Bass Fishing in South East Michigan

Presented by the NBAA Pro Staff

Fred Abbas

Known for his humble personality and his own innovative hunting tactics, Fred is truly one of the top trophy whitetail hunters to ever come out of Michigan.  He ranks #1 all time in the state of Michigan for trophy buck entries (no small feat when you consider there are nearly 1 million whitetail hunters in Michigan).  He is the only hunter in the state of Michigan to have officially entered 4 record book whitetails in one season (1990, the last year with a 4 buck limit).  For this accomplishment and others, Fred was honored as the “Hunter Of The Decade” by Commemorative Bucks Of Michigan.  Fred has entries in the record books of P&Y, CBM, Buck Masters, and Long Hunter Society (most taken with bow).  He is known for his own developed state of the art hunting tactics that he shares in his many articles, seminars and videos.  Fred is also the inventor of the Bowgrunter Plus, the World’s first and most effective “Social” deer call.

Manipulating Trophy Bucks

Presented by Fred Abbas

Fred shares the innovative tactics that have made him truly one of the top trophy whitetail hunters to ever come out of Michigan.

Finding and Hunting Big Bucks

Presented by Fred Abbas

Mark Romanack

Mark Romanack is a full-time outdoor writer, Fishing 411 Television Host, seminar leader and fishing expert with more than 20 years of experience.  He will be on hand all four days of the show.

Walleye Fishing 411

Presented by Mark Romanack

The Great Lakes are home to a host of outstanding walleye fishing destinations.  Saginaw Bay, Lake Erie, Little Bay de Noc and other big water fisheries harbor amazing numbers of walleye.  Catching these fish requires some specialized trolling presentations including the use of diving planers, crankbaits, spoons and spinners.  This informative multi-media seminar is a must-see presentation for anyone who wants to learn more about targeting walleye in open water.

Dog Gone Labs

Presented by Mark Romanack & Mason

Sponsored by Nutro Premium Dog Foods

Watching a finely tuned hunting dog is a pleasure and amazement.  Enjoy as avid bird hunter, outdoor writer and seminar leader Mark Romanack puts Mason, his four year old black lab, through his paces right on the water.  Covered in this informative demonstration are marked retrieves, blind retrieves, whistle commands, hand signals and a brief discussion on understanding dog behavior.  The goal is to show that with a little effort anyone can effectively train their own dog for waterfowl or upland hunting.

Mark Martin

Michigan’s own Mr. Walleye and Professional Tournament Angler, Mark Martin will conduct seminars on Saturday & Sunday only.  Mark has qualified for 19 Professional Walleye Trail World Championships to date.  He is the only person to qualify for that many PWT Championships, and fish 101 out of 102 PWT Tournaments, achieving over 37 top ten finishes in his professional career.

Consistently Catch More Walleye

Presented by Mark Martin

David A. Rose

As an outdoor writer, photographer and fishing guide (www.wildfishing.com), David has spent countless hours on the waters of Michigan and around the country, fishing for a multitude of species including the family of panfish.

In Search of Perch

Presented by David Rose

David will share his inland and Great Lakes techniques for catching one of Michigan’s most sought-after game fish…the yellow perch.

Pan Fish “In-Depth”

Presented by Dave Rose

Let Dave show you how to catch more bluegills and crappies on the open water during the heat of summer when other anglers are calling it quits, along with other seasonal tips and tricks.  From dabbling with live bait, to casting artificials, this seminar will cover it all.

Colton Bay Outfitters

They are a full service fly shop offering the latest and best equipment and gear.

Getting Started in Fly Fishing the RIGHT Way

Presented by Colton Bay

Capt. Wayne Carpenter

Wayne is an author, bait designer, guide, researcher and outdoor educator from the Detroit Metro area with extensive experience on both inland waters and the Great Lakes.

Smallmouth Confidential

Presented by Capt. Wayne Carpenter

Get access to guide level techniques for locating and increasing catch rates for smallmouth bass in this seminar.  Techniques are revealed for structure selection, seasonal trends, high percentage bait selection, and an inside look into the finicky behavior of our favorite catch.  Nothing is held back.  New information is covered in each seminar and brought to you by an expert who has dedicated over a decade to improving the catch rates for tournament anglers and beginners alike.  This seminar delivers graphics, underwater video, details on boat positioning, seasonal trends, techniques for big fish, and how to identify high percentage baits.

