TPWD 1964 F-3-R-11 #897: Basic Survey of Fish Species in Lake Palestine: Segment Completion Report, Federal Aid Project F-3-R-11

--- Page 1 --- SEGMENT COMPLETION REPORT As required by FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT Federal Aid Project No. F-3-R-11 Fisheries Investigation and Surveys of the Waters of Region 3-B Job No. B-19 (Seg. 2) Basic Survey of Fish Species in Lake Palestine Project Leader: John N. Dorchester J. Weldon Watson Executive Director Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, Texas Marion Toole Eugene A. Walker D-J Coordinator Assistant Director for Wildlife July 8, 1964 --- Page 2 --- ABSTRACT Six collections were made on Lake Palestine during this segment. The resulting data showed that the game fish population has dropped since 1962. The black crappie however is one game fish species that is increasing rapidly in number and size. Aquatic vegetation is becoming excessive in the upper half of the reservoir and from all indications it will continue to be a problem in con- junction with the submerged timber and brush that was not cleared from the lake bed before impoundment. It is recommended that a better clearing technique be applied before the impoundment of the proposed third stage of the reservoir. It is also re- commended that this job be continued as quarterly collections during the coming segment to maintain accurate data on the lake's progress. --- Page 3 --- SEGMENT COMPLETION REPORT State of Texas Project No. F-3-R-11 Name: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region 3-B. Job No. B-19 (Seg. 2) Title: Basic Survey of Fish Species in Lake Palestine. Period Covered: February 1, 1963 - January 31, 1964 OBJECTIVES: To determine gross changes in fish populations. To determine the growth rate and food of game species stocked. To determine chemical changes. To observe the influx of vegetation and to recommend control of noxious species. PWNrR HISTORY: Lake Palestine is a 6,000 surface acre reservoir on the Neches River. The dam is located at Blackburn's Crossing approximately 4 miles east of Frankston. Water was impounded in the winter of 1961-62. TECHNIQUES USED: In 1962, a collection was made each month during the segment with the exception of November. During the 1963 segment bimonthly surveys were made. Data collected included gill netting results, seining collections, water analysis, temperature checks, turbidity readings and general weather conditions. Netting Methods Fourteen experimental type floating gill nets were set for each col- lection. The nets were set at twelve random locations. Eight of the nets were 6 feet deep and six were 8 feet in depth. All of the nets were 125 feet in length with mesh sizes ranging from 1- to 3-inches. The nets were set in the evening and picked up the following morning. A total of six collections was made this segment, consisting of 84 nets. All netted fish were separated according to species, counted and weighed. The game fish were individually weighed and measured for standard length. Sexual conditions and stomach contents were recorded. Coefficients of condition ("K" factors) of the game fish were calculated. The average lengths, weights and con- dition factors were calculated according to species. Seining Seining collections were made with a 26 by 6 foot bag seine with 1/4-inch mesh and a 15 by 4 foot bag seine with 1/8-inch mesh. Seining was done at random but due to heavy brush along most of the shoreline many clear areas were seined repeatedly. --- Page 4 --- Din Stocking In March 1963, 46 white bass (Roccus chrysops)from Caddo Lake were re- leased in Lake Palestine at the Highway 155 bridge. The sexual ratio was 15 females and 31 males. The right pelvic fin was clipped on all of the bass for identification. To date none of these fish have been recaptured. Fish Collections A total of 38 species representing 13 families was collected this year from Lake Palestine. In the 1962 collections, 51 species were taken, repre- senting 14 families. One new species, the taillight shiner (Notropis maculatus), was