One of the country's top walleye anglers will be in Helena this weekend, highlighting the 25th annual One Way Marine and Motor Sports boat show in the multipurpose building at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds.

Minnesota native Tommy Skarlis will be on hand Saturday and Sunday, signing autographs, posing for photos and chatting up boat lovers while representing sponsors Ranger boats and Evinrude engines.

One Way co-owner Bruce McCullough said Skarlis is the biggest fishing celebrity to attend the show, held every year on Presidents Day weekend.

"Many people around the state plan a three-day weekend around it," said McCullough, who's worked at One Way for 22 years and been a co-owner with Dan Chovanak for 11. (A third owner, Dean Linglebach, bought in three years ago.)

Despite being held months before open-water season in Montana, the boat show is hugely important to the business.

"This is the big kick-off, this is a third of our business for the year, at least," he said.

Last year's show was a record, with 81 boats selling, nearly a third more than the previous best. He has around 100 on display this weekend, and said roughly half the sales will come straight off the floor and half will be ordered.

While he doesn't outright predict another record, McCullough is optimistic this weekend will be a good one too, despite lingering national concerns that a recession is looming.

"Not in Montana," he said. "People live here or move here for a reason, and that's to recreate. Most of our clientele have a built-in part of their budgets for recreating."

McCullough said people's boating habits may have changed with the increase in gasoline prices last summer, but they still want to get out on the water. Area lakes were quieter during weekdays last summer, he said, but just as crowded on weekends.

Like most, the recreational boating industry has changed greatly in the two decades McCullough has been involved. Two-stroke engines are nearly extinct on new boats, with cleaner four-stroke engines the norm and one company marketing outboards that burn even cleaner than that.

People's hobbies change, too. Water skiing has given way to wakeboarding and wakesurfing among thrill-seekers, while high-profile professional bass and walleye fishing have raised interest in boats for those pursuits.

"The walleye craze has been big business for us," McCullough said. "I'll probably get in trouble for saying this, but the walleye fishermen, when it comes to their hobby, money is no object. They want the best of the best."

The boat show runs from noon to 9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Show times

The 25th annual One Way Marine and Motor Sports boat show runs from noon to 9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Reporter John Harrington: 447-4080 or john.harrington@helenair.com