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Tue, 04 Mar 2025 22:04:11 +0000
Over 4 Acres of Fishing and Hunting Gear, Boats, Seminars and more available starting Thursday, March 13 at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids. Many great seminars, featuring Kevin VanDam and Mark Zona.
Fri, 20 Dec 2024 22:12:49 +0000
Hundreds of New Fishing Boats, the largest Ice Fishing Display in the state, and a Star-Studded Lineup of Seminars combine to make the 42nd annual Ultimate Fishing Show–Detroit the largest and best Pure Fishing Show in the country.
Mon, 26 Feb 2024 19:40:42 +0000
Over 4 Acres of Fishing and Hunting Gear, Outdoor Travel, Fishing Boats, Seminars, Displays and Features. Go to UltimateSportShow.com for details, schedules and advance tickets.
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Recent posts
#11
General Ice Fishing Discussion / Huge Ice Fishing section at 20...
Last post by djkimmel - January 07, 2023, 03:18:12 PMGet ready for it! The 2023 edition of the Ultimate Fishing Show features a huge ice fishing show within the show! Make room on your calendar to come to the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan from Thursday, January 12 - Sunday, January 15.
Hours
Thu Jan 12 1pm-8pm
Fri Jan 13 12pm-8pm
Sat Jan 14 10am-8pm
Sun Jan 15 10am-5pm
Make sure and stop by the GreatLakesBass.com / GLIF booth 3054 next door to Xtreme Bass Tackle near the SE corner of the halls first section up from the East concession stand.
Hours
Thu Jan 12 1pm-8pm
Fri Jan 13 12pm-8pm
Sat Jan 14 10am-8pm
Sun Jan 15 10am-5pm
Make sure and stop by the GreatLakesBass.com / GLIF booth 3054 next door to Xtreme Bass Tackle near the SE corner of the halls first section up from the East concession stand.
#12
General Ice Fishing Discussion / Clinton River Cut-Off Ramp to ...
Last post by djkimmel - December 22, 2022, 10:49:07 AMThe Michigan DNR Parks and Recreation Division just informed us that the renovations at the Clinton River Cut-Off Boating Access Site remain behind schedule. Because the entire boat ramp lot is under construction, it will remain closed through May 2023. This means the site will be closed for the entire 2022-23 ice fishing season!
The CRCO is a very popular ice fishing access point. This will definitely impact access to Lake St. Clair. No safe ice reports yet for the big lake, but if you are planning on safely and carefully checking the lake in another week or so, please plan for not being able to access the lake from the CRCO. This is the DNR boat ramp at Ballard St.
The CRCO is a very popular ice fishing access point. This will definitely impact access to Lake St. Clair. No safe ice reports yet for the big lake, but if you are planning on safely and carefully checking the lake in another week or so, please plan for not being able to access the lake from the CRCO. This is the DNR boat ramp at Ballard St.
#13
General Ice Fishing Discussion / 2023 Ultimate Sport Show Tour ...
Last post by djkimmel - October 28, 2022, 08:50:08 AMThe 2023 editions of Michigan's Ultimate Sport Show Tour - the three biggest, highly attended fishing and outdoor sport shows in Michigan, are only a couple months from beginning!
First up, the 2023 Ultimate Fishing Show - Detroit is January 12 to the 15th, 2023, at Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi! I'll be there at the GreatLakesBass.com / GLIF booth. I'll post the booth number as soon as I know. We might not have ice safe everywhere by then so you might as well come on down and talk fishing! Ice fishing tackle and gear are a big part of all three shows these days!
Outdoorama, the All Outdoors Show shows up second, running February 23 - February 26 also in Novi at the Suburban Collection Showplace! Every kind of outdoors person attends, so I need more anglers showing up to talk fishing! Especially if you can't get on the ice everywhere yet.
The elder statesman of all outdoor shows - the 78th Ultimate Sport Show - Grand Rapids is March 9 - 12, 2023 at DeVos Place. Always lots of open water and ice fishing stuff at this big, big show. It's worth the drive. Make sure you stop by and say hello!
