MALONE -- Malone will host the fourth-annual Hendrickson Hatch Fly Fishing Tournament the weekend of May 31 through June 1.

This community-sponsored event evolved in spring 2005 with hopes of drawing attention to one of the North Country's most productive streams: the Salmon River.

The event's success over the past three years has demonstrated that this river is one of New York state's finest trout-fishing streams.

Flowing north through Franklin County, the Salmon River drains the foothills of the Adirondacks, winding much of its way through the town and village of Malone before eventually dumping into the St. Lawrence River.

"This is just a fantastic river," said local guide and committee member John Miletich. "If weather and water conditions are right, we'll have some good action. Strong hatches. Lots of browns, rainbows and brook trout. Some good-sized fish, too."

Tournament registration will run from 8 until 9:45 a.m. at North Country Community College's Ballard Mill campus. Fishing will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 31, and ends at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 1.

The registration fee is $30 for adults and $15 for children 12 and under. All proceeds for the tournament will go to the Malone Revitalization Foundation for continued enhancement of the Salmon River.

An awards ceremony and chicken and ribs barbeque will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon at Ballard Mill campus. Plaques will be awarded to the top three winning fishermen based on the total number of inches accumulated. A plaque will also be awarded to the angler with the largest trout landed and released. Every participant will be entered in a drawing for the chance to win miscellaneous door prizes.

Brookfield Power has made a generous cash donation, which in part will be used to stock a significant number of rainbow trout in the Salmon River. Some of the donated funds will also be used for long-term river projects such of cleanup efforts and run-off control.

The Hendrickson Hatch Fly Fishing Tournament is a catch-and-release buddy tournament. Interested anglers may contact John Miletich at 483-6333 to register or for additional information.