Bruce Johnson with the Lake Gaston Weed Control Council coordinated the release along with North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Fish Biologist Kirk Rundell and Dominion Power biologist Glenn Bishop.
Johnson met the fish truck from Malone and Son Fishery out of Arkansas at 6 a.m. at the Wise Va. Truck Stop. From there the truck made its way to Granite Hall Shores and released the first batch of grass carp into the lake.
“It takes a while to release the first fish,” Johnson said. “The first thing that has to be done, the temperature of the water has to be equalized to match the lake water temperature. We had to empty half the tank and bring the temperature up. It was 65 degrees in the tank and the lake temperature was about 70 degrees. Mr. Breashers won’t release them unless the water is within 3 degrees difference. That would shock the fish.”
Banks Breashers, the Malone and Son fishery truck driver has been bringing grass carp to Lake Gaston for four years. “He’s a great guy to work with,” Johnson said.
Unfortunately, after releasing the fish, the fish truck became stuck and a wrecker had to be called to get it back on the road.
At approximately 10 a.m. the truck was at the Highway 903 Bridge and fish were released into Songbird.
Kathy Jones who lives at the bridge on Songbird Creek watched the release. “I am so excited,” she said. I hope some of them make their way down to my waterfront.”
Rundell assured Jones the released grass carp would move throughout the lake upon their initial release in search of weed beds. “They will travel quite a distance at first,” he said. “Then they will establish themselves in a good weed bank. “
Johnson said the releases went very well and the only loss of fish was due to ospreys at the bridge in Granite Hall.
“There was about five or six of them,” Johnson said of the ospreys. “They were having a field day. The were swooping down and catching some of the grass carp.”
The release at Songbird appeared to go very well. The fish swam around close to the bank when first released, then appeared to move out into the open waters.
Reprinted with permission from the Lake Gaston Gazette-Observer
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