CARP Tournament Series has once again accepted the invitation from the community of Baldwinsville to bring pro-level catch-and-release anglers to Central New York this spring.
For the fourth year in a row, the Oklahoma-based professional tournament organization will draw a field of international and American anglers to the Seneca River for their CARPT Tournament Series Northeast Regionals competition May 13 to 15.
The Seneca River has earned a reputation as a prolific fishery for the common carp as the annual tournament has produced unprecedented quantities of fish during the action-packed competitions. Since 2007, a cumulative weight of over 49 tons — more than 98,000 pounds of carp — have been caught and released during the contests.
Competitors are expected to vie for over $10,000 in cash and prizes while fishing at pre-determined peg locations along the tournament course from Baldwinsville’s Lions Community Park to the Onondaga Lake Park. The two-person teams fish for 50 consecutive hours from the shoreline during the match.
“Expectations are high for our fourth event in Baldwinsville,” said David Moore, CARPTS tournament director. “The Seneca River is an amazing fishery and the people of Baldwinsville always extend a very warm welcome to us. We’re looking forward to coming back in May.”
“Our competitors are attracted to this venue because it is not only a test of angling tactics and technical ability, but the Seneca River challenges the stamina of even the best of the anglers. Endurance is a huge factor in the outcome of this contest,” Moore added.
The Seneca River serves as a primary watershed and tributary from the glacier-formed Finger Lakes to Lake Ontario in the Great Lakes. Lake Ontario eventually empties to the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence River. The Baldwinsville section of the river has a number of man-made structures such as a wide dam, piers, locks and sluices creating an outstanding habitat for carp.
The tournament will be headquartered at the historic Red Mill Inn in the village of Baldwinsville. The former gristmill sits on a small island in the center of town adjacent to the original Erie Canal and the Seneca River.
The fishing-friendly community of Baldwinsville is a promising destination for recreational carp fishermen. A charming downtown features an assortment of shops and restaurants within walking distance.
The public is invited to come out and watch the action at any of the fishing locations. An opening ceremony with the contestant peg draw and awards presentations are also open to the public.
Tournament sponsors include The Red Mill Inn, EconoLodge, Chub Fishing, Hardy & Greys Ltd., Big Carp Tackle, Fox International and Reuben Heaton — CARPTS’s official tournament scales. The tournament is supported by the Syracuse Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Greater Baldwinsville Economic Development Agency and the Greater Baldwinsville Chamber of Commerce.
Registration details are online at carptournamentseries.com or by phoning (918) 914-2256.
