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By Brian O’Shea, Plateau Daily News
Anglers have a reason to rejoice after the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission recently stocked Harris Lake and Cashiers Public Pond with hundreds of Brook and Rainbow trout as part of the Winter Impoundment Program.
The NCWRC recently stocked Harris Lake with trout using a tank truck and a tube delivering the fish to their new home.
Assistant Fish Hatchery Superintendent Austin Brooks said the NCWRC stocks certain lakes to provide additional angling opportunities when surplus trout are available at the Setzer State Fish Hatchery in Brevard.
Pictured below are NCWRC staff stocking Harris Lake in 2022.
“The hatchery stocks trout as part of our ‘Winter Impoundment Program’ when there are surplus trout available,” said Brooks. “Surplus trout are extra fish that exist at the hatchery once we have met all existing requests for fish. The hatchery exists in Brevard to provide trout for 86 different bodies of water in 12 western North Carolina counties per the requests of Fisheries Management staff.”
Harris Lake in Highlands received 1626 10-inch fish and 24 fish over 16 inches, for a total of 1650 trout.
Cashiers Public Pond was stocked with 710 10-inch fish and 10 fish over 16 inches, for a total of 720 trout.
Brooks said the public can fish for these trout and can harvest up to seven fish per day. They can use any lure or bait of their choice. Any person 16 or older must possess an Inland Fishing license in order to fish. Any youth 15 and younger do not need a license to fish.
After the trout land in the water they begin swimming and exploring the new digs.
Licenses can be purchased online HERE, or from a local vendor who sells licenses.
An area of Harris Lake is scheduled to be dredged in the coming weeks but District 9 Fisheries Biologist Powell Wheeler said he does not believe it will cause a problem for the trout or the anglers.