Great catches in first weekend of fishing on HLC Reservoir

Hard Labor Creek Reservoir opened to fishing on Friday and it didn’t take long for anglers to pull in some nice size catches. Daniel Nicolai shared photos of two that he caught Friday, one weighing 6.15 pounds and the other 5.13 pounds. But his still didn’t match the ones caught by his father, Rob Nicolai, on Sunday when he pulled in a 9.5 pounder. All were returned to the waters to swim another day.

Hard Labor Creek Reservoir opened for fishing on Friday following the ribbon cutting and, based on the photos above, the stocking of the reservoir was a success and did not disappoint. There are several rules that anglers and visitors to the recreation area are asked to follow. Morris Jordan, general manager of Walton County Water and Sewer pointed out that the reservoir was built as a water source so no swimming is allowed. As a result, in addition water crafts that are more likely to result in people in the water, such as paddle boards, are not allowed. However, kayaks and flat top kayaks are permitted. There also is fishing from the banks allowed in specific locations. These are detailed on the map below.

Public Access and Fishing Regulations can be viewed HERE.

And don’t forget the Fishing Contest during this first month of fishing. Get a picture of your fish, with the weight, for the biggest catch or with the number of fish, within the legal limit, for the largest number of fish caught.