MIKE ZLOTNICKI BACK ON SHORE
Naming rights are a common issue for many sporting and entertainment venues, and what to call the New Bern Reef has been a topic of discussion as well.
Donald Willis, Sr., was a popular New Bern tackle shop owner and CCA supporter. His Custom Marine Fabri- cations on Highway 70 was only a mile or so as the gull flies from AR-392. When he passed away in February of 2006, CCA North Carolina received several memorial contributions from his many friends and supporters. “We were fortunate and grateful to
cially in cooler water,” he said. “There’s lots of water out here and locating fish can be tough. There aren’t that many places where you can go and catch 20 or 30 fish in a day. New Bern is a fascinating area and you get a dynamic range of fish.”
Dubiel echoed Francesconi’s list of fish, but added channel catfish and bluefish to the list. He’s also apprecia- tive of CCA North Carolina’s efforts to bolster the local “community hole,” as bass fishermen dub a known hotspot. “It’s a wonderful thing,” he said of
the refurbishment. “Anything groups can do to preserve the habitat for our fishing is a good thing. Hopefully we’ll see a lot more of this in the future.”
TIDE
receive some donations in honor of Donald Willis, Sr. and it seems like such a natural fit to honor his memory with this reef,” said Jim Hardin, presi- dent of CCA North Carolina and com- pliance manager at Grady-White Boats in Greenville. “This is a good thing for the public in general and a good thing for the fisheries. I’m glad we’re able to do something.” The naming effort is not lost on Don
Willis, Jr., who manages the iconic tack- le shop now. The New Bern Reef may be officially AR-392, but unofficially it will be the Don Willis, Sr. Reef. “It means a lot, not only the reef being named, but all the hard work,” said Don Willis, Jr., emotion evident in voice. “I’d like to thank everyone who helped with this. I just hope that through efforts like this we can get more CCA members and make the fishery stronger.” Willis also gave a nod to the eco- nomic benefits of the reef, pointing out that anything that attracts fish also
www.joincca.org The reef provides
structure for marine life and a “lee”
effect for adult fish desiring a reprieve from the current.
attracts fishermen, which benefits his business as well as others in the area. It’s a win-win situation for many par- ties — anglers, non-anglers,
finfish,
shellfish, and business owners. Dr. Louis B. Daniel III, director of the North Carolina Division Marine Fisheries, summed it up nicely. “Artificial reefs create fish habitat and make good fishing grounds for anglers,” he said. “Because this reef is located in the Neuse River, it also pro- vides fishing access to those who can- not get to offshore reefs. Through its donation,
the Coastal Conservation
Association of North Carolina has exemplified how multiple partners can work together for the benefit of all.”
Mike Zlotnicki is a 1987 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Journalism). He has won 13 Excel- lence in Craft awards from the Outdoor Writers Association of America and was named 2009 Conservationist of the Year by the North Carolina Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. He spent 19 years at The
(Raleigh, N.C.) News &
Observer and was outdoors editor from 2002 to 2009.
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