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Inland
Silversides - Menidia
beryllina. This is a fish of coastal waters and brackish
estuaries which has been introduced into many lakes as food for
larger species. It reaches a length of about six inches.
Black Bullhead Minnow - Pimephales
vigilax - Ranging from Minnesota and West Virginia to
Alabama and Texas, this three-inch long minnow is dusky yellowish
above and silvery below with a dark lateral band and a dark spot on
the first four dal rays and a tiny dark spot at the base of the
caudal fin.
Plains Minnow - Hybognathus
placidus Found from Montana and North Dakota south to Texas
and New Mexico, this is one of the most common fishes of the Great
Plains.
Golden Shiner - Notemigonus
chrysoleucas - Common east of the Rockies and introduced
westward, this large "minnow" reaches ten inches in length. It does
well in lakes and sluggish ponds.
Red Shiner - Notropis
lutrensis - Found from Wyoming to Minnesota and Illinois and
south to Mexico. About three inches long.
Arkansas River Shiner - Notropis
girardi. Found only in the Arkansas River and its
tributaries. Now rare or extinct in the main Arkansas and found in
the South Canadian River only, though it has been introduced into
the headwaters of the Pecos River in New Mexico. Reaches a length of
two inches.
Speckled Chub - Hybopsis
aestivalis - Found only in the Arkansas River and its
tributaries. This fish is becoming more restricted in range and may
be placed on the rare and endangered species list.
Walleye - Stizostedon
vitreum - Also known as Pikeperch, this fish is found
naturally in the Tennessee River drainage and northward from there
to Great Slave Lake in Canada, but has been widely introduced in
lakes across the country. Lake Meredith was the first lake where
Walleye were introduced in Texas, and they have done well here.
Reaches a length of about three feet.
Logperch - Percina caprodes
- This perch ranges from Minnesota and Vermont south to Mississippi
and Texas. It reaches a length of six inches.
Smallmouth Bass - Micropterus
dolomieu - Though slightly less common than the Largemouth
bass, this fish has reached record lengths in Lake Meredith which
holds the state record.
Largemouth Bass - Micropterus
salmoides - At an average of two to four pounds, and lengths
of around 18 inches, this is a large fish which feeds on smaller
fish and insects. It is common in man-made lakes, where it breeds in
weedy areas or in areas of drowned vegetation. Found from Canada to
Florida and Texas. A lake with too many bluegill will have fewer
bass, since the bluegill like to feed on bass eggs. The female will
move from her normal feeding area, perhaps quite a distance to find
a suitable spot for spawning. She will hang out in deeper water
nearby, until it is time to spawn and then move into shallow water,
preferably weedy or choked with drowned brush. They may return to
the same area to spawn year after year if the lake level remains
relatively constant.
Male bass spend some time in selecting just the
right spot to set up an attractive area for the female. A good
spawning site will have firm bottoms, and may be sandy, silty, or
even rocky, so long as there is no deep silt or mud on the site. The
beds are in one to four feet of water and if possible in a weedy
spot. If no weedy cover is available, they will select a protected
site where there are submerged logs or large dolomite boulders. The
spawning beds are usually at least 30 feet apart, since the males
are territorial and will select a site where they cannot see other
males.
Spawning occurs in the spring when the water
temperature reaches about 63 degrees, but spawning can be
interrupted if a cold front lowers the water temperature. The female
lays from 2000 to 7000 small round eggs per pound of body weight.
These may be in the nest of a single male, or may be distributed
among several nests in an area.
As the temperature warms up, the eggs begin to
hatch, taking five days to hatch in 67 degrees, but only two days at
72 degrees. If the temperature in the shallows drops to 50, it may
take up to 13 days for the fry to hatch, and if a sudden cold snap
comes in, the males may abandon the nest site all together, and the
hatch will be lost.
Bass fingerlings hide in weedy or other
sheltered areas of the lake, where they feed on tiny insects, mites,
baby crayfish, or other minute animal life. As the lake drops, when
inflow is low, the fry have no place to hide, and fishing becomes
poor. When the lake rises, it covers weedy or woody-brush areas, and
the fingerlings have a better chance.
As they grow, they have fewer predators. Small
bass are preyed on by kingfishers, gulls, terns, otters, foxes,
coyotes, and other small predators. Dragon fly nymphs will take some
fry, and giant water bugs will take bass up to six inches in length.
