TPWD 1973 F-2-R-20 #1525: Job Progress Report: Fishery Management Recommendations, Region 2-B Fisheries Studies, Project F-2-R-20

--- Page 1 --- JOB PROGRESS REPORT CP As required by FEDERAL AID IN FISHERIES RESTORATION ACT TEXAS Federal Aid Project No. F-2-R-20 FISHERLES INVESTIGATIONS REGION 2-B Job No. B-26, Fishery Management Recommendations Project Leader: Darrell W. Butler Asst. Project Leader: James L. Lasswell Clayton T. Garrison Executive Director Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Austin, Texas David L. Pritchard Robert J. Kemp, Director D-J Coordinator Fish and Wildlife Division April 25, 1973 --- Page 2 --- Summary Preliminary meetings and public hearings to discuss fishing regulations were conducted in the Possum Kingdom and Edwards Plateau Regulatory Areas. Existing fishing regulations were considered to be adequate and no changes were recommended. Lakes Belton, Buchanan, Canyon, Inks, Lyndon B. Johnson, Stillhouse Hollow, and Travis were surveyed during 1972. Recommendations concerning management of the above lakes were made as follows: 1. Canyon Lake should be stocked with walleye pike and/or smallmouth bass to provide additional sport fish species and to aid in the control of the large rough fish population. 2. Since Lake Travis is to be stocked with striped bass in the near future, a quarterly netting program should be instituted to determine the effects of the stocking. 3. Quarterly netting surveys should be continued on Lake Lyndon B. Johnson to evaluate the effects of the renovation in April of 1971. The effects of the steam generation plant now under construction on this lake should also be investigated. 4. There was no need for vegetative control measures in any of the lakes surveyed during 1972. 5. This job should be continued to provide valid fishery management recommendations for waters in Region 2-B through population data sampling. --- Page 3 --- JOB PROGRESS REPORT State of Texas Project No. F-2-R-20 Name: Region 2-B Fisheries Studies Job No. B-26 Title: Fishery Management Recommendations Contract Period: February 1, 1972 to January 31, 1973 P. S. OBJECTIVE: To situate fishery management practices in the public waters of Region 2-B. SEGMENT OBJECTIVES: 1. To propose fish harvest regulations for the waters of Region 2-B. 2. To recommend renovation or population control for waters which do not provide adequate sports fishing. 3. To recommend supplemental stocking of hatchery reared fish in newly impounded reservoirs, renovated reservoirs, waters which have sustained major fish kills and waters which have negligible natural reproduction. 4. To determine vegetation control needs. 5. To determine public access needs. PROCEDURES: 1. Meetings were held between game management officers, biologists, and supervisory personnel to discuss existing hunting and fishing laws and to propose changes needed in the hunting and fishing regulations for the counties in the Edwards Plateau, Possum Kingdom, and Trinity-Brazos Regulatory areas. The proclamation resulting from the above meetings was presented to the public at hearings in each county under Regulatory Authority and to the Commissioners of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for their approval or disapproval. 2. Lakes Belton, Buchanan, Canyon, Inks, Lyndon B. Johnson, Stillhouse Hollow, and Travis were netted during this segment using standard experimental gill nets, 150 feet in length and 8 feet in depth. The mesh size ranged from 1 inch to 34 inches. The mesh size increased in % inch increments with every 25 feet of net. A 20-foot common sense minnow seine with a depth of 4 feet and a mesh size of 3/8 inch was used in seining collections. Water quality determinations were made during each netting survey. 