March 2013 Newsletter
In This Edition
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Upcoming Meetings & Events
March Member-Guest Tournament - 3/23/2013
Registration deadline is 3/15. See the Club Website for more details.
April Club Meeting - 4/5/2013
Macky May will provide a overview on Spring-time night fishing as well as a brief cast-net throwing demonstration, and Mike Ward will give an update on the latest developments in the world of marine electronics that help to make our task in locating those elusive striper just a bit easier.
May Club Meeting - 5/2/2013
Watch this space for information on topics to be presented.
Smith Mountain Lake Clean-Up Day - 5/4/2013, 9am
As in the past, the Smith Mountain Striper Club will staff the Indian Point / Magnum Marina stations for the Lake Clean-up Effort. Cindy Turlington is leading our efforts for this lake-wide community activity. More details can be found on the TLAC Website.
May Member-Guest Tournament - 5/18/2013
Registration deadline is 5/11. See the Club Website for more details.
Freedom Alliance Event for our Wounded Heroes - May (tentative)
We will once again be posting a group of our nation's finest for a day of "escape" to the beautiful waters of Smith Mountain Lake. We are in the early stages of planning, but watch for more details on how you can get involved in this rewarding event.
Registration deadline is 3/15. See the Club Website for more details.
April Club Meeting - 4/5/2013
Macky May will provide a overview on Spring-time night fishing as well as a brief cast-net throwing demonstration, and Mike Ward will give an update on the latest developments in the world of marine electronics that help to make our task in locating those elusive striper just a bit easier.
May Club Meeting - 5/2/2013
Watch this space for information on topics to be presented.
Smith Mountain Lake Clean-Up Day - 5/4/2013, 9am
As in the past, the Smith Mountain Striper Club will staff the Indian Point / Magnum Marina stations for the Lake Clean-up Effort. Cindy Turlington is leading our efforts for this lake-wide community activity. More details can be found on the TLAC Website.
May Member-Guest Tournament - 5/18/2013
Registration deadline is 5/11. See the Club Website for more details.
Freedom Alliance Event for our Wounded Heroes - May (tentative)
We will once again be posting a group of our nation's finest for a day of "escape" to the beautiful waters of Smith Mountain Lake. We are in the early stages of planning, but watch for more details on how you can get involved in this rewarding event.
You can always check the latest calendar of Club events here.
From the Editor
Yes, this edition of the newsletter looks different yet again. It certainly looks different than our long-standing "bulletin" format, and a little different than our January newsletter. We are continuing to refine the format to optimize to one that is easier to create and publish and allows us to integrate the on-line content which is being published on the Club website (www.SmithMountainStriperClub.com) as well as in print format for those members without Internet access We will continue to fine-tune the format in order to provide you with important and interesting Club information in an easy to read format, but that is also manageable from a content creation perspective. We welcome any thoughts or feedback that you have on the direction we are going - good or bad. And, we also welcome anyone that would like to get involved in generating content for the newsletter - it can be as small as a fishing report, some pictures of a good trip (we LOVE pictures!) or as involved as you would like to be. If you would like to get involved, please contact me at mwardncsu@bellsouth.net or give him a call at 336-437-4114. Also, don't forget to check the Club Website, which is updated frequently throughout the month, as well as our Club Facebook page where late-breaking information is posted.
Mike Ward
Mike Ward
2013 Member-Guest Tournament Series
The Smith Mountain Striper Club is pleased to announce our plans for a series of tournaments in 2013. We will hold five Member/Guest tournaments with reduced entry fees compared to years past, and an overlying tournament series for those members wishing to engage in a year-long competition for ultimate bragging rights. This year's tournaments will feature multiple "classes" - an Artificial-only class, an "Open" class (artificial or live bait), and a Children's' class; and we are introducing a Catch-Photo-Release (CPR) model to be used in this year’s tournaments.
Based on member feedback, we will not be having cash payouts for placing, but will compete for the fun of individual bragging rights and plaques will be awarded to the top three places in each category. Tournament fees will be $5 for members, $10 for guest and free for children under 18. A member may have one guest participate in the tournament with them as well as any number of children. Each individual may participate in only one class. A "big fish" pot will be offered as an optional component, with 100% payout to the big-fish winner of each individual tournament.