Larger bass have fewer enemies, but such things as ospreys, eagles,
large hawks, cormorants, grebes, mergansers, egrets, and great blue
herons take a toll even on the largest bass.
White Crappie - Pomoxis
annularis - This species ranges from New York and New
England south to the Mississippi River and its tributaries from the
Dakotas to Texas. In the late winter and early spring, crappie are
full of roe, that is eggs and sperm. This is often considered a
treat by fish connoisseurs. Crappie spawn in early spring, and may
continue until May. When the females comes into the shallows to
spawn, they may remain on the bank for an hour or two and spawn out
about 20 percent of the potential eggs for the season. Then the
females move out into deeper water and the males move in to
fertilize the eggs. The female will return three or four more times
before being spawned out. After spawning, the crappie move out into
the lake and disperse. In fishing for crappie after spawning, you
would fish on ledges and off the points, where the crappie often
rest.
Black Crappie - Pomoxis
nigromaculatus - This species ranges from New Jersey and the
Great Lakes south to Texas. It may reach twelve inches in length. It
is a favorite game fish of many anglers in Lake Meredith.
Sand Bass, White Bass - Roccus
chrysops - Native from Minnesota and the Great Lakes
Drainage south to Alabama and Texas.
Bluegill Sunfish - Lepomis
macrochirus - Native from Minnesota and New York south to
Florida and Texas. This is one of our most popular panfish, reaching
a length of over ten inches. They are basic insect feeders, but may
be a pest if you are fishing for bass, since they feed on eggs of
other fishes.
Green Sunfish - Lepomis
cyanellus - Our smallest sunfish reaching only six inches in
length. It ranges in the central part of the country in ponds and
streams from the Great Lakes region to Mexico east of the
Alleghenies.
Warmouth - Chaenobryttus
coronarius - This panfish gets up to ten inches in length.
It ranges from Minnesota and the region of the Great Lakes south to
Florida and Texas.
Longear Sunfish - Lepomis
megalotis - Smaller than the Warmouth, this sunfish reaches
eight inches in length. It ranges from Canada to South Carolina and
Texas.
Yellow Perch - Perca
flavescens -
Rainbow Trout - Salmo
gairdneri - This western fish is often found in fast-flowing
mountain streams, but also goes into the ocean at times. It has been
introduced in the Stilling Basin at lake Meredith as a game fish.
Though it may reach 35 inches in length and thirty pounds in length,
most examples from Lake Meredith seldom exceed a foot in
length.
Channel Catfish - Ictalurus
punctatus - This fish reaches twenty five pounds or larger
in Texas and is commonly found in large rivers. It is found from the
Great Lakes south to the Gulf of Mexico. Catfish are all similar in
their diets, that is to say that they are not selective in their
prey, but will feed on shad, minnows, bream, other small fish,
insect larvae, freshwater mussels, worms, leeches, frogs, and dead
matter on the bottom. "Mr. Whiskers" finds his food using over
100,000 food sensors located across his body, with the largest
number being in the barbels or whiskers located around the mouth. It
finds food by fanning the bottom with it’s whiskers and then
following the resulting odor trail or sensing movement of prey. The
channel catfish also uses sight to locate prey. Catfish spawn at
temperatures between 60 and 84 degrees, but the channel catfish will
spawn earlier than the blue, so may spawn in late March or April
while the blue may not spawn until May. Different species will lay
differing numbers of eggs per season, ranging from as few as 2000 in
some of the smaller species to 90,000 for larger species and
individuals. Channel catfish will spawn only once a year, while
bullheads may reproduce several times during a season. The bullhead
male will aid the female in nest building, but the male channel
catfish will select the site and clear it of debris, and then guard
the eggs after spawning.
Blue Catfish - Ictalurus
furcatus - Similar to the Channel Catfish, this species may
reach a weight of fifty pounds. It ranges from Minnesota and Ohio
southward to Mexico.
Black Bullhead - Ictalurus
melas - This fish is found in mud-bottomed lakes and large
rivers and may reach 18 inches in length and eight pounds in weight.
It is found in eastern North America to Texas and has been
introduced westward.
Flathead Catfish (Yellow Catfish) -
Pylodictus olivaris - Found in the Mississippi River
and its tributaries, this fish is our largest catfish, sometimes
reaching a weight of 100 lbs.
