Fred Hall Tackle Show

March 7 through 11 found the sportfishing community all together at Fred Hall’s Fishing Tackle, Boat and Travel Show http://www.fredhall.com/ at the Long Beach Convention Center. Sportfishing landings, boat owners, tackle shops, tackle manufacturers, boat dealers, etc. set up booths to display, sell, and educate the fishing community about what is new and available for the next year. Seminars by the who’s who in Sportfishing are available daily covering such topics as fly casting, long-range fishing techniques, knot tying, surf fishing, and cooking your catch.

The show is a great time to get reacquainted with fishing friends and chat with the crews and owners of your favorite Sportfishing boat. Volunteering to work the show is a privilege for me because it gives me an opportunity to give something back to a sport that provides me with such great pleasure.

This year I had the opportunity to work the Braid Products booth where we showcased the new DownUnder Ice Chests http://www.braidproducts.com/newproducts/ that keep foods frozen up to 14 days. We also had displays of the new tackle products such as the Tantrum Jigs and, of course, the entire line of stand-up belts and harnesses.

I also worked with Jenny Armstrong and Kathy Rounds to assist Pete Haynes with knot tying seminars for Shimano. Out of the three seminars we gave each day, my favorite was teaching the bimini twist to albright connection, a complicated knot to tie. I loved the smile on everyone’s face when Pete would tell them they just successfully tied a bimini twist. This is our third year together assisting Pete in teaching knot tying for Shimano and we have been dubbed Shimano’s Knotty Ladies.

I had a couple surprises at the show. The Fisherman’s Landing booth had a new back drop that included a photo of me. The Berkley Booth also displayed photos of me with fish I caught last year using the new Berkley Hi-Test line I was testing for Berkley. It was a humbling experience for me with all the talent working and walking around the show.