Show’s Over
Well after a full show season, we wrapped things up last weekend at D&R Sports. We had some of the nicest April weather I remember in awhile. It certainly didn’t help show attendance but dang did it feel good every time I made it outside. It was the first show in their new showroom so it felt like we had a lot more space this time. We also had a lot more time this time due to a combination of factors working against getting people through the door. Before I forget I’ve got to give a shout out to the D&R service department for checking out an issue I was having on my Ultrex. They are an authorized service center for Minn Kota products in the unlikely event you have a issue.
One thing I noticed in particular in the Humminbird booth is that there are quite a few smart anglers still seeking out Humminbird MEGA 360’s. While forward facing sonar (FFS) is all you hear about anymore. The combo of FFS and MEGA 360 is even better. MEGA 360 really shows you what areas to concentrate on with your FFS and sometimes can be much more effective. MEGA 360 really helped me a lot last year at Houghton Lake when fishing shallow.
One thing that was good about the show was catching up with everyone who was working it. The fishing industry around here is a pretty small circle and you get to know just about everyone over time. Even though many of us are representing competing brands, we all get along. I remember when I first starting doing these things I was kind of intimidated by that and wasn’t sure how all competition worked. It is also crazy to think that I’ve been doing these things for over a decade now. We also got quite a bit of KVD time in the Humminbird booth this year which is always a good time.
I’d say if you are a young angler on a high school or college team and think you might be in the fishing game for awhile. That there is a ton of opportunity at these shows to make connections, gain insight into how things work, give feedback on products, or maybe separate yourself from the crowd. I see a lot of young anglers with various logos on their jerseys around but not a lot of them trying to find a way to help out in a booth or make a connection with someone who’s company may be “sponsoring” their team. Just something to give some thought to if you happen to read this.
I did miss the last day of the show this year for Millie’s 1 year birthday and baptism. Of course the weather went downhill and it was “cozy” in my house for the post baptism celebration. Was great to have family out and hopefully next time the weather is nicer. This upcoming weekend it looks like more crappy weather and I think I’m going to try and make a move on a turkey vs going fishing. I’d like to get my bird before my trip back to the east side in May. Either way after a few weekends of little time in the outdoors I am looking forward to getting out there!