German carp, Mirror Carp - Cyprinus
carpio - The two varieties of carp were originally native to
Asia, but were introduced into Europe at an early date, and have now
been introduced to North America. It is considered a trash species
by many people, though it often is boned and eaten. It may reach
three and one half feet in length and up to fifty-five pounds in
weight. It is a bottom feeder in warm shallow water.
River Carpsucker - Carpoides
carpio - Though usually fifteen to twenty inches long, this fish
reaches a length of 30 inches at times. It is found in large silty
streams and rivers in much of the eastern United States and into
Mexico.
Gizzard Shad - Dorosoma
cepedianum - This is the only member of the Herring family
in Lake Meredith. It ranges from Minnesota and New Jersey south to
the Gulf of Mexico and may reach 18 inches in length.
Some Record Weights for Fish
Largemouth bass - 22 lbs 4 oz
Smallmouth bass - 11 lbs 15 oz
White bass - 5 lbs 5 oz
Bluegill - 4 lb 12 oz
Black Bullhead - 8 lbs
Carp - 55 lbs 5 oz
Blue Cat - 97 lbs
Channel Cat - 58 lbs
Flathead Catfish - 79 lbs 8 oz
Yellow Perch - 4 lbs 3 ½ oz
Rainbow Trout - 42 lbs 2 oz
Walleye 25 lbs
Green Sunfish - 2 lbs 2 oz
Red-ear Sunfish - 4 lbs 8 oz
Warmouth - 13 lbs
White Crappie - 5 lbs 3 oz
Record Weights for Texas Fish
Largemouth Bass - 18.18 lbs 25.5 inches long
Fork Lake
Smallmouth Bass - 7.93 lbs. 23 inches long Lake
Meredith
White Bass - 5.56 lbs 20.75 inches long Colorado
River
Black Bullhead 4.02 lbs. 18 inches long Navarro
Mills Lake
Carp 25.63 lbs 37 inches long Lake
Houston
Blue Catfish - 92 lbs 56 inches long Gibbons
Creek Reservoir
Channel Catfish - 36.5 lbs. 38 inches long
Pedernales River
Flathead Catfish - 98.5 lbs 53 inches long Lake
Palestine
White Crappie - 4.56 lbs Navarro Mills
Lake
Bullhead Minnow .01 lbs. 3.13 inches long Lake
Whitney
Yellow Perch - 1.04 lbs. 12.5 inches long Lake
Meredith
Gizzard Shad - 2.67 lbs 18 inches long Town
Lake
Threadfin Shad - 0.13 lbs. 7.63 inches long
Richland Chambers Lake
Inland Silverside - 0.02 lbs. 4.25 inches long
Benbrook Lake
Green Sunfish 1.22 lbs. 9.29 inches long
Tehuacana Creek
Longear Sunfish 0.48 lbs. 7.5 inches long Fork
Lake
Red Ear Sunfish 2.99 lbs. 14 inches long Comal
River
Rainbow Trout 7.77 lbs 24.0 inches long
Guadelupe River
Walleye 11.88 lbs. 31.75 inches long Lake
Meredith
Warmouth 1.3 lbs. 10.5 inches long Town
Lake
Catfish
Three species of catfish are found at Lake
Meredith: channel catfish, blue catfish, and flathead catfish. All
are excellent fish to eat and can be caught easily at certain times.
The channel catfish is the most abundant, flatheads are present in
good numbers with 30 pounders common, while the blue catfish is
somewhat scarce. Most catfish are caught on trotlines or juglines
baited with liver, waterdogs, live minnows or cut bait. Flathead and
blue catfish prefer large live baits while channel catfish will hit
most any bait, occasionally even a slowly fished lure. Heavy line is
recommended for landing these strong fish especially since big fish
are quite common. Top spots are around Martin’s Canyon and Fritch
Fortress but good catches are possible in most areas. Channel
catfish weighing more than 20 pounds, flathead catfish up to 50
pounds, and blue catfish up to 40 pounds have been caught by
fishermen at Lake Meredith.
Channel Catfish
The southern channel catfish, Ictalurus
punctatus, is one of the principal food and game fished, as well
as one of the most sought after species. From two to five pounds is
about average for the species, though in southern states the 10 to
20 pound channel catfish is sometimes landed.
The channel catfish may be colored dark olive in
clear water or almost white in more turbid habitat, and has a deeply
forked tail. They like deep, clean water, running streams and
rivers. They grow well in farm ponds but often fall far short of
reproduction expectancy. They need spawning aids such as kegs,
barrels, clay tiles or similar nesting devices.
