|
|
RALEIGH, N.C. (July 18, 2006) – Cameron McAulay, 14, and Erika Joe, 7, will be able to fish for free — for the rest of their lives, thanks to the Tarboro Association of Saltwater Sportsman and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. They both won lifetime fishing licenses, two of three grand prizes given away in a statewide drawing to celebrate National Fishing and Boating Week, June 3-11. Cameron registered for the drawing at the June 3 Parent/Child Fish for Fun Day at City Lake Park in Albemarle. Erika registered for the drawing at the June 10 Kids’ All-American Fishing Derby at Equine Park in Onslow County.
The lifetime fishing licenses, donated by the Tarboro Association of Saltwater Sportsman, are valued at $250 each. They give Cameron and Erika fishing privileges in all North Carolina public, inland waters, including designated Public Mountain Trout Waters. Cameron and Erika, along with their families, traveled to Raleigh on July 12 to receive their lifetime fishing licenses and certificates from Wildlife Resources Commission Chairman John Pechmann during the Commissioners’ meeting. The presentation of lifetime fishing licenses to Cameron and Erika was one of Pechmann’s final actions as chairman of the Wildlife Resources Commission. Pechmann died early in the morning on July 15 from a heart attack while preparing to go fishing. Taylor Holland, 11, of Franklin, won a lifetime fishing license as well. Cameron and Erika were randomly selected from more than 2,800 other young anglers statewide who participated in 38 fishing events held across the state during National Fishing and Boating Week. In addition to the fishing licenses donated by the Tarboro Association of Saltwater Sportsman, Bass Pro Shops and the Wildlife Resources Commission gave away 100 fishing-related prizes, including rods and reels, tackle boxes and fishing towels. Cameron comes by his passion for fishing honestly. His parents, Chip and Carol, and his brother, Boone, 9, love to fish. While they favor crappie fishing, Cameron prefers catfishing because he says “they put up a good fight.” He's an old-school angler, preferring worms over artificial bait saying it’s the easiest and oldest way to fish. Cameron and his family recently moved from Albemarle to Pinehurst, where he will be attending the ninth grade at the Sandhills Classical Christian School in the fall. Erika, a self-proclaimed Daddy's girl, loves the outdoors, whether it’s fishing, riding her bike or sanding cars with her dad. Although the trip where she won her lifetime fishing license was her first fishing trip in North Carolina, Erika is an old hat when it comes to fishing. She was an avid trout angler when she and her family lived in New Mexico. They have lived in Jacksonville since 2003. She finds she has the best luck catching fish when she’s fishing nightcrawlers, and she is not afraid to bait her own hook. She is the daughter of Althea and Harold and has a 9-year old sister, Natasha. She will enter the second grade at Jacksonville Commons Elementary School this fall. For more information on fishing in North Carolina’s public, inland waters, visit the Wildlife Commission’s Web site, www.ncwildlife.org or call the Division of Inland Fisheries, (919) 707-0220.
|
