No one wants to jump off a dock, run a jet ski, a boat, a paddle board, or kayak into one of these. Multiple fish attractors recently "washed up" near a boathouse in Windward Shores (see photo).

 

Using old Christmas trees, or manmade material such as PVC pipe to create fish attractors is not uncommon. Ensuring that these structures do not pose a safety issue to recreational users is an issue. For this reason, we discourage any and all fish attractors to be placed in Lake Gaston.

 

While Dominion Energy owns the shoreline and the lake floor, the appropriate State Agencies (NC Wildlife Resource Commission & VA Dept. Wildlife Resources) have responsibility for management of the fishery. Dominion will not give permission to any individual or group to place fish attractors in Lake Gaston. They recognize that this is a potential safety issue for recreational users. They will refer these requests to the state agencies.

 

The Lake Gaston Association (LGA) is opposed to the placement of fish attractors due to the mentioned safety concerns. We have asked that NC and VA agencies deny any requests to place fish attractors in Lake Gaston. We realize that in certain special circumstances state agencies or their partners may deploy fish attractors for research purposes and that these will be placed in adequate depth, secured, and identified with a buoy.

 

Lake Gaston recreational users all share a common interest for safe use of the lake.  For this reason and the safety of all, we discourage the practice of deploying fish attractors.