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Coleto Creek 2009 Survey Report media download(PDF 1.5 MB)

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Coleto Creek Reservoir - 2009 Survey Report

Prepared by Greg Binion and John Findeisen
Inland Fisheries Division
District 1-E, Mathis, Texas

This is the authors' summary from a 31-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Coleto Creek Reservoir were surveyed from 2006 to 2010 using trap nets, electrofishing, 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

Coleto Creek Reservoir is a 3,100-acre reservoir located on Coleto Creek in the Guadalupe River Basin 13 miles southwest of Victoria. Regulated by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, it receives water from Coleto and Perdido creeks as well as several smaller tributaries and is used as a power plant cooling and recreation. Approximately 600 acres are used for cooling ponds and are inaccessible to anglers. Water level is typically stable. Substrate is composed primarily of clays, deep loams and small rock. Littoral habitat consisted of many native and exotic species of aquatic vegetation and flooded timber.

Management History

Important sport fish species include blue, channel, and flathead catfish, white bass, largemouth bass, and white and black crappie. Palmetto bass and red drum were previously stocked in the reservoir but these stockings have been discontinued due to low gill net catch rates and low directed angling effort. The 2006 management plan focused on nuisance aquatic vegetation control and the continuation of roving creel surveys every other year to estimate angling effort, catch, and harvest. Hydrilla, milfoil and water hyacinth have historically restricted access to some areas of the reservoir and these problematic areas have been treated with herbicides and bio-control organisms. In addition to standard electrofishing surveys conducted every year; additional largemouth bass sampling was conducted in 2009 to assess age and growth and to obtain total annual mortality estimates for the population.

Fish Community

Management Strategies

Sport Fish Restoration Logo

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-30-R-35 Statewide Freshwater Fisheries Monitoring and Management Program