2012 Timonium Fishing Expo Cancelled

flying wasp · December 13, 2011, 08:17:09 AM

Just heard last night that the Timonium Fishing Expo will NOT be happening next year. I have copied the Home Page from the site below.

http://fishingexpo.com/

Show Cancellation Notice

As a result of the economic conditions affecting our country, and our resulting inability to attract the number of exhibitors needed to produce a quality event, we have decided to cancel the Fishing Expo & Boat Show scheduled for January 13-15, 2012. We know that America is much stronger economically than it appears presently, and we know the economy will rebound and our country will flourish again in the future. When that happens, we will bring back the Fishing Expo & Boat Show and return it to its position of importance to the region's recreational and sport fishing communities.

Thank you for your support over the past 27 years; we are deeply appreciative and grateful. We hope to have your support again in the future.

Bob Dobart, Show Promoter

CharlieD · December 13, 2011, 09:37:30 AM

Well maybe someone else will step up and fill the void by putting on a smaller Bass Fishing Specific show. Wish I had more time or I would do it. Just find a affordable location, shorten it to Saturday and Sunday when the Timonium show was scheduled, and invite the usual bass specific vendors.

Mike Cork · December 13, 2011, 10:02:32 AM

WOW a 27 year old show cancelled this is brutal!

Chip Harm · December 13, 2011, 10:05:05 AM

A real shame....when I lived in the area some 12 years ago, that expo was a highlight of the year.

flying wasp · December 13, 2011, 10:09:53 AM

Quote from: flying wasp on December 13, 2011, 08:17:09 AM
Just heard last night that the Timonium Fishing Expo will NOT be happening next year. I have copied the Home Page from the site below.

http://fishingexpo.com/

Show Cancellation Notice

As a result of the economic conditions affecting our country, and our resulting inability to attract the number of exhibitors needed to produce a quality event, we have decided to cancel the Fishing Expo & Boat Show scheduled for January 13-15, 2012. We know that America is much stronger economically than it appears presently, and we know the economy will rebound and our country will flourish again in the future. When that happens, we will bring back the Fishing Expo & Boat Show and return it to its position of importance to the region's recreational and sport fishing communities.

Thank you for your support over the past 27 years; we are deeply appreciative and grateful. We hope to have your support again in the future.

Bob Dobart, Show Promoter

I don't think it will be back for a while, if ever. He is counting on the economy to regain strength in order to bring back the show. Since "When that happens" was put in as the stipulation, then he is saying that its not up to him. Everyone complained last year about the fees to get in if you wanted to go 2-3 days, poor vendor turnout, and that BPS has better pricing on most items with no entry fee. I love going to the show because it says that spring is around the corner, but i don't have much hope in going back for a while. The other fishing expo would be in VA the week of Jan 20,21 & 22.

Speedmunkee · December 13, 2011, 01:27:09 PM

What a Bummer! I loved that show. It got me thru the winter every year. Although I didn't enjoy it as much as I did years ago when it was the Bass Expo.

Creel Limit Zero · December 13, 2011, 03:23:15 PM

Sad to see it go, but the past few years it was pathetic anyway. It is nothing compared to what it was 10 years ago. You could always find some great deals, learn about new products, and some great pro's came in for demos. Now there are no deals, no new products, and very few pro's.

I'm still shocked at how many people were still showing up at $10 a pop, and that is not worth them having the event. If they lowered the fee's for the Vendor's to have a booth, they would show up and we'd show up with our $10...

scotty40 · December 13, 2011, 06:13:23 PM

Dobart was just being greedy, he would not be flexable on entry fees or both fees. With the internet stores now and you tube, shows are a thing of the past for tackle,unless you are boat shopping then you can compare multiple rigs in a 1 or 2 day time span. Who wants to go see sham wows and miracle wax?
He left it get to that point 10 years ago.

