THE FRED HALL SHOW: CALIFORNIA’S ULTIMATE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE
We just spent the weekend at the world’s largest sportfishing show! It is also California’s biggest boat show and an international leader in hunting and fishing travel, celebrating more than 70 years in the Southland at the Long Beach Convention Center! The show was March 7 - March 11th and if you missed it, be on the lookout for the next time it's in town. They are also having a show soon in San Diego. The Fred Hall Shows have always strived to provide a full day’s worth of family fun activities for the entire family included with the price of admission. Families can take part in the Mammoth Lakes Kids Fish Free Trout Pond, the Hobie kayak test rides on the Hyatt Lagoon, the Ram Ultimate Air Dogs, an archery range, the Great American Duck Races, casting on the Hyatt Lagoon, Fishing In the City Kids Casting Contests, kids face painting, sand drags and more.
What started in 1946 as a Sportsman’s show at the Gilmore Stadium in Los Angeles, has now become the world’s largest consumer fishing show, California’s Largest Trailer Boat Show and Southern California’s finest hunting and fishing travel show. The Fred Hall Show returned to the Long Beach Convention Center and featured approximately 1000 booths throughout the convention center with over 10,000 products on display from the world’s leading outdoor recreation manufacturers. Over 400 seminars took place during the five days of the show in seven different seminar venues.
We spent hours looking at all the boats, fishing rods, and adventure gear and then, of course, we had to check out the crazy sushi Hawaiian shirt and all the lures available for fishing. We got kind of silly, but had a lot of laughs!
This was some FUN FAMILY TIME with so many activities for children to experience sports in the great outdoors. Among the booths we loved, the fly-fishing and casting booth and the archery booth where kids got to test out rods and bows & arrows with a skilled instructor. The Duck Races were also incredibly fun to watch. Check out one of the duck races on our Instagram! It was a great day had by all, including my husband, who bought not just one, but two brand new fishing rods. I guess we will be going fishing very soon!
Other 2018 Show Highlights included:
Acres of boats including Fishing Boats, Cruisers, Tow Boats, Pontoon Boats, Deck Boats, High Performance Boats, kayaks and stand up paddleboards
The whip cracking and wisecracking Jack Dagger knife-throwing show
Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show
Marine Touch Tanks presented by Dr. Larry Allen, Cal State Northridge Marine Biology Department.
Daiwa Bass Tank, Rod Builders Depot, hundreds of fishing tackle manufacturer displays and tackle booths
California’s largest marine accessories display
Hobie Kayak demonstrations in the Hyatt Lagoon, plus the Hobie Fishing theater
Kids casting contests
International fishing and hunting travel booths
Compete in the Show Up and Blow contest at the Hobie Theater to win a Hobie Inflatable Kayak
Accurate Fishing Tackle Saltwater Fishing Tank
Mammoth Lakes Kids Fish Free Trout Pond and 360 virtual reality tour of the Eastern Sierras
Deep Blue Dive Pool - leave your clothes on, step into a “dry suit,” and take a SCUBA lesson without getting your clothes wet. Plus, Free dive and SCUBA diving equipment
The Costa Sporting Chef Café, Scott Leysath, and his singer-songwriter partner Gary Shiebler, will prepare fish and game recipes to share with audience members, plus Yanni from Fisherman’s Belly
Hunter and angler specific vehicles
Air Gun and Archery Ranges
Expanded Hunting Section
Cousins Seminar Stage
Extensive Display of Fishing Apparel for Men and Women
Cast Daiwa, Shimano and Avet products on the Lagoon
Ram Trucks Ultimate Air Dogs, Rock Climbing W
Salt Water Shark Tank with featuring 1,000 lb Mako Shark Display
Appearances by cast members of Nat-Geo’s “Wicked Tuna” Captain Paul Hebert, Maui Jim and Sandro Maniaci
“Very few shows can last for 72-years,” said Bart Hall, Producer of the Fred Hall Show. “The only way to last this long is to take every exhibitor seriously, treat their business as you would your own and always give your attendees exactly what you promise. Part of our business model is to always give a family a full days worth of family entertainment. Kids 15 and under are always free at a Fred Hall Show.”
CHECK OUT SAN DIEGO OR WAIT FOR THE NEXT LA SHOW!
Disclosure: We were given tickets to attend The Fred Hall Show in exchange for Reviews and Social Media posts, but all opinions are my own.
