Lake Bryan - 2017 Survey Report

Prepared by Niki Ragan-Harbison, Alice Best and Mark Webb
Inland Fisheries Division - College Station/Houston District

This is the authors' summary from a 25-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Lake Bryan were surveyed in 2017 and 2018 using electrofishing and gillnetting. Historical data are presented with the 2017 and 2018 data for comparison. This report summarizes the results of the surveys and contains a management plan for the reservoir based on those findings.

Reservoir Description

Lake Bryan is an 818-acre reservoir in Brazos County, Texas, built by Bryan Texas Utilities (BTU) to provide water for power-plant cooling. The lake has a small 1.97 square mile watershed with a water-well owned by BTU to help maintain water level. The lake is located within a public park, and access for both boat and bank angling is excellent. The primary fish habitat is limestone riprap and scattered native emergent vegetation.

Management History

Primary sport fishes in Lake Bryan include Largemouth Bass, Blue Catfish, and Channel Catfish. A variety of sunfish species are also present with Bluegill and Green Sunfish available in high densities along the rip-rap. Sport fish species are managed under statewide length and bag limits with the exception that the Largemouth Bass population has been under an 18-inch minimum length limit since September 1996; however, the Largemouth Bass length limit will change to the 14-inch minimum length limit on September 1, 2018.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Bluegill, Green Sunfish, and Longear Sunfish comprised most of the available prey. Bluegill were the most abundant of the sunfish species, and all were < 7 inches in length.
• Catfishes: Channel Catfish and Blue Catfish were both available to anglers although densities were low. Blue Catfish were noted for the first time in the 2010 gill net sample following stocking in 2009.
• Largemouth Bass: Largemouth Bass up to 18 inches were available to anglers. Body condition of Largemouth Bass was good (Wr > 90 and < 120); however, growth was slow. Average age at 14 inches was 4.0 years.
• Crappies: Both White Crappie and Black Crappie have been present in Lake Bryan. Although only one White Crappie and no Black Crappie were collected in 2017 and 2018, anecdotal information indicates a crappie fishery exists at Lake Bryan.
• Red Drum: Red Drum were stocked annually from 2015–2017. Anecdotal reports indicated limited catch up to 14 inches by anglers, but no Red Drum were collected during 2017 by survey methods.

Management Strategies

Low primary productivity limits the Lake Bryan fishery. The majority of the littoral fish production is associated with the extensive limestone rip-rap along the levees; therefore, electrofishing samples are focused in those areas. The length limit for Largemouth Bass will change from the current 18-inch minimum length limit to the statewide 14-inch minimum length limit beginning September 1, 2018 to allow more harvest opportunities. If Red Drum catches continue to be reported and water quality conditions continue to be suitable, Red Drum stockings will continue to be requested. Blue Catfish will be requested for stocking in 2019 to augment the developing Blue Catfish fishery. A spring creel survey will be planned for 2019 to better assess overall angling activity.

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-221-M-3 Inland Fisheries Division Monitoring and Management Program