Bayliner Boats - Northeast Mississippi anglers

Hi gang, Rick here again from Bayliner Boats with news up the this weekend's 24th annual Boat, RV and Camper Dealers' Sale in Tupelo.

Dealers said people, however, were looking more than buying, and the uncertain political and economic future has people scared.

Bill Morgan, president of Mississippi Marine and Outdoors Inc. in Tupelo, said people started coming back to the sale Saturday after the poor weather conditions kept prospective buyers aware Friday night. The sale is being held at the Tupelo Furniture Market Building 1 and continues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today.

"We have as many people as we can wait on today," Morgan said. "There's not many buyers; there's a few people interested in buying. Hopefully, it will pick up and finish up the sales."

Morgan was optimistic after having a profitable 2007. "I had a very good year last year," he said. "The industry's been in a slump, but I haven't. I closed 2007 up, but it was because of my first half of the year."


This year will be different, he said. "We're cautiously looking at 2008. We've got a horrible thing called a presidential election, which makes people uncomfortable. Of course, they don't know what the next year is going to bring.


"We were dealt a very bad hand this year," he said, "because we've had a two-year presidential campaign. In their greed to become the president, they have scared the population. That disposable income may be disposed for you."

Ready for fishing season, Customers were getting ready for the warmer weather, however. "You see a lot of people buying fishing poles back there," Morgan said. "Deer season closed last Wednesday for guns, and their brains switched to fish. They are excited about fishing."

Mississippi Marine sells G3, War Eagle and Crownline boats, Arctic Cat all-terrain vehicles and Sea Doo personal watercrafts. Morgan said he was glad to see boat owners return to see the newer models.

"It's amazing," he said. "I'm seeing a lot of my customers who have bought from me before, and they are saying they are really enjoying their boats. It's fun."

Bo Mitchell, service manager for Midway Marine in Fulton, said boat buying usually gets better after the boat show.

"We sold 28 boats last year in the month of February after the boat sale," he said. "It kinda slows down in December and January, but it always picks up about February."

Midway Marine carries Tracker boats, the nation's top-selling boat through its affiliation with Bass Pro Shops. Mitchell said local fishermen have certain features that they need.

"Tracker has lifetime warranty on the hulls," he said, "and that appeals to a lot of people, especially the places they have to run." The three best-selling models at Midway Marine are the aluminum crappie boats.

"They used to have those big glass boats, and now it's getting to where you can't take those glass boats where you can these aluminum boats," he said. "Grenada is one of the top crappie places, and it's just about dried up now. So you need these aluminum boats to get back into fishing places."

Mitchell said some anglers have switched to the really large boats - pontoons - for crappie fishing. "It's good for kids too because you can get out there and fish," he said. "And you don't have to worry about them getting up on the boat and falling out."

Average fishermen, Tommy Thompson of Sherm's Marine Service in Amory, said he has had a boat display at the show every year. As a Polar Kraft dealer, Thompson said he targets the average Northeast Mississippi angler.

"People who are just going fishing are going to buy one of these," he said. "People in the tournaments are going to buy the big boats with the 150 hp motors."

Thompson said the line allows versatility. "Polarcraft offers 12 different models, so there's a boat that pretty much fits the bill for what people are looking for."

One model includes stick steering, where the throttle is positioned in the boat's bow for easier one-person angling.

"If you're fishing, you can't beat a stick steer," he said. "If you fish by yourself, you can't beat a stick steer. You fish from the trolling motor or the big motor, and you never have to get up."

Other models include a console. "For people who like to ride a lot, there's a steering wheel," Thompson said.

Most boat dealers and salesmen see Northeast Mississippi anglers are just pure fishermen. Michael Redfearn, a sales representative for Bass Cat boats, said the Tupelo show is his fourth one this year.

"It's always a good show here," he said. "To me it's got the atmosphere when you've got the recreational vehicles and the boats so it makes a good package. It's a real outdoors deal."

For Redfearn, this area means fishing. "When you get out into the rural areas away from the big cities, that's where our base is, the guys who really fish. That's where you find them," Redfearn said. "It makes us feel good when we roll into these areas where fishing is really done."
Thanks to outdoors writer Buster Wolfe, djournal.com.

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Rick Ostler, Bayliner Boats.