col- lected this year. Table 1 is a complete check list covering both segments. Netting A total of 2,348 fish consisting of 26 species was taken from Lake Palestine by netting. Twelve of these species were game fish. The most numerous game fish netted was the black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus). This species has increased rapidly as only 50 were netted in the eleven collections during the 1962 segment as compared to 139 taken in the six collections of 1963. The number of other important game fish species collected during this segment is lower than the 1962 figures. Two hundred and forty-two channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) were netted during the 1962 segment as compared to 62 taken this segment. Two hundred and twenty-five largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were caught in 1962 and only 43 were netted in 1963-64. The total per cent of game fish taken dropped from 27.67 per cent in 1962 to 17.36 per cent this segment. Table 2 is a graph showing the per cents of game fish numbers taken in 1962 and 1963. A seasonal increase is obvious for both years during the summer months. The highest game fish percentage to date was collected in May 1962. Table 3 contains netting data for each species taken in 1963. Total numbers and weights are listed for each species, as are their respective per cents. Total numbers and weights for each collection is listed also. Table 4 gives a comparison of the average "K" factors for several game fish species taken during both segments. The regional "K'' is also listed for each species. In general, the Lake Palestine fish are above this average. Many small gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) were found in the stomachs of game fish examined during this segment. The most prevalent food item found in 1962 was crayfish. Evidently the flooding of the river bottom during the lakes impoundment exposed a large number of the crustaceans to fish. Now the crayfish are found less frequently and forage fish have become the principal food item. Fishing pressure has continued to increase on Lake Palestine although bass fishing has not been as successful this segment as it was in the summer of 1962. Several fishermen have reported good catches of catfish, both channel cat and flathead cat (Pylodictis olivaris). Crappie fishing should continue to improve as this species is increasing in both numbers and size. --- Page 5 --- if. Til. IV. VI. Vii. VIII. IX. Family: 1. Family: 2s 3. Family: Family: Family: Family: 7. 8. 9. 10. ll. 12. Family: 13, 14. 15. 16. Lf 18. Family: 24. 25. 26% 27. 28. Family: 29. 30. Table 1. A checklist of Lake Palestine Fish Species PETROMYZONTIDAE - lampreys Ichthyomyzon castaneus - chestnut lamprey LEPISOSTEIDAE - gars Lepisosteus oculatus - spotted gar L. osseus - longnose gar AMIIDAE - bowfin Amia calva - bowfin CLUPEIDAE - herrings Dorosoma cepedianum - gizzard shad ESOCIDAE - pickerels Esox americanus - grass pickerel CATOSTOMIDAE - suckers and buffalofishes Ictiobus cyprinellus - bigmouth buffalo i. bubalus - smallmouth buffalo Carpiodes carpio - river carpsucker Moxostoma poecilurum - blacktail redhorse Minytrema melanops - spotted sucker Erimyzon sucetta - lake chubsucker CYPRINIDAE - shiners and minnows Cyprinus carpio - carp Notemigonus crysoleucas - golden shiner Notropis atherinoides - emerald shiner N. fumeus - ribbon shiner N. texanus - weed shiner N. potteri - chub shiner N. venustus - spottail shiner N. stramineus - sand shiner N. volucellus - mimic shiner N maculatus - taillight shiner Pimephales vigilax - parrot minnow AMEIURIDAE - freshwater catfishes Ictalurus punctatus - channel catfish I. melas - black bullhead I. natalis - yellow bullhead Pylodictis olivaris - flathead catfish Schilbeodes gyrinus - tadpole madtom CYPRINODONTIDAE - killifishes and topminnows Fundulus chrysotus - golden topminnow F. notatus - blackstripe topminnow --- Page 6 --- hes Table 1. A checklist of Lake Palestine Fish Species (continued) X. Family: POECILIIDAE - Mosquitofishes 31. Gambusia