At Edenton’s Waterfront Park, the Major League Fishing tournament was thumping to a climax as a country western band belted out another tune with a baseline folks could feel in the parking lot.
Fans in lawn chairs sat next to a Bass Pro Shops NASCAR racer listening to the music while a couple of men listened to the sales pitch at the Air Force recruiting tent.
Food vendors were selling Mexican food and barbecue sandwiches while fishing fans kicked the tires on a pickup truck guaranteed to get a fisherman to where the bass were.
More than 200 bass fishing fans milled around as the tension mounted. Somebody would go home with $100,000, a professional fisherman doing what almost every guy in a lawn chair dreamed of doing for fun: reeling in one of North America’s best freshwater fighting fish, the large-mouth bass.
That someone turned to be Drew Gill, a 22-year-old tour rookie from Mount Carmel, Illinois, who won the championship round of the tournament on Sunday by reeling in 10 bass totaling 31 pounds, 12 ounces in just under two hours.
Major League Fishing hosts bass fishing tournaments nationwide and 17 international competitions. The Bass Pro Tour, MLF’s highest level of competition, came to Edenton last week for six days of professional freshwater fishing at the highest level, a catch-and-release fishing tournament with a national audience on the Discovery Channel and enough prize money to tempt 80 fishermen into going pro and hitting the circuit.
During the week of competition, the field of competitors was whittled down from 80 to 20 based on the weight of their catch. Ten competed in Sunday’s championship round won by Gill.
Michael Malone, a media relations representative for Major League Fishing, said Edenton was selected for the U.S. Air Force Stage Five at the Chowan River fishing tournament because of its healthy stocks of large bass and miles of scenic shoreline.
“We are always looking for new destinations to host our events. We go to the best lakes and rivers around the country, but this is the first time that Edenton and the Chowan River have hosted a professional-level tournament,” he said. “We are so excited to be here, and we are really impressed not only with the fishery but also with the community and everything that’s offered. It’s been just a fantastic week here.”
Malone said about 80 anglers competed in the U.S. Air Force Stage Five tournament, with more than 100 crew, camera people, and support staff working to film the event.
“The teams are here, and then our sponsors are here, too,” Malone said. “They are all spending a few days in the Edenton area. They are spending money, eating at restaurants, staying in hotels, and putting money into the economy. It’s a significant bump for the economy because you know that many people, a couple of hundred, are coming for the better part of a week.”
Edenton Town Manager Corey Gooden said having an event like Major League Fishing come to town is important for cementing the town’s reputation as a tourist destination.
“Regardless of the event, we all want people to come, enjoy, and experience all Edenton offers,” Gooden said. “This event helped us to branch out in the recro-tourism market that we haven’t focused on before.”
Ches Chesson, director of Destination Downtown Edenton, said officials will be crunching tourism numbers from the event for a while. Still, he said the initial business reaction has been favorable, with most downtown businesses showing an uptick. He said that the hospitality industry showed the highest rise in business.
Chesson said that a strong downtown is important for all economic sectors.
“A strong downtown is key to a healthy economy throughout the county,” he said. “The location of downtown Edenton, nestled in the heart of the Inner Banks, also highlights the natural beauty of our region, which has brought many residents and visitors to fall in love with our area. We’re always happy to share the natural beauty and rich history of Edenton and Chowan County.”
While Gill took home $100,000 for winning the tournament, the focus was still on the bass he and other anglers caught.
“Bass is the Great American fish,” Malone said. “It’s prevalent in the majority of the lower 48 states. But it is predominant in the Southeast. It’s a game fish; people don’t really eat bass. It’s all about the sport of catching it.”
For that reason, MLF has insisted on returning the bass to the river so they can live to fight another day. Officials ride along on every boat and film the catch. Fishermen are penalized if they drop the fish in the boat or take too long, returning it to the wild after weighing it.
With significant prize money on the line, security is also an issue. Last year, a national scandal erupted at another fishing tournament when one crew stuffed their catch with lead sinkers. The officials ride along to ensure prompt weight, safe release, and fair competition. Fandom polygraph tests of the anglers also keep the tournament honest. After 20 years of competition, Major League Fishing is proud of its reputation.
Asked about his impression of Edenton after a week in the town, Malone was more than satisfied.
“I love it here. It’s a beautiful town,” he said. “I’ve been very fortunate to travel around the country and see some very big cities, small cities, and quaint towns. The people here are incredibly warm and welcoming.
“They really opened their arms to us and made us feel really welcome because we’re away from our families right now,” he continued. “The city is absolutely beautiful. The history here is great.
“I’m a house guy. I drove around the last couple of days just looking at the beautiful houses here. This is a great town; they should be very proud of what they have here. I hope we can come back,” Malone said.
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