Event seeks to attract youths to hunting and fishing

March 5, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

NILES

Larry Patrone, an outdoor-clothing vendor at the Sportsman’s Super Show at the Eastwood Expo Center on Sunday, says the show was “very successful” for his sales, but he wished more children would have attended.

“Parents need to bring more young people into [outdoor] sports, especially fishing,” said Patrone, a Canfield resident who has been a show vendor for 14 years.

“I saw a survey that showed the average age of tackle buyers is 53, and I’m worried that interest in fishing will die out,” he added Sunday at the final day of the three-day event.

Judi Henninger of Niles, one of the show organizers for two decades, said she is conscious of the need to attract a new generation, which is why the show gave away more than 100 fishing rods and reels to children over the weekend.

“Kids are the future of hunting and fishing,” Henninger said, “and this is a great alternative to video games.”

Henninger said the show set a record this year with more than 120 vendors, many of whom have broadened their appeals to families.

James DelReal, owner of Diamond Charters based on the New York shoreline of Lake Ontario, said he thinks the message is getting out to young people and their parents.

“I’ve had more families on my boat than I’ve had in 15 years — especially fathers and daughters,” DelReal said. “I think the girls feel that it’s not just for their older brothers, and it’s something they can enjoy a great deal.”

In the back of the Expo Center, there was no shortage of young people casting lines into a portable fishing pond stocked with 200 trout. One of those trying his luck was Austin Kuntz of Leetonia a “veteran” fisherman even though he is just 11 years old. He first learned to fish at the age of 2.

“It’s entertaining, and it’s really fun for me,” he said, but added that he doesn’t know if his friends are interested in fishing.

On the other side of the pond, 10-year-old Savanna Means of Cortland focused intently on snaring one of the trout. She also began fishing when she was 2.

“She fishes better than I do,” said Steve Means, her father. “If she could fish every day, she would be out there.”

The show featured below-retail prices for clothing and equipment with some discounts as high as 70 percent, another incentive for budget-conscious families according to Henninger.

“That’s why we have turnouts in the thousands and why I say it’s a really good year,” Henninger said.