2019 Pan Am Bass Championship Comes to Cornwall

Cornwall Ontario – Many of the world’s best anglers will be in Cornwall for the 2019 Pan American Bass Championship from October 15th to 19th inclusive. The unique event is being organized by the Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association (CSIA) in conjunction with the Canadian Sport Fishing League (CFSL).

The 2019 Pan American Bass Championship is an international fishing tournament that will see the top competitive anglers from Canada, First Nations, United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and possibly other countries of the Americas, visiting the Cornwall region in search of big bass. This will be the first-ever Pan Am Bass Championship to be held on Canadian water and land, and it will be the starting point for the Canadian International Sportfishing Association.

This year’s event will be known officially as the Cornwall SDG Counties Pan American Bass Championship. Competition will take place on the section of the St. Lawrence River called Lake St. Francis. Anglers will practice fish on Wednesday, October 16th with the official competition taking place on Thursday, October 17th and Friday, October 18th. (See full itinerary below)

Television fishing celebrity Bob Izumi, who has captained Team Canada in previous Pan Am tournaments held in other countries, says that the Cornwall SDG Counties region was his first choice when considering where to hold this historic event in Canada.

“Lake St. Francis is a world-class fishery for a number of species of fish,” states Izumi. “The numbers of big smallmouth and largemouth bass as well as all of the amenities Cornwall & SDG Counties have to offer make this the perfect venue for the Pan American Bass Championship.”

The event is sponsored by Cornwall Tourism and SDG Counties in conjunction with the Partnership Fund of Regional Tourism Organization 9, an initiative to build and introduce new tourism products and experiences in eastern Ontario. The Pan American Bass Championship is also being supported by the new Cornwall Tourism Development Fund. For more information on the Cornwall Tourism Development Fund, please click here.

Team Canada Qualifier Results

Thirteen 2-person teams competed on Lake St. Francis on Tuesday, August 27th and Wednesday, August 28th to determine the top 7 teams that will join Bob and Darren Izumi to represent Canada at the Cornwall SDG Counties Pan American Bass Championship in October. The teams and their 2-day weights (maximum 5 bass per day) are as follows:

1. Andy Kinstler & Scott Lecky 44.60 pounds
2. Rob Lee & David Chong 43.20 pounds
3. Robert MacMillan & Ryan Flaro 43.04 pounds
4. Matt Massey & Robert Greenburg 42.70 pounds
5. Stephen & Phil Hegarty 42.38 pounds
6. Nicolas Gendron & Jason Gramada 41.98 pounds
7. Brian Hughes & Anaise Chaves 40.26 pounds
Bob and Darren Izumi received a bye at the qualifier and will lead Team Canada in October

Volunteer and Sponsorship Opportunities

There are sponsorship opportunities for the Cornwall SDG Counties Pan American Bass Championship in October and there is also a need for volunteers to assist during the event as scrutineers and boat drivers. For more information, please contact Mike Melnik at mike@impactcom.ca or 888-296-8978 (office) or 705-931-3282 (cell).

About Lake St. Francis

Lake St. Francis is a multi-species fishery with an abundance of smallmouth and largemouth bass. Twenty to twenty-five pound five fish limits are common on this fertile section of the river. There’s more than 40 miles of fishable water for the anglers to explore.

About the 2019 Pan American Bass Championship

All Pan American countries have been invited to enter from one to eight pairs (teams of two). This historical event will be the starting point for the Canadian International Sportfishing Association and will be an exciting challenge for all the anglers from the Americas. There are currently 41 nations participating in the Pan American Games.

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