2012 Lake Ontario / Niagara Fishing Competitions and Events

Ice Fishing Contest II at Wilson Harbor NY February 11th 2012 - Sponsored by Feather & Fur Bait Shop and Outdoors Niagara www.outdoorsniagara.com  CANCELLED, DUE TO ICE CONDITIONS {NOT SAFE}

Roger Tobey Memorial Niagara River Anglers Steelhead Contest February 18th, 2012 – The Niagara River Anglers Association will be holding their winter steelhead classic at Lewiston Landing. Loads of fun. Lower Niagara River Only. For information check out the NRAA website at www.niagarariveranglers.com .

Lake Ontario Counties (LOC) Spring Trout and Salmon Derby May 4-13, 2012 – This premier spring kick-off classic, offering a $12,500 Grand Prize for the largest trout or salmon caught overall, also sports over $30,000 in cash and prizes overall. More than 60 percent of all the winning fish come from the waters off Niagara. For more information, call (888) REEL-2-IN or visit their website at www.loc.org .

Bullhead Contest - Niagara County Waters Only - Tentative Date: March 30-31 Sponsored by Feather & Fur Bait and Outdoors Niagara. www.outdoorsniagara.com

Second Annual Wilson Harbor Invitational Salmon Tournament May 12 (13) – The tournament is back for another battle of salmon seekers. Check out www.wilsonharborinvitational.com  for details. $1000 entry fee includes Big Fish and a one day-six fish big bucks tournament during prime time for spring fishing. Grand prize for a full field will be $25,000. For more information on how you can receive an invitation, call 716-863-1001.

6th Annual Buffalo Sabres Alumni Spring Salmon Spectacular, May 31 - Being run out of Krull Park and the Town of Newfane Marina in Olcott, this is a special fishing celebration with the names that have helped to make the Buffalo Sabres a household word the past 40 years. Help raise money for local charities. Check out www.sabresalumni.com  for all the details.

11th Annual Don Johannes Memorial Big Fish Contest and 6th Annual Pete DeAngelo Memorial Three-Fish Contest, June 1, 2012 – This is a precursor to the Pro-Am tournament to get the teams warmed up for the fishing action. You don’t have to be in the pro-am to fish, though. Sign up at The Slippery Sinker, The Boat Doctors or The Gas Shack in Wilson. Call 716-778-0713 for more info. $100 per boat. 100 percent cash pay out.

28th Annual Skip Hartman Memorial Lake Ontario Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament June 2-3, 2012 – This prestigious fishing competition pits teams of anglers against one another using a unique scoring system over two days of fishing. Held out of the Niagara County ports of Wilson and Olcott, the local community also coordinates special events to make it a fun filled weekend. Last year, more than $60,000 was paid out in cash and prizes. For more info call (877) FALLS US or log onto the tournament website at www.lakeontarioproam.net  for rules and sign up information.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service “Fish and Wildlife Festival” at Hyde Park in Niagara Falls June 2, 2012 – This popular event will tentatively be held in Hyde Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In conjunction with this event will be a kids fishing derby at Hyde Park Lake from 8 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., traditionally run by the Niagara River Anglers Assn. Loads of displays, special activities and live entertainment. For more information contact USFWS at (716) 691-5456.

4th Annual Lake Ontario Counties (LOC) Summer Derby– June 16-July 22, 2012 – Grand prize is $7,500 for biggest fish. Check out their website for all the details for this new summer event at www.loc.org  or call (888) REEL-2-IN.

The Annual Wagon Wheel Smallmouth Bass Contest - held opening day of bass season [June 16th] Fish Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Niagara River; up/lower. [716-283-9861]

New York’s Free Fishing Days 2012 – June 23-24 – No license is required by anyone for these two days, resident or non-resident (although all the rules and regulations must be followed), in an effort to promoted this popular pastime. This is a great time to get the whole family on the water and see how much fun it can be. This is also the weekend that the Town of Newfane sponsors a kids fishing derby at the Town of Newfane Marina in Olcott. Set for June 23rd this popular kids derby will be held from 8 a.m. to noon. For more information, call (716) 778-8531.

Erie Canal Fishing Derby July 5-15, 2012 – The Erie Canal is spotlighted for this family-oriented fishing competition offering up more than $8,000 in prizes. Eligible waters include from the Niagara River to the Main Street Bridge in Albion (Route 98) – 50 miles of waters. For more information visit their website at www.eriecanalderby.com . (Bass is included.)

Lower Niagara River Bass Classic V July  2011 - Sponsored by A-1 Bait Supply and Outdoors Niagara. www.outdoorsniagara.com

9th Annual Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Assn. King Salmon Tournament – July 14, Olcott from 6 a.m. to noon. This event offers 100 cash pay back. All participants must be LOTSA members. Deadline to register is July 13 at 6 p.m. For more information, contact www.lotsa.org. July 13 is the Second Annual Curt Meddaugh Memorial Fishing Derby to remember an important LOTSA member. Free for anyone registered in the Saturday event. For more information, contact www.lotsa.org .

Orleans County Rotary Derby August 4-19, 2012 – Fish Lake Ontario and tributaries from the Niagara River to the Genesee River for salmon and trout. For more information call (585) 589-9881. Olcott does have a weigh station in this local derby, located at The Slippery Sinker.

Lake Ontario Counties (LOC) Fall Trout and Salmon Derby August 17 – September 3, 2012 – Over $50,000 in cash prizes including a $20,000 Grand Prize for the largest trout or salmon caught during this 18-day event. Help anglers celebrate the return of the mighty king salmon on Lake Ontario! Sign up in local tackle shops or call (888) REEL-2-IN. You can also visit their website at www.loc.org  for more info or to register.

Lower Niagara River Walleye Classic V August 18th. Opening Day of Niagara’s Fall Classic –  Sponsored by A-1 bait and Outdoors Niagara .com
www.outdoorsniagara.com 

36th Annual Greater Niagara “Fall Classic” Derby – 2012: A Fish Odyssey August 18-26, 2012 – The journey continues with another great event set for 2012. Last year, over $10,000 in cash and prizes were handed out to winning anglers at the Town of Newfane for the derby that moved up by a full month. Specie categories included salmon, rainbow/brown trout, lake trout, smallmouth bass, carp and walleye. All have a chance to win the Grand Prize. For more information, call (877) FALLS US or visit www.fishodyssey.net  or www.outdoorsniagara.com 

Cystic Fibrosis Cast for a Cure Steelhead Challenge; Sept. 12-13, 2012 (Tentative) – The event was formerly held in April but this year is moved to September because of the late Easter dates. Raises money for CF out of Lewiston. For more info contact CF at (800)-FIGHT CF.

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