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Commission Renovates Bells Church Fishing Area On Jordan Lake
WILSONVILLE - The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission recently completed upgrades and renovations to the Bells Church public fishing area on B. Everett Jordan Reservoir (Jordan Lake), providing Piedmont-area anglers of all ages and abilities the opportunity to fish from a handicapped-accessible pier in the White Oak Creek section of this 13,940-acre reservoir. The renovation work, completed in March 2002, includes stabilizing the eroded shoreline, installing a handicapped-accessible parking pad, retrofitting the floating fishing pier with five support columns, installing security lighting, and back sloping the parking lot so runoff will divert away from the newly stabilized shoreline. The shoreline stabilization work was required because approximately 35 to 40 feet of shoreline was lost to erosion in the last 20 years. The Commission addressed this problem by recycling the top soil used to level its exhibit site at the State Fair in Raleigh last fall. "By using the top soil from our State Fair exhibit, we were able to back fill these eroded areas with a high quality soil that will facilitate the growth of the new wetlands foliage that we planted," said Roger Jones, fisheries management coordinator for the Piedmont Region. "In addition to the plantings, we installed biodegradable, coconut fiber logs and fiber mesh to help stabilize a 300-foot section of the shoreline around the pier." The Commission retrofitted the pier with additional support columns to reduce the floating pier's tendency to slope during low-water conditions and it added 25 feet of chain to the pier's anchoring system. The new handicapped-accessible parking pad shortens the distance wheelchair-bound anglers have to travel from the parking lot to the pier, and the parking lot lights provide additional safety for anglers interested in night fishing. The project cost approximately $65,000, excluding labor. Dock hardware, gravel, rip rap, concrete for the abutment, and parking facilities were provided by the Commission. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided $20,000 for the purchase of lumber and floats for the pier. N.C. State Parks provided temporary storage for pier supplies and provided property for initial pier construction. "Even though the Commission took the lead in this project, we never could have completed it without cooperation, assistance and donations from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, N.C. State Parks, the Sanford Chapter of Disabled American Veterans, Pac-Fab, Inc., Spence Building Supply, the Sanford Family Chiropractic Center, and private citizens like Ovide De St. Aubin," Jones said. "To acknowledge their contributions to this fishing site, the Commission is having a dedication ceremony on April 3 at the Bells Church public fishing area where we will unveil a plaque and kiosk recognizing them." The handicapped-accessible fishing pier, installed January 2000, is the centerpiece of the Bells Church public fishing area. It is a wooden, 140-foot, T-shaped structure providing deep-water access for bank-bound anglers. The pier features eight benches, high-low railing for handicapped accessibility, and shelving to accommodate bait and lure placement. It has become a popular fishing spot for local anglers, according to Vossie Horton, owner of the nearby Wilsonville Store. "People really enjoy having a place like that to go fishing," Horton said. "We have one guy who's paralyzed who comes by to buy bait and he fishes the pier a lot. He can get out of his car, get his wheelchair out, assemble it, and go fish off the pier by himself." Horton said most anglers fishing from the Bells Church pier are going after anything that will bite, but they commonly catch a mix of crappie, catfish and sunfish. A few anglers have shared some angling tips with Horton. "You need to get on the west side of the pier and fish back towards the rocks," Horton said. "That's the best place to fish. Most people fish minnows. Some people fish jigs. But you have to cast towards the rocks." The Bells Church public fishing area is located on state road 1008, about 1.2 miles north of the intersection of U.S. Route 64 and state road 1008 in Chatham County. For more information or to obtain a free booklet listing all of the Commission's public fishing access areas across the state, contact the Commission's Division of Inland Fisheries at (919) 733-3633. You can also look up locations and information on any of the Commission's public fishing areas by clicking on an online PFA map. |
