Norfork redears

[Quillback]

Norfork Nursery Pond Back in Action with Redear Sunfish
 

After a five-year hiatus, the Norfork Nursery Pond is once again poised to raise fish for Norfork Lake. This small, six-acre pond, established in 1963, has historically supplemented the natural reproduction of various game fish species for Norfork Lake. Operations were suspended in 2020 due to a collapsed pipe that drains the pond into Norfork Lake. With the collapsed section of pipe now repaired, biologists are cautiously optimistic that the nursery pond can resume its role in providing supplemental stockings for Norfork Lake.

In early May, biologists and hatchery personnel took the first significant step, stocking 463 adult Redear Sunfish (broodstock) into the Norfork Nursery Pond. Over the next few weeks, these adult fish will spawn, producing the next generation of Redear Sunfish destined for Norfork Lake. In this protected environment, free from fish predators or anglers, these young-of-the-year Redear Sunfish will grow undisturbed until they are ready for stocking into Norfork Lake in early fall. The favorable conditions of the nursery pond provide an ideal setting for these young fish to thrive before their release into the larger body of water.

Redear Sunfish are a popular panfish, also commonly called "Shellcrackers" due to their appetite for mussels and snails. Known for their delicious white meat and spirited fight, they're a favorite among anglers. Late spring is an excellent time to catch Redear Sunfish, often successfully reeled in using baits such as red wiggler worms, crickets, small jigs, or even fly-fishing gear. Beyond their appeal to anglers, Redear Sunfish are crucial for a healthy aquatic ecosystem. Their diet of snails and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates helps control snail populations, which can, in turn, mitigate the spread of parasites such as yellow grubs that might affect other fish species in the lake.