TPWD 1960 F-6-R-7 #620: Resurvey of Waters of Region 8-B: Job Completion Report, Dingell-Johnson Project F-6-R-7, Job B-11

--- Page 1 --- Report of Fisheries Investigations Resurvey of Waters of Region 8-B by Charles T. Menn Assistant Project Leader Dingell-Johnson Project F-6-R-7, Job B-11 July 1, 1959 - December 31, 1959 H. D. Dodgen - Executive Secretary Texas Game and Fish Commission Austin, Texas Marion Toole Kenneth C. Jurgens & William H. Brown Coordinator Assistant Coordinators --- Page 2 --- ABSTRACT Four lakes including Casa Blanca Lake, Fort Brown Lake, Campacuas Lake and Llano Grande Lake were re- surveyed in an effort to discover any changes in the fish populations. In Casa Blanca Lake, near Laredo, Webb County, threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense), gizzard shad (D. cepedianum), black bass (Micropterus salmoides), and white crappie (Pomoxis annularis) showed relative in- creases in numbers while river carpsucker (Carpiodes carpio) and freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) showed relative decreases. These changes are mostly an improvement over past years and are probably due to the additional water volume of the lake. It was found that carp (Cyprinus carpio), gizzard shad and Rio Grande cichlids (Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum) have become established in Fort Brown Lake, by entering through the untended pump screens. Although submerged vegetation in this lake has not reached a critical stage, its control is worthy of some consideration. Netting and seining samples on Llano Grande and Campacuas Lake revealed that rough fish remain dominant despite the rotenone treatment in May 1959. During the first part of this segment, 7,075 fingerling black bass were stocked in Campacuas Lake. --- Page 3 --- Job Completion Report State of TEXAS Project No. F-6-R-7 Name: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region 8-8. Job No. B-11 Title: Resurvey of the Waters of Region 8-B. Period Covered: duly 1, 1959 ~ December 31, 1959 OBJECTIVES To determine the present status of waters and fish populations which have been previously surveyed in Project F-6-R. PROCEDURE Experimental gill nets were used in all cases to gather information concerning the relative abundance and weights of fish species. Seining collections were made only on Llano Grande and Campacuas Lake in addition to the netting collections. Netted specimens were weighed (in grams) and measured (in millimeters) in the field. Sex, state of sexual development, and the occurrence of parasites of the indi- vidual specimens were also noted and recorded in the field. Seined specimens were preserved in 10 percent formalin and taken to the regional fisheries laboratory for identification. FINDINGS Casa Blanca Lake A total of 16 experimental gill nets was set in Casa Blanca Lake during this resurvey period. Eight collections were made in October and eight were made in December 1959. The 16 nets took 492 fish of 11 species which weighed 213,796 grams. On the basis of these netting results compared with those of the previous resurvey (F-6-R-5, Job B-1l), threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense), gizzard shad (D. cepedianum), black bass (Micropterus salmoides), and white crappie (Pomoxis annularis) showed relative increases in numbers, while river carpsuckers (Carpiodes carpio) and fresh- water drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) showed relative decreases. Table 1 shows the numbers of fish collected in the 16 nets at the eight stations on the lake. According to this table, rough fish comprised 50.41 percent by number and 59.74 percent by weight as compared to the netting results of 1958 when these species comprised 70.32 percent by number and 90.96 percent by weight of the total net catch. Threadfin shad appear to be well established in this lake, comprising 