3. Observations were made during each survey to determine if aquatic vegetation was present in such quantities that access or fishability of fishing areas might be hampered. --- Page 4 --- 4, Fishing pressures and the resulting need for additional public access sites were evaluated during each netting survey. FINDINGS: The data for Region 2-B is presented in a slightly different form for the year 1972. Graphs are used to present much of the netting data for 1972. Graphs are useful because they can be drawn to show pertinent information at a glance and data comparisons are generally easier to see than when they are presented in tabular form. The netting data is presented as catch per unit of effort (100 feet of net) since this form appears to be more useful than presenting it in percentages (refer to Figures 1 and 2). Table 1 is a checklist of all fish species collected in Region 2-B during 1972. Canyon Lake Canyon Lake is a large (surface area=8,240 acres), deep (mean depth=47 feet) lake loacted entirely within Comal County. The lake was formed in 1964 by the impound- ment of waters of the Guadalupe River. The lake is controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers and is used primarily for conservation, flood control, and irrigation. Canyon Lake was netted quarterly during 1972. A total of 1,331 fish weighing 9,957.07 pounds were taken during four gill netting surveys from a total of 60 over- night, bottom gill net sets. Rough fish comprised 65.63 per cent of the catch by number and 61.47 per cent by weight, with gray redhorse suckers accounting for the greatest biomass. Game fish made up 20.23 per cent of the catch by number and 36.66 per cent by weight, with channel catfish and yellow catfish accounting for the greatest number and weight (Table 2). Figure 1 shows a comparison of the number and weight of the rough, game, and sunfish taken during each quarterly netting survey. The ratio of rough fish to game fish to sunfish and the average size of these groups for each sampling period can be seen at a glance. The total weight and number of each group can be figured for each netting trip or for the entire year. Note the great difference in the number and weight of each group taken in each netting survey. One or two yearly netting surveys on a lake are not adequate. It is felt that quarterly or possibly bi-monthly netting surveys are necessary to make estimates of the size and ratio of fish species taken with gill nets. Figure 2 shows the per cent composition of each group during each sample period but does not show their size or abundance. For gill netting data to be of value it should show changes in fish production. By using gill netting data, one should be able to show the expected peak of fish production during a lakes third or fourth year of impoundment and then the decline in that lakes fish production until a more or less stable level is reached. A graph (Figure 3) was drawn from netting data taken quarterly from Canyon Lake for a period dating from 1965 (first year after the lake was impounded) through 1972. The average catch per 100 feet of net in weight and numbers of rough fish, game fish, and sunfish is shown for each year. The shape of the graph indicates that quarterly netting surveys are useful, since it does follow the expected curve. --- Page 5 --- -Table l- Common and Scientific Names of Fishes Collected in Region 