Take a Kid Fishing During National Fishing and Boating Week

RALEIGH, N.C. (May 11, 2005) - Take a kid fishing. This summer, the U.S. Forest Service and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are coordinating more than 25 free kids’ fishing events across North Carolina in celebration of National Fishing and Boating Week, June 4-12.

National Fishing and Boating Week provides family fishing opportunities across the state for people like Elon residents Jim Joyner and son Will, seen here landing a hybrid striped bass from a pond near Burlington.

Media: A hi-res version of this image may be downloaded here. Please credit Glenn Kimbrell, Alamance Outdoors Sportsman's Club.

Children registered at any of these fishing events (see table below) are eligible to enter a statewide drawing for prizes, including rods, reels, spools of fishing line and tackle boxes, courtesy of Bass Pro Shops and the Wildlife Commission. The grand prizes, donated by Progress Energy and Tarboro Association of Saltwater Sportsman, are six lifetime comprehensive fishing licenses, valued at $250 each.

The Wildlife Commission will conduct the drawing for prizes at the end of June and will publish a list of winners on its Web site. The six grand prize winners will be announced in the Commission’s magazine, Wildlife in North Carolina.

To give kids a better chance of reeling in a nice catch, the Wildlife Commission will stock fish at many of these sites before the events — from trout in the mountains to channel catfish and bluegill in Piedmont and coastal public waters.

More than 2,500 children are expected to participate in this year’s events, many of whom will be first-time anglers.

“These fishing events are great opportunities for new anglers to learn more about fishing because there will be volunteers on hand to teach them the basics,” said Bob Curry, chief of the Wildlife Commission’s Division of Inland Fisheries. “The more positive their initial fishing trip is, the more likely they will make fishing a lifelong hobby.”

National Fishing and Boating Week, coordinated nationally each year in June by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF), gives children and their families an opportunity to learn about protecting and conserving aquatic resources while enjoying the thrill of fishing and boating.

Don’t let the big one get away!  Register for a fishing event today.

County

Location

Date

Time

Registration/Age Limits
Other Info

Contact Information

Alexander

Ellendale Community Center Pond

06-11

9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Pre-register by calling the Sporting Goods Dept. Taylorsville Wal-mart, (828) 632-4176; Ages 1 – 17; Rain date: 6/18

Bobby Huffman
(828) 632-4176

Anson/ Richmond

Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge Wadesboro

6-11

8 a.m. – noon

Registration begins at 8 a.m.; Ages 16 and under.

Janet Faulkner
(704) 694-4424

Buncombe

Lake Powhatan

06-04

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Register on site at 9 a.m.; Ages 12 and under. Lunch served.

Lorie Stroup
loriestroup@fs.fed.us
(828) 877-3265

Burke

Valdese McGallard Falls

06-11

9 a.m. - Noon

Pre-register by calling (828) 879-2133 or register on site; Ages 14 and younger, 55 and older; Rain date: 6/18

Tim Rhoney
trhoney@ci.valdese.nc.us
(828) 879-2133

Cabarrus

Bass Pro Shops

06-11

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Registration is onsite. Event begins at 9 a.m. with fun activities for the kids; Fishing instruction begins at 1 p.m.

Tim Bloodworth
(704) 979-2200

Carteret

Cedar Swamp Pond

06-11

8 a.m.

Register onsite; Ages 5-15.

Bob Kaylor
rkaylor@fs.fed.us
(252) 538-5628

Cherokee

Cherokee Lake

06-11

8 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Ages 12 and younger.

Terry Dickey
tdickey@fs.fed.us
(828) 837-5152

Cumberland

John E Pechmann Fishing Education Center (Lake Rim)

06-04

8 a.m. - Noon

Register on site at the start of the event; No age limit.

Tom Rachels
rachelsrt@earthlink.net
(910) 865-2918

Edgecombe

Indian Lake

06-10

9 a.m. - Noon

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

Lee Perry
(252) 641-4276

Forsyth

Salem Lake Park

06-04

7 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Call (336) 650-7677 for registration information and directions; Cookout will follow the derby.

Ed McNeal
(336) 734-1221

Franklin

Lake Royale

06-11

9 a.m. – Noon

Registration begins at 8 a.m.

