For Immediate Release:
Contact: Adam Starr, Show Manager (616) 447-2860 or (800) 328-6550
Henri Boucher, Show Producer (616) 447-2860 or (800) 328-6550
What makes for the “ultimate” fishing seminar program?
Twenty-five speakers, 5 stages and 135 non-stop seminars
- All seminars are free with admission
- The nation’s leading experts share tips and tactics
- Fee-based “Super Clinics” are weekend features
NOVI– There’s a reason they call it the Ultimate Fishing Show–-Detroit. When the doors open for Michigan’s biggest all-angling show, January 7 to 10 at Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, 25 top-ranked anglers become teachers.
The experts, including many Michigan stars, will lead a record 135 non-stop seminars on five stages to share their wealth of knowledge for catching everything from bass to bluegills.
Whether you’re a worm-dunking beginner or a sophisticated fly fisher, the seminars, clinics and demonstrations—all free with admission—will increase your understanding of how fish live in their specialized habitats, what they eat, and how to catch them under all conditions.
The “Who’s Who of Expert Anglers” includes Kalamazoo’s Kevin VanDam, America’s hottest bass fisherman; Ohio’s Joe Thomas, one of the nation’s top smallmouth experts: and Mark Martin, veteran pro walleye angler from Twin Lake, Michigan.
“Each year our goal is to pack the stages with the best and brightest fishermen in the business,” said Adam Starr, Show Manager. “Kevin VanDam, for example, has passed $3 million in earnings. He’s mobbed everywhere he goes and is all but impossible to book these days. But every year we’ve been able to bring Kevin to Novi for an exclusive appearance, and every year it’s standing room only.”
VanDam was the 2001 and 2005 BASSMASTER Classic tournament champion, long considered the nation’s top honor for professional fishermen. In 2009 he earned national Angler of the Year honors for an unprecedented five times. Patrons and fans can “catch” his “Ultimate Bass Fishing Presentation” on Lake Ultimate on Friday and Saturday.
The most popular stage at the huge show is Lake Ultimate, a 110,000-gallon indoor lake where speakers deliver real time, on-the-water demonstrations from fully equipped fishing boats. No other sport show venue in the nation has a seminar platform like Lake Ultimate, which will be stocked with live rainbow trout.
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New speaker Chris LeMessurier, for example, will use Lake Ultimate to demonstrate fishing methods from a kayak. Lake Ultimate is sponsored by Quality Mark, Inc., the Minnesota manufacturer of Rope-A-Boat, an innovative way for anglers to individually launch and load their boats. Patrons will enjoy live demonstrations.
Lake Ultimate is also the platform for walleye expert Lance Valentine and northern Michigan inland lakes guide David Rose, a perch and panfish specialist.
Other new speakers include Richard Holm, a Great Lakes trout and salmon expert, who will explain “Exploring Lure Color Above and Below Water.” Scott Shelagowski offers new techniques for catching river steelhead, and Mike Veine, a charter captain and outdoor writer from Chelsea, shares tactics for “Salmon Fishing from Small Boats” and also divulges “Great Lakes Hotspots.”
Canadian guide Jon Bondy, who has helped clients boat more than 5,000 muskies from Lake St. Clair, offers new seminars on how to catch the toothy predators, along with methods for taking bass and walleye.
The National Bass Anglers Association is sending a large contingent of pro staffers, including many new faces to Detroit, to help educate novice and veteran anglers alike. Don Watts, the NBAA National Points Champion, will explain jerkbait and drop shotting tactics, along with seasonal patterns for catching more bass. Paul Cowen unlocks fishing secrets from southeast Michigan lakes. John Gore shares new tips for rigging baits from his Rig-it-Board next to the seminar stage. Other speakers include local pros Dan Kimmel, Rich Kelley, Andrew Smith, Pete Lusis, Scott Tyrell, Ben Felton and Andrew Solomon.
Also invited to share their secrets for catching walleye, pike, muskie, trout, salmon, steelhead and panfish are many other local guides, whom area anglers rely on to show them when, where and how to catch these and other game fish. Here are the other scheduled speakers:
Walleye: Mark Romanack and Captain Joe Raymer
Bass: Wayne Carpenter, Gerry Gostenik and Captain Doug Samsal
Salmon/Steelhead: Captains Jerry Lee, Chip Cartwright and Jay Frolenko
Muskie: Captains Mike Pittiglio and Don Miller, plus Fishing Hall of Famer, Bob Brunner
Flyfishing: Colton Bay Outfitters guides and experts
Rivers: specialist Jim Bedford
Romanack, a trolling expert and book author from Tustin, near Cadillac, will lead the Walleye Super Clinic along with special guest Eric Olson on Saturday. It’s an intensive two-hour-long super seminar limited to 100 students who pay $25 each. Each “student” gets a goody bag filled with sponsor products worth two to three times the seminar fee.
Dave Engel and Bill Bale, who have won nearly every Lake Michigan trout and salmon tournament in recent years, will host a similar fee-based Salmon Super Clinic on Sunday. As with the Walleye Super Clinic, students can sign up at the show.
For the full seminar schedule, go to www.UltimateFishingShow.com.
Show Hours are Thursday, January 7, from 2 to 9:30; Friday, from Noon to 9:30; Saturday, 10 to 9; and Sunday, 10 to 5. Tickets are $10 for adults and $4 for children 6 to 14. Kids 5 and under get in free. For more information, call 800-328-6550 or go to www.UltimateFishingShow.com.
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