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FeedWFN helps highlight N.Y.’s angling resources
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New York has work-class angling opportunities. We know that because we live here. I’ve been fortunate to travel all around this state, from Lake Erie and Lake Ontario to the St. Lawrence River and Lake Champlain; from the Hudson River to the Finger Lakes; from the Catskills to Chautauqua Lake … and many points in between. I Love NY Division of Tourism is finally realizing that fishing can be an incredible tool to attract people to the Empire State. This is all being accentuated through the World Fishing Network’s "Utlimate Fishing Town" contest going on right now through the month of May.
Last year, it was two New York towns battling it out – Roscoe in the Catskills; Waddington along the St. Lawrence River. Roscoe ended up on top, in a perfect setting for fly-fishing aficionados.
The 2012 version of the contest is in full swing right now and the new one-two is Waddington and Olcott Beach, a small hamlet on Lake Ontario and 18 Mile Creek in the Western Basin of this Great Lake. Waddington jumped out to an early lead, but Olcott Beach has been holding its own despite their low level of competitive awareness for this contest. The fight has begun.
Other towns around New York have been nominated, too, like Oswego and Pulaski in Oswego County; and Clayton in Jefferson County, also on the St. Lawrence. All have sent out press releases and pushed for the title. But it takes a special community to work together and put an area over the top. It’s about working collectively for a common goal, generating support through unique and innovative ways.
Earlier this month, I attended a meeting at the Newfane Community Center where 30 members from the area attended. It was about uniting forces. It was about round-the-clock social networking. Community pride was at stake and they wanted to go for it. The local papers picked up on that and they pushed for the region to help support Olcott Beach.
Since I was the one responsible for nominating the town, I’m a little partial to Olcott. Since the end of April, Olcott, Wilson, Youngstown and Lewiston have been nothing but an impressive buzz of activity. Camera crews from the United Kingdom; In Fisherman filming on the Niagara River and Lake Ontario on the Niagara Bar; the Spring Lake Ontario Counties Trout and Salmon Derby May 4-13; the Wilson Harbor Invitational Tournament on May 12 and the Lake Ontario Pro-Am out of Olcott and Wilson set to kick off June 2-3; the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers holding their spring mega media event May 13-17 – just a few of the things that have been going in to promote this fantastic fishing resource. And the fishing has been great.
At the time of this writing, 30-pound salmon and trout were already being caught in Lake O. Coho fishing was nothing short of phenomenal on the Niagara Bar. Bass fishing was starting to turn on and reports of 6- to 7-pound smallmouth have already been documented. Fishing from shore? Eighteenmile Creek produced an 18-pound channel cat just the other day. Perch up to two pounds were weighed in. And brown trout up to 15 pounds were caught off the pier. Life is good.
Which takes us back to the WFN contest. New Yorkers should take pride in our angling resources. Get on the website at www.worldfishingnetwork.com. “Cast” your vote. My vote is for Olcott Beach. Good luck to all involved. We’ll find out the winner after May 31. The champion earns the title of "Ultimate Fishing Town" and a check for $25,000.
Terrific article! Thank you so much for nominating my hometown. It has been a pleasure to spend time with Team OBNY. Their dedication has been virtually tireless. We wouldn't be here without you.
Don't forget to vote for our partners in Hastings, ON. They have been great friends to us in this competition!
Wonderful article about New York as a whole, but thank you so much for throwing some accolades to Olcott, New York. We have worked so very hard in this contest to be where we are now. Thank you so much for nominating the little town that had so much to do with my youth! Now everyone reading this.............. please go vote!
Thank you so much Bill for the nomination, support, wonderful article and all the things that you do! We have worked very hard and together as team of great people. We are very proud of this community and want to show it to the world! Thank you for giving our community this wonderful opportunity!!!
Due to your nomination of Olcott Beach NY, a wonderful relationship has blossomed between the Village of Hastings ON and Olcott Beach NY. We have relentlessly worked together to promote the recreational sport of fishing, and our home towns. Never mind the fact that both Hastings and Olcott Beach stand to win $25,000.00 each, whatever should happen, a new relationship, and partnership has developed that I fully expect will go long into the future. So much that, the comments going back and forth on our town walls, would lead a reader to believe we are already old friends, and have been so for a long time. The commonalities and strength between us has spawned a lasting friendship between the residents of both small towns. So much that, I will be visiting Olcott Beach this Sunday, and just can't wait to get there. To all our new pals in Olcott Beach, keep shovelling the coal in our boilers, as we are for you. See you on Sunday. Olcott Beach or BUST !! Hec Macmillan, Mayor. Municipality of Trent Hills.