CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Progressive Cleveland Boat Show has dropped anchor at the I-X Center in Cleveland this week, and while a fleet of more than 400 boats from dinghy to yachts will be the focus of the exposition, which runs through Sunday, local anglers will find an army of expert anglers at the show’s Fishing Expo section.
The Cleveland Boat Show will be open Friday from noon to 9 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $20, with seniors and veterans $15 at the door and kids 6 and under free. Use the East Entrance to access a reconfigured I-X Center. For complete list of exhibitors and stage shows, visit clevelandboatshow.com.
There are a lot of boating seminars at the show, and a trout pond for kids fishing. The main Fishing Expo stages are the Toyota Tundra Fishing Stage and Vic’s Sports Center hosting the Berkley Fishing Tank.
“I’m excited about the Kids Seminar on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Vic’s Sports Center, thanks to the NPAA and Future Anglers Foundation,” said Ryan Buddie, a Northeast Ohio airline pilot when he isn’t guiding walleye or steelhead trout anglers or competing in walleye tournaments.
“If you’re going to bring the kids, be sure to stop at the Kids Fishing Seminar on Saturday at 2 p.m. We’ll be giving away 100 rod and reel combos, and I’ll be showing boys and girls the basics of fishing and teach them to target local species of fish around our area.”
Buddie is a pro staffer for Lowrance Electronics, a major fishing sonar manufacturer, and is much sought after for his sonar expertise. His sonar seminars on the Toyota Tundra Stage will be Friday at 1 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Other boating and fishing stages include the On The Water Ohio Stage, On the Water Paddling Stage and the Ohio Marine Training Center. The Lake Erie Walleye Trail will be hosting an LEWT Round Table, with the circuit’s top anglers featured on the Toyota Tundra Stage Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Lake Erie smallmouth bass fishermen will have the chance to get the inside scoop on the record-setting 10.15-pound Lake Erie smallmouth bass from Grant Gallagher. The Fremont, Ohio native and his father, Gregg Gallagher, were fishing Ontario waters of Lake Erie on Nov. 6 when his dad hooked and landed the largest smallmouth bass ever caught from the Great Lakes. It is also the fourth-largest smallmouth bass over 10 pounds on record.
The younger Gallagher, a school teacher in Hudson, Michigan, will be on stage at Vic’s Sports Center on Saturday at noon and 4 p.m.
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2023 Progressive Cleveland Boat Show
Weekend woes for steelheaders: With brisk north winds and rain in the forecast, the Northeast Ohio steelhead trout rivers and streams will likely muddy up again this weekend before sunshine arrives early next week. The recent rains have done their job, though, luring fresh runs of spawning trout. Anglers are reporting excellent numbers of the big trout in the rivers, and this year’s runs have been producing a surprising number of trophy trout.
The hot ticket for steelhead recently has been nickle- and dime-sized spawn bags tied with brightly-colored mesh and light 1/32- and 1/64-ounce marabou jigs tipped with maggots, live or salted minnows and salmon egg-style plastic beads.
Lake Erie shoreline still free of ice: The rains and warmer weather have kept the Lake Erie harbors relatively clear of ice. Anglers are casting from the piers and breakwalls with silver-and-blue spoons, in-line spinners or drifting jigs and live bait under a float.
The bonus for shore fishermen is an after-dark bite as walleye move to the shallow areas around Huron, Sandusky and the Lake Erie Island areas to feed heavily on plentiful gizzard shad. Boat fishermen have been a bit frustrated by the annual proliferation of shad, as big walleye with excellent night vision don’t have to work hard to fill their bellies.
Bob Hanko at Cranberry Creek Marina in Huron said most every walleye he caught this week in the Huron area was packed with shad. While the fishing was slow, it was fairly consistent while slowly trolling crankbaits.
Steelhead Workshop at Emerald Necklace Marina: The popular — and free — Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders Workshop on Thursday, Jan. 26 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. will be held at the Emerald Necklace Marina Cafe on the Rocky River in Lakewood.
Experts at the info stations for the workshop are: Fly Fishing — John Brochue and Bob Hajek; Egg Curing — Kenny Harper; Near Shore Trolling — Joe Beno; Float Fishing — Brian Kelly and John Breedlow, Jr.; Ice Fishing — Mike and Liz Durkalec; Fly Tying —Jerry Darkes; and Fish Smoking — Larry Singleton.
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