Swords Angling Show 2017

EmptyTree

Just wondering if many people are going to this this year?

Think I'll go along just to give myself the day out but last year it felt like it had lost a little of the gloss compared to 3/4 years ago.

Link here

fiacha

I manage to talk myself out of going every year.

I went to a few shows years back and always left feeling it was too cramped and crowded.
What was the show like in recent years ?

kildare lad

Went 2 years ago, wasnt too impressed. no bargains or anything i couldnt get out of my local tackle shop. As the tackle trades getting harder to make money id rather spend my money with the local shops than give it to someone i dont know.

blackpearl

Online has it killed,it will soon put a lot of tackle shops out of business.

kildare lad

ye its unfortunate sadly. i dont mind paying the extra few quid to go to the shop. Alto i always end up buyin stuff i dont need..lol... that comes with the addiction of fishing!!

Evac101

Clonanav have made an aggressive 'counter-show' this year, staging a free entry thing in the Maldron near the Show Center for the weekend. I'm guessing that someone there thought to themselves "If we run a free thing next door everyone will drop into ours first and only pay for the full show if we don't have what they need". Strong marketing play, however it might irritate other players in that marketplace.

blackpearl

Evac101 wrote: »

Clonanav have made an aggressive 'counter-show' this year, staging a free entry thing in the Maldron near the Show Center for the weekend. I'm guessing that someone there thought to themselves "If we run a free thing next door everyone will drop into ours first and only pay for the full show if we don't have what they need". Strong marketing play, however it might irritate other players in that marketplace.

With the prices they charge i dont think their will be a problem.

twin_beacon

I haven't gone in a few years, I haven't bought much tackle there over my last few visits anyway. The prices are not that cheap, and unless you buy from on of the Irish retailers, you don't have any real comeback.

The local tackle shop will never die, I have had 2 bad experiences from buying online in the UK in the last 12 months. A pole arrived after being driven over by a DPD delivery van. All but 2 sections were in bits when it arrived to me. I bought 3 shimano bait runners last year from the uk, the price was too good to resist, however they never arrived. Thankfully I paid via paypal, so I got my money back fast. Its really put me off buying anything in the UK, when shipping is taken into account, its usually around the same price as an irish retailer.

blackpearl

Had 3 fishing shops in our town at one time, now none their was a great shop in the north 15 mins drive sadly now closed all because of online ,i have to buy online most of the time and in ireland and a odd time USA never once had a problem might be a bit late but that was it.

twin_beacon

online sales is a factor in the closure of tackle shops, but its not the only one. In the last 20 years, the rise of the UK commercial fisheries and the prize money for matches held on those fisheries, has resulted in british coarse anglers not coming to Ireland in the same numbers.
The final nail in the coffin, is the lack of youth in Irish angling. Its very rare for me to meet any angler thats 20 years old or younger on the bank.

Zzippy

blackpearl wrote: »

With the prices they charge i dont think their will be a problem.

Hard to find the items they stock at cheaper prices elsewhere - they stock quality gear IMO, not the cheaper stuff. Buy cheap buy often as the saying goes. Andrew is great to deal with and the online price is always negotiable if you chat to him on the phone. Next day free delivery and great service. Might not be suitable for everyone's budget but definitely not ripoff merchants.

ColmEm

Clonanav are definitely expensive. You can get all their products elsewhere. I saved quite a bit(!) by shopping around for a rod I spotted there.


Some good online sales this weekend to take advantage of, thanks to the show I presume:

Southside - 20% off (EXCLUDING already discounted stock)
Reeds.ie - 20% off everything
Henrys - 20% off everything (site seems to be up and down this morning)

pullandbang

If you are going to the show this weekend, stop by the Irish Kayak Angling stand and say hello. Unlike the sharks some of our members catch from their kayaks, we don't bite

twin_beacon

I managed to head in for a quick look on Saturday morning. Very good crowd, most stands were busy and I had to park on the grass when I arrived at 10:30am. It was more of a catch up for me with a few lads I don't get to see that often. I picked up a bait runner, as one of my piking reels packed in after 15 years and it needed to be replaced.

The Preston Innovations stand was good, showcasing their 2017 line up, also had Tommy Pickering on the stand.

I was there for 2 hours, and to be honest, I had seen everything in around an hour.