Home

This is a new project involving introduction of artificial fish habitat and native aquatic plants at Pulaski County High School. It will support previous projects to improve the quality of fish habitat in Claytor Lake. Mossback and Friends of Reservoirs will be part of an educational program that will introduce a new group of high school students to artificial fish habitat. This project will provide new habitat for spawning bass, sunfishes, and crappie and cover for juvenile fish and crayfish. In addition, it will create areas where high school anglers can increase their catch rates for these species. When examined in the context of the ongoing native aquatic vegetation replenishment and deep water habitat enhancement proposed for this project, the overall effect is to continue to create corridors of fish habitat connecting nearshore areas to deep water areas. This project is supported by the five year plan that is submitted to FERC and on file with Appalachian Power Roanoke, VA.

We hope to be able to purchase at least $5000. worth of Mossback fish habitat that can be assembled by students as part of a one day learning opportunity. This project takes a lot of partners and they have all agreed to help. Claytor Lake State Park provides a location for us to assemble the habitat, and deploy it. They also help with site selection. Virginia Department of Wild life Resources provides staff to select GPS Coordinates for habit and education. Friends of Claytor Lake provides boat support for deployment and adds sites to Claytor Lake map for angler use and publicizes the project. Pulaski County High school Fisheries students from the agricultural program provides students to assemble habitat and help deploy it. Virginia BASS Nation provides angler support and assistance making this learning opportunity a reality. Appalachian Power makes sure that we have all needed permits.
We expect that this project will show students what can be done using artificial habitat to improve the overall health of Claytor Lake while introducing them to possible career choices in fisheries management. This will also provide additional habitat for bass fry and other small fish that are native to Claytor Lake.

Wildlife resources staff are an integral part of this program as they are part of the team that plans these projects. There is a five year plan that was submitted to FERC in 2020 . A copy is available.

bass, crappie, turtles, crawfish, sunfish smallmouth and other sma;; fish needing hiding places.

Friends of Claytor Lake has publicized our projects on Face Book and You Tube since inception of the habitat programs, In addition Virginia Wildlife Resources and Virginia BASS Nation promote the programs on their web pages, news releases and in public events throughout the states. Our programs are growing in popularity statewide. We are developing a network of g teachers and Wildlife biologists who are interested in our native aquatic plants and our Mossback programs as well. Pulaski County High School FFA and horticulture programs have a very active face book site that often posts videos of their projects. They also have a media team for marketing purposes.
The high school added a fishing team under the direction of a different teacher who would benefit from this project. This project will afford them the opportunity to learn how to use GPS coordinates to locate bottom structure