Guys, don't forget, the best show, fly fishing only, is coming up in Pleasanton next month. This is the show that was in San Rafael for years. The charge for vendors at each show is pretty hefty and it seems as though many have opted to do one show only, with Pleasanton being the show for them
The San Mateo ISE is a joke lately. I heard that this year they have all kinds of vendors that have nothing to do with fly fishing or even outdoors at all. Mortgage brokers, picture frames, shoe insoles, glass cleaners and even a guy selling a screw top for budweiser cans to make them into bottles!
One comment about the Pleasanton show. I went last year and the parking was $8. I don't remember the cost of the show, but I think it was $12 or $14. So attending the show by myself was $20 or $22. When the show was in San Rafael, parking was free (even though you may have had to park on dirt or grass).
It comes up in February, I forget the exact date, but they have a website for it. I think it's the 2nd or 3rd weekend. Last year I thought that this show was much better than San Mateo.
I went to the ISE in San Mateo and I must say, it sucked for fly fishermen. It had a lot of vendors for trips to alaska, canada, and montana. I was hoping they were selling some material, but no one had any. Just flies and equipment. It was great for bass fishermen though, which I am one also.
I went to it too. Great for bass fisherman, but sucked for fly fishing. Good thing I bass fish too. I watched all the pros demonstrate and give tips the whole time. Weird thing is, I knew most of what they were teaching already.
The Fly Fishing Show will be at the Pleasanton Alameda County Fairgrounds on February 22, 23, and 24. I will be showing my artwork and woodworking at the show, so please come by and say hello, since I gotta hang out there for all three days. Yee haa! Thank god for coffee. It will have something in the neighborhood of 150 companies selling their stuff related only to fly fishing. I also like to go up to the Redding fly fishing conclave as well. It is a pretty small ordeal but it has really good fly tying seminars by people like Bob Quigley and Mike Mercer. It also gives me an excuse to run off and spend some time fishing on the upper Sac and the McCloud.
