Cedar Creek Reservoir - 2007 Survey Report

Prepared by Richard A. Ott, Jr. and Patrick A. Beck
Inland Fisheries Division
District 3-C, Tyler, 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.

The Cedar Creek fish community was surveyed from June 2007-May 2008 using elctrofisher, gill nets, and trap nets. A vegetation survey was conducted in September 2006. An access creel survey, conducted from June 2007-May 2008, collected angler use and harvest information. This report summarizes results of the surveys and contains a management plan based on those findings.

Reservoir Description

Cedar Creek Reservoir is a 32,623-acre impoundment of Cedar Creek, Texas, a tributary of the Trinity River. The reservoir was constructed by the Tarrant Regional Water District in 1965 to provide water for municipal and industrial use. Boat access is adequate, but public access for bank anglers is limited. There are no handicap-specific facilities. The habitat and aquatic vegetation survey, conducted at conservation pool, indicated poor habitat. Anglers expended approximately 272,047 hours of fishing effort and an estimated $1,630,227 on direct expenditures during the annual creel period.

Management History

Important sport fish include sunfishes, largemouth bass, white and palmetto basses, blue and channel catfishes, and white and black crappies. Largemouth bass stockings were conducted in 2004 and 2005. Supplemental gill net sampling for temperate basses and catfishes was conducted in 2006. A roving creel survey was conducted in 2007-2008.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Threadfin shad were present in the reservoir and electrofishing catch rate was lower than it was in previous surveys but was still very high. Gizzard shad catch rate was similar to that of past surveys and exhibited good size distribution. Catch rates of sunfishes ≤4 inches were much higher than it was in previous surveys.
• Catfishes: Catfishes were the most sought after species group accounting for 41% of the directed angler effort. The catfish community was dominated by blue catfish, and gill net catch rates were high; although somewhat lower than past surveys. Channel catfish were present but occurred at much lower abundance than blue catfish.
• Temperate basses: White bass and palmetto bass were the third most sought after species group and made up 9% of the directed fishing effort. Gill net catch rate of white bass is similar to that of past surveys with excellent size distribution. Gill net catch rate of palmetto bass was lower than it was in previous surveys (presumably due to low stocking rates in 2006 and 2007).
• Largemouth bass: Largemouth bass was the second most sought after species (19% of the directed effort). Electrofishing catch rate of fish <8 inches was considerably above that of previous surveys and is likely due to high water conditions in 2007. Body condition of legal-length largemouth bass is excellent and suggests adequate prey.
• Crappie: Directed effort for crappies was similar to that of temperate basses and accounted for 8% of the angler effort. Both white crappie and black crappie were present and trap net catches of white crappie were similar to that of past surveys. Black crappie catch rate was lower than it was in 1999 but similar to that of 2003. Both species show evidence of successful recruitment during high water conditions in 2007.

Management Strategies

• Continue annual stocking of palmetto bass.
• Conduct supplemental gill netting in 2010 to monitor relative abundance, size distribution, and growth of palmetto bass and catfishes.
• Conduct second year of Florida largemouth bass stocking in 2009; conduct genetic analysis of bass population in 2011.
• Continue to offer technical assistance to the controlling authority in water hyacinth management and conduct an annual survey.
• Continue cooperating with the Cedar Creek Reservoir Watershed Protection Plan Steering Committee to develop best management practices to reduce nutrient loading and siltation.

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-30-R-33 Statewide Freshwater Fisheries Monitoring and Management Program