SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. – Almost 610,000 new largemouth bass fingerlings (1-2 inches) now swim in West Point Lake as part of a recent stocking effort by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.

“In the future, we hope that these stocked largemouth bass fingerlings will lead to an increase in the abundance of quality-size largemouth bass on West Point,” says fisheries biologist Brent Hess. “In addition, we would like to see the largemouth bass once again comprise a larger proportion of the black bass population in the lake.”

Largemouth bass are a common native bass species found throughout Georgia’s lakes, ponds and rivers and anglers in the state spend more days fishing for bass than any other freshwater species.  And while largemouth bass are normally found in West Point Lake, a decrease in water productivity and the introduction of the non-native spotted bass has caused a shift in the black bass population.

The fish stocked in West Point were produced this spring in WRD hatcheries from top quality brood fish obtained from some of the best bass waters in the state. Fisheries staff will continue to monitor the largemouth bass population in West Point Lake to determine their abundance as they grow to adult size.

In addition to the West Point stocking, largemouth bass from WRD hatcheries also were stocked in Lake Jackson, Lake Lucas, Flat Creek Public Fishing Area and Indian Spring State Park Lake.

For more information about fishing on West Point, visit http://georgiawildlife.com/fishing-prospects. For further information or questions about this study, contact fisheries biologist Brent Hess at the fisheries management office in West Point, GA at 706-845-4180.