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RALEIGH, N.C. (April 22) – Matthews anglers take note: fishing opportunities in Squirrel Lake just got a whole lot better.
Thanks to the cooperative efforts of the Matthews Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resource Department and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, Squirrel Lake, located in Mecklenburg County, recently joined the Commission’s Community Fishing Program (CFP) and Fishing Tackle Loaner Program. As a new CFP site, Squirrel Lake received the first of three stockings of 8- to 12-inch channel catfish on April 20. Subsequent stockings are planned for June and August. Anglers who have fished Squirrel Lake in the past have found their catches limited to sunfish and an occasional largemouth bass. The Commission is stocking a total of 1,200 channel catfish this year, and on annual basis, to enhance fishing opportunities for anglers looking for a more diverse fishery. A daily creel limit of six catfish will be implemented. In addition to stocking the lake with channel catfish, Commission personnel installed a solar-powered fish feeder. A second feeder will be installed next spring. These feeders congregate fish for anglers and provide a supplementary food source for the stocked fish, allowing them to grow bigger, faster. To make fishing accessible to individuals who would like to fish but don’t have access to the necessary equipment, the department will offer loaner rods and reels free of charge, through the Commission’s Fishing Tackle Loaner Program (FTLP). The loaner rods and reels will be available to anglers of all ages, on a first-come, first-serve basis, beginning in mid-May. The FTLP loans rods and reels just as a library loans books. Anglers will register at the recreation office to receive a tackle loaner ID card which will allow them to check out a rod and reel for the day. While the program is geared toward children under 16, anyone interested in fishing may participate in the program. Anglers under 16 years must have a parent or guardian complete the registration form. After returning the loaner rods and reels to the park office, first-time participants under 16 receive a free mini-tackle box containing hooks, bobbers, sinkers and a stringer. Anglers can use the tackle loaner ID cards at all 41 FTLP sites in North Carolina although they must return the rods and reels to the original loaner site. “The biggest advantage of this program is that people don’t have to worry about carrying their fishing tackle around. All they have to do is show their card, borrow rods and reels and start fishing,” said Roger Jones, fisheries management coordinator with the Commission. “We want to get new anglers, particularly kids, hooked on fishing and to encourage novice anglers to continue developing their fishing skills.” The Community Fishing Program, begun in 1992, is a cooperative venture between the Commission and local governments to provide more fishing opportunities in city and county parks, particularly for the young, elderly and physically challenged. The Commission currently funds more than 30 Community Fishing Program sites across the state. Program expenses are cost-shared with local cooperators, with the Commission providing 75 percent of the operating funds through the Sport Fish Restoration Fund and the local cooperators paying the remaining 25 percent. Agreements are signed for five-year intervals. “The Commission uses its expertise to improve fishing opportunities in program sites by stocking fish, installing fish feeders, clearing banks of underbrush and controlling nuisance aquatic vegetation,” Jones said. “At the same time, the park’s staff maintains and improves picnic shelters, playgrounds, bathroom facilities, walking trails and other amenities.” Squirrel Lake, a 3/4-acre pond located off Pleasant Plains Road in Matthews, is located in Squirrel Lake Park, a 29-acre setting offering family-friendly amenities, including a picnic area, playground facilities and a walking trail. For more information on Squirrel Lake, contact Corey King from the Matthews Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resource Department, 704-321-7275. Visit the Community Fishing Program page and Fishing Tackle Loaner Program page for more information or call the Division of Inland Fisheries, 919-733-3633. |