More information is forthcoming as it becomes available from Showspan. Keep up with the latest news, announcements, contests and promotions here, and on Facebook at Ultimate Sport Show Tour.
First up, the 2023 Ultimate Fishing Show - Detroit is January 12 to the 15th, 2023, at Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi! I'll be there at the GreatLakesBass.com / GLIF booth. I'll post the booth number as soon as I know. We might not have ice safe everywhere by then so you might as well come on down and talk fishing! Ice fishing tackle and gear are a big part of all three shows these days!
Outdoorama, the All Outdoors Show shows up second, running February 23 - February 26 also in Novi at the Suburban Collection Showplace! Every kind of outdoors person attends, so I need more anglers showing up to talk fishing! Especially if you can't get on the ice everywhere yet.
The elder statesman of all outdoor shows - the 78th Ultimate Sport Show - Grand Rapids is March 9 - 12, 2023 at DeVos Place. Always lots of open water and ice fishing stuff at this big, big show. It's worth the drive. Make sure you stop by and say hello!
More information is forthcoming as it becomes available from Showspan. Keep up with the latest news, announcements, contests and promotions here, and on Facebook at Ultimate Sport Show Tour.
#14
Ice Fishing Derbies, Tournaments and Festivals / 2021 Outdoorama postponed unti...
Last post by djkimmel - January 28, 2021, 11:58:14 PMJust got the notice today due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic's effect on capacity levels and patron flow Showspan has pulled the plug on the 2021 Outdoorama that was scheduled for February 25-28.
The next Outdoorama will be February 24-27, 2022.
The hope for the 2021 Ultimate Fishing Show - Detroit, rescheduled for March 25-28, can go on with the further advanced vaccination programs. We will let everyone know as soon as we know.
The next Outdoorama will be February 24-27, 2022.
The hope for the 2021 Ultimate Fishing Show - Detroit, rescheduled for March 25-28, can go on with the further advanced vaccination programs. We will let everyone know as soon as we know.
#15
Ice Fishing Derbies, Tournaments and Festivals / Midwest Open Ice Fishing Tourn...
Last post by djkimmel - January 24, 2021, 05:32:51 PMFrom Lansing News 6 WLNS reported the 2021 Midwest Open Ice Fishing Tournament has been canceled. Originally scheduled for Sunday, January 31, the event has been postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. It was also noted that Canadian teams would not be able to participate this year due to travel restrictions.
The Brooklyn, Michigan area tournament is believed to have the biggest ice fishing payout in the country. It appears they will wait until winter 2022 to try again. This is the second year in a row the big event has been canceled.
Details on the 2022 Midwest Open Ice Fishing Tournament will be available at www.midwestopentournament.com in the coming weeks.
The Brooklyn, Michigan area tournament is believed to have the biggest ice fishing payout in the country. It appears they will wait until winter 2022 to try again. This is the second year in a row the big event has been canceled.
Details on the 2022 Midwest Open Ice Fishing Tournament will be available at www.midwestopentournament.com in the coming weeks.
#16
Community News / Ultimate Sport Show Grand Rapi...
Last post by djkimmel - March 14, 2020, 11:49:43 PMDue to the Friday, March 13 Executive Order by Governor Whitmer, the March 19-22, 2020 Ultimate Sport Show Grand Rapids has been POSTPONED! The order right now states no events or gatherings of 250 or more persons through April 5.
Don't think we'll know anything more until we reach that date and see how things are going. I did see the Michigan cases of coronavirus went from 2 to around 33 in a matter of days. Also so a picture from East Lansing yesterday/today of a huge crowd lined up to get in the door of a bar. They may be getting some heat there because it appears the authorities are taking this thing seriously.
Cross your fingers things work out for the better, and soon.
