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Go Fishing show


snotty

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Did anyone here visit the go fishing show at the NEC today?

If you did, what did you think of it?

 

I have been every year for the past four years and this year may well be the last time I bother.

Its in Hall 5 at the NEC, it uses about 3/4 of that hall at the most, and large areas of that are taken up with a bivvy village, refreshment area and the MOJO ''theatre''

 

Don't waste time looking for Shimano, Diawa, Fishrite, Rive, Garbolino, Preston, Korum or a host of other manufacturers, they aren't there. No WMAC stand either. Oh, and the pole alley inc. Maver ladies are missing too.

You may find bits of gear at one of the retailers stands but no official representation.

Even stalwarts like Masterline are much lower key this year.

Most of the gear for sale on retail stands is carp orientated, but the large and varied stalls of previous shows are missing. So too are a lot of the little privateer stalls most notable being bookstalls, of which I counted none.

 

I booked in advance but don't recommend it, the VIP lanyard seems to entitle you to an old JW DVD and a supposed discount off tackle, as I didn't purchase anything I didnt get to benefit from that.

The arena seating was a joke, the talks over-ran so the 15 minute earlybird seating didn't amount to anything.

 

The positives... Martin Bowlers new film series 'catching the impossible' looks extremely good and worthy of its hype, we have to wait until 2009 for the DVD though.

 

errmm... that's about it folks...

 

By 2.30 a lot of people had begun to drift out, I can't see this show continuing if this is the best emap / bauer can muster.

Our perception of time as an orderly sequence of regular ticks and tocks has no relevance here in the alternative dimension that is fishing....... C.Yates

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Did anyone here visit the go fishing show at the NEC today?

 

I didn't even know it was on.

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I went to one years ago and it was so bad that I swore that I'd not waste my money again.

Apparently, they got a bit better after that but from looking at the reviews on the WSF forum, I'd say things have taken a downturn.

Species caught in 2020: Barbel. European Eel. Bleak. Perch. Pike.

Species caught in 2019: Pike. Bream. Tench. Chub. Common Carp. European Eel. Barbel. Bleak. Dace.

Species caught in 2018: Perch. Bream. Rainbow Trout. Brown Trout. Chub. Roach. Carp. European Eel.

Species caught in 2017: Siamese carp. Striped catfish. Rohu. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Black Minnow Shark. Perch. Chub. Brown Trout. Pike. Bream. Roach. Rudd. Bleak. Common Carp.

Species caught in 2016: Siamese carp. Jullien's golden carp. Striped catfish. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Alligator gar. Rohu. Black Minnow Shark. Roach, Bream, Perch, Ballan Wrasse. Rudd. Common Carp. Pike. Zander. Chub. Bleak.

Species caught in 2015: Brown Trout. Roach. Bream. Terrapin. Eel. Barbel. Pike. Chub.

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I have to agree with Snotty, the show gets worse and worse. I certainly won't be wasting my money going to the show next year, that's if there is one!

 

It may be of interest to the organisers that some of the exhibitors won't be there next year either!

 

What a waste of money!

 

Pete156

(www.tenchfishers.com)

Edited by Pete156
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Do we want a Fishing Show? I'd say yes

Telling other people not to go won't help....

I was there, today, and I was disappointed in how much smaller the show was than the last time I visited. To me, the show didn't justify the ticket price and the (outrageous) parking charge.

The blame has to be levelled at the NEC, themselves, for putting the show beyond reasonable pricing.

I went to the first ever (I believe) show, at 'Gerry's of Wimbledon' in the 1970s: great memories!

We just need a better venue for next year's show, a ticket price of a fiver and free car-parking.

I bought a couple of new bite-alarms and a rig-holder today. Had I been in the market for a rod, I'd certainly have found one. Seat boxes seemed to be going for good prices too. I met John Wilson and Martin Bowler. Overall, it was a good, but pricey, day out.

You meet all kinds of animal on the riverbank.

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I have to agree it was without doubt the worst show I have been to and I have been to all of them since they started at the NEC. I have nothing to add to the previous comments as they say it all. I will not be going again.

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I went last year, but mainly to see some old friends.

 

As a show it wasn't worth the trip from Birmingham to Birmingham, let alone from Liverpool to Birmingham.

 

I found the carp theatre mundane - Fairbrass and Hearn aren't the most charismatic of communicators. The main theatre was tedious - Keith Arthur I can't abide as he seems to change his opinion according to Moonstrike's predictions and Kev Green hasn't got anything to say that he doesn't repeat on a monthly basis in IYCF - apart from his rudeness when a young kid asked for an autograph - and that isn't repeatable in a family publication.

 

 

it was interesting to hear dealers moaning that Fishtec - who had Matt Hayes on their stand were selling Hayes's TFG stuff at the show for less than they could buy it wholesale.

 

Overall, the social was good, but the rest of it on a par with the quality weekly rag promoting it.

This is a signature, there are many signatures like it but this one is mine

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i was disappointed too, went last year and this year too, but to have no stands representing the big manufacturers is complete criminality, the popularity of the sport in britain, it should at least fill 2 of the big halls in the NEC. so why is it so low key?

 

the 16 quid adult entrance fee is a total rip off too...

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Do we want a Fishing Show? I'd say yes

Telling other people not to go won't help....

 

I would like a good annual show too, this was not it...

Unfortunately, the organisers will proclaim it a great success in their papers and mags despite damning condemnation among several angling forums from a wide section of ordinary anglers.

The only way to persuade these ego-driven people that they have lost direction is to hit them where it hurts, loss of revenue. Then again, maybe I'm completely wrong and the majority of visitors want nothing more than an abundance of (mainly carp) tackle at knock-down prices.

For me these 'car-boot sale' sorts of events already take place in leisure centres throughout the country, complete with a certain auctioneer who was present at the NEC for the first time selling his usual cheap gear.

 

It wasn't all bad... just most of it.

Our perception of time as an orderly sequence of regular ticks and tocks has no relevance here in the alternative dimension that is fishing....... C.Yates

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I've never had an interest in these shows and I doubt I ever will but it's always sad to read the bad reviews. Every year it's the same complaints. Rip-off parking, rip-off pricing and not enough stalls/exhibits etc.

 

I can't believe that the manufacturers charge 'normal' prices for their stuff at these shows. Surely they should be discounted (i.e. wholesale) prices??? You have dedicated anglers coming from across the country but what do they offer them? Very little by the looks of it. I just don't it.

 

Everyone seems to go home with a feeling they've been fleeced rather than grabbed a few bargains.

The best time to fish is when you have a chance.

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