It's official - for the 2006 National Rod Builders Show, we will be offering not only the standard 10x10 booths for vendors, but also the smaller 8' draped tables for those rod builders who wish to advertise and promote themselves for a little less cost than that of a full booth. Now, you won't have a lot of room and can't get people actually into your space (they can only front the table) but this is an excellent way to participate for very little cost. The draped table spaces will be just $300. To use the space to best effect, take a lesson from the fly tyers who have the same type space - bring your rod wrapper/lathe and actually spend time assembling a rod, making a grip, a decorative wrap, etc. Fishermen are naturally drawn to such things and will come to watch you as you work.

Builders that still desire a full 10x10 booth for larger and more impressive displays can still obtain them, of course. Only two builders took advantage of these spaces last year, but both did very well. One selling 14 rods, the other 23. Orders for more were taken.

The new issue of RodMaker goes to press on Thursday and more info on the rod builder table spaces will be included in the "News" section.


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That's great news. Could be interesting to try. I assume builders who buy a table will be able and allowed to sell rods or take rod orders just like the builders who buy full booth space?

Yes, builders who purchase one of the tables will be allowed to display and sell rods or take custom rod orders. They just won't have a tremendous amount of room for their displays. But they'll still be able to carry on some interactive advertising during the show. It's a good format and builders who take advantage of the tables should do very well.

The National Rod Builders Show will be even bigger than last year. More vendors, more rod builders, more fishermen, more seminars, etc. Expect the advertising and publicity to begin in earnest by August.

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Tom,
When are you going to get us a show around Chicago???? We have much to offer up here as well as being very centrally located.
Anyways , maybe I'll see you in Charlotte, (got vacation days finally at my new job)
Regards,
Mark Schulte

I can do it tomorrow. But you or someone you know, needs to put up $5,000 to $10,000 and be willing to do about 15 to 20 hours per week in promotional work for the show from now until next February. You'll also need to procure a venue for the show. That can run you an additional $15,000 to $30,000 for the weekend.

Not trying to be smart, but it's just not as simple as announcing that we're having rod building shows in various locations. The one in Ft. Washington, PA flopped. The semi-show in Bellevue drew only a small number of vendors and rod builders. The one we had hoped to have in CA was cancelled. The show promoter has to make money. The vendors have to make money. Or you don't have a show.

There is a reason why most of the rod building events held around the country only draw from about 25 to 100 builders and less than a half dozen vendors.

Charlotte presents a unique set of essentials that allow a very small craft like custom rod building to have a truly large scale show. The particular situation we have in Charlotte just doesn't exist anywhere else in the country, yet. Until it does, or until we find someone willing to foot the bill and do the work (I'm tapped out) the craft will only have one large scale show for the time being. Everybody wants a show like Charlotte in their backyard, but it's easier (and less expensive) for you to come to Charlotte than for us to move Charlotte to you. That's just the economic reality.

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Just curiosity on my part: Do rod builders buy rods from each other? When they can make their own? I was surprised at those sales figures for the two builders who displayed in 2004. Perhaps the sales were to the non-building fly fishermen at the sister show, or to general public walk-ins.

Tom - please make a post when the deal is cut with the hotel for the Show Rate I hope you can get the discounted rate for Thursday and Sunday nights. I want to make reservations as early as possible.

The 2005 Charlotte Show really drew a crowd - builders - fly fishermen - general public and even a number of curious log building home customers. And - even if you are a builder I can think of no better way to spend my change than on a rod from a master - like Mark - if I had the $ in my budget I would have made an offer on the steelhead rod and case.

Gon Fishn

The show is also marketed to general interest fishermen who may wish to come and see, and even buy, custom rods. We had nearly 20 press releases running in area newspapers, along with 3 TV spots, mentioning that local fishermen might want to come out and take a look at the best in custom rods being offered today. Quite a few did just that. This is a mult-faceted show. There would be little point in having rod builders buy booth space if weren't advertising to the general fishing public as well.

The show hotel rates will be finalized by August. Yes, they will be good on Thursday and Sunday night as well.

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Tom,
WOW, tha is some serious figures you threw out there. I can truely appreciate all your work now. I guess we will just have to shake hands in Charlotte!! Great info on setting up the show.
Regards,
Mark Schulte

No problem. And I wasn't trying to give you a hard time, it's just that it's not as simple as announcing and advertising a rod building show and then having the kind of event we have in Charlotte. If it was that easy, then something like this would have taken place before now. A lot of stars have to line up in the cosmos to pull something like this off and in Charlotte we have a situation that doesn't currently present itself anywhere else. the stars line up there, in other words.

Add to that the fact that rod building is still a comparitively small craft/hobby with limited numbers of builders who are willing to travel to any show, regardless of location. No single geographic location in North American has enough rod builders within a few hours drive to turn out the kind of numbers that you need to make such a show profitable for the number of rod building supply vendors we have in Charlotte. That means you have to get people to come in from great distances - often more than 500 miles one way. If you don't, you have a poor turn out and the vendors lose money and don't come back. And that, is the end of your show. This is one reason why it's proving so hard to have two large shows - one will hurt the other and vice versa. That wasn't a purely regional crowd we had in Charlotte, nor would it be anywhere else.

100, 200 or even 300 rod builders isn't nearly enough to make a show profitable for the vendors. Well, maybe if you only have a couple or three dealers, but with 15, 20 or 25 vendors, you'd better darn well pull in a bare minimum of 500 builders if you want people to be happy (and that includes the rod builders themselves). We got roughly 1,000 in Charlotte last year and hope to do even better this year. It will take a great deal of work, but we'll get it done. Anyone who wonders if it's worth traveling cross country to attend this show need only ask those who did last year.


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No matter where you put, it most people will have to travel. I don't mind. I can drive up in a day and the show is more than worth it. The seminars were the best part for me, but I do have to say that the deals on blanks and parts was really incredible.

I started saving as soon as I got home last year! Until you go to the "Big Show", you can't imagine what an experience it is! Every builder should do whatever it takes to get there.

I will go with Mikey too. be there with bells on. It is really something to see, plus all the great people you meet.