TPWD 1962 F-4-R-9 #743: A Study of Crappie in Lake Whitney: Job Completion Report, Project F-4-R-9

JOB COMPLETION REPORT As required by FEDERAL.AID IN FISHERIES RESDDRATION ACT TEXAS Federal Aid Project No. F-4=R~9 FISHERIES INVESTIGAITON AND SURVEYS OF THE WATERS 0F REGION 2aA Job No. E—4 A Study of Crappie in Lake Whitney Project Leader: Leonard D. Lamb H. D. Dodgen Executive Secretary Texas Game and Fish Commission Austin, Texas Marion Toole Eugene A. walker D-J Coordinator Director, Program Planning . March 6, 1963 ABSTRACT A study of crappie in Lake Whitney was continued in an effort to learn something of the size of the crappie population3 the reasons for the recent small harvest, the movement of tagged crappie, the ecological factors influencing their distribution and to develop satisfactory methods for sampling crappie fryo Average weight of crappie has increased slightly as shown by gill net collec~ tions but the weight of each crappie is still critically low. The per cent of number has increased which tends to indicate that the size of the crappie popula-' tion is satisfactory and that the crappie Spawn has been successful. One thousand rforfy~four crappie were taken in wire traps9 152 crappie were taken in gill nets, and 534 were taken on hook and line. A total of 1578 crappie was tagged during the year and 79 or 5.00 per cent of these were recaptured. The recorded movement of tagged crappie ranged from no movement to 21 miles. The greatest length of freedom was 580 days. This crappie was recaptured at the same place of release. Fish_tagged No. D-llB remained free for 177 days before being recaptured at the place of release. After recording the tag number the fisher- man returned this fish to the water where it remained 237 days before another fisher- man again recaptured it at the place of the original tagging. This individual showed no travel during the 354 days between tagging and final capture. It is intended that the crappie study continue and all the data which has been gathered be compiled in order that a long range9 year to year9 movement ofthe crappie can be predicted. Further emphasis will be placed on the study of crappie spawning success, satisfactory method for sampling crappie fry9 improvement of methods for capturing greater numbers of crappie for tagging purposes. JOB COMPLETION REPORT State of Texas Project No. F~4~R—9 Name: Fisheries Investigations and Surveys of the waters of Region gfiA Job No. E—4 Title: A Study of Crappie in Lake Whitney. Period Covered: November 19 1961 — October 319 1962 a_______a__w__________*___________flu,_____ Objectives: To determine the population of crappie in Lake Whitney and the reasons for the recent Small harvest. Study the pattern and extent of travel of tagged or marked crappie and the ecological factors influencing their distribution. To develop satis- factory methods of sampling crappie fry. Techniques Used; The tagging of crappie in Lake Whitney during the period covered by this report. continued along the same general lines as in previous segments. A majority of the traps used were constructed of No. 9 gauge 6 inch mesh concrete reinforcement wire. covered with one—inch mesh poultry wire. The wire traps were five feet long and 23 inches in diameterS and were of either single throat or double throat construc- tion. The throat openings were from three to five inches in diameter. All of the traps were built in the fisheries laboratory headquarters and transm ported to the lake. Traps were then set in selected areas considered to be good places to take crappie. The traps were left in these locations as long as fish repairs or the trap was lost through flood or theft. Yellow colored wooden markers green color was discontinued. "Gang nets" were used in addition to the wire traps. The gang net is made up of a series of hoop nets attached together by small mesh leads. Two of the gang nets were used during the crappie Spawning season. Two of the Small mesh wire traps9 onewhalf inch by one-half inch hardware cloth, constructed during the previous segment9 were used for sampling crappie fry. Gill net collections were made in the area in order to determine the popula» tion ratios and to take tagged crappie. The information also served as a check on the effectiveness of the traps in taking crappie. -2- In addition to nets, traps, and seinesglnok and line sampling was also used to take crappie for tagging or recapture after tagging. This method of taking crappie was used to check the effectiveness of the traps in catching crappie, to help in determining where to locate the wire traps, and to capture more crappie for tagging. Rotenone and minnow seines were used in an attempt to sample crappie fry. Rot- enone was used to take samples of fish from the deeper waters which could not be sampled with the common sense minnow seine. Minnow seines were used to sample shallow water areas. A recording fathometer was used to locate underwater; brush piles that could be used for protection by the crappie, indicating a favorable site for the wire traps. In other recordings, the graphs were examined in an attempt to determine the location of fish and what depths they occupied. In conjunction with the fathom— eter recording, the temperature of the water was taken at two foot intervals with a Whitney direct reading electric thermometer. Printed posters were distributed to all major camps on the lake. Along with the posters, each camp operator was furnished cards that could be filled out by fishermen who caught a tagged fish. These cards, when properly filled out and re- turned to the investigator, yielded information concerning length, weights, date, and place of recapture, including the tag number of each tagged fish taken. Strap type, monel-metal, jaw tags were placed on the left premaxillary of all fish tagged. This is the same method of tagging used in past segments of the crap— pie Study. The tag size used were either No. 1 or No. 3. Data recorded for each tagged individual were; total length in