2012 ICAST is over. We had a really good time. I can tell you from what I saw the fishing industry is in good shape. There’s lots of activity and interest in our sport. I feel good about things.
Naturally, it was a tough week. Crazy might be a better description. I spent all three days running from sponsor to sponsor trying to make sure everyone got the help they deserve. The good side of that is that there were plenty of buyers showing interest in our products, and all the other products, too. It’s better to be crazy than calm. Calm is bad at ICAST.
When the buyers show interest, and buy, that means they’re selling. And, they can’t sell unless you guys are buying. And, you guys aren’t buying unless you’re interested in fishing. I suppose that sounds kind of circular but it makes sense if you think about it. In the end it all goes back to angler interest.
Before I get too far into this, though, I want to say thanks to Becky and to give her some kind of hero award. I say that because while I was working at the show she was in charge of three kids. That’s not easy. But it’s especially not easy when you’re eight months pregnant. She’s due on September 17th.
So I want to say thanks to her for her support. I might not say it often enough but I always think it. What she did (does) is critical, indispensable. Becky and the kids did spend some time at the show, however. It wasn’t all spent in the hotel.
One of the things we did while they were there was really neat. I had the older two girls — Drew and Riley — film some stuff for my website. They went around and asked several of the Elite guys to “Go Ike” on film. Some of it is hilarious. I don’t have it posted yet but it should be up on mikeiaconelli.com in the next couple of weeks. Check it out. You’ll laugh as hard as I did.
I really like to do stuff like that. I know it doesn’t help anybody catch more fish but it does help all of us have more fun and appreciate life. Poking a little fun at yourself never hurt anybody, at least I don’t think so. A man shouldn’t take himself too seriously.
All in all I suppose you could say it was a family week, although it was as much work as vacation. But now it’s time to get back to work. I have fish to catch.
We got home Saturday night. I had to leave at 5:00 a.m. on Sunday to start practicing for another tournament. It’s one of those things. You can’t win if you don’t compete, and you can’t compete if you don’t drive the wheels off your truck and spend a lot of time on the water. That’s the way it is as a professional bass angler. No rest for the weary, as they say.
