Massena tourism director starting to focus on 2023 fishing tournaments
Dec. 1—MASSENA — With six 2022 fishing tournaments in the history books, the town of Massena's tourism director says it's time to focus on the 2023 season.
But, Donald R. Meissner told the Massena Town Board, it's time for local businesses to step forward to assist with the associated costs.
The town hosted six tournaments in 2022 — the 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League on July 9, the American Bass Club tournament at the end of July, the 2022 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Championship in August, the Cashion Rods Tournament and 2022 Toyota Series in September. The season wrapped up with the town's Big Bass Blowout in October.
Mr. Meissner said they need the support of businesses to continue bringing major fishing tournaments to Massena.
"I think it's a vital and imperative thing that we do everything we can to reach out to the businesses of this area to get them not only supportive, but involved in helping us to be able to cover the monies that it takes to put on the things that we do," he said.
His goal, he said, is to "make sure that anything that we decide to do here, we already have the money allocated either through grants, or through the economic help of the businesses and the people here and our legislators."
Mr. Meissner said St. Lawrence County Legislators Rita E. Curran, R-Massena, and Nicole A. Terminelli, D-Massena, have been supportive of the town's efforts to promote fishing. Ms. Curran and Ms. Terminelli were reelected in November.
"I think that we stand in good stead there in terms of getting their support, whether it's directly or indirectly in how they funnel their monies to other organizations," he said.
He said one of the big events he is looking forward to next summer is Cabela's Big Bass Tour, which is scheduled for July 28 to 30.
"What makes it significant is it didn't just happen. We didn't just get a call out of the blue that says, 'Oh boy we want to come to Massena.' It's a result of the big organizations that we've already had here and the success that we've had in doing that, and then them referring other organizations in the business that they work with," Mr. Meissner said.
He said what makes that tournament interesting is none of the professional anglers who are part of other tournaments are part of the Big Bass Tour, which has an hourly payout.
"It's designed to bring families, and they're promoting in a five-state area to bring people within a five-hour driving distance to come here," he said.
Mr. Meissner said now is the time to keep driving forward with the fishing promotions.
"We've created something that's taken us since 2015 really to get to this point, and now we're recognized as a top fishing area for bass in the whole country," he said. "So that gives us a vital imperative to do any kind of promotion, anything that we can do. We have something now that we can promote more than ever before. So, I'm excited about the future. I'm excited to see the cooperation and the vitality of the people that are part of this."