millimeters, tag number, and the weight recorded in grams. Date and place of capture and release were also recorded. Findings: Data presented in Table 1 shows the number and percentage by species of the total trap catch, from each area of the lake. A total of 1,043 crappie were trapped which represents 45.84 per cent of the total catch, compared with 55.36 per cent in 1960—1961. Eight hundred twenty—six bluegills were trapped which represents 36.31 per cent, an increase over the previous year“s 27.11 per cent. Gill nets were set in order to obtain comparative data and to serve as a check on the existing fish populations, (Table 2). The catch of crappie-was 13.39 per cent of the total fish taken in gill nets while the wire traps took 45.84 per cent crappie. An increase in total number of crappie is noted in this segment of work. One hundred fifty—two crappie were netted which represents 13.39 per cent of the total catch, -As compared with 86 crappie or 6.74 per cent during the previous segment. Data, pertaining to crappie (Table 2), show an increase through all columns listed. Under heading, Per Cent of Total Weight, crappie Show an increase from 3.43 per cent (Table 3) to 7.99 per cent. The average weight of crappie gained slightly, (0.05 pounds) over the previous net samples. An increase in fish per 100 feet of net is noted. During 1960-61 the number of fish per 100 feet of net was 1.87 which increased to 3.71 fish per 100 feet of net during this segment of work. “3.. A decrease in the number of shed is noted. The catch of Shad during 1960—61 was 807 or 63.25 per cent of the total catch. Netting during the 1961—62 segment .83 per cent of the total catch. Freshwater drum increased from 0.32 to 4 increase is believedto be due to the chan fingerlings. .41 per cent of the total number. This population of crappie for relative abundance, for tagging purposes. 'lt as did the lake proper. water was backed into a brushy slough which had heavily vegetated banks. The crappie fry were taken near the grass covered bank. A recording fathometer was used in an attempt to locate schools of fish and to find what depths they occupied but this was unsuccessful because no schools were located. In Table 3 were taken in wire traps. Four of the ta cent of the total tags returned. The number of crappie tagged in the upper lake totaled 765 or 48.48 per cent of the entire number tagged. Fifty—seven crappie were recaptured in thr;area .Which represents 72.15 per cent of the-total tags returned. Hook and line proved very successful, contributing 534 of these crappie for tagging purposes. That part of the lake designated as the Middle all from traps, or 40.05 per cent of the total tagged fish. Fishermen and traps re- captured 16 fish or 20.25 per cent of the tags returned in this area. -4- ower lake area which composed 0.32 per cent of fish were recaptured which represents 2.54 per No fish were taken on hook and Traps caught 5 fish from the l the total tagged fish. Two of the cent of the total fish recaptured in thisiarea. line from the lower lake area. Information concerning all tagged crappie recaptured either by fishermen, traps, or gill nets is listed in Table No. 5. The longest distance traveled is 21 miles. This crappie (tag No. C—5242) was tagged and released near Lakeside Village then traveled. downstream to the Dam. Water level was above normal and very muddy in the Upper and Middle Lake Area when this crappie was caught. This crappie may have traveled downstream in order to leave the muddy condition in d this distance at any time during the 276 days it remained free. Next longest distance traveled is 13 miles (tag No. C=5168) which originated at Redwood Lodge and terminated in Plowmans Creek 133 days later. This crappie moved upstream before being caught and was taken during March which tends to Show a Spawning migration movement. C-5678 was tagged and released in the Nolan River then Crappie tagged No. lage beforélbeing recaptured. This fish re- traveled downstream to Lakeside Vil mained free for only eleven days but traveled eight miles. ' 3 Another crappie (tag No. D-105) which moved a considerable distance was tagged Crappie tagged No. C-5589 was stream apprOXimately two miles towar crappie remained free for 146 days. Three of the tagged crappie traveled one and one—half mile each while 15 fish traveled one mile each. Eighteen of the tagged crappie moved only onewhalf mile each and one traveled only one-fourth mile. A total of 37 crappie, recaptured during the year, traveled less than one- fourth mile or no travel at all and are listed in the distance traveled column of Table 5 as "none". . The longest period of freedom, for a tagged crappie from this segment, is approximately 580 days, (Tag No. C~l740). This fish was tagged May 25, 1960 a, and was recaptured December 1961. Information concerning length and weight of * this fish was not given; therefore i . mined. This fish was recaptured at the same p D-118 remained free for 117 days before being recaptured at After recording the tag number the fisherman returned this ed free 237 days before another fisherman again This crappie showed no travel Fish tagged No. the place of release. fish to the water where it remain recaptured it at the place of the original tagging. during the 354 days between tagging and final capture. C-443l remained free for 307 days before recapture in the Crappie tagged No. Fish tagged D»105 remained free for 300 Nolan River where it had been released. days before recapture. -5- Five other crappie, tag numbers C-5221, A-4229, C-5065, C-5067, and C-504l remained free for 251, 224, 216, 215, and 206 days reSpectively. remained free for shorter periods and are listed in the days of fr Table_5. All other crappie eedom column of Table No. 6 is a week by week list of the water level of Lake Whitney. AS shown on this table the water varied from the low of 516.48 to a high of 523.53 feet. . / 6%, Prepared by Dwane . Smith ”I -.. Approved by - Asst. 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