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Records tumble as anglers flock to Scandinavia’s top fishing show
Scandinavia’s top consumer fishing show continued the upward trend across Europe for tackle shows with a record breaking event in Sweden.
Last month’s Sportfiskemässan attracted 20,217 visitors – 2,500 more than last year – to Elmia in Jönköping and a star-studded list of 120 exhibitors which included the likes of Abu Garcia, CWC, Shimano, Vision, Guideline, Daiwa, Fladen, Frapp Zetrix, Garmin, Lowrance and Comstedt.
Agneta Brunell, Project Manager for Sportfiske Fair, said: “We are incredibly happy about the fantastic reception and great commitment shown by both visitors and exhibitors. The fact that we are also breaking several audience records shows that sportfishing continues to grow and engage people throughout Sweden.
The tone was set on the first day of the event – Friday – with 4,021 anglers attending to set an opening day record. Saturday’s attendance was also a best-ever with 11,797 people going through the turnstiles. Not to be outdone, Sunday produced another record figure of 4,399.
“The steady annual growth of the show mirrors the broader enthusiasm for recreational fishing in Sweden, where participation continues to expand – driven largely by initiatives to engage to next generation,” added Brunell. “There is a clear trend of growing interest among young anglers and this was reflected both in the attendance and in the energy around youth-orientated exhibitors.
“We are seeing more children and teenagers engage with the sport and that is incredibly positive for the future of fishing.”
Next year’s event is scheduled to take place from March 19th to 21st at Stockholmsmässan in Sweden.
The Scandinavian tackle industry also gave a thumbs up to the region’s record breaking consumer show. “The show was very positive, well organised and attracted a strong attendance and highly engaged visitors,” Stefan Svahn, Director at Cultura Piscandi, told Angling International. “There was a genuine interest in both new and established brands and overall the atmosphere was energetic and optimistic for the industry.
“Our aim at Sportfiskemässan was to showcase the Cultura Piscandi brands – Leech Eyewear, Headbanger Lures and Zalt – and to reintroduce Zalt, which generated a lot of feedback. We also saw great engagement around Headbanger. Overall, we achieved our aims and left the show feeling very positive.
“Consumer shows are very important to us as they allow us to meet anglers directly, build brand awareness and get immediate feedback on our products. It also strengthens our connection to the community, which is essential for long-term brand development. The show allowed us to do that.
“We continue to see strong interest in premium brands and innovative products within the sportfishing industry. The show also confirmed that engaging storytelling and authentic brand presence are becoming increasingly important. For us, it was a great opportunity to clearly position Cultura Piscandi as a growing and dynamic group within the industry.”
Another Swedish company delighted by its attendance at the show was predator brand Darts AB. Its CEO, Calle Rosslin, said: “The show was great for us – an all-time high number of visitors and huge interest shown in our activities and sportfishing in general.
“Sportfiskemässan is the only show we attend and it provides us with valuable exposure and a chance to meet our end consumers and gain valuable feedback. It is our only chance to do this. We were delighted with the response to our products.
“A really pleasing aspect of this year’s event was the focus on young anglers.”
Henrik Larsson, Content Creator at top fly brand Guideline, said his company enjoyed a successful event despite the presence of fewer fly brands. “Despite the show enjoying a record year, we felt that the number of fly fishing exhibitors continues to shrink, while conventional tackle is taking up more space, especially predator angling and boats.
“Our aim was to meet as many fly anglers as possible and give them an opportunity to try out Guideline gear. At events like Sportfiskemässan, we feel a clear responsibility as a brand to help spread knowledge and passion for fly fishing and to highlight the diversity of fisheries and experiences that this sport offers.
“We feel it was a good show for us – especially on the Saturday – although it was clear that a large proportion of visitors came primarily to look at conventional gear and find good deals ahead of the forthcoming season.
“The number of sportfishing shows has declined in recent years and our main focus today is increasingly on dealer open days. These events allow us to showcase both tackle and apparel together with our key retailers across Scandinavia and Europe.
“While they attract fewer people than large consumer events, the visitors are very much part of our core audience.”