Don't think we'll know anything more until we reach that date and see how things are going. I did see the Michigan cases of coronavirus went from 2 to around 33 in a matter of days. Also so a picture from East Lansing yesterday/today of a huge crowd lined up to get in the door of a bar. They may be getting some heat there because it appears the authorities are taking this thing seriously.
Cross your fingers things work out for the better, and soon.
#17
Community News / Outdoorama 2020 starts today F...
Last post by djkimmel - February 27, 2020, 10:41:39 AMStop by booth 5761 (2nd aisle from the west wall) at Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi today starting at 1PM for Outdoorama 2020! I'll be there all 4 days. Xtreme Bass Tackle is nearby in booth 5765.
Franks Great Outdoors and Anglersmart are both there with tons of ice fishing jigs, tackle and gear! There's more ice fishing stuff at Outdoorama this year than ever before from what I saw in my quick walk-around last night after setting up my booth. Come check it out!
Outdoorama 2020 Detroit
SUBURBAN COLLECTION SHOWPLACE
46100 GRAND RIVER DR
NOVI MI 48374
Thursday, February 27 - 1PM - 9PM
Friday, February 28 - 11AM - 9PM
Saturday, February 29 - 10AM - 8PM
Sunday, March 1 - 10AM - 5PM
Franks Great Outdoors and Anglersmart are both there with tons of ice fishing jigs, tackle and gear! There's more ice fishing stuff at Outdoorama this year than ever before from what I saw in my quick walk-around last night after setting up my booth. Come check it out!
Outdoorama 2020 Detroit
SUBURBAN COLLECTION SHOWPLACE
46100 GRAND RIVER DR
NOVI MI 48374
Thursday, February 27 - 1PM - 9PM
Friday, February 28 - 11AM - 9PM
Saturday, February 29 - 10AM - 8PM
Sunday, March 1 - 10AM - 5PM
#18
General Ice Fishing Discussion / Where O Where is the safe ice?...
Last post by djkimmel - December 23, 2019, 02:40:28 PMI drove out to Round Lake Friday afternoon to get my heart broken... Was hoping to be pleasantly surprised by thicker, clean ice considering I was breaking lots of 3/4 to 1/ 1/2 inch ice to fish my last two times in the boat there in late November but no such luck... darn.
Drove up to see an ice-covered lake but it also looked like 2 small, narrow openings in the ice and one very long, narrow strip out in the middle. Got my binoculars out and still couldn't be sure but it was either strips of water on the ice, or open water as all three spots were lower than the surrounding ice.
Bought new blades for my ancient 8" Mora hand auger as last winter it got to the point that all I could do was cut wide, shallow saucers in the ice!! Not good when the ice is 14 to 16 inches thick!! Figured I could at least test that, plus... I'm hoping a new hand drill I bought might make things easier on my aging joints. I had it hooked to a slightly newer (but still very old) 6 inch Mora my brother Jim loaned me.
I was able to spud through the ice with 4 or 5 pokes at the most standing at the boat ramp Friday. Not good. I could see the ice was poor quality. In a few test spots the spud went through in only 2 or 3 pokes! The dead giveaway not to even try walking out at all was the absence of zero tracks or disturbances of any kind out on the lake - I was looking for that too with my binoculars. The only sign someone else had even tried the ice was an auger hole only 12 feet out from the boat ramp. That was it.
I realize ice around shore, especially around objects, tends to be mixed and poor but no way was I going out on 3 inches or less of poor quality ice hoping it would 'get better.' Someone else can be the pioneer (guinea pig) there!!
I walked slowly and gingerly out a few feet on one of the big drain tubes at the ramp and gave my new 8 inch blade a try. Had to be careful there too as it wouldn't take much to break through and put my new blades into the rocks and gravel around the boat ramp. I was happy to see the new blades appear to cut pretty good. Maybe not pristine but I won't be sure about improvements until I can get out on some real ice and stand right over the auger. Hopefully, I can cut holes again halfway decent (or better).
