Point Breeze has commanding lead as top fishing town in NE

Photo by Tom Rivers – Point Breeze and the Oak Orchard Harbor are likely to advance to the next round to determine the ‘Ultimate Fishing Town,’ an on-line contest by the World Fishing Network.

POINT BREEZE – Todd Fannin for the past two weeks has alerted just about everyone he knows to vote for Point Breeze as the “Ultimate Fishing Town.”

Fannin, owner of Lighthouse Restaurant, and other Point Breeze cheerleaders have the community ranked second in a nation-wide poll of top fishing communities. Point Breeze has 11,492 votes, while Cape Hatteras, NC, leads with 17,448, as of 3 p.m. today. Point Breeze has jumped ahead of Grand Lake, CO, with 8,309 votes.

“This to me is another tool, another feather in our cap to promote some of the best fishing in the fall,” Fannin said.

Point Breeze has a big lead as the top spot in the Northeast. Walton, NY, is in second place with 4,686 votes followed by Waddington, NY, with 3,860.

Voting ends tomorrow at 11:59 a.m. for the first round of the competition. The first- and second-place finishers per region will then square off for the finals. If Point Breeze wins the region, it will secure $3,500 to bolster the local fishery.

The second round continues from noon Friday to 11:59 a.m. May 24. The World Fishing Network will announce the winner on June 4 on ultimatefishingtown.com.

The overall winner will receive $25,000 for port improvements. The community can also proclaim itself as the “Ultimate Fishing Town.”

Fannin said Point Breeze is deserving of the honor. Many of his customers come from out-of-state. He said the brown trout fishing locally is second to none.

“We’re known for browns,” he said. “We have the best brown fishing in the world.”

Point Breeze also touts a year-round fishery with salmon, steelhead and cohoes.

The on-line voting has united the community at a time when it has suffered from the federal government’s inability to dredge the harbor. The community also has been hurt by a closed section of the Lake Ontario State Parkway and a bridge over Marsh Creek.

“This contest has got the community involved, which is phenomenal,” Fannin said. “I think we have a wonderful community down here.”

To vote, go here.