9.95 percent of the netted specimens, whereas none was netted in the previous resurvey. No seining collections were made during this segment. --- Page 4 --- Table 2 shows the weights (in grams) of fish collected and Table 3 shows the lengths, weights, and "K" factors of the fish. No significant changes in the condition of the fish, as expressed by the "K" factors, were found. No chemical analyses of water were made during this resurvey period. However, Secchi disk readings, taken at each netting station, were found to range from ll=- to 28-inches. This is somewhat less than the 54-inch maximum reading found in the previous resurvey. Fort Brown Lake During this resurvey period, two experimental gill nets were set in Fort Brown Lake, at Brownsville. A total of 70 fish of seven species was collected. Four species were classified as game fish and three species were classified as rough fish. Black bass and channel catfish (Ictalurus unctatus) were the only species stocked in the lake following B Gsori treatment in 19: 1950. However, this resurvey revealed that gizzard shad, carp (Cyprinus carpio), Rio Grande cichlids (Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum), bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), warmouth bass (C haenobryttus aes suieeue, blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) and white crappie are now present in the lake. Since this lake is dependent on the Rio Grande for its water, all incoming water has to be "screened" to prevent the entry of fish. At the time of the renovation, the City of Brownsville agreed to install and maintain inlet sereens. Project personnel have seen the screens filled with debris which stopped them up. Consequent water flow over the screens and "blow out" holes in them have allowed rough fish from the river to become established in the lake. Attempts were made in Job S-1, (F-6-R-7) to net carp from the lake but mostly Rio Grande cichlids were removed. Attempts to get large flathead (Pylodictus olivaris) and blue catfish from the stilling basin below Anzalduas Reservoir were cancelled when the International Boundary and Water Commission decided against draining the basin. Catfish, if stocked, should make an effective natural control on the cichlids and sunfish. The rough fish comprised about 43 percent by number and about 70 percent by weight of the netted specimens taken in this resurvey. Table 4 shows the numbers of fish caught during this study at the two net stations. Also, the percentage of each species is given in this table. Table 5 shows the weights of the species collected by station and Table 6 shows the average, minimum and maximum lengths, weights, and "K" factors. On the basis of these netting collections, carp ranked first by weight and second by number. Despite the established populations of rough fish, black bass and channel catfish and blue catfish appear to be in good condition and anglers are able to catch nice strings of bass and catfish. The noxious vegetation in the lake, primarily Najas sp., Chara sp. and Ceratophylium sp., will, in time, create a definite fisheries problem. Since this is a very shallow ox~bow iake, annual plant control will probably be necessary to lessen the problem. As yet, no summer kill of fish due to decaying vegetation has been observed or reported. --- Page 5 --- Llano Grande and Campacuas Lakes Pive seining collections and eight gill net collections were made on Llano Grande and Campacuas Lakes during this segment. Three gill nets in Campacuas Lake took a total of 23 fish of 5 species weighing 10,456 grams. Rough species, gizzard shad and carp, were found to comprise 56.52 percent by number and 86.10 percent by weight of the fish netted despite the rotenone treatment in May 1959 (Project F-1i-D-3, Job 16a-18). Gizzard shad appeared to be the most abundant species in the lake, comprising 