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Striper Country Fly Shows!

3K views 30 replies 17 participants last post by  tomd 
#1 ·
OK -

Xmas was wonderful, hope yours was as pleasurable as mine!

Now it's time to talk about SHOWS. First in the northeast is the Danbury CT show, January 2-4. This appears to be a smaller local venue but interesting just the same. We did not invest in a booth, but I plan on hanging out with forum friends and seeing what there is to see, perhaps having a brewski and appetizers afterwards. Please reply if you are going to this one.

MARLBORO MA, JANUARY 16-18 - Royal Plaza
We have a booth up in the seminar area this year. The main floor was sold out and we saved a bunch of $. If this doesn't work out we'll go back to the main floor next year, but I have a feeling it might be a good deal.

SOMERSET NJ, JANUARY 23-25 - Garden State Exhibition Center
This is the big show on the east coast in terms of numbers of exhibitors and attendees. The booths were sold out, but many of us will be hanging out.

WILMINGTON MA, March 13-14 - Shriner's Auditorium
By the time this show ends it's practically time to get fishing! Great show for tuning up your gear and your casting stroke for the start of the season.

CASTING CLAVE (minutes from the Shriner's Auditorium)
Not sure if we are going to rent this hall as it's quite pricey, but if we can get enough participants we should do it. I will look for sponsors to help us meet the high rental fee for the evening. If anyone knows of a large hall to rent at a reasonable price please reply.

Spring Striper Clave 2004 - Orleans Cape Cod
I really liked the Anchorage on the Cove and want to contact the owner again about getting off-season rates. The fish were right at our doorstep and the migration was on strong along the coast. We probably need 15-20 people to make this work. Early May.
 
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#7 ·
Juro,
A very Merry Christmas to you my friend. I would enjoy meeting up with you and talking fish and possibly grabbing a cold one afterwards for the Danbury Show. I have not been to this one before but would definitely make the trip over if you are gong to be in the house. Give me a buzz if you want and we can discuss the game plan. I will be at Marloboro probably as well, I have almost made that an annual pilgrimage and it helps me during the worst part of the winter. Wilmington I have not made yet but I may make a concerted effort to get there this year. All of this is subject to revision as I am desperately looking to leave the job I am in right now for a new gig in a tech. slot. I have a few good leads and hopefully after the Holiday craziness I will get a phone call or two.........Fingers optimistically crossed!!!

Mike M.
 
#8 ·
Danbury for me is a no-brainer - it's only 8 miles from my house :D

Juro, Mike Mayo, let me know which day works best for you. I'd love to hook up for a chat, beer, meal, whatever ....

I plan to be at the Marlboro Saturday or Sunday - if there's any snow in these latitudes my new XC skis will be gettiing some serious erosion during Jan, Feb, Mar and maybe April. I can't think of a better way to beat the winter blues, other than flying south with the long wand.

Not sure about Wilmington at this point - it really depends on how things pan out at work.
 
#11 ·
I'm planning to attend the Marlboro show on Saturday. Willing to help out anyway I can.

Anchorage sounds real good. Again, ready and willing to help out.

I'm planning on doing a last weekend in April/first weekend in May yakking type mini get together also.
 
#16 ·
I was just checking the schedule at the
Danbury Show and it looks like I will be checking it out on Sunday. I have to work tomorrow so that's out but I will be free on Sunday if anyone wants to meet up and talk some fish. Juro when are you going to be there??? Anybody wants to give me a buzz just ring me at (203) 627-7898 that is my Nextel tumor which resides on my hip. :mad: for work and I unfortunately always have it with me.

Mike M.
 
#18 ·
At Marleboro ,just so you know... I got the UFT meeting agenda for next week and Jared indicated that the UFT booth will also be up in the seminar area...he also indicated that all the groups that are Non-profit or clubs are up in the seminar area...so...we will not be alone and I suspect we will get more traffic apart from just those attnding the seminars... so that's good.
 
#20 ·
Marlboro

I hope I am wrong but the conventional wisdom is that the "seminar area" location for the Marlboro show is going to a deathknell.

Sure, the "price" is right...but Barry has always let the 501c3's in gratis, so there's nothing special here.

However, the percentage of the gate that actually makes it as far as the seminar rooms is small (VERY small). Time will tell of course, but this year will be far short of a "slamdunk" by any reasonable measure.

(see y'all on Sunday)

-j
 
#21 ·
Jared...I will collar everyone I meet at the show and all the people I know that I see and tell them to come up to the seminar rooms... I will also suggest to Juro that we have a coffee maker at our booth ..... and a free fly to everyone who stops by... That's not for sure at this point, but I will speak with Juro about it. Howabout laying 10 flies on me at the UFT meeting. :D
 
#22 ·
John,

Actually, I'm far more interested in getting all the non-profits moved back down to the main hall for NEXT year.... this year is a done deal.

The more of the "general public" (which means not just people wearing UFT, CCA, TU, FFF, or Forum hats) who complain or at least ask the show organizers where all the non-profits are, the better our chances are of getting back to the main hall.

The best way to help with that will be to ask people you know to ask Barry where everyone is.

Candidly, I could care less how many people come by the booth this year. It is 2005 that we need to concern ourselves with.

-j
 
#23 · (Edited)
Ok , I agree with you about next year and your plan sounds good...BUT...I am thinking about this year and making the most of the CURRENT situation. The reality of the situation, unlike how you or I might ask questions , is that I am not banking on attendees making the effort to track down management of the show to record their displeasure with the seminar set up... after the show letters may work better...so it might be a better way to get a letter writing campagn after the show.
 
#24 ·
Somehow, Both and Neither are effective and not. If the 'Show' is determined to have commercial traffic on the main floor, what's going to change that? - nothing! - thus, the bitching about 'where is...?' at point of origin is important to the here and now; if there is any letter writing after the fact, it beefs up the former-

BUT - all the bitching and letter writing can't be done by just aggrieved non-profits or their memberships; it should be put to the public whether they want, like, direct their attention toward and actively seek out booths such as UFT, TU, etc. (as true nonprofit outfits), and/or gatherings with rapidly growing followings like FFF as it's portrayed itself these past few years as informational, promoting the sport as a whole.

That's where it gets dicey in the support department - whether the general public WILL, or whether 'club members' will, take the time to make their opinions known. "Out of sight, out of mind" - when any patron of the venue is off and done with their visit for this year, will they bother writing ??? - not likely, if rough direct marketing data can be plugged in here - only two to three percent, on average, of any group actively targeted as a marketing demographic will respond to marketing inquiries and solicitations.

So- IMO, this, whether for FFF or UFT or whomever, warrants making available to the attendees, an active signature or 'petition' style expression of the general public's opinion of such a move, to be gathered by and presented to management of the 'Show'

Sadly, unfortunately, petitions and expressions of concern such as these carry their own stigma. I hope that would not be the case, in this instance.
 
#25 ·
We paid 50% normal booth cost, it wasn't free.

The complaint for free booths is going to be tough, since they are free.

But rather than thinking a free space is getting the shaft, one way to win is to make the free space incredibly worthwhile through clever planning, activity at the area - making it count. This isn't easy, but it's the right way to get your money's worth.

Jared - I will call you to discuss. Perhaps we could create the buzz and be the ones getting more focused attention. I have some ideas.

Juro
 
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