It's that time of year again. A time we all used to look forward to. But all things, and people, change. Nothing is the same as it once was, and, in a lot of ways, surely not better. And there was none better than the Jersey based The Fly Fishing Show (TFFS). Yes there was always the tour around the country but the Somerset, and to a lesser extent, the Edison show, was THE show to make.
I've started the 2025 with a new outlook, PACE, Positive Attitude Changes Everything. So I will remain positive and optimistic when it comes to this years TFFS. We're coming off a spotty The International Fly Tying Symposium (TIFTS) which was held in November. A show that I am not sure we'll see return in 2025. Again, things change, people change, and things fade away or morph into something else. Remember, I've spoken before how shows have went from a big venue to a smaller, more local, and intimate show. We see that with some of the one or two day shows for fly fishing and even for the spin fishing and plug building shows.
This years cover child is none other than the owner of TFFS Ben Furminsky, who took over the reins from his father Chuck, who is holding onto the TIFTS. I mean there's nothing wrong with pimping yourself out...I guess. No really, it's his party and he can do what he wants to. That pic ran nicely in a spread with a Jim Freda article in Fly Fisherman magazine last year. It was about big striped bass on big bunker on the fly.
That was the article where "The Tank" got a little love in a sidebar piece written by Tony Friedrich from the Atlantic Saltwater Guides Association. Replacing the old tanks are on my to-do list this winter. They have got beaten up over the last few years so replacements are due.
But let's go back to TFFS. As I've always said. Huge endeavor. Incredible responsibility. I can't even imagine. And the complaints and the issues and the weather and the rugs and electric and who's selling what when they shouldn't. I have been there in the past from the Wednesday before setting up triple
booths, to having my own single booth, to the mass exodus that occurs on Sunday afternoon. Someone should do a time lapse video of it. It is really impressive thing to see.
There are seven TFFSs, it kicks off in Marlborough, then hits Edison, Atlanta, Bellevue (Near Seattle), Denver, Pleasanton (Kinda near Oakland), before heading back east to finish things up in March in Lancaster. That is a three month action packed, covering a lot of miles, traveling show. Some of the talent that gets hired, or pimped out, I say that jokingly, do the entire circuit. That is an impressive feat.
I went to the TTFS website to see what the show had in store for the Marlborough, Massachusetts show season kick off which is going down the weekend of January 17th. Surprisingly I found the above message after clicking on the drop-down to see the Exhibitors and Map. I would think that would be a good thing to have available to drum up some interest from prospective attendees. But let's go to Edison.
Now the Edison drop down had the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center floor plan with a cool option to scroll around and see who and where the exhibitors will be camped out. Ah, those coveted spots on the floor. Every year the long term tenants would be in the same spot when you entered. I remember for year the first booth I'd see was guide Adrian LaSorte's booth just to the left after you got through the entrance check point.
So it's an easy way to navigate through. And remember, you have to think positively. Every vendor, presenter, and attendee gets something different and what they need from the show. The longer you've been around the narrower the needs are. And I think that's one reason why interest, overall in fly tying and fishing, may be kind of trending down. That's just my opinion. Fly fishing is mostly a freshwater game with a little sprinkle of salt thrown in, especially up here in the North East. Down south and out in the tropics, is the Bahamas the tropics?, it's more prevalent.
So I looked at the exhibitors to get a vibe of what to expect. In the first scroll through I see that TCO Fly Shop is coming big once again. They'll have a block of 15 booths pretty much as soon as you enter. You can see their spot in the above screen shot. They must do real good, like real good, at the Jersey show. Just think how much it costs to break down the shop, head east, stay over, pay the workers, pay the rent, and the electric, and food, and of course, beverages. So needless to say they must kill it. That's a big draw section, but if you're not looking for lot's of clothing, and some gear, or a reel or some fly lines, then you'll walk past.
The next chunk of floor space goes to the Moy's from Tight Lines Fly Fishing, which is a shop located not to far up 287 in Parsippany. They'll have a 10 booth spot, which may be bigger than last year, I'm not exactly sure. Lots of rods, reels, and waders. Bear's Den will be along the back wall with a four-boother. And Streams of Dreams will be close by with bins of stuff Harry has acquired over his decades in the business.