affinis - mosquitofish XI. Family: ATHERINIDAE - silversides 32. Labidesthes sicculus - brook silversides XII. Family: CENTRARCHIDAE - black basses and sunfishes 33. Micropterus punctulatus - spotted bass 34. M. salmoides - largemouth bass 35. Chaenobryttus gulosus - warmouth 36. Lepomis cyanellus - green sunfish 37. L._punctatus - spotted sunfish 38. L. microlophus - redear sunfish 39. L. macrochirus - bluegill sunfish 40. L._auritus - redbreast sunfish 41. L. megalotis - longear sunfish 42. Pomoxis annularis - white crappie 43. P. nigromaculatus - black crappie 44. Centrarchus macropterus - flier 45. Elassoma zonatum - banded pigmy sunfish XIII. Family: PERCIDAE - perches and darters 46. Hadropterus scierus - dusky darter 47. H. shumardi - river darter 48. Percina caprodes - logperch 49, Ammocrypta vivax - scaly sand darter 50. Etheostoma chlorosomum - bluntnose darter 51. E. gracile - slough darter. XiV. Family: SCIAENIDAE - croakers, drums and weakfishes 52. Aplodinotus grunniens - freshwater drum --- Page 7 --- -5- Table 2. Comparison of Percentages of Game Fish Collected in Lake Palestine, 1962 and 1963. 50% hO% 30% 20% 10% Game Fish 1962 -—-—-——————— Game Fish 1963 °9$ ————_ --- Page 8 --- «fe Table 3. Lake Palestine Netting Data March May July Sept. Nov. Jan, Totals Per cents Species No. Wt. No. Wt. No. Wt. No. We. No. Wt. No. We. No. We. No. We. * Spotted gar 20 19.06 46 66.38 61 73.06 52 68.00 3 3.50 0 0 182 230.00 Lhd 12.36 { * Longnose gar 1 1.50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1.50 +04 -08 * Bowfin 29 41.00 16 25.81 5 9.94 4 3.62 5 17.00 5 21.88 64 119.25 2072 6.41 * Gizzard shad 161 52.75 142 22.93 74 18.00 58 15.07 71 16.00 87 21 79 593 146.54 25.26 7.87 * Grass pickerel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 225 0 0 1 «25 +04 -O1 * Smallmouth buffalo 45 35.88 12 16.62 16 = =30.75 19 44.06 29 87.69 39 =: 118.75 160 333.75 6.81 17.94 * Bigmouth buffalo 28 39.75 2 4.19 2, 4.44 9 20.56 5 17012 4 17.12 50 103.18 213) 5.55 * Spotted sucker 7 6.06 10 8.31 13 9.62 16 16.38 23 28.75 99 133.45 168 202.57 7.16 10.89 * Chubsucker ipl 19,94 2 -57 1 25 2 ald 7 2.25 35 18.81 118 42.57 5.02 2.28 * Carp 9 34.69 5. 14.38 6 20.69 1. 9.50 5 18.00 4 15.06 30 112.32 1.28 6.04 * Golden shiner 7 1.34 0 0 1 s31 0 0 3 44 7 81 18 2.87 77 .16 Channel cat 5 29.00 27 57.13. 9 35.50 9 26.59 11 32.06 1 88 62 180.76 2.6/ 9.72 * Black bullhead 192 30.37 57 12.19 16 4.93 16 5.50 37 16.00 146 77.94 464 146.93 19.76 7.89 * Yellow bullhead 31 16.62 15 4.19 14 6.12 14 7.00 26 14.88 27 20.00 127 68.81 5.41 3.70 Flathead cat i 3.13 2 5.81 2 10.75 2 10.06 0) 0 0 0) 7 29:75: -30 1.60 Spotted bass 3 3.44 0 0) (0) 0 0 0) 0 0 0 0 3 3.44 13 19 Largemouth bass 17 17.63 4 2.81 0 0 2 1.19 2 1.00 18 14.69 43 37.32 1.83 2.00 Warmouth 1 31 6 1.69 3 1.19 4 1.38 0 0 0 0 14 4.57 -60 625 Redear sunfish 0 0 4 1.81 0 0 1 +62 0 0 0 0 5 2.43 21 13 Redbreast sunfish 0 0 1 BIL 0 0 2 yo0) dL -50 0 0 4 1.31 wl? .07 Bluegill sunfish 8 1.19 21 6.94 29 6.88 9 2.50 7 2.06 0 0 74 19.57 3.15 1.05 Spotted sunfish 0 0 3 81 0 0 0 (0) I 06 0 (e) 4 .87 «l7 -05 White crappie 1 88 0 0 0 0 a LySp 1 -88 00 0 3 3.13 «13 al? Black crappie 12 125 15 2.38 13 2.12 38 13.12 32 11.00 29 9.81 139 39.68 5.92 2.13 Flier (0) 0 2 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0) 2 «ld 08 -O1 * Freshwater drum 0 0 3 6.19 3 5.62 3 9.57 3 5.56 0 0 12 26.94 52 1.45 Totals 649 355.76 395 261.64 268 240.17 262 = 256.94 273 -275.00 501 470.99 2348 1860.50 100.00 100.00 Game fish 48 56.83 85 79.88 56 56.44 68 56.93 55 47.56 48 25.38 360 323.02 Rough fish 601 298.93 310 181.76 212) 183.73 194 200.01 218 227.44 453 445.61 1988 1537.48 Per cent game fish 7.39 15.97 21.52 30.53 20.89 23.50 25.95 22.16 20015 “Epe29 9.58 5.39 15.33 17.36 Per cent rough fish 92.61 84.03 78.48 69.47 79.11 76.50 74.05 77.84 79.85 82.71 90.42 94.61 84.67 82.64 * rough fish --- Page 9 --- = -7- Table 4. Data on Condition of Some Game Fish Species from Lake Palestine 1963 1962 Regional Species No. Average ''K"' No. Average "kK" "K" Average Channel catfish 65 1.92 210 1.88 1.70 