2026 Fin-Tastic Fishing Festival

2026 Fin-Tastic Fishing Festival

The Biggest Fishing Event of the Year for Families!
Calling all families with kids 15 and under! Join us at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center for the 2026 Fin-Tastic Fishing Festival—a fun-filled day packed with hands-on fishing, outdoor adventure, and conservation education.
Explore 20 interactive exhibits and live demonstrations, and discover how fishing connects families while supporting the conservation of North Carolina’s fisheries.
Big Giveaways!
Kids 15 & under will be entered to win a Lifetime Unified Sportsman License, sponsored by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation
Plus, a $500 Family Fishing Package, generously donated by the Pechmann Family
Festival Highlights Include:
Electrofishing display with WRC Fisheries Biologists
Casting contests
BB gun range
Kayaking
Lure making
Boating simulator
Fly-fishing & fly-tying
Fishing knots
Leave No Trace education
Catch-and-release fishing
And so much more!
What to Bring:
Feel free to bring your own medium-action rod and reel and natural bait (no minnows allowed)
Don’t have gear? No problem! Fishing combos will be available to borrow, and worms will be provided
This is a catch-and-release only fishing event.
Bring the kids, make memories, and experience a fin-tastic day outdoors—you won’t want to miss it!