Don Miller

Captain Don Miller has become one of Lake St. Clair’s most popular charter captains.  Captain Don’s first-hand knowledge of the fish’s seasonal movements and their habits has spanned three decades on the lake.  He has successfully boated over 5,000 muskies, with multiple numbers in a day and size up to 40 lbs. Well-known muskie fisherman, author, educator, and seminar conductor, Miller has authored many articles, and has been a guest speaker at many fishing clubs, outfitters, and organizations throughout the Midwest.

Open Water Trolling for Muskie on Lake St. Clair

Presented by Don Miller

Don’t miss this complete seminar that shows everything from fishing rod placement and types of baits, to catch-and-release.

Capt. Mike Pittiglio

Mike is a full time muskie guide on the world renowned Lake St. Clair.  With over 20 years of muskie fishing under his belt, he spends approximately 120 days per season on the lake fishing for muskies.  His accomplishments include a 55 1/4″ which weighed 41.45 lbs., three muskies over 56″, and 39 muskies boated in one day.

Trolling for Lake St. Clair Muskie

Presented by Mike Pittiglio

Mike’s hard-core multi-media Muskie Trolling presentation will hit the highlights of last season on the lake.  He will highlight what it takes for anglers to find the best water and troll it to maximum effect.  Lake St. Clair is the best Muskie fishery in the world and Mike’s presentation will make your time next season on the water more fun and more productive.

Capt. Lance Valentine

As founder of Lance Valentine’s Walleye 101 and the “Fishing Education Center”, Lance has helped countless anglers catch more fish through seminars, workshops and educational charters.  Over 20 years of walleye fishing experience has gained Lance the knowledge needed to become known as an expert on marine electronics.  Catching more fish of all species begins with the ability to locate them and stay where they are, and Lance’s seminars will teach all you need to master your electronics.

Spoon Fed Walleye

Presented by Capt. Lance Valentine

Sonar, the Basics and Beyond

Presented by Capt. Lance Valentine

Getting the Most From Your GPS

Presented by Capt. Lance Valentine

Jigging the Detroit River

Presented by Capt. Lance Valentine

Bob Brunner

Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and Legendary Guide

Bob will show you how to make Buck Tails from scratch and different ways to change body baits to make them help you take more fish. He will also relate some of his vast experiences over the last 77 years.  He has fished hundreds of lakes and rivers as well as 2 oceans plus he has guided on Lake St Clair for over 40 years. He caught his fist Bass and Pike in 1929 and the first Muskie in 1931. He will teach you how to rig for fish so you have the best chance to get into one.  Will answer any question he can about fishing that he can and if he doesn’t know he may know where you can get an answer.

Casting Bucktails for Muskie, Pike & Bass

Presented by Bob Brunner

Dan Donarski

Dan is known to more than a few outdoorsmen as Mr. U.P. for his long tenure in honestly covering the Upper Peninsula for Michigan Out-of-Doors TV.  His love of this Michigan jewel is infectious and he’ll be on hand every day to speak about the very best fishing opportunities across this great land.   From the Great Lakes to hidden potholes and big rivers to streams, Dan will help you in your explorations of the U.P as a premier fishing destination.  As Michigan Outdoor News opinionated columnist he’s also ready and able to discuss the state of Michigan’s natural resources and what he believes are the most critical issues of the day.

The Best UP Fishing Opportunities

Presented by Dan Donarski

From the Great Lakes to hidden potholes, and big rivers to streams, Dan will help you in your explorations of the U.P. as a premier fishing destinations.

Unraveling Africa

Presented by Dan Donarski

Dan, a veteran of more than a dozen safaris, will unlock the paperwork involved along with how to best research a particular professional hunter, the countries and critters, and the agents.  If you’ve ever thought of going to Africa this is one seminar that will be time well spent.

Jim Bedford

He has become one of Michigan’s foremost authorities on fishing Michigan Rivers with spinners.  The retired toxicologist spends over 1,000 hours a year fishing Michigan Rivers and has written three books on the subject.  His most recent book “Spinner Magic!” has been a huge hit with Michigan anglers.

River Fishing with Lures for Steelhead and Trout

Presented by Jim Bedford

This seminar will include hands-on instruction of how to use equipment to your best advantage.  Jim will teach you how to cover the most water and consistently out-produce other methods by targeting the aggressive fish in a long reach of stream.