Each tournament will be scored from total length of a 2-fish catch. Members will submit digital photos of their catches with an appropriate measuring device that shows the fish's length, along with a Tournament "Token Card" that shows the "token" for that specific tournament. Under the CPR tournament model, anglers will be able to submit fish inside the slot limit even when the slot is in effect. Anglers have the option to harvest fish within then current regulations should they desire. Two tournaments (in July & September) will be designated as "harvest tournaments" in order to collect fish for a Club fish-fry.
Based on member feedback, we will not be having cash payouts for placing, but will compete for the fun of individual bragging rights and plaques will be awarded to the top three places in each category. Tournament fees will be $5 for members, $10 for guest and free for children under 18. A member may have one guest participate in the tournament with them as well as any number of children. Each individual may participate in only one class. A "big fish" pot will be offered as an optional component, with 100% payout to the big-fish winner of each individual tournament.
Each tournament will be scored from total length of a 2-fish catch. Members will submit digital photos of their catches with an appropriate measuring device that shows the fish's length, along with a Tournament "Token Card" that shows the "token" for that specific tournament. Under the CPR tournament model, anglers will be able to submit fish inside the slot limit even when the slot is in effect. Anglers have the option to harvest fish within then current regulations should they desire. Two tournaments (in July & September) will be designated as "harvest tournaments" in order to collect fish for a Club fish-fry.
Measuring Device to be used by Tournament Series participants
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Token Card to be used by all participants
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The Tournament Series will be open to Club members only. The Series entry fee is $30, which is in addition to the individual tournament fees. The Series fee must be paid at the time of signing up for the series, while the individual tournament fees can be paid prior to the start of each individual tournament. Tournament Series participants will be issued an official measuring device which must be used, along with the Tournament "Token" card, in the measurement and photos of their submitted fish. The angler's two-fish total length from each individual tournament will be tallied and used to rank the anglers in the Tournament Series to determine the winners in each class. Winners of the Series will be announced at the annual Club Holiday Banquet.
Tournament Dates will be:
March 23 - Check-in @ Captain's Quarters
May 18 - Check-in location to be announced
July 20 - Check-in @ Captains Quarters – Designated Harvest Tournament
Sept 14 - Check-in @ Captains Quarters – Designated Harvest Tournament
Nov 2 - Check-in location to be announced
The deadline for registration for the March 23rd tournament is Friday, March 15th. Additional information, registration forms and tournament tokens (and measuring devices for Series participants) will be available at the March 1st Club meeting. We hope you will join us for one or all of the 2013 Tournaments!
Additional details and the full Official Tournament Rules will be published in the 2013 Tournament Rules and posted on the Club's website (http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/tournament-info.html) and the Club's Facebook page. Any questions can be directed to this year's tournament co-directors - Rick Boettcher (jrboettcher@cox.net; 540-761-3549) and Mark Melius (mytoyzfishing@gmail.com; 540-597-8710).
Tournament Dates will be:
March 23 - Check-in @ Captain's Quarters
May 18 - Check-in location to be announced
July 20 - Check-in @ Captains Quarters – Designated Harvest Tournament
Sept 14 - Check-in @ Captains Quarters – Designated Harvest Tournament
Nov 2 - Check-in location to be announced
The deadline for registration for the March 23rd tournament is Friday, March 15th. Additional information, registration forms and tournament tokens (and measuring devices for Series participants) will be available at the March 1st Club meeting. We hope you will join us for one or all of the 2013 Tournaments!
Additional details and the full Official Tournament Rules will be published in the 2013 Tournament Rules and posted on the Club's website (http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/tournament-info.html) and the Club's Facebook page. Any questions can be directed to this year's tournament co-directors - Rick Boettcher (jrboettcher@cox.net; 540-761-3549) and Mark Melius (mytoyzfishing@gmail.com; 540-597-8710).
Condolences
It is with sadness that we convey word of the passing of Club member Hank Pacey. The Smith Mountain Striper Club sends along our thoughts and prayers to his family. May they be comforted in this time of loss.