A night prowler, these fish seek food from
almost anything that moves, or that once did move. They like
minnows, shad, crayfish, shrimp, both land and aquatic insects,
worms, and clams. Sometimes they attempt to catch birds. Frogs,
lizards and some dead baits will take them easily.
The notched or forked tail resembles that of the
blue catfish; often the colors of the fish are similar. If there is
doubt, remember that the channel cat has 24 to 29 rays in the anal
fin (the fin on the bottom of the body) while the blue cat has 30 to
35 rays.
Females spawn from April to July in gravel nests
scooped out by the males. Often the nest is in a hole in the bank,
or in a log or other cavity. After the female spawns, the nest is
carefully guarded by the male. Eggs hatch in five to ten
days.
Now and then a channel catfish shows a spinal
deformity. Mistaken is the idea that this fish has been the victim
of an electric shock. Odd and misshapen, the fish was probably the
victim of one of a myriad of accidents that may befall any fish. Or
possibly it was the victim of a birth deformity.
Best bait to use, according to scores of
anglers, is fresh blood from beef. It congeals, and will stay on the
hook fairly well in still water. Liver is sometimes used as are
chicken hearts and entrails. Many favorite fishing holes are baited
with stale cheese to draw in the fish. Minnows and shrimp are good
baits, and there are several commercial baits on the
market.
Usually these baits are maid of cheese or blood,
with flour as a base, plus powdered sugar. With more and more
anglers using artificial lures, it’s not uncommon to see a channel
cat caught while fishing for other types of fish. The silver spoon,
many spinners and deep running lures will take channel catfish,
especially when used at night.
Snakes, turtles, raccoons, birds, mink, and
several species of fish feed on the channel cat fry, and the
greatest period of danger in the channel cat’s life is while it is
from 1 to 5 inches long.
History and Habits of Carp
The carp, Cyprinus carpio, had its
beginning in Asia, and was transported to Europe where it met a
welcome reception. For hundreds of years it was the principal food
fish on both continents, and supplied food for millions of hungry
mouths.
There are three principal varieties of carp: the
normal scaled species, the mirror carp with only a few very large
scales, and the leather carp that lost all its scales. The variety
most popular in the United States is the scaled carp, commonly
called the European carp, having been transported to this country in
1879 from England.
Today the carp is coming into the limelight as a
fish that is fun to catch, edible after one becomes accustomed to
the taste, and may be fried, baked, barbecued, or canned.
An amazing aspect of the carp’s life is
longevity. It is thought not uncommon for the fish to live to an age
of 150 to 200 years. In the wild state it is doubtful if it lives
for more than 15 years. The logical explanation for this is that the
carp does everything very slowly. It wastes no energy, thrives in
warm water, picks up food leisurely, and never fears that the supply
will run out. If the temperature of the water drops below 50
degrees, the carp sleeps until the temperature reached 59 or
higher.
Carp feed on small plants and small animals such
as shellfish, insect larvae, worms and grubs. They spawn in May and
June, and the female may lay as many as 24,000 eggs per pound of
body weight.
Early spring is the best time to fish for carp.
Waters are beginning to reflect the warmth of the sun, and the fish
move to shallow waters to feed. Schools, more like herds of sheep
root around in the shallows and near the shoreline in emergent
vegetation. A few kernels of corn tossed into the water, and a few
more on a treble hook will tempt the fish into frantic
feeding.
Largemouth Bass
Largemouth bass are the most popular fresh water
game fish in the southern United States, but are often overlooked at
Lake Meredith in favor of more abundant species. Largemouth bass are
not very abundant due to the lack of suitable habitat. They are
generally found in coves that have vegetation in water 1-10 feet
deep. Largemouth bass are aggressive feeders that can be caught
easily at certain times and they put up a good fight. Largemouth
bass will hit a wide variety of baits and lures, the most popular
being spinner baits, plastic worms, crankbaits and a jig-and-pig
combination. Heavy tackle is generally used to catch these strong
fish in thick cover. Largemouth bass in Lake Meredith generally do
not grow to trophy size and 10-12 pound test line is a good choice
for most situations with possibly heavier line for fishing around
sunken brush. Top spots are South Canyon, Bugbee, North Turkey
Creek, Short Creek, Martin’s Canyon and around Harbor
Bay.
