Lake Quitman - 2005 Survey Report

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Prepared by Aaron K. Jubar and Kevin W. Storey
Inland Fisheries Division
District 3-B, Tyler, Texas

This is the authors' summary from a 22-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Lake Quitman were surveyed in 2005 using electrofishing and trap nets, and in 2006 using gill nets. Aquatic vegetation and habitat surveys were conducted on Lake Quitman during September 2005. This report summarizes the results of the surveys and contains a management plan for the reservoir based on those findings.

Reservoir Description

Lake Quitman is an 814-acre impoundment located in Wood County, Texas, on an unnamed tributary of the Sabine River. It was constructed by Wood County for recreation and flood control. Habitat consists primarily of featureless banks, boat docks, inundated timber, emergent aquatic vegetation, and the invasive floating plant, waterhyacinth.

Management History

Important sport fish include largemouth bass, white crappie, black crappie, and channel catfish. The management plan from the 2001 survey report recommended stocking Florida largemouth bass fingerlings at 100 fish/acre if the percentage of Florida largemouth bass alleles in fall 2005 sampling was below 20%. Florida largemouth bass were introduced in 1980 and stocked again in 1999 and 2000. Recent efforts to control waterhyacinth have included physical removal as well as aquatic herbicide applications.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Predominant prey species in the reservoir include gizzard shad, bluegill, and threadfin shad. Electrofishing catch of gizzard shad was very high, with the majority of gizzard shad being available as prey to most sport fish. Electrofishing catch of bluegills was moderate, but few bluegills were over 6inches
  long. Threadfin shad provided additional forage for sport fish in the reservoir.
• Catfishes: The majority of channel catfish collected during gill netting were of harvestable size, resulting in the possibility of a productive fishery that may be underutilized. Flathead catfish were present in the reservoir, but are rare in population samples.
• Largemouth bass: Largemouth bass were relatively abundant. Size structure was good. Largemouth bass tended to be of average body condition, indicating that prey populations were adequate.
• Crappies: Both white and black crappies were present in the reservoir, with white crappie being more abundant. Both crappie species showed good size and body condition. Most white crappie reached legal size within two years.

Management Strategies

• Stock Florida largemouth bass to increase the percentage of Florida alleles in the largemouth bass population.
• Conduct additional electrofishing survey in 2007 and standard monitoring with trap nets, gill nets, and electrofishing surveys in 2009-2010.
• Conduct aquatic vegetation surveys in 2006-2009 to monitor distribution and coverage of waterhyacinth.

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