BigBo...I am sorry if you can not make it and yes, the whole crew at MSBA does care what you think. The MSBA Expo is a show put on by fishermen for fishermen. The committee is all volunteers. We work very hard each and every year to bring the MA Recreational Fishing Community a special event and most years we announce the seminar schedule only a short time before the event. We only repeat speakers (not topics) when the community gives us a ceertain level of feedback. You won't see the same list of usual suspects (lol) at the MSBA Expo, nothing against the "circuit guys", we just try and bring you something different. I will add to John R's comments about this year's line up...
OTW Magazine and TV is running a hands on area where fishermen will learn from staff, writers and featured guests about a variety of subjects including rigging soft plastics, making your own Tuna bars, reel repair and a lot more.
There will also be two seminar rooms, the S-B Theatre and the MSBA Theatre. As stated above, John is in the final stages of confirming the S-B schedule and the MSBA schedule is also just about locked up.
I can let you know about a few of the seminars on the MSBA schedule...FYI, MSBA seminars will be done once on Saturday and once on Sunday...1)Long Time Boston/South Shore high hook Ted Abbadessa will be doing a seminar based on fishing Bunker. This Seminar will educate fishermen on the finer techniques Ted uses when gathering, fishing live, and chunking our favorite bait fish. In addition Ted will reveal a safe, fish-friendly way he has developed to employ the YOYO technique...2)The crew from King Cove will be doing a seminar on rigging a Kayak for fishing and I think you will find that the system Nils and the guys have developed will not empty your pockets and is designed to make fishing from a Yak much more comfortable...3)MSBA is very happy to let you know we are repeating one of the more popular presenters from last year...Aquaskinz Pro Staff member and advocate for The Fishing Academy, Roy Leyva is coming back. This year Roy will be presenting a seminar simply titled, "Shark Fishing from the Beach"!!!!!! Yes there is more to be revealed but this is all I can announce today.
As far as a list of vendors, the MSBA show usually does not even release a list. We have tried to do this in recent years but because we have many small vendors and do not feel it is responsible to list a vendor until they have both done their paperwork and paid for or completed their arrangements. The Expo has always been known to feature many smaller vendors and tackle shops (this aint a Bass Pro Show), we are one of the few shows you can still score a good deal on the products you want. Off the top of my head and absolutley not a complete list...some of the factories showing their new products include Aquaskinz, Lamiglass, Penn, Eagle Claw, etc. The West Marine area will have at least one (maybe two) major boat electronics factory experts on hand to educate boat fishers on the latest technologies. Salty, Point Jude, RonZ, Got Stryper Lures, multiple local Tuna rig makers will all be in the house. We have three Kayak dealers(S-B's own King Cove included) in addition to the Old Town Kayak Factory Rep. There is a plethora of retail vendors including CMS (Got Wood???), Goose Hummock, Bucko's Parts & Service, Canal B&T, Breachway B&T, the Fish Connection, The Hook Up and more. At MSBA you can hook up with a group of vendors from MV including Larrys Tackle Shop, Roberts & The Hammer Lures, not to mention the commitee booth from the MV Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. As of this evening, I can report we are well over 90 confirmed booths (should end up over 100) not including the S-B and OTW areas.
Our 2008 goal was to return the show to the feel when it was in Kingston. We listened to the complaints about the concession prices and as you can see by the list shown above, that issue has been adressed. We ALWAYS have free parking!!!!
A big thanks to Salty for starting this thread and hope to see many of you at the show....keep checking here and
www.msba.net/expo for more info in the coming days!!!!!!
Don't forget the most important thing about the MSBA EXPO
No Junk, No Jerky, No items for hunting Turkey!!!
No Marinades, No Dishes, Nothin but stuff to catch more Fishes!!!!!