Largemouth bass generally spawn when the water
reaches about 68 degrees Fahrenheit at a depth of 1 to 10 feet. The
male guards the nest. Females grow to larger sizes than the males.
The Florida strain of the largemouth bass has been stocked and is
reproducing in the reservoir. The Florida Bass is generally faster
growing than the native northern strain. Largemouth bass weighing up
to nine pounds have been caught in the reservoir.
Of the names for the largemouth bass,
(Micropterus salmoides), the names black bass and largemouth
are the ones most often heard. The chief difference between the
largemouth bass and the smallmouth bass is the mouth. On the
largemouth, the back part of the mouth extends past the eye. On the
smallmouth, the mouth stops on a line just about even with the front
part of the eye.
Eggs develop in the ovary of the bass in
September, and by the following spring they are fully developed.
Eggs are laid in April or May. There usually is only one spawn per
year, about 6 to 10 thousand eggs at a time. For most successful
nesting, the water level should remain constant and the temperature
above 60 degrees. These fish prefer a g ravel bottom for the nest,
and there is no bed of eggs as in the case of some sunfish. The male
guards the nest, agitating the water with his fins to supply oxygen
to the organisms and to help decrease carbon dioxide. They prefer
water from 6 inches to 4 feet in depth for spawning. If water is
muddy the hatch is set back, but this only serves to bring about a
later hatch. If everything goes well, a fairly large per cent of the
eggs hatch into tiny transparent fry. They will remain in a group
and will not swim far from the nest site. The male will continue to
watch his young for a few days, herding them from danger in deeper
water.
Growth is rapid, and soon the male loses his
parental instinct, and often becomes cannibalistic. For the
fingerlings, the problems of survival now become acute.
At the end of the second summer the young should
be 10 to 11 inches long if sufficient food is available, and they
will be sexually mature; however bass fry stocked in new
impoundments will reach this size in five months.
As the largemouth grows, it becomes more
dependent on other fish as food items, and will eat nearly any other
species he encounters. He will also take frogs, birds, crayfish,
worms, or shrimp.
Average weight of the largemouth is from 1 to 9
pounds, with large individuals occasionally taken of twelve pounds
or more. The world’s record for the largemouth is 22 lbs and 4
ounces, while that of the smallmouth is 14 pounds.
Smallmouth Bass
The preferred habitat of smallmouth bass is
clear, cool water with an abundance of gravel and rocky structure.
Spawning begins when the water temperature approaches 60 degrees
Fahrenheit. Smallmouth bass spawn in clear water on a gravel bottom
in water from 2 to 20 feet in depth.
The most exciting way to catch smallmouths is
with a top-water bait, fished early in the morning or late in the
evening on calm days. Fish the bait slower than you would for
largemouth bass without popping or jerking the bait. Other effective
lures are crankbaits or jigs in crawfish patterns, spinnerbaits and
shad or minnow imitating crankbaits. Live minnows or crawfish fished
slowly in areas with abundant rock structure are extremely
effective.
Smallmouth bass put up a terrific fight and they
are a very popular gamefish. Since they prefer clear water, anglers
should use light line to avoid spooking fish; 4 to 8 pound test is
adequate. Although smallmouth bass are found around the entire
reservoir, they are most abundant from Martin’s Canyon to the dam on
the north side and from Harbor Bay to the dam on the south side.
Smallmouth bass exceeding 6 pounds have been caught from the
reservoir.
White Bass
White bass (also called sand bass) are abundant
in Lake Meredith and when found in a school can fill a stringer.
They are very aggressive open water feeders, preying mainly on
gizzard shad and other small fish. White bass spawn when water
temperature approaches 55 degrees Fahrenheit. White bass spawn in
shallow water with a sandy or gravelly bottom.
Since white bass are an open water fish,
trolling is a good means of locating a school of fish. Troll slowly
over points, drop-offs and rock piles using shad imitation lures.
Once a school is found, anglers should remain in that location as
many fish can be caught in one area. A common method for catching
white bass in the summer is jigging a small ‘slab’ spoon over deep
water humps especially around the Blue West and Harbor Bay areas.
Most white bass caught at Meredith weigh from one to two
pounds.
The White Bass is a fish much sought by anglers
at Lake Meredith. It ranges from silvery to almost light green on
the back, shading into bright silver on the sides and to silvery
white on the belly. It generally has 5 or 6 distinct dark stripes
down the side, and is also at times known as striped bass. There are
11 to 13 anal rays present on the anal fin and it has a projecting
lower jaw. The tongue is equipped with teeth at the base to aid in
food capture. The dorsal spines are graduated in height; that is,
they become progressively lower from the front to the
back.
