sport show

[nateandrychuk 15]

k i just had to say something about this. first off the question i have is why is there not more lodge's from the northwestern ontario area there like sioux lookout and kenora? i have worked at many lodges in those area's and they haven't even heard of our outdoor show why is that? and really dose halfway motors need 8 spots? nothing on them you need a way to get in the outdoors but do they need that many? dosen't that take away from some smaller companys to get in there? i guess my point or question is why isn't there more hunting and fishing store's and lodge's that have booths at this? i know we have tons in the northwestern regin. it's more like a thunder bay sport show then a central canada outdoor show, and for the presentations? i love this part hearing for other anglers and hunter's but why don't we have more people talking and doing a presentation? like ones on walleye, bass, pike, musky, trout fishing or other fish in our areas? i know we have alot of great anglers in this area that are experts on this fish why arn't more people talking about them or doing a presentation on this fish to get more people into them?

[Jayfishin 63]

Most lodges/outfitters concerntrate on US as well as Southern Ontario clients. I used to work in a management role at one of Sioux Lookout area lodges, so I know who they market to. At that time they didn't even advertise in any Canadian publications either. They concentrated on Midwest US clients. I suggested we advertise more local (Ontario), and at a minimum in Canadian magazines (ie. Ontario Out of Doors, Outdoor Canada). Funny after I parted ways with them, a few years later I saw their ads in Canada. I think that it also had to do with the down turn of the US economy, as their US clients that used to purchase the more expensive American plan trips slowed, and they had to market to a wider audience.

I agree it would sure be nice to have more presentations/seminars as you mentioned, as we have a ton of talent in our region. But the show seems to be more about big toy sales in Thunder Bay region then actually about fishing/hunting. There's nothing there that a person living or coming to Thunder Bay can't see by visiting local Thunder Bay retailers.

The kids events are good though....Probably still take the boys for a few hours as they enjoy it.

For anyone that's been to a big sports show its hard not to compare it to that.

My 'five' cents.

Jay

[TroutHunter 39]

I was at an outdoors show in wisconsin a few yrs ago and attended a seminar on presentation of soft plastics (texas rig, carolia rig, drop shot, wacky worm, etc). the presenter had a huge, glass sided water tank with a platform for casting and bass in the tank. Pretty neat, and informative seminar... it was nice to actually visualize lure presentation and not assume/hope you've been doing it correctly. something like that in the future would be great!

What are the dates for this years show again??

Tight lines,

Adam

[Fishbum 35]

I used to work via the lodges manager and advertise on sports shows in the states from missourie down to the gulf in major cities. Most Canadian lodges don't even waist there time advertising in northern Ontario or Canada compared to the states..... Gotta go where the dollars and demand is ! These shows were huge 7 - 10 day shows and see millions of ppl. I think the major difference is they have the space money and advertisers to run a larger show like that.

[Jayfishin 63]

I agree, can't compete with the big US city shows but glad TBay still has some sort of event. Would be better to move alot of the cars and rv's into another building to allow more floor space for presentations / events and maybe more space for smaller outdoors related booths.

Jay

[Some Old Guy 968]

I have always thought of having a TBF booth there. But then I think..... What to offer? Also I don't know if I would be able to do a whole weekend there unless I had some help.

Roger

[Lyle Reiner 174]

I'd help! You'd have to show stuff like the tbf get togethers, tournaments etc

[nateandrychuk 15]

