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For those of you who were lucky enough to attend (it was closed to the public...retailers only), how was the show?
I talked to someone who was there last year, and he said it was filled with a lot of things to see and literally took 2 days to make all the stops. Some things were new, some were old. He didn't make it this year because of an accident.
It was a great time and got to see alot of new equipment, new fly patterns and new contacts.
There is always the Free stuff, yes free stuff that helps but if you've been to one they are pretty much the same thing every year, hey nothing like getting new clothes, hats, bags and bags or tippet and no free Winston rods though.. :lol:
Should have gone to the Michigan 'Fish In'. They gave away a top of the line 4pc Redington rod and two Scientific Anglers complete combo's. Ya went to the wrong place!!! :D
Let's see---
lots of free goodies. The Cloudveil coffee travel mugs were a hit, along with their monogrammed duct tape (brilliant). We made all the contacts we needed for the products we are going to carry and have made up for our company...finally figgered out how to get monogrammed stuff made with your company logo at a reasonable price. I'd been puzzling over it for months. We checked out our competition and had nice long pleasant conversations with all of them! Lots of friendly folks, and on a quick smoke break on the patio it was fun to just shut up and listen for how many languages were spoken by the smokers. Folks from all over the world.
Didn't check out the new fly rods much, nor the reels, but Hardy sure did have some interesting new rods and reels we did try. Wished we could've spent more time at TFO and the other rod companies. Observed some Spey casting wizardry in the ponds. Lots of cool gadgets -- a split shot tool so you don't get lead or tin or tungsten poisoning with your teeth, a microfiber sunglass cleaner on a clippy so you don't void your expensive polarized glasses warranty, Scientific Anglers with a new circular insert for their System X fly boxes that holds pre-strung Re-Connect leaders + fly rigs....gonna carry some of those for Pops and others who can't tie on flies too well, and for me to keep hopper-dropper rigs ready. Found some really reasonably-priced dry boxes for digital cameras, and leather reel cases that didn't break the bank.
As you can see, we didn't check out the 'normal' stuff much, we don't carry rods and reels at our store....let's see, there was also a nice interview in the Denver paper with Mr. Whiting about fly tying and bird flu.
My impression of new fly tying materials was that all the new stuff was simply more sparkly than last year. LOL!
After all that, we headed up to Hot Sulpher Springs for 3 days of fishing the gold medal waters of the Colorado with some folks from the board here.
A good time has by all....
DANBOB
Thought it was smaller than last year. Ross had the new Momentum out to replace the bg canyon series, very impressed. TFO has a bunch of new rods and stuff. Thought it was an ok show. SA took the dealers out to the rockies game friday night, which was a blast!
KevinC
What I'm hearing from some of our local retailers is that they were not happy about the showing being in August, when they are busy selling gear and are out guiding. DAN
Dan, we had several shops comment the same to us prior to the show - and - they were not attending for that reason. I'm hearing next years will be Vegas, and while that has worked very well for the ICast show, there seems to be some grumbling about moving it there too...
but then there are always grumblers. Me included sometimes. :oops:
oops,,, now hearing Denver for next year.
2006 FlyFishing Retailer World Trade Expo
fueled by strong business climate and upbeat attitudes
More than 2,700 industry professionals reap the rewards of eager business environment
at 9th annual gathering of the international fly fishing trade
DENVER, COLO. (August 31, 2006) ? Like anglers on opening day of trout season, more than 2,700 of the fly fishing industry?s most motivated and knowledgeable business people converged on Denver for FlyFishing Retailer 2006, creating a business environment brimming with energy and enthusiasm.
Held Aug. 24-26 at the Colorado Convention Center, the most important event on the fly fishing industry calendar rewarded show attendees with three days of meaningful interaction, valuable education, and active business.
?The business climate at FFR 2006 was excellent,? said Peter Devin, FFR show director. ?The retailers and manufacturers that invested the time and energy to travel to Denver are sure to reap the rewards in the coming season.?
Compared to last year, the 2006 show was an overall smaller event. A total of 1,691 exhibitors made the trip to Denver this year, down from a total of 1,882 in 2005.
According to preliminary attendance figures for 2006, 958 total buyers from 617 retail stores and shops attended FlyFishing Retailer. In 2005, 1255 buyers from 711 retail stores and shops attended the event.
While many cited this year?s shift to earlier show dates as the principal reason for the downswing in attendance, most exhibitors reported a higher level of productivity when compared with last year?s show.
?It was one of the best shows we?ve ever had. We actually sold out of one of our new for 2007 products before the end of day two,? said Jim Bartschi, president of Scott Fly Rods. ?If you missed it this year, make sure to come next year.?
Strong attendance from a working media corps saw a total of 126 credentialed writers, editors and television producers; a 31 percent increase over 2005. An online media presence was noticeable this year, as Internet TV crews, web-based gear reviewers, and numerous bloggers took advantage of the opportunity to interact with the fly fishing community.
Based on industry feedback and recommendations from the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA), FFR organizers continuously evaluate show dates and venues. Dates for FFR 2007 will be formally announced in the next couple weeks.
?Although we had fewer retailers in attendance this year, the quality of business at the show was exceptional. The overall mood of show attendees seemed to reflect a momentum that was younger and more highly energized than in previous years,? said Devin.
Throughout the show floor, the mood of attendees was focused and upbeat, with strong optimism for the coming business season.
?It was a very positive year for us,? said Paul Johnson of Sage. ?Overall, attendance seemed down, but the quality of attendees was high. Based on the activity in our booth, it?s obvious that the retailers who made the effort to come to the show are serious about their business.?
Pre-show events at FlyFishing Retailer began on Wednesday, August 23, with the 2nd annual AFFTA ?Fly Shop University? -- a forum created to help specialty retailers maximize their business? potential. The show began officially on Thursday, August 24, with a fresh and active first day.
The breadth and depth of FlyFishing Retailer special events were cited by many as a primary benefit of the show, beginning with the inspiring Industry Breakfast keynote speaker Ned Crowley, Director of Plus Four International and continuing to the last day?s crowd of 200-plus at the finals of the Orvis/Saltwater Fly Fishing Magazine Casting Cup competition.
The Drake magazine?s Five Minutes of Fishing film contest was also very well attended and considered by most as a welcome addition to FFR?s roster of events.
?We were encouraged by the buzz this grass-roots film fest created around the show?s younger audience. If we?re going to continue as an industry, we need to grow fly fishing?s appeal with that younger crowd,? said Chris Hanson of Cloudveil, a primary sponsor of the event.
ABOUT FLYFISHING RETAILER
FlyFishing Retailer is the annual gathering of the fly fishing trade, drawing thousands of manufacturers, retailers, media and industry associates to the Colorado Convention Center. This unique three-day event showcases the passion, innovation and community of the sport, and is the only place to see the world?s best-known and best-loved fly fishing brands in a single location.
To learn more about FlyFishing Retailer and the fly fishing industry, please visit flyfishingretailer.com. For media information, please call 802/583-6070, or send an email to flyfishingretailer@madriver.com.