Another interesting management scheme I believe affected the population four or five years ago was a planting operation conducted as part of Progress Energy's SLEMI (Sutton Lake Ecosystem Management Initiative). The lake was drawn down its maximum possible level, about a foot. Cypress and tupelo were planted around the edges. Some of them survived and can be seen growing today. But the lake turned a blue-green color, indicating an overturn or phytoplankton bloom. This seemed to have an adverse effect on the fishing for a year. But following this water chemistry change, there were more diving ducks than I've ever seen at Sutton Lake.

I surmised this affected the growth of waterfowl food vegetation or benefited the food sources of clams. But no one can claim this was a cause-and-effect relationship. Some anglers and duck hunters have complained about lake management projects. However, I do know this for certain: Any manmade lake that is completely left on its own eventually becomes a stable, and therefore, stagnant place in terms of fish and duck abundance. Changes in water levels and water quality are beneficial to certain species, no matter which way the pendulum swings.

There are going to be ups and downs, and change appears to benefit diving ducks at Sutton Lake. Several years go without many ducks at Sutton, and then suddenly, there are thousands. The evidence points to cyclical lake management. The fact that it's incidental to Progress Energy's primary purpose of generating electric power should keep hunters happy and they should compliment the company on allowing duck hunting to continue on the lake.

Sutton Lake is a game land, leased to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The creek to the south of the plant is accessed from the Cape Fear River and can be hunted as long as hunters stay on the public waters. But the game land south of the plant is open for archery hunting only, thanks to terrorist activities that have tightened up homeland security. On the lake itself, only shotguns may be used. While there was quite a bit of game land acreage to the east of the lake, over the past two years, that property was removed from the game lands program for security reasons and for reasons having to do with competing uses. There were some ponds on the now-closed property that held a few ducks. But the main draw was always the lake itself.

The entrance is a gravel road winding off U.S. 421 north of Wilmington. The boat ramp is at the end of the road and is maintained by Progress Energy and the commission, which have a solid partnership in managing all aspects of the game land, as well as the hunting and fishing.

Many trees were inundated when the lake was formed by the damming of Catfish Creek. That inundation created a log- and stump-filled lake. The low banks do not block much wind, so the lake can get choppy in the lightest breeze. Combined with logs floating, poking just above the surface, or hidden a couple of inches below the surface, rough conditions magnify the risk to small boats. Most hunters use aluminum johnboats and proceed across the lake at idle speed until reaching the dike system. While there are deep canals beside the dikes, which were dug to generate earth to build the dikes, the canals do have floating logs and overhangs. Experienced hunters sometime navigate the dike canals at planing speeds, but novices should use extreme caution until they get to know the water.

Hunters hunt from the dikes, some of which have cover and some of which are lined with concrete. A hunter who can sit very still out in the open can have good luck just sitting on the concrete dike. Ringnecks are not particularly bright, but become wary if shot at enough. Some hunters use the dike vegetation for hiding. Bank hunters cover their boats with camouflage material or paint them in camouflage patterns and hide them along the vegetated dikes.

Other hunters use their boat blinds for hunting, anchoring them on the "flats." These broad, flat, stump-filled areas away from the dikes are good bets because the dikes are very popular with anglers.

Sutton Lake boat traffic can be heavy or light, depending on the weather. Calm, warm weather brings out the fishermen, while windy, cold weather entices duck hunters.