A good way to see what’s new
By Chris Erwin
This past Saturday I was up bright and early to pack my overnight bag and get ready for a trip to Cincinnati, for one of the largest boat and RV shows on the East Coast.
Chip Hart, of Big Outdoor Radio & Hart Production LLC, had me as one of his radio show guests last month and while doing the show, he asked me to come to the Boat and RV show Jan. 21-25. Hart has been putting on this show for years, but I have never had the chance to go. My good friend Tom Clay, president of Kentucky Outdoor Press Association, has been working the show for the last ten years where he puts on lure demonstrations in the fish tank for the packed crowds.
To say this show is a boat and RV show is an understatement! This show is housed in the Duke Energy Convention Center, which spans two blocks and four stories. This show covered the whole center to the third floor.
In addition to boats and RVs, the show also had more than 700 displays including: hunting, fishing, golf, wakeboarding, water skiing, camping, archery, motorcycles, ATVs, along with travel fishing and hunting trips that could be booked while attending.
Taxidermists, guides, zip-line and tourism trip representatives from all over the east coast, including Kentucky were there. As a matter of fact, Kentucky was well represented with places like Cave Run, Cumberland Lake, Dale Hollow, and Kentucky Lake being just a few of the Kentucky destination that had booths where you could book a trip and talk to a guide.
The convention also had many areas where you could eat. Vendors were set up in all four corners of the main floor with seating and tables to enjoy your meal. The main floor also had a wet-bar at all of these locations if you wanted adult beverages.
The third floor also had chainsaw art and high-quality outdoor photographs framed and ready to hang in your home or cabin. The kids were also having fun learning to shoot a bow and arrow. The show had archery instructors working with kids in the indoor free bow range.
All the booths I visited that were booking trips were offering deeply discounted trips if you were ready to book. I also talked to a dozen boat, RV and ATV dealers all of whom were offering early-bird pricing if you were ready to buy.
One of the main reasons I was there was the “Fish Tank.” All through the show Hart had fishing pros working the fish tank. Here they would talk about all the different kind of lures you would normally have in your tackle box: spinnerbaits, jigs, topwater crankbaits and metal blade baits were all covered. This fish tank was 30 feet long and 10 feet high stock with bass, bluegill, white bass and crappie.
The instructor stood on top of the tank where a half-boat (front half) was butted against one end of the tank. The instructors would stand in the boat and talk to the spectators about each lure and then cast into the tank as we watched the 50 or so fish fight over the hookless lure as the instructor would explain each lure presentation. Of course my buddy Tom introduced me, and my book Camping Kentucky, which I had for sale.
In this off-season, you might plan to visit one of these shows. This time of the year they are popping up all over. It’s a great time to see what’s new and talk to all the fishing and hunting destinations people about what they have to offer and see if you can get a special deal on that trip of your dreams.
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