Coffee Mill Reservoir - 2005 Survey Report

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Prepared by Bruce Hysmith and John H. Moczygemba
Inland Fisheries Division
District 2-A, Pottsboro, Texas

This is the authors' summary from a 21-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Coffee Mill Reservoir were surveyed in 2005 using an electrofisher and trap nets and in 2006 using gill nets. Habitat was surveyed in 2005. This report summarizes the results of the surveys and contains a management plan for the reservoir based on those findings.

Reservoir Description

Coffee Mill Reservoir is a 650-acre impoundment located on Coffee Mill Creek approximately 10 miles northeast of Bonham. Water level has been within 3 feet of the spillway since 2001. Coffee Mill Reservoir has moderate and increasing primary productivity. Habitat features consisted mainly of native emerged vegetation, especially along the shoreline. There was some standing timber.

Management History

Important sport fish include channel catfish, largemouth bass, and white crappie. The management plan from the 2001 survey report included a recommendation to discontinue stocking Florida largemouth bass, which were stocked in 1994-1999. After 4 years of stocking, introduction of Florida alleles into the native largemouth bass population was unsuccessful. Supplemental trap netting in 1999 confirmed high abundance of white crappie and refuted data from 1998 which showed low abundance. Anglers were creeled in the summer of 2001 and the spring of 2002. Black crappie were present only in the 1999 survey.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Electrofishing catch of gizzard shad was high, but continued to decline from previous surveys. There was an increase in relative abundance of larger gizzard shad (> 7-inches). Electrofishing catch of bluegills was a record high, which provided further evidence of an excellent prey base.
• Channel catfish: Gill net catch of channel catfish was a record high, with most of the population of legal-size and in fair to excellent condition.
• Largemouth bass: The electrofishing catch rate of largemouth bass continues to be high, growth rates were good, and the fish were healthy. Electrophoretic samples produced no pure Florida bass, but the sample had 17.8% Florida bass alleles.
• Crappies: Trap net catch rate of white crappie was high, but lower than in 2001 and legal-size crappie were in excellent condition. Although present in previous surveys, black crappie were not found in this survey.

Management Strategies

Encourage U. S. Forest Service to install and maintain lighting at the boat ramp, fishing pier, and at the west end of the parking lot, and to repair fishing pier.

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-30-R-31 Statewide Freshwater Fisheries Monitoring and Management Program