Fishing/boat shows - a thing of the past?

[Crankhead]

We have the Chicagoland Outdoors Show (in Rosemont, Illinois) coming up and I can remember when this show was a big 10 day event that you couldn't wait to go to every winter. My buddies and I would go and between the shopping, looking at new products and the seminars, we'd be there for the entire day. But the last few years the show has shrunk to just a 4 day event with really nothing to see and no real reason to go. We went last year, saw everything and we were on our way back home within an hour. I'd like to know if others that go the fishing shows may have had better results?

[roadwarrior]

In the Memphis area we have several, maybe too many. Some are worthwhile, it depends on the participation and focus. This weekend is purely a "boat show". There will still be some "outdoor" booths, but no seminars or celebrities.

I think the best spring event is at Bass Pro Shop. Our local pros and prostaff will have several workshops everyday, Bill Dance has designated autograph sessions, but the rest of the time you'll find him and other pros just hangin'.

The Bass Pro Spring Classic is fun, educational and free!

Well...kinda free...no admission charge...you know what I mean... :

[MALTESE FALCON]

Here in the Detroit area, we have a few very good shows. Last week we had "Bassarama", KVD and a few other pro's held seminars and signed autographs. Unfortunately I was unable to attend.

In early February, we have the Detroit Boat Show for a week. If you are even thinking about buying a boat, that is the time and place to get it.

There are usually some other weekend shows around town, but like roadwarrior said, the best is held at Bass Pro Shop. I've got some gift cards from Christmas burning a hole in my poket, but I'm waiting until February 29 thru March 16 to spend them.

Falcon

[RAINCLOUD36]

I went to the boat/bass fishing show in Greensboro, NC on 1/4/08 and found the same thing. The show was smaller and attendance looked to be down even with KVD and Peter T. there on Saturday and Sunday.

I talked with the manager of a local Ranger dealer and he said it cost around $28,000.00 for them to be there with renting space, bringing the boats  and paying people to man the booth. Even with that in the past sales have not been that good at the shows. They were doing an open house the following week for $2,800.00 (food & drink) with a number of pros attending and he anticipated selling 10-12 boats.

[Fisher of Men]

I haven't been to any BIGTIME shows since I was a kid.  However, our little town (5,000 pop.) tries to have an outdoor show each year and charges around $10 to get in.  I went one year (my buddy footed the bill) and was really let down.  I was sorry that he wasted his money.  I really have a problem paying to get in one of these.  Like Raincloud said, the vendors are paying big bucks to advertise there and we are potential customers.  That's like charging people money to get into Wal-mart.

I'm with RW.  I'll go to the BPS classic and get in for  "free".  At least I'll take something home when I pay to be there. :

[cart7t]

The big one in St Louis has basically turned into a yacht club sale. There just isn't much to see down there and with the cost at $9 to get in plus the cost of parking that can range $5 - 20, it just isn't worth it anymore. I've gone about once every 3 or 4 years.

[Guest avid]

Well, if you were to come down to Stuart Florida right now you could spend a day looking at everything from those cool flats boats with the elevated poling platforms all the way up to John Travolta type yachts.  Alot of outfitters have booths so you could book a trip for Peacocks in Miami, Tarpon, sailfish (Stuart is the sailfish capital of the world) mahi dolphin, shark, bonefish, and all those golly gee fab fishing species the tropics and Florida are famous for.

for jon boats it's best to go to craigs list.  LOLOLOL

[Sam]

We have some excellent boat shows in Richmond, Virginia.

They are mostly saltwater boats.

The Richmond Fishing Expo will have freshwater boats.

No seminars at the saltwater boat shows that I know of.  We do have seminars at the Richmond Fishing Expo.

[Tin]

Here in New England there are only a couple, the best one is next month in Worcester, Mass. Even this one is all about the boat dealerships and Guide's. It takes place in two arena's and is good for a few things. But no good seminars, and overpriced like everything else. If I'm getting an attack from the bait monkey and need to go shopping I will just go to BPS.

[KevO]

Here in Nashville we have the Tenn Fishing expo and the Nashville boat and sport show.  I went to the fishing expo for the first time in years, and it was pretty much exactly how you described yours.  There were only a few fishing booths and none of them had what I was looking for either.  And I was also out of there in an hour.

Didn't make it to the Nashville boat show but I wasn't expecting it to be much better.

[Danceswithbass]

We have a couple of boat and rv shows in Okla City during the winter, but they are mostly pleasure boats. We have a huge tackle show in Feb. it really is great. I havent missed it in over 20. Our club usually works at it. There are dozens of tackle shops from Okla Texas & Arkansas, outfitters, guides from all ver the US., taxidermy , siminars, boats and 4 wheelers. You can get some great deals on tackle, but the beer is high.;D  If you stay until they start to pack all their stuff up you can get some deals. They dont want to take it home.  

[Pencil Pusher]

I went to the DFW tackle show last weekend. What I like about this one is the possibility of finding some real bargains: I scored a new in the box green Curado 100b for $109. There were several small (wht I like to call "semi-custom" rodmakers with some good deals, a couple of dealers had the 2007 Falcon Caras for $80 and for the Shimano posse, one dealer had Cores for $259!!! I am serious as a judge on that one.

[Grandpa]

Cleveland is having a show right now, I believe it is $10 to get in and $5 to park. Some of the local club folks are there and nice to talk to and while there are some good fishing boats displayed it is mostly the REALLY big stuff that cruises Lake Erie.

Gotta tell you, if I was going to pay 350K for a boat I would want it to have a toilet that is bigger than a pie pan.

