Noted Recreational Fishing Seminar to Return to Florida Keys Feb. 8

The Salt Water Sportsman National Seminar Series is set to return to the Florida Keys Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Coral Shores Performing Arts Center, mile marker 89.9 oceanside in Islamorada.

The 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. educational event is to cover “how-to” and “where-to” aspects of catching the Florida Keys’ inshore, nearshore and offshore saltwater gamefish.

Set to preside over the event are George Poveromo, host of “George Poveromo's World of Saltwater Fishing” on Discovery network, and Captain Mark Schmidt, a Key West light tackle guide and International Game Fish Association world record holder.

"With 37 years under our belts, the seminar series has become the nation’s longest-running and most popular educational course on recreational angling tactics and techniques," Poveromo said. "Its success has always been about the vast amount of cutting-edge and pertinent how-to information shared on catching more and bigger game fish within the waters at each respective Seminar Series stop.

“This information is explained in detail by some of the best saltwater anglers, and each session is backed by elaborate visuals that include video, technical- and action-oriented images and onstage demonstrations,” he added.

Set to join Poveromo and Schmidt is a diversified group of South Florida and Keys professionals including Bruce Davis, Jimmy Gagliardini, Armani Garcia, Chris Hanson, Lee Lavery, Andrew Tipler, Diego Toiran, Mike Weinhofer, Alan Wenzel, Jim Willcox and David Wicker. Also on the faculty is Islamorada marine artist and recreational angler Pasta Pantaleo.

The $65 ticket price covers instruction, a 2025 course textbook, a one-year subscription or extension to Salt Water Sportsman magazine, one Roff’s Ocean Fishing Forecast Analysis, boat care products, a Bass Pro Shops discount card and chances to win thousands of dollars’ worth of door prizes.

The grand prize, to be awarded at the conclusion of the seminar, is a guided Florida Keys fishing trip with accommodations. The super grand prize, to be awarded several weeks after the conclusion of the 2025 series, is a new Mako Pro Skiff 17.  

An after-seminar reception is set for attendees beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday at World Wide Sportsman, MM 81.5 bayside, in Islamorada.

To purchase tickets and learn more about the seminar, visit nationalseminarseries.com.

The seminar series and Poveromo’s fishing show is sponsored in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.

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