St. Lawrence County's hotels, motels and inns are already getting a nibble from fishermen who plan to participate in the region's first youth carp fishing tournament, scheduled for August.

"That's the only special event right now. The only time we get bookings that far in advance is with the graduations in Potsdam and Canton, and that's in May," said Elke Thompson, manager of the Econo Lodge in Massena. The St. Lawrence International Junior Carp Tournament is expected to attract 300 participants ages 11 through 18.

The event should reel in up to 1,150 people, considering that parents will have to accompany the youths, said Debbie A. Christy, owner of Canton's Travel Unlimited.

Four weeks ago, Travel Unlimited started booking rooms for fishermen at 29 bed-and-breakfast establishments in St. Lawrence County and other inns for the Aug. 19 to 23 event.

The tourism agency has so far booked up to 75 rooms for people who on average will stay in the north county for 10 days.

With carp fishing being a very popular sport in Europe, Ms. Christy said, many of the reservations are coming from people overseas.

Travel Unlimited also handles hotel reservations for Clarkson University, Potsdam, when it holds large technology conferences.

"It used to be we sent people out of the area. Now we're bringing them here," she said.

Mrs. Thompson said the 45-unit Econo Lodge has had 10 rooms booked for the carp tournament.

Jerry E. Laramay, carp fishing guide and owner of the 14-unit Lakeview Motel and Apartments in Louisville, said reservations for the summer at this point are up 75 percent from a year ago. "We're trying to give as much of the county as we can a share of the business," Ms. Christ said.