2-B During 1972 Common Names Spotted gar Longnose gar Gizzard shad Rainbow trout Mexican tetra Carp Golden shiner Weed shiner Blacktail shiner Red shiner Smallmouth buffalo River carpsucker Gray redhorse sucker Spotted sucker Channel catfish Blue catfish Black bullhead catfish Yellow bullhead catfish Flathead catfish Tidewater silverside White bass Spotted black bass Largemouth black bass Green sunfish Warmouth sunfish Bluegill sunfish Redear sunfish Longear sunfish Redbreast sunfish Spotted sunfish White crappie Black crappie Freshwater drum Rio Grande perch Mozambique tilapia Scientific Names Lepisosteus oculatus Lepisosteus osseus Dorosoma cepedianum Salmo gairdneri Astyanax mexicanus Cyprinus carpio Notemigonus chrysoleucas Notropis texanus Notropis venustus Notropis lutrensis Ictiobus bubalus Carpiodes carpio Moxostoma congestum Minytrema melanops Ictalurus punctatus Ictalurus furcatus ictalurus melas TIctalurus natalis Pylodictis olivaris Morone chrysops Micropterus punctulatus Micropterus salmoides Lepomis cyanellus L. guilosus Lepomis macrochirus Lepomis microlophus Lepomis megalotis Lepomis auritus Lepomis punctatus Pomoxis annularis Pomoxis nigromaculatus Aplodinotus grunniens Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum Tilapia mossambica --- Page 6 --- -Table 2- Results of Canyon Lake Gill Netting for 1972 60 Nets Set Per Cent Per Cent of Weight of Average Species Number Number Pounds Weight Weight Longnose gar 26 1.95 61.49 3.14 2.37 Gizzard shad 441 33.13 202.15 10.33 0.46 Golden shiner 18 1.35 5.01 0.26 0.28 Carp 51 3.83 342.45 17.50 6.71 River carpsucker 15 1.13 89.20 4.56 5.95 Gray redhorse sucker 315 23.67 485.40 24.80 1.54 Yellow bullhead catfish 5 0.38 1.44 0.07 0.29 Channel catfish* 121 9.09 316.86 16.19 2.62 Flathead catfish* 55 4.13 303.02 15.48 5.51 Warmouth sunfish 38 2.85 7.58 0.39 0.20 Green sunfish 30 2.25 4.82 0.26 0.16 Redbreast sunfish 3 0.23 0.88 0.04 0.29 Bluegill sunfish 56 4.21 7.01 0.36 0.13 Longear sunfish 6 0.45 1.45 0.07 0.24 Redear sunfish 54 4.06 19.21 0.98 0.36 Largemouth black bass* 40 3.00 62.10 3.17 1.55 White crappie* 45 3.38 39.97 2.04 0.89 Black crappie* 1 0.08 1.75 0.09 1.75 Rio Grande perch 10 0.73 2.84 04,15 0.28 Mozambique tilapia 1 0.08 2.44 2.44 2.44 Total 1331 100.00 1957.07 100.00 * Designates Game Fish Species --- Page 7 --- -Table 3- Results of Lake L. B. J. Gill Netting for 1972 * Designates Game Fish Species 75 Nets Set Per Cent Per Cent of Weight of Average Species Number Number (Pounds) Weight Weight Longnose gar 199 9.49 298.13 14.89 1.50 Gizzard shad 338 16.12 149.95 7.49 0.44 Golden shiner 1 0.05 0.31 0.02 0.31 Carp 224 10.68 381.21 19.04 1.42 River carpsucker 507 24.18 461.36 23.04 0.91 Smallmouth buffalo 109 5.20 96.30 4.81 0.88 Gray redhorse 19 0.91 8.83 0.44 0.46 Yellow bullhead 3 0.14 0.69 0.03 0.23 Black bullhead 25 1.19 6.08 0.30 0.24 Channel catfish* 54 2.58 83.81 4.19 1.55 Blue catfish* 2 0.10 4.75 0.24 2.38 Flathead catfish* 16 0.76 63.45 3.17 3.97 White bass* 230 10.97 238.21 11.89 1.04 Warmouth sunfish 21 1.00 11.60 0.58 0.59 Green sunfish 33 1.57 6.26 0.31 0.20 Redbreast sunfish 5 0.24 0.82 0.04 0.16 Bluegill sunfish 83 3.96 13.58 0.68 0.16 Longear sunfish 24 1.13 3.39 0.17 0.14 Redear sunfish Ll 0.05 0.25 0.01 0.25 Largemouth black bass* 85 4,05 85.52 4.27 1.01 Spotted bass* L 0.05 0.31 0.01 0.31 White crappie* 102 4.86 38.66 lw 93 0.38 Black crappie* 1 0.05 0.50 0.02 0.50 Rio Grande perch 1 0.05 0.19 0.01 0.19 Freshwater drum 13 0.62 48.37 2.42 3.72 Total 2097 100.00 2002.44 100.00 --- Page 8 --- @ Numbers [ZZ] Pounds of Rough Fish = Pounds of Game Fish © 2 20/7 - Y; Pounds of Sunfish o 15 : U, ° Z sccee: 2 10] s | AY : 5 é A —- y Resest 3 LU Hi Bi Feb May July Nov. Month Figure 1.