If you have traveled Brown Road at night lately, you may have noticed that the cove at the Brown Road Boat Ramp has gone green, iridescent green, that is. Sixteen 4’ long LED Hydro Glow fish attractant lights now illuminate a green halo around the ADA accessible fishing pier at the Brown Road Boat Ramp on Lake Hartwell in Anderson. Designed to attract all spectrums of fish to the cove, this pier lighting project will also draw anglers and onlookers to Lake Hartwell’s brightest spot on the water after the sun sets.
Hydro Glow Fishing Lights enhance and accentuate the circle of life in a fishery. The green lights boost microorganisms in the water column which are the food base for Shad and Herring; bait fish population in the area. The result is a localized variety of fish feeding or passing through the light and dark water.
“This virtual 80’ x 30’ aquarium exhibit further transforms Anderson County’s Brown Road facility from the once stand-alone boat ramp into a waterfront park” said Matthew Schell, Parks Manager. “Clearly visible from the Brown Road Bridge, this waterfront park is the closest lake access to the city limits of Anderson.”
Project partners include Hydro Glow, Inc. and locally owned Isom Electric. Darrell Keith, President of Hydro Glow, is an 18-year veteran business in the angling world and well known sponsor of the Striped Bass Challenge and the Open Striped Bass Tournament Trail. Both of these organizations have been dedicated to Green Pond Landing & Event Center and Visit Anderson since the grand opening in December 2014. Craig Isom, like many, grew up playing and fishing on the banks of Brown Road and was generous with his assistance to engineer the one-of-a-kind lighting project on Lake Hartwell. Anderson County greatly appreciates their individual contributions.
Craig Wooten, Anderson County Council District 1 said, “Parks play a vital role in a community’s success; accommodating residents while attracting and retaining business. Anderson County’s abundant natural resources are only complemented by the facilities we are building today. The lighted pier extending 160′ from the banks of Hartwell is like no other park on this 56,000-acre lake.
Ross Self, Chief of Freshwater Fisheries, SC DNR said, “It is exciting to see the things that Anderson County is doing to support recreational fishing and provide the public with good access to the waterways of the State. South Carolina has about 537,000 recreational anglers in freshwater and they are all looking for opportunities to access the water. Having safe, readily available bank fishing opportunities, like the Brown Road Fishing Pier, is very important to maintaining the public’s enthusiasm for fishing, to providing a quality experience for folks that don’t have access to a boat, and to providing positive introductory experiences for anglers new to the sport. With the addition of the Hydro-glow lights to the Brown Road Fishing Pier, Anderson County has created a premiere bank fishing destination for the public.
