Thoughts on the Ultimate fishing show

[WALLEYE MIKE]

Like a kid in a candy store. I just can't get enough!!

One exceptional value I found was Lance Valentines seminars video's. They are $5 apiece or a set of 7 for $25. I just watched the sonar seminar and for those who want to learn how to interpret your sonar, it is money well spent. I'm sure the other seminars are just as good.

While there I saw and talked to Mushy1, Muskybob, Ninja, Mark Romanak and his cameraman (Blueump from this site) Alex V and Paul Driggers from LSCWA and a few others I knew. Could have spent all day there.

Lots of decent bargains to be had. I got my usual supply of new harness blades (fish catching blades) and The new Precision trolling book for $40 (pro edition) some other odds and ends.

[alex-v]

Crowds should be down today even though the snow depths along 96 will not be as bad as the "doom and gloom" reporters on the TV news are making them out to be.

[ESOX]

Crowds should be down today even though the snow depths along 96 will not be as bad as the "doom and gloom" reporters on the TV news are making them out to be.
I'll be there. Leaving the house at 8:30. Stop for steak and eggs. Hit the show about 10. Plunder the goodies.

[alex-v]

I was going to be there most of the day but now it is time to get prepped for another bout of snow plowing.

[shametamer]

Like a kid in a candy store. I just can't get enough!!

One exceptional value I found was Lance Valentines seminars video's. They are $5 apiece or a set of 7 for $25. I just watched the sonar seminar and for those who want to learn how to interpret your sonar, it is money well spent. I'm sure the other seminars are just as good.

While there I saw and talked to Mushy1, Muskybob, Ninja, Mark Romanak and his cameraman (Blueump from this site) Alex V and Paul Driggers from LSCWA and a few others I knew. Could have spent all day there.

Lots of decent bargains to be had. I got my usual supply of new harness blades (fish catching blades) and The new Precision trolling book for $40 (pro edition) some other odds and ends.

geez mike i was expecting you to be leading the seminars!;)..interpreting sonar..EASY//getting trophy fish on HOOK be tough:yikes:..next 12 pound walleye u see..lemme at her i need to put pressure on SFW!!!!:mischeif://hey isn't that tracker of yours about ready to be replaced with new guide boat?

[WALLEYE MIKE]

geez mike i was expecting you to be leading the seminars!;)..interpreting sonar..EASY//getting trophy fish on HOOK be tough:yikes:..next 12 pound walleye u see..lemme at her i need to put pressure on SFW!!!!:mischeif://hey isn't that tracker of yours about ready to be replaced with new guide boat?

If I had your money Bill, I'd get a new one every year!:lol:

Picked up the seminar DVD's to see if I can pick up a tip or two. Never stop learning or trying something different.

[ESOX]

OOPS I knew I didn't want to stop at the boats.
That Crestliner Canadian was sweet. No carpet, a nice washable slip resistant finish on the decks. Good darn thing they don't make them in a 20'.:lol:

I got out of there after spending only 20 bucks or so. I have come to the brutal realization I have everything I could possibly need for any fishing scenario ever presented be it fly, casting hardware, trolling.. Now it's just replacing lures as they are lost and reels as they wear out. Kinda takes all the fun out of shows.:dizzy:

[shametamer]

hey u see tracker is not producing the tundra line in 09?....Mike if i had your walleye winnings and expertise i'd be rollin up to the launch in my escalade and launching one of those 45 to 60 thousand dollar jobs....Hey paul did freeway sports have the 19 foot polarkraft there? 200 yammie ,kicker, trolling motor ,fishheads graphics on the side?......lament..it is awful isn't it paul? when you realize there is not a lot new you can buy...lol:(........i have to drive to milwaukee next weekend for the showspan show there..they have the 2 boat lines i am particularily interested in..plus grady whites!..hopefully i'll run into zob zob......

[ManxFishing]

I went today
My thoughts were
There really wasn't much to buy or any bargins.
(I went there after trolling rods, glow beads and inline sinkers and hopefully the missing parts for the network on the boat.)
Walked away with nothing.
there were allot of nice boats, more then half of the show

Next year I'll save the 10 bucks

[ESOX]

they have the 2 boat lines i am particularily interested in..plus grady whites!.

Grady? No tin??? I have been looking at those darn glass things myself. Gradys are still built like tanks. Makos have gotten worse than cheaply built since Tracker bought them. I could easily punch my hand through the hull on their 18' CC.

I dunno, I am trying to find just the right boat. Well, I found the right boat, but daaaaang now I need to find the right used one new = ($$$$$$:yikes::dizzy:). Some day I'll be pimpin in the right LTS.

