STORY:
Dropping The Walleye on New Year's Eve

Port Clinton, Ohio, celebrates in a fishy fashion

A tiny fishing village on lake Erie known as the "Walleye Capital of the World" will celebrate New Year's Eve in "fishy fashion." The resort community of Port Clinton, Ohio , will bring in the new milllenium by dropping a 20-foot fiberglass walleye in the town square at midnight.

Events begin at 11 p.m. with a stage show. At midnight, the walleye (more affectionately known as "Captain Wylie") descends upon more than 3,000 revelers. A fireworks show by the Zambelli Company will celebrate the Year 2000 over the Portage River.

Throughtout the evening, area restaurants will offer walleye specialties like walleye chowder and walleye bagels. Reservations are appreciated at most of the restaurants. Hotels in the area are offering New Year's packages with special amenities like late check-out times. Rooms are filling up quick, so the city's mayor recommends making reservations soon.

"Port Clinton is the place to be on December 31, 1999. Captain Wylie Walleye is definitely a symbol of our community. We can't think of a better way to usher in the millennium," said Mayor Tom Brown.

But why drop a fish? It's a natural choice for this community. Located on Lake Erie's Western Basin, Port Clinton and the nearby area house more than 16,000 docks and more than 1,000 U.S. Coast Guard licensed charter captains who fish the lake. Western Basin anglers harvested 77% of the lake's walleye in 1997. Fishing is a year-round sport, even attracting ice fishermen when the shallow Lake Erie waters freeze over in January, February and March.

DATE: 11/29/99

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