Niagara

Welcome to Niagara USA – Home of the original Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament

Olcott harbor

The all-important Niagara USA Captain’s Meeting (including observers) will be held Friday, June 3 at the Sunset Grill, 3 Oconnell Island, Wilson, NY 14172 (Phone 716-751-6868). Just like last year, the doors will open at 5 p.m. for captain/observer check-in. Because of limited space, only the captain (team leader) and observer should attend from each team. There will be some neat appetizers that will be available starting at 5:30 p.m. (again, one of the reasons for only captain and observer to attend). The actual meeting will start promptly at 6 p.m. This is a mandatory meeting, allowing us to review the rules and conduct the pairings for the observer swap. PLEASE show courtesy when the announcements are taking place and listen to the rules. Last year, we had disqualifications because some people didn’t listen, couldn’t hear or didn’t understand the rules. Pay attention! Thank you and good luck to all involved.

It was more than 25 years ago that local fisheries enthusiasts teamed up with four major companies to initiate the first-ever Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament. Today, the event is named after one of those founding fathers – making it the Skip Hartman Memorial event. Held out of the Niagara County ports of Wilson and Olcott, this angling destination is one of the best on the Great Lakes when it comes to year-round fishing fun. Tournament week in Niagara USA is no different. While tournament dates generally fall at the tail end of the fantastic spring salmon fishing, there are plenty of fish to be had by trolling teams working the 30 miles of shoreline off Niagara.

Wilson Harbor

The Pro-Am event has become the anchor to a unique and special “tournament week” in Niagara USA. Things kick off that Thursday with the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Spring Salmon Spectacular to raise some money for local charities and the community hosting the event – the Town of Newfane. On Friday, two special memorial events combine for another fun day on the water as boats compete for the biggest fish overall, as well as the top three fish combined. The big fish contest – the Don Johannes Memorial event – has been running for nearly a decade. The Pete DeAngelo Memorial Three-Fish event has been plugging along from about four years. It’s a great lead in to the main event on Saturday and Sunday.

Sunset from Olcott

The Pro-Am tournament is held out of Niagara’s two main ports – Wilson and Olcott. Weigh in will be at Krull Park in Olcott each day. It’s an exciting time for everyone involved. It’s turned into quite a spectator sport too, as teams bring their coolers to the scales. Adding to the excitement is a brand new Recreational Open Division of the tournament for the average fisherman looking to be part of the action and see how they will fare against other like-minded anglers. Fish one day or both; Cash and merchandise prizes will be paid out each day for the best three fish – and it’s all a bit more liberal on the rules. This could very well be the “farm club” for the bigger Pro-Am event. The Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association will also be involved with their club event.

The action winds up on Monday with the Big Boys Shootout. With some of the top professional anglers competing in the Pro-Am, it’s only natural for the Shootout to let the top pros compete for some big cash and some bragging rights after it’s all said and done.

Niagara USA offers year-round angling opportunities in the lake, Niagara River and in many of the tributaries off Lake Ontario. Eighteen mile Creek in the Town of Newfane – especially below Burt Dam – is one of the top tributary streams on the lake based on the state’s creel census. One of the biggest reasons for that success is the Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association’s pen rearing project for salmon and trout. Other pen projects exist in both Wilson harbor and the lower Niagara River out of Youngstown (Niagara River Anglers Association).

For more information on Niagara USA, obtain one of the Greater Niagara Hotspot Fishing Maps or Visitor Guides available through Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation at 877.FALLS.US http://www.niagara-usa.com/fishing.html. Come feel the reel thing in Niagara USA!

Thank You, Sponsors!

The Niagara Pro-Am Newfane/Wilson Salmon and Trout Tournament Would not be Possible without the Generous Support of Our Sponsors: