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Fishermen who have enjoyed the last few weeks of fishing at the Brooks-Hines State Fishing Lake, have just a few days left to enjoy the pass-time.
County Commission Chairman Raymond Wiggins received word from state officials that work has begun on the planned drainage, maintneance and repairs at the facility near the Dixie Community in Escambia County.
“The State (Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries) has let us know that draining of the lake has begun,” Wiggins said Tuesday. “That means there is very little time left for fishing at the lake.”
Wiggins said the lake would remain open through this week allowing fishermen to harvest the remaining fish in the lake. He said the lake would close at dusk on Friday and remain closed throughout the process of draining, repairing and updating of the lake and its facilities.
“We have been putting permits out for people to use as they fish the lake,” Wiggins said. “We are happy that the lake has been open for firshermen to enjoy catching at the lake.”
Last month, Wiggins and several others, worked to have the lake reopened prior to the beginning of the work set by the ADWFF officials at the lake. After weeks of back and forth conversations, permission to reopen the lake was granted by the state organization.
Previously, Wiggins said the lake closed last fall when the manager for the facility left. He and others got to work trying to get permission to open the lake.
“When we found out they would just be draining the lake and discarding the fish, we wanted to see if there was any way we could let our people catch those fish and get some use out of them. We are happy that things have worked out to allow that to happen,” Wiggins said.
Wiggins said this week that based on the number of permits posted at the lake, several hundred people have been fishing at the lake during the past few weeks.
Permits will be posted through the week at the sign near the entrance of the lake. Permits are still required for fishing at the state-run facility.
Wiggins offered thanks to those who worked to allow the opening of the lake including Congressman Jerry Carl; Governor Kay Ivey; State Senator Greg Albritton; State Representative Alan Baker; State Representative Matthew Hammett; Chris Blankenship – director of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Matthew Marshall – assistant chief of fisheries for ADCNR; Jonathan Brown – Public Fishing Lake Coordinator with ADCNR and Anthony Jay Edwards – District Ranger with USDA.
The lake is open from dawn to dusk each day and will close to fishing at dusk this coming Friday, Wiggins said.