Purtis Creek State Park Lake - 2016 Survey Report

Prepared by Jacob D. Norman and Richard A. Ott, Jr.
Inland Fisheries Division
Tyler South District, Texas

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

Fish populations in Purtis Creek State Park Lake were surveyed in 2016 using electrofishing and trap netting and in 2017 using hoop netting and electrofishing. Anglers were surveyed from December 2014 through May 2015 with a creel survey. Historical data are presented with the 2016-2017 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

Purtis Creek State Park Lake is a 349-acre impoundment located on Purtis Creek in the Trinity River Basin approximately 4 miles north of Eustice, Texas. The impoundment was constructed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 1985 for recreation and flood control purposes. Boat and bank access are both good and the park maintains two handicap-accessible fishing piers. Habitat features consist of standing timber, rocks, native submersed and emergent aquatic plants, and hydrilla.

Management History

Important sport fish include Largemouth Bass, White Crappie, and catfish. The management plan from the 2013 survey report included conducting a creel survey, monitor the Largemouth Bass population and the effects of its catch-and-release regulation, stock Channel Catfish when surplus adults are available, and monitor the littoral habitat annually. Efforts have been made to establish desirable native species of aquatic vegetation in the reservoir with a series of plantings within exclosure cages.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Threadfin Shad were present in the reservoir. Electrofishing catch of Gizzard Shad was moderate, and close to 70% of Gizzard Shad were available as prey to most sport fish. Electrofishing catch of Bluegills was high, and most were less than 4 inches long.
• Channel Catfish: The Channel Catfish population continued to have few, large fish available to anglers. Catfish accounted for almost 9% of directed angler effort.
• White Bass: White Bass remain in the reservoir at low densities. While there was no directed White Bass effort documented, a few individuals were caught by anglers targeting other species.
• Largemouth Bass: Largemouth Bass were the most popular species targeted. Recent surveys collected several fish > 20-inches, indicating the potential to grow trophy Largemouth Bass in the reservoir still exists.
• White Crappie: White Crappie were abundant and provide an important fishery. Crappie displayed fast growth (mean age at 10-inches was 1.9 years)

Management Strategies

• Inform the public about the negative impacts of aquatic invasive species.
• Recommend changing the existing Largemouth Bass regulation from a catch and release to a 16-inch maximum.
• Request advanced Channel Catfish fingerlings to maintain the population.
• Improve habitat around fishing piers with artificial structures and underwater green lighting.
• Assess aquatic vegetation growth and plant additional aquatic vegetation as necessary.

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