In December, TFN was asked to help promote a new (we believe the only) professional ice-fishing team tournament, the 1st Annual Bay of Quinte Professional Walleye Team Ice-fishing Tournament. This is our first step into the world of competitive fishing, but it won't be our last.

In fact, we should be announcing our second venture later this month.

Our goal is not to develope our own series of tournaments and derbies, but to support those already in existence and help out new ones as they come along. Competitive angling is, after all, not only a challenge for those involved, but is also a great boost to the hosting community's economy. A professional bass, walleye, deep sea or flyfishing tournament can inject thousands of dollars into the hosting town. Some of the larger 2-3 week derbies can give the community a big economic shot in the arm. And if the events become well-known, they spawn a more permanent, year-round tourism industry.

Casting for Cash also raises the local and regional awareness of the importance of not only the fishing resource, but also the environment in general. Fish (with the possible exception of the carp family) need water that is as clean as possible in order to thrive. If a community that has a history of hosting fishing competitions finds pollution from local industry threatening the water, that community is more likely to take quick and direct action to eradicate the threat. Why? Because of the tourism dollars generated from angling, both during the events and from the ancillary tourism.

And while we're on the subject of the environment, it must be remembered that government-controlled fish management programs are designed to take competitive fishing into account so that the aquarian populations and ecological systems are not harmed.

So whether or not you agree with the concept of catching fish purely for sport, you have to look at the bigger picture. Here in Canada, there are many communities where the annual fishing derby or tournament is one of the top 5 money-earning events of the year.

TFN is committed to supporting these events, so if you know someone involved in tournament or derby organization anywhere in the world, have them contact me at the address at the bottom of this page. We'll help promote the events and post the winners on TFN.