Coleto Creek Reservoir - 2024 Survey Report

Prepared by Spencer Dorsey and Dusty McDonald
Inland Fisheries Division
Corpus Christi District, Mathis, Texas

This is the authors' summary from a 48-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Coleto Creek Reservoir were surveyed using fall electrofishing in 2022 and 2024, spring bass-only electrofishing in 2024, and gill netting in 2025. Anglers were surveyed from January through June 2025 with a creel survey. Historical data are presented with the 2021-2025 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

Coleto Creek Reservoir is a 3,100-acre (averaged 2,446 acres in 2024-2025) impoundment located on Coleto Creek in the Guadalupe River Basin, 13 miles southwest of Victoria, Texas. Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) serves as the controlling authority and the reservoir receives water from both Coleto and Perdido Creeks, as well as several smaller tributaries. Primary uses include power plant cooling and recreation. Approximately 600 acres are used for cooling ponds and are inaccessible to anglers. Water levels are typically stable; however, over the survey period, water levels fluctuated 5 feet from conservation pool elevation. Substrate was composed primarily of clays, deep loams, and small rock. Littoral habitat consisted primarily of native floating-leaved vegetation, stands of timber, and periodically flooded terrestrial vegetation.

Management History

Important sport fish species include Blue and Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, and crappies. Palmetto Bass and Red Drum were previously stocked, but these stockings were discontinued due to low directed angling effort. Recent management efforts focused on reestablishing submersed vegetation, enhancing Largemouth Bass trophy potential with Lone Star Bass stockings, compiling catch and harvest statistics on important sport fish populations, and obtaining tournament data records to document catches of trophy-size Largemouth Bass. Historically, nuisance aquatic vegetation (hydrilla, water milfoil, and water hyacinth) has restricted recreational access. Staff have annually monitored access areas where nuisance vegetation could restrict use and worked with GBRA staff to manage vegetation. Herbicides have been used to manage problematic vegetation. Angler harvest of all sport fishes has been regulated with statewide size and bag limits.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Gizzard Shad and various sunfish species form the reservoir’s forage base. Abundance of both Bluegill and Gizzard Shad increased over the study period but remained below the long-term averages. Most prey species collected were adequate size for predator fish.
• Catfishes: Blue, Channel, and Flathead Catfish were present in low abundance. Catfishes represented a substantial portion of the total directed fishing effort in 2025. Legal-size catfish were present and available for angler harvest.
• Temperate bassess: Abundance of White Bass improved from previous gillnet surveys, and the creel survey indicated legal-size fish were available for angler harvest. Anglers success was high in the early spring.
• Largemouth Bass: Largemouth Bass abundance remained high with a size structure primarily comprised of smaller individuals. Growth rates were moderate. Largemouth Bass remained the most sought sport fish in the reservoir, with both tournament and non-tournament effort increasing substantially compared to the previous survey.
• Crappies: Both White and Black Crappie are present in the reservoir, although observation during creel surveys indicate that White Crappie are more abundant. Crappies remained an important component to the overall sport fishery, especially for harvest-oriented anglers. Angler success was moderate.

Management Strategies

• Work with GBRA and other local partners to continue to develop and implement habitat enhancement projects.
• Explore sampling strategies to monitor the tilapia population.
• Monitor tournament mortality to assess impacts on size structure in the interest of improving the number of quality-size Largemouth Bass.
• Stock Lone Star Bass biennially to maintain a high level of trophy production potential and continue to collect data for the Largemouth Bass trophy database.
• Monitor coverage and potential expansion of non-native vegetation and continue to work with GBRA on all vegetation control activities.