--Comparison of the rough fish, game fish, and sunfish caught per 100 feet of gill net during each of 4 gill netting surveys on Canyon Lake in 1972. 90 @ % by Numbers CZA % Rough by Weight Gao % Game by Weight 80] A) : , y % Sunfish by Weight 70 Oy) j | ay | Ab . 4% mi a3 & 50 of Ay ‘ Vay 7} al: an: i PAs VA ee é Oy a 40 y ; ’) G isssii y Y OnE Ay Y y 45 30] A ; y y iy ¢ 4 ; 20 | Fay y y , y i Y y) g 9: é Oise: y) ”) y) 6:: g 4g 4: 10| Fay y y ob gf y y oh: mae 9: i Ree 23 g $i: a Feb. May July Nov. Month Figure 2.--Comparison of the percentages of rough fish, game fish, and sunfish (weight and number) caught during each of 4 gill netting surveys on Canyon Lake in 1972. --- Page 9 --- Similar graphs drawn using data from only one or two netting surveys a year did not show this. This further indicates the need for numerous yearly netting surveys on each lake. Plans have been made to stock Canyon Lake with walleye and/or smallmouth bass, if the fish can be obtained for stocking. Quarterly netting should be continued on this lake. Lake L. B. J. Lake L. B. J. is a large (surface area=6,375 acres), relatively shallow (mean depth=22 feet) lake loacted in Burnet and Llano Counties. The lake was formed in 1951 by the impoundment of the waters of the Colorado River. It is controlled by the Lower Colorado River Authority and its waters are to be used for hydroelectric power. Lake L. B. J. was netted five times during 1972. A total of 2,097 fish weighing 2,002.44 pounds were taken from a total of 75 overnight, bottom gil: net sets (15 gill net sets per netting survey). Rough fish comprised 68.63 per cent of the catch by number and 72.49 per cent by weight, with river carpsuckers accounting for the greatest number and biomass. Game fish comprised 23.42 per cent by number and 36.66 per cent by weight, with white bass accounting for the greatest number and biomass (Table 3). Figure 4 shows the catch per 100 feet of net of rough fish, game fish and sunfish taken during each netting survey. Note the small size of the game fish. Most of these are hatchery stocked fish and are only 1.5 to 2 years old. The rough fish are also relatively small except during the March netting survey. The fish caught at this time (primarily river carpsucker and carp) averaged approximately 1.75 pounds and had fully developed gonads. From this graph, it is again easy to see the need for numerous netting surveys each year. Quarterly netting surveys will be continued on Lake L. B. J. in order to evaluate the long term effect of renovation. A steam generator plant is presently being constructed on Lake L. B. J. and will soon be in operation. Its effects upon the fish population of the lake will also be studied. Lake Stillhouse Hollow Lake Stillhouse Hollow is a large (surface area=6,430) lake located entirely within Bell County. Its mean depth is 37 feet. It was formed in 1968 by the impoundment of the waters of the Lampasas River. The lake is controlled by the Army Crops of Engineers and its primary purpose is water conservation. Lake Stillhouse Hollow was netted quarterly during 1972. A total of 804 fish weighing 1,108.19 pounds were taken during four gill netting surveys from a total of 55 bottom gill net sets. Rough fish comprised 49.75 per cent of the catch by number and 49.60 per cent by weight, with river carpsuckers contributing the greatest biomass. Game fish made up 32.47 per cent of the catch by number and 47.88 per