NEW PRODUCTS COMING IN 2008
Float Master Products will be adding two new items to it's product line starting September 2008. The first item will be Faux Furled Braided Tapered Leaders in a choice of Monofilament or Fluorocarbon line. These leaders will have Loop Connections at both ends making it easy for you to change and save you time and money. They come in a variety of lengths and strengths.
The next new item will be a "Thru-Line" or "In-Line" strike indicator with an adjustable line retention device. You control how tight you want this indicator to stay on your leader. It can even be applied to a pre-existing set-up. Fully adjustable for setting the depth of your presentation at any given time and reusable. This is so simple to use you won't believe that it's not already out there.
Just Added, Another Teardrop Size Indicator to the Product Line. As of March 2008 we now offer a 3/8" Teardrop Shaped Strike Indicator in 5 different color choices. These are all solid color patterns in the following Fluorescent Colors; Green, Orange, Red, Yellow and Solid White. They will be packaged at 4 Per Pack and this Tubing is also interechangeable. This puts us at Ten different size selections. Trout fishermen should enjoy using these in the Right Angle Floating Indicator Technique.
The 3/8" Teardrop strike indicators are also available in the Two-Toned colors, the River Camo colors and the Dark Shadow colors. Check the Product Line page on this web site to view all the color choices.
STEELHEAD FISHING SEMINAR FEATURING MATT SUPINSKI March 15th, 2008
Float Master Products is excited to announce The Steelhead Seminar featuring Matt Supinski from Newaygo, Michigan. Matt is a well known Outdoor Writer, Guide and Author who thoroughly covers salmon & steelhead fishing in every aspect of the sport. He will be sharing many tips & techniques as well as past experiences on the subject of steelhead trout fishing in the Great Lakes Tributaries. Matt's home waters are on the famous Muskegon River in northwest Michigan.
Also featured in this seminar is Steven Vorkapich, owner and creator of Float Master Strike Indicators. Steven has been a life-long fisherman and fishing Great Lakes tributaries for salmon and steelhead for more than 11 years. He also has spent many years fishing in spring fed streams for traditional trout. His presentation will be focused on Fly-Fishing with Strike Indicators and the many ways strike indicators can benefit the fishermen in having a successful day. His products have recently been published in major fly fishing magazines across United States.
An added bonus to the program is Greg Senyo originally from Girard, PA. Greg is the owner of Jag Fly Company and Steelhead Alley Outfitters. He is an Orvis endorsed Guide and Fly Tier and has many successful fly patterns for catching steelhead trout as well as other species of fish. He will be sharing his knowledge of this sport and his most successful fly patterns. Many fly patterns tied by Greg can be seen and purchased through Orvis Fly Fishing Tackle Company. This man is a true tribute to the Fly Fishing Industry.
The seminar will be held at The Presque Isle Quality Inn, 6467 Sterrettania Rd. in Fairview, PA. (814) 838-7674 This is very near Erie, PA. The date of the seminar is March 15th, 2008 and the time is 8 AM to 3 PM. Cost is $20 per person and limited to 50 people. Lunch is included.
To register, please call Folly's End Campground & Tackle Shop at (814) 474-5730. Please call before March 1st. You can also gather more info by going to http://www.follysend.com/senyo.html If you can't get anyone to answer the phone at Folly's you can send a check to them for your reservations. It's $20 per person. Please include the best phone number to contact you on your check. Make your check payable to Folly's End Campground and Send this before March 1st. If the seminar is full someone from Folly's will contact you to let you know. Hope to see you there.
A Special Thank You
A special Thank You goes out to all who made this seminar possible and a success. There were about 40 people who showed strong interest by attending and eagerness to learn. Matt Supinski provided a very knowledgeable presentation which held everyone's interest with a wonderful slide presentation and past experiences shared. He followed up with a Question & Answer session as well. Greg Senyo shared tips & techniques of fly tying those successful patterns that has earned him national recognition throughout the fly fishing industry. And many thanks to Jim Phillips who is the owner of Folly's End Campground & Tackle Shop. Jim is always so kind and cooperative as well as his staff of trained professionals. What a great weekend this turned out to be. Thank you all for attending.
