While I’m not turning the Underground into the Fly Fishing Industry Gossip Blog, I’ve already posted a pair of articles about fly fishing’s trade show wars — specifically the Metal Cage Chainsaw Death Match between Denver’s The Fly Fishing Show (headed by Chuck Furimsky) and the American Fly Fishing Trade Association’s (AFFTA) just-launched show.
Furimsky or Ramsay in the crosshairs? (photo courtesy Garrison Photography)
If you’ll recall, AFFTA launched a consumer trade show on the same weekend as Furimsky’s existing consumer show, and admitted that yes — they were targeting the Furimsky show for termination.
The shows were held the January 4-6 weekend, and yes, I’d love to know what happened.
So does Denver Post columnist Charlie Myers, who asked his readers who went to which show and why.
The dueling fly fishing shows that ended last week at two Denver locations created considerable buzz among the long-rod community.
Many anglers chose to return to the longstanding Fly Fishing Show at the Denver Merchandise Mart, others switched allegiance to the American Fly Fishing Trade Association’s new offering at the Colorado Convention Center and quite a few opted for a peek at both.
Some comments lauded the space and family friendly nature of the AFFTA show, and yet there were several complaints about the cancellation (without notice) of a pair of celebrity clinics.
The Fly Fishing Show (at the Merchandise Mart) seemed to go off as usual; Dave Sewak of The Fly Fishing Show said "we had great weather, so attendance was excellent. We had no problems, and people loved the show."
Some complained that the Merchandise Mart is small, and that there weren’t enough opportunities to try new gear.
Ramsay Departure Spices the Mix
Adding intrigue to the mix was the post-show departure of AFFTA President Robert Ramsay, who announced via press release that he was leaving the organization to pursue other interests.
It’s intriguing to speculate about the causes of the departure, but our last shred of journalistic integrity requires us to write that his departure could be wholly unrelated to the consumer trade show follies.
We’ll know for sure in a few months, when we find out if the AFFTA show commits a repeat engagement.
Did any Undergrounders attend? Any comments from the gallery?
See you anywhere but at a trade show, Tom Chandler
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
“Journalistic Integrity”
That’s just old fashion, the pros don’t even use that stuff anymore.
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I know, but I found three dusty cartons of it at a junk shop and I’m using just a pinch here and there to make it last.
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WOW!
As a self imposed, poverty stricken rodmaker who has not attended either of the shows in Denver, AND as I’ve have had just enough beer to type a thoughtful reply, AND have a dead dog laying in the shop…here’s my two pennies…
Fly fishing shows suck.
There I said it!
Now that I said that…Chuck has been running a winter show in Denver, of all places, in January for years now. I’m not flying there and I’m not driving there in the middle of winter…sorry.
The other guys, well they too have fishing shows throughout the year as well. Promoting a show only with the purpose of running the other gy out of town or existance is merely a low-holing tactic that I hope will bite them in the ass.
I once thought about doing a show they promoted when I lived in SoCal. I was quoted a price for a 10X10 space that would have made General Motors whine (more than their trucks.)
Chuck has been very good to the bamboo makers. He seems to understand that we are not Sage or Loomis or any other of the big boys and still gives us a chance to piss with them.
He even has made ( I understand) a seperate section just so folks could go see what bamboo was all about without sticking us among the unclean. He gives us a chance to show our wares, not that I can take advantage of it! But he supports the little guy in all this and for that, my thanks go out to him.
Now I need to hook a winch up to this dog and deal with that…
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A dead dog? Still, we’re counting that as a vote for Furimsky.
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My thanks to Chuck for his commitment and dedication to the Bamboo rod Community and the efforts that he has put forth to help the small makers; myself included.
It is alwys a treat to put up the antique display and see the reaction of people as they spend time in it. Looks of reverence and awe are the normal and the number of times I was thanked for doing the display at the show where uncountable.
The monkey business of the other show was a slap in Chucks face and goes completely against any and all traditions associated with the noble sport of flyfishing.
I am in complete agreement with Mike’s comment about their underhanded low holing tactics.
The show was a great success for me as I am now almost another year behind with new orders from the show.
Go Chuck!!!!!!!!!!
Jeffrey L Hatton
Gnomish Rod Works
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I think the point of the AFFTA show was that Chuck’s was not contributing to the industry growth…. fine for the art of bamboo rodmaking, but how does that get more people involved in the sport, which can support your local shops and eventually garner more interest in your niche? Did The Furimsky show give proceeds, even a little, to the association that supports the sport in DC and does outreach to get more people aware and involved?
