TPWD 1965 F-3-R-12 #958: Job Completion Report: Basic Survey of Fish Species in Lake Palestine, Project F-3-R-12

--- Page 1 --- JOB COMPLETION REPORT As required by FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT Federal Aid Project F-3-R-12 Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region 3-B Job No. B-19 Basic Survey of Fish Species in Lake Palestine Project Leader Joe EH. Toole J. Weldon Watson Executive Director Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, Texas Marion Toole Hugene A. Walker D-J Coordinator Assistant Director for Wildlife May 28, 1965 --- Page 2 --- ABSTRACT Three collections were made on Lake Palestine during the 1964 segment. The data collected indicated a slight decrease in the game fish populations Since 1963. Some increase in per cent of number and weight of black crappie was noted. Largemouth bass and channel catfish have decreased. Aquatic vegetation made seining difficult during this segment and pre- sents a major problem in the shallow areas of the reservoir. The high percentage of rough fish in the lake presents the greatest problem. Two contract commercial fishermen are now on the lake. Hach is averaging approximately 1,000 pounds per week of rough fish. It is recommended that the basic fisheries survey of Lake Palestine be terminated with the completion of this segment. --- Page 3 --- JOB COMPLETION REPORT State of Texas Project No. F-3-R-12 Name: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the Waters of Region 3-B. Job No. B-19 (Seg. 3 of 3) Title: Basic Survey of Fish Species in Lake Palestine. Period Covered: February 1, 1964 - January 31 1965 OBJECTIVES: To determine gross changes in fish populations. To determine the growth rate and food of game species. To determine chemical changes of the water. 4. To determine the influx of vegetation and to recommend control of noxious species if feasible. GW OH HISTORY: Lake Palestine, located on the Neches River near Frankston, Texas is impounded by an earthen dam and covers approximately 6,000 surface acres. The dam is located at Blackburn's Crossing approximately 4 miles east of Frankston. The reservoir lies in Anderson, Cherokee, Henderson and Smith Counties. THCHNIQUES USED: Monthly collections were made during the first segment in 1962 and bi- monthly collections were made in 1963. Three collections were made during this segment. Netting Methods Experimental type gill nets 125 feet in length with mesh size ranging from 1 to 3 inches were used during this segment. In April the collection was made with fourteen nets set 1 night. During August and January 7 nets were used for each collection. A total of 28 nets were set during this seg- ment. Table 1 includes the numbers and weights as well as the per cents of number and weight by species of fish collected during the 1964 segment. Game fish species were measured for standard length and weighed for individual weights. Sexual conditions and stomach contents were recorded. The coefficients of condition factors were calculated according to species. Table 2 contains data on the condition of some game fish species collected. Water Analysis Routine water analyses were made during each collection. These included pH, total alkalinity, chlorides, temperature and turbidity. Table 3 contains water analyses data collected during the three segments of this job. --- Page 4 --- Species Spotted gar * Bowfin * Gizzard shad * Smallmouth buffalo* Bigmouth buffalo* Spotted sucker* Chubsucker* Carp* Golden shiner* Channel catfish Black bullhead* Yellow bullhead* Flathead catfish Spotted bass Largemouth bass Warmouth Redear sunfish Redbreast sunfish Bluegill sunfish Spotted sunfish Black crappie White crappie TOTALS Game fish Rough fish 2. Table 1. 