Niagara River Anglers, Lower Niagara Charter Captains to be honored by GLBPA

by Sandy Hays-Mies, Executive Director, GLBPA
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, May 8, 2004

As part of its recognition of area business and community members for this year's Celebration of Greater Lewiston Gala, Sunday June 6 at the Niagara Falls Country Club, the GLBPA presents its profiles on the 2004 honorees.

In today's Sentinel, coinciding with the annual Lewiston Smelt Festival, we recognize the Niagara River Anglers Association and the Lower Niagara Charter Captains' Association, recipients of the 2004 Benjamin Barton Service Award.

The Niagara River Anglers Association is dedicated to the sport of fishing. Just 22 years young, their membership has grown to over 800. Since 1982, they have been very active in promoting cleaner water, fish stocking programs and wildlife preservation.

Area Projects

The Association has served actively on such projects as the Buckhorn Island State Park Marsh Enhancement Program and the Strawberry Island and Little Niagara River Remediation/restoration projects. Each year, they host a fishing program for handicapped children. In addition members bring the sport right to fairs and festivals with their a portable trout pond for children.

In 1982, at Fort Niagara, they built the first fish cleaning station located in a New York State Park. With a state grant, the facility was improved in 1996 when restrooms and a fish grinder were added.

In 1986, the Anglers built a covered fish cleaning station in Lewiston and in 2002, the village of Lewiston was inspired to build a new state-of-the-art facility on Water Street as part of their Waterfront Revitalization Project. Every day at about 2 p.m., the station becomes an attraction when fishermen haul in their catch.

As if this isn't enough to keep volunteers, directors and officers of the club busy, in 1984 they created a 61-acre Wilderness Preserve. It provides fishing, camping, hiking and bird watching opportunities. Local sportsman John Long entrusted the land, located on Balmer Road in the town of Porter to the NRAA. It was created for the sole purpose of raising Walleye Sac Fry to sizes that are able to be transferred to the Niagara River for the enhancement of the Walleye fishery.

Smelt Festival

For those who live and work in the "River Region," our most intimate experience with the Anglers is when the smelt are running. For twenty some years, the Anglers hosted a smelt fry down along the Lewiston waterfront. In 2001, Mayor Richard Soluri saw an opportunity to grow this event into a "Rite of Spring," and hence the Smelt Festival was born under the leadership of the Greater Lewiston Business and Professional Association and the NRAA. It draws well over 1,000 authentic and would-be fishermen and women to our area. Some come for the party and the music, some for the ambiance of the water but most come for the delicious smelt that are served compliments of the Niagara River Anglers and the Silo Restaurant. Others who flock to Lewiston, never even make it to the waterfront. Instead, they patronize our restaurants that each serve their own culinary variation of these tasty little fish.

On behalf of our entire community, we thank the NRAA the work that they do to promote sport fishing and preserve our natural resources for the next generation.

The Lower Niagara Charter Captain's Association

Sport fishing is one of the leading contributors to New York State's economy generating more than $3.6 billion annually. Along the Lower Niagara River alone, an estimated $3 million is spent each year.

While the Greater Lewiston region bustles in the summer with festivals and visitors, the shoulder seasons are much quieter, or so it may appear. But out in the lower Niagara River and on Lake Ontario, charter fishing is at its best. We are, in fact, the only area in the northern United States that has open water year-round fishing.

Western New York is considered one of the top destinations in the nation for freshwater fishing. It's been that way for nearly a quarter of a century, thanks in large part to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation who ensures that the lake and river remain adequately stocked with trout, salmon and other species.

Viable Industry

As fishing has become more widely recognized as a viable industry, our Charter Captains have become marketeers in a sense. Through their advertising and promotional efforts, the Niagara River and our Charter Captains have been featured in every major trade publication including In-Fishermen, Bassmaster, Fishing with Roland Martin and others. Capt. Frank Campbell, owner of Niagara Region Charter Services, reports that this publicity has drawn fishermen from as far away as Argentina and England and as close as Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In fact, they flock to the Niagara River from all 50 states.

Campbell notes that, "At first, they usually come with fishing buddies but once they see all that we have to offer, they return with their wives and children. One of the unique things about our area is that they can experience world class fishing, unbelievably beautiful vistas and yet have all of the amenities of a big city in a small town setting. Fishing is what gets them here and our attractions, accommodations, fine dining and shopping bring them back."

The Charter Captains are very pleased that the villages of Lewiston and Youngtown recognize the value of sport fishing and its impact on our community. Their support is evidenced by the improvements that have been made to our waterfront facilities including the boat launches, docking facilities and fish cleaning stations.

Over 40 charter captains regularly work out of the Lower Niagara. They make a good living here and appreciate the opportunity to make a work in an environment of incomparable beauty. While they take from the waters with their daily catches, they also give back by serving on committees and commissions that are dedicated to protecting the river and the lake.

The GLBPA thanks them for being such strong community ambassadors and economic engines for our region.