cent by weight, with largemouth black bass accounting for the greatest biomass (Table 4). --- Page 10 --- Figure 5 shows the catch per 100 feet of net of rough fish, game fish, and sunfish. During each survey the weight of game fish was almost equal to that of the rough fish although there were generally greater numbers of rough fish. With the numerous small rough fish which were caught during 1972, it would appear that they are beginning to dominate the fish population in the lake. However, this is not the case. Figure 6 shows the catch in number and weight of rough, game, and sunfish per 100 feet of net for the years 1968 (first year of impoundment), 1970 1971, and 1972. There has been a steady decline in the numbers and weight of rough fish taken each year while the game fish have increased slightly. This is unusual and can not readily be explained. Did one species of rough fish account for this decrease or was there a decrease in each species? Which species accounted for the increase in game fish? Figure 7 shows the number and weight of the five major rough fish species taken in each 100 feet of net during the years listed above. There is an overall decline in the number of each species taken from 1968 through 1972. There was also a decrease in the weight of rough fish taken, with the exception of the smallmouth buffalo. Figure 8 shows the same type of data as Figure 7 for the five major game species. Although the total number of game fish caught per 100 feet of net remained approximately the same, there was a large increase in the weight of fish caught in each 100 feet of net. The number of black bass decreased from 1968 to 1972, however their size more than doubled. There were no white bass taken in 1968, but they have become increasingly more numerous until they are quite common in net surveys. Lake Travis Lake Travis is the second largest lake in Region 2-B with a surface area of 18,930 acres. It is a very deep lake with a mean depth of 62 feet and a maximum depth of 192 feet. The lake was formed in 1940 by the impoundment of waters of the Colorado River. It is controlled by the Lower Colorado River Authority and the lake is used for flood control, recreation, irrigation, power generation, and for municipal and industrial water supplies. Lake Travis was netted three times during 1972. <A total of 529 fish weighing ‘1,229.30 pounds were taken from a total of 40 overnight, bottom gill net sets. Rough fish comprised 60.87 per cent of the catch by number and 60.13 per cent by weight, with gizzard shad accounting for the greatest number and smallmouth buffalo providing the greatest biomass. Game fish comprised 31.57 per cent of the catch by number and 38.98 per cent by weight, with white bass accounting for the greatest number and flathead catfish the greates weight (Table 5). Plans have been made to stock Lake Travis with striped bass in the near future. A program of quarterly netting should be instituted on Lake Travis to evaluate the striped bass introduction. --- Page 11 --- *‘1eak yore ZL6T YBNOIYI CgO6T Sieak ay BuTANp Jou T{TZ3 jo yeaz 8TeM) yoIeO esereAe |y. Jo uosTazeduoyj--'¢ sin8ty peqyonpuod sAsAins But}}eU TTT3 eAOW AO deAzYy. 919M arSUL QOOT ted ystjyuns pue ‘ysty awed ‘ystzy y8nor so (azequnu pue 3y NOANYS 4InNv1 SAMO, S96lL 9961 OZ6L 6961 B96 LZ6L cL6l -9- Catch per 100 Feet of Net — _' BO ND ew oO nn On oO n © ° Reece Barere seweece Rule uae \ 3 ya ww ISSSS 5555 Q) i) 194) PN NN NNN ANNAN REE NY i o ysigung jo spuno dg CZ YSiy 2WUIDS J¥O spuno gq GED ysig yBnoy jo spunog (Z AAR AAA AAR aaeueteee cv susquUINN B os --- Page 12 --- Catch per 100 Feet of Net -10- 30 @ Numbers (ZZ Pounds of Rough Fish Gt Pounds of Game Fish Pounds of Sunfish 25 20 15 WW RSS OSASAAAS 1eee8e6 BaABWe_sw_oe ea" Jan. March June Sept. Nov. LAKE L.B. J. Figure 4.