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Palo Pinto Reservoir 2019 Survey Report media download(PDF 584.5 KB)

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Palo Pinto Reservoir - 2019 Survey Report

Prepared by Robert Mauk
Inland Fisheries Division – Wichita Falls District

This is the authors' summary from a 33-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Palo Pinto Reservoir were surveyed in 2019 using electrofishing, low-frequency electrofishing, trap netting, and in 2020 using gill netting. 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

Palo Pinto Reservoir is a 2,399-acre impoundment located in Palo Pinto County on Palo Pinto Creek in the Brazos River Basin approximately 80 miles southwest of Fort Worth. It was constructed in 1964 to provide municipal water for Mineral Wells, Texas and cooling water for the Brazos Electric power plant. It has a primarily rocky shoreline with boat docks. Rocky shoreline and standing timber were the dominant habitat features. Boat access was adequate at two of the three boat ramp sites of which only one is considered public. Periodic turbidity, fluctuating water levels, and rocky substrate inhibit the growth of most aquatic vegetation. Early in 2015, the reservoir nearly went dry because of a severe drought but quickly refilled after heavy precipitation. The drought had a negative impact on the fish populations.

Management History

Important sport fishes include White Bass, Palmetto Bass, Largemouth Bass, White Crappie, and catfishes. The management plan from the 2016 survey report included stocking Palmetto Bass at 15 fish/acre every year and were stocked in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Sunshine Bass fry were stocked in 2020 since Palmetto Bass fingerlings were not available. Florida Largemouth Bass were stocked in 2015 and 2016 in response to the reservoir filling up after a prolonged drought period.

Fish Community

Management Strategies

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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