Chuck Tawney · December 14, 2011, 08:49:51 AM

I agree with Scotty, 10000000%, about Bob. He hasnt stayed with the times, the generations, he let it pass the expo right on by. Remember a few years back, "The Worm Bar", the big booths from SFT, and from Wacky Worm, and the Fishing Shop, they were the last good years. Someone current, who is up to date with fishing, both freshwater, and saltwater, with knowledge of how to promote a big show, needs to take over. Bob absolutely wouldnt budge on prices, and in his defense, he never raised the entry price, which he could have, but he also could have done better. Im truly disappointed, for myself, and my sponsors, who were ready to put our booth together and work. Myself and Rod Bailey had a double booth, ready to go, with sponsors lined up, volunteers to work, and seminars booked. Its really a shame that this was cancelled, for both the local fisherman, and businessman, and local sponsors. Who knows whats gonna happen now, Harrisburg is mostly a hunting show now, and the Richmond show is the next closest thing.

Chuck

inNOTof · December 14, 2011, 03:04:36 PM

I have some really fond memories of the "good years" with the MDBas"woops"po but unfortunately they all are from atleast 10 years ago, plus. I'll never forget me and my buddy perouzing the boat section and seeing Pro Paul Elias about 80ft ahead of us....my buddy yelled, "Paul!" and proceeded to take his hat off and started shaking it at knee level and when Paul turned around my buddy yelled, "see if you can flip that jig in here and sure enough that jig went flying thru the air and landed right in my buddys hat...I will never forget it! I still have 2 Falcon Rods that I bought from one of the vendors on a backdoor special. Lately, the show quite simply has sucked! However, I was up at Susquehanna Tackle a couple weeks ago and they were raving about the upcoming VA show and how good it is going to be this year. One point made by the owner of Susquehanna was what really makes this show special is there will be alot of momnpop tackle shops that tend to have some of the items BPS, Cabelas, Dicks and Gander Mt dont sell. Get a group of guys together and make the trip....it should be worth it!

Reservoir Runner · December 14, 2011, 03:38:09 PM

No big surprise. The quality of the show has been on a downhill slide for at least the last 5 years. When I go to a outdoor show, I expect to see outdoor equipment, not Sham-Wows or steak knives. The only real draw the last couple of years for me were some of the seminars.

ryan o · December 14, 2011, 04:29:43 PM

I'm only 24 years old, and even I have this show go downhill. I remember when I was younger my dad would get excited to go to the show. I don't even think I've been in the last few years. My dad and his buddies used to come home with bags full of lures that they got great deals on. Now everything is priced the same as it is in the stores. Whats the point in spending $10 to get no special deals.

Also, I have a question for Smartbass. Where is the show in PA, and when is it being held. I would like to go to that show, plus it would give me something to do during the winter.

Chuck Tawney · December 14, 2011, 06:12:03 PM

The Richmond show will be great, with Shaw Grigsby, John Crews, Pete Gluszek, David Dudley, and many others. I will be there, working the Zipper Worm, Deadfish booth, and walking around promoting my own sponsors, repping Denali Rods, and Evolve Baits. Its just over 2 hours away, January 20th-22nd. The Harrisburg show is really going toward the hunting stuff, not as much fishing as in the past, but will still have Jimmy Houston and Hank Parker there. Thats February 4-12, and only a little over an hour from Baltimore.
Chuck

Skeeter2277 · January 24, 2012, 08:48:07 PM

MR Bass is having a great flea market the first Saturday of MArch.

come out ot get rid of the winter blues and find some great deals.

finfinder · January 26, 2012, 08:39:51 PM

There was another good bass show after the Timonium event at the Howard County Fairgrounds. It was sponsored by Mare Marine. They had their boats and motors in the middle and all around was the smaller vendors with lots of good deals. Also in the back was a flea market !!

This is the kind of event that would be great. The overhead had to be much lower because I remember freezing inside with the cheapie heaters.....

But seriously it wouldn't take much for something like that to be put on. You wouldn't need big time guest speakers which I would assume ate up a lot of the entry fee. If Richmond can draw with a BPS right up the street it could happen again here. AND it would have nothing to do with the economy, somehow all of find some bucks for our favorite hobby.

finfinder