Gladewater City Lake - 2005 Survey Report

Prepared by Timothy J. Bister and Michael W. Brice
Inland Fisheries Division
District 3-A, Marshall, Texas

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 Gladewater City Lake were surveyed in 2005 using electrofishing and in 2006 using trap nets and gill nets. This report summarizes the results of the surveys and contains a management plan for the reservoir based on those findings.

Reservoir Description

Gladewater City Lake is 481-acre reservoir on Glade Creek, which was constructed in 1953 by the City of Gladewater for use as municipal and industrial water supply. Habitat features consisted of inundated timber, brush, creek channels, and riprap. The lake has a history of limited aquatic vegetation, but the latest survey indicated aquatic plants were more abundant than in previous years. Waterhyacinth, a non-native invasive plant, was detected at the reservoir in 2005.

Management History

Important sport fish include largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, redear sunfish, and crappie. The management plan from the 2001 survey report included the need for aquatic vegetation enhancement and the monitoring of the genetics of the largemouth bass population.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Threadfin shad continued to be present in the reservoir. Electrofishing catch of gizzard shad was lower than the previous survey and few fish were small enough to be available as prey to sport fish. Bluegill catch was higher in 2005 than in 2001, and many of these fish were available as prey to most sport fish. Redear sunfish serve as an additional prey source for predators and also grow to sizes desirable to anglers.
• Catfishes: The channel catfish population has many fish above legal size and provides good angling opportunities. Gill net catch rates of channel catfish were lower in 2006 than in previous surveys.
• Temperate basses: No white bass were collected by gill nets in 2006. This reservoir has never contained white bass, but yellow bass were present.
• Black basses: Largemouth bass electrofishing catch rates were higher in 2005 than previous surveys. The average age of a 14-inch fish was 2.5 years. Largemouth bass were collected to 19 inches and body condition was good. The increase in abundance was likely due to the increase in vegetation coverage. Spotted bass abundance was also higher in 2005 than previous years. These fish provide additional angling opportunities.
• Crappie: Experimental spring trap netting for crappie was conducted during the spawning season in an attempt to catch more fish than fall samples. Larger white crappie were collected, but the increase in numbers from spring trap netting was not seen. Black crappie were also present.

Management Strategies

• Conduct electrofishing survey in 2007 to assess largemouth bass population genetics and to collect population trend data.
• Conduct waterhyacinth inspections annually from 2006-2008.
• Conduct a 3-month angler creel survey from March-May 2009.
• Conduct general monitoring with trap nets, electrofishing, and aquatic vegetation surveys in 2009 and gill netting in 2010.

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