Pacific Northwest Sportsmen's Show Feb 4-8th

http://otshows.com/PNWSS/

Pacific Northwest Sportsmen's Show
Feb 4-8th
Portland Expo Center

Not much going on here regarding kayaks or kayak fishing, but lots of fishing exhibitors, classes, etc..

I'll be volunteering at the PSMFC's aquatic invasive species information booth all day on Sunday (Booth #1549 in Hall E).  Stop by and say hi if you're at the show on Sunday.

Brian

I went to the show and was surprised not to see Hobie or OK there.  Isn't kayak fishing the fastest growing segment of kayaking?  If you want to "grow" the sport wouldn't this be the ideal venue?

To me it would make more sense for Hobie and OK to spend their marketing dollars at the sportsmans show instead of the boat show. I think the Sportsmen's show crowd would be more likely to buy fishing kayaks and kayaks in general than the boat show folks.

I'm sure the marketing guys for Hobie and OK have a better understanding of their customers then I ever will, but as a potential customer I was disappointed not to see them represented at the show.

Snopro, I totally agree.

I asked to have a booth for Ocean Kayak but was told that I'd need to team up with a vendor. None of the vendors at the show currently carry Ocean Kayaks (or any kayaks for that matter).  I talked to Alder Creek a bit about them becoming a vendor, but it was a bit too late by that time and they seem to be concentrating on more traditional paddle and boating shows. 

One of my goals is to have a booth next year some how.  I walked around for about an hour wearing my "Ocean Kayak Fishing Crew" shirt and had some great conversations with people and vendors about kayak fishing.  I even have a charter captain interested in doing a mother ship trip for albacore. I'm sure a booth would be really well received.  That and I should get myself on the seminar lineup.

I didn't spend much time actually buying anything at the show.  I did however sign up for a 2 year subscription to "Northwest Sportsman" magazine.  For signing up at the discount price they gave me a folding Kershaw fillet knife well worth the price of the subscription.  Oh, and for those that don't know, our own Bryce "Zee" Molenkamp writes a monthly kayak fishing column in Northwest Sportsman.

Brian

I asked to have a booth for Ocean Kayak but was told that I'd need to team up with a vendor. None of the vendors at the show currently carry Ocean Kayaks (or any kayaks for that matter).  I talked to Alder Creek a bit about them becoming a vendor, but it was a bit too late by that time and they seem to be concentrating on more traditional paddle and boating shows. 

The kayak manufacturers rarely have a booth at shows like this.  We rely on vendors to have them and offer our support as needed.  Ask your local shops why they aren't at the show with a kayak fishing display.

-Allen

For some whacked out reason or another the Nu Canoe guys seem to capture the converts' eyes the most.    At the Sportsman's show last year they had a booth that drew quite a few people while I was there.  Apparently the ability to add a trolling motor is a huge factor for most people.  

People I meet never seem to understand how on earth I fish from one until they see it rigged up; then they get excited about it.  I think the clean slate approach of the advertising I have seen makes it difficult for some to really imagine what our tupperware is capable of and get excited about it.

The kayak manufacturers rarely have a booth at shows like this.  We rely on vendors to have them and offer our support as needed.  Ask your local shops why they aren't at the show with a kayak fishing display.

The problem is there aren't any vendors that carry kayaks at the show (other than NuCanoe).  Around Portland there are a few paddle shops but they don't do the Sportsmans Shows.  There are large tackle shops like "Fisherman's Marine" and "Bobs" but they don't carry kayaks. 

Joe's and Sportsman Warehouse carry tackle and kayaks but seem to be too corporate to do the shows and from what I understand they don't deal in the same marketing channels that I'm involved in.

I either need to get Fisherman's Marine to carry kayaks or convince Alder Creek to do the Sportsman's Show.

I talked a little to the NuCanoe guy at the show. He's based in Salem.  Hopefully, he'll send new NuCanoe members interested in fishing this way.

Brian

We rely on vendors to have them and offer our support as needed.  Ask your local shops why they aren't at the show with a kayak fishing display.

Isn't that backwards from the way most manufacturers operate?  Garmin, Pure Fishing, Worden's, Lowrance, Motion Marine, North River, etc. were all present supporting their products.

By relying on the vendors to show your line the time the vendor spends promoting your boats is divided by the number of competitors boats they also carry.  Wouldn't it be in a manufactures best interest to have a display of only their products?

Think about the OR show.  I'm assuming all the Kayak manufactures have their own displays.  Why not just bring the angler part of the display to the Sportsmen's shows?

While not new to people on kayaking fishing web sites, to the public at large this way of fishing is relatively unknown.  In the fishing world customers are always looking for the next new thing.  Kayak fishing is it.  I think the manufactures missed an opportunity to hit a bulls eye on their target market at the show.

Considering the testosterone level at that show, I'm sure a properly done display (with videos of pros catching marlin, shark, halibut, sturgeon, lings and salmon) and the pros on hand to answer questions and tell stories, would have caused a spike in SOT sales in the local area. 

I do not disagree with you Snopro.

-Allen

Ditto