Boat shows draw fishermen to their locations like hardware stores draw Tim Allen. When the Houston boat show comes to town biannually, anglers through out Southeast Texas flock to the Astro Arena by the thousands. Boat Shows can be summed up most appropriately by the first thing that catches your eye when visiting this years show. Sitting in probably the most sought after space within this complex, are the new line of Hummers all terrain transports. With their wide bodies, self inflating tires and full-time four wheel drive, it keeps one salesman busy all day just wiping the drool off these futuristic jeeps on steriods. These fantastic wonders of fiberglass technology represent almost every fishemans wet dream and nightmare in one fatal swoop. Unfortunatly they also represent the most common problem facing anglers visiting this years boat show. Sitting there in all their glory with their shinning exteriors and leather interiors. These Hummer will evoke wild hallucinations transmitting almost simultaneously through bystanders brains staring at these works of art. Images of themselves behind the wheel sitting in those luxurious seats that look more fitting in a Ferrari interior than an all terrain vehicle. Then the almost to a tee, similar expression as these dreamers are jolted back into reality when they come across the price tags glaring at them like Freddy Kruger from the passenger window.
Unfortunately these images are some of the first things that come to mind when visiting most boat shows. Cars, boats and a wide variety of fishing equipment all spit shine to Marine boot camp specifications waiting for those addicted fishermen with weak will power and weaker checking accounts. Their brain going 90 miles and hour all trying to come up with some lame excuse to justify bringing home another fishing gadget to the waiting family. Although there seems to be some correlations between the rise of Lottery ticket sales and the duration of the boat show stay in town. With a few anglers hanging onto those child like fantasies of actually winning the lottery and buying out boat show dealers on a wild spending frenzy. I must admit I definitely will be making sure I am entered in these coming weeks drawings, just in case. For the most part these shows are just reminders to us of the bygone days when we would go shopping with our parents to the toy stores around this same time of year. And instead of our fathers constant reminders that those favorite toys of our child hood memories were to expensive for our parents to afford. Today we are continuously reminded by that stupid, annoying voice in your subconscious telling you that there are other things that your family needs more, like that walker for grandpa. But don't give up on those dreams cause there still is Christmas and Santa Claus and miracles do truly exist, you just gotta believe!!!
All kidding aside this years boat show does offer a host of interesting exhibits for every fishermen and fisher women fancy. A wide variety of boats from those unbelievable yachts to those innovative aluminum boats. The boat show should have something for every anglers taste and budget. Although a little out of the old price range, I really like the new line of Contenders and Robalos. I must admit I could also picture myself behind the wheel of one of those new Hewes boats, with a new fly rod in hand. Towing behind the boat would be one of those pesky water bikes.When the fishing starts to slack off or I need a break from hauling in all those trophy trout. At the end of the day I could relax in comfort in one of those (better than the old homestead) motor homes with a satellite dish mounted on the top. Then to scout out some new locations for the next day of fishing, I could hop on the new line of polaris all terrain vehicles. Then scoot on out to one of those remote fishing destinations where the big boys of the fish species like to hang out.
Of course when you don't always feel like dragging the old motor home and boat out. It get to be such a hassle when you get back home and have to clean everything up from a weeks worth of fishing. Then never fear there is also something at this years boat show for those of you not up to all that strenuous work. There are these people called guides that will not only put you on some of the biggest fish you ever seen, but will actually clean and package your catch for you. In fact they have some pretty good size fish sitting in these coolers right in front of their booths just asking to be scooped up and yahooed out the front door for those of you anglers on the extremely lazy side. In this one particular booth from that smaller state above the good old United States. They have pictures of these giant size flounders, which left me wondering what kind of military experiments the government has been testing in their waters. And the size of the speckled trout that come from this states waters one can only imagine how big the shrimp are that they use for bait!!!
But what really caught my eye was this one booth that was selling original signed oil paintings and numbered copies. His paintings really jumped off the canvas with real life appearances of game fish and their habituates. I unfortunately did not get a card from this dealer and would appreciate it if some one visiting this years boat show could send me some information on this dealer. He is located near the main entrance in the guides section, so do yourself a favor and check this booth out. His reproductions are reasonable and would look very nice hanging on the wall next to the fireplace or study!!!
So for those of you out there who are having second thoughts about visiting this years boat show cause of that sickening feeling you experience once you exit the doors. Take my advice and bite the bullet, and make the trip on down. There is alot to see at this years show with something in every bodies price range, including mine. It also never hurts to be caught up with all the current products features and price ranges. And when that winning lottery ticket does finally come in you can take comfort in knowing you will not be purchasing one of those Hummers or 30+ foot Contenders at an above boat show price!!!!