--Comparison of the rough fish, game fish, and sunfish caught per 100 feet of gill net during each of 5 gill netting surveys on Lake Lyndon B. Johnson in 1972. --- Page 13 --- -ll- -Table 4- Lake Stillhouse Hollow Netting Data for 1972 55 Nets Set Per Cent Per Cent of Weight of Average Species Number Number (Pounds) Weight Weight Spotted gar 8 1.00 11.44 1.05 1.43 Longnose gar 37 ~ 4,60 62.44 5.64 1.69 Gizzard shad 136 16.92 46.71 4,22 0.34 Carp 83 10.32 115.17 10.39 1.39 River carpsucker 45 5.60 155.14 14.00 345 Smallmouth buffalo 22 2.74 90.21 8.15 4.11 Gray redhorse sucker 65 8.08 63.64 5.74 0.98 Yellow bullhead catfish 1 0.12 0.50 0.05 0.50 Channel catfish* 56 6.97 147.12 13.28 2.63 Flathead catfish* 12 1.49 57.75 5.22 4.81 White bass* 89 11.07 124.10 11.20 1.39 Warmouth sunfish 1 0.12 0.19 0.02 0.19 Green sunfish 7 0.87 1.38 0.12 0.19 Redbreast sunfish 1 0.12 0.13 0.01 0.13 Bleugill sunfish 118 14.68 24.01 2.17 0.20 Longear sunfish 2 0.25 0.27 0.02 0.14 Redear sunfish 14 1.74 2.03 0.18 0.14 Largemouth black bass 59 7.34 157.80 14.24 2.67 Spotted black bass 18 2.24 28.89 2.61 1.61 White crappie* 27 3.36 14.78 1.33 0.55 Freshwater drum 3 0.37 4.13 0.37 1.38 Total 804 100.00 1108.19 100.00 *Designates Game Fish Species . --- Page 14 --- -12- 30 ® Numbers (ZZI Pounds of Rough Fish Pounds of Game Fish Pounds of Sunfish 25 Catch per 100 Feet of Net LAKE STILLHOUSE HOLLOW Figure 5.--Comparison of the rough fish, game fish, and sunfish caught per 100 feet of gill net during each of 4 gill netting surveys on Lake Stillhouse Hollow in 1972. --- Page 15 --- -13- 50 45 @ Number VZj Pounds Rough Fish to EER Pounds Game Fish _) Pounds Sunfish 35 = o 2 30 Se -) @ @ 25 be fe) © 20 & rT) a = uu oe 3 Vv Years LAKE STILLHOUSE HOLLOW Figure 6.--Comparison of the average catch (weight and number ) of rough fish, game fish, and sunfish per 100 feet of gill net during the years 1968, 1970, 1971 and 1972. There were three or more gill netting surveys conducted each year. --- Page 16 --- -14- Catch 5.0 [ZZ] Pounds of Fish — 1968 Gt Pounds of Fish = 1970 . 40 [<= Pounds of Fish = 1971 m Nomber of ish C—) Pounds of Fish = 1972 WN 3.0 20 1.0 Catch per 100 Feet of Net BRRWWRAAasy e RQAQaeeaeaeae WABRARBAAAaaas BWA Aea_A sa eaaaa 00 Smallmouth | Gray Buffalo Carpsucker Redhorse Figure 7.--Comparison of the’ five major rough fish species caught per 100 feet of gill net (weight and number) in Lake Stillhouse Hollow for the years 1968, 1970, 1971 and 1972. 40 (ZZ) Pounds of Fish — 1968 * EBS Pounds of Fish = 1970 @ es « 2 301, [=a Pounds of Fish — 1971 a Sambar Bee 5 C— Pounds of Fish = 1972 ® 20 rt Ba @ 10 & ° S 2 0.0 S 4 ee ee zt fe a4 28 Se = . Channel Flathead White -. Largemouth White Catfish Catfish Bass -. Bass Crappie Figure 8.--Comparison of the five major game fish species caught per 100 feet of gill net (weight and number) in Lake Stillhouse Hollow for the years 1968, 1970, 1971 and 1972. --- Page 17 --- -15- Lake Belton Lake Belton, located in Bell County, has a maximum surface area of 12,300 acres and a mean depth of 37 feet. It was formed in 1954 by the impoundment of the waters of the Leon River. Lake Belton is under the control of the Army Corps of Engineers and is used primarily for flood control Lake Belton was netted twice during 1972. A total of 668 fish weighing 1,539.90 pounds were taken from a total of 30 