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Prior to the formation of OVF&HA, a group of local Town of Otselic
residents got together to plan the first Fishing Heritage Day, which was
held on Saturday, May 16, 2009 in the hamlet of South Otselic. After
four months of planning, and with the cooperative efforts of the NYS
Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) South Otselic Fish
Cultural Station and the Cortland office of the DEC, the Chenango Valley
Chapter of Trout Unlimited (TU), and area organizations and businesses,
a highly successful event took place.
In addition to exhibits in the fish hatchery, the employees conducted
tours of the facility and grounds, while the Cortland office employees
and TU volunteers conducted a series of fishing clinics for students of
all ages. The day before the event, the DEC stocked the nearby Otselic
River with Brown trout, as well as one of the ponds for use by the
clinic participants. Area sporting stores donated fishing related prizes
to clinic participants, and the local Gladding Braided Products company
(formerly the world renowned Gladding Fishing Line Company) donated
samples of their rope, while demonstrating one of their braiders using a
“hit ‘n miss” engine. Directly across the street from Gladding, in the
Town Park, numerous vendors displayed and sold crafts, artwork and
antiques, while three local organizations sold food and beverages. There
was also a live performance by one of South Otselic’s own musicians.
On the same day as the fishing heritage event, the Otselic Valley Grange
held their annual Garage Sale Day throughout the community and offered
their usual beef barbecue luncheon. Fortunately, the weather held,
despite the threat of rain nearly all day.
By day’s end, estimates of the fishing clinic participants climbed to
around 250, while the overall event attracted crowds estimated upwards
of 3,000.
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