Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 10, 1993 TAG: 9305100311
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The only addition to the park's fee-fishing this year is the stocking of a three-quarter mile stretch of Wilson Creek immediately below 60-acre Douthat Lake.
Since 1967, the lake and a small portion of Wilson Creek above it have been operated as a popular pay-fishing program, where anglers purchase a daily permit to cast to water stocked twice weekly. The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries furnishes the trout and the Division of State Parks provides the fishing facilities.
Last year, the two sister agencies announced plans to broaden the program:
Some 3.5 miles of Wilson Creek flowing from the lake through park and national forest property would be added to the pay program.
Several kids' fishing areas would be established so youngsters 12 and under could fish without buying a $4 daily permit.
The fee-fishing season would be lengthened so it would end Sept. 30, rather than the traditional Labor Day.
But more than six weeks into the 1993 trout season, the only visible addition is the modest stretch of fee-fishing in Wilson Creek immediately below the dam.
"The division of parks has decided not to implement the program this year, and we had hoped to," said Larry Mohn, a fisheries biologist for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. "We are prepared to move as soon as they are prepared."
Park officials don't see it quite that way.
"It was set up to be done in phases in the first place," said Gary Waugh, public relations manager for the Department of Conservation and Recreation-Division of State Parks. "As far as we are concerned, we are pretty much on schedule."
Park officials say care must be taken to minimize the visual damage that could occur if parking isn't provided for anglers using the lower portion of Wilson Creek. The stream, for the most part, is located just out of sight of the road.
"That is a very pretty drive into the park and it would mess it up if we had cars parked everywhere all the way in; so, we did want to try to limit that," said Forrest Gladden, park manager.
Park plans call for providing pull-off parking facilities and access for the hatchery truck. These developments could be a year in the future, park officials say.
"We are very enthusiastic about the project," said Waugh. "It is just one of those thing where we only can do so much at a time with the resources that we have. The bottom line is, we are working on it in phases; we are doing it as our resources allow us."
The new section of Wilson Creek now dedicated to fee-fishing has been well received, said Gladden. "It seems to have awakened some fly fishermen who previously weren't interested in lake fishing," he said. "Plus, there are some lake fishermen who have been willing to try their hand at stream fishing, and have had pretty good luck."
The stream program is expected to draw large numbers of anglers because it is near Covington-Clifton Forge and an hour's drive from the Roanoke Valley. Many have said they prefer stream fishing to lake fishing. The only other public fee-fishing streams are Crooked Creek near Galax and Big Tumbling Creek near Saltville.
While the daily permit is designed to keep the hatchery truck rolling, it can work a hardship on families with children who use the park for extended stays.
"The result is that many parents do not buy the daily permit for their children and the children miss the opportunity to fully participate in available angling opportunities," said David Whitehurst, fish division chief for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
The first area for kids is expected to be set aside from the splash pool below the dam downstream to the first bridge, a distance of a couple hundred yards.
"We are trying to get that in place as soon as we can," said Gladden. "We had hoped to have it by opening day, but things crept up on us too fast."
While only a three-quarter-mile section of Wilson Creek is being stocked, some anglers are discovering that fish are moving farther downstream, said Kyle Barbour, assistant park manager.
"The hard-core fisherman is striking off through the woods," he said.
by CNB