White Crappie
White Crappie are one of the most popular and
abundant game fish in Meredith Reservoir as well as one of the best
tasting. Crappie spawn when water temperatures approach the mid-60's
and are most abundant in shallow water at that time. Crappie are
attracted to sunken debris, deadfalls, and brush or rock piles and
may be found around these submerged objects. After spawning crappie
are harder to find and catch as they suspend around submerged
structures in deep water/ Determining the exact depth of the crappie
is difficult but essential for catching these fish. Crappie will
strike a bait fished above them but will seldom hit one
deeper.
The most popular bait for crappie are minnows
used alone or with a jig. Crappie also will hit small crankbaits,
jigs and spinners. Once a crappie is caught, the angler should stay
in that general area because crappie are generally found in large
aggregations and anglers may catch several from the same spot. Light
tackle is recommended for crappie with two to four pound test line
adequate. Heavier line can be used and will reduce the number of
lost hooks when fishing in heavy cover. There are many good crappie
fishing spots around the lake. Anglers should concentrate on
submerged brush and timber which yield consistent catches during the
spawning season. Before the spawn anglers should fish drop-offs and
underwater humps ten to twenty feet deep close to shore where they
may concentrate. Most white crappie caught from Lake Meredith weigh
half a pound to a pound; however, catches of fish weighing more than
two pounds have occurred.
White Crappie
The white crappie Pomoxis angularis is a
sunfish that thrives best in alkaline waters like those of Lake
Meredith; They prefer quiet lakes and sluggish streams. In hot
summer they are likely to go to deep and cool waters. Like the bass,
the male crappie prepared the nest for the female and guards the
eggs until they hatch. He will continue to guard the fry until they
can shift for themselves. The eggs hatch in 7 to 15 days, depending
on water temperature. Crappie prefer larger lakes to farm ponds.
They need aquatic vegetation in their habitat, minnows and insects
for food, and often they must have enough fishing pressure to hold
their numbers to a level that will prevent over
population.
Natural food includes minnows, small fish
(especially shad), worms, insects, insect larvae, mollusks,
crayfish, and other crustaceans. It will strike at almost any kind
of plug or lure
Walleye
Walleye spawn from late March through early
April. The major spawning area at Lake Meredith is along the rip-rap
of Sanford Dam with some spawning occurring along other wave-swept
rocky shorelines. Male walleye spend the entire spawning season in
these areas waiting for females to come in to spawn. Females
normally stay in canyons adjacent to the spawning areas until they
are ready to spawn. Spawning takes place after sunset, and after
spawning, females leave the area. The best walleye fishing during
the spawning season occurs at night when fish are more active. Most
anglers concentrate on the dam and catch small males. Larger females
can be caught in South Canyon and North Canyon where they may be
concentrated for several days. Since females come to the dam to
spawn and not to feed, very few are caught there. Common baits are
live minnows, jigs, and sinking crankbaits.
The rest of the year, walleye are generally
dispersed around the entire reservoir, with the largest
concentrations occurring on the north side. Walleye will strike
natural baits as well as many lures used for smallmouth and
largemouth bass. Walleye are not very aggressive feeders and usually
will not chase fast moving baits or hit topwater lures. A popular
way to fish for walleye is to slowly troll over rocky points and
dropoffs using minnows, nightcrawlers or crankbaits. Bank fishermen
should try fishing rocky points, casting nightcrawlers, minnows or
jigs out to deep water and slowly retrieving the bait keeping it
bouncing along the bottom. Walleye can be found in a variety of
water depths. Good catches of walleye occur in spring and summer
along rocky shorelines in 5 to 15 feet of water. Many are caught
also at this time from deepwater structures. Large walleye often can
be found near flooded brush close to shorelines during summer and
fall months. Walleye do not put up a great fight but a large fish
will pull hard especially when brought up to the side of the boat or
to shore. A landing net is strongly recommended. Anglers should
grasp a walleye firmly around the body and the base of the tail,
avoiding their sharp teeth and gill covers. The state record walleye
was caught at Lake Meredith.
ARKANSAS RIVER SHINER
Notropis girardi
The Arkansas River Shiner (Notropis
girardi) is a federally proposed (59 FR 39532; August 3, 1994)
species known to occur in the Canadian River in Texas.
