New fish are coming to Jordan Lake as part of a stocking project by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) and a nonprofit, Bass Anglers for NC Lakes.
The NCWRC stocks many lakes across the state with fingerlings to drive tourism and enjoyment for anglers, and the commission is expanding a trial to stock waters with F1 Hybrid Bass. The fish, a cross between Largemouth Bass and Florida Bass, are said to grow faster and larger than other bass.
“We hope these hybrids will increase opportunities for anglers to catch trophy bass where we stock them,” explained Corey Oakley, assistant chief of NCWRC’s Inland Fisheries, in a press release.
Bass Anglers for NC Lakes provided $30,000 towards the F1 Hybrid Largemouth Bass Research Project to help cover the cost of the fingerlings being stocked, which measure about two-inches in length when they’re added to the lakes.
F1 hybrid bass have been stocked in Lake Norman since 2021, and have been quietly introduced to Jordan Lake and Lake Gaston since the summer. The Commission will need to continue to stock the fish, as their offspring do not have the increased growth potential of the stocked hybrids.
Evaluations on the outcome will be conducted through 2030 as the fish grow, both through fishing surveys and tournament weigh-ins. The data will be used to determine future management and stocking strategies.