If you're an Orvis fan then you can find them in a four-booth row between casting ponds one and two. They're coming bigger this year than last year, they didn't have a booth, which was surprising because the show was just before the new Helios line was launched. Well if you haven't seen, or casted one, this is your shot. Remember, these high end rods, from all the companies, will now send you back north of $1,1000.
On the south side of the floor Squimpish Flies went to double booth this year. I'll be hanging there over the two days and have a tying spot for Saturday morning. That puts me near Cordiero's Flatwing Booth, Buzzi's Buzzfly and his ever popular selection of bucktail, and a stones throw away from Joe Calcevechia's Sportfishing Galapagos booth.
I was very happy to see Rich Murphy listed in the Celebrities and Authors section for both the Marlborough and Edison shows. He is one of my favorites. All of the drunks I got at TFFS the one I felt the most was after a night at the bar in Somerset trying to trade drinks with him. I think I just kept drinking because the conversation was so far over my head, but that's just the way his engineer mind is wired.
Rich is the author of Fly Fishing for Striped Bass which is my favorite book on the subject. There were books before, and after, but I think his is the definitive book for both beginner and expert fly anglers who love and target striped bass. I look forward to seeing him again as last year he took a pass.
The vice companies will be there as usual as will the fly tyers around perimeter. The fly fishing clubs will be at the entrance trying to get you to buy a raffle, usually for a good cause, before you drop any of your bugeted amount of cash inside the show.
If you go onto the website, HERE, you can see the casting and tying classes you can sign up and pay for, as well as the list of seminars (included in the entrance fee) that you can attend. Below is a screenshot but it cuts off at Sunday morning.
But Sunday's are tough. Years ago people, especially those fly rod collectors, would circle back on the last day to get show deals, but it's not that kind of show anymore. It used to be just about everyone walked around with a handful of plastic bags full of brochures and stickers and most would would have a rod holder tucked under one arm. That's all in the past. And this year the NFL Conference Championships are on Sunday the 26th so...crickets, crickets, crickets on the hall's floors.
I'll have Theresa in tow with me on Friday & Saturday and like a gentleman I took advantage of the reduced TTFS rate at the Sheraton. You save a couple of bucks using that link and that either gets you twin twins or a queen. Better get to it or you'll be spooning with the other guy you've taken the ride down and are sharing a booth with.
And if you want to spend some extra money you can pre-purchase your tickets online and pay the "Service fee" for your convenience. You know that just gets my f'in goat. It doesn't matter if you're there a day, two, or three, or are a kid or a vet, everyone pays.
It ranges from around an 8% hit to a whopping 27% hit for kids ages 6-12. C'mon man. TTFS should eat those fees because it means less staff to man the cash only entrance ticket windows and an easier opening. Hopefully there will be more people dying to get in then we saw at the TIFTS (below).
So that's it. No matter what I think or say here I'll be there. What to expect? Not that much. I mean not much in there's just not that much new anymore. If you're a saltwater fly fisherman or woman in the north east, well, just go and smile. If you're a freshwater fly tyer or fishermen then you'll have more options to keep you around. If you're a trout lover- there's a lot of trout stuff, which the industry makes it's living off- basically all things trout. The seminars will be just about the same, same topics, same people, most are really good learning experiences for the new ones in the sport.
There's no new big rod launches. No new flies. No new nothing. Friday will be busy and the last two hours will have everyone trying to figure out where the hang is going to be. Even that has changed. Without a central spot people just break up and do their own thing and the "business", in the meeting, networking, and getting hammered, at the fly fishing shows is no more.
I'll walk the floor multiple times as I do each year. Bumping into old friends and maybe even meeting someone new. I'll drop the required money on some hooks and maybe some materials I probably don't even need. One thing I know is TFFS is a staple in beating cabin fever each year. I hope you go and make a day or even an over-nighter of it. The only way to bing back the past is to act like the past. Just hitting it for a quick drop-by won't bring back the nostalgia or the good times. See you there.