Fishing is big business in New York state, any way you look at it. Too bad the people running the I Love New York Division of Tourism have a hard time understanding that, but that's another story. In the meantime, Empire State Lake Ontario Promotions — the organization that runs the Lake Ontario Counties (LOC) Trout and Salmon Derby each spring and fall — has released some enlightening economic data from its 2005 Fall Derby.

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It's important to note that the derby has never conducted an economic impact survey for their fall event. Previously, only the spring derby participants were queried. As we've noted in this column before, Niagara County owns the spring event thanks to the Niagara River and the strength of our spring fishery.

The fall event, now that's a different animal entirely. It was difficult to predict what would happen. However, once the numbers came in, Niagara County was only a few percentage points behind Oswego County and home to the main fish hatchery for the lake at the Salmon River.

Last year's fall derby recorded a total of 5,701 participants, quite impressive. Direct revenue generated by anglers during the 18-day event in the seven-county region of the lake was $2.8 million. Of this total, $1.9 million was designated a true tourist dollars — money generated from outside the counties and brought into the lake-shore communities. Derby anglers spent an average of nearly $500 to participate in the derby.

Of the county breakdowns, Oswego County led the charge with 32 percent of the anglers and total revenue of roughly $900,000. When you factor in the economic impact, the derby meant roughly $2.1 million to this popular east end county. For Niagara County, 28 percent of the anglers translated into roughly $800,000 in revenue and an impact of better than $1.8 million to the county. That's no small potatoes!

According to Dave Chilson, president of ESLO Promotions, last fall's derby saw 32 different states represented. Dates for this year's fall contest are Aug. 18 to Sept. 4.