Champion Creek Reservoir - 2022 Survey Report

Prepared by Lynn D. Wright
Inland Fisheries Division - San Angelo District

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

Fish populations in Champion Creek Reservoir were surveyed in 2020 and 2022 using electrofishing and trap netting and in 2023 using gill netting and tandem hoop netting. Anglers were surveyed from March through May 2023 with a creel survey. Historical data are presented with the 2020-2023 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

Champion Creek Reservoir is a 1,560-acre impoundment located 7 miles south of Colorado City in Mitchell County, Texas, in the Colorado River drainage basin. The reservoir is primarily used for recreation.  Historically, Champion Creek has experienced long periods of extreme low water conditions. From 1999 to 2014 the reservoir ranged from 30 to 55 feet below conservation pool (2083 feet above mean sea level [MSL]), with its lowest level recorded on June 1, 2003 (2027.98 feet elevation, 176 surface acres). The reservoir filled to over 70% capacity in December 2018, the highest water level since the 1980’s. Habitat features consisted of rocks, natural shoreline, and flooded saltcedar. Reservoir water level was approximately 2070 feet elevation and 1070 surface acres during 2022 fall sampling.

Management History

Important sport fish included Largemouth Bass, White Crappie, and catfishes. The management of this reservoir has been negatively impacted by low water levels and toxic golden alga blooms in winter 2014-2015. Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Blue and Channel Catfish have been stocked since 2016 to help rebuild the fishery. Fisher Park was renovated in 2016, which improved reservoir boating and bank access. Fish attractors were placed in the reservoir in 2017 with conservation license plate funds and donations from local partners.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Electrofishing catch of Gizzard Shad was adequate and has remained relatively stable, Gizzard Shad IOV was 66 in 2022.  Electrofishing catch of Bluegill has increased over the past three surveys.    
• Catfishes: Blue and Channel Catfish both maintain a modest population and anglers have targeted and harvested both species.  Flathead Catfish have not been documented in the reservoir since toxic golden algae blooms in 2014.
• White Bass:  No White Bass were collected during spring gill netting in 2023 and no directed effort was documented. Historically, White Bass were present in the reservoir in low abundance.
• Largemouth Bass: Largemouth Bass continued to show improvement with increases in catch rate of bass over 14 inches and improved size structure. Largemouth Bass had slow growth in 2022 (age at 14 inches long was 3.7 years), and bass below 15 inches had low relative weights.  Over 80% of all angler effort was for Largemouth Bass at Champion Creek Reservoir.
• Crappies: Crappies were highly abundant in 2022 with 44% of all crappies over the minimum length limit. Growth rate was average as most crappie reached legal size within 2.8 years. Both Black and White Crappie were observed in the creel survey.

Management Strategies

• Conduct additional electrofishing and trap net surveys in 2024-2025, and general monitoring surveys with trap nets, tandem baited hoop nets, gill nets, and electrofishing surveys in 2026-2027. 
• Conduct a spring access creel survey in 2027.
• Access and vegetation surveys will be conducted in 2026.

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-221-M-5 Inland Fisheries Division Monitoring and Management Program