(Clyde Reservoir - 2004 Survey Report
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Prepared by Mukhtar Farooqi and Spencer Dumont
Inland Fisheries Division
District 1-B,
Abilene, Texas
This is the authors' summary from a 14-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.
Clyde Reservoir was surveyed in fall 2004 using electrofishing and trap nets. This report summarizes the results of the surveys and contains a management plan for the reservoir based on those findings.
Reservoir Description
Clyde Reservoir is a 500-acre impoundment located on Pecan Bayou in the Colorado River Basin approximately 15 miles southeast of Abilene. It was constructed in 1970 as a municipal water supply and is controlled by the City of Clyde, Texas. The reservoir lies within the High and Rolling Plains Land Resource Area. Topography grades from gentle to moderate relief with sandy to loamy soils. Watershed land use is primarily agriculture. Water level history is not kept for this reservoir; however, during winter 2000/2001, the reservoir size was estimated at less than fifty surface acres due to a severe ongoing drought. By the end of 2004, water level was within 4 feet of conservation level. The habitat consisted primarily of mud flats and submerged terrestrial vegetation.
Fish Community
- Prey species: Electrofishing catch rates of bluegill and sub-stock gizzard shad were 66.0/h and 656.4/h, respectively. Index of vulnerability (IOV) for gizzard shad was excellent, 99% of gizzard shad were available to existing predators. This is a promising sign of recovery from the effects of the drought. The total catch per unit effort (CPUE) of bluegill (66.0/h) was relatively low, but there should be sufficient numbers of these fish to re-establish the bluegill population to pre-drought levels.
- Channel catfish: No gill net survey was conducted during 2005 to avoid sampling mortalities since the fishery was still in a drought recovery phase. Some catfish were present as indicated by electrofishing catch rates for channel catfish and flathead catfish of 1.2/h and 2.4/h respectively.
- Largemouth bass: Due to low water conditions a non-standard survey of largemouth bass was conducted in November of 2004. Five 10-minute stations were sampled resulting in a catch rate of 183.6/h. However, the electrofishing catch rate of stock length largemouth bass was very low (14.4/h). The bulk of these fish were in very good condition (relative weight (Wr)>100 in nearly all cases), and although relative abundance was low, the population size structure was reasonable (proportional stock density (PSD)=58, relative stock density (RSD-P)=15). The CPUE for sub-stock length fish was169.2/h and may reflect the contribution of the Florida largemouth bass stocked in May of 2004. No fish were kept for age and growth analyses.
- White crappie: Due to low water conditions a non-standard trap net survey was conducted for white crappie. Three trap nets were set and resulted in a catch rate of 6.3/NN. This is much lower than the 64.8/NN recorded in the 2000 survey (which also incorporated a non-standard survey methodology due to the extreme low water conditions at that time). The PSD was 88. No fish were kept for age and growth analyses.
Management Strategies
Lake Clyde has been a producer of trophy largemouth bass in the past. The current lake record is 14.8 pounds and was caught 2001. The lake had been very low as a result of the drought of 1998-2004, but water levels have been steadily rising since that time. Florida largemouth bass were stocked in 2004 as part of a selective restocking effort to help restore this quality fishery. Based on past history and the current status of the fishery, the statewide 14-inch minimum length limit for largemouth bass should be sufficient for management purposes.
Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-30-R-29 Statewide Freshwater Fisheries Monitoring and Management Program