Bridgeport Reservoir - 2021 Survey Report

Prepared by Dan Bennett and Greg Cummings
Inland Fisheries Division
Denison District, Pottsboro, 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 Bridgeport Reservoir were surveyed in 2021 using electrofishing and trap netting and in 2022 using gill netting. A roving creel survey was conducted in 2021. Aquatic vegetation and boatangler access locations were surveyed in 2021. Historical data are presented with the 2021-2022 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

Bridgeport Reservoir is an 11,954-acre impoundment located on the West Fork Trinity River approximately 8 miles west of Bridgeport, Texas. Water level has remained near conservation elevation since 2015. Bridgeport Reservoir has increasing productivity and is borderline eutrophic. Habitat features consisted mainly of rocky shoreline, submerged boulders, and some standing timber.

Management History

Important sport fish included Blue and Channel Catfish, White Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, and crappie. Palmetto Bass were first stocked in 1983 and biennially between 2002 and 2019. Sunshine Bass fingerlings and fry have been stocked since 2020. Florida Largemouth Bass were last stocked in 2021. Smallmouth Bass were stocked between 1982 and 1985 and again in 2019. In 2018, the 14- to 18-inch slot length limit for Largemouth Bass was replaced with the statewide 14-inch minimum length limit (MLL). In 2021, the Blue and Channel Catfish regulation was changed to a 25-fish combined bag limit with no more than 10 fish ≥ 20 inches in length.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Threadfin and Gizzard Shad were plentiful with above average electrofishing catches. Multiple sunfish species such as Bluegill, Longear Sunfish, Green Sunfish, and Redear Sunfish were available as forage.
• Catfish:The Channel Catfish population appeared to be declining. However, many were still available for harvest. Blue Catfish were first collected in 2018 and seemed to be displacing the Channel Catfish population. Larger individuals were available to anglers. Flathead Catfish were also present.
• Temperate basses: White Bass catch rates have increased since 2014. Abundant legal-length individuals were available to anglers. Hybrid Striped Bass were present in low abundance, with larger individuals available to anglers. Angling effort for Hybrid Striped Bass has declined since 2004.
• Black basses: About 42 percent of anglers fished for black basses at Bridgeport Reservoir. The catch rates of Largemouth Bass have increased since the reservoir returned to conservation elevation. The catch rate of Spotted Bass increased since the previous survey. Smallmouth Bass were present in low abundance.
• Crappie: White Crappie were abundant in the reservoir with legal-length fish available to anglers. Black Crappie were present in low abundance.

Management Strategies

• Bridgeport Reservoir should continue to be managed using existing fish harvest regulations.
• Stock Lone Star Bass to improve trophy potential of Largemouth Bass.
• Increase stocking rate of fingerling Hybrid Striped Bass and evaluate fry stockings.
• Evaluate spawning structures for Smallmouth Bass.
• Continue to inform the public about the negative impacts of aquatic invasive species.
• General monitoring with electrofishing, trap netting, and gill netting will be conducted in 2025- 2026.
• Access and vegetation surveys will be conducted in 2025.

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-221-M-3 Inland Fisheries Division Monitoring and Management Program