Brookneal Hatchery Update
Hopefully you will remember the issue which was brought to the Club's attention early in 2012 regarding the staffing situation at the Brookneal Hatchery where the striped bass fry which are destined for SML stocking are hatches and grown out. The retirement of the existing hatchery manager left DGIF with a vacancy, which at the time was not allowed to be filled due to a state-wide government hiring freeze. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Smith Mountain Striper Club, the SML Chamber of Commerce, TLAC and other area organizations, the Governor released the freeze on this, and several other positions within DGIF. While it has taken quite some time to fill the hatchery manager position, we are please to convey that this position has been filled as of the early part of this year.
At this time it is not clear if the hatchery will be on-line and running normal operations for the Spring 2013 hatching season, but certainly having the manager in place is a positive step. Club President, Joel Janecek, will be traveling to Richmond in the coming weeks to meet with Gary Martel of DGIF to discuss the hatchery situation as well as the overall outlook on the management of the striped bass fishery at Smith Mountain Lake, and ensure that our Club's voice is heard. If you have any questions or thoughts which you would like to be conveyed, please contact Joel in the coming days.
At this time it is not clear if the hatchery will be on-line and running normal operations for the Spring 2013 hatching season, but certainly having the manager in place is a positive step. Club President, Joel Janecek, will be traveling to Richmond in the coming weeks to meet with Gary Martel of DGIF to discuss the hatchery situation as well as the overall outlook on the management of the striped bass fishery at Smith Mountain Lake, and ensure that our Club's voice is heard. If you have any questions or thoughts which you would like to be conveyed, please contact Joel in the coming days.
President's Corner
I am excited, and that does not happen very often. The reason for my excitement is the start of our new Club tournament series. I usually do not fish tournaments because I fish for fun, and not for money. As a result, his new tournament series is just right for me. It will be a day of fun fishing, camaraderie at the weigh-in and a little excitement as the winners are announced. Don’t forget that the club IS NOT collecting fish after this tournament. The tournaments this year are "Catch, Photo & Release", and any fish you choose to harvest are yours to keep - just make sure you bring that high-quality picture of your two big fish on your measuring device to the check-in. There will be upcoming tournaments during the warm-weather months that we will designate as "harvest tournaments", where we will collect fish for a Club fish-fry.
I’m also excited because its Spring time! If you overlook the bit of snow and moderately cold weather the past few weeks, you’ll notice a definite improvement in the making. While I did fish through the Winter, I didn’t get out as much as last year or as much as I wanted. The bite was off a little bit but I still caught plenty of fish. I also discovered a little late that a blue back crankbait was the hot ticket.
If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to prep your boat and tackle for the coming season. Make sure all items are inspected, cleaned, and oiled as required. Preventive maintenance goes a long way. And be sure to double check all your safety gear. Life jackets, pumps, radios, first aid kits, whistles and throwables.
I also want to welcome our new member of the SMSC Board of Directors, Mark Melius. Mark was tending the tournament table at the March meeting. He and the whole committee expended a lot of time and energy putting the Tournament Series together, including the new measuring boards and tags. Welcome Mark!
Lastly I extend an apology from the Board for a small faux pas at the March meeting swap night. It seems as though no one remembered that it was a Friday during Lent. Maybe that’s why a lot of hot dogs were left over.
So get out there and fish.
Joel
I’m also excited because its Spring time! If you overlook the bit of snow and moderately cold weather the past few weeks, you’ll notice a definite improvement in the making. While I did fish through the Winter, I didn’t get out as much as last year or as much as I wanted. The bite was off a little bit but I still caught plenty of fish. I also discovered a little late that a blue back crankbait was the hot ticket.
If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to prep your boat and tackle for the coming season. Make sure all items are inspected, cleaned, and oiled as required. Preventive maintenance goes a long way. And be sure to double check all your safety gear. Life jackets, pumps, radios, first aid kits, whistles and throwables.