Think big picture… or admit you just don’t care about what happens to the fly fishing industry, you’ve got your niche and that’s all that matters.
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Mr. Haro,
Lack of growth in the industry is NOT FINE for the bamboo potion any more than it is for the rest of the industry.
As a member of the industry for more than 25 years to make the statement of
“Think big picture… or admit you just don’t care about what happens to the fly fishing industry, you’ve got your niche and that’s all that matters”
I care to a degree that is more than most!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In the last 5 years I have spent close to $10,000.00 in insurance to cover my collection as it has travelled to the Fly Fishing Show and to museums and also to rod makers gatherings and to FFF and TU conclaves and fund raisers. So to say that I do not care about the industry is a blatant falsehood.
And to say that Chuck does nothing is also false as he donates the space for my display and in the last couple of years that is not an insubstantial amount (in excess of $4,000.00) and he does it so people can enjoy the world class museum display that I have put together and that is not the action of a man who does not care.
Have you spent/donated to that level? and that does not include 4 bamboo rods donated to TU/FFF fundraisers and numerous other donations from guided trips to flys to art etc.in just the last 8 years and that is just part of what I have donated.
How about the youth fly tieing classes that I have given for free over the last 25 years. There are a couple of hundred youngsters out there that have learned to tie and to cast from me and all of this has been done for free.
So to make the statement that “I do not care”
Is an insult to a level you do not understand.
And I reiterate one of my earlier statments;
GO CHUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeff Hatton
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Kenji: I appreciate the perspective, but have to call your conclusion into question; we either support AFFTA’s takeover of the Denver show dates, or we don’t care about the fly fishing industry?
I can think of more than a few AFFTA members who don’t meet the “contributing to growth” criteria, and more importantly, is that alone enough to make you a target of the industry trade association?
I think my question (and the question on the lips of a few others) doesn’t revolve around whether the AFFTA should or shouldn’t get into the trade show business (and for what reasons).
They seemed to run a nice show, and their youth/newbie targeting seemed to be a hit among those who responded to Charlie Meyers’ post.
The question has more to do with the deliberate targeting of an existing show, and for reasons that — even after a conversation with Robert Ramsay — still seem a little murky.
That’s the kind of infighting that doesn’t serve any industry in the grip of a slowdown.
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Mr. Haro,
I believe that you need a few items clarified, and possibly you could explain some of your points more clearly. In your reply you stated “contributing to the industry growth”, I’m not sure what exactly you mean by that. As far as contributing The Fly Fishing show Donated over $25,000 worth of space to FFF, TU, Casting For recovery, Project Healing Waters, Save Our Salmon, Sportsmen’s Alliance for Alaska (Save Bristol Bay), The National Wildlife Federation to name a few in 2008.
And considering that 46% of our visitors to Denver and 30% to Bellevue are “First Time Visitors”, (We have not completed our surveys yet) I would think that fulfills your “garner more interest” in Fly Fishing, I would guess that this number is greater than the total attendance of the AFFTA show. Considering you are the show Director for the FlyFishing Retailer you are close enough to AFFTA to know the numbers.
As far as “give a little, to the association that supports the sport in DC and does outreach to get more people aware and involved” that is a whole can of worms, no pun intended. At one time The Fly Fishing Show was willing to donate 10% of booth rental fees of every AFFTA member back to AFFTA, they wanted more to put it simply (You can check out this effort on utaff.org/constitution.html “let the Truth be Known” also check out Business as usual)
There you will find that according to 2004 IRS tax returns AFFTA spent $52,323 on “Government Affairs” while compensating their officers $79,000, and spending $119,412 on “other”, and an additional $14,966 on Entertainment. Even though AFFTA is a 501 c 6, their returns are not readily available since their 2004 IRS returns were made public. Granted they have gone through many changes, but have they showed how many “new people” they have brought into the sport in a tangible way? We have our surveys from the four Western Shows, and if you’d like to see them we will make them readily available.
You also state “Support your local shops”, if you have ever been to a Fly Fishing Show event you would see that is the bread and butter of the shows, along with travel destinations, tiers and equipment.
