Fly Tying Symposium 2017

[kevinmichael]

I'm done!
Never again will I dole out anther dollar to the Fly Tying Symposium and lackluster producer Chuck Furmisky.
That's it bub...you got your last buck from me.
You can add the FTS to the long list of events that have long since served their purpose and exist nowadays only to separate you from your money.
I knew it was over when the first booth I stopped at was sloppy disorganized hackle vendor whose merchandise was so old and manhandled the chickens wouldn't want the feathers back.
I've attended the FTS for more than 10 years...making the trip to NJ faithfully each year in the hopes of seeing/learning some new things...perhaps meeting up with some old friends and picking up a deal or two on supplies.
Now here's what you get....
Disinterested vendors hawking old - third quality material at full retail prices
No friends to meet as they won't waster their money anymore
Two maybe three full service vendors all selling the exact same stuff at the exact same prices.
Worn out booths and displays staffed by the most disinterested unfriendly group of mopes I ever seen in one place at one time...
Can fly tying really be so disagreeable?
Even your fly Tyers's (most of which are excellent and do their best to reach out to guests) are busy hawking their latest book (no discount) or video or tying material.
Featured Tyers's...tying the same fly year after year...Nice imagination CHUCK!
Must be busy counting money instead of paying attention to detail (that's a free tip form me CHUCK...Attention to detail is the key to business success)
One booth made famous by the owner's brand named materials hired a couple kids to man the booth. I felt sorry for the poor kids who didn't know a hook from a hackle.
Shame on you CHUCK!
All the red jackets and childish sneakers will not make up for lousy worn out repetitive show defined by worn out presentations and underwhelming personalities.
Now that AK and Gerirach and Lefty and others are too old (or smart) to support your show...where are the next generation stars?
After seeing the forum you offer...it's no wonder they won't participate
Let me let you in on something...quality brings quality (That's another tip CHUCK)
Who, of the top line fly tying personalities/vendors, would want their good name associated with this dog.
Where's the quality control?
Has it ever occurred to you to rquire your presenters to change or at least update their presentations every so often. I've seen the same presentations by the same people year after year on your marquee...Shame on you
How about requiring your vendors to bring up to date quality materials
How about asking each to make sure a certain percentage of their materials are offered at "special show prices"...want to increase your gate...try marketing that instead of some tweed clad octangenarian droning on about he still ties flies with 30 year old India hackle...YEESH! (Which, by the way, you can find plenty of at your show...if you can make it through the moth ball fumes)
So when your counting your money up at Seven Springs and laughing about the increased profitability of Lancaster over Sommersett...How about you think about your customers...tighten up the reigns and put some creative energy and attention to detail back into your show
Who knows...people might even come back
Adios CHUCK!

 

[redietz]

I, on the other hand, thought the show excellent. The only disappointment was the fact that Charlie Collins was a no show. I was looking forward to picking up a few hen sets.

Robert Smith's talk was worth trip in itself. His tying demo was a bonus. (As was getting to talk to tctrout for a few minutes.)

I'm sure Charlie Craven was a big draw for many people; he's a talented instructor, even though I'm not greatly fond of the types of patterns that he ties.

I only caught the last few minutes of the live "bugs" talk, but it made me wish I had seen the whole thing.

The amount of soft hackle materials seems to get larger each year. I was surprised at the number of vendors that now carry English red grouse, for example.

I came up to stay the night before; I wish I had booked the room for Saturday night instead and stayed for the Sunday show as well.

The only gripes I had were the lack of a printed agenda, and the venue. The lactual room isn't bad, but I wish it were held in some place with parking (and a snack bar.)

As usual, I spent way too much money, but that's my fault.

 

[lestrout]

I just came back from the show, and love the convenience of the venue. I'm more with red on my impressions, as opposed to those of the OP. There were some bargains to be scavenged, and I saw plenty of good buddies and made some new ones. There were some interesting goodies to be had, amid plenty of the usual commodities. In particular, I found interesting unusual stuff at a vendor I had never seen before, Chris Helms' old outfit Whitetail Fly Tieing Supplies - the charming couple who run it came out all the way from West of Chicago. An outfit whose name escapes me came from Michigan and I am glad I brought a big bag to hold my booty. The seminars were excellent, and I was surprised to learn a number of tips and tricks - I would have thought I had seen it all by now after 60+ years of ffishing and 50+ of tying. The selection of hackle, soft hackles and salmon fly fixings was fairly immense, and I had to take several passes through the aisles to do my research .

 

[SteveG]

You may want to recalibrate your expectations. The promoter of the show isn't going to control what vendors try to sell. Vendors are going to bring items that they believe will sell, or are trying to unload. Yes, sometimes there are uninformed people working for vendors, but someone has to stay home and steer the ship.

I would never travel to one of these events merely looking for deals. Any money you save, was wasted on time and fuel to drive there. Many shops have an online presence now, and list their sale items. If I need a specific material, and can't find it locally, I just buy it online.

Featured tyers are tying the patterns that they're known for, and why would you try to fault them for self-promotion?

I I think the only reason to go to one of these is if you want to see specific tyers, or take one of the classes/seminars.

I do think the $15 cover is ridiculous, as vendors are already forking money over to have a stall. Spending money, just to have the chance to spend more money isn't my idea of a good time. If there were a specific tyer I wanted to see, or seminar/class to attend, I would have gladly went. But, I chose to fish.

 

[Fredrick]

For me I enjoyed the show wish I had more time to spend there. My only complaints were the lighting and the size of the hall . I wished they would of booked a slightly larger room so that there was more room between the aisles . Yes there wasn't a snack stand but there was a real bar/restaurant right down the escalator and also numerous restaurants right outside the hotel even a McDonald's for you cheap fellas. When I first started coming to these shows I expected to get some deals but quickly realized you will not get to many until the venders start getting ready to leave. Every time I leave the fly tying symposium I leave with knowledge gained, that to me is worth more then the $15 that I paid at the door . Just taking one of the tying seminars is worth more then the entrance fee. Just my two cents.