I also want to welcome our new member of the SMSC Board of Directors, Mark Melius. Mark was tending the tournament table at the March meeting. He and the whole committee expended a lot of time and energy putting the Tournament Series together, including the new measuring boards and tags. Welcome Mark!
Lastly I extend an apology from the Board for a small faux pas at the March meeting swap night. It seems as though no one remembered that it was a Friday during Lent. Maybe that’s why a lot of hot dogs were left over.
So get out there and fish.
Joel
Important Website Notice
During the month of March we will be changing the password for the Members-only content sections of the Club's website. An e-mail will be sent out with the new password to all members with current 2013 memberships, and this information will also be provided at our Club meetings. Should you have an issue accessing the Club website or the member-only content, please contact Mike Ward - mwardncsu@bellsouth.net or 336-437-4114.
Also, for those of you that are not aware - we have a Club Discussion forum that is an extension of our website. This discussion forum is for current Club members only and is used to distribute updated Club and Lake information, as well as intended to be a place that we can exchange information, fishing reports, tips & techniques or just generally kid around.
You can access the Club discussion forum via the Club website - http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/discussion-forum.html. You will have to register with a user name (you must use a user-name of the format FirstLast - i.e. JohnDoe). Sign up for the discussion forum and contribute to the discussion!
Also, for those of you that are not aware - we have a Club Discussion forum that is an extension of our website. This discussion forum is for current Club members only and is used to distribute updated Club and Lake information, as well as intended to be a place that we can exchange information, fishing reports, tips & techniques or just generally kid around.
You can access the Club discussion forum via the Club website - http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/discussion-forum.html. You will have to register with a user name (you must use a user-name of the format FirstLast - i.e. JohnDoe). Sign up for the discussion forum and contribute to the discussion!
Member Profile - Steve Nagel
I spent most of my life in South Florida and after 27 years as a police officer in Miami Beach, I retired and moved here in 2004. I was tired of the flat land, no seasons - except hot and hotter and way too many people. So we bought 14 acres in the Burnt Chimney area and built a house. We’re not on the lake, but there are 2 ponds in the neighborhood which are stocked with bass, crappie and bluegill. Our daughter graduated last year from Franklin Co. HS and is now attending Florida State University (Go ‘noles). I also have 2 grown sons and 3 grandsons who live out of state.
Growing up in the Miami area, it would have been unnatural not to fish. I started fishing for bluegills in the local canals and then moved on to saltwater species when my dad bought a boat when I was about 14. My favorite fishing is still probably the flats and mangrove shorelines of the gulf coast, one of the few things about Florida that I miss. The stripers have filled in nicely though, being a transplanted saltwater fish. I do occasionally fish for other species here, but 98% of the time it’s the stripers. When I’m not fishing I spend most of my time hanging around home with the family and hunting in the fall, and the other necessary things like mowing and home maintenance. I’ve also recently taken up making my own jig heads and bucktails which has been fun.
My first couple of years trying to catch stripers was spent trolling for them and for the most part unsuccessfully. I joined the Striper Club in 2007 after learning about it at one of the big bass tournaments. I learned a lot about stripers by attending the meetings, a lot more from hanging around after the meetings and listening and talking to others. I started helping out at the first meeting by helping put away the chairs afterwards and have continued to volunteer at most club functions, even serving on the board, which turned out to be a great way to make friends and fishing connections.
Growing up in the Miami area, it would have been unnatural not to fish. I started fishing for bluegills in the local canals and then moved on to saltwater species when my dad bought a boat when I was about 14. My favorite fishing is still probably the flats and mangrove shorelines of the gulf coast, one of the few things about Florida that I miss. The stripers have filled in nicely though, being a transplanted saltwater fish. I do occasionally fish for other species here, but 98% of the time it’s the stripers. When I’m not fishing I spend most of my time hanging around home with the family and hunting in the fall, and the other necessary things like mowing and home maintenance. I’ve also recently taken up making my own jig heads and bucktails which has been fun.
My first couple of years trying to catch stripers was spent trolling for them and for the most part unsuccessfully. I joined the Striper Club in 2007 after learning about it at one of the big bass tournaments. I learned a lot about stripers by attending the meetings, a lot more from hanging around after the meetings and listening and talking to others. I started helping out at the first meeting by helping put away the chairs afterwards and have continued to volunteer at most club functions, even serving on the board, which turned out to be a great way to make friends and fishing connections.
