A favorite time of year for all those who LAKE is Boat Show Season - occurring at the beginning of every year, usually in January, sometimes into March.  For us, it means SPRING is just around the corner.  The lake area begins to be in high gear for the next boating season as soon as the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve!  It's certainly the case for us.

Most of the folks in our area enjoy attending several boat shows each year.  Favorite shows are within about a 3 hour driving range.  Attending shows allows a fun reason to get out and go visit another city, reconnect with other boating friends aka "your lake people," and getting excited for a new season by checking out the vendors - favorite boat brands, marinas, lake life brands and lake-oriented businesses.  

Attached is the list of 2024 boat shows you might like to attend - in order by date.  All shows are a short drive from the lake area.  (we'll try to update this listing each year as soon as we get confirmed info, but also keep the contact information at hand so that you know how to reach out annually for additional information, vendor apps, vendor lists, floorplans/maps and tickets.)

NOTE:  THIS BLOG WILL BE UPDATED ANNUALLY - SO AS SOON AS DATES BEGIN TO FIRM UP FOR A GIVEN YEAR, CHECK BACK IN!  

Get ready to have some fun this year on Smith Lake for the 4th of July.  Most folks are planning a very long week due to the holiday falling on Thursday.  Many expect an influx of friends and family to entertain all week.  There is plenty to do all around the large tri-county lake area.  

Every Independence Day on Smith Lake is special, rain or shine. We're always praying for summer storms to hold back for the holiday's events.  If it's perfect weather, you'll see fireworks big and small all around the lake the entire holiday weekend.  Just enjoy viewing small celebrations from the water as you boat home carefully and slowly along the lake area after sunset, and after a long day of fun in the sun.  If there is prolonged inclement weather in the evenings, most of the main annual events will either reschedule or cancel. 

There are several big fireworks shows that have been reported so far, see the list below this blog.  

• "OFF WATER" = fireworks are not along a shoreline or visible from water
• "ON WATER" = the event is on the shoreline and can best be viewed by boat at a safe distance.  

Check back to this list to see if any dates are rescheduled due to weather.  If a favorite event near you cancels, watch to see if they revise plans, try out another event nearby on another day, or just thoroughly enjoy your own private celebration including plenty of red-white-and-blue decor (check our Amazon store for ideas in Home Decor).  Be sure to stock up on sparklers & fireworks, outdoor games, floats and towables, watersports equipment, backyard grill-out items, boating essentials, a charcuterie board for s'mores, and/or a homemade ice cream churn plus all the toppings.  Stock up on ALL the favorites of summertime.  Then simply kick back and enjoy the fun, laughter, experiences, and daily wind-downs by the fire pit - MAKE MEMORIES!  Also, visit the Smith Lake #spotsonsmith checklist on the map by Sue Clements to see some of our favorite spots on the lake while out boating.  No matter how you celebrate, the weekend is truly a favorite for all who spend it on Smith Lake.
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​Check out our LOCAL INFO listings for everything from restaurants to shopping and so much more.  Our Cullman, Walker & Winston County areas welcome you with wide open arms, and would love to have you spend some time shopping locally for your weekend of entertaining.  Have questions?  Reach out!  

Be sure to "@" mention us on social media OR send in photos of the events you attend.  Let us know if you want us to post the photos on social media or if you’d like to be in the blog or magazine.  Join the Facebook Group "Smith Lake Community" to keep up with what's going on around the lake in case impromptu events pop up.  

​Be safe, have a blessed holiday and enjoy!  

(EVENT HOSTS - Please let us know well ahead of any other events that need to be added to the list for the entire weekend and remember to keep us updated as time nears based on weather or other factors.  Thank you!)

You can find other local area events on our CALENDAR page.  Please let us know of any events to add.

Latest update to this blog:  7/2/24.  ​

Listing (top to bottom and from L-R) determined by date from first to last events for the holiday weekend.

EVENTS in PURPLE boxes are not yet confirmed by the HOSTS - they need to text us at 256-708-7679 or email us [email protected] ASAP.  Thanks!  

RED boxes indicate the event is not happening this year, but may be rescheduled for another holiday.

​Get your boat ready – it’s almost spring!
 