52.17 percent by number (Table 7). Three species of game fish (channel catfish, war- mouth bass, and white crappie) comprised 43.48 percent by number and 13.90 percent by weight. One white crappie, taken during this resurvey, was undoubtedly missed by the rotenone treatment in May 1959 since none was restocked in the lake. Eight channel catfish, which were stocked in June 1959, were recaptured during this resurvey. The catfish ranged from 7- to 8-inches in length; thus showing a physical growth of over 6 inches in the initial six month period. All of the catfish were lively and thus returned to the lake after length and weight measurements were recorded, On July 8, 1959, 7,075 fingerling largemouth bass from 2 to 3 inches in length were stocked in Campacuas Lake. Two seining collections were made in "Green's Ditch" during this resurvey. It was found that tetra (Astyanax fasciatus), gizzard shad, carp and Rio Grande cichlids were present in this drainage canal although it was treated with rotenone in conjunc- tion with Campacuas Lake. Five netting collections in Llano Grande Lake took 88 fish of eight species. It was found that rough species remain dominant in this lake as well as "Paradise Creek" which flows into this lake on the west end. According to the net collections, as shown in Table 9, rough fish (alligator gar (Lepisosteus spatula), spotted gar (Lepisosteus productus), gizzard shad, carp and Rio Grande cichlids) comprised 87.50 percent by number and 96.69 percent by weight (Table 10). Prepared by _ Charles T. Menn Approved by Assistant Project Leader Director Inland Fisheries Division Date June 9, 1960 --- Page 6 --- Table lL. Numbers of Fish Taken in Experimental Gill Nets from Casa Blanca Lake, October and December 1959. STATIONS Species 1 2 3 iF 5 6 7 8 Total Percent ih Se ne en ne ee Md Dorosoma petenense 12 9 10 re) 11 4 () 3 “hg 9.95 Dorosoma cepedianum 9 16 6 9 17 15 6 16 9k 19.11 Ictiobus bubalus re) fe) 1 3 5 0 7 3 19 3.86 Carpiodes carpio 4 6 8 5 18 8 11 1 61 12.40 Cyprinus carpio 0 re) i 1 @) Af ) 0 3 0.61 Ictalurus punctatus* re) ) 5 2 1 6 3 5 22 LUT Micropterus salmoides* 3 1 1 4 3 2 5 ) 19 3.86 Lepomis macrochirus* 4 1 (@) re) 2 1 ) 3 1l 2.2h Pomoxis annularis* 36 50 14 17 19 el 13 22 192 39.02 Aplodinotus grunniens 6) ) 1 1 3 2 2 3 12 2.44 Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum fe) 1 0 0 1 8 ) 0 10 2.04 Total 68 8h 47 he 80 68 7 56 492 100.00 Percent by Station 13,62 i707 9.55 8.54 16.26 13.82 9.55 11.39 100,00 Rough Fish 25 32 27 19 55 38 26 26 248 Percent Rough Fish 36.76 38.09 57.45 45.2h 68.75 55.88 55.32 46.43 50.41 Game Fish* 43 52 20 23 25 30 21 30 2k Percent Game Fish 63.24 61.91 42.55 54.76 31.25 4b.i2 44.68 53.57 49.59 * Indicates Game Fish --- Page 7 --- Table 2. Grams of Fish Taken in Experimental Gill Nets from Casa Blanca Lake, October and December 1959 Stations Species 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total Percent a YC otal = Percent Dorosoma petenense 787 549 465 0 828 264 O 125 3,018 1.41 Dorosoma cepedianum 699 1,417 633 1,093 2,345 1,854 779 2,361 11,181 5.23 Ictiobus bubalus ©) ©) 2,070 5,811 9,483 0 12,729 5,726 35,819 16.75 Carpiodes carpio 4423 5,854 11,113. 6,039 20,710 7,795 10,408 1,247 67,589 31.61 Cyprinus carpio 0 ) 373 893 @) ©) 0) @) 1,266 0.60 Ictalurus punctatus* 0 fo) 7,144 3,260 fo) 7,995 3,303 786 22,488 10.51 Micropterus salmoides* 8,846 145 1,928 4141 3,159 230 5, 68h 0 24,133 11.29 Lepomis macrochirus* 155 0 ©) 0 77 36 0 193 461 0.22 Pomoxis annularis* 6,415 8,672 3,043 3,783 5,122 4 323 2,592 5,051 39,001 18,24 Aplodinotus grunniens @) ) 794 re) 1,400 1,035 714 1,789 5,732 2.68 Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum re) ) ) fe) 335 2,773 @) fe) 3,108 1.46 Total 21,325 16,637 27,563 25,020 43,459 26,305 36,209 17,278 213,796 Percent by Station 9.97 Ts7o 12.89 11.71 20.32 12.31 16.93 8.09 100.00 Rough