Lake Crook - 2006 Survey Report

Prepared by Aaron K. Jubar and Kevin W. Storey
Inland Fisheries Division
District 3-B, Tyler, 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 Lake Crook were surveyed in 2006 using electrofishing and trap nets, and in 2007 using gill nets. Aquatic vegetation and habitat surveys were conducted on Lake Crook during August 2006. This report summarizes the results of the surveys and contains a management plan for the reservoir based on those findings.

Reservoir Description

Lake Crook is a 1,060-acre impoundment located in Lamar County, Texas, on Pine Creek, a tributary of the Red River. It was constructed by the City of Paris for municipal water supply, but currently acts as a supplemental source to the main supply from Pat Mayse Reservoir. Habitat consists primarily of featureless banks and shallow areas are dominated by native emergent aquatic vegetation.

Management History

Important sport fishes include largemouth bass, white crappie, blue and channel catfish. The management plan from the 2002 survey report recommended stocking saugeye to reduce the abundance of small white crappie and create a new fishery. Lake Crook was not stocked, however, since it did not meet the criteria for saugeye stocking.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Prey species in the reservoir consist primarily of gizzard shad. Electrofishing catch of gizzard shad was moderate, with the majority of gizzard shad being available as prey to most sport fish. Electrofishing catch of bluegills was extremely low, with only one bluegill sampled. No threadfin shad were collected.
• Catfishes: Catch rates of catfishes collected during gill netting were low, but many fish were of harvestable size. Blue catfish had never previously been caught in gill nets in Lake Crook, and no record exists of TPWD stocking this species into the reservoir. Blue catfish may have been introduced by anglers in the recent past. No flathead catfish were sampled in the reservoir during the spring 2007 survey.
• Largemouth bass: Only one largemouth bass was caught during electrofishing, most likely due to the lack of suitable habitat. Largemouth bass are present in the reservoir in low abundance and are unable to thrive in Lake Crook’s highly turbid water.
• Crappies: Only white crappie were sampled during the survey, and were extremely abundant. Size structure was poor, however, with most individuals less than six inches.

Management Strategies

• Recommend improvements to the public ramps and fishing pier at the park on the lake.
• Promote the new blue catfish fishery through local media outlets.
• Continue with standard monitoring using trap nets, gill nets, and electrofishing in 2010-2011.

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-30-R-32 Statewide Freshwater Fisheries Monitoring and Management Program