Although they’ve received only a dozen or so surveys back from anglers after last month’s Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship, the director of angler services is liking what she’s seeing on the forms.
“This provides a good source of information for next year–and there’s been lots of positive feedback so far,” Linda Plumridge said Tuesday.
The anonymous surveys, which had been ordered the past two years by the Fort Frances Economic Development Advisory Committee in an effort to gauge the impact of the tourney on the town, are being collected by the bass committee this year for its own organizational purposes.
“We’ve found out some interesting things so far. First of all, [anglers] like the Thursday/Friday/Saturday format,” she noted. “They come here because of the fishing or the people in general–that one’s split down the middle, with some coming here for the payout.
“They spend between $200-$500 on gas, and some guys spend up to 14 days up here pre-fishing,” she added. “We’ve some stay with family or friends and some stay at resorts.
“Some of it has verified what we thought–anglers bring money into our community,” she stressed.
But Plumridge noted that while the survey is aimed at finding out what kind of money comes into the community, the committee also is interested in what local anglers contribute.
“People here spend a lot because they pre-fish here much longer. They buy their fuel and gear here,” she said. “Even though they’re not spending the money on, say, food or lodging, they are likely to spend money on a motor or boat, which is a significant purchase.
“On average, an angler will spend $1,000. And $1,000 times 260 anglers is a lot of money,” Plumridge added.
But she admitted the sampling so far has been “very small” for the committee’s purposes, and she is trying to send out more of the surveys to anglers who may not have filled any out during the tournament.
“It’s our fault. While anglers on the B.A.S.S. circuit are required to fill out surveys, we tried to do it on-site,” she noted. “We tried to get them all but it’s not always easy–they’re busy as well.”
Amy VanDrunen, a summer intern at the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce who was handing out the survey to anglers, agreed her job wasn’t easy.
“I tried to get the anglers as they came back into the tent. I said, ‘Please fill this out now,’ but . . . .”
In related news, anglers who placed in the top 90 teams this year can now make a deposit on their spot for next year’s FFCBC. Deadline to declare participation is Sept. 30.
Meanwhile, anyone wanting in on the draw for a spot as one of the remaining 40 teams can enter their name at the Fort Frances Times office, Pinewood Sports and Marine, and the Chamber of Commerce.
The draw will be made in early October, and may be televised on Videon Channel 11.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
