Allen Forshage

The creation of lentic habitats in Texas by reservoir construction provided the impetus for the establishment and management of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fisheries. Concurrently, many underlying societal factors and advancement in fishing technology helped focus the utilization of these fisheries. Just as Texas was experiencing a boom in new reservoir construction and angling opportunities, the population was becoming urbanized with more free time and money and better baits, boats, rods, reels and electronics were being developed. Competitive bass angling became well...

An evaluation of stocking catchable rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, in a section of the Brazos River was made in 1972-73 to determine if trout stocking is an economically and recreationally justifiable fishery management technique in Texas. A creel survey to measure fishing pressure and harvest, gross annual expenditures, and net economic value of the fishery was made before and after trout introduction. Benefits, in terms of increased harvest and utilization, were found to be substantially higher than the cost of stocking catchable rainbow trout.

A study of the physicochemical and biological conditions of the Brazos River in Hood and Somervell Counties, Texas to determine the effects of a gravel dredging operation on river fauna was made in 1971-73. Physical damages resulting from dredging caused a change in the river course, depth, and substrate. Turbidity and settleable solids were increased. Alkalinity varied significantly (0.05 level) at the dredting site when gravel was taken from the river and processed. Dredging was responsible for major changes in benthic macroinvertebrate populations and fish populations in the immediate...