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Landlocked Striped Bass are the most frustrating species I have ever fished for and I guess that’s why they’re so addictive. I fish out of my JV17 Carolina Skiff and fish primarily artificials, but will occasionally go bait fishing with Macky May. I’ve spent most of my time on the Blackwater side although the last couple of winters on the Roanoke side chasing birds with Don Hutchinson. My favorite time to be on the water is when the schools are breaking on top during the spring and early fall. I also enjoy the night fishing in the winter and early spring. My biggest stripers so far were the 2 citations (37 & 37 ½ in) I caught night fishing with Macky last winter.
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From the Water - 2/12/2013 - Joel Janecek
So I started out a little later than usual yesterday. I waited til there was just enough light to see the water surface because of all the debris I saw the last time. It worked. I started the run up to Indian Creek but just as I was rounding the bend at R30 I noticed the water was getting very mud colored. But I kept going.
Once I stopped outside Indian Creek the water was VERY muddy brown. I idled around in and up the creek but wasn't seeing anything. After almost an hour of searching I decided to head back to find "clear" water. I stopped around R30 and started trolling. I was nearing R30 when the first fish hit. A nice fight and a nice fish. 28" and the bastard pooped all over me and the boat. So I dropped him overboard and set out the center line. As I reached for the second rod, that first one was grabbed! A quick fight with a little one. At the boat I grabbed the leader to haul him in and he shook off the hook. Only about 21" but I touched the leader so he counts. So I made my notes and set out the center line again and reached for the second rod and that first line was slammed again!! Another good fight and a 27" was in the boat. That was three fish in 10 minutes!!! Wow!
About this time Don H. and Steve N. showed up and I told them the fish were all over this area. All of us tried casting a bunch of different stuff but none of us hooked up. After about an hour of that I decided to troll around again and in my second loop of the area, right in front of R30 I got another bite. This one was a fat 26+". It was the least little bit over 26 so I threw him back. Tried some more but no more bites. A four fish total. The interesting thing is that all four were caught on a small blue/silver Bomber deep diving minnow-type crankbait. Its the smaller two hook model. I got them a Saunders but bought the last one on my last visit there. I'm going to ask him to get more.
That's it for now.
Later Joel
Once I stopped outside Indian Creek the water was VERY muddy brown. I idled around in and up the creek but wasn't seeing anything. After almost an hour of searching I decided to head back to find "clear" water. I stopped around R30 and started trolling. I was nearing R30 when the first fish hit. A nice fight and a nice fish. 28" and the bastard pooped all over me and the boat. So I dropped him overboard and set out the center line. As I reached for the second rod, that first one was grabbed! A quick fight with a little one. At the boat I grabbed the leader to haul him in and he shook off the hook. Only about 21" but I touched the leader so he counts. So I made my notes and set out the center line again and reached for the second rod and that first line was slammed again!! Another good fight and a 27" was in the boat. That was three fish in 10 minutes!!! Wow!
About this time Don H. and Steve N. showed up and I told them the fish were all over this area. All of us tried casting a bunch of different stuff but none of us hooked up. After about an hour of that I decided to troll around again and in my second loop of the area, right in front of R30 I got another bite. This one was a fat 26+". It was the least little bit over 26 so I threw him back. Tried some more but no more bites. A four fish total. The interesting thing is that all four were caught on a small blue/silver Bomber deep diving minnow-type crankbait. Its the smaller two hook model. I got them a Saunders but bought the last one on my last visit there. I'm going to ask him to get more.
That's it for now.
Later Joel
The Boathouse - 2013 NC Bass & Saltwater Fishing Expo "Review"
One thing I always look forward to in January, besides some good cold-weather jigging, is heading to the boat & fishing show at the NC Fairgrounds the 1st couple of weeks of January - and how could "The Boathouse" blog NOT cover the largest boat show in the region targeting fisherman.
