Earlier there was a post here about the possibility of a show in the greater Washington, DC area. I received the following information today (and yes, I've already agreed to participate).

Ken, my name is Bob Munro and I'm a member of the organizational team for a new fishing and outdoor expo to be held on January 22-23, 2005 (weekend before the SuperBowl) at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro (MD). I noted that you exhibited at a fishing/outdoor show in our area earlier this year. We are still looking for more exhibitors, as well as spreading the word about our show, details of which can be found on our website (below).

This is the first show of this type to be held in our region. Not only will the show focus on salt and fresh water fishing, it will also feature a wide variety of other outdoor sports and activities. The Show Place Arena is a fabulous facility conveniently located on Route 4 (Pennsylvania Avenue) at the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro, MD. Just seven miles from the Capital Beltway (exit 11A), the Arena is easily accessible from the Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, and Baltimore regions. The Show Place Arena has a 35,000 square foot exhibit hall, and 3 banquet rooms for our guest speakers. The facility also offers easy parking and is fully handicap accessible. This event will be widely marketed with an aggressive advertising campaign. Admission fees will be kept to a minimum and a discount coupon will be offered.

Thank you for your time. Regards, Bob
Webmaster, [www.chesapeakefishingoutdoorexpo.com]

But we're talking a fishing show and not a rod building show, right??

I think what it turns out to be remains to be seen. I looked at their web site and they're getting a late start in terms of getting any of the big manufacturers / distributors down here. One thing for certain is that it will NOT / NOT be nearly as big as Charlotte! The best I can say is to check their web site from time to time. Since this is in my 'hood I decided to attend and give a talk or two (if they want me to) on rod building / rod selection -- what to look for in a fishing rod (factory or otherwise) in terms of components and assembly ....

With no concerted efffort behind it and no focus on rod bulding I don't see how it could be any type of rod show at all. But I'm in Alexandria and would attend a large fishing show that close in MD.

Ricky -
You've also got the Trout Unlimited show in Beltsville that is usually held in February. The Outdoor show that's held out by Dulles Airport at the Convention Center. The (still growing) Bass Fishing & Boat show that is held at Timonium Fair Grounds every year in February / March. I'm going to go to this show this year - as I rotate which I will be in each year. I can't afford to do them all - and they all run close together ... Manufacturers 2005 season expo is in Atlantic City, N.J late January as well (think the 19-22). Then there's the show at the Calvert County Fairgrounds (same weekend as the show in Charlotte that I've committed to) and the Charter Captains "flea market and tackle sales" in Solomons Island. And the Fly fishing show at University of Maryland in the spring - and the fly-expo (also run by Barry) in Pennsylvania ... Oh, and Merrick Tackle likely will have something in the spring as well...

In addition to the ones Ken mentioned, there's also the Bassarama in Richmond, usually February. I've gone to all of these several times in the past, but less so recently - same old same old and not much discount pricing. As far as I know, not one of them has ever had a booth devoted to rodbuilding supplies, though some custom rodbuilders have exhibited. That's a gap I wish somebody would fill. I'll probably go this year just to look at the new St. Croix SCIV line, though it will be finished rods, not blanks.

I sure am glad the fish bite is on on on during the winter in teh marsh of Louisiana. Looks like you guys are "showed out". My boat will not leave the landing the week of Charlotte!!

Gon Fishn

Ken, this is a fishing show, I signed up several months ago[ $320.00 for a 10 x 20 booth] and am looking forward to it as it is a new one in a good location. I go to a show to sell rods and Charlotte is not that kind of show.It is great for rodbuilders that are looking for components and information but a rod selling show it is not.Jesse

Charlotte will indeed be a show where you can sell rods this year. Our marketing efforts have more than tripled for this year's event.

Also, at least one rod builder did very well selling rods at the Charlotte event last year. If the show was not a good place to sell rods, he would not have done well. And yes, he'll back this year with even more rods to sell.

I brought about a half dozen rods to Charlotte last year and had them in the RodMaker booth just for show. None of them were fly rods, most were surf or boat type rods. I had offers on all of them and had I wanted to sell them, could have gotten a nice price for any of them.

A good friend, Eric Newby, attended the show expressly to purchase a set of stand up rods. There were none there and he was not impressed by the work that he saw by most of the builders there. He did find a builder to make him those rods, but hasn't yet gotten together with the builder to settle the specifics. My point is, the customers were there and they wanted to buy rods. The fact that one builder did well and some potential rod customers came out looking to buy rods yet left empty handed, should say something.

We will see a lot more general interest fishermen at this year's show, but there were enough there last year that sales were and could have been made. Let's not to be too quick to blame a show or the attendees for failings that may lie elsewhere. All the show promoter can do is get people in the door and have them walk past your booth. The rest is up to you.

