by Jason Brooks, January 02, 2016

It’s that time of year again when January brings the outdoors into the indoors with various Sportsman’s and Outdoor Shows throughout the region. Possibilities of good deals on tackle, gear, boats, and trips along with seminars from the pros, it can be a bit overwhelming. More than once I have walked away on the last day of one of these shows and back at the truck with the gates closed when it hit me, “I forgot to get some...or look at…” That is why I often go to the shows with a list and make sure to get items or take in seminars first before I get distracted from all of the other new goodies.



Looking forward to this year’s shows here is a few tips and pointers on how to make the best out of them. First get a program and map of the trade show you’re planning on attending. This can be found on the internet and will have a list of vendors and seminar times. You can also get a program at the door and mark on it what you really want to see or purchase first.

Try and go on a weekday, especially the first few days and get there early. Exclusively at Northwestfishingreports.com is a coupon you can download to save $6 on the admission fee. This “Happy Hours” coupon can be printed out, or, you can show the coupon on your phone when you buy your ticket to get the $6 off. It's good after 5pm on Wed-Fri. But do print one and take it to the Northwest Fishing Reports Booth (#327, Main Show-Plex) to get entered in a drawing for a Worksharp Tool Sharpener.



By attending the shows during the times where there is less people you will be able to spend more time looking at new products, talking with reps from companies and often the seminars will only have a handful of people in the crowd. If you do go on the weekend then plan on a lot of crowds, this is where making a game plan is essential.

When looking to restock your tackle box then the very last day at the last hour can be your best time to score on some great deals. Vendors have to pack all the stuff back up and get out the door, often with a long journey home. This is where talking to them and asking for a deal on the purchase can really pay off, especially the smaller vendors or a specialty item. The downfall is that you will probably only have one chance at the items and not be able to go to multiple vendors so you better plan accordingly and be aware that the item you scoped out early might already be gone.

If you are planning on booking a fishing or hunting trip in this coming year then doing so at an Outdoor Trade Show can save you some serious money. Another benefit to booking at the show is the ability to talk to the guide and ask all of the important questions, like if lunch is provided, how long the specific trip usually is, and what the cancelation policy is. Make sure you narrow down your lists before going to the show. An example is booking a Spring Chinook trip. Then highlight or list the guides that offer this trip and talk to each of them before you book the adventure. Let them know you are “shopping around” and be polite but also don’t be afraid to inquire on how they fish for them, what kind of gear is provided and other things that might factor into your trip, like if they fish a 24 foot sled that holds eight clients you probably aren’t going to be able to fish with just a few friends without some strangers on board.

Keep your expectations real. In other words realize that guides are a business and they need to make money to live. Don’t ask for better deals than they are offering, but inquiring if booking multiple trips will give a discount. Also realize that the guide might offer other trips that can be scheduled as well, such as a sturgeon or steelhead trip and maybe adjust your plans if you really like the guide and are planning on the day as a mini-vacation. If you are instead trying to learn a certain fishery then asking about specific fisheries, such as Drano Lake or Buoy 10 and book for that specific trip. I thought I was going winter steelhead fishing once with a guide only to find out the river had a late return of Coho and ended up salmon fishing. The day turned out great but if I was set on a steelhead trip I would have been disappointed.

Big purchases like a boat, truck, trailer, camper, cabin, even a wall tent can be done at Outdoor Trade Shows. Remember though that “show specials” are used to get you to buy at the show but anything big like this really should be done in a private and business setting. I recommend that you talk to the sales rep’s at the shows, get their contact information and then set an appointment away from the venue where you can talk real dollars and details. When purchasing a boat keep in mind that sometimes the manufacturers will have a few in stock and will want to sell those boats at a discounted price. Any boat that is already built needs to be sold. If it doesn’t have all the features you are looking for but is still a boat you would consider buying then tell the sales person this. They might “add on” (for additional costs) the features you want but you can use this as a way to tell them that if you are willing to work with them then they need to work with you. There is a lot of daydreaming at these shows, which is why it is important to schedule an appointment with them to talk to them away from the show. It will help you not make a hasty decision and bring the advertisements from the show with you, as these prices should be extended and if not then go find a different boat builder.

Same thing with fishing rods. Stock on hand needs to be sold so if you see a rod you like from a specialty company talk to them. Of course this won’t work with the big box stores or mainstream rods, but local rod builders want your business. The nice thing about Outdoor Trade Shows is that you can learn the “secrets” of the gear. For instance a rod that you thought would make a good side drifting set up might not actually be the best rod. The rod builders will explain why this is. Last year, while I was working in the Mack’s Lure Booth an angler had a question about Kokanee rods. I do a bit of Kokanee fishing as well as Lance Merz from Mack’s was in the booth. We showed him which products would work and the rod that was needed for the soft mouthed fish.

Seminars are both informative as well as entertaining. Most speakers will either allow questions during the seminar or stay after to talk to audience members. This is your chance to ask them about anything you want, as long as it’s related to their area of expertise. Asking a steelhead expert about bass fishing won’t get you the information you want, but asking the steelhead expert about using bass gear like pink worms will get you the info you’re probably looking for. Be polite and realize that if you ask something like what scents the guide uses or their favorite egg curing recipe that you will probably get only part of the answer you are looking for. But if you ask them how they rig a prawn for Spring Chinook or how to tune a plug they will give you that info as they want you to be successful.

Take the knowledge you have learned in the seminar and write it down. You won’t remember the rods, tackle, colors, bait, or how it’s all fished a few months from now when you finally get to use the technique they were teaching. I have given a few seminars over the years and it’s the audience member that shows up with a pen and paper that I end up telling the most info to, as they are truly trying to learn. If you want free information then the Outdoor Trade Shows is where you will find it.
Remember that everyone else at the show also wants to learn, see, and explore. If you are going to quiz a guide on Saturday afternoon and take up 20 minutes of their time then make sure you are really ready to book a trip, even if it’s not with them. They have talked to a lot of people who have no intention of booking a trip but just want to talk fishing. This is fine for a minute or two but they want to get as much exposure as possible. A good way to learn more is to stop by a few times throughout the day or if you plan on attending multiple days then look over their brochures and return the following day. The guides and product vendors will know that you are a potential client and will be more willing to spend the time with you. It’s nothing personal, but after working at these shows as a rep it does get a little annoying when an angler only wants to stop by and talk about how great they are when there is another person trying to get your attention to ask about a product.



Lastly, make sure to stop by the Northwestfishingreports.com booth to talk to those of us that are part of this website. We value your opinion and this is a great way to tell us how we are doing, what you like, don’t like, and would like to see at the website. Make sure to really talk up the great writers and their informative articles. Okay, maybe just stop by and say “hello”. The Outdoor Trade Shows are a great way for those in the fishing and hunting world to get feedback as well as help those that are entertained and educated through our livelihood. See you at the shows.