The 2016 ICRBE is over and in the books. Each year I hope to have the perfect event. Something always crops up to stop us just short of that goal, which is probably unrealistic to begin with. However, save for mediocre lighting in the exhibit hall, we came about as close as we're likely to ever come with this years event. It was certainly as good or better than any Expo in history.

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Glad I attended this year! Great job Tom!

Heading back home to Northern Illinois this morning after great weekend. Lighting worked mainly because I wasn't wrapping guides:-)

Didn't seem as large as previous years. When I walked into the hall I was not aw struck by all the vendors and product as years past at highpoint. my 8 hour drive and motel stay seemed alittle too much for a show that seeemed to be downsacaled. I personally will not attend next year i at the Benton convention center , back to Highpoint.

We've haven't been in High Point for 5 years now. This year's show was as large or larger than the ones we had in High Point. Granted, the ShowPlace is a grand venue and that's likely the visual difference you noted. It's an imposing structure.

High Point no longer has a venue large enough to host the Expo, plus the vast majority of attendees greatly prefer the far more numerous amenities, shops, restaurants, etc., to be found all over downtown Winston Salem.

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My take was that it was great!!! I liked the layout with the crossways aisles on either end. Made it easy to get around. Also the seminar rooms with the hard walls were quieter than any you've had in the past. Much easier to hear the presenter without all the noise coming in from the main show area. Didn't really notice any problem with the lighting just thought it was a more upscale hall with a darker look to it.

One question- The bamboo rod the engraver guy had showed a price of $12,000 and said SOLD. Did someone at the show buy it?

I was very pleased with the seminar presentations. The rooms were much quieter, no feedback from the AV gear and several entirely new seminar presentations that drew good crowds.

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That was one of Bill Oyster's rods. I believe the price was $12,145 and it was indeed sold, although I'm not sure it was sold at the event this weekend or sometime prior. I do know that I was awfully nervous carrying it back to one of the breakout rooms to photograph it.

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On the Showplace vs Benton thing I really don't care. I'm there to see the exhibits, merchandise, seminars and talk to other builders from around the world. If it has a roof and heat the building you locate the show in doesn't matter one bit to me. I do like the better hotels and food places in WinstonSalem. My wife greatly prefers the current show for that reason alone.

I hope there will be pictures and good description of this bamboo rod Got to see this

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/2016 07:18PM by bill boettcher.

I've been blessed enough to attend all but the first or second when they were still on Charlotte. This was my favorite so far. As far as the lighting. I'm sure the vendors may have preferred it a bit brighter. But it felt like a more upscale almost elegant event. the place was just comfortable. Was nice to stand on carpet all day instead of the usual concrete

That fly rod was incredible and so was the selling price, and here I thought $800.00 for a bass rod was expensive.

Some of the new blanks coming out are almost as mind blowing as that fly rod

Was able to obtain some of those blanks and a new ALPS power wrapper upgrading from my Pac. Bay ( which will soon be posted on the buy sell page for a good price encase any one interested)

Won one of the new Rod Studio Custom & 2016 Estimating Programs at the banquet.
Played with it a little bit and am wondering where this thing has been all my life. It's totally awesome the amount of time it saves in figuring the cost of a rod build and what to charge will alone increase builders profit margins.
When Mr Kirkman read the ticket pulled. He announced my name and made the comment.
"LORD KNOWS HE NEEDS IT" Well Lord knows he was right
Talk about an easy way to organize your business

One thing I noticed this year was how many builders were asking questions. Good questions looking to improve the quality of their work in performance, and function.
Some guys had pages of notes and had printed off emails and posts from the forum to make sure they were asking the right questions and better understanding what they had read or heard.

Some of the best parts of the Expo (at least for me) is getting to meet some of these truly gifted builders, see their work on display, put faces to names, seeing existing friends and making new ones.

The new product lines, some on display and some due out in a few months are off the charts!
Every time I think things cant improve that much more I get my mind blown again.

Steve can you expound on the new product lines and products you are speaking of?

Thanks,
Tom

Tom

My wife and I attended the Expo and we thoroughly enjoyed it! She enjoys attending with me and learning too, which makes it all the more worthwhile. As she said to you the lighting just added "ambiance" and she said it simulated a sunset on the water, which was most appropriate for the event. Besides most everyone had phones with flashlights and if not the vendors were apologetic and offered up their flashlights. Even with my visual impairments, we were still able to purchase everything she needed to build a rod; the lighting didn't slow us down! In fact we weren't even ready to leave Sunday afternoon. In regards to the location, we love it! There are a lot of food options available within walking distance that High Point doesn't offer. The Sweet Potato on Trade Street is a place we look forward to dining at every year on Saturday.

The sound barrier walls were very effective and allowed the presenters and attendees to learn from one another. Presenters and vendors were very patient with "newbies" to the custom rod building world and answered all of our questions. If we didn't make sense, they didn't make us feel insignificant but would in turn ask us questions to provide us with the best advice possible.

I also like the roominess of the setup. When we first walked in Saturday morning it was crowded but very quickly the layout allowed everyone to disseminate without feeling like you were invading someone's space.

Just remember, you can please some of the people all the time, but not all the people all of the time.

Regardless, hats off to you for a job well done!

Arthur and YoLonda Moody

Glad you enjoyed it. Funny how the women liked the "subdued" light while the guys wanted a bit more. At the reception I was joking about needing a flashlight - it certainly wasn't anywhere near that bad, but I did think it was the one area that could certainly have been better. It wasn't nearly as bright as what we've had in the past.

The "Sweet Potato" restaurant gets rave reviews each year. I have yet to eat there but suppose I need to.

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We had a great time at the show and cannot thank the attendees for all their support and Tom Kirkman for putting on another awesome show. Having the opportunity to spend time with builders face to face rather than over the phone or through the internet is what the show is all about for us. We do our best to build relationships throughout the year, being at the show brings the rod building family that much closer together.

Tight Lines and Bull's-eyes,

Get Bit Outdoors
407-542-7840
www.GetBitOutdoors.com
www.facebook.com/GetBitOutdoors

Another great event. The casting lane you have in Winston is nice. Wish there had been more dealers selling the upper end Fuji items but I know they can't bring everything. Nothing else in rod building like the Expo.

I hope most everybody took the time to look at the bamboo rod in the engraving booth. The builder made almost every single component on the rod. He made the blank, the grip, the seat, turned all the metal pieces and did some of the most outstanding engraving I've ever seen. I'd guess that outside of the guides, thread and varnish he did it all. Now that's a rod builder. I wasn't going to touch it but he picked it up and handed it to me for close inspection. It was perfect. I'm not a bamboo guy and don't build many lightweight fly rods but that was the most beautiful rod I have ever seen.

I haven’t seen Bill Oyster since our first two shows in Charlotte. So I had to go over and talk when things slowed down a little. I checked out the butt section of the rod and at first thought it was lower but later as we got reaquainted I realized the price. WOW! Way back when I first met him I thought he was top notch but he is nocking it out of the park. The best thing is he is just a normal guy that will take the time to talk you. It was great to see old friends and meet some new ones. Great Show.

I've been gone from rod building for many year and have been missing out on any new changes. Where is it located now?

Winston-Salem NC. www.rodexpo.com

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