OGDENSBURG -- The City of Ogdensburg’s nickname is the Maple City, but the city's Parks and Recreation Department hopes to redub it “Ultimate Fishing Town USA.”

Parks and Recreation Director Matthew Curatolo has nominated Ogdensburg in the World Fishing Network’s contest to determine the “Ultimate Fishing Town USA.”

“Just a hundred yards off the Greenbelt you can catch a 40-pound muskie, a five pound bass or a 10-pound walleye. There are not too many places in the world where those kind of fishing conditions exist. We have that here in Ogdensburg,” said Curatolo. “We hope that the city and the surrounding area will come out in force to back our nomination as the ‘Ultimate Fishing Town USA.’”

The grand prize of $25,000 would go to renovate the old pumphouse along the Crescent on the Oswegatchie River where the St. Lawrence Valley Sportsman’s Club holds its yearly walleye restocking program. It would allow classes from area school districts to see the walleye actually hatch from their eggs.

City Manager Arthur Sciorra said that Ogdensburg is a city with a rich fishing history and the sportsman’s club’s efforts are instrumental in keeping the fishery stable and thriving.

"The work to save the walleye population over the past 20 years demonstrates our commitment to fisheries, which is the backbone of a sport fishing industry," said Sciorra.

Readers can help nominate Ogdensburg by logging onto www.wfnfishingtown.com and adding to the narrative, or log onto the website on April 12, when voting begins, to cast your vote for the City of Ogdensburg.

The following is the narrative submitted to the World Fishing Network on behalf of the City of Ogdensburg:

“With its proud angling history and its focus on the outdoor sport in its future, Ogdensburg, N.Y., is the ‘Ultimate Fishing Town USA.’ With the majestic St. Lawrence River flowing on its north shore and the Oswegatchie River flowing through Ogdensburg to add to the St. Lawrence River, these two bodies of water makes Ogdensburg THE place to go to fish.

“Anglers coming to Ogdensburg can go after the angling version of the Grand Slam. There are 40-plus pound muskellunge swimming in the St. Lawrence River’s depths, real river monsters that are the trademark fish species of the river.

“Then there are 5-pound smallmouth bass, a hard-fighting fish that are gorging themselves on round gobies and getting bigger and bigger each year. It’s the area’s biggest secret.

“ You can’t forget about the walleyes, one of the tastiest fish around. A walleye spawning run happens right in Ogdensburg in the Oswegatchie River each spring and stocking efforts by the St. Lawrence Valley Sportsman’s Club has made this area a premiere walleye fishing destination. Walleyes over 10-pounds are routinely caught and a 13-pound specimen was caught this past winter.

“And lastly, if you are a carp fisherman, Ogdensburg has some of the largest carp around, weighing in at 30-40 pounds. If you need proof, all you have to do is look at the results from past St. Lawrence International Junior Carp Tournaments. Most of the winners, from a stretch of the river from Ogdensburg to Massena have come from the city.

“While those are some of the favorite fish species that anglers are pursuing, there are others. Northern pike, perch, crappie, bullhead even freshwater drum are common in the St. Lawrence River within sight of the City of Ogdensburg. With two launches along the St. Lawrence River, the City of Ogdensburg offers everything anglers need to hit the water for a day of fishing and chase this freshwater Grand Slam, St. Lawrence River-style. Ogdensburg, N.Y., is the ‘Ultimate Fishing Town USA.”’