 

[tomgamber]

IDK, sounds like the OP has a bigger problem with "CHUCK" than this show.

 

[Bamboozle]

FWIW - The OP is joining other message boards just to tell about his issues with Chuck and his show.

It smells fishy to me, (pardon the pun).

 

[bikerfish]

haha!! jeez, hate to be "CHUCK"!!!!!

 

[JackM]

Business Libel is grounded in spreading lies. Free speech, is grounded in being able to express an opinion. Message Board etiquette is grounded in not taking private disputes public for no public purpose.

 

[tomgamber]

So what's a Mod. to do...

 

[troutbert]

tomgamber wrote:
So what's a Mod. to do...

The OP is still up on the board.

So, it passed quality assurance.

 

[afishinado]

The OP expressed his opinion. I checked his profile, as I often do when reading something that may be controversial. He registered on here in 2014 and posted a few threads about about events on another site.

Like any thing you read....anywhere....judge the content and facts, as well as consider the source and any possible bias.

As I said, the gentleman expressed his opinion, so you can agree, disagree or disregard as you please.

You've got the power to censor it........or print it up, frame it and post on your wall.

 

[Fredrick]

afishinado wrote:
The OP expressed his opinion. I checked his profile, as I often do when reading something that may be controversial. He registered on here in 2014 and posted a few threads about about events on another site.

Like any thing you read....anywhere....judge the content and facts, as well as consider the source and any possible bias.

As I said, the gentleman expressed his opinion, so you can agree, disagree or disregard as you please.

You've got the power to censor it........or print it up, frame it and post on your wall.

 

[TimB]

I got a pretty good chuckle out of the OP’s rant. Here are some (hopefully objective) observations on the symposium from a first time attendee. I’ve been to the Fly Fishing Show several times but not this event. After checking out the lineup of exhibitors beforehand, my expectations weren’t all that high. I wasn’t particularly interested in the classes, demos, or seminars. I’ve seen a few of the celebrity tiers in the past and the topics/patterns they were presenting aren’t really my thing or I’m already familiar with them. It also didn’t look like there’d be much in the way of tying materials & tools for sale. My reason for going was to hopefully see a few buddies and maybe browse the book store. There was an author scheduled to be there that I know pretty well and I was planning to chat with him. Oh, and I live ten minutes from the venue, so why not?

As it turned out my expectations were pretty accurate. I would have liked to see a few more shops represented there. The prices on the few materials I looked at were a little steep in my opinion. Don’t know how universal that was, but I could purchase the same things at a local fly shop at a better price. I didn’t buy any materials there feeling that I’d rather support the few local shops we have left. Was bummed that the author I wanted to chat with (and buy his newest book) was a no-show. I did buy another book that caught my eye.

I ran into a few buddies and talked fishing. They are mostly guys I tie with through the winter months so we’ll be seeing each other soon enough, but it was good running into them there. I enjoyed going down the street to a pub for lunch with a buddy, but the best part of the show for me was saying hello to one of the tiers who I know through PAFF. Even though we’ve known each other casually for the last ten years or so through fishing, it turns out we lived in the same dorm and partied together back in the 70’s. That blew me away!

Can’t say that I noticed any red jackets or childish sneakers or tweed-clad octogenarians. I wish I had! I’ve always gotten a chuckle out of some of the “characters” and stereotypes seen at the FF show (the tweeds, flat-brimmers, pin & patch collectors, flamboyant hats, etc)!

Bottom line is that I can probably cross the symposium off my list. If it’s in Lancaster next year, I’ll just head down & meet people for lunch or brews, but not pay the entrance fee.

 

[poopdeck]

I'm not sure what the OP was expecting. Fishing shows jumped the shark more then 20 years ago. There are no deals to be had at any show. Every show has the same old tired people year in and year out. They have also become hotbeds for fishing guides and clam chowder soup.

I still go to the shows that are held in the deepest darkest stretches of winter just to do something. Any other time forget about it, all shows suck.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

These shows are a waste of time and money IMHO and are a big moneymaker for guys like Chuck.

 

[tomgamber]

I didn't know there was anything wrong with making money.

 

[Teh_Fly]

Well that was quite the tantrum. The OP should sell all his fly gear and take up something less frustrating, like golf. It's not the big show so what were you really expecting? The only time to get a "deal" is the last two hours on the last day. I spent $100 and came away very happy with what I brought home. I also learned a few things from the featured tiers and made some new friends. I also got to spend a day with an older gentleman who does not get out that often. He had a blast too.

Teh_Fly

 

[troutbert]

Suggestions on how to improve the fly fishing shows seems like a good thing.

I see no point in the personal attacks, though.

 

[Zanotti]

1. It was exceedingly dark in there. Us old guys have a hard time seeing small things in the dark.

2. Kind of the same old Show vendors. Not much new. I try and buy from them to support the show. Spend about $60 on hooks and such.

3. It was crowded. I liked downstairs better.

4. I too have been going for 20 years and find the value declining, but hell its winter and something to do.

5. The Tyers varied in some very chatty and some off-putting. Makes me wonder why some are there.

6. Chuck does wear loud clothes and sneakers.

7. The presentations are old. Yeah, a guy puts a powerpoint together once and shows it for 100 years. Most college professors are the same.

8. The show felt cheap this year. So the profit motive was more out front.

9. Went to the Orvis outlet and bought more stuff on the way home.

10. It was really dark in there.

11. Dark = bad