Tim Fox

Tim is a professional trainer of pointing dogs for hunting birds.  He is the co-owner and guide at Shoot the Breeze Hunt Club in Mecosta County.  Fox and his wife, Cheryl, are breeders of top-drawer Llewellin Setters.  For more information visit http://www.shootingthebreeze.org

Tips from a Professional Bird Dog Trainer

Presented by Tim Fox

Tim will explain and illustrate the legendary Rick and Ronnie Smith system of dog training.  Through video and live demonstrations, Fox will teach the basic techniques of getting your dog to heel, to come, to cast for birds, and to whoa without using verbal commands.  This “gentler” method of dog training is winning converts all over the country.  Whether you own a settler or shorthair, wiemriener or wire-haired, these techniques will help pointing dogs live up to their potential.

Steve Gettle

For over 25 years, professional nature photographer Steve Gettle has spent countless hours creating hundreds of thousands of photographs of the beauty around us.  His images have been on display in galleries and museums all over the world, including the Museum of Natural History in London, as well as the American Museum of Natural History in New York.  In the spring of 2008, Steve was honored to have a one man show at the National Center for Nature Photography in Ohio.  His work has been featured in many books, magazines, calendars, and other publications by the National Geographic Society, Canadian Geographic, Audubon, Sierra Club, the BBC, The World Wildlife Fund, the National Wildlife Federation, Birder’s World, Nature’s Best, Wild Bird, Natural History, and many more.  He has received several awards throughout the years for his work.  His photography has taken him throughout North and South America and although he travels extensively he finds much of his inspiration in the natural areas surrounding his home in Brighton, MI.

Nature Photography – Part One: Scenic and Macro Photography ($25 Fee)

Presented by Steve Gettle

This course will cover all aspects of photographing landscapes, from the grand sweeping vista, to capturing more intimate landscapes.  Attendees will learn not only where to go and what to look for, but special compositional considerations for making great landscape photographs.  This class will also cover the unique world of macro photography.  Learn about inexpensive ways to photograph the amazing close-up details of the world around you.

CLICK HERE for Advance Registration

Nature Photography – Part Two: Photographing Birds and Mammals ($25 Fee)

Presented by Steve Gettle

Learn about the challenging world of photographing the birds and mammals around us.  Some of the topics covered will include where to find subjects and tips on getting closer by using baits and calls to attract subjects.  Steve will teach you how to properly use the many types of photographic blinds and other types of specialized equipment used for this type of photography.  He will also discuss how to properly set up your camera for action photography of these subjects covering such things as exposure modes, metering and auto-focus settings.

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Photographing Your Outdoor Adventures ($25 Fee)

Presented by Steve Gettle

Learn tricks of the trade from professional outdoor and nature photographer Steve Gettle.  Whether you are shooting with a point and shoot camera or a professional digital SLR, you will learn how to use these tools to capture compelling images of your adventures.  In this course Steve will teach you the basics as well as many advanced techniques to help you create memorable images of your outdoor adventures.  The class will teach you how to use your  images to tell a story and how to use lighting and composition to make your pictures really come alive.

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Advanced Composition and Lighting ($25 Fee)

Presented by Steve Gettle

Great composition is usually the difference between a snapshot and a great photograph.  Great composition doesn’t just happen, it is planned.  This course will go beyond the basics of the composition and talk about how to use balance, symmetry, and visual harmony to make your images sing.  Also covered will be lighting, photography, after all, is all about the light.  Steve will teach you about how the direction and quality of the light affects your photographs.

CLICK HERE for Advance Registration

Getting the Most Out of Your Point and Shoot Camera ($25 Fee)

Presented by Steve Gettle

Point and shoot cameras are very powerful tools for making compelling images.  This course will help you get the most out of this tool.  Steve will teach you how to set your point and shoot camera up to get the best possible quality photographs, as well as what all those pesky buttons and dials are for, and more importantly when to use them.

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Ray Eye

Nationally recognized turkey hunting expert brings his action packed seminar series to Michigan hunters.

“Ray is one of the world’s most renowned turkey hunters and his knowledge and passion for the sport is just the thing for all turkey-hunting fanatics,” says Outdoor Life magazine.  “Chasing Spring is an unbelievable program that highlights the best and most exciting aspects of turkey hunting.”

