Port Colborne, Ontario and Point Breeze, New York Named WFN’s Ultimate Fishing Towns for 2013
OutdoorHub 06.10.13
WFN: World Fishing Network, the leading entertainment destination and digital resource for anglers throughout North America, has announced that anglers across the U.S. and Canada have selected Port Colborne, Ontario and Point Breeze on Lake Ontario, N.Y. as WFN’s Ultimate Fishing Towns for 2013.
Both Port Colborne and Point Breeze will receive a $25,000 community donation to be used for fishing-related causes and will be honored in separate ceremonies hosted by WFN’s Ultimate Fishing Town host, Mariko Izumi, later this month. WFN will also produce a video feature about the great fishing both of these Ultimate Fishing Towns offer that will be presented on-air and online throughout the year.
“I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Port Colborne and Point Breeze, winners of WFN’s Ultimate Fishing Town for 2013, and commend the regional and affiliate winners, too. The accomplishment of being named Ultimate Fishing Town demonstrates pride, passion and enthusiasm from start to finish, and it wouldn’t be possible without the commitment and dedication of all those who participated, and to all of you I say ‘thank you,’” said Pam Stinson, Senior Director of Marketing for World Fishing Network.
WFN will present all regional winners with a $3,500 community donation with the goal of bolstering fishing-related causes in each of the respective communities. Regional winners are: Gananoque, Ontario; Hampstead, New Brunswick; The Pas, Manitoba; Waddington, N.Y.; Cape Hatteras, N.C.; Cocodrie; La.; Grand Lake, Colo.; Grand Rapids, Minn.; and Bridgeport, Calif.
In partnership with four of WFN’s affiliate partners in Canada, these Canadian towns will also receive a donation to benefit the future of fishing in each community: $2,000 to Woodstock, New Brunswick on behalf of Rogers; $1,500 to Flin Flon, Manitoba on behalf of Shaw; $1,500 to Deseronto, Ontario on behalf of Bell and $1,000 to Campbellford, Ontario on behalf of Eastlink.
700 towns in the U.S. and Canada received nominations and were eligible to advance in the quest to become the next Ultimate Fishing Town. Participants were asked to nominate where he or she believes is the best place to fish. Town walls were then populated with videos, photos and written comments to promote the community’s candidacy and reinforce why the town is deserving of Ultimate Fishing Town honors.
Port Colborne, part of the Niagara Region of southern Ontario, is located on the north shore of Lake Erie where the species are numerous. Between the Welland Canal and the Niagara River, Port Colborne’s waterways are world renowned. Big names like Bob Izumi love to fish these waters, as do tournaments like the 444 Walleye Tournament, the Can-Am Invitational and the past Pro Am bass tournament to name a few. Port Colborne faced strong challenges from Gananoque and Campbellford in the Ontario region, and fewer than 100 votes separated Gananoque from Campbellford as the Ontario regional winner.
“The World Fishing Network’s designation of the City of Port Colborne as Canada’s Ultimate Fishing Town validates Niagara’s South Coast as a fishing hotspot,” stated Mayor Vance Badawey. “A great deal of credit belongs to Keiran Wittmaier, Colleen Van Kralingen and their team for championing this initiative. Their efforts have exposed to the world another reason to come and enjoy all that we have to offer within Niagara.”
Point Breeze on Lake Ontario, N.Y., a small locale in Upstate New York, led all U.S. vote getters. Point Breeze is formed where the Oak Orchard River flows into Lake Ontario and offers outstanding fishing year-round, with species including brown trout, salmon and steelhead.
“We are a small fishing town elated to win the title of Ultimate Fishing Town,” Point Breeze resident and town nominator Sharon Narburgh said. “We have a unique small town with many needs for our fishery and are thankful to our residents and anglers for their diligence in voting.”
