GRANITE FALLS, NC (November 18, 2017)…The fish population in the Old Mill Pond in Granite Falls was completely devastated this year after the pond was emptied during construction of the new bridge to most everyone’s surprise.
While we are not sure exactly what fish species inhabited the Old Mill Pond before being emptied we have been told that there were Bluegills, Crappie, Sunfish, Perch, Largemouth Bass, Carp, Catfish, etc. There was also a good population of turtles in the pond.
Before Gundpowder Creek was dammed to form the Old Mill Pond there would have possibly been Redbreast Sunfish, Green Sunfish, Bluegill and Largemouth Bass inhabiting the creek as native fish species.
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has plans to re-stock the Old Mill Pond sometime in the late spring or early summer of 2018. Chris Wood, the District 8 Fisheries Biologist stated, “We will most likely initiate a staggered stocking of Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, and then Channel Catfish.” Wood also stated “We may stock fingerlings (1-3 inches) or a combo of fingerlings from our hatcheries and adult fish from surrounding waterways. These decisions will be made as we get a little closer to the Spring when we finalize our regional stocking plans.”