NY Times Profiles Carp Fishing Tournament

Aug 23, 2004

Posted by: Melissa Anelli

Uncategorized

The New York Times reports today that 125 kids and teens attended the carp fishing tournament along the St. Lawrence River, even though Tom Felton, who’s post hosted the tournament last year, was unable to attend this year, because he’s filming on Goblet of Fire.

According to event organizers, in August 2002, Mr. Felton’s mother offered him a trip to anywhere in the world to celebrate the completion of filming of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” the second Harry Potter movie.
Tom chose eight days along the St. Lawrence River, an unspoiled haven for carp that is well known by Europeans but virtually unrecognized by Americans, who much prefer fishing for bass. Tom, 16, and his older brother, Chris Felton, fished night and day by a tent they pitched on the riverbank and caught an estimated 3,000 pounds of carp.

Karen St. Hilaire, the executive director of the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, was urged by a local fishing guide to visit the Felton brothers. Ms. St. Hilaire knew carp would sometimes show up at the end of a hook, but she saw no reason to try to catch one on purpose. “It’s a big ugly fish,” she said.

Tom agreed to sponsor a junior tournament. Last year’s tournament, the first, drew 100 children.

Registration at the Times’ site is required, but free.





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