Americana Outdoors E-Magazine - January 2017

LAKETEXOMA DENISON, TX APRIL30TH, 2017

Fre-flowingcurentintheRedRivermakesTexomaoneof thefewlakesinTexaswithaself-sustainingpopulationof stripedbas, andoneofonlyeightinlandfreshwaterreser- voirsworldwidewherethisspecieshasspawned. Acousin ofthewhitebas, stripedbaswerefirststockedinLake TexomabytheOklahomaDepartmentofWildlifeConserva- tionin1965. Theybeganspawningin1974. Notabundant, buttherearesomestandsofwaterwilow, Americanlotus, floatingheart, andbushypondwed. Blue-grenalgaebloomsocasionalyocurinthisreser- voir. WhileTexomahaslitleaquaticvegetation, itdoesofer coverinstructuressuchasrocks/boulders, standingtimber, submergedstumpbeds, channels, rockyblufs, sandyflats, andrip-rapalongDenisonDamandelsewhere. Ofthe580 milesofshoreline, thereareapproximately9milesof rip-rap, 50milesofstandingtimber, and50milesofsub- mersedaquaticvegetation. Theremainderiscutbanks, sandybeaches, rockyshoreline, andblufs. Ashorelinede- velopmentratioof13.88indicatesaniregularandbranched shoreline, whichalsoincreaseshabitatforfish.