HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A Major League Fishing tournament kicked off in Huntersville Thursday. Competitors have been practicing their bass fishing on Lake Norman for days ahead of the three-day event and the town is reeling in the benefits.
Nearly 350 anglers and co-anglers are competing in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League regional championship this week stationed at Blythe Landing.
Tournament director Steve Sizemore said the professional fishermen aren’t the only ones with money on the line.
"It also helps to benefit the local economy immensely," Sizemore said.
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The tournament reels in big bucks for Huntersville and gives it a national spotlight, since most competitors are from out of town.
"These fishermen are spending money for fuel, they're spending money at hotels, they're spending money to eat out," Sizemore added.
The event is expected to inject more than a million dollars into the local economy from competitors alone. Nearby shops are excited for the boost thanks to the bass.
"Customers have been rolling in all day," TJ Roy, director of retail services for Orvis, said.
Orvis is a brand-new fishing gear shop next to Birkdale Village. The store focuses on fly fishing but Roy said the store has been extremely busy with visitors and its grand opening.
"It's exciting to have a lot of anglers in the area and people getting out on the water," Roy said.
Sizemore explained Lake Norman is a great attraction for tournaments because the state has started stocking it with largemouth bass.
"Bass fisherman love great, big fish so that brings more people right here to Lake Norman," Sizemore said. "So, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is doing a really good job overseeing the lake."
He predicts as the bass get bigger with age, so will the town’s economy.
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