Enjoy the river traditions

One quiet place to walk along the water is Mountain Island Park, just below the dam

Keep It Local, by Barbara Lawrence – May 30, 2012

There was a time when people felt more connected to our river.  Here are some traditions that you may want to renew or, if you are new to the area, adopt for your own.

The Fish Camp Tradition

 It was, and still is to many, a weekend activity to go to fish on the banks of the river.  There was more camping and cooking out on an old fashioned campfire.  It was out of these traditions that the term "fish camps" emerged.  I have heard that visitors sometime call the area looking for fish camps thinking they are campgrounds.  There is a brief history on the Visit Gaston website.

The joy of eating fish and fixins in casual style lives on in restaurants in the area which are more about local atmosphere, good fried (mostly) fish, and not fine dining.  While there are many ‘fish camp’ restaurants in the region, here are local fish-camp restaurants in the Catawba River District to get you started:

• Riverview Inn on the Mecklenburg shore established itself in a big way in the Charlotte area over its 60+ years. Riverview used to sponsor Captain Windy the pirate on local WBTV in the 1960s, and it was always a big treat to go to the restaurant overlooking the river – 10012 Moores Chapel Loop Charlotte, 704-399-3385 
• Black's Bluewater Seafood & Grill, 1118 S. Main Street, Mount Holly, 704-827-1230 
• Dotson's Fish Fry, 600 E Henry St, Mount Holly/Belmont, 704-827-3291
• Captain's Cap, 670 Park Street, Belmont, 704-825-4103
  
• Catfish Cove, 1401 Upper Armstrong-Ford Rd., Belmont, 704-825-3332

Get Active! Fish, hike, bike, kayak, canoe or just enjoy a walk near the river

If you are interested in fishing, these NC Bait and Tackle Shops can help you get started:

• Dale's Superette, 7304 W. Wilkinson Blvd., Belmont, 704-825-2746
• Jim's Grocery Bait and Tackle, 1901 Southpoint Road, Belmont, 704-825-5566.
• Master Bait, Grill and Grocery, 2333 Southpoint Road, Belmont, 704-968-BAIT (2248)

For big time fishing, there are bass tournaments in the area!

Get in the water by canoe, kayak, or walk along trails and enjoy the view at these great spots:

Tailrace Marina offers boat slips, canoe, kayak rentals and a great spot on the river.

Three Mount Holly Parks run along the river. CLICK for a page where you can download a map of all Mount Holly parks. Parks on the river include:

• Tuckaseege Park, Sports Ln, Mt Holly, NC 28120
• Mountain Island Park, Mount Holly
• River Street Park, Mount Holly

The city of Belmont is creating River Park. Here is the plan for River Park

For the ultimate list of adventure activities, from whitewater rafting to kayak paddling, visit the US National Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, Charlotte, 704-391-3900. Several You tube videos are available online:

http://youtu.be/Erje-PwY9hE

When you are not on the river, you can feel and see the difference just being close by.  There are always hawks flying, and there is a fresh 'green' smell in the air that you notice if you pay close attention driving into the area from Charlotte.  Our water, trees, and fish are not in the shape they were in 100 years ago.  Maybe getting reacquainted with nature will help us all do what we can to improve these resources for future generations.

About Barbara Lawrence – Barbara has a background in economic development and real-estate research. Her work has included revitalization of downtown Boone, downtown Gastonia and now Mount Holly.