# Redfish in Lake Conroe ??



## fuzzbuzzeng (Jun 20, 2006)

my fishing bud spotted 2 dead redfish floating in Lake Conroe last
weekend, south of the big bridge.

one was about 20 inches the other about 17 inches

they had the telltale spot on the tail, they were definitely

redfish.


wonder if Conroe has been stocked with reds, or did someone

just toss these 2 fish into the lake ?


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## chucktx (Sep 12, 2011)

conroe could not sustain redfish......


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## JMACHALA (Apr 16, 2011)

Saw one floating about a week ago as well....definitely a redfish. 22"


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## SpottedAg (Jun 16, 2010)

Already filleted?


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## Forever Fishing (May 26, 2009)

Probably some yahoos trying to stock it themselves with fish from the Gulf.


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## pYr8 (Apr 17, 2012)

Forever Fishing said:


> Probably some yahoos trying to stock it themselves with fish from the Gulf.


+1


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## JMACHALA (Apr 16, 2011)

No...just dead.


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## MJP (Dec 9, 2007)

I'd have to think someone too lazy to clean their catch from the bay.


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## BassCatDrew (May 28, 2013)

Are they 100% positive they had tail spots? If not, then most likely they're seeing our least favorite inhabitant of Lake Conroe, the White Amur... AKA Grass Carp..... AKA Under Water Lawn Mower.... I've seen a good number floating lately, as often happens in the dead of summer :cheers:....


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## Tail Chaser (May 24, 2004)

BassCatDrew said:


> Are they 100% positive they had tail spots? If not, then most likely they're seeing our least favorite inhabitant of Lake Conroe, the White Amur... AKA Grass Carp..... AKA Under Water Lawn Mower.... I've seen a good number floating lately, as often happens in the dead of summer :cheers:....


Think grass carp on the half shell would be any good?


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## Mike60 (12 mo ago)

fuzzbuzzeng said:


> my fishing bud spotted 2 dead redfish floating in Lake Conroe last
> weekend, south of the big bridge.
> 
> one was about 20 inches the other about 17 inches
> ...


Conroe does have red drum on their list. 








Lake Conroe, Texas, US Fish Identification Chart


Information about the species of fish local to Lake Conroe




conroe.uslakes.info


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

Any Bud, involved? Not physically capable of sustaining the breed, imo.


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## Mike60 (12 mo ago)

Don't know much about freshwater red fish do ya.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

I went to the link and saw that redfish is listed, strange thing on the site the redfish picture is tiny compared all the other fish listed.
Like an after thought and the graphics guy said "naw I'm going home resize it yourself."
I see they list smallmouth bass on the list, but i have never heard of one being caught there.
I looked on the TPW stocking report page and saw that no redfish have ever been stocked in Conroe, like others I think someone was too lazy to clean them and they got dumped.


Stocking Reports Statewide by Species Page


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## Mattsfishin (Aug 23, 2009)

I did not think they ever stocked redfish in Conroe but they did stock walleye and striped bass. We caught walleye the first 2 years and caught striped bass several years. The striped bass would go up river past Stubblefield. As mentioned someone may have tossed them in the lake to get rid of them or it could have been grass carp.


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## SKs Crappie Fishing (Mar 24, 2008)

Redfish definitely can live in fresh water lakes.....Belton Lake has a them in good numbers.....


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## Sugars Pop (Jul 10, 2008)

Belton and Fairfield water is different than Conroe, Livingston etc. Reds cannot live in these lakes.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

BTW, bowfin males develop an eye spot when they breed, about this time of year. However the spot is dark purple


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## gulfcoast200 (Jun 26, 2004)

Sugars Pop said:


> Belton and Fairfield water is different than Conroe, Livingston etc. Reds cannot live in these lakes.


Please explain how the water is different. Redfish live from super high salinity water offshore to pretty much fresh/brackish water alongside bass and catfish in their natural environment. They're stocked by TPWD in Lake Calaveras and Braunig. I know they cannot reproduce in a freshwater lake, but I don't see how the water is much is different between Conroe/Livingston and Calaveras/Braunig or Belton and Fairfield.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

gulfcoast200 said:


> Please explain how the water is different. Redfish live from super high salinity water offshore to pretty much fresh/brackish water alongside bass and catfish in their natural environment. They're stocked by TPWD in Lake Calaveras and Braunig. I know they cannot reproduce in a freshwater lake, but I don't see how the water is much is different between Conroe/Livingston and Calaveras/Braunig or Belton and Fairfield.


 My guess, without researching, is the pH of the water.


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## amatt (Oct 31, 2013)

gulfcoast200 said:


> Please explain how the water is different. Redfish live from super high salinity water offshore to pretty much fresh/brackish water alongside bass and catfish in their natural environment. They're stocked by TPWD in Lake Calaveras and Braunig. I know they cannot reproduce in a freshwater lake, but I don't see how the water is much is different between Conroe/Livingston and Calaveras/Braunig or Belton and Fairfield.


If they can't reproduce in a freshwater lake, how would the species survive over time? I doubt TPWD is stocking Conroe with redfish annually, so I would imagine the species' presence in Lake Conroe is short-lived.


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## pocfishin (Jan 22, 2006)

I found this:

"One state that has found its fair share of reds is Texas. Thanks to multiple reservoirs in the state that match-up to what red drum need to survive (cooling lakes with “hard” water full of calcium) and artificial heating in the winter, reds can survive year after year." Did Know You Can Catch Freshwater Redfish? And, They Get Huge! – Outdoors360 


"In fact, red drum don’t need saltwater to survive. They only need a specific calcium level to be present in the water."
Redfish Fact Sheet (Everything You Need To Know) (lafishblog.com)


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## sparrish8 (Jul 13, 2013)

Probably Gaspergoo, fresh water drum


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## gbcorley (Feb 15, 2017)

TPWD stocks them in a few lakes, and mostly they are power plate lakes I think. Could TPWD be trying to stock them maybe, someone would have to call the local office and ask. More then likely was someone dumping them because they did want to clean them.


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## Ditto2 (Jul 19, 2016)

I've been going to Lake Belton for 50 years. Have a house in Morgans Point. Never seen or heard of redfish in the lake. I did catch a walleye on Lake Conroe back in the 70s.


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## thirdcoastangler (Apr 27, 2013)

Stocking Report for Conroe



TPWD has a Stocking History for all the major lakes. No drum in Lake Conroe, but TPWD did stock 10.5 million Walleye in between between 1973-74.


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## Mattsfishin (Aug 23, 2009)

Had a blast catching those walleye. In the area where Lewis Creek power plant intake is. Fishing out of a little john boat and a tiny evinrude alongside a cajun. Not a lot of boats on the water back then.


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