“Chasing Spring” Multi Media Turkey Presentation

Presented by Ray Eye

“Today’s turkey hunters are hungry for new, aggressive tactics, and Chasing Spring will deliver just that,” says Eye.  “My seminar program will offer information on how to hunt today’s henned up, pressured turkeys, so hunters can consistently call the wild turkey under all conditions.”  Eye’s advanced turkey tactics will arm attendees with knowledge they’ll need to enhance their turkey hunting success no matter the conditions, including hunting with limited time, without pre-season scouting, hunting early season, late season, pressured gobblers and much more.

Tom Nelson

A lifelong resident of Grand Ledge, Michigan, and avid archer, Tom has been shooting a bow and arrow for almost 40 years.  He was recently recognized by the Michigan Bowhunters Association as a Master bowhunter with 35 years of experience.  During these 3 decades plus of bowhunting Tom has taken over 250 big game animals representing over thirty different species.  He has bowhunted in 21 states, 7 Canadian Provinces, Mexico, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, New Zealand and Europe.  Tom brings his passion for archery and bowhunting into millions of homes each week as host of the award winning American Archer TV Show, which is aired on  l.The Outdoor Channel. Tom is also a regular guest on ESPN Radio and A.M. Outdoor Radio.  He writes a monthly bowhunting column for Michigan Out-Of-Doors magazine and has written numerous articles published in Bowhunter Magazine, Western Bowhunter, Hunting the West, Safari Magazine, etc.  On May 3rd 2008 Tom was presented with the Bowhunter of the Year award by the Michigan Bowhunters Association.

Become the Invisible Archer

Presented by Tom Nelson

Tom will share tips and tactics refined over a life time of bow hunting.  He will cover scent, scouting, stand placement and how to maximize your time in Michigan’s deer hunting woods.

“Doc” Paul Morrow

Paul has been featured on Michigan Out-Of-Doors TV and has been experimenting with food plots and habitat for many years.

Back-Forty Habitat Solutions

Presented by “Doc” Paul Morrow

Doc will teach you the tricks of the trade as it pertains to making your food plots the most popular place for wildlife on your hunting land.

Greg Abbas

Greg’s ability to outsmart his quarry on the spot with some of his innovative hunting tactics has gained him national attention!

Turkey Tech University

Presented by Greg Abbas

Steve Francis of Country Smoke House

Country Smoke House is known for their award-winning wild game sausage and jerky.

Deer Processing Demo

Presented by Country Smoke House

Steve Francis, owner of Country Smoke House in Almont, MI, will demonstrate how to field dress, handle, butcher and process your next whitetail deer.  Country Smoke House processes thousands of deer each year.  Steve is an expert in his field and will show you tricks of the trade and lessons learned over decades of hard work in the butchering industry.  He starts with a fresh deer and walks through every step of the process from gutting and skinning to butchering and packaging.  This is a must see for every deer hunter and venison lover!

Seth McCullough

Seth is the owner and founder of Bully’s Wild Turkey Calls.  Seth is a contest caller, seminar speaker and avid turkey hunter.

Turkey Hunting and the Life Cycle of the Wild Turkey

Presented by Seth McCullough

Both novice and experienced hunters will enjoy this seminar.  Don’t miss this opportunity to come enjoy the presentation and plenty of time will be available for questions.

Ed Spinazzola

Food plot expert and author of Ultimate Deer Food Plots will be on hand daily to discuss all aspects of growing food plots for deer.  Ed is passionate about educating others and helping them create a unique food plot on their own.  With thousands of hours of experience, Spinazzola has learned what to do and what not to do to guarantee year-round success.

Food Plots, Cutting Edge Site Layouts

Presented by Ed Spinazzola

When you leave this presentation you won’t be able to wait to get started on your own food plot!  This year’s presentation will help you effectively place your crops to impact deer movement and maximize your time, effort and cost.

Huron Valley Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation

Open Turkey Calling Competition (Saturday ONLY)

Hosted by the Huron Valley Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, this Saturday ONLY event will feature some of Michigan’s top callers as they compete for prizes and bragging rights.  Judges will include some of Michigan’s best known experts.  Top finalists from the competition will be eligible to compete in the National Calling Competition.  Pre-register at the show at the Huron Valley Chapter of the NWTF booth #5814.  Pre-register prior to the show by calling Mike Orzol at (734) 283-5169 or by email at MJOrzol@yahoo.com