Officials with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Kills and Spills team have found a toxic alga in several South Texas ponds raising red flags about its spread across the state.

    The organism, Prymnesium parvum or golden alga, is a naturally occurring species that was first confirmed in Texas’ Pecos River in 1985, marking the first record in the Western Hemisphere. Since then, golden alga has been found to occur in inland waters of an additional 15 states. Prior to 1985, this species was mostly known from brackish European waters.

    “Sometimes the algae reproduce very rapidly, resulting in what is referred to as a bloom. Golden alga blooms can give the water a yellow or copper color and cause foaming along shorelines. Under certain environmental conditions, golden alga produces toxins that affect gill-breathing organisms such as fish, clams and mussels. There is no evidence that these toxins harm other wildlife, livestock or humans.”

    “Fish can escape a toxic bloom by retreating into an area that receives fresh, flowing water, such as a cove or inlet. Since 2001, golden alga has caused seasonal fish kills in the upper reaches of the Canadian, Red, Brazos, Colorado, and Rio Grande river basins. The lower Brazos River experienced two fish kills in 2006; before this event most fish kills had largely taken place west of Interstate Highway 35.”

    TPWD officials said it remains unknown why golden alga blooms have been restricted to freshwater in the U.S., while they are a coastal concern in places such as Europe, the Mediterranean, and New Zealand. Due to its wide salinity tolerance, there is concern that golden alga might one day threaten Texas’ bays and estuaries and cause fish kills similar to those caused by red tides.

    TPWD is coordinating efforts to monitor fish kills caused by toxic golden alga, to research golden alga for better understanding and management, and to manage the recreational fisheries of Texas with river authorities, state agencies and university researchers.

    Now onto the report...

    North Sabine--- A few reds and trout have been caught under the birds on live bait and plastics. The marshes remain fair to good for reds (mostly undersize) on spinners and topwaters. The Louisiana shoreline is fair to good for flounder on glow colored jigs tipped with shrimp.

    South Sabine---Capt. Phillip Samuels reports fair action under birds along the south levee area and Blue Buck Point on Gulp shrimp and Chicken on a Chain colored plastics. Reds are mixed with the trout. Flounder are fair along the Louisiana shoreline on live bait.

    Sabine Pass---Lighthouse Cove has been producing fair to good numbers of trout on topwaters early and a variety of plastics later in the day. Black drum are good at deep holes in the channel. On calm days, trout are good at the jetties on topwaters fished at dawn and a variety of plastics later in the day. Sheepshead are good on shrimp fished right against the rocks.

    Sabine River---Redfish remain good around the shorelines of the Intracoastal between Orange and Hackberry and plastics and live bait. Catfish are good after rains in the tributaries of Adams and Cow Bayou on dead shrimp and cut bait.

    Calcasieu (Big Lake)---The Hackberry Rod and Gun Club reports trout and reds are good under the birds throughout the system on glow/chartreuse plastics and live bait fished under a popping cork. Very few reports of flounder.

    Sam Rayburn---Guide Roger Bacon reports short, light Carolina rigs with Fin-S Worms , Kriet Kreatures or six-inch Pro Lizards in watermelon or green pumpkin are taking good numbers of bass in the shallows. Out on the outside grass lines the bass are taking colors like redbug, junebug and black neon. Crappie are good on the brush piles on shiners fished in 12 to 15 feet of water at 25 foot depths. Channel cats are good around baited brush piles on the main lake on dead shiners and shrimp.

    Toledo Bend---Holly Parka Marina reports largemouths are taking topwaters and buzz baits early and late in the flooded grass and on worms and spoons in the middle of the day. Senkos are also producing some fish when fished right in the grass or on the edges. Crappie are good on black jigs and shiners fished around baited boat docks. White bass are biting on spoons fished over deep holes and in the river channel. Bream remain good on crickets and worms. Catfish are fair to good on trotlines baited with cut and prepared baits.

    Lake Livingston---Texas Parks & Wildlife Department officials report largemouths are fair on spinner baits, crankbaits, and topwaters. Striped bass are good but small on pet spoons and hellbenders. White bass are very good on hellbenders, pet spoons, and Charlie slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Blue catfish are very good on shad. Yellow catfish are slow.