AUBURN #- It was a busy day on Owasco Lake as fishermen from all over New York gathered for the Bass Pro Shop Multi-Species Owasco Lake Charity Fishing Tournament Saturday.
The idea for the tournament surfaced about a year ago with Bass Pro Shops' promotions manager George Fiorille.
Fiorille's late wife, Sharon, had, for many years, battled a rare liver disease.
“It was going to be a benefit for her,” Fiorille said. “She passed away in January, but my daughter and I decided that we still wanted to do something in her honor.”
Along with the help of Bass Pro Shops and Toyota, the tournament was born, with the proceeds going to benefit a cause very near to the Fiorille family: Organ donation awareness.
“Because two people made donations my wife probably had an extra eight years of life,” Fiorille said. “So we wanted to do something to raise more awareness about organ donation and get more information out there about it. Like it is important that people know that even if they fill out a donation card they still have to let their family know so that their wishes will be fulfilled. This is just something we could do to help raise awareness about this particular charity.”
Fiorille said that registration for the tournament was good, with many anglers signing up the morning of the event at one of the two weigh stations at Emerson Park and South Shore Boat Launch.
For many competitors this was the perfect way to spend a day, combing their love of fishing with a good cause.
“There is nothing better,” Pete Perrin, of Clifton Springs, said. “There is really nothing better than this. It's like killing two birds with one stone to fish and help people out at the same time like this.”
Perrin took second place in the brown trout category with a 2.7 pounder. The day-long tournament had anglers of all ages competing in categories like perch, northern pike and walleye.
“We just stopped into the shop and saw the sign,” Jerry Perrin, of Clifton Springs, said. “So we thought why not give it a shot, let's go fishing. It was a good day. We caught 13 lake trout and one brown.”
Jerry won first place in the lake trout category with an 11.75 pound catch.
The tournament also had a children's division. Joseph Quigley, 8, took first place in the kids division with a 4.14 pound lake trout.
“It felt great,” Quigley said. “This is the third championship I've won in a row. My dad encouraged me to get in this, we got up a little late, but we caught six fish, so we got the right place at the right time I guess. I really had a lot of fun.”
Fiorille said there are plans for the tournament to continue.
“Every year we are going to focus on a different charity,” Fiorille said. “We are definitely going to keep this going and keep using it as a way to help people and raise awareness about different charities and help raise some money for them.”
Fiorille's late wife, Sharon, had, for many years, battled a rare liver disease.
“It was going to be a benefit for her,” Fiorille said. “She passed away in January, but my daughter and I decided that we still wanted to do something in her honor.”
Along with the help of Bass Pro Shops and Toyota, the tournament was born, with the proceeds going to benefit a cause very near to the Fiorille family: Organ donation awareness.
“Because two people made donations my wife probably had an extra eight years of life,” Fiorille said. “So we wanted to do something to raise more awareness about organ donation and get more information out there about it. Like it is important that people know that even if they fill out a donation card they still have to let their family know so that their wishes will be fulfilled. This is just something we could do to help raise awareness about this particular charity.”
Fiorille said that registration for the tournament was good, with many anglers signing up the morning of the event at one of the two weigh stations at Emerson Park and South Shore Boat Launch.
For many competitors this was the perfect way to spend a day, combing their love of fishing with a good cause.
“There is nothing better,” Pete Perrin, of Clifton Springs, said. “There is really nothing better than this. It's like killing two birds with one stone to fish and help people out at the same time like this.”
Perrin took second place in the brown trout category with a 2.7 pounder. The day-long tournament had anglers of all ages competing in categories like perch, northern pike and walleye.
“We just stopped into the shop and saw the sign,” Jerry Perrin, of Clifton Springs, said. “So we thought why not give it a shot, let's go fishing. It was a good day. We caught 13 lake trout and one brown.”
Jerry won first place in the lake trout category with an 11.75 pound catch.
The tournament also had a children's division. Joseph Quigley, 8, took first place in the kids division with a 4.14 pound lake trout.
“It felt great,” Quigley said. “This is the third championship I've won in a row. My dad encouraged me to get in this, we got up a little late, but we caught six fish, so we got the right place at the right time I guess. I really had a lot of fun.”
Fiorille said there are plans for the tournament to continue.
“Every year we are going to focus on a different charity,” Fiorille said. “We are definitely going to keep this going and keep using it as a way to help people and raise awareness about different charities and help raise some money for them.”
