Tournament Angling in Wisconsin: The Economic Impact of Bass, Salmon and Walleye Fishing Tournaments on Host Communities

This study investigated the economic impacts of tournament angling, specifically bass, salmon and walleye fishing tournaments on host communities in the state of Wisconsin.
Fifteen salmon, bass, and walleye tournaments were surveyed throughout the summer of 2014 to determine dollar values associated with each tournament. Tournament anglers were asked to share information on their spending habits throughout their stay in the community hosting the event. Anglers were asked to report their expenditures in nine main sectors: housing, grocery stores, restaurants, automobile transportation, boat operation, fishing equipment, boat launch fees, entrance or parking fees, and entertainment.
Total median spending amounts for the bass, salmon, and walleye tournaments surveyed were $555, $371 and $1,562 respectively. Housing accounted for bass anglers’ largest expenditure with a median value at $150 and a maximum value at $1,800. Salmon anglers’ largest expenditure was boat operation with a median value at $100 and a maximum value at $1,700. Walleye anglers
spent the most money overall with their largest expenditure also being housing with a median value of $400 and a maximum value of $1,500.