This year's show was held January 11 - 13 and seemed a bit stronger from overall representation of the past couple of years. There was a strong crowd in the exhibit halls early afternoon on Saturday the 12th, even with unseasonal January temperatures topping out around 70 degrees, which you would have thought would have had folks on the water or outdoors elsewhere. The crowds then increased as the afternoon wore on with a lot of very happy NC State fans trickling in after watching the Wolfpack basketball team beat (then) #1 Duke.
This year's show was held January 11 - 13 and seemed a bit stronger from overall representation of the past couple of years. There was a strong crowd in the exhibit halls early afternoon on Saturday the 12th, even with unseasonal January temperatures topping out around 70 degrees, which you would have thought would have had folks on the water or outdoors elsewhere. The crowds then increased as the afternoon wore on with a lot of very happy NC State fans trickling in after watching the Wolfpack basketball team beat (then) #1 Duke.
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The usual regional boat dealers were represented, with Chatlee Marine having their usual dominate space, while other dealer such as Boats Unlimited, Merritt Marine, Anglers Marine, Collins & others all had significant floor space with a good selection of fishing boats representing a number of manufacturers with off-shore center consoles, bay boats, flats boats, bass boats, jon boats, aluminum walk-throughs and even a few "unusual" watercraft options - almost 20 dealers in total were on-site.
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A view across the show floor in the boat building.
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This year's "headliner" attraction was a Meet & Greet with the stars of the Hilllybilly Handfishin' show on Animal Planet. The BASS Federation had a pitching contest for older children as well as an area for younger anglers to have their hand at pitching to buckets in a simulated pond. The Mountain Trout fishing tank was once again represented giving attendees the opportunity to try their hand at wetting a line to catch a trout or even a catfish. My son Matt & I could not let a chance to fish pass us by, so Matt fished twice and then I had to regain my honor after Matt out fishing me on New Year's eve by catching a nice little trout on a small fly tipped with a kernel of corn.
There was even the opportunity to test-drive a bass boat at the show - OK, it was not a "real" boat, but rather a bass boat simulator sponsored by Chevy, but it was a fun activity for my son to enjoy - though I do not want him to get TOO comfortable with a bass boat. Where's the center console simulator?
There was even the opportunity to test-drive a bass boat at the show - OK, it was not a "real" boat, but rather a bass boat simulator sponsored by Chevy, but it was a fun activity for my son to enjoy - though I do not want him to get TOO comfortable with a bass boat. Where's the center console simulator?
Trout fishing
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Test drive a bass boat in the simulator
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A view of Dave's Tournament Tackle's booth
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In addition to drooling over all the boats with their "new fiberglass smell", there was a strong representation of tackle vendors at the show as well. Over 100 vendors, most of which were offering some type of fishing-related tackle, were presenting their wares at the show. Many are long-time participants such as Extreme Fishing Concepts which offers a variety of accessories used in striper fishing,HydroGlow, a manufacturer of LED bait lights and Dave's Tournament Tackle - a vendor offering a wide variety of lures, many made locally. There were also some new faces in the crowd such as Waters Edge Caddy which was unveiling a new product made to wheel down to the water's edge and then kick back and relax while holding a few fishing poles. There was also a vendor there which specializes in graphic shirts for charter captains & fishing clubs. I spoke with him a while about their options with thoughts of our own "Ship's Store" and when I went to provide him with some contact info to follow up, I found that Bob Rowe had beat me to the punch and already spoken with him earlier that day! Bob's always a step ahead of me it seems......
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Now, it is a well known law that you cannot attend such a show and not purchase something while there. As my "BIG" purchase was made back in 2010 at this show (my boat), this year's purchase was much more conservative, totalling around $8 and consisted of some split-rings & swivels to rig up some jig-heads I had back at the house to make sure I was topped off for the rest of the winter jigging season.
All in all, it was a fun way to spend an afternoon with my son, and to check out what was new and exciting in the world of fishing boats and tackle. Can't wait till next year....
Mike Ward
All in all, it was a fun way to spend an afternoon with my son, and to check out what was new and exciting in the world of fishing boats and tackle. Can't wait till next year....
Mike Ward
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