Gear Orientation clinic, also hosted by Support Team for Active

Gear Orientation clinic, also hosted by Support Team for Active

Greenville, N.C.
Fishing at River Park North is now more accessible for anglers of all abilities thanks in part to the Greenville Recreation and Parks Department and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission who are providing adaptive fishing equipment to physically challenged anglers during a free fishing clinic on May 31, 2003, from 10 a.m.-noon.

The Adaptive Fishing Gear Orientation clinic, also hosted by Support Team for Active Recreation and Partnerships in Assistive Technology, will be held at River Park North, located off Mumford Road in Pitt County.

Physically challenged anglers of all ages are encouraged to participate in this free event and try the new equipment available through the Commission's Fishing Tackle Loaner Program, according to Howard Vainwright, parks coordinator for Greenville.

"The goal of this orientation clinic is to give anglers an opportunity to see what kind of adaptive fishing gear is available to help them fish and to see if it is something they can use," Vainwright said. "Providing this type of equipment gives independence to many anglers who, because of their disability, thought they would never be able to fish."

The equipment, funded through a 75-25 percent cost-share venture between the Commission and the recreation and parks department, is designed to accommodate a wide range of physical disabilities and includes rod holders, fishing gloves, electric reels and casting devices, according to Roger Jones, the Commission's fishery management coordinator.

"Finding the right equipment is often the only obstacle standing between disabled anglers and their favorite fishing hole," Jones said. "Fortunately, fishing is one of the many recreational activities that can be adapted to meet the needs of individuals with physical disabilities. Specially designed rod holders, electric reels and casting devices will give anglers with limited hand, arm and upper body movement the opportunity to play the fish and reel in their catch with minimum effort."

While having the right fishing equipment is one part of enjoying a successful fishing trip, finding a site that is handicapped-accessible is the other. To create barrier-free access to the pond, the Commission, along with park staff, recently constructed a flat parking pad as well as two handicapped-accessible piers. The parking pad is situated between the two piers for easy access, and the piers feature alternating sections of high-low handrails to give wheelchair-bound anglers opportunities to cast and see over the top handrail.

For more information on the Adaptive Fishing Gear Orientation Clinic, call Vainwright at 252-329-4562.

For more information on the Commission's Fishing Tackle Loaner Program and assistive fishing equipment, visit the Commission's Web site, www.ncwildlife.org.