I truly question the wisdom of “giving a little to the association that supports the sport in DC”, when the association does not give back “what it has accomplished.” And throwing money into DC,…well that is a whole other discussion!! Before coming to work for Chuck I worked in State and Federal Government, and for Non-profits for 13 years, in water reclamation (from abandoned coal mines), rail-trails, and community enhancements, I have seen the “creative book keeping” and the inefficiency of Govt. at all levels up close and personal, {I’m still showering trying to remove it!}
I still work for a number of non-profit groups in river restoration, fisheries enhancement,community conservation/enhancement and Chuck is a gracious employer who allows this, and understands the need to “Support the Protection, Enhancement and restoration of Fishing waters.” To use a portion of AFFTA’s Mission Statement. In twenty years of river restoration work, AFFTA has contributed nothing in on the ground projects in our region, Western Pennsylvania, yet groups like TU have contributed money and time, and we now have a trout fishery that was a dead stream when I was kid.
AFFTA’s Mission statement:
1. Grow Consumer demand for Fly fishing products and Services
2. Enhance the growth and professionalism of Fly Fishing Business
3. Support the Protection, Enhancement and restoration of fishing waters
I personally would like to see the results of success in any one of the three, and I have a saying after working all those years with Associations and Government, if it takes more than five minutes to explain, it is nothing more than bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo to a) justify a job b) justify funding.
In closing you state “Think Big Picture”, Fly Fishing needs an association, but one that it transparent, has the well being of all in the industry at it’s core of everything it does, and is more apt to follow it’s mission statement with actions. Instead of spending it’s money “supporting the sport in DC”, which I have found means one day of shad fishing with Government officials and some lobbying to insure a few companies get tax breaks. I really wonder how this helps the local shops and introduces “new people to the sport?”
This is a wonderful hobby, sport and lifestyle, it’s just a shame that wall street/DC thinking has crept into the leadership aspect as our resources both fresh and saltwater are under ever increasing pressures, yet the “Leadership” is more worried if Dick Cheney can catch a shad, than doing their stated job!
David D. Sewak
Manager The Fly Fishing Show
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when you are as old as I–you will see fly fishing has many hi ups and downs. it my seem like one or the other…today is one of instant gradfacation .(( cast once and catch now..)) enjoy the day ,water,, fish,,,and droping it just rite.
it was great !!!
joe
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On May 7, 2008, Kenji Haro replied to the Trout Underground and said, “I think the point of the AFFTA show was that Chuck’s was not contributing to the industry growth”
If you aren’t familiar with Kenji, he is the director of the trade show AFFTA endorses. And me, I’m the guy he refers to that hasn’t contributed to industry growth.
During the last year since AFFTA has targeted my Fly Fishing Show in Denver and has tried to steal it away by directly competing with me on the same weekend, applied pressure to all involved, manufacturers, dealers, conservation groups, celebrities, lodges, tiers, etc. to jump ship from my show to their show, I’ve been the target of numerous negative comments. But I must say, if I were judging them for total inaccuracy, Kenji’s comments would be the gold medal winner.
It just proves how out of touch someone can be with their comments, coming from the AFFTA camp, but arrogant enough to still say it. The desperation is obviously forcing these words to be spoken, but they aren’t making me, or other knowledgeable fly fisherman any happier about AFFTA.
If I didn’t contribute to the fly fishing growth why would AFFTA’s strategy be to copy my successful shows and begin directly competing with them in Denver and planning to expand their attack elsewhere in the future? The insanity continues.
Perhaps Kenji should talk to some of my show family of exhibitors including AFFTA members. He might discover over the years my shows have provided a venue for them to succeed. Lodges have booked a majority of their customers at the shows, rodmakers have sold thousands of rods, dealers have boosted their sales and met new customers, and more people have learned about our sport than can be counted.
Certainly Kenji can speak his mind. Others have seen how AFFTA and comments and statements like this has left many of us in fly fishing just shaking our heads and wondering ‘what next’? How can we continue to divide us and make the conflict gap grow any larger?
No matter how low things slump, I’m keeping my focus ahead and my head held high. I will continue to direct my Fly Fishing Shows that I believe are contributing to the industry. Recently I postponed any plans for a trade show this year. I didn’t think it would help fly fishing at this time. When I hear comments from the AFFTA show director maybe I made a mistake. Anyone who comments publicly as Kenji did, wouldn’t give me confidence in the show he represents and directs.
Making me and my shows a target is getting old fast!
Chuck
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I was an exhibitor at the FFS and have been for a few years. I was worried like other exhibitors about a divided market. As a seller of books and dvds I was also concerned about the division of celebrities because I count on them to increase sales as signed books are more in demand. I sent an email to AFFTA the day after they announced their show and still have not heard back. Guess they already knew they were going down. My sales were up 20% at the FFS in Denver. The biggest increase of any of a half dozen shows I did this year so far.
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