LAKE ERIE STEELHEAD GUIDE BOOK by John Nagy
The Steelhead Guide is the fourth edition of a very informative publication written by John Nagy from the Pittsburgh, PA. area. He has completed numerous hours on the water over several years and has recorded all of this into a very comprehensive 320 page manual to help us all become better steelhead trout fishermen. Some of the information includes "How to read the Water", Color fly plates & fly pattern recipies, Necessary Equipment, Techniques & Conditions, Clothing & other essentials, Stream access & Maps, Locating Fish, Etc........This is the publication to have to shorten the learning curve and help you become more successful on the water. I have used many of these same tactics in waters outside of Lake Erie Tributaries and have had great success. The books are availible in Soft Bound or Hard Bound Black Leather covers and all are signed by the author.
See our product line at the following outdoor sport shows
Saturday December 1st , 2007
Federation of Fly Fisheres Great Lakes Council 8th annual Fly Tying Expo at the Ingham County Fairgrounds in Mason, Michigan from 9 AM to 4 PM. Over 80 well known Fly Tiers on hand and related fly fishing gear available. Visit www.fffglc.org for all the details.
Show review.
This turned out to be a great show. Many talented tyers and vendors.The Federation folks who hosted this show greeted everyone with open arms. Well attended by novice and verteran fishermen alike. The people who attended were very receptive and very knowledgable. Really looking forward to next year's show.
Saturday January 5th, 2008
6th Annual Northern Ohio Fly Tying Expo sponsored by the North Coast Fly Fishers at the Cuyahoga Community College Eastern Campus, 4250 Richmond Rd. in Highland Hills, Ohio. This show has a good variety of well known tiers and there is plenty to learn here. If you have never tied a fly before the North Coast members will help you get started and have you tying fish catching patterns in no time. There is a good selection of outfitters here and a wide selection of fly fishing equipment for sale. A good show to attend to help you start the new year. Visit www.ncff.net for more info.
Show Review
Attendance was down from the past years of this Northeast Ohio show. Several reasons for this but I can't stress enough how important it is to support these fly fishing shows in both participation from vendors and attendee's. Without your support these shows will surely disappear.
Saturday January 5th, 2008
Indiana on the Fly Fly - Fishing Show hosted by the Reel Women-Reel Men of Indianapolis. This is a new show held at the State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Indiana. This show promises to have a plan that's very different from any other Fly Fishing Show you've ever been to. The vendor space and Fly Tyer space has been sold out since the middle of September and everything under the sun pertaining to Fly Fishing and Fly Tying will be here. This is one show you won't want to miss. Please visit www.reelwomen-reelmen.com for all the details.
Show Review
One of the best shows I've ever attended and participated in. It was very easy to tell that the planning and organization that went into this show took many countless hours. From the Friday evening welcoming reception to the quality vendors, equipment representatives and all the top-notch raffle prize donations. Attendance was over 1400 and steady all day. The folks in Indiana showed strong support for this Five Star Rated show. I can't wait to participate in this show in the years to come. There are some truely dedicated fly fishing folks in the state of Indiana.
Saturday February 9th, 2008
The Buckeye United Fly Fishers are hosting their annual Fly-Fishing Show at The Receptions party center 5975 Boymel Drive in Fairfield, Ohio from 9AM to 4PM. Fairfield is a northern suburb of Cincinnati. This show has a good selection of fly tiers and they are very helpful with teaching successful patterns. Seminars run throughout the day. There is a good number of vendors on hand with all the latest gear and gadgets to keep you on top of your game. Food and beverage is available. Check back for updated info on this show. Visit www.buckeyeflyfishers.com for more details.
