An estimated  28,000[1] (organisers statement prior to submission to ABC) anglers from across the UK braved cold winds and a frozen lake to attend the UK’s largest fishing show, held from March 3-5 at Birmingham’s NEC.  The Go Fishing Show, now in its fourth year under Emap ownership, remains the leading consumer show in the angling market. 

Organiser Emap Active was delighted to see a 12% growth against last year’s attendance figures, despite a general downturn in the angling market.  Emap’s General Manager Mel Bagnall commented:

“The Go Fishing Show has once again demonstrated that it is the focal event for our industry. While it has not been the easiest year for the angling world, we are delighted with the way the trade has once again got behind Britain‘s showcase fishing event and would like to thank them for their continued support. A key objective of the show is to encourage new people into the sport and to enthuse existing anglers to fish more often, thus generating more valuable revenue for the fishing tackle trade.”

Angling experts such as Bob Nudd, John Wilson and Matt Hayes took centre stage in the various seminar and live action theatres and the Professional Anglers Association taught novices the basics of fishing on Pendigo Lake – after the on-site fire crew came and hosed through the surface ice!

The biggest names in the angling trade were out in force to showcase some of the latest top of the range tackle for the new season including Shimano, Maver(UK), Daiwa and Hardy & Greys.  Dick Tallents, Managing Director for Masterline, said: “Well done!  It was a great show. Emap certainly delivered the customers!”

Visitors seemed equally pleased. Keen fisherman James Harris, from Wolverhampton, enthused: “The best day out away from the bank I’ve had all year! The Go Fishing Show gave me and my family a great insight into all types of angling, and we came away with armfuls of new tackle – something you can’t get anywhere else.“

Next year’s Go Fishing Show will take place from the 16^th-18^th March 2007.  Due to popular demand and increasing visitor attendance, Go Fishing Show 2007 will be held in a larger hall at the NEC.