Family Fishing Waters
FishAmerica Family Fishing Waters program seeks to create
a fishing opportunity “within a short bicycle ride
of every child”. These projects restore or create
family fishing opportunities in local communities. Family
Fishing Waters grants range between $4,000 and $15,000 with
an average grant of $8,500.
FishAmerica Family Fishing Waters Projects
Autauga
County, Alabama. The Tukabatchee Area Council of the Boy
Scouts of America received $6,828 to enhance fish populations
and sportfishing opportunities in Lake Mildred, a 10-acre
impoundment approximately eight miles north of Prattville,
Alabama. They installed a fish feeder to improve fishing
success and volunteers planted newly-graded shorelines to
prevent erosion.
Cascade, Idaho. Cascade High School received $15,000
to improve water quality, restore two acres of fisheries
habitat, and enhance the educational potential of Fischer
Pond, a two-acre pond along the North Fork of the Payette
River. The school’s Advance Biology class installed
a pipeline system to circulate water between the Payette
River and Fischer Pond. Outside of the FishAmerica
grant, they constructed an educational viewing area to allow
the community to observe resident sportfish in their natural
environment.
Dickinson, North Dakota. The City of Dickinson and
the Southwest Anglers Association received $10,000 to enhance
an urban fishery at one of the best places for family fishing
in the area. Dickinson is located just sixty miles
north of Montana in southwestern North Dakota, an arid area
with limited water-based recreational opportunities. This
urban fishery is managed primarily as a youth fishery with
a boat ramp and a handicap-accessible fishing pier. The
lake is used for school fishing programs. They excavated
approximately 100,000 cubic yards of silt from the 22-acre
lake and stabilized one mile of shoreline using riprap that
provided habitat for smallmouth bass and bluegill.
Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The Pennyrile Resource Conservation
and Development Council received $10,000 to restore fisheries
habitat and improve water quality in Jeffers Bend Lake. Jeffers
Bend Lake provides a reliable fishing resource for group
and individual activities throughout the year, including
annual Kids Fishing events, 4-H functions, Boy Scout outings,
and private school trips. They installed an aerator
maintain appropriate oxygen levels and improve water quality.
Lincoln County, Kentucky. The Cedar Creek Sportsman
Club received $6,000 to construct fish habitat and attractors
in the new 784-acre Cedar Creek Lake. Cedar Creek Lake
supports largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, crappie,
and channel catfish. The state-owned, public lake has
a fishing pier and several bank access sites for family fishing
opportunities.
Lyon County, Kentucky. The Twin Lakes Crappie Club
received $4,000 to construct and place artificial habitat
made from wooden stakes and discarded trees in Kentucky and
Barkley Lakes. The artificial habitat provides cover
and habitat for largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, and
bluegill. With better habitat, fisheries populations
will improve and create better fishing opportunities for
anglers.
McAlester, Oklahoma. The Nichols Marine Vision for
the Preservation of Fishing received $5,000 to restore fisheries
habitat and water quality in Lake Eufaula. Eufaula
Lake is Oklahoma's largest man-made lake with more than 600
miles of shoreline and is the 15th largest in the United
States.The lake boasts many recreational opportunities and
outstanding fishing for crappie, sand bass, catfish, blackfish,
and striped bass. The disappearance of cover for fish
fry contributed to declining fish populations. Volunteers
planted water willow along 9,000 feet of shoreline devoid
of vegetation. The water willow not only provides nursery
habitat for fish but will also decrease shoreline erosion
when fully established.
Midway, Utah. The Wasatch Mountain State Park received
$7,500 to restore fisheries habitat and improve water quality
in a family fishing pond. This pond is the only community
fishing pond in the more than 3,000 square miles in surrounding
Wasatch and Summit counties. The park hosts an annual
Free Fishing Day event and provides a tackle loaner site
for the community at the pond.
Novato, California. The City of Novato received $10,000
to install an aeration system in the 11-acre, urban Scottsdale
Pond. The aeration system will increase dissolved oxygen
levels and prevent fish kills during the summer months. The
aeration system will allow for year-round fishing and improve
bass, channel catfish, sunfish, and trout populations. Scottsdale
Pond is a popular fishing spot for local children because
it is close to residential areas and schools.
Prattville, Alabama. The Tukabatchee Area Council of the
Boy Scouts of America received $6,828 to improve fisheries
habitat and sportfishing opportunities in Lake Mildred, a
10-acre impoundment.
San Jose, California. South Bay Fishing in the City
received $10,000 to purchase and install an aeration system
in Lake Cunningham. The aeration system will increase
dissolved oxygen levels and prevent fish kills during the
summer months. The aeration system will allow for year-round
fishing and improve channel catfish, sunfish, and rainbow
trout populations. Lake Cunningham is a 50-acre man-made
lake in a park accessible by car, public transportation and
on foot. Lake Cunningham is a popular fishing spot
for local children because it is close to residential areas
and schools.
South Sioux City, Nebraska. The South Sioux City Community
Foundation received $7,500 to restore the 34-acre Crystal
Cove Lake, an urban family fishing area. The lake is
home to largemouth bass and bluegill and is stocked with
channel catfish and rainbow trout. The lake is popular
for family fishing for easy access including a fishing pier.
The fisheries habitat and water quality in Crystal Cove Lake
has deteriorated from siltation caused by many past Missouri
River floods. As part of the $1.5 million Crystal Cover
Revitalization Project, they stabilized the shoreline of
Crystal Cove Lake.
Tuckerton, New Jersey. The New Jersey Conservation
Officers Association received $7,600 to restore three ponds,
totaling 25 acres, at Pinelands High School. The ponds
provide an urban fishery for the local community of Little
Egg Harbor and are used for the school’s fishing education
program. Unfortunately, neglect had left the shorelines
littered with trash and the ponds covered by purple loosestrife,
an invasive plant. Local students and community volunteers
removed the trash and debris during two weekend events. High
school students built and installed platforms along the shoreline
to enhance fishing opportunities for disable children and
other citizens.