Groundhog Day 2024 brought news that lake lovers want to hear for the upcoming boating season… early spring!  BUT… that also means we only have about 6 more weeks to prepare marine vessels for spring break and beyond. 
 
Now is the time, before spring, to put boats in the shop for servicing, maintenance and upgrades.  Local shops are overloaded during spring rush and that can sometimes result in serious delays to your boating season.  Maintaining and servicing a boat annually protects your investment, and upgrades can substantially help resale value.  

See a list of suggestions below (in alphabetical order):

1.  AFTERMARKET BOAT & TOWER ACCESSORIES - This can be anything from a depth finder to a trailer tail light to board racks for the boat's tower, or even a new tower and so much more.  Try these local companies:  Duskin Point Marina, MasterPro Audio, Rambo Rambo Marine, Inc., Russell Marine - Smith Lake, and Trident Marina.

2.  BOAT DETAILING - unlike basic auto detailing, boats have a gel coat surface over thick heavy fiberglass which is different from metal and plastics used on cars, so different methods, products and materials are needed for repairs, cleaning and refurbishing the finish.  Make sure you use a company that is experienced with delicate boat detailing needs.  We recommend local companies like Bama Detailing, Duskin Point Marina, MasterPro Audio, Rambo Marine, Inc., Russell Marine - Smith Lake, and Trident Marina. 

3.  BOAT LIFTS - for a new lift, installation, and good annual servicing to keep your investment safe and sound, get quotes from HydroHoist of Alabama, Free State Boat Docks, MasterPro Audio and Smith Lake Republic.

7.  MARINE AUDIO/VIDEO - Upgrade the entire boat's A/V system if it is not performing on its limited stock system, or if the system is older and needing a few upgrades or component additions.  Perhaps everything is functioning fine, and the system just needs some tuning, repairs or refurb.  Be sure to use professionals who understand the nuances between name brand equipment and how to get the most sound bang for your buck.  A company we recommend who has over 35 years experience in high end professional audio is MasterPro Audio with experience not just in marine audio and basic 12V, but also for commercial/home/worship/sports venues, entertainment venues, etc.  Ask to hear their demo boat system, on the water from a very far distance - you'll be shocked at what their patented tower speakers and component system are capable of - clean, clear high performance sound ready to energize your day on the lake.
 
8.  MARINE FLOORING - whether it's carpet, engineered marine flooring to upgrade an entire boat, or just pieces of surface material for a back platform, gunwales, or to artfully replace a torn or damaged section, the following local companies can help get your boat looking the best - Duskin Point Marina, MasterPro Audio, Rambo Marine, Inc.,​ Russell Marine - Smith Lake and Trident Marina.

9.  MECHANICAL SERVICE for BOATS & TRAILERS - schedule to get your boat serviced, tuned up, de-winterized and ready to take on the season.  Local companies we suggest:  Duskin Point Marina, Rambo Marine, Inc.,​ Russell Marine - Smith Lake and Trident Marina.

​10.  TOWING SERVICE - get your annual membership NOW and boat worry free all year.  Contact Captain Terry Russeau of TowBoatUS Smith Lake.

11.  UPHOLSTERY - repairs or new - contact Bama Detailing or MasterPro Audio.
 
12.  WATERSPORTS EQUIPMENT - new equipment or rentals - try local shops like Lakeside Gear, Pine Valley Outdoor Living, Rambo Marine, Inc.,​ Russell Marine - Smith Lake, Trident Marina, and Triple Creek Marina.   ​

Once you've got the boat tuned up, spruced up, fully loaded and ready to go, check out our other informational blogs to make sure you are fully prepared for the best boating season every year.  Check back on our blog often as we add new material.  HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY BOATING SEASON!  

For more businesses in the categories you are looking for, try our Business Listing - Alphabetical, and our Business Listing by Category, and check out more information in our LOCAL INFO tab.  

Latest update to this blog:  6/1/24.  
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advancement and promotion of safer boating through education, outreach, and training. For more information about NSBC programs and professional development opportunities, visit www.safeboatingcouncil.org." 

The important National Safe Boating Week happens annually the week prior to summer kick-off, which is before Memorial Day weekend.  The reason?...because many more boaters are out on the water in late spring and all summer than any other time of the year.  NSBC simply asks the public to celebrate the annual event by doing a few things to help raise awareness.  

