A high school junior who lives on the outskirts of Rochester, N.Y., has nominated Homer as the Ultimate Fishing Town, after reading a story in the Democrat and Chronicle, her hometown newspaper.

In an email to the Homer News, Mallory Mintz wrote: “I’m very excited to nominate Homer for this fishing town contest … I really think you guys have a chance at winning.”

The story which inspired Mallory to nominate Homer reads in part: “WFN’s third annual Ultimate Fishing Town contest is under way, a chance for any town in the United States or Canada to earn a $25,000 community donation toward a fishing-related cause, along with the prestige and bragging rights that come with the title. …

“The nomination process runs through April 15. Go to www.ultimatefishingtown.com to nominate a town. If a town is already nominated, it can receive additional support through more comments, photos and videos.”

In nominating Homer for the contest, she wrote: 

I’m not an Alaska native; I’m from upstate New York — right on Lake Ontario — but I consider the fishing hole at the awe-inspiring Homer to be one of the best places to fish in the country.

It’s actually a man-made lakelet, which is stocked every year with silver, pink and king salmon, which, when they eventually return from their lagoon-hiatus, are ready to be caught by sport fisherman.

I’ve heard Homer described as a drinking town with a fishing problem. But I don’t think it’s really that big of a problem, now is it?

Mallory, who has visited Homer, attends Allendale Columbia School. As she thinks about college, she writes she is reflecting on her passion for being in the outdoors with her interest in environmentalism, which she hopes to make her career.