Get Outside and Get Fishing during National Fishing & Boating Week

RALEIGH, N.C. (May 8, 2006) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is encouraging families to get outside and get fishing by hosting free fishing clinics across the state from June 3-11, as part of National Fishing and Boating Week 2006.

Young anglers registered at any Commission-supported event during the week (see list 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 Resources Commission. The grand prizes, donated by Tarboro Association of Saltwater Sportsman are three lifetime comprehensive fishing licenses, valued at $250 each.

Local sponsors for many events will provide prizes and gifts to registered participants as well.

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 will be great opportunities for new anglers to learn more about fishing since there will be volunteers on hand to teach them the basics,” said Bob Curry, chief of the Commission’s Division of Inland Fisheries. “We’re also giving every participant a fish-for-fun grab bag that’s filled with information that every young angler needs to know, such how to identify fish correctly and where to go fishing in North Carolina.”

To enhance fishing opportunities for participants, the Commission will stock fish at many of these sites prior to the events, from trout in cold mountain waters to channel catfish and bluegill in Piedmont and Coastal Plain public waters.

“The Commission provides supplemental stocking of fish to give kids a better chance of reeling in the catch of their lives,” Curry said. “The more positive their initial fishing trip is, the more likely they will make fishing a lifelong hobby.”

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

National Fishing and Boating Week, coordinated 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 the state’s aquatic resources while enjoying the thrill of fishing and boating. For more information on National Fishing and Boating Week, visit RBFF’s Web site.

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

National Fishing & Boating Week Events in North Carolina