Ray Roberts Reservoir - 2023 Survey Report

Prepared by Dan L. Bennett and Greg Cummings
Inland Fisheries Division
District 2-A, Pottsboro, Texas

This is the authors' summary from a 30-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Ray Roberts Reservoir were surveyed in 2023 using electrofishing and trap netting, and in 2024 using gill netting and spring electrofishing. Historical data are presented with the 2023-2024 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

Ray Roberts Reservoir is a 28,646-acre impoundment on the Elm Fork Trinity River north of Dallas-Fort Worth in Denton, Grayson, and Cooke Counties. The conservation elevation of Ray Roberts Reservoir is 632.5 feet above mean sea level. Habitat features consisted mainly of flooded timber, rocky shoreline, native and non-native submerged vegetation, and riprap along the dam and railroad bridges.

Management History

Important sport fishes included Blue and Channel Catfish, White Bass, black basses, and crappie. A 14- to 24-inch slot length limit, 5 fish daily bag limit for Largemouth Bass was dropped in 2009, in favor of the statewide 14-inch minimum length limit, 5 fish daily bag limit. Statewide fish harvest regulations currently apply to all sport fishes in Ray Roberts Reservoir. The statewide minimum length for Blue and Channel Catfish was dropped in 2021. Florida Largemouth Bass fingerlings have been stocked periodically since 1985.    

Fish Community

• Prey species:  Threadfin Shad and Gizzard Shad are present along with sunfish species including predominately Bluegill, Longear, and Redear Sunfish.     
• Catfishes:  Channel Catfish and Blue Catfish are available to anglers. Flathead Catfish are also present.
• White Bass:  White Bass provide a popular fishery in the main lake year-round and in the reservoir’s tributaries during the spring.
• Black basses:  Black bass present include Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Although not stocked by TPWD, Smallmouth Bass are occasionally caught by anglers, and a small number have been collected during fisheries surveys. Spotted Bass are also present in moderate abundance and Ray Roberts holds the current state record Smallmouth x Spotted Bass hybrid.
• Crappie:  Crappie are abundant and support the most popular fishery at Ray Roberts Reservoir.

Management Strategies

• Inform the public about the negative impacts of aquatic invasive species.
• Conduct general monitoring surveys with trap nets and electrofishing in fall 2027 and gill nets in spring 2028.
• Stock Lone Star Bass in 2024.
• Continue to pursue ideas and opportunities to improve fish habitat.
• Access and vegetation surveys will be conducted in 2027.

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