Adaptive Fishing Gear 
First-time and novice anglers in North Carolina are encouraged to borrow rods and reels free of charge to join in the fishing fun this year. The loaner rods and reels are provided by various city and county parks statewide and by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission through the Commission's Fishing Tackle Loaner Program (FTLP). The Commission created the Fishing Tackle Loaner Program to introduce North Carolinians, especially children, to fishing and to encourage novice anglers to continue developing their angling skills. The Commission works cooperatively with the American Sportfishing Association to expand the tackle loaner program to parks that are already participating in the Commission's Community Fishing Program.
Here's
how it works
The Fishing Tackle Loaner Program operates just like a library.
Anglers of all ages register at participating parks to receive a tackle
loaner ID card, which allows them to check out a rod and reel. Anglers
under 18 years of age must have a parent or guardian complete the registration
form. After returning the loaner rods and reels to the park office, first-time
participants under 16 years of age will receive a free mini-tackle box
containing hooks, bobbers, sinkers, and a stringer. Tackle loaner ID
cards can be used at other participating sites in North Carolina, but
rods and
reels must be returned to the original loaner site.
A list of Fishing Tackle Loaner Program sites appears below. Be sure to also see Fishing Publications for more information. For further assistance or to receive a brochure with directions, contact (919) 707-0220. Directions to Community Fishing Program sites can also be also found on the Fishing Maps page.
Adaptive
Fishing Gear
Adaptive fishing
gear can be loaned to disabled anglers at some TLP sites. The gear types
are electric John’s Reels with either a push
button or joystick-operating device. Typically, these special reels are
placed on easy cast fishing rod devices that the photos illustrate below.
Some sites also offer
rod holders for those persons with shoulder problems and or an inability
to hold something for an extended time. For individuals with grip
problems action life gloves are available in various sizes. These gloves
are available for either right or left hands.
Current
NC Fishing Tackle Loaner Program Sites
| SITE | COUNTY | COOPERATOR |
| Cammack Lake Office | Alamance | Burlington Recreation and Parks |
| Graham-Mebane Lake Office | Alamance | Graham Recreation and Parks |
| Ashe Park Pond | Ashe | Ashe County Parks & Recreation |
| Tomahawk Lake Complex | Buncombe |
Black Mountain Recreation and Parks |
| Frank Liske Park Office | Cabarrus | Cabarrus County Parks & Recreation |
| Lake Rim Park Office | Cumberland | Cumberland County Parks and Recreation |
| Dallas Park | Gaston | Gaston County Parks & Recreation |
| Lake Devin | Granville | Oxford Parks and Recreation |
| Brandt Lake Marina | Guilford | Greensboro Parks & Recreation |
| Bur-Mil Park Office | Guilford | Greensboro Parks & Recreation |
| Hagan-Stone Park Complex | Guilford | Greensboro Parks & Recreation |
| Higgins Lake Marina | Guilford | Greensboro Parks & Recreation |
| High Point City Lake Office | Guilford | High Point Parks & Recreation |
| Mackintosh Lake Office | Guilford | Burlington Recreation and Parks |
| Oak Hollow City Lake Office | Guilford | High Point Parks & Recreation |
| Oka T. Hester Complex | Guilford | Greensboro Parks & Recreation |
| Townsend Lake Marina | Guilford | Greensboro Parks & Recreation |
| San-Lee Park Office | Lee | Lee County Parks & Recreation |
| Neuseway Nature Park Complex | Lenior | Kinston/Lenoir County Parks & Recreation |
| Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center | McDowell | Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center |
| Latta Plantation Nature Preserve | Mecklenburg | Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation |
| McDowell Nature Preserve | Mecklenburg | Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation |
| Reedy Creek Nature Preserve | Mecklenburg | Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation |
| Matthews Community Center loans tackle for Squirrel Lake |
Mecklenburg | Matthews Parks & Recreation |
| Carthage Area-2 sites | Moore | Moore County Parks & Recreation |
| Carrboro Park Offices | Orange | Carrboro Recreation and Parks |
| Michael Lake Complex | Orange | Mebane Recreation and Parks |
| Mayo Park | Person | Person County Parks and Recreation |
| River Park North Complex | Pitt | Greenville Recreation & Parks |
| Laughter Pond | Polk | Polk County Parks & Recreation |
| Lake Lucas | Randolph | Asheboro Parks and Recreation |
| Hinson Lake | Richmond | Rockingham Parks and Recreation |
| City Park | Rowan | Salisbury Parks and Recreation |
| Albemarle Park Office | Stanly | Albemarle Parks & Recreation |
| Elkin Park Office | Surry | Elkin Parks & Recreation |
| Apex Park Office | Wake | Apex Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources |
| Bass Lake | Wake | Holly Springs Parks and Recreation |
| Bond Lake Park Office | Wake | Cary Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources |
| Crabtree Lake Marina | Wake | Wake County Parks & Recreation |
| Harris Co. Park Office | Wake | Wake County Parks & Recreation |
| Lake Benson | Wake | Garner Parks and Recreation Department |
| Shelley Lake Complex | Wake | Raleigh Parks & Recreation |
| Wheeler Lake Complex | Wake | Raleigh Parks & Recreation |
| Wilson Park Office | Wilson | Wilson Parks & Recreation |
| Cane Creek Lake Marina | Union | Union County Parks & Recreation |