overnight, bottom gill net sets. Rough fish comprised 45.66 per cent of the catch by number and 80.90 per cent by weight, with smallmouth buffalo accounting for the greatest number and weight. Game fish comprised 31.43 per cent of the catch by number, but only 17.10 per cent by weight. White bass accounted for almost half of the game fish by number and one-third by weight (Table 6). Largemouth black bass were recently stocked in Lake Belton. Lake Buchanan Lake Buchanan, located in Burnet and Llano Counties, is the largest lake in Region 2-B, with a surface area of 23,200 acres. The mean depth of the lake is 43 feet, with a maximum depth of 132 feet. It was formed in 1937 by the impoundment of the waters of the Colorado River. The lake is controlled by the Lower Colorado River Authority and the water is used for irrigation, municipal water supply and for hydroelectric power. Lake Buchanan was netted only once during 1972. The results of that netting survey is presented in Table 7. Lake Inks Lake Inks, located in Burnet and Llano Counties, has a surface area of 803 acres and a mean depth of 23 feet. The maximum depth is only 60 feet. Inks Lake was formed in 1938 by the impoundment of waters of the Colorado River. It is controlled by the Lower Colorado River Authority. The water is used for hydro- electric power and recreation. Lake Inks was netted one time during 1972. The results of that netting survey are presented in Table 8. --- Page 18 --- =16- -Table 5- Lake Travis Netting Data for 1972 40 Nets Set Per Cent Per Cent by Weight by Average Species Number Number Pounds Weight Weight Spotted gar 3 0.57 15.00 1,22 5.00 Gizzard shad 157 29.68 79.73 6.49 0.51 Carp 19 3.59 60.71 4.94 3.20 River carpsucker 82 15.50 208.53 16.96 2.54 Smallmouth buffalo 40 7.56 354.51 28.84 8.86 Gray redhorse sucker 5 0.95 7.44 0.61 1.49 Channel catfish* 19 3.58 38.07 3.10 2.00 Blue catfish* 1 0.19 7.50 0.61 7.50 Flathead catfish* 35 6.62 295.70 24.05 8.45 White bass* 55 10.40 73.79 6.00 1.34 Warmouth sunfish 4 0.76 0.82 0.07 0 «2a. Green sunfish 6 1.13 132 0.11 0.22 Redbreast sunfish 7 LZ 2.50 0.20 0.36 ‘Bluegill sunfish 21 3.97 3.51 0.29 0.17 Longear sunfish 2 0.38 1.25 0.10 0.63 Largemouth black bass* 35 6.62 40.96 3433 1.17 Spotted black bass* 4 0.76 5.94 0.48 1.49 White crappie* 18 3.40 L7 «32 1.41 0.96 Rio Grande perch 6 1.13 1.50 0.12 0.25 Freshwater drum 10 1.89 13.20 1.0/7 1.32 Total 529 100.00 1229.30 100.00 * Designates Game Fish Species --- Page 19 --- -17- -Table 6- Lake Belton Netting Data for 1972 30 Nets Set Per Cent Per Cent by Weight by Average Species Number Number (Pounds) Weight Weight Spotted gar 12 1.80 26.07 1.69 2.17 Longnose gar 19 2.84 99.57 6.47 5.24 Gizzard shad 39 5.84 24.08 1.56 0.62 Carp 7 1.05 55.38 3.60 7.91 River carpsucker 94 14.07 283.02 18.02 3.01 Smallmouth buffalo 95 14.22 708. 26 45.99 7.46 Gray redhorse sucker 6 0.90 12.06 0.78 2.01 Channel catfish* 28 4.19 67.28 4.38 2.40 Flathead catfish* 2 0.30 6.50 0.42 3.25 White bass* 99 14.82 119.38 745 1.21 Green sunfish 7 1.05 8.63 0.56 1.23 Redbreast sunfish 36 5.39 2.08 0.14 0.06 Bluegill sunfish 95 14.22 17.25 1.12 0.18 Longear sunfish 10 1.50 1.07 0.07 0.11 Redear sunfish 3 0.45 1.57 0.10 0.32 Spotted sunfish 2 0.30 0.13 0.01 0.07 Largemouth black bass* 25 3.74 9.26 0.60 0.37 White crappie* 23 3.44 37.69 2.45 1.64 Freshwater drum 33 4.94 23.17 Ly, 50 0.70 Total 668 100.00 1539.90 100.00 * Designates Game Fish Species --- Page 20 --- =18= -Table 7- Lake Buchanan Netting Data for 1972 15 Nets Set Per Cent Per Cent by Weight by Average Species Number Number Pounds Weight