Show Review
This is the second year in a row that Float Master Products has been able to attend the BUFF fly fishing show. Once again the BUFF Club members were on hand to greet you at the door very early in the morning and help you move all of your equipment into position before the Fly Fishing public entered the show. The show itself had all the vendors and seminars it could handle in a one day show and the attendance was near 600. This is alot for a club of comfortable size and it was a steady paced atmosphere all day. Plenty of seminars and raffle prizes throughout the day. The Buckeye Untied Fly Fishers of Greater Cincinnati operate a first class show. I'm looking forward to this show for many years to come.
Saturday & Sunday February 23 & 24, 2008
The Northwest Indiana Steelheaders Club will host their 21st annual Spring Fever Outdoor Show. This 2 day event will be held at the Porter County Fairgrounds Expo Center in Valparaiso, Indiana. Filling three buildings full of Outdoor Sports related items. Fishing and Hunting equipment, Boats and Campers, Free Seminars, Taxidermy and alot more. Too much to list here. Please check the web site at www.nwisteelheaders.org
Show Review
An all around well attended outdoor show with about 3700 in total attendance for both days. The NW Indiana Steelheaders Club members were very kind with the help of getting you situated in your booth location and help with departure as well. This show covered Hunting & Fishing and had a nice indoor trout pond for the children. Plenty of guides and outfitters for your vacation plans and plenty of tackle to choose from. A well organized show.
Sunday March 2nd, 2008
The Penns-Woods West Trout Unlimited Cabin Fever Show in Cranberry, Pennsylvania. Held at the Four Points Sheraton Pittsburgh North (Cranberry) 910 Sheraton Drive in Mars, PA. 16046 (724) 776-6900. Junction of Route 79 & Route 76 (PA Turnpike) This show is from 9AM to 4PM and has alot to offer. Plenty of Fly Fishing information and seminars covering Casting demonstrations and fishing specific trout streams in PA. A very informative and well defined Spey Fishing the Great Lakes Region Seminar by Scott Rod Representative Will Turek. Will is a top notch instructor of Fly Fishing and has a very definitive way of getting the message across when it comes to Fly Fishing instructions. If Spey Fishing is of your interest, This Seminar will be worth the trip alone. Penns-Woods web site address is www.pwwtu.org
Show Review
The Penns Woods Show was a great show. Well attended somewhere near 900 and the club members were very kind and eager to help with your set up and departure. I met a few Pennsylvania Guides at this show and a few retail shop owners as well. Most of the attendees were amusing to watch their reactions and facial expressions when asked if they've ever seen a Strike Indicator that really stays on your line. I am looking forward to this show for next season to gather some feedback from these fishermen who purchased Float Master Products.
Saturday & Sunday March 8th & 9th, 2008
Federation of Fly Fishers Midwest Fly-Fishing Expo at McComb Community College Sports Center in Warren, Michigan. This show covers it all. Education, Artwork, Guides, Info for your next trip, Fly Tiers, Seminars, Fly-Fishing Equipment........the list goes on. Food and beverage on hand. Check out www.mffc.org for more info. One show you won't want to miss.
Show Review
Despite the bad weather in the surrounding states and the mid teen temperatures the show was a total success. There were plenty of free seminars on fly fishing subjects for all to attend. Well organized by the MFFC and always willing to help with set up and teardown which makes this show a mainstay. Some of the popular names in the industry were on hand to sign books and share stories and tie flies. Some folks that were there included Charles Meck, Rick & Jerry Kustich, Jeff "Bear" Andrews, Larry Tullis and the list goes on. Looking forward to this show in 2009.
