WHAT IS A FRED HALL SHOW?

A Fred Hall /ASAShow is many things to many people. It is, most importantly, a place for anglers to assemble. It is a place where large numbers of anglers can share the joy of sportfishing. It is a place where angling knowledge can be passed around. It is a place where fishing lore can spread and be developed. It is a place where families can safely introduce fishing to family members. It is a place where experts can make good anglers better. It is a place where angling families can be entertained. It is a place where good deals on fishing tackle, boats and fishing vacations can be found. It is a hiding place for unusual outdoor recreation items. It is a place where over 50% of the proceeds goes to non-profit fishing organizations that are fighting to protect our freedom to fish. It is one of the most important places to assemble and celebrate the sport of fishing for our children, our grandchildren and us.

This year at the New San Francisco Sports, Boat & Fishing Show the Fred Hall/ASA Show staff will try to recapture some of the excitement of the early days of the shows back in the 1960’s and ‘70’s. There will be more outdoor recreation entertainment at this show than any other show in recent history starting with the return of the lumberjack entertainers. This year, for the first time in years, families and children will get to see the log rollers and lumberjack super-athletes perform as we bring back the Fred Scheer Lumberjack Show. All of us who were children in the fifties remember these parts of a Fred Hall Show, but our children don’t, so we brought them back this year for two performances daily Wednesday through Friday and 3 performances daily on Saturday and Sunday. Steve Grodin, of the Rum Reggae Company, says that he was eight years old when he started sneaking into the shows at the Pan Pacific auditorium in Southern California (show site of the original shows). Steve said that they knew the show was coming to town when workers started digging the pit for the log rollers, the high diving act, Captain Winston’s trained seals and the Japanese cormorant fishing act. Steve insists that Fred Hall threw him out of the show so many times that he finally gave up and gave Steve a small job so that he could stay at the show. This year Steve can see the log rollers anytime he wants to leave his booth.

Cabela’s will be bringing us outdoor gourmet chef Scott Leysath. Scott is an internationally reknowned outdoor chef who will show us, five times daily, how to prepare fish and game. Scott has published several cookbooks and his recipes range from simple to exotic. There will be a large area set up with a video camera and big screen TV so as many people as possible can watch Scott work.

The Bongo’s Stage serves a dual purpose at the show. Hourly, during show hours, seminars about near shore fishing, multiple day and long-range fishing will be held with some of the most knowledgeable and brightest stars in the fishing business. Experts like Frank LoPreste, Bob Sims, Ron Kovach, Bobby Barrack, Mike Long and John Kerr, Gary Miralles, Vance Staplin, Don Iovino, Dan Kadota, Ken Cook, O.T. Fears, John Grabowski, Keith Fraser, Mike Bogue, Gary Coe, Roger Thomas, Erik Anfinson, Dick Pool, Mickey Daniels, Tom Rothery, Barry and Diana Canevaro, Linda Hicks, Bill Adelman, Mark Lassange, Randy Pringle, Sheldon Bright, Aaron Coleman, Brad Stout, Jacky Douglas, Frank Miller Kern, Pete Haynes, Dan Hernandez, Dave Bacon and others. But the most famous use of the Bong’s Stage is for the Bongo’s Fashion Show. The Fashion Show has become one of the most popular attractions at Fred Hall/ASA shows. Organized by Pat Raiit of Bongo’s Sportfishing, it has evolved over the years to become an important activity for all of the clothing companies that participate each year. Bill Shedd of AFTCO Bluewater, makers of some of the most popular fishing themed clothing in the world, says, “the fashion show is great fun and we wouldn’t miss it. It gives us an opportunity to showcase some of our new clothing, including the Guy Harvey Bluewater line”.

For the first time ever, in San Francisco, patrons to the Fred Hall/ASA Show will be able to cast to win a $60,000.00 Davis Boat. If they cast into the target they will be entered as semi-finalists in the contest. Five finalists will be chosen at random at each Fred Hall/ASA Show. On the last day of all the shows, including the one in San Francisco, the five finalists will get one cast to win the Davis Boat.

The Procraft Boats/Mercury Marine “Water Works Wonders” bass tank will again feature such notable bass fishing stars such as: Bobby Barrack, O.T. Fears, Ken Cook, Mike Long, Jon Kerr, Sheldon Bright, Mark Lassange, Randy Pringle, Aaron Coleman and Don Iovino.

The American Fly Fishing Trade Association will highlight the fly-fishing expo at the show. Hourly casting and educational seminars given by the experts at Western Sport Shop and will be a continuous feature of this part of the show. Two giant fly-fishing pools will be available this year.

The Berkley Kids Fish Free Trout Pond continues to be one of the highlights of the show, where all kids, who also get into the show free, can catch a trout for free courtesy of the Berkley Company. Also for kids, the Pathways to Adventure exhibit will give kids an introduction to the great outdoors. Another feature for children and adults will be the Shark Tooth Reef exhibit, a fabulous Disney-like display about sharks. This feature has a separate admission but all proceeds goes to further the Pathways to Adventure kids program.

There is so much to see and do at this event that pictures and articles simply cannot do it justice. Fred Hall & Associates and the American Sportfishing Association are proud to be able to bring the old San Francisco Sports and Boat Show back as the New San Francisco Sports, Boat & Fishing Show, January 21-25, 2004 at the Cow Palace. If you love boats, if you love to fish, if you love the feeling that the outdoor recreation lifestyle brings to you and your family then come on down and join us.