1964 Netting Data on Lake Palestine April August January No, We. No. Wt. No. We. 43 81.56 8 13.10 ~ - ts) 16.37 ~ - ~ - 300 88.08 129 28.81 al Yo 41 159.13 7 27.75 tt 2s Le 56. 69 - - - - 10 15.51 a7 51. 3 sa = “ 4 2. 7 52,18 1 7.75 - - 1 0.19 - - - - 6 25.06 7 21.62 - = 62 59.44 23 16.43 18 12. 29 17.13 a 0.74 5 4, al 4,00 - ~ ~ - - - 1 0,57 - - a 1.31 i OQ. 50 1 HE - - a i787 ~ - 4 2.00 2 0,795 a e) vi 1.97 ~ - - - 17 5. 64 18 5.95 - - Fa O. OL ~ ~ ~ - 13 4,50 37 15.31 4 1. _ 8 1,00 _1_ Q. Doe 515.76 250 154.26 83 84. 52 44,99 70 44,87 7 4. 500 470.77 180 109 ..89 76 80. Per Cent Game Fish 9.42 8.72 28.00 28.76 8.43 4, Per Cent Rough Fish 90.58 91.28 72.00 71.24 91.57 25. Denotes rough fish species. Table 2 56 06 50 81 Lg Total No. Wt. 51 94 5 16 450 124 49 174. 12 56% o7 66. 4 a. 8 39. 1 O. 1S 46 103 68. 36 Bike 1 4, 1 Ow 4 3 a 0. 7 Oe i Te 35 Gis 2) O. 54 Als 3 _i. 885 759% 129 93. 756 665. 14.57 12. 85.43 87. 70 Per Cent tte 5.76 - 06 85 04 56 20 45 . 90 il 247 64 06 « dls «Ld 245 Prato) «(9 79 95 » 20 LO 204 o OMOWODOODODDOCOCOFRRFPHFPOODOOFRKF AO 100.00 A Comparison of Condition Data of Some Game Fish Species from Lake Palestine Species Channel catfish Flathead catfish Spotted bass Largemouth bass Warmouth Bluegill sunfish Redbreast sunfish White crappie Black crappie 1964 1963 No. Average K No. Average K No. 13 1.90 65 1.92 2 1 1.90 7 2:02 1 2.16 3 3.250 9 2.54 44 2.70 2 4.03 le 4,24 32 4.43 54 4.63 8 5.024 3 4.85 3 2.71 ws) 5.50 39 5.28 104 3.28 10 9g rons) 99 41 Bg 24 +s) 45 1962 Average K NWogn fF Ww WH + 88 a 27 .26 78 42 208 - 76 O04 ol Wt. Les 2. aD WO O OnNOFrFOCCOOOONWMOROMOAOA 100. Regional Average PE 0% %/O W HF CN Ww » 70 03 255 72 » 10 - 38 08 204 47 16 200 96 247 78 - 00 26 05 2d 04 » 90 5d . 04 09 il 40 26 £6 O07 eal 00 --- Page 5 --- on Blas Table 3 Surface Water Analyses Data on Lake Palestine 1964 April August January Average 1963 Average 1962 Average pH 7.0 6.6 6.8 6.8 6.9 68 Alkalinity- methyl orange p.p.m. 25 32 68 4] 58.80 52.50 Chlorides p.p.m. 70.92 70.92 28,57 56.73 38.29 59.39 Air Temperature degree F, 76 86 58 73 val 74 Water Temperature Surface degree F. 70 81 56 68 73 72 Turbidity - inches 36 42 40 39 37 40 secchi disc eee Fish Collections A total of 885 fish was netted in 1964, 14.57 per cent by number of which were game fish. Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) was the most numerous game fish species netted, compiling 6.10 per cent by number of the catch. The most numerous rough fish species was the gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum). A total of 450 shad comprised 50.85 per cent by number of the total 1964 collection, The most numerous commercially important species was the smallmouth buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus). A total of 49 smallmouth buffalo made up 22.96 per cent by weight of the 1964 collection. A grand total of 6,450 fish were netted from Lake Palestine during the 1962, 1963 and 1964 segments. Of this total, 1,379 or 21.38 per cent were game fish. Gizzard shad made up 21.04 per cent of the catch. Black bullhead catfish (Ictalurus melas) made up 13.78 per cent by number. Spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) were present in good numbers and made up 10.54 per cent of the catch. Smallmouth buffalo and bigmouth buffalo (Icotiobus cyprinellus) combined made up 8.59 per cent by number. A total of 5,525,63 pounds of fish were netted with 78.46 per cent being rough fish and 21.54 per cent game fish species. Table 4 contains the totals of netting data compiled for the 5-year period of the basic survey. Table 