• Wear Your Life Jacket at Work Day  - anytime is great, but their official day is Friday, May 17, 2024.  Head over to the Safe Boating Campaign page for info and instructions about this special day.
• Observe National Safe Boating Week in some way.  This could be through posts on social media to more hands-on community activities - just check out the NSBC page for guidance on this. 
• NSBC encourages boating enthusiasts to share information with their local community about responsible boating via social media, launch point reminders, outreach events, vessel safety checks, and more.  It's so easy, they supply you with everything you need on their website.

​They offer a great toolkit that includes a selection of resources: talking points, daily social media posts, template press announcements, fact sheets, videos, images, and more!  Just grab something and help spread the word.  
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Visit their official resources page for additional resources that YOU can do to help the campaign and raise national awareness.

Always file a float plan - File a float plan with someone you trust that includes details about the trip, boat, persons, towing or trailer vehicle, communication equipment, and emergency contacts.
Use an engine cut-off switch – it’s the law - An engine cut-off switch is a proven safety device to stop a powerboat engine should the operator unexpectedly fall overboard
Always follow navigation rules - Know the “Rules of the Road” such as operator’s responsibility, maintaining a proper lookout, safe speed, crossing, meeting head-on, and overtaking situations. Know what’s going on around you at all times, and always travel at safe speeds for the environment. 
Don’t drink while you boat - Where the primary cause was known, alcohol was listed as a leading factor in boating-related deaths. Always designate a sober skipper. 
Beware of carbon monoxide poisoning - Gasoline-powered engines on boats, including onboard generators, produce carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless and odorless gas that can poison or kill someone who breathes too much of it. Be sure to install and maintain a working CO detector, never block exhaust outlets, and always dock, beach, or anchor at least 20 feet away from the nearest boat that is running a generator or engine.
Keep in touch - Communication devices can be the most important piece of emergency equipment on board a vessel, especially in case of emergency. Be sure to have at least two communication devices that work when wet, such as satellite phones, emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRB), VHF radios, and personal locator beacons (PLB). And, know how to use it.

Bottom line... BE INFORMED, GET LICENSED, FOLLOW BOATING RULES, BOAT SAFELY, and HELP SPREAD THE WORD about boating safety and etiquette in your community.  

Date of original article:  4/5/22
Updated:  5/5/24

Anglers of all ages have been invited to participate this spring and summer in a unique fishing event being held for the first time at Smith Lake, lasting from April 1st until July 4th, 2024.  The prizes will be awarded Sunday, July 14th, 2024.  (Venue to be announced – all winners must be present to claim prizes.)
 
The event, Crank 4 Bank, hosted by OGS Tournaments, lets anglers register and purchase a $120 ticket to have a chance at catching tagged spotted and largemouth bass and crappie worth $1,500 dollars each, along with a chance at being drawn to win one of four $60,000 prizes: a Bass Cat from Russell Marine, a Nitro bass boat from Sylacauga Marine, a new pontoon boat from Trident Marina, and a new Chevrolet truck, from Alan Embry of Step One Chevrolet of Bessemer. Ticket holders are also eligible to win prizes through the first ever virtual fishing tournament on Smith Lake that runs concurrently with Crank 4 Bank.
 
“This is the first time we’re doing it on Smith Lake,” says Vivian Autry, who owns Crank 4 Bank and OGS Tournaments alongside her husband Mike Autry. “We call it a tagged fishing event and a virtual tournament. It’s two separate things for one entry fee, and $120 gets you both.”
 
Vivian says the idea behind the virtual tournament is that as you try to fish for tagged fish, you’re likely going to catch a lot of non-tagged fish. With the Fishing Chaos app that you need to download and use to register, you simply take pictures of the length of your fish on an approved bump board (no tape measures), upload it, and the system will automatically cull your top five fish. At any point in time, you can see who’s winning. 
 
“We give out various weekly prizes for bass and bi-weekly prizes for the longest fish of the week, and the longest crappie of the week or every other week,” she says.

The tagged fish for the event include 75 crappie and 200 largemouth and spotted bass.
 
