Pleasanton Show

[Jay Murakoshi]

Well today seemed to be a well attended show. Saw lots of friends, met a lot of people from the boards and even met a few who read my posts :-)
I had a pretty good showing at my baja presentation this afternoon and a lot of questions and sign ups with a lot of interest.

If you're interested in going, it's a good thing to check with the Alaska air first and check on the flight. Make sure you have a seat to sit in

The KDM Rat Fly DVD was a big seller. I still have a lot left for those of you who are coming tomorrow and sunday.

Hope too see you this weekend - I think the storm has blown over

Jay

[Charlie Gonzales]

Tried to say hi Jay but your crowd was tough to get through. Good show but it seems lacking without some of the "major" manufacturers.....Sage, Scott, Simms, Rio. I understand thay need to save money, but how are people supposed to see the new lines even they're not present?

[Jaybinder]

I agree with you Charlie. These companies must know that by not attending these events they are losing market share. People are PAYING to see your products and services. That should be a dream come true for most sales people. I was there yesterday and I got some good information from manufactuers I may have never thought about.

The companies, presenters and fly tyers all had great info, and I learned a lot. Best thing for me was the eastern sierra presentation, it got the juices flowing.

[Darian]

Went today (Saturday).... I really enjoyed the show. Wandered around and found some materials that I really needed. :rolleyes: Talked to Leo for a few minutes. He looked a bit bored from standing around. :nod:

Met up with Jay M. Bought a dvd on tying the KDM Rat and some bucktails from jay and talked to several passersby. :nod: Watched Jay do some tying. Lots of people interested in the Baja trips and Jays fundraiser. :D Doin' my share to save the locals.... :lol:

I can't say it matters to me whether there were any major Mfgrs there or not and it really didn't look like anyone else cared either. Anderson Custom Rods was there and a couple of other bamboo rod makers. There were enough booths that had demo rods for casting that it was still very interesting to me. I'd bet that the majors assessed the potentials from a show of this nature and the current state of the economy to make their decision about attending.... :nod: Maybe next year.... :confused:

On the way back, stopped at BassPro and had a great time there, too. Lookin' at boats mainly. Ya know, I'm not sure that any store has more rubber/plastic fishing products than this store does.... :eek:

Fun stuff!!! :D :D

[Rifflerat]

The last couple years both venues were full of companies. This year only one. Where were all the majors? Funny how the price on Abel reels drop when you mention the internet. Still had fun. Even got comments on my Moldychum hat!

[TaylerW]

im pretty sure it was me that commented on your hat, as i am an avid chummist and noticed the reel pure logo. only chum hat i saw all day

[Steelie-Stalker]

Really enjoyed the show lotta good fly tying and nice to meet people like John and Amy Hazel, Gary Anderson, and see friends like Jason H and others.

Too bad i was stuck to going on sunday and missed all the good deals
-Ryder

[amoeba]

Tried to say hi Jay but your crowd was tough to get through. Good show but it seems lacking without some of the "major" manufacturers.....Sage, Scott, Simms, Rio. I understand thay need to save money, but how are people supposed to see the new lines even they're not present?

Well - I was hoping not to say the same thing; so here's my review:

1. exhibitors - half the size of last years' show!!! one building, no majors, and even minors like Echo didn't show, and even fewer appeared than at Sacramento's ISE show. Very few flytying material booths. One bright local light was Antelope's flyfishing specialties, which appeared to be doing a brisk business selling "Hendrix" waders at <$200, whose booth was next door. These waders are breathable with reinforcings on the knee and lower leg, look to be equivalent to simms/patagonia's versions at twice the price, and better than discount varieties (dan bailey's) at equivalent price but not the same reinforcement. My opinion of course.

2. Redding fly shop finally brought a demo of their new 9'6" nymphing rod; I tried this and intend to buy one; it is an exceptional piece of equipment, and cost <$300. Just wish the other manufacturer's showed up so I could compare it to, say, Sage's 99 series. I will say it seems to roll and single-hand spey cast BETTER than my z-axis in similar length and handle construciton.

Several of the fly shops that attended grumbled at the lack of manufacturer presence to demo; say it was a "real mistake".

3. Really liked the variety and content of talks I went to; the eastern sierra talk (performance - mammoth lakes, sans physical location due to local rent increases there), the tailwater talk, and the pyramid lake talk (reno fly shop). The mammoth lakes and reno flyshop booths each sold (and I bought), flies used in their presentations.

