The lake at Laura S. Walker State Park will re-open for fishing on May 23, 2003 announces the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Parks and Historic Sites Division.  The 120-acre lake has not been available to anglers since January 2001 when it was drained to facilitate repairs to the spillway and dam.  Since repair completion, the lake has been filled and stocked with fish by the DNR Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) Fisheries Management Section.  

Fish stocked into the lake at Laura Walker State Park include such angling favorites as largemouth bass, bluegill sunfish, redear sunfish and channel catfish.  Other species, including warmouth, yellow bullhead and chain pickerel migrated into the lake from inflowing streams.  In early February 2003, WRD Fisheries biologists sampled the lake and determined that the existing fish populations are adequate to allow fishing.  Statewide creel limits will apply to all species except largemouth bass.  Angling for bass will be catch-and-release only for the first year to ensure a strong bass population in the lake.  

Laura S. Walker State Park is located on 626 acres and is adjacent to Dixon Memorial State Forest, southeast of Waycross on Georgia Route 177.  The park offers camping sites for tents, trailers and RVs, picnic areas, nature trail, swimming pool, water skiing and an 18-hole golf course.   Motors over 10 hp are allowed in the lake between the hours of 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.  Canoe and fishing boat rentals are available as are group shelters for large gatherings.  Visitors must purchase a $2 ParkPass for each vehicle.  

For more information, visit the DNR State Parks and Historic Sites website at www.gastateparks.org or call the Reservations Center at 1-800-864-7275 or (770) 389-7275.  For fishing information, visit the WRD website at www.gofishgeorgia.com .

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