Catching ‘Z’ and your biggest bass: Chicagoland Fishing, Travel and Outdoor Expo

I remember Mark Zona setting up excitedly with family at Sox Park in 2012, when he threw out a ceremonial first pitch on camo hat day.

That’s when Zona became my favorite son of Chicago outdoors.

When he graduated from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in 1991, he took off to make his mark in fishing. His personality has enabled him to hit it big in broadcasting for the last 16 years. He currently does ‘‘Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show,’’ ‘‘The Bassmasters’’ and ‘‘The Bass Pros.’’

Zona will be back Saturday to present ‘‘In Pursuit of Monster Smallies’’ at 1:30 p.m. atop the Hawg Trough at the Chicagoland Fishing, Travel & Outdoor Expo, which runs Thursday to Sunday at the Schaumburg Convention Center.

I called Zona on Monday while he prepped for a shoot on Lake Seminole on the Georgia/Florida border.

‘‘Done late afternoon [after the seminar], and I am hooking the boat up and heading down to Georgia,’’ Zona said. ‘‘Being -13 [degrees] this morning, I am looking forward to going down there.’’

Zona lives in Michigan with his wife of 22 years, Karin, and their twin sons. Hunter and Jakob are young men of 19 and good-enough fishermen to win a boat last summer in the Michigan College Bass Tour.

Zona’s seminar will focus on how to catch your biggest smallmouth.

‘‘I am able to relate to the individuals who go to Lake Geneva or Sturgeon Bay and inland lakes,’’ Zona said. ‘‘Where I cut my teeth and made hay was chasing smallmouth since I was 18.’’

He will address the dramatic changes in smallmouth and forage, particularly round gobies in the Great Lakes watershed.

‘‘We are living in the good old days for smallmouth,’’ Zona said. ‘‘I remember when a 3- or 4-pounder was a good one and a 5-pounder got you in a magazine.

‘‘It changed how I approach smallmouth. I used to fish lakes all the time with Kevin VanDam. I remember light line and little lures. They still work, but it is barbaric what you can do now. We are using drop-shop baits 5 and 6 inches long.’’

Zona knows what shows mean. He remembers when he was 12 or 13 at a seminar/show at H-F.

‘‘Spence Petros was my hero,’’ Zona said. ‘‘I remember talking with him directly. As a young teenager growing up in the south suburbs, those seminars were so impactful to what I do now. . . .

‘‘The passion now is to see people experience that or get hooked on the outdoors. That means the most to me. That is when I am most gratified.’’

Springfield

The latest is that the Pritzker team is leaning toward naming a woman as Illinois Department of Natural Resources director. Leslie Sgro, a former IDNR deputy director and president of the Springfield Park Board since 1991, ranks high.

Stray cast

Blaming the refs for the NFL results Sunday is like busting your buddy for a bad net job while fishing. Score more, set the hook better.