Great Alaska Sportsman's Show 2013

This coming weekend marks the official start to gear-acquisition season, with the Sportsman's Show on Thursday.  I always think I'm going to find amazing deals, rarely do, but always walk away with something new to try when I finally get back on the water.

Thought it would be a good idea to put up a thread to organize Sportsman's Show related notions.  Any meet-ups? Any good deals to highlight?  Useful seminars to recommend? What are you looking for this year?

This year I'm shopping for a fishfinder, a shrimp pot, legal wading boots and a reel (narrowed to either the Shimano Torium or Tekota).  Thoughts?

Get the tekota over the torium.

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Get the tekota over the torium.

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Line counter, or no?  I'm thinking yes, unless they're prone to failure...  Nothing I read tells me that's so. What about your experience?  Also, I'm thinking the 500 rather than the 600 on the Takota.  What did you use when catching that beauty ling on the cover of the Alaska Sporting Journal? 

This starts gear acquisition season? I've been going about this all wrong!  People planning on meeting up for coffee or anything again this year?

Ive got a couple Tekota 500LC's - they hold plenty of line (I use 65# braid).  After almost 10 years of use, I took them all the way apart this winter, and they looked almost new inside.  Cant say that about some other brands i've owned in the past.  I did install Carbontex drag washers, but the old washers still looked pretty good.

I would definitely get a line counter.  When used with a depthfinder, you can keep your gear near the bottom without getting hung up all the time.

Get the tekota over the torium.

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Line counter, or no?  I'm thinking yes, unless they're prone to failure...  Nothing I read tells me that's so. What about your experience?  Also, I'm thinking the 500 rather than the 600 on the Takota.  What did you use when catching that beauty ling on the cover of the Alaska Sporting Journal? 

The 500 LC is plenty of reel for almost anything you need out of the kayak. My reel for that ling is my new bottom fishing love! It is a Talica 8 and completely unnecessary but I freakin love it! 

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I wouldn't mind meeting up with folks!  Not sure about purchases.  I have things on the list that take priority over anything I can buy at the sportsman show...like a TI, another Outback, maybe the is9...

Ok, maybe a new fishfinder...and maybe an electric reel...and oh yeah a seeker rod....and...and...and...

Well if folks wanna meet up before the weekend I'm down...

This starts gear acquisition season? I've been going about this all wrong! 

I just reset the annual aquisition tally every Sportsman's Show -- I always like to know if it's been a $5K year in our household, or more like $500. Last year was on the high end with two kayaks ... This year should be lighter on gear, heavier on water taxis and bush flights.

This starts gear acquisition season? I've been going about this all wrong! 

I just reset the annual aquisition tally every Sportsman's Show -- I always like to know if it's been a $5K year in our household, or more like $500. Last year was on the high end with two kayaks ... This year should be lighter on gear, heavier on water taxis and bush flights.

No doubt.  I think I may be in a "high" cycle of spending which means a lot of little knick knacks at the sportmanshow is out.

Anone want to throw out a time?  I'd prefer weekday evenings as my weekends are set aside for FISHING and the forecast looks tempting.  Not sure what I am going to do yet. 

I'm in anch Friday this week for work as I'm lucky enough to spend a couple days working out of the house this week...

Friday works -- anytime after 1:30 I can make it.

Ok. Friday works!!!  Time and location suggestions???


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Time/location isn't super critical for me. My outlook calendar says I'm wide open, just have to pick up my boys after 3:30 and before 6pm

Looks like we need to zero in on Rudy's post-1:30 and pre-6 pm availability...