Fish 5,909 7,820 15,448 13,836 35,101 13,721 24,630 11,2h8 127,713 Percent Rough Fish 27.71 47.00 56.05 55.30 80.77 52.16 68.02 65.10 59.74 Game Fish* 15,416 8,817 12,115 11,184 8,358 12,584 11,579 6,030 86,083 Percent Game Fish 72.29 53.00 43.95 4.70 19.23 47.84 31.98 34.90 40.26 * Indicate Game Fish --- Page 8 --- Species Dorosoma petenense Dorosoma cepedianum Ictiobus bubalus Carpiodes carpio Cyprinus carpio Ictalurus punctatus Micropterus salmoides Lepomis macrochirus Pomoxis annularis Aplodinotus grunniens Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum Table 3. Standard Min. Max. 115 170 130 263 350 430 265 400 225 320 349 510 175-485 g2 125 120 310 195 360 162 195 Lengths, Weights, and "K" Factors of Fish Taken from Casa Blanca Lake, October and December 1959 Length Avg. 141.94 177.04 385.11 335-52 261.67 419.73 326.68 103.27 194.06 279.92 182.70 Weight in Grams Min. Max. Avg. 35 95 61.59 42 -332s«119.53 1,361 2,438 1,885.21 482 1,984 1,122.77 373 978 748.00 751 2,934 1,550.46 115 3,204 1,270.16 34 83 45 £00 42 = 879~— 202.77 150 1,021 525.83 200 khs 347.80 ike Min. 2.21 2.60 1.54 1.97 5.38 1.09 1.68 5.32 Factor Max. 2.63 2.37 4.16 4g 2.98 2.27 3.48 435 3.19 2.63 6.48 Avg. 2.11 1.98 3.31 2.87 2.76 1695 2.55 3.97 2.45 2.15 5.62 Rank by No. 10 [ee) Nn ww Rank by Wt. Ww OV oO 10 --- Page 9 --- Table 4, Numbers of Fish Taken in Experimental Gill Nets from Fort Brown Lake, September 1959. Station Species 1 2 Total Percent -Dorosoma cepedianum 1 ) i 1.42 Cyprinus carpio 7 11 18 25.72 *Ictalurus punctatus h 3 vi 10.00 *Ictalurus furcatus 1 4 5 7.14 *Micropterus salmoides h. 2 6 8.57 *Lepomis macrochirus 16 6 22 31.43 Cichiasoma cyanoguttatum 0 Ll La 15.72 Total 33 aT 70 Percent 47.14 52.86 100.00 Rough Fish 8 22 30 % Rough Fish 2h ,oh 59.46 42.86 *Game Fish 25 15 ho (Game Fish 75.76 4O.54 57.14 * Indicates Game Fish --- Page 10 --- Table 5. Grams of Fish Taken in Experimental Gill Nets from Fort Brown Lake, September 1959. Station Species L 2 Total Percent Dorosoma cepedianum 462 O 462 1.24 Cyprinus carpio 7,286 16,841 2h , 127 64.95 *Ictalurus punctatus 2,274 1,779 4,053 10.92 *Ictalurus furcatus 680 3,191 3,871 10.42 *Micropterus salmoides 1,408 65 1,473 3.96 #Lepomis macrochirus 1,210 417 1,627 4. 38 Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum ) 1,531 14531 4.13 Total 13,320 23, 62h 37,144 Percent 35.86 64.14 100.00 Rough Fish 7,748 18,372 26,120 Percent Rough Fish 58.17 77.1e 70.32 #Game Fish 5,572 5,452 11,024 Percent Game Fish 41,83 22.88 29.68 * Indicates Game Fish --- Page 11 --- Species Dorosoma cepedianum Cyprinus carpio ictalurus punctatus Ictalurus furcatus Micropterus salmoides Lepomis macrochirus Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum - Indicates only one fish. Table 6, 9. Lengths, Weights, and "K" Factors of Fish Taken from Fort Brown Lake, September 1959. Standard Length. Min. Max. Avg. 304 290 290 116 94 140 278 410 360 431 306 150 164 278.00 305«L7 319.86 354.40 191.17 123.73 147.91 Weight in Grams Min. 851 418 Sat 32 38 100 Max. 462 2,098 794. 1,503 794 12h 205 Avg. 462.00 1,340.39 519.00 774.20 245.50 76.23 139.18 "K" Factor Min. Max. Avg. - 2,15 2.15 2.08 h.ok 2.9h 1.35 2.33 1.78 1.23 4.60 1.54 2.11 2.77 2.38 3.08 5.16 3.74 3.11 5.61 4.2) Rank by No. Rank by Wt. --- Page 12 --- Species Dorosoma cepedianum Cyprinus carpio Ictalurus punctatus* Chaenobryttus gulosus* Pomoxis annularis* Total Percent by Station Rough Fish Percent Rough Fish Game Fish* Percent Game Fish * Indicates Game Fish Table 7. No. 2 13.04 3 100.00 100.00 ) 0.00 Wt. 574 574 5.48 57h 6) 0.00 No. 7 30.43 > 71.43 2 28.57 Stations Wt. 1,048 6,124 109 150 7,431 71.07 7,172 96.51 259 3.49 No. y) 13 56.53 5 38.46 8 61.54 Wt. 1,257 804 fe) 390 2,451 23.45 1,257 51.29 1,194 48.71 Numbers and Grams of Fish Taken in Experimental Gill Nets from Campacuas Lake, November 1959. Total No. Wt. 12 2,879 1 6,124 8 913 1 150 1 390 23 10,456 13 9 ,003 56.52 86.10 10 1,453 43.48 13.90 Percent No. Wt. 52.17 27.53 4.35 58.57 34.78 8.73 4.35 1.44 4.35 3-73 100.00 100.00 --- Page 13 --- Table 8. Species Dorosoma cepedianum Cyprinus carpio Ictalurus punctatus Chaenobryttus gulosus Pomoxis annularis - Indicates only one fish. Lengths, Weights and "K" Factors of Fish Taken from Campacuas Lake, November 1959. Standard Length Min. Max. 135 270 - 2ho 175 210 - 150 - 2ho Avg. 208 . 