Livingston Reservoir - 2020 Survey Report

Prepared by Todd Driscoll and Dan Ashe
Inland Fisheries Division
Jasper District, Texas

This is the authors' summary from a 40-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Lake Livingston were surveyed in 2020 using electrofishing and 2021 using gill netting. Anglers were surveyed from June through August 2020 with a creel survey. Historical data are presented with the 2020-2021 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

Lake Livingston is an 83,277-acre mainstream impoundment on the Trinity River in Trinity, Polk, San Jacinto, and Walker counties. The reservoir was constructed in 1969 by the Trinity River Authority (TRA) and the City of Houston for municipal, agricultural, and industrial purposes. In cooperation with the TRA and the City of Houston, East Texas Electric Cooperative operates a hydroelectric facility at the dam (construction completed in June 2020). Private and commercial real estate development, Lake Livingston State Park, and several TRA public parks are present around the lower half of the reservoir. Primary fish habitat is standing timber, woody debris, and boat docks.

Management History

Important sport fish include catfishes, White Bass, Largemouth Bass, and crappies. All recreational fisheries have been regulated with statewide length and bag limits, except for the bag limit for Blue and Channel Catfish (50 fish/day; commercial harvest is allowed) and the 48-inch maximum length limit for Alligator Gar. The management plan from the 2016 survey report recommended continued support for the Friends of Lake Livingston (FoLL) Friends of Reservoirs chapter littoral vegetation restoration efforts. Since 2013, FoLL, in cooperation with 8 independent school districts and numerous other partners, has propagated and introduced approximately 35,000 water willow plants at 20 sites throughout the reservoir. Striped Bass are stocked annually to provide TPWD hatcheries a source of broodfish for temperate bass production. Primary management challenges include siltation and habitat loss, and control of invasive species, primarily giant salvinia and water hyacinth.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Gizzard Shad and Threadfin Shad were abundant and provided ample forage for sport fish. Bluegill were the most abundant sunfish but catch rate was low (49.0/h) and few fish > 6 inches were collected.
• Catfishes: Blue Catfish were abundant over the last three survey years. In 2021, catch rates increased to a historical high for the reservoir (42.7/nn) and ample numbers of fish 12 to 25 inches were available to anglers. Historically, Channel Catfish abundance has been low. Gill net catch rates from the last three surveys ranged from 1.5 to 4.1/nn, and few fish were > 12 inches. Catfishes were the second most popular sportfish during the summer of 2016 and 2020.
• Temperate basses: White Bass abundance has increased considerably over the last three survey years. In 2021, the catch rate was 21.5/nn, a historical high for the reservoir. Size structure and fish condition were desirable. The White Bass fishery was the most popular during the summer of 2016 and 2020, and the average angler catch rate was 4.3/h. Striped Bass abundance has been relatively low and no fish were collected from the 2021 gill net survey. No directed angling effort for Striped Bass was observed during the last three creel surveys.
• Largemouth Bass: Largemouth Bass abundance has been relatively low. Electrofishing catch rates did increase in 2016 and 2020, but few legal-size fish were available to anglers. No directed effort for Largemouth Bass was observed during the summer 2020 creel survey. Largemouth Bass had adequate growth rates (average age at 14 inches was 1.6 years).
• Crappies: Trap net catch rates of crappies have been historically low, and trap net surveys were discontinued in 2016. Few anglers target crappies.

Management Strategies

• Continue to support habitat enhancement efforts by FoLL.
• Stock Florida Largemouth Bass every four years.
• Change the Channel and Blue Catfish harvest regulation to a no minimum length limit/50-fish daily bag limit, of which no more than five fish 30 inches or larger may be retained.
• Stock Striped Bass annually through 2023, then evaluate tailrace abundance and water temperatures.
• Consult with TRA regarding navigation lane boating hazards.
• Support TRA as needed with control of invasive aquatic vegetation.

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-221-M-2 Statewide Freshwater Fisheries Monitoring and Management Program