[Down Lowe]

I thought the show was great this year. I spent more time talking to the folks at the booths and will make sure to do that from now on - there is a lot of good information and relationships to be built.

I picked an assortment of harness components. Couldn't pass up the Frank's trolling combo for $40 - picked up two.

I was very impressed with the inline sinkers that Pro Choice Fishing had. I also liked his blades.

I was disappointed in the shore lunch -

The team Xtreme Bass Tackle knows how to market - start putting names like St. Clair goby and Erie crayfish on things and they all of sudden become must haves!

Also, a tip I learned a couple of years ago - don't be afraid to bargain a little. I picked up my boat at the show a couple of years ago for many thousands less than the "show price"

Have fun!

[Capnhook]

Walleye Mike, I was a little skeptical of Lance Valentine, and the blue shirted Valentinos, that follow him around like disciples, but I went to one of his seminars yesterday, and all I can say is WOW!. After the seminar I went directly to his booth and purchased the same discs as you. That guy is a sonar/GPS wizard!!! I'm also going to his seminars at Freeway up by Fenton, in Feb.. Had a great time, and won't miss this show next year. Capnhook

[WALLEYEvision]

...I'm also going to his seminars at Freeway up by Fenton, in Feb.. Had a great time, and won't miss this show next year. Capnhook

Any dates set in February yet? I picked up a couple of his CD's last year and found them to be real informative!

[Capnhook]

WALLEYEvision, his seminars are held for 6 consecutive weeks, on the same weekday, each week, from 6-9pm. The first dates at each location are as follows: Freeway in Fenton - Monday Feb.16th, Gander Novi Tuesday - Feb 17th, KD Outdoors Waterford Wednesday - Feb. 18th, Valley Farms Baptist Church - Lansing(US 27 + State Rd.) - Thurs. Feb. 19th. The best part is, THEY ARE FREE!! Capnhook

[10 ring]

I thought the show was good. I needed stuff this year so I really looked for deals. The best deal I found was Accudepths 47lc for $45 I spent my share of $$$ and I forgot to get the trolling guide. Oh well I can find that eleswhere.

[Blueump]

Like a kid in a candy store. I just can't get enough!!

One exceptional value I found was Lance Valentines seminars video's. They are $5 apiece or a set of 7 for $25. I just watched the sonar seminar and for those who want to learn how to interpret your sonar, it is money well spent. I'm sure the other seminars are just as good.

While there I saw and talked to Mushy1, Muskybob, Ninja, Mark Romanak and his cameraman (Blueump from this site) Alex V and Paul Driggers from LSCWA and a few others I knew. Could have spent all day there.

Lots of decent bargains to be had. I got my usual supply of new harness blades (fish catching blades) and The new Precision trolling book for $40 (pro edition) some other odds and ends.

It was great meeting you Mike! You look much better in person than your avatar!:corkysm55

And in case anybody thinks they missed it...Mark has extended the $10 off "show special" on the Precision Trolling Pro Edition to his website www.precisionangling.com! You can pick them up there for the same $40.

[thedude]

made the trek over on sat with a buddy. Had a good time catching up with some of my east side friends whom i ran into - but other than that i was somewhat unimpressed. Everyone made it out to be this big fantastic show and i think the GR show is at least as big if not maybe bigger! A couple booths had some really good deals on rods and reels and it was nice to catch up with the guys at Nemesis and Xtreme tackle - they brought some sweet new colors that i'll have to get my hands on before spring. Positive news was a few of these guys told me they sold more during this show than ever before.. so I'm really happy to see some of the "little guys" doing well in economic times like these.

[WALLEYE MIKE]

It was great meeting you Mike! You look much better in person than your avatar!:corkysm55

And in case anybody thinks they missed it...Mark has extended the $10 off "show special" on the Precision Trolling Pro Edition to his website www.precisionangling.com! You can pick them up there for the same $40.

Yup, I got one, even tho I already have the 8th edition. Now I can keep one in each boat. Excellent reference for trolling.


Yeah, that picture is about 7 years old. Us old guys get better with age.:lol:

[frenchriver1]

The show was great this year, and more boats that ever before, as I remember it. Apparently no one told the marinas that there are hard economic times out there. Wouldn't want to have been the guys out there collecting the parking tolls, brrrrrr. Shall check out the Lansing and
GR shows in March...

[Falco]

I picked up a bunch of Nils Master lures in 8cm and 12cm. Gonna give them a try this year hand lining.

Show was great, some of the best deals on tackle I have ever seen.

[alex-v]

Had a good time catching up with some of my east side friends whom i ran into - but other than that i was somewhat unimpressed. Everyone made it out to be this big fantastic show and i think the GR show is at least as big if not maybe bigger!
The Grand Rapids show is a different show entirely. As far as the Novi show goes it was what each person made it to be. Plenty of deals were there but maybe not what someone was looking. This does not make it a bad show.