33 240.00 192.50 150.00 240.00 ll. Weight in Grams Min. Max. 45 390 - 315 93 140 - 150 «“ g70 Avg. 239.92 315.00 114,13 150.00 390.00 mK Min. 1.83 1.47 Factor Max. Avg. 2.28 2.07 2.28 2.28 1.83 1.60 Webh W bh 2.82 2.82 Rank by No. Rank by Wt. --- Page 14 --- Table 9. Numbers of Fish Taken in Experimental Gill Nets from Llano Grande Lake, November 1959. Stations 3 a Percent Lepisosteus spatula 3 @) 5 3 O il 12.50 Lepisosteus productus 8 i 1 1 2 13 14.77 Dorosoma cepedianum h 2. ake) Ly 13 45 51.13 Cyprinus carpio ) 4 1 1 1 T 7.96 *Ictalurus punctatus e) ¢) 3 1 re) 4 4k *Micropterus salmoides fe) ©) ©) 0 1 z 1.14 *Chaenobryttus gulosus ©) 1 ) 4 1 6 6.82 ‘Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum fe) 0 @) fe) 1 1 1.14 Total 15 7 20 27 19 88 Percent by Station 17.04 7.96 22.72 30.68 21.60 100.00 Rough Fish 15 6 17 22 17 77 Percent Rough Fish 100.00 85.71 85.00 81.48 89.47 87.50 *Game Fish (0) 1 3 5 2 11 Percent Game Fish 0.00 14.29 15.00 18.52 10.53 12.50 * Indicates Game Fish --- Page 15 --- 13. Table 10. Grams of Fish Taken in Experimental Gill Nets from Llano Grande Lake, November 1959. Stations Species 1 2 3 4 5 Total Percent i ee en i: | ee fo Lepisosteus spatula 15,648 ©) 25,600 21,150 @) 62,398 63.33 Lepisosteus productus 7,996 1,134 1,021 1,021 2,041 13,213 13.41 Dorosoma cepedianum 791 155 1,680 3,130 2,195 7,951 8.07 Cyprinus carpio 0 6,192 2,495 1,843 1,134 11,664 11.84 Ictalurus punctatus* @) fe) 2,295 90 ) 2,385 2.42 Micropterus salmoides* O re) ) ) 567 567 0.58 Chaenobryttus gulosus* ) 56 0 198 52 306 0.31 Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum 0) 0) (0) 0 35 35 0.04 Total 2h 435 7,937 33,091 27,432 6,024 98,519 Percent by Station 2h..80 7.65 33.59 27.84 6.12 100.00 Rough Fish 2h 435 7,481 30,796 27,144 5,405 95,261 Percent Rough Fish 100.00 99.26 93.06 98.95 89.72 96.69 Game Fish* ) 56 2,295 288 619 3,258 Percent Game Fish 0.00 0.74 6.94 1.05 10.28 3451 *I cates Game Fish --- Page 16 --- Species Lepisosteus spatula Lepisosteus productus Dorosoma cepedianum Cyprinus carpio Ictalurus punctatus Micropterus salmoides Chaenob tus gulosus Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum - Indicates only one fish. Table di. from Llano Grande Lake, November 1959. Lengths, Weights and "K" Factors of Fish Taken Standard Length Min. 590 450 120 260 150 100 Max. gho 590 270 430 466 270 110 90 Avg. 810.64 500.77 190.04 346.43 253.50 270.00 101.67 90.00 Weight in Grams Min. Max. Avg. 2,041 8,732 5,672.55 794 1,588 1,016.85 yo 459 0s«a:72. 24 465 2,495 1,484.00 90 2,041 596.25 - 567 567.00 hg 56 51.00 - 35 35.00 "K" Factor Min. Max. Avg. 0.91 1.12 1.01 0.69 0.93 0.81 1.91 2.89 2.29 2.65 3.81 3.21 1.61 2.67 1.98 - 2.88 2.88 3.25 5.60 4.81 " 4.79 4.79 Rank by No. 1 NO Rank by Wt. = oOo nrAy Nn WW --- Page 17 --- 15. Table le. Success if Gill Netting on All Lakes in Terms of Numbers and Pounds of Fish Caught. Lake and Date Number Number Number Average Average Pounds Average Average of of Feet of Fish Number of Number of of Fish Pounds of Pounds of Nets of Nets Caught Fish Per Fish Per Caught Fish Per Fish Per Set Set Net Foot of Net Net Foot of Net Lake Casa Blanca, 16 2,000 hge 30.75 0.246 470.92 29.43 0.235 Oct. & Dec. 1959 Lake Fort Brown, 2 250 70 35.00 0.280 81.81 40.91 0.327 September 1959 Lake Llano Grande, 5 625 88 17.60 O.141 217.00 43.40 0.347 November 1959 Lake Campacuas, 3 375 23 7.67 0.061 23.03 7.68 0.061 November 1959