Lake Whitney 2019 Survey Report (PDF 1000.4 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing the information in this document, contact the TPWD Inland Fisheries Division for assistance.
Lake Whitney - 2019 Survey Report
Prepared by John Tibbs and Michael S. Baird
Inland Fisheries Division – Waco District
This is the authors' summary from a 40-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.
Fish populations in Whitney Reservoir were surveyed in 2019 using electrofishing and in 2020 using gill nets. Historical data are presented with the 2019-2020 data for comparison. This report summarizes the results of the surveys and contains a management plan for the reservoir based on those findings.
Reservoir Description
Whitney Reservoir is a 23,200-acre impoundment of the Brazos River, in Bosque and Hill Counties. Water level has fluctuated from 6 feet below conservation pool (approximately 527.0 feet above mean sea level [MSL]) to 22 feet above conservation pool (approximately 555.0 feet above MSL) since 2015. Water levels were six feet low during the 2019 electrofishing survey and 4 feet low during the 2020 gill net survey. Fish habitat at the time of sampling was dominated by natural rock shorelines. Boat access (23 ramps) on the reservoir is excellent.
Management History
Important sport fish include Striped Bass, White Bass, Largemouth Bass, White Crappie, and catfishes. All have been impacted by periodic toxic golden alga blooms which started in 2001. Efforts to mitigate these losses have included enhanced collection of fisheries data, annual Striped Bass stockings, and Smallmouth Bass stocking requests. Golden alga was not a major issue during the four years covered by this report. Recent management efforts include cooperating with the controlling authority to post appropriate signage at access points to try and prevent the spread of the invasive zebra mussel into the reservoir.
Fish Community
- Prey species: Threadfin Shad, Gizzard Shad and Bluegill catch rates were above historical averages. Other minor forage species included Redear Sunfish, Longear Sunfish, Green Sunfish, Warmouth and Redbreast Sunfish.
- Catfishes: The Blue Catfish catch rate was the highest on record and the Channel Catfish catch rate was well above the historical average. Individuals of both species were in good body condition.
- Temperate Bass: The White Bass catch rate was well above the historical average and body condition was good. The Striped Bass catch rate was higher than any other year except in 1991 and body condition was also good.
- Black Bass: The Largemouth Bass catch rate was the highest on record and body condition was good to excellent although it declined with increasing length. Most importantly, catch rate of legal-sized fish increased. Smallmouth Bass were not collected, but Spotted Bass were collected at a low rate.
- White Crappie: White Crappie were collected with a non-standard gear and in too few numbers to draw any meaningful conclusions.
Management Strategies
- Continue managing sport fishes at Whitney Reservoir with statewide regulations.
- Continue requesting Smallmouth Bass stockings.
- Evaluate effects of river inflows on the Striped Bass population using a variety of approaches.
- Conduct access and vegetation surveys in summer 2023, and general monitoring surveys with electrofishing, gill nets, and an angler creel survey in 2023 and 2024.
- Maintain invasive species signage and inform the public about the negative impacts of aquatic invasive species.
Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-221-M-6 Inland Fisheries Division Monitoring and Management Program