i have been working in lodge's the last 13 years and when i started it was deadly you had work all summer as years went on the people weren't coming and that was the big slide in the states which is starting to come back. if you talk to alot of lodge's they have dropped pricing and have started tarketing the canadian market and i looked into it before last year and it only cost 250 for a booth at the show here for a lodge to spend that on a booth and come here for a weekend would maybe cost 1000 if there from the northwestern ontario area, which if they got one booking would pretty much cover that so would be well worth it and save on the cost to go to the all canada shows in the states and maybe only get one or two bookings which has been the case for alot of lodge's the last few years. with lodge's i worked at in the northwestern ontario area they haven't even heard of our show so how could they book if they haven't even heard about it. i even had one of the lodge's i worked at owner come down last year to check out the show because i meantioned it to them and they said they would think about it but from what they seen our show here dosen't really tarket those people booking to go to a lodge. you don't always have to book over night stays at a lodge ether you can book a fishing trip for a day which to book a booth here two or so day trips would cover the cost to come here, and for my self if i was from here why not book a trip for a day over having the chance to distroy my boat rocks or even hauling my boat up to there which what you spend on gas now would pretty much cover the cost of the day fishing and you wouldn't have to do the work because your guide would be, you have to remeber that everyone out there ins't seasoned anglers like the most of us on this site.

[nateandrychuk 15]

i have nothing with getting kids into the outdoosr i would love to see more stuff for the kids. but like you guys would love to see more seminars on fishing and hunting

[nateandrychuk 15]

i know our show here is small and i'm not trying to say make it bigger, just would like to see more lodge's and place's from around the area then just thunder bay. i just remeber the days when the show was at the gardens and when it was there it seemed to be more about the hunting and fishing then anything else.

[Some Old Guy 968]

I, too, would like to see some more seminars.

Roger

[nateandrychuk 15]

i know i would be glad to donate my time to do seminars on all kinds of fish and show presentations on how to fish for them

[Jayfishin 63]

Last year when we were working in Red Lake area we did a one day fly-in on our day off. 150/person. It was great and outfitter didnt mind fillin in his empty slots either. Whenever they can maximize the trips in and out its better for them. You would be surprised how outfitters are willing to do that if you ask. They just dont bother advertising about it.

Jay

[Pro fisherman-Stud Muffin 420]

I have always thought of having a TBF booth there. But then I think..... What to offer? Also I don't know if I would be able to do a whole weekend there unless I had some help.

Roger

i think just a booth ,fflat screen, photo gallery slide show some stickers and maybe a draw courtesy of our sponsors.

even take some rockwoods jigs and your tackle to sell(along with other sponsors merchandise) maybe that will pay for booth if we can sell enough merch. big maybe

[naden 136]

I think alot of locals would be willing to pay an outfitter to fly them into a remote area just to tent camp for either fishing or especially hunting. Alot of people around here dont think of looking into something like that, they just assume they would have to go into a resort and pay a lot of money.

[Guest Gord]

I just spent the day attending the sportsmans show in TO. It is not half the show it used to be. $14 to park and $18 a head to get in. Lots of lodges in attendance, but I would bet they are paying big bucks to be there. The crowds were not that big. Was up in TB last weekend and would much have been happier to attend a show there,

[nateandrychuk 15]

yes outfitters most the time are cheaper but not all lodge's charge you a ton a money alot of them even give you hotel rate 100 125 bucks a night and you can cook for your self and all that and plus you don't have to fly anywhere or be stuck out at a remote place not that theres anything wrong with that i love that stuff but for some people they wouldn't want to do that but if they knew that you can drive to a place on the lake like its your own cabin might get more people out trying it.

[scandiman 114]

Hi all,

I think everyone here has vaild points of view. Roger, I think a TBF booth would be doable and a great idea. I'd like to add my "two cents" cause i need to get rid of em lol.

I feel, as a relatively new resident to the Northwest, that I have a ton to learn about the fishing and hunting up here. In some cases its very different to what I was accustomed to down south. Anyhow, I think that Nate brings up a great point that having more seminars/presentations from local sport professionals/enthusiasts would garner more attention from the people who are itching to learn more about the fishing/hunting opportunities in the Northwest and perhaps pick up some key tips along the way. However, I find it hard to justify spending money to go see a bunch of "toys" at a so called sportsmans show when I could just go to a local vendor and see/inquire about them for free. I'd love to attend some seminars/presentations and talk to some local lodges about what they have to offer.

