Fly Fishing Masters

the Northeast Regional Qualifier was held here in 2004

Some of the best fly fishers in the country descended on the West Branch of the Ausable River for a combination casting and fishing competition that was televised by the Outdoor Life Network (OLN) (now Versus Country (VS)).

Fly Fishing Masters, a made-for-TV event with a total purse of $52,000, brought its Northeast regional qualifier to Wilmington July 16-21, 2004.

Wilmington and the famed Ausable River joined three other regional qualifying sites – Dillard, GA, in the Southeast; Longmont, CO, host of the Rocky Mountain qualifier; and Chiloquin, OR, which in August was the site of the Western qualifier.

The Outdoor Life Network, launched in 1995, has rocketed in popularity and today has a viewership of 58 million subscribers on a variety of cable systems as well as nationally on DIRECTV and The Dish Network.

“The combination of OLN and Barrett Productions guarantees superb exposure for not only the Ausable River, but our entire region,” said Bert Yost, president of the Whiteface Mountain Regional Visitors Bureau. “The competition will serve to market our river and region to the fly fishing community, as well as other prospective visitors.”

“We’re thrilled to join the Whiteface Mountain Regional Visitors Bureau and the Town of Wilmington in playing host to this competition on what’s generally regarded as one of the best fly fishing waters east of the Mississippi,” said Essex County Visitors Bureau President/CEO James McKenna. “We’re sure the competitors will enjoy our region and the river, and we’re proud to partner with Outdoor Life Network in bringing further attention to our superb fly fishing.”