5 is a checklist of all species collected from Lake Palestine. Table 6 is a graph comparing per cents of game fish populations in Lake Palestine collected in 1962, 1963 and 1964. Seining Seining collections were made to Supplement netting. These collections were made with 26 by 6 foot bag seine with 1/4-inch mesh and a 15 by 4 foot bag seine having 1/8-inch mesh, Seining was done where access to the shore was not obstructed by timber, brush or aquatic vegetation. Fish collected were preserved in formalin and counted by species at the laboratory. Table 7 gives the species and numbers of fish collected each segment. --- Page 6 --- 4. Table 4 A Comparison of Netting Date from Lake Palestine Species Spotted gar * Longnose gar * Bowfin * Gizzard shad * Grass pickerel * Smallmouth buffalo * Bigmouth buffalo * Blacktail redhorse * Spotted sucker * River carpsucker Chubsucker * Carp * Golden shiner Channel catfish Black bullhead * Yellow bullhead * Flathead catfish Spotted bass Largemouth bass Warmouth Green sunfish Redear sunfish Redbreast sunfish Bluegill sunfish Spotted sunfish Longear sunfish White crappie Black crappie Flier Freshwater drum % Totals Game fish Rough fish Per cent game fish Per cent rough fish 1 Number 447 15 197 519 a 294 5 ais 48 168 25 74 L57 20 242 ban LOL 12 49 2a5 63 44 168 al 50 88 3,217 890 2,327 27.67 72.885 962 1963 Weight Number Weight 575. 58 182 250.00 250.19 1 1.50 215.75 64 119.29 207.82 5938 146. 54 QO. 58 1 0.25 401.00 160 535.75 85.18 50 103.18 80.62 - - 225.80 168 202. 57 4,99 - - 18.11 118 42.57 200.11 50 112.32 5.58 18 2.87 427,50 62 180.76 96.95 464 146.93 75.68 127 68.81 57.68 7 29.75 55.55 5 3.44 147.87 43 37.52 22.64 14 4.57 O.19 - - 2.58 5 2.48 12.03 4 1.31 41.94 74 19. 57 5.78 4 0.87 1.81 - - 7.57 3 5.135 Le. 98 139 59.68 - 2 0.19 125.28 12 26.94 2,905.75 2,348 1,860.50 775.67 560 325.02 2,152.08 1,988 1,537.48 26.63 15.33 17.56 75.87 84.67 82. 64 1964 Number Weight 51 94.66 5 16.57 450 124.14 49 174.38 1é 56. 69 37 66. 68 & 2.25 8 59.93 a 0.19 13 46.68 103 68. 68 56 21.99 1 4.00 1 0.357 4 5.00 2 0.87 7 5.06 it 1.97 35 9.59 a 0.51 1.62 04 21.» Td 885 759.58 129 93.42 756 665.96 14.57 12.350 85.45 87.70 --- Page 7 --- Bus Table 5 A Checklist of Lake Palestine Fish Species I. Family: PETROMYZONTIDAR - lampreys 1. Ichthyomyzon castaneus - chestnut lamprey II. Family: LEPISOSTHIDAR - gars 2. Lepisosteus oculatus - spotted gar 5. Lb. osseus ~ longnose gar IIIT. Family: AMIIDAE ~ bowfin 4, Amia calva - bowfin IV. Family: CLUPHIDAE - herrings 5. Dorosoma cepedianum - gizzard shad V. Family: ESOCIDAR - pickerels 6. Hsox americanus - grass pickerel VI. Family: CATOSTOMIDAE - suckers and buffalofishes Ictiobus cyprinellus - bigmouth buffalo I. bubalus - smallmouth buffalo Carpiodes carpio ~ river carpsucker Moxostoma poecilurum - blacktail redhorse Minytrema melanops ~ spotted sucker Hrimyzon sucetta - lake chubsucker MRF OWOwOA a VIT. Family: CYPRINIDAR - shiners and minnows 15. Cyprinus carpio ~ carp 14. Notemigonus crysoleucas - golden shiner 15. Notropis atherinoides - emerald shiner 16. N. fumeus - ribbon shiner i7. N. texanus - weed shiner 18. N. potteri ~ chub shiner 19. N. venustus - spottail shiner <0, N. stramineus - sand shiner £1. N. volucellus - mimic shiner ee. N. maculatus ~ taillight shiner 25. Pimephales vigilax - parrot minnow VIIT. Family: AMEIURIDAE ~ freshwater catfishes £4. Ictalurus punctatus ~ channel catfish 25, I. melas ~ black bullhead 26. I. natalis - yellow bullhead 27. Pylodictis olivaris - flathead catfish 28. Schilbeodes gyrinus - tadpole madtom --- Page 8 --- IX. XI. XII. KULSE XIV. Family: ag. oO. Family: ol. Family: oe. Family: Family: De. md on 46. 