Lake Somerville Need Your Help!!

Received this email today 4/20/22 from TPWD

Lake Somerville Hybrid Striped Bass Study

Hello all,

You're receiving this email because you helped us get Lake Somerville back on the hybrid striped bass stocking schedule a few years ago. I hope you're all doing well and have been having great success with your fishing endeavors since we last heard from you! I wanted to touch base with you all and fill you in on a project we're involved with regarding hybrid striped bass at Lake Somerville.

When we got Somerville back on the stocking list, part of how we solidified that was to add it to a catchability/survivability study comparing Palmetto (female striper x male white) and Sunshine (female white x male striper) crosses. Now that it's been stocked with one or both over the past 5 years, it's time to do our assessment. We need to collect 200 fish by our normal sampling methods (gill netting) for the survivability component and 200 fish by hook and line for the catchability portion. We should be able to get our 200 fish by gill net in time, but we're going to need help getting the 200 by hook and line - which leads us to you, our anglers. We don't need whole, intact fish, just carcasses after y'all are done filleting so we can pull otoliths (ear bones) for aging purposes and scales or fin clips to run genetics.

You guys and gals are such an awesome angling community. If everyone who emailed us 5 years ago could give us just 2 or 3 fish each, we'd reach our goal in no time! Please let us know if you would be up for helping us with this so we can work out drop off/pick up details. Or feel free to pass this email on if you know anyone else who would. We appreciate any and all input we can get!

All the best,

~ Niki


<*//>< Niki Ragan-Harbison
Fisheries Biologist
College Station - Houston District
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Office: 979-272-1430 ext. 221

Fax: 979-272-1459

Everytime I catch hybrids and donate. I'll bump this thread up with a report and pics until TPWD reach their goals. Two more weeks and the hybrids should be on 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Had the same email this afternoon, will contribute in the hopes they keep stocking Somerville.

I got that dé·jà vu feeling again. If we don't produce 200 fish on hook and line TPWD just may decides to stop stocking hybrids on Lake Somerville?

What a relief!!!!!!! I ask?

Questions?
#1 If we don't catch 200 fish on hook and line and donate it to you does that mean Somerville will not get hybrid stocking anymore?
#2 when is the deadline for this 200 fish on hook and line to be donated?
# So far how many hybrid have you received already since you send out emails on this study?

Nikki Biologist answers 😁
1. No, Somerville will still continue to be stocked regardless of whether we collect the 200 fish or not.
2. We have until the end of the year to collect the hook & line fish, so by the first part of December 2022 preferably.
3.We have 10 fish in our freezer right now with at least that many more promised by an angler in Katy who has carcasses in his freezer.

10 fish 🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🤣

Maiden voyage coming soon as gas prices starts to drop or I win the lottery which ever comes first🤞