Southland Christian Church Lake Latest Addition to the Fishing in Neighborhoods (FINs) program

Stockings of trout, catfish begin in February
The 2.6-acre lake at Southland Christian Church in northern Jessamine County is now enrolled in the Fishing in Neighborhoods (FINs) program.

“We stocked the lake with trout on Tuesday, Feb. 6,” said Dane Balsman, coordinator of the FINs program for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “The lake is on the church property off Harrodsburg Road. This is a highly desired area. Lexington has limited public waters for fishing. This lake will help alleviate that.”

This lake will receive 1,500 rainbow trout total for 2018 in February, March and October. Stockings of channel catfish total 2,000 for 2018 in March, April May and August. The lake will get stockings of sunfish in early June.

“The catfish average one pound each, about 15 inches long,” Balsman said. “We are stocking bigger trout in FINs lakes this year. They are between 10 ˝ and 11 inches long.”

Balsman said the lake has a good population of largemouth bass. “We saw a couple of trophy largemouth bass over 20 inches in our population sampling,” Balsman said.

The lake is under standard FINs lake regulations. Anglers may keep four catfish, five trout, 15 sunfish and one largemouth bass over 15 inches long daily.

“We are excited about sharing resources with the community,” said Jim Cox, campus operations director for Southland Christian Church. “This will be a place that families will come and enjoy.”

Cox asks anglers to not fish on Sunday mornings. Southland Christian Church Lake is only open during daylight hours.

“This is the first FINs lake we’ve partnered with a non-governmental organization,” Balsman said. “We are excited about this lake. It is in a good area and will receive a lot of use.”