48. 49, 50. ol. -6- Table 5 (Continued) CYPRINODONTIDAH - killifishes and topminnows Fundulus chrysotus - golden topminnow F. notatus - blackstripe topminnow POHCILIIDAH - Mosquitofishes Gambusia affinis - mosquitofish ATHHRINIDAH - silversides Labidesthes sicculus - brook silversides CENTRARCHIDAH - black basses and sunfishes Micropterus punctulatus - spotted bass M. salmoides - largemouth bass Chaenobryttus gulosus - warmouth Lepomis cyanellus - green sunfish punctatus - spotted sunfish microlophus - redear sunfish macrochirus - bluegill sunfish auritus - redbreast sunfish megalotis - longear sunfish Pomoxis annularis - white crappie P. nigromaculatus - black crappie Centrarchus macropterus - flier Hlassoma zonatum - banded pigmy sunfish Tals PEHRCIDAH - perches and darters Hadropterus scierus - dusky darter H. shumardi - river darter Percina caprodes - logperch Ammocrypta vivax - scaly sand darter Etheostoma chlorosomum - bluntnose darter H. gracile ~ slough darter SCIAENIDAH - croakers, drums and weakfishes Aplodinotus grunniens - freshwater drum --- Page 9 --- a7 Table 6 Comparison of Percentages of Game Fish Collected in Lake Palestine during 1964, 1963 and 1964 oz 30% 20% 10% O% --- Page 10 --- =6< Table 7 Tabulation of Seining Collections from Lake Palestine Species 1962-63 1963-64 1964-65 Spotted gar 1 cl - Bowfin 1,267 - = Gizzard shad 10 5 - Grass pickerel 108 2 - Bigmouth buffalo 1 - - River carpsucker 13 - - Lake chubsucker 1 2 - Carp a - - Golden shiner 91 66 Emerald shiner 5 - - Ribbon shiner 18 - = Redhorse shiner - - 10 Chub shiner 68 - - Spottail shiner O81 18 - Sand shiner 1,241 154 18 Mimic shiner 13 - - Taillight shiner - a = Parrot minnow 3 - - Black bullhead 1 208 2 Yellow bullhead 18 2 - Tadpole madtom - a2 Golden topminnow 10 2 8 Blackstripe topminnow 250 163 46 Mosquitofish 1,133 772 - Brook silversides 49 255 41 Spotted bass a7 2 ni Largemouth bass 559 27 1 Warmouth 3 ; i a Green sunfish 5 - = Spotted sunfish 64 125 20 Redear sunfish AT 110 26 Bluegill sunfish 59 1,381 16 Redbreast sunfish 17 ca =“ White crappie 2 - - Black crappie 144 6 - Flier 625 - - Banded pigmy sunfish 40 - ~ Dusky darter i - = River darter 41 - - Logperch - 2 - Scaly sand darter 20 i. ~ Bluntnose darter T - 7 Slough darter 65 5 = TOTALS 6,389 3,313 195 --- Page 11 --- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS : The 14.57 per cent by number of game fish species taken in 1964 from Lake Palestine is only slightly lower than the 15.33 per cent game fish netted in 1963. Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) continue to decrease in numbers netted. However sport fishing for these two important game fish species continues to be successful. Black crappie are increasing in numbers and size. Lake Palestine has an adequate population of buffalo (Ictiobus sp.) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) to support a moderate commercial fishery. Two contract commercial fishermen are presently averaging a catch of 1,000 pounds each per week. Submerged aquatic vegetation is a constantly increasing problem in Lake Palestine. It is recommended that shoreline areas be cleared of all brush and timber in the event that the proposed third stage of the reservoir is constructed. The present shoreline in many areas is choked with dense brush and timber. This provides calm, clear water in shallow areas that supports excessive growths of vegetation. It is recommended that this job be terminated with the completion of this 1964 segment of the basic fisheries survey. Prepared by Joe HB. Toole Approved APE ib egy LAaTA Project Leader Coordinator Date May 28, 1965 Charles HE. Gray Regional Supervisor