I spent quite a bit of time last year explaining, both here and in the magazine, how to go about making the most of the show and how to get sales that you won’t otherwise get. Only one of the builders that displayed in Charlotte last year took my advice. Guess what? He was the one builder there that sold every rod he brought, took orders for more, picked up a several new repair customers and made money.

It’s not just as easy as sitting a bunch of pre-made rods in a rack - everybody does that. You have to interact with the customers and do something different to get them in your booth. Otherwise most will just walk by and not bother to take a second look. You may do okay with that approach at extremely large consumer fishing shows (it's always somewhat of a numbers game), but you’ll do even better (at any show) if you’ll follow the advice I gave in those articles.

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Just a lot of money to spend if none of the people there are interested in buying your rods. Just my .02 worth.

One of the guys in our regular group of kayak fishermen has become a bit of a running joke amoung all the rest of us. He even finds it a bit funny lately and tends to laugh at himself. Although the remainder of us are usually pretty successful when it comes to catching fish, this one guy hardly ever manages to catch more than a couple (and this on days when the rest of us are taking 25 or more each).

He feels that the areas we fish are “fished out” or “dead water.” And no matter what the rest of us are having success with, he sticks with the same fly, same lure and same technique. He won’t switch and he won’t try anything different.

His approach is simple and can be summed up in his own words - “If they want me to catch them, they’ll have to bite what I’m throwing.”

He doesn't catch many fish with that attitude and he wouldn't sell many rods with it either.


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Mickel's custom rod booth was packed all day. I think it was the rod in the rod dryer that pulled them in to see what in the heck was going on in there! Glad to hear he sold some.

Charlotte Marketing of Custom Rods

Prebuilt Nice Rods On Display - Call them Kustom if you Want!
Saturday Potential Customs Walking Around Looking
Jimi/ Decal Connection On Floor Doing Personalized Decals
Custom Rod Lathe Set up on Display
Glass Coat Application - Dry Overnight
Customer Take Personalized Custom Rod Home Sunday
Cash Transfer - Happy Customer and Builder

How About Them Rods!

Gon Fishn

My view on these shows - I go to the shows to sell me and what I can do. To do that I bring only a few rods with me - and those are usually mine and likely not new either. You are dealing with fisher(wo)men - they appreciate 'how well components wear'. At the shows I enjoy talking with the people. At the cost of these shows "a cheap date" it is not! I have seldom sold more than 1 or two rods at any show - besides that's not the way I work. I work off customer interaction - have them tell me what s/he wants not show them what I have to offer right then and there. I am not saying one way is better than another just that that happens to be my business strategy. I don't start a rod until someone tells me they want one. Others - including a friend and local rod builder has just the opposite view and we co-exist nicely -- even at the same shows. "If you want to buy a rod today to go fishing today or tomorrow I simply can't help you, but my friend over there makes a very nice rod and will sell you one right now. If he doesn't have exactly what you want come back and we can write it all down. He'll even let you bring one of his over to me so we both understand what you want". For his part if a customer asks him about something he doesn't have or doesn't work in (longer, shorter, different guides, different colors or type of rod) he will send them my way. Call this "working a crowd 101". Since I didn't have a booth to watch over at last year's gathering in Charlotte I had a wonderful opportunity to talk with other builders that I had only exchanged email with and whose work and points of view I admired (Lance, Bill, Tom K, Tom McN, Andy, Marc, Joe, and many more builders). In addition I had a chance to listen in while other attendees discussed the rod building area and some some folks from a couple of the fishing clubs. So there are lots of reasons for me to attend and to 'set up shop' this year. So many more people I want to meet, so many ideas to kick around and the manufacturers/distributors are there to discuss different ideas with. This is a chance to get one-on-one with the people who will be selling you your components next year - and, within reason (marketing imperatives) will listen and act if the same topic/complaint comes up time and again (like the new Pac Bay chuck and rod support, guide shapes/styles, blank colors, and it sure didn't take long from the discussion of doing your own flocking before a kit showed up for sale).
I hope to be able to meet lots more builders (and potential customers) just by making myself available.

Why are most all the shows in the Jan thru Mar time frame? This is considered the "off" season for fishing tackle dealers and it gives the dealers a chance to generate income that they could not make otherwise. A several thousand dollar show is a nice " shot in the arm" for this time of year. As well as direct sales you will meet people that will contact you later, in fact thats where a lot of the "sets" sales come from. If my rods can't sell them selves then I guess I won't do very well as it's for sure I'm not going to use the "Carnival Barker" approach as it's just not my nature.Jesse

I wouldn't use the carnival barker approach either. But the selling guidelines I put in those articles don't require you to do such a thing and they do work. In fact they work very well.

Your display has got to draw customers in (you don't have time to personally stop every person who walks by and invite them into your booth - you need your display to do that for you).

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