FISHES OF
BELL COUNTY,
TEXAS
compiled by
Stan Casto
Kenneth W. Johnson, Ph.D.
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
A Checklist of the Fishes of Bell County
The major drainage systems of
Bell County include the Leon River and the Lampasas River which
merge in the eastern portion of the county to form the Little
River. Major feeders of those small river systems include
Cowhouse Creek, which formerly flowed into the Leon River and now
flow into Lake Belton west of the Balcones Escarpment, and Salado
Creek which empties into the Lampasas River. Associated with
those systems are numerous small creeks, many of which are
ephemeral. In addition, there are two large impoundments, Lake
Belton and Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir, and an abundance of
man-made stock tanks and ponds. Thus, a variety of habitats exist
for native and introduced species of fishes.
The following is not necessarily
a definitive listing of the icthyofauna of Bell County. It is
possible, and perhaps probable, that the cyprinids are
incompletely represented. Several species representing other
families may be present but have not been collected or observed
by the author and are not included.
Hybrids, whether naturally
occurring or desirable for sportsfishing and stocked by fisheries
personnel, are not included. Neither are rainbow trout (Salmo
Gairdneri) which in recent years have been seasonally stocked
in Salado Creek for the benefit of fisherman and which do not
maintain long-term populations.
No rare or endangered species of
fish are known, or anticipated, to exist in Bell County.
Family Lepisosteidae - Gars
Spotted Gar Lepisosteus oculatus
Longnose Gar Lepisosteus osseus
Shortnose Gar Lepisosteus
platostomus
Family Clupeidae - Herrings
Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum
Threadfin Shad Dorosoma
petenense
Family cyprinidae - Minnows
Central Stoneroller Campostoma anomalum
Red Shiner Cyprinella lutrensis
Blacktail Shiner Cyprinella venustus
Common Carp Cyprinus carpio
Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas
Mimic Shiner Notropis volucellus
Bullhead Minnow Pimephales
vigilax
Family Catostomidae - Suckers
River Carpsucker Carpiodes carpio
Smallmouth Buffalo Ictiobus bubalus
Gray Redhorse Moxostoma
congestum
Family Characidae - Characins
Mexican Tetra Astyanax
mexicanus
Family Ictalurudae - Catfishes
Black Bullhead Ameiurus melas
Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis
Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus
Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus
Tadpole Madtom Noturus gyrinus
Flathead Catfish Pylodictis
olivaris
Family cyprinodontidae - Killfishes
Blackstripe Topminnow Fundulus
notatus
Family Poeciliidae - Livebearers
Mosquitofish Gambusia affinis
Family Atherinidae - Silversides
Inland Silverside Menidia
beryllina
Family Percichthyidae - Temperate Basses
Striped Bass Morone saxatilus
White Bass Morone chrysops
Family Centrarchidae - Sunfishes
Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus
Warmouth Lepomis gulosus
Orangespotted Sunfish Lepomis humilus
Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus
Longear Sunfish Lepomis megalotis
Redear Sunfish Lepomis microlophus
Smallmouth Bass* * Micropterus dolomieu
Spotted Bass Micropterus punctulatus
Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides
White Crappie Poxomis annularis
Black Crappie Poxomis
nigromaculatus
Family Percidae - Perches
Orangethroat Darter Etheostoma spectabile
Logperch Percina carbonaria
Dusky Darter Percina sciera
Family Sciaenidae - Drums
Freshwater Drum Aplodinotus grunniens