COMBS LAKE NEAR KENNETT SCHEDULED TO OPEN APRIL 1

KENNETT -- Bootheel anglers only have a short time before they can begin fishing the new 150-acre Combs Lake on the Conservation Department's Little River Lake Conservation Area near here.

The lake is to be stocked with 1,000 16-inch channel catfish in March to provide an immediate target for anglers when the lake opens at 8 a.m. April 1. The Conservation Department will add 7,500 redear sunfish and 7,500 black crappie in March or April and will stock 15,000 largemouth bass and 75,000 bluegill in June. These fish will require time to grow to catchable size.

To help them, Combs Lake will get an initial stocking of minnows, a favorite food of the larger fish.

A public event at the new lake is tentatively planned for Free Fishing Days June 10 and 11.

Combs Lake has a boat ramp with courtesy dock, parking area, fishing dock and privies. This winter the Conservation Department placed almost 200 Christmas trees in the lake to provide fish cover around the floating dock, a concrete platform and four rip rap jetties.