JMHO

[Crestliner2008]

Here in MA, the largest by far is at the Eastern States Expo grounds and takes place in mid-late February. Called the Eastern Fishing and Outdoors Show. Under 3 buildings, they display hunting, fishing, camping and boating (to some extent). Use to be that my buddy & I would go every year. But that was when it was $4. to get in - period. And they use to have some pretty good deals on just about everything. Now it's a $10. spot and you still have to pay for parking! The deals available are far and few between (better know your prices!) as well and it gets so packed with people, that by 11 am you're in a cattle-car situation and can't get to some of the booths you want to see! Just not worth the cost and aggravation anymore - JMO.  I think they've out-lived their value. However - now we have a brand new Cabela's (East Htfd., Ct) and BPS (Foxboro, MA) - maybe they'll put on an "Expo" of their own?

[Avalonjohn44]

I'm going to the Richmond VA show 1/25-27 they have Hank Parker and Shaw Grigsby, my 2 favorite pros... It is promised to be bigger, better, and more bass fishing oriented than the slowly dying Bass-A-Rama...We'll see, I am hopeful.

Harrisburg PA has the Eastern Sports and Outdoors Show every winter, and it usually goes about 10 days and is Massive.  It has become more and more hunting oriented, and most of the fishing stuff is either guide advertisement booths, or fly fishing stuff.  Very few Bass related things, but enough to bring me back every year...This years is the starting Feb 2 thru Feb 10 and supposedly promises much more fishing and tackle related booths...

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071207/OUTDOORS02/71206016/-1/OUTDOORS02

[BiggerWorm]

I used to really enjoy the boat, sport, and travel show each year in Indianapolis.  But now when I go it seems like a carbon copy of the year before.  Even the vendors are at the same places.  Now I only go about every three or four years.  It would probably be pretty exiting for someone who has never been.  I'm not running down the show, I'm sure it takes a lot of hard work to put one one.  Another thing, despite what people say, and I know there are exceptions, I rarely see many great deals.

[ABAOhio]

Like Raincloud 36, my ladyfriend and I attended the Greenboro, NC show on 1/4/08 while we were in town for the weekend. When leaving she commented on it being a small show. I replied it was small but the quality of the tackle vendors was outstanding!

One vendor was selling the Basstrix swimbait! WOW, bought a bunch of them, Daves was selling other California swimbaits and the Falcon weighted swimbait hooks, a saltwater shop sold cloth rod bags for $2, another vendor sold hand made crankbaits and these were only the ones I made purchases at. The shows up here in Ohio, Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati have very little fishing tackle.

The California anglers have got THE SHOWS: Fred Hall's Long Beach Show and the Sacramento ISE Show. Tackle - Tackle - Tackle, Pro seminars, boats and deals.

Bass Pro Shops and Cabelas shows are good for everyday products but not the specialty items like I mentioned above.

Just my opinion.

[fishfordollars]

The Houston Boat Show just finished up. It is huge. Over 500,000 people attend. They had over 500 bass boats on display, plus the run of the larger boats. They had a display with a new design corvette hooked to the "Corvette" boat. It had a corvette engine under glass and was something to look at. Not something I would buy, but I bet it sells. Actually had the corvette enblem on the side of the boat. If I can find a picture of it I will post.

[ABC123]

I haven't attended this in a few years, but this is the mother of all sports shows in the upper midwest. http://www.northwestsportshow.com/

We have a pretty good size boat show too, seeing as we have 4 huge names in boat makers in this state. Word has it that the last few years have been tough for boat sales around here though. http://www.minneapolisboatshow.com/

[fishin_fool]

The best show Ive ever been to is the Indianapolis sports and travel show They have all the years new tackle and really good deals on close outs and bulk.This show has everything from candy to yachcts and trips and vacations all over the world,covering 5 buildings all adjoined and covering most of the fairgrounds.Sometime in Febraury

[fish-fighting-illini]

 I here ya on the price as why pay $10 to go to a show for the purpose of spending money? Their is always two ways to look at things though. On one hand it is tough to spend $10 to look but in my area it is the middle of winter and is a nice temp fishing "fix". We only have to pay to get in, no parking costs. Also the nearest BPS or Cabela's is 200 mi's one-way at 20mpg x $3/gal we are talking $60.

 Re show cost: No individual or organization is putting a show on just for the fun of it so they are going to need to make some profit. You've got building rent and electric and heat costs so I doubt anyone is getting rich. The economy is tough on shows. How much can a lure wholesaler sell to cover booth rent?

I know the shows around here have been getting smaller and being held in smaller venues.

[ejtaylor822]

I'm heading to the boat show this weekend here in Raleigh with the little girl.  She's never been, but like her daddy loves boats.  Looking forward to watching her take all the boats in.

With that said, I've been going to the two boat shows we have in Raliegh for about the last 10 years.  They are not that big, in and out in an hour or two.  One of the shows last year was a little smaller than the year before.  This year's show is in a different location, so, we'll see how it goes.

The annual fishing show in the spring at the fairgrounds is decent size.  Pretty fun to go hang out for a little while, but not an all day event - for me anyway.  Still fun though.

[Jay_G]

I am actually sponsoring an outdoors show in S. Indiana next month. Mostly local guys from about a 150 mile radius. I am personally tired of the Indy show. The poor vendors pay so much for the booth space, they cannnot begin to offer any "bargains". Some have told me they raise prices for that show just to come out ahead. You used to go through tackle town and buy plastics by the pound, but not anymore. I only saw one vendor last year with a new crankbait they were making.

[Peter E.]

There are a mess of boat shows around mobile and throughout the pan handle. I'm looking forward to going to one this spring and going to the florida sportsman shows. So all in all the part of the world I reside in is keeping up fairly well.