Squaw Creek Reservoir - 2014 Survey Report

Prepared by John Tibbs and Michael S. Baird
Inland Fisheries Division - Waco District

This is the authors' summary from a 22-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Squaw Creek Reservoir were surveyed in 2015 using gill netting. This report summarizes the results of the survey and contains a management plan for the reservoir based on its findings.

Reservoir Description

Squaw Creek Reservoir is a 3,272-acre impoundment located on Squaw Creek in Hood and Somervell Counties. Water level has fluctuated from two feet below to two feet above conservation pool since January 2011. The reservoir has a mean and maximum depth of 46 and 135 feet, and is considered mesotrophic, with water clarity greater than four feet. Habitat features consisted mainly of natural shoreline.

Management History

Important sport fish include Largemouth Bass and Channel Catfish, which were stocked in the mid 1980s and early 1990s. Palmetto Bass were stocked for the first time in the mid 1990s, but not considered an important sport fish at that time. Management strategies and actions from the 1997 survey report (DiCenzo 1997) included discontinuing Palmetto Bass stockings, increasing the number of electrofishing sites sampled, supplementing sampling data with catch and size structure data from bass tournaments and evaluating harvest regulations when an appropriate sample size of Largemouth Bass was obtained. Actions were never taken on these strategies due to the lake closure following the 9/11 attacks from 2001 to May 2010, and inability to gain access to conduct fisheries management work. Recent management actions have included publicizing the excellent Channel Catfish fishery, eliminating electrofishing surveys, and cooperating with Luminant to post appropriate invasive species signage at the boat ramp.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Existing prey species include Gizzard Shad, Threadfin Shad, Bluegill, Longear Sunfish, Warmouth and Tilapia spp. however; none were effectively sampled during this survey period.
• Catfishes: Channel Catfish catch rates were the third-highest on record for the reservoir at more than 15 fish per net night. Flathead Catfish were not observed.
• Temperate bass: Palmetto Bass were collected in low numbers and White Bass were not observed.
• Black bass: Largemouth Bass were collected in fair numbers using gill nets in 2015 and body condition, as measured by relative weight, was excellent.

Management Strategies

• Manage sport fishes at Squaw Creek with statewide regulations.
• Maintain invasive species efforts.
• Conduct a vegetation survey during summer 2018 and a general monitoring survey with gill nets in January 2019.

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-221-M-5 Inland Fisheries Division Monitoring and Management Program