Cisco Reservoir - 2023 Survey Report

Prepared byMichael Homer Jr. and Thomas Johnson
Inland Fisheries Division – Abilene District

This is the authors' summary from a 27-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Cisco Reservoir were surveyed with electrofishing in 2021 and both electrofishing and trap netting in 2023. Historical data are presented with the 2021-2023 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

Cisco Reservoir is a 1,050-acre impoundment constructed in 1928 on Sandy Creek, in the Brazos River Basin. The reservoir’s functions are municipal water supply and recreation, and it is controlled by the City of Cisco. The reservoir has a history of extreme water level fluctuations. Rain events raised the water level to conservation pool (CP) in 2016. Water level stayed at CP into 2017, then fluctuated between 4-5 ft below conservation pool until summer 2021 which was followed by a continuous decline. Fish habitat during the most recent survey consisted primarily of rock, flooded dead terrestrial vegetation, buttonbush, standing timber, and cattail. Boater access consisted of two public boat ramps. Bank fishing access was limited to the main boat ramp area.

Management History

Important sport fish include Largemouth Bass, White Crappie, catfishes, and White Bass. Redbreast Sunfish and Redear Sunfish have historically been present. Attempts to establish a Smallmouth Bass population in the 1990s was unsuccessful. Florida Largemouth Bass were last stocked in 2020 and Lone Star Bass were stocked in 2022. Sport fish are managed with statewide harvest regulations.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Bluegill, Redbreast Sunfish, and Longear Sunfish were the predominant prey species. Gizzard Shad catch was low. Threadfin Shad and minnows were present but difficult to enumerate because of their limited susceptibility to the standardized sampling gear. Sizes of prey species except for Gizzard Shad were optimal.
• Catfishes: Flathead Catfish, Blue Catfish, and Channel Catfish were present in the reservoir.
• White Bass:White Bass were not sampled during the monitoring period but are still suspected to be present in the reservoir. 
• Largemouth Bass: Largemouth Bass catch has fluctuated and is lower from the 2021 survey.  Legal fish catch declined since prior surveys, and body conditions were suboptimal.  Fish retained for genetic analysis contained 59% Florida Largemouth Bass alleles.
• White Crappie: White Crappie catch was low. No legal White Crappie were caught in the 2023 survey.

Management Strategies

• A Largemouth Bass-only electrofishing survey will be conducted in fall 2021 and an electrofishing survey for Largemouth Bass and their prey items will be conducted in fall 2023.
• White Crappie will be surveyed in fall 2023 with trap netting to maintain long-term trend data.
• Flathead Catfish may be sampled using low-frequency electrofishing if time allows.
• Tandem hoop netting and gill netting will not be conducted in 2020-2024.
• Access and habitat surveys will be conducted in summer 2023.
• Florida Largemouth Bass stockings will be requested if suitable littoral habitat remains available. Inform the public of the threat and negative impact of invasive species.

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