Trout for Christmas? State stocks Raleigh, Charlotte ponds
Trout has traditionally been the domain of the cold mountain waters of western North Carolina. But this winter, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is filling ponds as far south as Rocky Mount and Tarboro.
By December, the state had created ponds around Charlotte, the Triad and the Triangle.
“The NC Wildlife Resources Commission is expanding seasonal fishing opportunities by stocking surplus trout in select impoundments in central and western North Carolina,” the statement said.
State officials are distributing all of that extra trout from hatcheries to ponds in central North Carolina, including popular spots like Lake Wheeler in Raleigh and City Park Lake in Salisbury.
The ponds are open to all fishing tackle including fly fishing and the traditional worm on the hook. People need a fishing license and can catch up to seven fish a day. There is no size limit.
Trout can only survive in cold water, so anglers east of the mountains usually won’t be able to catch trout without heading west.
The state operates four trout hatcheries in western North Carolina. The trout are raised at the hatcheries and then released into the state’s mountain stocked trout waters.
This is where the state stockpiles surplus trout in December:
Alexander County, Ellendale Park Pond, 12/16
Ashe County, Ashe Park Pond, 12/5
Buncombe County, Azalea Pond, 12/1
Buncombe County, Charles D. Owen (below), 12/6
Buncombe County, Charles D. Owen (above), 12/6
Buncombe County, Lake Louise, 12/2
Buncombe County, Lake Powhatan, 11/30
Buncombe County, Tomahawk Lake, 12/16
Burke County, Broughton Pond, 12.12
Cabarrus County, Frank Liske Pond, 12/8
Caswell County, High Rock Pond, 12/19
Caswell County, Rabbit Shuffle, 12/19
Durham County, Twin Lakes Park, 12/20
Edgecombe County, Indian Lake, 12/19
Forsyth County, CG Hill Park Pond, 12/6
Forsyth County, Village Point, 12/12
Franklin County, Owens Park Pond, 12/21
Gaston County, Dallas Park Pond, 12/5
Gaston County, Poston Park Pond, 12/5
Guilford County, Gibson Park, 12/14
Jackson County, Cashiers Public Pond, 11/29
Macon, Harris Lake, 11/29
McDowell County, Universal Pond, 12/12
District of Mecklenburg, Hornissennestpark, 14.12
Mecklenburg County, McAlpine Pond, 12/8
Moore County, Luke Marion Pond, 12/7
Nash, Rocky Mount City Lake, 12/19
Orange County, Lake Michael, 12/20
Polk County, pond, 12/9
Richmond County, Indian Camp Lake, 12/7
Rowan County, Salisbury City Lake, 12/14
Rowan County, Salisbury Community Park, 12/14
Surry County, Tumbling Rock Reservoir, 12/7
County of Transylvania, Lake Imaging, 12/9
Vance County, Fox Pond, 12/13
Wake County, Bass Lake, 12/20
Wake County, Bond Park, 12/28
Wake County, Harris Park Pond, 12/20
Wake County, Simpkins Pond, 12/21
Watauga County, Mayview Lake, 5.12