But, the real excitement trying to well up over my disappoint of not enough safe ice comes from my new hand drill auger rig. Unfortunately, my brother had left this auger in his garage for who knows how many years. I had to work at it just to be able to use the threads on the auger arm. The blades were somewhat rusted too. I oiled them and tried lightly sandpapering any obvious rust off around the blade edges. Having tried last year to sharpen my old 8 inch blades, I don't have a lot of confidence in doing that.
So, more disappoint shouldn't have been too surprising... When I tried to use my new drill to cut a hole the blades skittered all over the place!?! I could barely hold the drill in one spot to even make a 'saucer' like my dull 8 inch blades were doing last winter!!! I tried adjusting the speed and torque enough times to know I was not going to get these blades to catch even long enough to start to dig a hole through. It was more challenging not being able to stand right over the drill on the ice, but I came close enough I should have been able to at least get beyond a very shallow saucer about 20 inches wide.
I gave up after a couple minutes because I think if I tried to push harder I was going to cut myself or fall over onto the ice!! Could not keep the auger in one spot with any success for more than a moment...
So, I've asked Santa for a new plain old Mora 6 inch auger for Christmas because I want to be able to drill some holes without wearing myself out. Assuming we EVER get safe ice around Lansing... I imagine there may be safe ice on one or two of the few tiny bodies of water nearby. I have a (chicken) little different opinion about safe ice than some anglers. Don't really like swimming in real cold water. Think I'm going to wait until next weekend to give something, somewhere, another shot. Maybe, if Santa feels I've been a good boy, I'll have a new 6 inch auger to try on my new hand drill...
I would try my ancient 8 inch auger on the hand drill, but I cannot get it apart so far. I'm also concerned the effort of getting it apart might make it unusable. Don't think I've ever taken it apart in the thousand years I've owned it...
I imagine some of you have been out by now, maybe far up north? A friend who lived around here up until recently has just started to send me pictures of trout and perch he's catching through the ice. I forget he moved to Montana in June so that explains why he has safe ice. He told me they usually have safe ice until April 30 where he now lives!! That's a little too much for me. I do like my spring open water fishing!!! Good luck out there, and be safe. I need to fish soon, but not if it involves a possible unplanned swim!!!
Drove up to see an ice-covered lake but it also looked like 2 small, narrow openings in the ice and one very long, narrow strip out in the middle. Got my binoculars out and still couldn't be sure but it was either strips of water on the ice, or open water as all three spots were lower than the surrounding ice.
Bought new blades for my ancient 8" Mora hand auger as last winter it got to the point that all I could do was cut wide, shallow saucers in the ice!! Not good when the ice is 14 to 16 inches thick!! Figured I could at least test that, plus... I'm hoping a new hand drill I bought might make things easier on my aging joints. I had it hooked to a slightly newer (but still very old) 6 inch Mora my brother Jim loaned me.
I was able to spud through the ice with 4 or 5 pokes at the most standing at the boat ramp Friday. Not good. I could see the ice was poor quality. In a few test spots the spud went through in only 2 or 3 pokes! The dead giveaway not to even try walking out at all was the absence of zero tracks or disturbances of any kind out on the lake - I was looking for that too with my binoculars. The only sign someone else had even tried the ice was an auger hole only 12 feet out from the boat ramp. That was it.
I realize ice around shore, especially around objects, tends to be mixed and poor but no way was I going out on 3 inches or less of poor quality ice hoping it would 'get better.' Someone else can be the pioneer (guinea pig) there!!
I walked slowly and gingerly out a few feet on one of the big drain tubes at the ramp and gave my new 8 inch blade a try. Had to be careful there too as it wouldn't take much to break through and put my new blades into the rocks and gravel around the boat ramp. I was happy to see the new blades appear to cut pretty good. Maybe not pristine but I won't be sure about improvements until I can get out on some real ice and stand right over the auger. Hopefully, I can cut holes again halfway decent (or better).
