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For up-to-date information on North Carolina licenses, regulations and other wildlife resources, please visit the agency’s website NCWildlife.org.
HICKORY, N.C. (June 30, 2014) — The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission last week reopened the Wittenburg Public Fishing Access Area, which is located on Lake Hickory in Alexander County, after making renovations to the area.
Staff removed two, smaller floating fish piers and installed a larger, single floating fishing pier, which is universally accessible. The pier is located at the end of the peninsula adjacent to the Wittenburg Boating Access Area, which is located just west of the Hwy. 127 bridge.
Staff also completed an 8-foot wide concrete path that connects the new pier to an existing, paved walking path. An adjacent parking area has one van-accessible space, two standard accessible spaces and 28 single vehicle spaces. The concrete path, walking path and parking area are all ADA-compliant.
“The new pier in a central location is a huge improvement over the two, separate smaller piers that were in place at this site,” said Jeff Ferguson, mountain region engineer for the Commission’s Division of Engineering and Lands Management. “This site is used heavily all through the year, and the old piers were in need of replacement.”
In early fall, Commission staff will deploy fish attractors within casting distance of the new pier to increase fishing opportunities for anglers, who can expect to catch largemouth bass, striped bass, crappie, catfish and sunfish.
The new fishing pier was constructed of six sections by inmates at the Dan River Prison Work Farm, located in Yanceyville, through the WISe (Wildlife Inmate Services) program. The sections were then transported to the Wittenberg site where they were installed by Commission staff. WISe is an inmate rehabilitation program run by the Commission that trains inmates to build docks, piers, kiosks, metal signs and other products.
The Wildlife Commission worked on this project in cooperation with Duke Energy, which owns the 4,223-acre lake, with the Commission paying for the renovation using Sport Fish Restoration funds.
For more information on fishing in public, inland waters, including an interactive map of more than 500 public fishing access areas throughout the state, visit the fishing page. For more information on boating in North Carolina, including the locations of more than 200 free, publicly accessible boating access areas, visit the Commission’s online locater map.