show are unquestioned, the iCaSt raw coverage hope of all of the exhibitors style. is to garner attention and My days, once i arrive ultimately sell product. are hectic, with editorial However, the collective and follow up meeting feeling i always get from schedules planned down iCaSt is how hard the to 15-minute increments, industry as a whole works so that i don’t miss any to put itself on display. important partner or People work for potential story for our months to plan their readers. The evenings are booth displays and their usually dinner meeting marketing teams work with partners of the site, for weeks and months and i crawl into bed after to put together exactly final touches for the day’s the message they desire coverage after midnight, the fishing world to only to start the whole thing know when they walk over again at 5:30 the next away from the booths. morning. iCaSt truly is the While the days are culmination of months hectic and the hours of sleep of planning amongst relatively few, i have to say many different entities that i love iCaSt. i love being coming together in one there when our industry place; our industry on takes the chance to puff up display. our collective chests and say, The main question “we’re here, we’re thriving.” i get asked every year The past couple of years Baits on display at ICASt 2012 by friends after the have been tough on the fishing show is “what was the industry. The struggling coolest product i saw at the show?” economy has created situations That’s always a hard one to answer because i’ve been where companies have been struggling to survive, doing this long enough that it takes a lot to make and in fact, some of them haven’t. But, when we all me feel like i’m seeing something completely new. get together in the desert, or in the Sunshine state, Usually, i’ll come across those types of products once we feel like there is hope for tomorrow. Companies in a few years, so i remember them vividly. worked hard to put out what they feel is great product My first iCaSt experience was completely to try and carry them into the next year. So, whether overwhelming. The sheer size of the venue in las everything is perfect, or up or down doesn’t matter so Vegas was one that i couldn’t comprehend without much during that week to me. seeing it firsthand. The two years that i’ve been to What matters is that we are all there; our industry the orlando show have been less than overwhelming on display, and the sight of it gives us all hope that we from the size of the hall, and the smaller size often will continue to push forward in our pursuit of dreams allows for a little more intimate setting and more time and that perfect fish. Because after all, that’s what with the individual exhibitors or friends there. the fishing industry is all about for most of us anyway; The three days of iCaSt are anything but a the passion for a sport that we can’t get enough of. vacation for me. By the time i’ve arrived at the venue, So, if anyone asks me what i thought were the i’ve spent much of the two months prior planning a best products at the show this year were, i’d have my schedule, making appointments and setting up the answers as an angler. But, as an industry person, i’d website to be ready for our advancedangler.com have to answer all of them - honestly.
Issue 4
August 2012
19