Saturday March 29th, 2008
Vermilion,Ohio Outdoor Sports Flea Market from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the German's Villa 3330 Liberty Ave. Vermilion, Ohio 44089. Only $5.00 admission and it includes Raffle Prize Drawings every half hour. This show includes hunting & fishing equipment, boating, camping & outdoor equipment. Food, beverages & snacks will be available all day. For more info call Al Larson at (440) 667-6200 or (440) 965-7264
The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival April 19th & 20th, 2008
We will be traveling to Waynesboro, Virginia to participate in the 8th Annual Virginia Fly Fishing Festival held on April 19th & 20th. This event has brought much excitement to the air as we are now starting to spread our wings a bit and travel further south and east. The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival is held each year right on the banks of the South River in beautiful downtown Waynesboro and the committee has done their homework very well. You will be able to enjoy every aspect of fly fishing with some being indoors and some being outdoors. For all the details please visit the web site and we hope to see you there. www.vaflyfishingfestival.org
Show Review
The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival was more fun than anticipated. It's held on the banks of the South River in Waynesboro, Va. and what a way to have a fly fishing festival. Every aspect of Fly Fishing is covered here. Casting techniques, Fly Tying, trying out different equipment, Kayaks on the water, inflatable pontoon boats, etc., etc. The list just goes on. There were top notch artists on hand with award winning art work on display and for sale, fly fishing equipment galore from local and distant shops and outfitters, vacation resorts to help you plan you next family vacations, Factory Representatives to answer questions about new equipment, Book signings by the authors such as Beau Beasley and Bob Clouser, King Montgomery, Don Holbook and many many others who are well known in the Fly Fishing industry to help share tips and techniques on how to help you catch more fish.
A big round of applause goes out to all the folks who worked hard and many hours to make this festival happen. Alot of thanks to Tommy Lawhorne who is President of the Shenandoah Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the entire committee and local TU Chapter members for all of their hard work. Without these folks and the cooperation of the town of Waynesboro, this would not happen. Let's not forget the Festival Director, Mr. Beau Beasley. This man dedicated 8 months of his time to coordinate this event. It certainly shows. Many thanks goes out to Len Poulin for all of his efforts as well. Len had a lot to do with the Festival Raffle Prizes and so much more.
I'm sure there are people who I didn't list here by name for their efforts and contributuions, but please forgive me as this was my first time at the Festival. So thank you all for everything you've done.
There were many food vendors and 5 local wineries with quality products to keep the crowd of near 1500 just in paid attendance more than satisfied. This is the first time I ever had a Pecan Trout Sandwich with grilled sweet onions and green peppers and it won't be the last.
The caterer barbequed a whole pig on the grill for the Friday night dinner right at the Festival sight. I'm sorry to say that I don't remember his name but he did a wonderful job. The weather was spectacular as it reached near 80 on Saturday with plenty of sunshine. The forecast was for cooler temp's and rain on Sunday but the rain held off until the end of the Festival. The V.I.P. Dinner on Saturday evening was First Class with many recognitions to all the folks who deserved it. The longest applause was drawn for those who have served in the United States Armed Forces who attended this dinner, and have helped protect this Great Nation where we live. Many Thanks to all of you. The meal that was served was also Top Notch, prepared by the same caterer who performed the pig roast the night before. Plenty of Raffle Prizes were on hand from original outdoor prints to fine bottles of wine.
There were two local Boy Scout Troops who led the opening ceremonies on Sunday morning with the Pledge of Allegence. I'm sorry I don't remember the Troop numbers to be specific but this brings back memories to the days when I was a scout. These young men were there on hand to help with the festival activites as well. A BIG THANKS to all of them.
There's so much more to write about here and I'm running out of words, but one thing I'd like to say is I'll be looking forward to every one of the future Virginia Fly Fishing Festivals to come. I can't remember when I've had more fun and better hospitality and still found time to fly fish a bit and work the booth to sell a few indicators and enjoyed every minute of it. There was just too much fun for a Two Day Festival. I really hope to see all of you in April of 2009 at the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival in Waynesboro, Virginia.
This list is frequently being updated. Please check back in the near future. More shows will be added.