Creating Fish Habitat
Unfortunately, The Friends of Claytor Lake hasn't always been viewed as the friend of those who fish on the lake. Why? To put it succinctly: one man's debris is another man's fish habitat. To clarify: all Claytor Stakeholders, including fisherman, want trash removed from the lake, but natural debris is another matter. Natural debris forms fish habitat and of course FOCL removes a lot of that too. It has always been FOCL's goal to look after the big picture concerning the overall health of Claytor Lake, not simply be the lake's debris remover.
 The crew prepares to float the lake.
In the interest of encouraging healthy fish habitat, FOCL has embarked on a study of areas on the lake that could be left as a natural fish habitat. In December of last year, a crew including FOCL Boardmembers, VDGIF, and interested fisherman, spent some time on the lake exloring candidate fish habitat areas.
 Looking over a potential fish habitat site on the lake.
Once finalized, these areas will be managed differently from the rest of the lake. That is, these areas will be allowed to "go more natural." In addition, FOCL is looking into felling and chaining appropriate trees near the shoreline in these areas to foster fish habitat. The trees will be carefully selected and once felled, cabled to the shore. Initially, 3 to 4 of the sites shown below will be selected and studied for effectiveness.
Potential Fish Habitat Sites from the air:
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Board Meeting Minutes
FRIENDS OF CLAYTOR LAKE Board Meeting Minutes, January 8, 2009
Present: Ron Powers, Bill Cunningham, Mike Spraker, John Copeland, Mike McLeod,
John Johnson, Ranny Akers, Jackson Beamer, Chris Meade, Pete Huber, David Collett,
John Toothaker, Laura Bullard, Cheri & Bob Strenz
Minutes of the November and December 2008 Board meetings were approved as
written.
Financial Report was presented by Darla Jennings and approved as written. General
Fund: $15,927,64.
FOCL Fish Habitat Location Trip summary and map distributed, though not discussed.
Senate Bill No. 820 (local motorboat registration fee) and House Joint Resolution
No. 627 (children’s life jacket wear requirement): information distributed, though
not discussed.
Appalachian Power’s Shoreline Management Planning Meeting, held January 7,
was summarized by Laura Bullard, Ron Powers and John Copeland, including a brief
description of shoreline classifications, issues of slope, and the plan as it relates to
Appalachian’s application for relicensure of Claytor Hydro Project. Discussion was
held regarding FOCL’s role in the Shoreline Management Planning process. A
committee of, among others, Ron Powers, Darla Jennings, Chris Meade, John
Copeland, and Laura Bullard, will convene to discuss the issue further.
Pulaski County’s Comprehensive Plan, Central Planning Area (north shore of
Claytor Lake to Peak Creek), is up for public comment at public meetings January 8
(Dublin Lyons Club) and 20 (Pulaski Elementary School), from 6-8 p.m. In lieu of
following the agenda of the present FOCL Board Meeting as planned, the decision
was made to adjourn immediately in order for Board members to go directly to the
public meeting. The position of the FOCL Board toward the Comprehensive Plan will
be considered by committee in conjunction with the Shoreline Management Plan,
and recommendations will be brought before the Board at a later date.
The meeting was adjourned.
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