Lone Star Lake 2010 Survey Report (PDF 398.3 KB)
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Lone Star Lake - 2010 Survey Report
Prepared by Timothy J. Bister
Inland Fisheries Division
District 3-A,
Marshall, Texas
This is the authors' summary from a 24-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.
Fish populations in Lone Star Lake were surveyed in 2010 using electrofishing and trap netting and in 2011 using gill netting. This report summarizes the results of the surveys and contains a management plan for the reservoir based on those findings.
Reservoir Description
Lone Star Lake is a 1,516-acre impoundment located on Ellison Creek in the Cypress River Basin in Morris County. Structural habitat is sparse, but is comprised of inundated timber, brush, riprap, creek channels, and boat docks. Native aquatic plant abundance has recently decreased. Hydrilla was discovered in the reservoir in 2006, but coverage was less in 2010 than the 2006 survey. A fish-consumption advisory was issued due to PCB contamination in 2005.
Management History
Important sport fish include channel catfish, white bass, palmetto bass, and largemouth bass. All sport fish have historically been managed with statewide harvest regulations. Florida largemouth bass have been stocked in this reservoir to improve the quality of the largemouth bass fishery. Palmetto bass stocking was discontinued in 2005 due to the fish consumption advisory. Hydrilla was discovered in the reservoir in 2006 and herbicide treatments were conducted in 2006 and 2007. Environmental conditions have reduced the coverage of all aquatic plants in the reservoir in recent years.
Fish Community
- Prey species: Threadfin shad were collected during the 2010 fall electrofishing survey. Electrofishing catch rates of gizzard shad were relatively low with 42% of the fish available as prey to most sport fish. Bluegill, redbreast sunfish, and redear sunfish were also available as prey and were abundant.
- Catfishes: The majority of channel catfish collected during the 2011 gill netting survey were above the legal length limit (12 inches). The abundance of channel catfish has steadily increased in the reservoir since 2005.
- Temperate basses: White bass and palmetto bass (hybrid striped bass) were present in the reservoir. Relative abundance of white bass has decreased in recent years. Only three white bass were collected during the 2011 gill netting survey. Palmetto bass stocking was discontinued following a fish consumption advisory issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
- Black basses: The abundance of spotted bass was higher in 2010 compared to previous surveys. Even though the total catch of largemouth bass has declined, the number of legal-size fish has been stable. Relative weights were good for all inch groups, indicating adequate prey availability. Largemouth bass had fast growth rates, reaching legal-size in three growing seasons.
- Crappie: No crappie were collected during the 2010 trap netting survey. In 2006, both white and black crappie were observed during fall trap net surveys, but only one fish of each species was collected.
Management Strategies
Conduct electrofishing surveys every other year beginning in 2012, and general monitoring with gill nets in 2015. Hydrilla surveys will be conducted annually. Technical guidance will be given to controlling authority regarding the management of invasive aquatic vegetation. All sport fish will continue to be managed under statewide harvest regulations.
Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-221-M-1 Statewide Freshwater Fisheries Monitoring and Management Program