Species Description:
The Arkansas River Shiner is a small robust
shiner with a small dorsally flattened head, rounded snout, and
small subterminal mouth. Adults attain a maximum size of 2 inches
(51 mm). Dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins all have eight rays and there
is usually a small black chevron present at the base of the caudal
fin. Dorsal coloration tends to be light tan, with silvery sides
gradually grading to white on the belly.
Distribution:
Historically, the Arkansas River shiner was
widespread and abundant throughout the western portions of the
Arkansas River Basin in Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The
species is now almost entirely restricted to the Canadian (South
Canadian) River in Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico.
Habitat:
Typical habitat is flowing water over sand in
streams or rivers. Adult shiners are uncommon in quiet pools or
backwaters and rarely occur in tributaries having deep water and
bottoms of mud or stone.
Adult shiners prefer to orient into the current
on the lee side of transverse sand ridges and feed on organisms
washed downstream. Their food habits have not been recorded but are
presumed to consist of small aquatic invertebrates of
plankton.
Threats:
Within the last 20 years, this species has
disappeared from over 80% of its historic range. The species is
threatened by habitat destruction and modification from stream
dewatering/depletion due to diversion of surface water and excessive
groundwater pumping, water quality degradation, construction of
impoundments, competition with introduced species (such as the Red
River Shiner, Notropis bairdi), and incidental capture by
commercial fishermen.
Spawning occurs from June to August, generally
occurring in July, and usually coinciding with flood flows following
heavy rains. The eggs drift downstream and hatch within 24 - 48
hours. Spawning is flow dependent; a dramatic change in flow
apparently stimulates spawning. The life span is likely less than 3
years in the wild.
Surveys: Arkansas River shiner (Notropis
girardi)
The recommended time of year to survey the
Canadian River for this species is from July through
September.
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
1991. Life history and distribution of the Arkansas River shiner in
Oklahoma. Federal Aid Project E-8, Job 1. Surveys were conducted
between June 1, 1989 and August 31, 1991. The following nine sites
were surveyed in Texas:
Hemphill County:
July 8, 1990 on the South Canadian River 1 mile
north of the town of Canadian on Highway 60/83. (59 Arkansas River
shiners)
Roberts County:
July 8, 1990 on the South Canadian River 34
miles north of the town of Pampa on highway 70. (5 Arkansas River
shiners)
Potter County:
July 9, 1990 on the South Canadian River 15
miles north of Amarillo on highway 287. (16 speckled chubs (C2) and
115 Arkansas River shiners)
July 11, 1990 on the South Canadian River off
Highway 1061 on Ady road, 5 miles east of Highway 385. River was
dry.
Oldham County:
July 11, 1990 on the South Canadian River 12
miles south of Channing on highway 385. (114 speckled chubs (C2) and
133 Arkansas River shiners.)
Hutchinson County:
July 12, 1990 on the South Canadian River
swimming area below Sanford Dam spillway at Lake Meredith. No
Arkansas River shiners collected.
July 12, 1990 on the South Canadian River 1 mile
east of Sanford Dam on oil pump service road. No Arkansas River
shiners collected.
July 12, 1990 on Cottonwood Creek off highway
2277 bridge two miles southeast of Stinnett. No Arkansas River
shiners collected.
July 12, 1990 on South Canadian River 10 miles
southeast of Stinnett under Highway 2277 bridge. (4 Arkansas River
shiners)
The Arkansas River shiner (Notropis
girardi)is a native fish historically found in the Arkansas
River and its major tributaries prior to dam construction on these
streams. Its primary characters are as follows:
The Arkansas River Shiner is a small robust
shiner with a small dorsally flattened head, rounded snout, and
small subterminal mouth. Adults attain a maximum size of 2 inches
(51 mm). Dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins all have eight rays and there
is usually a small black chevron present at the base of the caudal
fin. Dorsal coloration tends to be light tan, with silvery sides
gradually grading to white on the belly.
Body depth usually contained 4 to 5 times in
length from snout to base of caudal fin. Lateral line usually
complete. Mouth oblique to almost horizontal and extending to or
almost to the front of the eye. Lateral line scales less than 40. A
more or less distinct dark spot on or at the base of the caudal fin.
