Lake Conroe Big Bass Habitat Threatened
WHEN IS ENOUGH “ ENOUGH” ? After the turn of this century hydrilla, an exotic and invasive aquatic plant species, once again reared its ugly head in Lake Conroe. How it got there has been up for debate, but its presence stoked the fear of many who weathered a similar storm in the early 1980s. 9,000 acres of the plant caused severe recreational restrictions to Lake Conroe users, and was eventually managed with 270,000 grass carp.
At that time Lake Conroe was a nationally recognized largemouth bass fishery, with a healthy base of natural aquatic plants offering protection to all fish species. The grass carp that were stocked in the lake 30 years ago did their job on the hydrilla, as they eliminated all of that invasive plant. Unfortunately, their appetites also led them to turn on the native plants, and they eventually denuded the entire lake of all plant life. The lack of vegetation in Lake Conroe altered the largemouth bass population for the next 10-15 years. As soon as the fry hatched, they were quickly consumed with no way to hide from predation.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department dedicated the entire decade of the 1990s to manually planting native aquatic shoreline plants, and the bass fishery slowly rebounded. 10+ pound bass were caught annually on the lake, and anglers from all over the country returned to visit our community. The largest bass of 2009 in the state of Texas was caught out of Lake Conroe in January. The national circuits also returned to fish Conroe’s waters. The Paralyzed Veterans of America made a stop here in which ex-soldiers competed from their wheelchairs that were placed in boats. Many of them caught the biggest bass of their lives from Lake Conroe. The FLW circuit of professional bass fishing held their Texas Tournament Trail Championship here a few years ago. Lake Conroe was on the short list to host the B.A.S.S. BassMasters Championship in 2008. The Professional Anglers Association held their World Championship on the lake this past October, and is looking to return again next year. Each and every circuit that hosts a tournament on Lake Conroe brings in outside money to our local economy. Restaurants, motels, and retail outlets all benefit from this form of tourism.
After the 130,000 grass carp were stocked (2006-2008), the 2,000 acres of hydrilla were eliminated, and the native aquatic plant life was once again decimated. Native plant acreage was reduced from nearly 2,000 acres to 150 acres. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department was forced to start over with the native plant base in the lake, this time with the help of a local bass club who endorsed the hydrilla management program from the beginning. TPWD and the Seven Coves Bass Club are heading into their third year of transplanting native plants into the lake, but no colonization is taking place with the presence of the remaining grass carp population in the lake. The only plant life, of any measurable proportions, are a few patches of water lilies and a scattering of seanie bean bushes. These small areas of remnant native plant life have become the most important tools in the assurance of future bass recruitment.
Without native plants, Lake Conroe’s largemouth bass population is once again in danger of taking a big hit. To compound matters, some people are taking it upon themselves to rid the lake of any of the “beanie” bushes in the water. This has occurred in Atkins Creek, Little Lake Creek, and is currently taking place in the headwaters of Lewis Creek. Most of these “beanie” fields are established in known spawning flats, and without their protection the bass fry will be in big trouble after they hatch.
Although the destruction of native plants in public bodies of water requires a permit from TPWD, and permission from the San Jacinto River Authority is requested to manage plants on Lake Conroe, in many cases this protocol has not been followed. Hydrilla was the main argument in the beginning of both “plant wars” that have taken place on Lake Conroe, but aesthetics and cosmetics have always been the evolutionary ending. It seems that some will not be satisfied until the lake is once again denuded to please the few.
So it’s time for the big question to be asked…”When is enough…ENOUGH ?”
Ron Gunter
Conroe, Texas
Seven Coves Bass Club
Assistant State Conservation Director-Texas B.A.S.S. Federation Nation
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Lake Conroe has experienced a huge increase in the crappie population the past couple of years. Many that fish for crappie use jigs for bait; however, the bait of choice for many are minnows. The wonderful thing about using minnows for bait is that it makes it possible for the younger fishermen to take part in a fun day on the Lake fishing. We have been getting lots of pics in from families all around the Lake. The temperature is going to start going up a little each day if we don’t get any more real cold fronts. With the warmer water temperature more and more fish will move to the shallows and brush piles in 7 to 12 feet of water. Below is a email I received from one fisherman.
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