Changes to fishing at Glenwood Lake being considered

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18 hours ago

PRINCETON – Changing what methods fishing enthusiasts can use at Glenwood Lake and how many fish they can keep are being discussed by the Mercer County Commission.
The public was invited to fish at Glenwood Lake and keep what they catch when the county made plans to drain and dredge the lake. This move was to reduce the numbers of fish that had to be relocated when the project got underway, but that project with restoration work to the lake's dam have been delayed.
County Commissioner Greg Puckett said during the commission's Tuesday meeting that this dredging project will proceed later, but for now the lake's fish need to be conserved so the public can still go fishing there.
'We basically lifted all fees,' Puckett said. 'I'm pretty sure we're going to stay fee-less for right now, but we had talked about when we were going to keep the park when we were going to do the dam restoration and basically told everybody to come out and fish to your heart's content. And then now that we are going to be keeping the dam for a little while longer.'
Joshua Parks, assistant superintendent at Glenwood Recreational Park told the commissioners that he didn't put putting a moratorium on fishing would be appropriate. He suggested two ways to limit the numbers of fish being taken from the lake.
'I think that we need to either, one make the park catch and release, which I'm not sure that's the right answer,' Parks said. 'I think we at the very least need to impose daily creel limits on fishing.'
A creel is a basket used for holding fish.
The county may need to ban some fishing methods, he said. Glenwood Lake is not bound by state laws since it's on a county-owned park, but in West Virginia, using a cast net to catch game fish is illegal.
'Well, I've asked several people over the past 12 months to please not cast net the game fish,' Parks said. 'It's not technically illegal at Glenwood as it is in the rest of the state.'
Putting limits on how many fish can be kept would be one way to conserve the lake's fish. Another would be making the lake catch-and-release only.
'We can make the park strictly catch-and-release, bit I don't think that will go over very well with the community,' Parks said. 'People do want to come out there and eat fish, especially in the winter time.'
Sheriff A.P. Christian, who attended the meeting Tuesday, asked if the county could pass a fishing ordinance aligning with West Virginia State Code. Puckett replied that the county would look at that idea.
Christian said that people were cast netting small fish to use as bait during catfish tournaments.
'That's exactly what they're doing,' Parks said.
Puckett asked Christian if they could get examples of other counties' ordinances. Prosecuting Attorney Brian K. Cochran could then check any fishing ordinance based on the ones used in other counties and if it aligns with the State Code.
In a statement Puckett posted later on his Facebook page, he said the county was not trying to take fishing at Glenwood Lake away from the public and keeps encouraging it. There were no plans to start charging fees for fishing there.
'We do ask that the community abide by state laws while fishing,' he said.
These state laws include not taking of game fish by seine, dip netting and cast nesting, Puckett said. All game fish must be taken with rod and reel.
'We are hopeful that the upcoming creel limits strike a very fair balance between fishing for recreation and fishing for food,' he said. 'If you have any questions feel free to contact us at 304-887-0506.'
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