Hi, this is Fred Wallace with ” Off the Wire ”
In late August-early September the 2020 Denis Bester Memorial Shootout was conducted in Owen Sound harbour and on Georgian Bay.
The Shootout initially appeared as a smaller alternative to the annual Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular which unfortunately was cancelled this year after decades of success.
What emerged via the Denis Bester Shootout is an event that might just be able to stand on its own going forward.
The organizers were hoping, maybe dreaming, of selling 300 tickets for the event. They more than doubled that and essentially sold out at the 750 mark.
In an alteration from the Salmon Spectacular format, the winner of the Shootout was the angler who accumulated the most points based on weight and type of 3 fish entered.
Cliff Broadfoot caught 3 Salmon that accumulated 83.62 points, good enough to give him the Shootout Championship.
The number of anglers was higher than expected plus the volume and size of the fish caught were indicative of an active angling community plus a healthy habitat for various species.
And as a major bonus, the charity aspect for the one week event was also very encouraging.
In what are different, and in some cases, tough times, the Denis Bester Memorial Shootout generated in excess of $ 20,000.
The money raised was divided in two with half going to the Salvation Army’s Family Services and the other half being directed to Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Grey-Bruce.
So, based on what might be considered a staggering success; what’s next ?
Do you run the Denis Bester Memorial Shootout in conjunction with the return of the Salmon Spectacular ?
Or do you run the Shootout during another period that doesn’t overlap with the traditional dates for the Salmon Spectacular ?
The ultimate decision is an ongoing discussion.
I’m Fred Wallace