NFC Attends State of Maine Sportsman’s Show
Maine NFC board members Pete Gerard (left) and Dan Swallow (right).
After two years of waiting out COVID, NFC has finally returned to the show circuit. We recently had booths at the Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival, as well as the Fly Fishing Show in Edison NJ, Atlanta GA, and Lancaster PA. This weekend we attended the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show in Augusta.
What makes shows like the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show somewhat unique for us is that it is not a fly fishing show. In fact, it is not even a fishing shows, it is a so-called “Hook & Bullet” show. To be clear, fishing is not even the primary focus, hunting and motor sports usually is. And what fishing is there is as likely to be nonnative-centric as not.
So, why would a native fish conservation organization like Native Fish Coalition participate in a show that was primarily focused on hunting, ATVs, and boating? Because that’s where the sportsmen and sportswomen are, and unlike fly fishing shows where we are somewhat preaching to the choir, this is the type of event where we can reach folks we might otherwise not be able to reach.
Large general sporting shows also tend to draw more dignitaries and media representatives than more narrowly focused shows, including fly fishing shows. In this case, the current and previous governors (both of whom are running for office in the fall) made an appearance, as well as one U.S. Congressman, two congressional candidates, several media outlets, and numerous other movers-and-shakers.
In three days, NFC spoke to countless sportsmen and sportswomen who shared one thing in common: A love for wild native fish, especially brook trout and Arctic charr. While we might not always agree as to how to best protect these wild native fish, none of us wants to see them go away, and this is where the critically important dialogue starts….
During the show, NFC collected a couple of pages of email addresses, signed up some new members, recruited a few volunteers for our State Heritage Fish sign project, processed numerous donations, and sold NFC logo schwag at a rate that is second only to the annual Marlborough MA Fly Fishing Show. The most popular items were brook trout decals and bumper stickers, hats, and Maine-centric books.
NFC presented each day, covering rare Arctic charr, brook trout, and Maine’s State Heritage Fish waters. One of the highlights was when two young gentlemen came to the NFC booth after a presentation to debate the “problem” at Moosehead Lake, which they believed to be lake trout. After informing them that the lake trout are wild native fish, and that the salmon we are trying to prop us are nonnative and stocked, they said they had changed their minds…
Another interesting interaction was a brief impromptu booth-side interview of NFC Executive Director Bob Mallard by Bangor Daily News outdoor writer Pete Warner. When asked why a native fish conservation group would be at a show like this, Bob responded by saying, “A better question would be why the other conservation non-profs are not here.”
“A better question would be why the other conservation non-profs are not here.”
Special thanks to show sponsors The Maine Sportsman and Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine for supporting us and providing NFC with a very good booth location. And to Maine NFC board members Larry Bastian, Brian Rhea (Vice Chair), Pete Gerard, Dan Swallow, and National Vice Chair Emily Bastian for helping to staff the booth.
Below is a young man, Noah, we met at the show. Just 7 years old, he had his own booth where he tied and sold flies. His favorite fly is the White Wulff (left). NFC National Vice Chair Emily Bastian (right) presented Noah with a signed copy of Bob Mallard’s, Favorite Flies for Maine: 50 Essential Patterns from Local Experts and a NFC brook trout decal.
