another species added to the checklist by seining. None of these species mentioned were particularly abundant. The seining indicated that the lake was well stocked with largemouth bass and that sunfish were too abundant. Three species of sunfish were seined. These were green sunfish, bluegills and redear. The redear sunfish appeared to be slightly dominant. A Checklist of Species Taken from Hords Creek Reservoir by Seining and Netting Common Name Scientific Name Gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum Smallmouth buffalo Ictiobus bubalus River carpsucker Carpiodes carpio Gray redhorse sucker Moxostoma congestum Carp Cyprinus carpio Golden shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas Redhorse shiner Notropis lutrensis Plains minnow Hybognathus placita Parrot minnow Pimephales vigilax Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus Yellow bullhead ictalurus natalis Yellow catfish Pylodictus olivaris Gambusia Gambusia affinis Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides Green sunfish Lepomis cyanellus Redear sunfish Lepomis microlophus Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus White crappie Pomoxis annularis Freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens RECOMMENDATIONS : Since Hords Creek Reservoir has a reputation for above-average fishing and since the sampling done on this lake indicates that the ratio of game fish to rough fish is not too bad, particularly in regards to the weight ratio of game to rough species, it is recommended that no remedial measures be taken on the lake at this time. It is recommended, however, that the lake be resurveyed periodically in order to detect any drastic changes in the status of the various species involved. ff Prepared by Lawrence Campbell Approved by epee Lote a et eet Project Leader Director Inland Fisheries Division Date: __ December 12, 1958 --- Page 6 --- Table l. Gizzard shad River carpsuckers Channel catfish Largemouth bass Sunfish White crappie Freshwater drum Totals Table 2. Species Gizzard shad River carpsucker Smallmouth buffalo Carp Golden shiners Yellow bullhead Channel catfish Yellow catfish Largemouth bass Sunfish White crappie Totals No. 129 48 2 8 8 1 62 3 38 19 21 339 Percent by No. ___223_ «1000 Percent by No. 38.05 14.16 59 2.36 2.36 629 18.29 .89 11.21 5.61 6.19 100.00 Avg. Wt. Percent ounces ____ by Wt. 5 19.2 17 10.6 18 5.0 34 36.4 6 4.3 7 23«L 10 Todt ~ 7 100.0 Avg. Wt. ounces 3 32 46 88 3 9 32 104 33 6 2 Percent by Wt. 5.76 22.87 Lea dt 10.48 . 36 14 32.29 4.65 18.67 1.85 1.56 100.00 Result of six netting collections taken from Hords Creek Reservoir during the 1956-57 segment. Average CK 1.89 2.45 2.2) 2.40 4.68 3 «LO 2.20 Result of eighteen netting collections taken from Hords Creek Reservoir during the 1957-58 segment. Average MVFNMNMNVNUNNNN FH Od \o --- Page 7 --- Table 3. Tesult of all twenty-four netting collections taken from Hords Creek Reservoir during the two year period from 1956 to 1958. i en cnn meen Species No. Percent Avg. Wt. Percent Average _ by No. ounces by Wt. K Gizzard shad 215 38.25 4 9.13 1.90 River carpsucker 62 11.03 29 19.84 2.53 Smallmouth buffalo 2 36 46 1.03 2.94 Carp 8 1.42 88 7.87 2.68 Golden shiners 8 1.42 3 .e7 2.12 Yellow bullhead i .18 9 . 10 2.39 Channel catfish 68 12.10 33 25.47 221 Yellow catfish 3 254 104 3.49 2.60 Largemouth bass 62 11.03 33 23.15 2.33 Sunfish 35 6.23 6 2.35 4.37 White crappie 95 16.90 6 6.97 3.05 Freshwater drum 3 54 10 . 33 2.20 Totals 562 100.00 100.00 __ Table 4. A comparison of game and rough species taken by netting from Hords Creek Reservoir during the two year period from 1956 to 1958. ee ne ene nee enema tate eee i Utility No. Percent Avg. Wt. Percent _ _ __ by No. ounces by Wt. Rough and Forage Species 299 53.20 11.54 38.58 Cincluding shad, suckers, buffalo, carp, shiners, bullheads and drum) Game Species 263 46.80 20.89 61.42 (including catfish, bass, sunfish, and crappie) Totals 562 100.00 100.00