McAulay, 14, won a lifetime fishing license, one of three grand prizes given away in a statewide drawing to celebrate National Fishing and Boating Week, June 3-11. He registered for the drawing at the June 3 Parent/Child Fish for Fun Day at City Lake Park in Albemarle.

The lifetime fishing license, donated by the Tarboro Association of Saltwater Sportsman, is valued at $250. It gives McAulay fishing privileges in all North Carolina public, inland waters, including designated Public Mountain Trout Waters.

McAulay, along with Erika Joe of Jacksonville, traveled to Raleigh on July 12 to receive his lifetime fishing license and certificate from Wildlife Resources Commission Chairman John Pechmann during the Commissioners' meeting.

The presentation of lifetime fishing licenses to McAulay and Joe was one of Pechmann's final actions as chairman of the Wildlife Resources Commission. Pechmann died early in the morning on July 15 from a heart attack while preparing to go fishing.

Taylor Holland, 11, of Franklin, received a lifetime fishing license as well.

McAulay was randomly selected from more than 2,800 other young anglers statewide who participated in 38 fishing events held across the state during National Fishing and Boating Week.

In addition to the fishing licenses donated by the Tarboro Association of Saltwater Sportsman, Bass Pro Shops and the Wildlife Resources Commission, 100 fishing-related prizes, including rods and reels, tackle boxes and fishing towels were also given away.

McAulay comes by his passion for fishing honestly. His parents, Chip and Carol, and his brother, Boone, 9, love to fish. While they favor crappie fishing, he prefers catfishing because he says "they put up a good fight."

He's an old-school angler, preferring worms over artificial bait, saying it's the easiest and oldest way to fish.

The McAulay family recently moved from Albemarle to Pinehurst, where he will be attending the ninth grade at the Sandhills Classical Christian School in the fall.

For more information on fishing in North Carolina's public, inland waters, visit the Wildlife Commission's Web site, www.ncwildlife.org or call the Division of Inland Fisheries, (919) 707-0220.