Lavon Reservoir - 2010 Survey Report

Prepared by Bruce Hysmith and John H. Moczygemba
Inland Fisheries Division
District 2-A, Pottsboro, 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 Lavon Reservoir were surveyed in 2010 using an electrofisher and trap nets and in 2011 using gill nets. Habitat was surveyed in 2010. This report summarizes the results of the surveys and contains a management plan for the reservoir based on those findings.

Reservoir Description

Lavon Reservoir is a 21,400-acre impoundment located on the East Fork Trinity River approximately 8 miles east of McKinney. Since July 2007 water level has fluctuated 5 feet above and below conservation elevation (492 feet above mean sea level) with the current level dropping. Lavon Reservoir has moderate productivity. Habitat features consisted mainly of riprap along the dam and railroad bridges, dead trees and stumps, and rocky shoreline. Standing dead timber was the major habitat feature.

Management History

Important sport fishes included blue and channel catfish, white bass, largemouth bass, and white crappie. The management plan from the 2006 survey report included investigating the resumption of striped bass stocking to augment recreational angling and develop a potential brood fish source. Since the last reporting, 216,090 striped bass fingerlings were stocked in 2008. Despite marginal success in establishing striped bass after the 1996 stocking, there has been minimal evidence of establishing striped bass since 1999. Annual stocking of fingerlings from 2004 through 2008 have been unsuccessful.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Threadfin shad continued to be present, but showed a decline in abundance. Electrofishing catch of gizzard shad catapulted into an all-time high abundance. Almost all of the gizzard shad (99%) were available as prey to most sportfishes. As with gizzard shad, the electrofishing catch of desirable prey-size bluegill was at an all-time high. There were also good numbers of harvestable-size bluegill. Longear sunfish is quickly becoming a major prey species.
• Catfishes: Gill net catch of blue catfish was high with over one-half of the sampled population being legal size and in excellent condition. Recruitment was good and they appeared to out-compete channel catfish both in 2009 and 2011. Gill net catch of channel catfish increased from previous surveys. Flathead catfish were present in the reservoir; two were collected.
• Temperate basses: Gill net catch of white bass and striped bass was low, despite the surge in abundance of white bass in the supplemental sample of February, 2009. Striped bass abundance has been consistently very low since 2007.
• Largemouth bass: The electrofishing catch of largemouth bass was an all-time high, with excellent recruitment and good body condition. Almost one-fifth of the sample population was legal size and larger.
• Crappies: Despite a decline in numbers, the trap netting catch of white crappie was good. Body condition was excellent, recruitment was good, and almost one-half of the sample population was legal size and larger. As in 2006, black crappie were present.

Management Strategies

• Conduct general monitoring with electrofisher, trap nets, and gill nets in 2014-2015.
• Publicize improvements of the largemouth bass, blue catfish, and channel catfish populations.
• Inform the Lavon Reservoir U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel about new exotic species threats to Texas waters, and work with them to display appropriate signage, educate constituents, and understand appropriate enforcement actions.
• Continue to monitor zebra mussel monitoring sites.

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