Spot at base of caudal fin rather pale; not large. Anal rays usually
8. Front of dorsal fin distinctly before front of pelvic fins. Dusky
above, pale below; mouth subterminal and rather horizontal. Length 2
inches.
Dorsal fin origin nearer snout tip than caudal
base. Mouth rather large, slightly oblique. Caudal spot small, often
indistinct; vertebral stripe distinct, no other markings at caudal
base. Body depth contained fewer than five times in standard length.
Tips of pectoral fins approximating or extending behind pelvic
insertion. Mouth large, terminal, oblique and maxilla reaching to
the vertical from anterior orbital margin. Lateral band poorly
developed; not extending forward onto head. L.l scales fewer than
40. Anterior L.l scales not noticeably elevated, L.l. without black
crescents. Anal rays typically 8. Pharyngeal teeth in one row;
4-4
To summarize then, the Arkansas River Shiner is
a small robust shiner with a small dorsally flattened head, rounded
snout, and small subterminal mouth. Adults attain a maximum size of
2 inches (51 mm). Dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins all have eight rays
and there is usually a small black chevron present at the base of
the caudal fin. Dorsal coloration tends to be light tan, with
silvery sides gradually grading to white on the belly.
Currently, this species is much reduced from
historic levels, but not yet to the category of "Endangered". If
listed, it would probably be as "Threatened", which would have less
of an impact than full listing.
In addition to this species there is a second
fish the Speckled Chub (Hybopsis aestivalis) which is a
Category 2 species which means that it is "of special concern". Very
likely, there will also be an attempt to list this species at a
future date.
To prevent the listing, we need to establish the
habitat at Lake Meredith for the Arkansas River shiner. If we can
show this fish to be abundant in the streams which feed into Lake
Meredith, it likely will not be listed, since new populations have
been found. If listed, we should try to get a "conservation
agreement" with Fish and Wildlife which will tell what we will do to
ensure that this fish does not lose its current habitat.
The Canadian River Municipal Water Authority has
given the following concerns should listing become
necessary:
CRMWA provides a municipal water supply to
eleven cities and towns (total population:450,000) from Lake
Meredith on the Canadian River about forty miles north of Amarillo.
While no specific remedial measures, recovery plan, or restriction
of future actions has been designated by the Fish and Wildlife
Service for the Arkansas River shiner as an endangered species, it
is easy to speculate from information given that some impacts could
be expected such as the following:
Operation of Lake Meredith could be affected if the Service should require increased
streamflows as part of a recovery plan. Lake Meredith has already
been found to have a substantially lower water supply yield than
original studies indicated. Further reduction of firm yield would
result, making supplies to our member cities even less
reliable.
Execution of the Lake Meredith Salinity Control
Project would apparently require
"consultation" with the Service, with unknown resulting impacts.
This Project, which will stop the inflow of salty water to the
Canadian River in New Mexico, is absolutely necessary to stop the
gradual deterioration of water quality in Lake
Meredith.
The Alternate Water Supply Project
is proposed to supply water from underground
sources, making up the shortfall in yield from the Lake and
providing good quality water for mixing to meet quality standards.
Our ability to carry out this project could be impacted if use of
water from ground water sources is restricted.
Recreation activities at Lake Meredith could be affected should the Service
require releases of water to "improve" downstream habitat for the
minnows.
These are just a few items that come to mind and
in no way constitute a complete list of the impacts which could or
will be felt.
First notice of the Arkansas River Shiner in the
Texas Panhandle was reported by Frank B. Croos, Walter W. Dalquest,
and Leo Lewis in the Mid 1950s.
At that time, Dalquest and Lewis found N.
girardi to be abundant (their word) in the
Canadian River from the Oklahoma border west at least to Tascosa in
Oldham County. N. girardi was at that time considered to be
endemic to the Arkansas River system, where it abounded in expansive
sand-filled channels of the larger western tributaries ——the South
Canadian, North Canadian, and Cimmaron Rivers in Oklahoma and the
Arkansas River in Texas.
Populations of Notropis girardi
were at that time thought to be continuous throughout the range of
the species. It was noted that the Arkansas River Shiner spawns only
in main stream and only at periods of highwater. The free-floating
eggs and larvae drift downstream under the influence of the current
throughout the early stages of their development. It had previously
been determined that approximately three days elapse from the time
of spawning until the larvae are capable of horizontal movement.
(Thus) the larvae begin their active existence many miles below
their parent locality. The pattern of subsequent dispersal was
unknown. |