Flathead catfish 7 2.02 9 1.97 2.03 Spotted bass 3 3.25 35 3.26 2095 Largemouth bass 44 2.70 99 2.78 2.72 Warmouth 12 4.24 4l 4.42 4.10 Bluegill sunfish 54 4.63 59 5.32 4.38 Redbreast sunfish 3 4.85 24 5476 - White crappie 3 3.30 5 3.04 3.03 Black crappie 104 3.28 45 3.31 3.34 Seining Collections Six random seining collections were made, consisting of 59 seine drags. A total of 3,313 specimens were collected, representing 25 species. Table 5 contains the number of each species taken during each collection. A total figure of the 1962 collections is listed for comparison. Water Quality Table 6 contains water analysis data for each collection made this year. The average data for the two segments indicates little variation in the water quality of the lake. Vegetation Excessive aquatic vegetation is becoming an increasing problem on Lake Palestine. During the summer of 1963 the shallow areas of the upper portion of the lake became choked with various types of plants. The most numerous species included coontail (Ceratophylum demersum), filamentous algae (Cladophora sp.), bladderwort (Utricularia sp.), pondweed (Potamogeton sp.) and duck weed (Lemna minor).Heavy mats of floating heart (Nymphoides sp.) infested the area around the Highway 155 bridge. Boat operation continues to be hazardous in all parts of the lake due to the vast amount of submerged brush and timber that was cut but not removed or burned prior to impoundment. It is strongly recommended that a more satisfactory type of clearing be conducted before the proposed third stage of this reservoir is completed. If it is not economically feasible to clear all of the additional impoundment area, an effort should be made to clear the shoreline and burn or bury all brush and timber. --- Page 10 --- Table 5. Species Spotted gar Bowfin Gizzard shad Grass pickerel Bigmouth buffalo River carpsucker Lake Chubsucker Carp Golden shiner Emerald shiner Ribbon shiner Chub shiner Spottail shiner Sand shiner Mimic shiner Taillight shiner Parrot minnow Black bullhead Yellow bullhead Tadpole madtom Golden topminnow Blackstripe topminnow Mosquito fish Brook silversides Spotted bass Largemouth bass Warmouth Green sunfish Spotted sunfish Redear sunfish Bluegill sunfish Redbreast sunfish White crappie Black crappie Flier Banded pigmy sunfish Dusky darter River darter Logperch Scaly sand darter Bluntnose darter Slough darter Totals Number of seine drags -8- Tabulation of Seining Collections from Lake Palestine 1962-63 Total Mar. May 1 E 1,267 10 108 2 1 13 1 1 91 4l 5 18 68 381 vi 1,241 48 13 1,133 38 49 a 39 559 27 64 14 59 2 197 20 65 3 6,389 8 428 July 56 102 21 323 574 1963-64 Sept. 44 208 65 336 70 42 146 930 Nove 19 34 382 20 54 175 783 Zu 154 125 110 1,331 co CO 590 3,313 --- Page 11 --- -9- Table 6. Data on Surface Water Analysis From Lake Palestine Averages pH 6.8 6.8 7.0 7.2 - 7.0 6.9 6.8 Alkalinity 25 28 50 73 - 18 38.80 32.50 (methyl orange) Chlorides 42.55 42.55 35.46 49.64 - 21.28 38.29 39.39 Air temp. °F 61 88 89 84 53 55 71 74 Water temp. °F 62 79 89 87 68 51 73 72 Turbidity -inches 52 22 32 45 32 36 37 40 (secchi disc) ee CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS : The per cent of game fish taken in 1963 from Lake Palestine is lower than the 1962 figure. Although the largemouth bass and channel catfish numbers dropped this segment the black crappie showed a considerable increase. The last collection made for this segment contained 18 largemouth bass which indicates that this species is probably present in greater numbers than the data for the entire segment indicates. Vegetation and brush will continue to be problems in Lake Palestine. This condition could be improved if proper clearing techniques are used prior to the im- poundment of the third stage level of the reservoir. It is recommended that continued quarterly surveys be made during the coming segment to maintain accurate data of the reservoirs progress. C * D7 Daal Prepared by Joe E. Toole Approved by CC Zee Assistant Project Leader Coordinator Date July 8, 1964 Charles E. Gra Regional Supervisor