But, the real excitement trying to well up over my disappoint of not enough safe ice comes from my new hand drill auger rig. Unfortunately, my brother had left this auger in his garage for who knows how many years. I had to work at it just to be able to use the threads on the auger arm. The blades were somewhat rusted too. I oiled them and tried lightly sandpapering any obvious rust off around the blade edges. Having tried last year to sharpen my old 8 inch blades, I don't have a lot of confidence in doing that.
So, more disappoint shouldn't have been too surprising... When I tried to use my new drill to cut a hole the blades skittered all over the place!?! I could barely hold the drill in one spot to even make a 'saucer' like my dull 8 inch blades were doing last winter!!! I tried adjusting the speed and torque enough times to know I was not going to get these blades to catch even long enough to start to dig a hole through. It was more challenging not being able to stand right over the drill on the ice, but I came close enough I should have been able to at least get beyond a very shallow saucer about 20 inches wide.
I gave up after a couple minutes because I think if I tried to push harder I was going to cut myself or fall over onto the ice!! Could not keep the auger in one spot with any success for more than a moment...
So, I've asked Santa for a new plain old Mora 6 inch auger for Christmas because I want to be able to drill some holes without wearing myself out. Assuming we EVER get safe ice around Lansing... I imagine there may be safe ice on one or two of the few tiny bodies of water nearby. I have a (chicken) little different opinion about safe ice than some anglers. Don't really like swimming in real cold water. Think I'm going to wait until next weekend to give something, somewhere, another shot. Maybe, if Santa feels I've been a good boy, I'll have a new 6 inch auger to try on my new hand drill...
I would try my ancient 8 inch auger on the hand drill, but I cannot get it apart so far. I'm also concerned the effort of getting it apart might make it unusable. Don't think I've ever taken it apart in the thousand years I've owned it...
I imagine some of you have been out by now, maybe far up north? A friend who lived around here up until recently has just started to send me pictures of trout and perch he's catching through the ice. I forget he moved to Montana in June so that explains why he has safe ice. He told me they usually have safe ice until April 30 where he now lives!! That's a little too much for me. I do like my spring open water fishing!!! Good luck out there, and be safe. I need to fish soon, but not if it involves a possible unplanned swim!!!
#19
Ice Fishing Stuff for Sale / complete ice fishing setup for...
Last post by kat000killer - August 16, 2019, 09:02:19 AM10" eskimo power auger used twice
2 man schapelle portable shanty brand new
6" power auger
6" hand auger used twice
75 to 100 jigs
bucket full of tipups
bucket full of jig rods
scoops and a gaff
plastic tow tub sled
will not separate 700$ for entire package.
231-5four8five05one
2 man schapelle portable shanty brand new
6" power auger
6" hand auger used twice
75 to 100 jigs
bucket full of tipups
bucket full of jig rods
scoops and a gaff
plastic tow tub sled
will not separate 700$ for entire package.
231-5four8five05one
#20
Ice Fishing Derbies, Tournaments and Festivals / 2019 LSCWA Annual Children
Last post by djkimmel - January 20, 2019, 02:45:51 PMThe Lake St. Clair Walleye Association's Annual Children's Ice Fishing is back on Sunday, February 24, 2019. This FREE event is a great way to introduce children to ice fishing!
The event will be held at the Lake St. Clair Metropark from 9AM to 2PM. Registration located at Lake St Clair Metro Park (Metro Beach), Day Sail Launch, near the Surfside Shelter (Heated Restrooms!).
Call the Club Hot Line @ 1-586-778-0480 or See LSCWA.NET with any questions and to confirm event details.
The event will be held at the Lake St. Clair Metropark from 9AM to 2PM. Registration located at Lake St Clair Metro Park (Metro Beach), Day Sail Launch, near the Surfside Shelter (Heated Restrooms!).
- Free Event!
- Children Learn to Ice Fish!
- All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
- Refreshments and Prizes Available!
- Taxi Service onto the ice provided!
- Heated tent provide by WCSX 94.7
- Prizes donated by Bass Pro Shop
Call the Club Hot Line @ 1-586-778-0480 or See LSCWA.NET with any questions and to confirm event details.