Weight Longnose gar ~ 10 1.81 26.44 2.80 2.64 Gizzard shad 147 26 «53 53.21 5.63 0.36 Carp 18 3.25 44.25 4.68 2.46 River carpsucker 166 29.96 493.96 52.27 2.97 Smallmouth buffalo 12 2.18 103.94 11.00 8.66 Channel catfish* 27 4.87 52.95 5.60 1.96 Flathead catfish* 9 1.62 90.75 9.60 10.08 White bass* 14 2.54 14.14 1.51 1.01 Green sunfish 4 0.72 0.94 0.10 0.24 Warmouth sunfish 8 1.44 2.82 0.30 0.35 Bluegill sunfish 65 11.73 8.44 0.89 0.13 Longear sunfish 26 4.69 3.88 0.41 0.15 Redear sunfish 8 1.44 2.00 0.21 0.25 Largemouth black bass* 10 1.81 12.00 1.27 1.20 Spotted black bass* 8 1.44 5.13 0.54 0.64 White crappie* 4 0.72 3.63 0.38 0.90 Freshwater drum 18 3.25 26.56 2.81 1.47 Total 554 100.00 945.04 100.00 * Designates Game Fish Species --- Page 21 --- =1 9 -Table 8- Results of Lake Inks Gill Netting for 1972 10 Nets Set Per Cent Per Cent of Weight of Average Species Number Number (Pounds) Weight Weight Spotted gar 1 0.24 3.63 0.59 3.63 Longnose gar 2 0.48 5.81 0.94 2.90 Gizzard shad 215 51.56 81.26 13.14 0.38 Carp 18 4632 54.88 8.88 3.04 River carpsucker 44 10.55 153.77 24.89 3.49 Smallmouth buffalo 25 5.98 216.20 34.97 8.65 Gray redhorse sucker 1 0.24 3.63 0.59 3.63 Channel catfish* 6 1.44 6.88 1.11 1.15 Flathead catfish* 6 1.44 47.69 7.71 7.95 Yellow bullhead catfish 1 0.24 0.25 0.04 0.25 White bass* 9 2.16 © 16.47 2.66 1.83 Green sunfish 14 3.36 2.31 0.37 0.15 Bluegill sunfish 53 12.71 4.56 0.74 0.09 Longear sunfish 6 1.44 0.63 0.10 0.10 Largemouth black bass* 13 3.12 16.00 2.59 1.23 White crappie* 1 0.24 0.56 0.09 0.56 Freshwater drum 2 0.48 3.63 0.59 1.82 Total 417 100.00 618.16 100.00 * Designates Game Fish Species --- Page 22 --- =20 . ee Fish Harvest Regulations Existing fish harvest regulations are considered to be adequate for the current fishery resources; therefore, no changes are recommended. Vegetation Control The impoundments surveyed this segment contained only sparse amounts of aquatic vegetation; therefore, no control measures are necessary. Recommendations: Le Prepared by: James L. Lasswell Approved by: Due to the high rough fish population (primarily gizzard shad) in Canyon Reservoir, it is recommended that an attempt be made to establish walleye pike and/or smallmouth bass. Quarterly netting surveys should be continued so that the effects of walleye or smallmouth bass stockings can be evaluated. Plans have been made to stock Lake Travis with striped bass. Quarterly netting surveys should be conducted on Lake Travis to evaluate the effects of striped bass stockings. No management recommendations are necessary for Lake Inks at present. Lake Inks will be netted quarterly during 1973. Quarterly netting should be continued on Lake Lyndon B. Johnson so that the long term effects of the renovation in April of 1971 can be evaluated. Lake Stillhouse Hollow will not be in Region 2-B in 1973. No management recommendations are necessary at this time; however, monitoring of population trends should be continued (note Figure 6). It is recommended that this job be continued to provide valid fishery management recommendations through population sampling data. It is recommended that four or five lakes be designated for intensive netting surveys each year. These lakes should be changed each year so that each lake in the region is surveyed intensively once every two to three years. Netting data on the lakes chosen for intensive study should be supple- mented with seining and cove rotenone surveys. -y teced,. Li A Assistant Project Leader D-J Coordinator Date: February 13, 1973 R. L. Bounds Region II Inland Fisheries Director