Lake Naconiche - 2019 Survey Report

Prepared by Dan Ashe and Todd Driscoll
Inland Fisheries Division – Jasper District

This is the authors' summary from a 32-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Naconiche Reservoir were surveyed in 2019-2020 using electrofishing. Anglers were surveyed from March through May 2020 with a creel survey. 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

Naconiche Reservoir is an impoundment of Naconiche and Telesco creeks, tributaries of the Attoyac Bayou in the Neches River Basin. The lake was constructed by the County of Nacogdoches for recreation and flood control. This reservoir has a surface area of 692 acres at conservation pool (348 feet above mean sea level), a shoreline length of 22.7 miles, and an average depth of 13 feet. Access is available with a two-lane boat ramp and a lighted fishing pier. Bank access is adequate. Primary fish habitat is timber and hydrilla.  

Management History

Important sport fish include Largemouth Bass and Black Crappie. The reservoir was opened to the public in September 2012 with an 18-inch minimum length limit and changed to a 16-inch maximum length limit in 2016. Florida Largemouth Bass have been stocked annually since 2011. Hydrilla was first observed as the reservoir began to fill in 2008 and annual vegetation surveys have been conducted since 2012. Giant salvinia was first observed in 2015. Herbicide treatments, use of a containment boom, and introduction of giant salvinia weevils have limited coverage to approximately 100 surface acres. PVC cube (Georgia DNR) fish attractors were added to the reservoir in 2017 at two sites (each site consists of 5 individual structures) to aid angling catch success rates.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Threadfin Shad and Bluegill were the most abundant prey species and provided ample forage for sport fish. Gizzard Shad were also present but abundance was low and no fish were available as prey. Electrofishing catch rates of Bluegill increased in 2019; few fish were > 6 inches. Although overall abundance of Redear Sunfish was relatively low over the last three surveys, catch of larger fish (> 7 inches) did increase in 2019.    
• Catfishes: Although Channel Catfish were stocked in 2009 and 2011, only two adult fish were collected from gill net surveys in 2014 and 2016, combined. Channel Catfish recruitment has likely been limited by predation from the abundant Largemouth Bass population.
• Largemouth Bass: Fall and spring electrofishing surveys reflected an abundant and generally increasing Largemouth Bass population over the last three survey years. Both surveys also indicated an increase in the number of fish > 16 inches in length. Fish condition was stable and desirable. Largemouth Bass had adequate growth rates (age at 14 inches was 2.5 years). The Largemouth Bass fishery was most popular (87% of fishing effort), and the angler catch rate was 0.6 /h.
• Crappies: The crappie fishery was the second most popular (9.3% of fishing effort). Since 2013, angler catch rate and total harvest have declined, reflecting a decrease in population abundance. No harvest was observed during the 2020 spring quarter creel survey.

Management Strategies

• Continue to manage Largemouth Bass harvest with a 16-inch maximum length limit.
• Request annual stockings of Florida Largemouth Bass to maximize trophy fish abundance.
• Control hydrilla coverage at the boat ramp, fishing pier, and swimming area.
• Permit lakeside homeowners to control hydrilla (at homeowner expense) adjacent to their property.
• Survey giant salvinia coverage as needed to monitor effects of herbicide treatments and salvinia weevil releases.

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