The Northwest is a mecca of fishing and hunting opportunities with a lo of talented people out here and these sportsman shows should showcase the local talent more often.

Markus

[Foozer 194]

I go nearly every year just to check things out, and may even try to get my little girl into the moose calling contest this year. Just for fun.

I can't stand being harrassed by the "Debt-Freeedom" specialists, and the insurace groups. To me, they really have nothing ot offer an outdoors show, but as long as they fork out the money for a booth, they are there every year.

[nateandrychuk 15]

Here's a pic of the sport show floor where I blacked out the booths I think shouldn't be there or don't need more then one booth and there are 61 booths I feel shouldn't be there, thats alot of booths. I kinda wonder how much advertising they did to get other places into this because I don't remember seeing anything in the paper about booking a booth and our paper goes all over northwestern ontario so why don't you see lodges and store's from other areas? because last year it was 250 to book a booth which is really cheap and I can't see no one from the kenora or sioux lookout areas not jumping on that. I know my self and my partner Matt the owners of Flatout Fishing if we would have seen something for this we would have booked a booth. I never even heard of the sport show coming up till the outdoors guide came out this weekend and everything was already booked. Another thing I want to know is why does it shut down at 5 on saturday? for people that have to work on that day, they don't get a chance to get out to it till sunday or friday night or not at all if they have to work all weekend. Its the weekend why not have Saturday open till 9 like friday? For the seminars do they need to be an hour? because I know myself being a guy that has done them before after 20 mins you don't really have that much more to talk about, Because if you do say anything more then the basics or the presentation you were trying to teach, the people start forgeting what you showed them at the start because they get overwelmed with information and forget what you were trying to teach and show them at the start. I think it would be cool to do 30 min seminars 20 mins of talking then 10 mins of questions and if more people had questions they could still talk to the people after wards. that way we could get alot more seminars in.

[Bear 77]

Just wondering, who were the "renters" from the blackout booths. I have to wonder why you would pick them to black out, they paid their entry, they must have a reason for being there. Maybe you should direct you comments to the organizers of the event , as I dont think anyone on this board is qaualified to answer these questions. Maybe the organizers could squeeze you in if you really want to set up at the show.

Just saying.

Bear

[Guest dragonslayer]

Here's my thoughts on the show...

Entrance fee's are too HIGH especially for what we get here, and kids under 10/12 should be FREE when entering with an adult! and the adult fee's should be like 7.00 tops

First off fishing/hunting/outdoor SHOW is for that PERIOD, If a car dealer wants to participate (I would add a "surcharge" to off set entry fee's) and limited to "1" booth and I mean a single booth....

For the most part I agree with what has been said, there really isn't anything at out show worth while seeing that you can't see at a store (only thing at the show from what I have observed is retailers flogging there wears at little to no discount...

These shows were set up to promote places to go/lodges/camps/guides/... NEW equipment/... New technics/... Our show has nothing of that same thing year after year (actually you can also say that about any of the big shows Toronto Sportmans...) however those shows DO have proper presenters/proper support for the tourist places... and of course venues like that do have all day activties for the entire family...

P.S if the vendor (s) have nothing to do with hunting/fishing they should not be there keep the venue as the title of the show indicates

Those are my thoughts

[scandiman 114]

Well said Dragonslayer!

[Lyle Reiner 174]

Yup! i dont go to sport shows to learn how i can become debt free...

[PRO V 26]

I'm not sure on the procedure on how or who decides which venues enters the show, or how they go about contacting prospective customers, but if they are only able to fill so many booths with hunting, fishing, they would probably like to fill all booths, so if people come forward and would like to rent a booth regardless of what they are promoting it's in the best interest of the show to rent it. Keep in mind people it's not just a hunting, fishing show it's an outdoors show which includes running, hiking, camping, canoeing, photography, kayaking the list goes on.............

Mike