More fishing stuff than last year. But, I do not think that visitors were spending disposable income this year at the same rate as last year.

[alex-v]

I went today
My thoughts were
There really wasn't much to buy or any bargins.
(I went there after trolling rods, glow beads and inline sinkers and hopefully the missing parts for the network on the boat.)
Again, I guess it depends on what you make of the show.

Plenty of bargains on rods and on reels and it was a great time to get the third combo for the new 3 rod limit coming April 1st.

As for the glow beads I made a point of checking when I went back on Sunday and saw about 6 different shades of glow beads available at D&B Tackle. You can check out their website:
http://www.dbfishing.com/

Also deals on Original/Floater Rapalas in size #7 & #9 at about $3.99 each which is cheaper than the wholesalers 2009 price. Deals on trolling spoons for Walleye, Salmon and Steelhead. Found a couple of good prices on knives and on knife sharpeners.

Speaking of beads there were several vendors with beads in every imaginable color. And, blades of all sizes (but I could tell that Saginaw Bay and Lake Erie were getting to be popular destinations) even some Fishlander blades.

[bigshot846]

i wasn't too impressed with the show being from chicago im use to the rosemont show that is roughly 2ce the size, i think they needed more tackle vendors and less boats

[thedude]

The Grand Rapids show is a different show entirely. As far as the Novi show goes it was what each person made it to be. Plenty of deals were there but maybe not what someone was looking. This does not make it a bad show.

More fishing stuff than last year. But, I do not think that visitors were spending disposable income this year at the same rate as last year.

didn't say it was bad, just didn't live up to the hype that i had heard about it.
Also - one of the vendors i know set his all time sales record on friday so that is great news!

[ManxFishing]

Alex-V

I didn't see D&B there?
I did end up up ordering from them over the weekend
(I think I bought 5 of the glow colors) at .80 for a 100 there a bargin

[WALLEYE MIKE]

Alex-V

I didn't see D&B there?
I did end up up ordering from them over the weekend
(I think I bought 5 of the glow colors) at .80 for a 100 there a bargin

D&B was definitely was there. I went there twice.

[ManxFishing]

D&B was definitely was there. I went there twice.

Ok,
I might have been rushed thru the show
I went with a friend that I bass fish with and his 2 kids.

Maybe next year I'll go by myself and take my time and hit the seminars.:)

[Blueump]

Maybe next year I'll go by myself and take my time and hit the seminars.:)

Speaking of seminars...I'm trying to brainstorm ideas on seminar topics that you would like to hear. I'm wide open for ideas here:

We did Saginaw Bay walleyes on crankbaits this time...what other things would you guys want to hear about?

[alex-v]

D&B was definitely was there. I went there twice.
Me too. And found something to buy each time. If I had gone there a third time I would have found still more.

[john warren]

thats what i kept telling them,,, stop putting that stupid carlet in their unless their willing to clean up the squished crawlers and minnows....
i enjoyed this years show more then i have others in the past. saw a lot of stuff,, learned quite a bit. and enjoyed the people watching.OOPS I knew I didn't want to stop at the boats.
That Crestliner Canadian was sweet. No carpet, a nice washable slip resistant finish on the decks. Good darn thing they don't make them in a 20'.:lol:

I got out of there after spending only 20 bucks or so. I have come to the brutal realization I have everything I could possibly need for any fishing scenario ever presented be it fly, casting hardware, trolling.. Now it's just replacing lures as they are lost and reels as they wear out. Kinda takes all the fun out of shows.:dizzy:

[Hunt4Ever]

Speaking of seminars...I'm trying to brainstorm ideas on seminar topics that you would like to hear. I'm wide open for ideas here:

We did Saginaw Bay walleyes on crankbaits this time...what other things would you guys want to hear about?


You guys should get together with the Walleye 101 group and do some shows. I've been on a few Trophy Hunts and they are great! Lance should be able to provide hours of material. I have learned more from Lance than any other fisherman out there. Mark's book is great and Lance talks about it all the time. Seems like it would work out for both of you.

[ManxFishing]

Speaking of seminars...I'm trying to brainstorm ideas on seminar topics that you would like to hear. I'm wide open for ideas here:

We did Saginaw Bay walleyes on crankbaits this time...what other things would you guys want to hear about?

Would love to hear more about trolling inline sinkers and BB's
I have the Precision trolling 8th edition and the Pro Edition
I understand the 50/50 with snap weights and the dive chart for BP keel sinkers.
But I'm a little fuzzy on inline and BB's with spinners
Mark's made it so easy to troll every thing else. I'd love to hear what he has to say about them.