“They’re dispersed all over the lake, in Winston County, Walker County and Cullman County,” Vivian says. “It’s a lot to put them all out like that, but it’s the only way that it’s fair. If you dumped them all at Big Bridge or somewhere, that’s just not fair. You want to make it where they’re all over the entire lake. Although they swim, and you can’t say ‘fish stay’ by any means, you can still think and hope that they are staying within the vicinity of where we put them out.”
 
There will be a separate but identical Crank 4 Bank tournament held simultaneously on Lake Martin, where the event has been held for 4 years.
 
“Just for context, we had 16 winners on Lake Martin last year, and the same amount of fish were tagged as this year,” Vivian says. “We had 35 caught, but only 16 were registered. A couple of years ago, we had somebody win one of the bass boats. It’s 100 percent doable, it’s just a matter of getting out there and getting registered.”
 
Luckily for anglers with a busier schedule or from out of town, a registration deadline is not an issue for those who wish to participate.
 
“I think the biggest thing we need to tell people is that they can register all the way up to July 3, 2024 if they want to, because the whole idea is that some people - especially at Smith Lake because you have lots of rentals (Vrbos and Airbnbs) - will come in just for a weekend with their family,” Vivian says. “If they’re fishing off the dock or somewhere else, and they register and catch one, they may not come but one time, so we just want people to know.”
 
At the end of the Crank 4 Bank and the virtual tournament, prizes for first place, second place, and overall big fish for both crappie and bass will be awarded on July 14th. All tagged fish winners and virtual tournament winners will be subjected to a lie detector test with questions to validate the legitimacy of the catches. At the time of this article’s publication, the weigh-in location is still to be announced, but a spacious venue is currently being secured. 
 
“One of the things that’s cool to mention is that it’s outdoor friendly, something to get you outside and fishing on your beautiful lake, and that it’s something fun you can do as a family together, no matter the age” Vivian adds. “You don’t have to have a boat, either. You could fish off your dock or off the shore, and you can use live bait.”
 
As for the rules, participants will need a valid Alabama freshwater fishing license, fish must be caught using a traditional rod and reel (no trotlines, snagging, hoop nets, shocking, etc.). Only the angler who first hooks and lands the prize-winning fish will be eligible to submit the fish. No transfer of the rod during or after the landing of the fish from a non-registered angler will be allowed, and anglers must be registered on the Fishing Chaos app and entry fees must be paid for two full hours prior to landing a prize-winning fish to be eligible to submit a catch.
 
For more information on this growing event, including a comprehensive list of tournament rules and regulations, and contact information, visit crank4bank.com. Also, stay tuned for the location for the July 14th event to give out prizes to the winners!  The venue and time will be announced on the event’s social media pages.  ​

Updated:  April 1, 2024
Writer:  John D. Palmer

Now in its 13th year, Hangout Music Fest 2024 is more than a 3-day concert, it's a music lover’s paradise. Hosted on the white sand beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama, Hangout serves as the ultimate kickoff to summer, with equal parts high energy party and relaxing tropical vacation, where the top artists of the moment descend upon a stunning setting that boasts seaside beach clubs and in-ground swimming pools at the main stage, plus delicious food, luxury VIP options, and more for their fans to enjoy. Gulf Shores is just a short drive from the Smith Lake area (and very convenient to the Pensacola, FL and Mobile, AL airports) and offers an array of lodging packages that include beach houses, condominiums and hotels, making it the perfect destination for road trippers and group travelers. Hangout has been awarded as Pollstar’s “Music Festival of the Year” and is continuously recognized as one of the best festivals in the US. The festival also adds over $40 million into the local economy each year.

For 2024, all ticket types can be bundled into 4-packs  and paired with shuttle passes or event merchandise for a discount, if added at the time of initial purchase. The Hangout team is also standing by to accommodate large groups looking to build custom vacation or staycation lodging packages for fans near and far.

​As part of Hangout’s efforts to support the local community, the festival launched its Earn-A-Ticket Program (in partnership with Propeller) last year, encouraging interested festival-goers in the Gulf Shores area to take action online and volunteer their time in exchange for festival tickets and additional prizes. Over 75 volunteers attended Hangout’s Beach Cleanup with the Alabama Coastal Foundation and Fort Morgan Civic Association, collecting a total of 3,860 pounds of trash along four beach locations in the Fort Morgan area. Details for Hangout’s 2024 Earn-A-Ticket Program can be found on their site .