NE Fishing and Outdoor Expo Opens this Fri.; Carp Fishing Seminars on Sat. and Sun.

The New England Fishing and Outdoor Expo opens this Friday, Jan. 26 at the Boxboro Regency in Boxboro, MA.  It is one of the best outdoor shows in New England with loads of fishing booths, free parking, easy access off Rt. 495 and one of the best seminar line-ups I have ever seen. I will be at the show on Saturday (Jan. 27) and Sunday (Jan. 28) doing carp fishing seminars at 11:00 AM each morning. I’ll also be at the show walking around and talking to people. For more information and the seminar schedule, go to this LINK.

Hope to see you there!

Photo of the Day...New Reels Get the Job Done; First Carp of the Year!

First carp of the year sits in the snow.  It was landed on
my new Okuma Avenger ABF 55 b (see previous post).

Upgrading my Okuma Avenger Baitrunner Reels

The Okuma Avenger ABF 55b baitrunner
reel is about the best buy for baitrunner
reels to fish for carp.  They are also very reliable.

I just received two of the new Okuma Avenger ABF 55b baitrunner reels.  I ordered these to upgrade my old Avengers that gave me about 10 years and thousands of carp worth of service. They are a very reliable baitrunner reel, and at about $50 to $60 dollars apiece they are about the best buy on the market these days in baitrunner reels to fish for carp.
The new Avengers look a bit different than the old silver ones. They actually look like a piece of jewelry with their silver bodies and their gold toned spools. Another upgrade is their handles with a large knob, something I really like in carp reels. The reels are also lighter than the old models with the new Avengers weighing in at 15.6 ounces. They also sport 19 lbs. of drag, impressive for a freshwater reel.
What always impressed me about these Okuma Avengers is their smooth operation and super smooth drags, a trademark of Okuma reels. And, they have been super reliable for me over the years as they have landed many carp as well as some very large fish.
So, I plan to spool these with 15 lb. test mono in the next couple of days and hopefully, I'll get a few carp in the coming week and really test out the reels!

First of the Big Shows....New England Fishing and Outdoor Expo

The new year starts the season of fishing shows for me. I've got a number of them booked in the next two months at both fishing clubs and big outdoor shows.  This year I will be running two new seminars. My saltwater seminar is called "Striper Trends". This show looks at the changing world of striper fishing here in southern New England. With the warming waters, the migrations have changed, the bait populations are moving and changing and the big bass haunts are changing.  This show will look at how fishermen can change with the times to be successful at this game.  My freshwater show is called "Carp Fishing Strategies for River and Lakes".  This show deals with strategies to successfully fish moving and still waters for some of the biggest freshwater fish imaginable right here in southern New England.
My first appearance at a big outdoor show will be the New England Fishing and Outdoor Expo at Boxborough, MA right off Rt. 495.  I will be there on both Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 27 and Jan. 28.  The times of those seminars are not set yet, so keep checking their website. This show has evolved over the years into a quality fishing show that focuses on freshwater fishing as well as saltwater fishing.  The show is loaded with loads of fishing vendors, top notch speakers, demonstrations and seminars. Attendance at this show has really increased in recent years due to its increasing popularity, quality attractions and free parking. I will be doing both my striper fishing seminar as well as the carp fishing seminar at this show. Hope to see you there!