Join George Poveromo and teams of top national and regional pros for a one-day learning experience like no other when the 2025 Salt Water Sportsman National Seminar Series comes to a destination near you. The tour is presented by Mako Boats and Bass Pro Shops. To register, visit nationalseminarseries.com or call 954-755-6898.
Recognized as the nation’s longest-running (38 years) and most popular educational course on saltwater fishing, our seminars cover the how-tos and where-tos of catching the most popular inshore, nearshore and offshore marine gamefish. See and learn from Poveromo and noted anglers the likes of Harry Vernon III, Nick Honachefsky, Ric Burnley, Rick Mola, “Crazy” Alberto Knie, Debbie Hanson, Dave Wicker, Alan Wenzel, Dave Workman, Matt Upton, Jot Owens, Amanda Holly, and captains Mike Goodwine, Mark Schmidt, Tom Daffin and others.
The Cities
The tour opens January 11 in Charleston, South Carolina. From there, it’s on to St. Augustine, Florida (January 18); Atlantic City, New Jersey (January 25); Mobile, Alabama (February 1); Islamorada, the Florida Keys (February 8); Uncasville, Connecticut (February 22); Hampton, Virginia (March 1), and Tampa, Florida (March 8). Seminars are held on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a one-hour break at noon.
How It Works
Teams of four faculty members take center stage for each session. These experts teach the latest cutting-edge rigs and techniques that excel in their local waters. Extensive visuals and video clips beaming from high-definition screens flanking the stage help reinforce the key points being addressed.
In addition to focusing on specific gamefish species, topics will cover solunar tables and tides, using electronics to dial in on fish, how weather patterns and moon phases affect gamefish, successful light-tackle fishing, no-nonsense offshore trolling, choosing and fishing artificial lures, how to keep track of migrating fish, latest jigging tactics (such as slow-pitch or mudding) and much more.
38 Years and Counting
“Each seminar is tailored to the region in which it is being held,” Poveromo says. “The amount of information coming from that stage is sometimes quite astonishing. Our biggest endorsement is the fact that the National Seminar Series has been packing major halls and auditoriums going on 38 years. You can’t do that with a subpar show. It’s a full day of solid learning, entertainment and camaraderie, followed by an after-seminar party at the local Bass Pro Shops.”
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Cost and Swag
A Seminar Series ticket costs $65 and includes seven hours of fishing instruction, a Star brite bucket and boat-care products, a bottle of Star Tron and OrPine, one ROFFS Ocean Fishing Forecast Analysis, a one-year subscription or extension to Salt Water Sportsman magazine, a $10 Bass Pro Shops discount card on a purchase of $75 or more, and chances to win thousands of dollars’ worth of door prizes.
Grand Prizes: Florida Keys Trips and a Mako Pro Skiff 17 CC
The grand prize at each of the eight stops, via a drawing, is a Florida Keys fishing trip with a noted Florida Keys guide. At the conclusion of the eighth and final seminar on the 2025 tour, the names of all attendees will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win the super grand prize: a Mako Pro Skiff 17 CC. One lucky winner will receive the boat.
The 2024 Mako Pro Skiff 17 CC Winner
The 2024 super grand prize was won by 16-year-old Aden Drahn, who attended our Destin seminar with his mother, Sarah. Aden has been fishing the boat at every opportunity since his big win. Will you be the next winner?
Meet Our Sponsors
Sponsors of the Salt Water Sportsman National Seminar Series will have representatives on hand to showcase their latest products and answer questions. Displays will be in the lobbies. It’s a mini tackle show. Sponsors include Bass Pro Shops, Mako Boats, Mercury Outboards, Simrad, Star brite, Penn, Columbia, Engel, ROFFS, Atlas Trax, JL Audio, SeaDek and the Florida Keys & Key West.
The Parties
The seminars are held inside performing arts theaters and ballrooms. Afterward, the local Bass Pro Shops throws an after-seminar party from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., complete with snacks, beverages and music. It’s an opportunity for attendees to meet and chat with George Poveromo and faculty members in a relaxed setting.
To gain access to the party area, an attendee must show their Seminar Series name badge. Six of the eight locations on the 2025 tour will have after-seminar parties. There are no Bass Pro Shops near Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Casino or in Charleston, South Carolina.
To register, visit: nationalseminarseries.com or call 954-755-6898.
2025 Salt Water Sportsman National Seminar Series Dates and Locations
| Jan. 11, Charleston, SC | Lowcountry Conference Center: 406 Sigma Drive, Summerville, SC 29486 |
| Jan. 18, St. Augustine, FL | World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort: 500 South Legacy Trail, St. Augustine, FL 32092 |
| Jan. 25, Atlantic City, NJ | Resorts Hotel and Casino: 1133 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401 |
| Feb. 1, Mobile, AL | Daphne Civic Center: 2603 US Hwy. 98, Daphne, Alabama 36526 |
| Feb. 8, Islamorada, the Florida Keys | Coral Shores High School: 89901 Old Hwy., Tavernier, FL 33070 |
| Feb. 22, Uncasville, CT | Mohegan Sun Casino: 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville, CT 06382 |
| March 1, Hampton, VA | Hampton Roads Convention Center: 1610 Coliseum Drive, Hampton, VA 23666 |
| March 8, Tampa, FL | Egypt Shrine Center: 5017 E. Washington St., Tampa, FL 33619 |
