2006 Indianapolis Boat Show

Anyone been to the Indy boat show this year? Thinking of going this weekend, but have heard tackle sales/retailers aren't there like in past years...
Any opinions?

I e-mailed a gentleman who makes jigs and other tackle and asked him if he would have a booth this year. He said no because the booth rent sky rocketed this year. He predicted to me that Tackle Town would look like a ghost town this year. Sounds like he was close.

You are right about tackletown. It was no where close to what it has been in the past. Spent all of 8 bucks on crappie baits. None of my favorite hometown lure makers showed up.

I agree. This year the tackle town is really disappointing. I usually spend quite a bit out there getting ready for the upcoming fishing season. I think this year I spent around $100. $25 on a new carry bag and another $25 on 2 summer sausages. So that left about $50 on entrance, a sandwich and drink and a couple of lures. If it keeps up at this rate in about 3 years Dicks adn Wal-Mart will have to go just to have something there.

Hey if your in the market for Billy Bob teeth and Ginsu Knives, your in luck, the Boat Sport and Travel Show is upon us :)

Every year Tackle Town shrinks and the selection get's worse. Our little show this past January had more tackle in half the space. We already sold out for next year as well, can't wait. I did get a pretty good deal on some Bandit cranks though. A little booth called Indy Boat in Tackle Town had em 3 for $11.00 and had all the colors and sizes. I spent a few bucks with him :) And I got me some Venison Sausage.........



Ray Rigby

I went on Monday. Yes the tackle show was smaller than last year. I did get some new baits from Prowler that looked good. We are from KY and we stopped at Angler's Outpost, in Greenville on the way up and that is a nice store and his prices were decent. Great selections on plastics, cb and SB.
Prices on reels were decent too. One of the best private tackle stores I have ever been in.
Bassky

I really don't think that Tackle Town was any worse than it was last year. In my opinion it has been about the same for 4 or 5 years. About half tackle and half junk. There are a few bargains there if you can wade thru the rest of the stuff and find them. The Prowler both is the same as always and the booth from Plapp's is good also. And Blackhawk had a real solid booth too.
Eric H.

I agree, there was not much to Tackle Town. I did manage to find one unique lure; looked like a Thunder Stick with a silver willow leaf spoon hanging out its lip. Paid $8. Didn't go for the jerkey. Got three sets of wire strippers for $20 in the travel area. It is worth the entire trip, however, to get a gawk at those 3.5 lb. crappie on ice in the travel section.
I did notice that a lot of the stuff in Tackle Town, expecially the reels, had a lot of gold and silver crap all over it. A lot of the poles had a bunch of odd coloring to them as well. Hard to tell about the quality--I could not get past the flash. Ah! but those crappie. They made my hands smell fishy just looking at them.

What really burns me is the BLATANT markup on LOTS of stuff. AT some booths, the markeup was 20% - 25%. After already spending $12.00 to get in, why in the CRAP would I pay the extra 25% for something I can buy from Wal-Mart, Plapps (in store), Bass Pro, etc. for MUCH CHEAPER.

I was especially concerned with the MANY booths that had prices marked over a white sticker with a red or orange sticker.

Normally, IN MOST PLACES....mark overs with red/orange generally means a sale......NOT at the Boat SHOW.......

"It's a GOOD thing I saved a BUNDLE on Geiko."

Later,

Geo

The show is going awesome, it's as good as there is in the nation. Stop by our bright yellow Tackle Trailer by the bass tub, you won't be dissapointed.

Matt Plapp

You mentioned that your from KY, what part? Have you been to our store, Plapp's Pro Outdoors, the tackle is one of the best in the region.

Matt Plapp
[url]www.plapps.com[/url]

From Alexandria. I come to some of the seminars and come over to the store about once a month.
Dave Ervin
Bassky