The Cleveland sport and outdoor show is alive and well

Now hear this. The Cleveland Sport, Travel, and Outdoor Show is alive and well. Currently living in Euclid, Ohio, the show is celebrating 74 years of entertaining those of us who would rather be out than in.

And for those of us who are old enough, please turn back the clock and remember the trip with the adults to downtown Cleveland to watch in wonderment and excitement as the old Cleveland sport show stage unfolded with all that was great in the outdoors.

Outgrowing the downtown venue, the show moved the cavernous IX Center west of the city and just last year moved once again to a more appropriately sized Great Lakes Expo Center on Babbitt Road in Eastlake.

Good place

The word flowing through the sporting grapevine is that the show is once again a good place to spend a late winter day. Of course, the three-day event is a showcase for products, gadgets, and providers, but there is much more, according to show organizers.

Visitors are promised new fishing gear and experienced charter guides, Canadian camps, as well as campers and boats to touch and drool on.

And there’s still more, including an extensive list of speakers, instructional seminars, demonstrations and entertainments. One can learn how best to care for venison from the minute it’s on the ground, an all-important task that can ruin meat if it’s not done quickly and correctly.

Radio host and retired Ohio Game Protector Reno “Jay” Reda will host visitors to his realistic indoor camp and entertain young and old with a variety of interactive activities.

Licensed gun dealers will be displaying the newest of everything and an archery section with shooting range will offer the opportunity to try shooting a new bow or archery product.

Family fun

Want something more family oriented? Then try the Boy Scout exhibit where one can try crossing a monkey bridge, learn knot tying, and lots more.

There will be a busy schedule of seminars that range from fishing for local fish to more adventurous outings.

Top Lake Erie guides will demonstrate latest in catching techniques and there will be specialists to show anglers how to fish local rivers for bass and trout.

If Lake Erie’s central basin walleyes interest you, be sure to catch seminars by top Fairport trollers Marv DeGreen and Jim Schonauer. These guys are picking up where the late Ron Johnson left off, giving out the best kept secrets for deep water walleyes.

Yes, there are contests for turkey calling, wildlife photography tips, wild stories from globe trotting Joe Kulis, and shooting tips from History Channel’s Top Gun hosts Chris Cerino and Gunny Zins who are both northeast Ohio residents.

The show runs Friday, Feb. 25-27. Directions, show hours, how to purchase discount tickets and other details are available at www.sportandtravel.com.