Young anglers win N.C. lifetime licenses

Prizes were part of 2011 National Fishing and Boating Week.

Raleigh angler George Sinor didn’t catch any fish at the Lake Wheeler Park kids’ fishing event on June 4, but he did reel in a lifetime sportsman license.

The 9-year-old Sinor was one of two young anglers to take home lifetime licenses as part of a statewide drawing for participants in kids’ “Fish for Fun events” held in May and June in celebration of National Fishing and Boating Week 2011.

Sinor won the grand prize: a unified lifetime sportsman/coastal recreational fishing license valued at $450 that was donated by Neuse Sport Shop of Kinston.

Sinor, along with his parents Scott and Diana, attended the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s business meeting on July 7, where Commission Chairman Steve Windham presented him with his lifetime license and certificate.

Sinor’s lifetime sportsman’s license will let him fish and hunt in North Carolina for free for life — even if he moves out of state. These fishing and hunting privileges include fishing in all public waters — from the mountains to the coast — as well as hunting for big game, hunting on game lands and waterfowl hunting.

High Point’s Noah Stephenson, 5, won the first prize – a lifetime freshwater fishing license valued at $250 that was donated by the North Carolina State Council of Trout Unlimited.

Stephenson’s license gives him fishing privileges in all public inland waters in North Carolina, including designated mountain trout waters, trout waters on game lands and joint waters.

He participated in the kids’ fishing event at Oak Hollow Lake in Greensboro on June 4.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, along with the U.S. Forest Service and Bass Pro Shops, supported these free fishing events during National Fishing and Boating Week to promote fishing as a fun, outdoor activity the whole family can enjoy.

At each event, registered participants were entered into a drawing for fishing-related prizes. Bass Pro Shops and the Wildlife Resources Commission donated rods and reels, tackle boxes filled with tackle, fish playing cards and spools of fishing line.

Click here to see a full list of all winners from these events.

“We would like to thank everyone who made these fishing events such a great success this year,” said Kyle Briggs of Division of Inland Fisheries. “The Wildlife Commission has supported these events over the last 10 years to encourage families to spend time together enjoying the outdoors and learning the basics of fishing.

“Generous donations by Neuse Sport Shop, Trout Unlimited and Bass Pro Shops, along with the assistance of the U.S. Forest Service and local sponsors, have made these events possible.”

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