Chris Schmidt
chris-bill@juno.com
(919) 522-9893

Graham

Santeetlah Creek -- Rattlerford Campground

06-04

9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Registration is onsite; Ages 5-12; Rain date: 6/18

Gina Rodgers
grodgers@fs.fed.us
(828) 479-6431

Guilford

Lake Higgins

06-09

10 a.m. – Noon

Registration begins May 1 (forms can be picked up at Higgins, Brandt or Townsend marinas); First 30 kids, ages 4-15.

George Thomason
(336) 545-5333

Guilford

Lake Higgins

06-10

10 a.m. – Noon

Registration begins May 1 (forms can be picked up at Higgins, Brandt or Townsend marinas); First 20 kids, ages 4-15.

George Thomason
(336) 545-5333

Guilford

Lake Higgins

06-11

9 a.m. – Noon

Registration begins May 1 (forms can be picked up at Higgins, Brandt or Townsend marinas); First 40 kids, ages 4-15.

Bonnie Magee
(336) 375-2232
George Thomason
(336) 545-5333

Guilford

Oak Hollow Lake

06-04

8 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Pre-register until May 27; First 200 kids, ages 15 and younger.

Nancy Mason
nancy.mason@ci.high-point.nc.us
(336) 883-3494

Jackson

Cullowhee Creek -- WCU Campus

06-11

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

To sign up call Jackson County Parks and Rec – (828) 293-3053; First 30 kids, ages 7-12.

Richard Conley
(828) 321-5397

Macon

Cliffside Lake

06-04

9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Ages 15 and younger.

Sally Browning
sbrowning@fs.fed.us
(828) 524-6441

Madison

Max Patch Pond

06-11

8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Registration starts at 8 a.m.; Ages 12 and younger.

Matt Eldridge
meldridge@fs.fed.us
(828) 622-3202

Montgomery

Cove Boat Ramp

06-04

9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.; Ages 12 and younger, with an adult. Rain date: 6/11

Leigh Marston
lmartson@fs.fed.us
(910) 576-6391

Nash

4-H Fishing Clinic Chappell pond

06-02

9 a.m. – Noon

Pre-register by calling the office at (252) 459-9810. First 30 kids, ages 7–15.

Charlie Tyson
charlie_tyson@ncsu.edu
(252) 459-9810

Orange

Bob's Strayhorn Pond

06-04

9:30 a.m. – 11:15

Registration from 9:15 -9:45; Hot dog lunch provided at 11:15; Ages 3-15.

Wendell Rodgers
wrodgers@townofcarrboro.org
(919) 918-7364

Pasquotank

Charles Creek Park

06-04

9 a.m. – Noon

Register on site; First 40 kids

Hipp Barcliff
(252) 335-1424

Richmond

McKinney Lake Fish Hatchery

06-11

8 a.m. – Noon

Registration on site starting 7:30 a.m.; Food and drink served during the event

Richard Bradford
(910) 895-5330

Rowan

Salisbury Community Park

06-11

8:30 a.m. – Noon

Pre-register by calling (704) 638-5275 or register on site the day of the event; Ages 5-16.

Rodney Harrison
rlhar@salsbruync.gov
(704) 638-5276

Stanley

City Lake Park

06-04

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Call Jason Fox for more information.

Jason Fox
jfox@ci.albermarle.nc.us
(704) 984-9560

Surry

Yadkin River Section of Pilot Mountain State Park

06-11

9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Pre-register preferred by calling the park; Ages 16 and younger Rain date: 6/18

Keith Martin
(336) 325-2355

Transylvania

Dupont State Forest

06-11

9 a.m. – Noon

Pre-registration now by calling (828) 877-4423. First 20 kids, ages of 6-12.

Lynn Veurink
(828) 877-4423

Wake

Lake Wheeler

06-04

9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Registration begins at 8 a.m.; Hot dog cookout at 1 p.m.; Awards follow; Ages 5-12.

Ben Hermann
(919) 662-5704

Yancey

South Toe River -- Carolina Hemlocks

06-04

9 a.m. – Noon

Registration starts at 8 a.m.; Ages 14 and younger; Biggest fish prize and prize drawing; Limited to seven fish per person

Jerry Murphy
jmurphy@fs.fed.us
(828) 682-6146

For additional information on National Fishing and Boating Week, visit RBFF’s Web site, http://www.nationalfishingandboatingweek.org.

For additional information on freshwater fishing in North Carolina’s public waters, visit the Fishing section.

 

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