State fishing lake will be closed again on Friday – The Brewton Standard

Anglers who have enjoyed the past few weeks of fishing on Brooks-Hines State Fishing Lake only have a few days left to enjoy their time.
County Commission Chairman Raymond Wiggins received word from state officials that work had begun on drainage, maintenance and planned repairs at the facility near the Dixie community in Escambia County.
“The state (Alabama Department of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries) has notified us that the draining of the lake has begun,” Wiggins said Tuesday. “This means there is very little time left to fish the lake.”
The lake will remain open through this week, allowing anglers to catch the remaining fish in the lake, Wiggins said. He said that the lake will be closed at sunset on Friday and will remain closed throughout the process of draining, repairing and modernizing the lake and its facilities.
“We have issued permits for people to use while fishing the lake,” Wiggins said. “We are happy that the lake is now open for anglers to enjoy fishing in the lake.”
Last month, Wiggins and several others worked to reopen the lake before starting work scheduled by ADWFF officials on the lake. After weeks of back-and-forth talks, the government organization granted permission to reopen the lake.
Previously, Wiggins said the lake closed last fall when the facility’s manager left. He and others have worked to try to get permission to open the lake.
“When we found out they were just going to drain the lake and get rid of the fish, we wanted to see if there was any way we could allow our people to catch those fish and benefit from them. We’re glad things worked out to allow that to happen,” Wiggins said.
Based on the number of permits posted at the lake, several hundred people have been fishing at the lake over the past few weeks, Wiggins said this week.
Permits will be posted during the week at the sign near the lake entrance. Permits are still needed to fish at the state-run facility.
Wiggins thanked those who worked to allow the lake to open, including Congressman Jerry Karl. Governor Kay Ivey; State Senator Greg Alberton; State Representative Alan Baker; State Representative Matthew Hammett; Chris Blankenship – Director of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Matthew Marshall – ADCNR Assistant Chief of Fisheries; Jonathan Brown – Public Fishing Lake Coordinator with ADCNR and Anthony J. Edwards – District Ranger with USDA.
The lake is open from dawn to dusk every day and will close fishing at dusk next Friday, Wiggins said.