FORT FRANCES, Ont. – Rainy Lake, located about 300 kilometres west of Thunder Bay along the border with the United States, is already known as a premium destination for bass, walleye, and other game fish. Now visiting anglers can pick up an even bigger prize of $5,000 if they reel in the right one this summer.
The contest, launched by the Rainy River Future Development Corporation (RRFDC), aims to attract tourists from across northwestern Ontario and Manitoba to visit the town of Fort Frances. The area usually receives around half a million American tourists a year, said tourism and events coordinator Emma Dykstra.
With an extended border closure for non-essential travel due to COVID-19, the organization hopes the contest will inspire more visits from those closer to home.
The RRFDC has released one small-mouthed bass into Rainy Lake with a green tag bearing the word “win,” along with a secret code. The first visiting angler to catch the fish is eligible to win the prize, until the contest closes on Oct. 1.
Certain conditions apply – the winner cannot be a resident of the Rainy River district (residents will win a smaller $200 prize if they catch the fish), and they must provide proof of a stay at a Fort Frances hotel or camp and an Ontario fishing license along with the tag.
More details are available at the contest website.
Dykstra said it was difficult to anticipate how many people might participate in the contest, given the unprecedented impacts of the pandemic on the tourism sector. But she expressed confidence that local hotels and camps were ready to safely accommodate visitors, adding that fishing is a perfect activity for the COVID-19 era.
“There’s no better way to social distance than getting out on the lake,” she said.