4. At least there was a show, which is something Seattle cannot say (not held there this year). Hopefully, this will continue to be held every year here. Cross fingers.

[Jay Murakoshi]

Here's my outlook for the show weekend. Consoldated into one building this year probably due to the lack of exhibitors, I don't know. I'm sure cost had a big thing to do with it. But it created a more viewing/shopping aspect. As for the lack of the BIG GUNS (sage, RIO, Simms, etc) cost probably has a lot to do with it, as Bill knows. The money spent on a booth or two or three plus the expenses on lodging, meals, travel and paying employees does add up. I'm sure they are looking at placing there money into better things like advertising, or promotional. But I would say the shops who were there probably benefited from the sales. For instance... TFO rods... try it out on the pond, hey you like it, where can I get one? Let's walk over to so&so's booth, bam! a rod sale. Stop and think about the shop that is selling materials, how much of the material do you have too move to cover the expenses.

Now for the crowd. The friday crowd was pretty good. I stopped and talked to a lot of old friends, met new friends at the tying table, sold a few KDM Rat DVD's, gave away a LOT of Baja DVD's and flies. My program on Friday was well attended...not quite standing room but close. Then it rained hard around 3:00pm that the roof noise was deaf'ing. But that only slowed the crowd down. Saturday was a good crowd, lot's of people hanging around the tying tables, chatting, taking notes and just interested in what was happening. Sunday's crowd somewhat smaller and started out slow but gained speed around 12:30pm. We had a good crowd for our (Ken and I) presentation Sunday morning, first show of the day.

As for the "big name" companies, most of them are associated with AFFTA and I think but now sure they just do the AFFTA shows, I'm sure I'm wrong about this. Maybe someone can comment about this. Now stop and think about the $$$$$ it cost Sage to set up their booth... 4 spaces x $1,000 = $$$$$$$, plus the employees lodging, wages, meals, airfare, etc... big $$$$$$. Shipping the booth, rods, racks, etc... Bigger $$$$$$$
Yeah, it's great for them to participate and probably would help out the shops but you can walk into a shop, tryout a rod and maybe purchase it. Or the other thought, purchase it on line..

Well, these are just my views from what I saw in the 3 days. I'm sure there will be a lot of disagreement with my views...
Next stop........Pasadena

Jay

[Jay Murakoshi]

PS......
I watched Brian demo the Clear Cure Goo.... I was impressed how they made a diving bill and other uses. I bought a kit and already popping out some EZ body minnows with a short diving bill. And coating some sea habit heads, topping off with Loon Hard Head.
I will be have a link on my site to there's

Jay

Say Clear Cure Goo, 5 times

[Darian]

5 times!!!!:?::?: I can hardly say it once.... :lol::lol:

[amoeba]

As for the "big name" companies, most of them are associated with AFFTA and I think but now sure they just do the AFFTA shows, I'm sure I'm wrong about this. Maybe someone can comment about this. Now stop and think about the $$$$$ it cost Sage to set up their booth... 4 spaces x $1,000 = $$$$$$$, plus the employees lodging, wages, meals, airfare, etc... big $$$$$$. Shipping the booth, rods, racks, etc... Bigger $$$$$$$
Yeah, it's great for them to participate and probably would help out the shops but you can walk into a shop, tryout a rod and maybe purchase it. Or the other thought, purchase it on line..

Well, these are just my views from what I saw in the 3 days. I'm sure there will be a lot of disagreement with my views...
Next stop........Pasadena

Jay

well local shops around Sacramento don't carry in stock the full line of rods in all sizes and/or of all manufacturers, so no, I can't walk into a shop and always try this or that (the closest I can think of is Redding). And there isn't a casting pond. I don't think it's the big bucks; my guess is there's some tax writeoff of fishing show expenses that is normally used, but couldn't be used this year because profit margins were squeezed so thin by the economy.

If, on the other hand, it is some ridiculous charge for booth space such that the majors don't show, then the show organizers really have to re-think their economics, where the show is held and how much they charge (hell, charge me $5 more if it can bring in the manufacturers; or bring the whole thing to Kiene's parking lot). That current Alameda fairground, with its distance and acoustical issues, is no great shakes.

This year's no showage by the majors, and overall reduction in size, was really wierd; I suspect much lower attendance, and subsequent demise of the show, if this continues for a 2nd yr and beyond.