Many of us don't live on the Sound or Hunting Preserve so we must our outdoor recreation when and where we can find it. Those of us who live in or near the Triangle are lucky because there is much to do local to our homes. The Triangle area of North Carolina, including Raleigh and Durham plus several other cities, is blessed with much opportunity for outdoors sport. There is much excellent fishing, hunting, and shooting for all. Just some of the highlights follow:

Johnson County Fishing Club -- Johnston County NC is just outside of Raleigh NC. JCFC is a club that tries to appeal to panfisherman as well as the bass fisherman. The club is a good info source for the triangle if you are new to the area, need a fishing partner, or need info on fishing in the area. It is well worth a try from what I hear.

The Eno River is not exactly the Battenkill but it is a short ride from everywhere in the Triangle and a great place to get in an hour of fly fishing. The Eno is best fishing rivers in the Neuse Basin. From the river banks you can catch largemouth bass, bluegill, chain pickerel, crappie, bullhead, and Roanoke bass. Check out The Eno River Association and the Eno River State Park.

Jordan Lake Rec. has five impoundment areas ranging from 50-2000 acres providing habitat for waterfowl including ducks and Canadian geese. Fishing is good on the lake due to an abundance of underwater stumps, logs, rocks, and other structure. You can easily catch bass, crappie, catfish and panfish. Persons with disabilities will find access to a wide range of recreational facilities.

The B. Everett Jordan Lake is a 13,900-acre lake is located about 45 minutes drive from Raleigh and Durham. It has boat launches, fishing, and public marina facilities. Also, it is a good place for dove, quail, rabbit, squirrel, deer, turkey, and waterfowl of all types.

Falls of Neuse Lake and Game Lands is also popular for fishing and as a place to hunt dove, quail, rabbit, squirrel, deer, and waterfowl of all types. Falls has a 12,000-acre lake and 26,000 acres of woodlands offering something for everyone.

Downstream of the Falls Lake dam is a very good place to float fish for all sorts of panfish and smaller bass. There is a canoe livery, Get: Outdoors or Pro Canoe, at the dam that provides all needed for trips down the Neuse ending in Raleigh. Further downstream, yet still in Raleigh at Raleigh Beach, there are trash shad for the catching which is a marvelous fly rodding experience.

Rabbit and other small game hunts are available every Friday and Saturday from December 20 through February 28 at the 10,000-acre Dupont State Forest game lands. No deer hunting allowed during this time. Contact: NCWRC (919-733-7291); N.C. Forest Service (828-251-6509).

Lake Wheeler is almost downtown Raleigh. It offers largemouth, hybrid bass, crappie, bream, shad, shell cracker, carp, catfish, sunfish, and other small species. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission stocks Simpkins Pond, a community fishing area located inside of Lake Wheeler Park, with channel catfish on a monthly basis from April through October. Lake Wheeler has some complicated fishing rules so check them out before you go.

Stoney Creek Hunting Preserve boasts hunting locations in Kinston, Snow Hill, and several private farms throughout the area for specialized hunts such as opening day dove hunt. The Preserve offers a variety of packages and hunts including Chukar, Deer, Duck, Pheasant and Quail. They also also offer European Tower Pheasant Hunts. Locations offer beautiful natural habitat including flatlands, rolling hills, open fields, hedge rows, ditch banks, old cow pastures, open woodlands and pine wood forests. They hunt over corn, grain sorghum, sunflower and soybeans. They also have a skeet range on site in Kinston to bone up on shooting skills.

And this is just a sampling of the things to do. There are lakes and streams all over the place to fish. Hunting, as well, can be found with some effort.

As always, check the exact rules on when, where, how, and what license is needed to participate in hunting, etc. at any of the parks and lands before you use them. Enjoy the Triangle's resources.