BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

MASSENA -- Millions of dollars have flowed into towns and villages along the St. Lawrence River due to the success of bass fishing tournaments, according to Don Meissner.

During a recent Massena Town Board meeting, which he assists as the town's fishing and tourism director, Meissner informed town officials he had been invited to and planned to attend a meeting with state officials to discuss the town's efforts to promote bass fishing.

Topics of discussion that were planned included the future of the river and bass fisheries in the region, however the meeting was canceled due to inclement weather, he said.

That hasn't deterred Meissner however, as state officials have been in communication by email to discuss those issues at hand.

According to Meissner, state officials are hoping to engage the public more to learn about potential "concerns and reactions from the people living along the St. Lawrence River."

State officials are also soliciting feedback from fisherman attending the events as well to discuss the quality of fishing along the river, he said.

Meissner said with the popularity of bass fishing growing every year and fishermen coming to Massena and the surrounding areas from all around the country, a large influx of money has come to the communities hosting the events and personnel.

Meissner said state officials indicated that the tournaments have generated $140 million of revenue for communities along the St. Lawrence River due to the river "becoming so famous" as a result of the tournaments.

"These communities are benefiting," he said.

In conversation with Chris Hoover from Major League Fishing, Meissner said he was told that communities are benefitting from anglers "traveling right along the river to come to Massena," which in turn leads to anglers stopping for food, gas and other needs along the way.

Meissner said Hoover spoke to the great distances anglers have to travel with Massena being "at the top of the stat", noting "it's a long journey and they're stopping to eat and so forth at these places."

While tournaments may be months away, Meissner said he will continue to promote the region and tournaments at sport shows.

Meissner recently secured additional funding for promotion through the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce after presenting to the St. Lawrence County legislature last month.

County officials say it is in the best interest of the entire county to assist in promotion because so many neighboring communities can benefit from the additional traffic and tourism such events bring to the region.

Major League Fishing announced in Aug. 2023 that the league would once again be hosting a tournament in Massena.

The event, part of the sixth season for the league, will be part of the most competitive circuit, the 2024 Bass Pro Shops Bass Pro Tour.

Stage Seven at the St. Lawrence River in the 2024 tour will be hosted by the town of Massena Aug. 6-11, 2024.

The St. Lawrence River and Massena, New York, will play host to Stage Seven of the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season. The event, hosted by the Town of Massena, will showcase the world’s top professional bass anglers competing for hundreds of thousands in cash, along with valuable points in the Bally Bet Angler of the Year race, and qualification into REDCREST 2025 and the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event.

“The Town of Massena is honored to once again host Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour,” said Don Meissner. This event enables our community to bring the world’s top anglers to compete on the fabled St. Lawrence River and we can’t wait,” Meissner previously said.

Each stage of the 2024 Bass Pro Tour features six days of competition using the catch, weigh, immediate-release format, broadcast live on MLFNOW! and streamed to the Major League Fishing app, MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app, and at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.