Mike Brumby, along with the University of Georgia’s forestry and aquaculture professors and Owen & Williams Fish Farm, Inc., stocked  Lake Henry Wednesday morning by adding two types of fish, bluegill sunfish and redear sunfish, and later, largemouth bass.

With a long process of planning and researching, all hands included in this project have made a difference in the lake’s progress. Brumby’s Christmas tree farm partner and two Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College students who work for him, the University of Georgia professors and Owen & Williams’ driver, Tommy Leslia, participated in the stocking of the fish in the lake.

According to Brumby, 11,260 fish are expected to be added to the lake as recommended by Dr. Gary J. Burtle, the University of Georgia’s associate professor of aquaculture.

“If you don’t stock the fish in a pond, you end up with an unbalanced situation,” Burtle said. “It becomes a breeding ground for mosquitos if the pond isn’t stocked. The three types of fish will set up a balanced population and we’re hoping it will continue on for years to come. It should maintain this balance for about 30 years.”

According to Burtle, the largemouth bass are the predator fish that control the bluegill and red ear population and any wildlife fish that may be in the lake.

Brumby said that Lake Henry is 313 acres. He and his first cousins, Dr. Jerry Tift of Macon and Dr. Tom Tift of Boca Raton, Fla., share their ancestors’ land. Brumby’s idea of building and stocking the lake began with Dr. David J. Moorhead, the University of Georgia’s co-director and professor of silviculture.

“Mike started talking about the lake years ago. It’s one of the largest lakes in this county,” Moorhead said. “Timber was here. Over the past couple of years,  we got started on it. It was a long process, but what’s amazing is how the lake filled up quickly. The rain helped with that.”

According to Moorhead, native fish are already in the lake because of a stream that runs across it.

Burtle said that he will be using Lake Henry as an outdoor laboratory for two classes he teaches at the University of Georgia. His students will monitor the fish to see how they will behave compared to how they predicted the fish would behave.

“On an average, we can predict what will happen, but in reality, we want to see what will happen in the pond,” Burtle said.

Brumby said he enjoys his timber farm. It’s a hobby and passion he takes pride in doing on family land.

To contact reporter Latasha Everson, call 382-4321.