Seminar Stage Headliners

Special Thursday ONLY Appearance! 4-Time Bassmaster Classic Champion and 7-Time B.A.S.S. Angler Of The Year! Kevin is one of the most accomplished fishermen of all time. VanDam’s list of national level accomplishments is incredible. This Kalamazoo native not only out-fishes most top bass anglers, but also could do it on walleye, pike, bluegill, steelhead or any Michigan gamefish. Kevin is called by many in the Bass Fishing community as the “Best in the World,” his seminars on are a must see!

Fishing 411 television host, seminar leader, walleye fishing expert and the author of the acclaimed Precision Trolling depth guides will be on hand all four days of the Ultimate Fishing Show. Walleye are one of the most popular species in the Great Lakes region. Using video clips from his popular TV series Fishing 411, Romanack will outline the finer points of several walleye fishing presentations he routinely uses to catch more and bigger fish. Included will be tips for fishing jigs in rivers, bottom bouncer tactics and also the art of slip sinker rigging.

There is no denying walleye are finicky fish and fishing pro Mark Martin is no stranger to teaching others on how to catch them. Martin has been giving seminars on the subject since his first tournament win in 1991, during the first-ever Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) Championship, which coined him the title “The Original Champ.” A life-long resident of Michigan, Martin is currently an instructor with the Fishing Vacation / Schools as well a tournament pro with Anglers Insight Marketing (AIM) and a recent inductee into the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame. Not to be missed, Martin will be giving seminars on catching walleye using modern-day open-water techniques and giving up his secrets to catching these most fickle of fish through the ice.

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.

Over 20 years dedicated to bringing fishing information and bait technology to anglers. The research done over that period resulted in the development of the Combat Fishing Weekly Newsletter, No Secrets On Lake St. Clair book 1 through 4, No Secrets on Lake St. Clair DVD, Marked Maps Series HD Complete, websites: www.xtremebasstackle.com, www.basstothefuture.com, and www.stclairreport.com. Wayne has also developed a full line of tournament quality baits by Xtreme Bass Tackle. He is recognized as the foremost bass fishing expert on Lake St. Clair through his participation in Michigan’s major fishing shows, TV and radio appearances and nationally known product development.

Angler, Author, Entertainer. Joe Thomas has done it all. From competing at the highest levels of professional bass fishing to authoring the definitive account of life as a pro angler to hosting today’s most popular television series focusing on bass fishing. It’s not hard to imagine a young Joe growing up as a kid in southwestern Ohio with dreams of one day becoming a bass pro, but it is difficult to imagine that even he could foresee the impact that his 30 year career would have on the sport. Today, Joe has achieved iconic status as an angler, author and television series host. And that’s just the beginning!

Jim’s career highlights include: 2022 BFL All American Qualifier, 2021 BFL Regional (2nd Place), 2021 BFL Sandusky Bay Qualifier (3rd Place), 2 Toyota Series National Championship Qualifier (2016, 2018), 2 BFL All American Qualifier (2016, 2022), 20 BFL Regional Qualifier, 26 FLW Top 10’s, and 3 BFL Wins

Jim is one of Michigan’s foremost authorities on fishing Michigan Rivers with spinners and other lures. The retired toxicologist spends over 1,000 hours a year fishing Michigan Rivers and has written three books on the subject.  Jim’s most recent book “Spinner Magic!” has been a huge hit with Michigan anglers. Jim will discuss how to pick the best local water and target the most active fish.

Mike is the owner of Schultz Outfitters Fly & Tackle Shop and Guide Service, specializing in Southeastern Michigan angling, instruction and destination travel. Logging countless hours on the water each year, Mike has developed a vast knowledge of Midwestern waters and beyond. The bulk of his guiding and angling takes place on his home waters of Southeastern Michigan. His angling travels have taken him from Patagonia to Russia and many places in between.

Over the years with the help of the Huron Watershed Council, Mike founded the Huron River Single Fly as well as the Huckin for the Huron. Both are annual fundraisers that take place on his home waters of the Huron River – Michigan’s Blue Ribbion Smallmouth stream. He is a member of the Simms Pro Team, G Loomis Elite and a YETI ambassador. He is a member of the Scientific Anglers, Costa, Clackacraft, Nautilus and Regal national pro teams. His signature fly patterns are available through Fulling Mill & Rainys.

Bill Mangan is the owner/operator of Mangan’s Cast a Fly. Bill is an (FFI) Fly Fishers International Certified Fly Casting Instructor and Michigan DNR Certified/Insured Fly Fishing Guide. After retiring as a Lieutenant from Law Enforcement after 28 ½ years with the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office, he was then able to pursue his passion of Fly Fishing full-time! Besides his own business he is also a Fly Casting Instructor and Guide Pro Staffer for (ARO) Ausable River Outfitters in Mio. Bill guides on Michigan’s Ausable River. He has been Fly Fishing since 1980, and has over 30 years experience operating a Drift Boat. Bill also does private Fly Casting lessons. Bill is truly passionate in what he does, and loves to teach and bring people up in the sport of Fly-Fishing, especially the art of Fly Casting. Each year he does Fly Casting Seminars/Demonstrations for several Organizations and Venues, throughout Michigan, Montana and Minnesota. Bill has written Fly Casting articles for the Woods-N-Water Magazine and has been featured several times on Michigan Out of Doors. He is also involved with Project Healing Waters. For further information about Bill go to:  Manganscastafly.com

Jake is the son of outdoor writer and TV host Mark Romanack and has been fishing since he was old enough to hold up a rod/reel combo. He spent three years acting as a first mate on a dozen different charter boats before he stepped up and got his own “captains” license. These days, Capt. Jake specializes in educational charters, seminars, YouTube videos and co-hosting TV productions as part of the family business Fishing 411 Productions.

Chris owns and operates Kayak Fish the Great Lakes to share his passion for the sport with others. He is a kayak fishing guide and an American Canoe Association certified Kayak Instructor. Each spring Chris finds himself working as the Tournament Director for the No-Mo Charity Kayak Fishing Tournament, which is also the largest gathering of kayak anglers in the Midwest. The hard work is a labor of love as it allows Chris to grow the kayak fishing community and help support the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan.

Dan is a popular freelance outdoor writer, speaker and syndicated radio show host whose fishing articles appear in Great Lakes Anger, Michigan Game & Fish, Outdoor Life, BoatUS Angler, Lakeland Boating, MidWest Outdoors, Pontoon & Deck Boat, The Outdoor Hub and Cabela’s Outfitter Journal. Dan holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Ohio State University, is a licensed US Coast Guard Captain and travels the nation leading fishing and boating programs at boat and sport shows.

A Lund and Mercury pro staffer, Joel has grown up on Lake St. Clair and has spent over 35 years fishing and hunting this world class lake system. From fishing to waterfowl hunting, he has dedicated a tremendous amount of time to fully understand the Lake St. Clair fishery as well as its waterfowl migration patterns. His passion for the outdoors has led him to operate Fish Headz Outfitter, a successful, full time charter fishing and waterfowl hunting operation on Lake St. Clair. No matter what the fish species bass, walleye, muskie, panfish or sturgeon, Captain Joel fully understands seasonal patterns and knows what the hot bite is and where to find it. Captain Joel will be delivering seminars on catching multi gamefish species of Lake St. Clair and waterfowl hunting best practices.