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ESCANABA -- A brand new event being held in the Ruth Butler Building at the U.P. State Fairgrounds this weekend promises to bring the best of ice fishing and hunting to Escanaba.
The first-ever U.P. Ice Fishing and Hunting Expo, which is sponsored by the Daily Press in conjunction with other businesses, will kick off Friday and is open to the public from 1 to 6 p.m. The free event will continue Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Thirty-five vendors covering everything from bait and tackle shops to lure manufacturers and gun dealers will be present at the event. In addition, food vendors will able available on site and children will be able to participate in games and minnow races, making the expo an event for the whole family.
“I think it’s going to be a good show and we’re getting a lot of good feedback,” said Daily Press Advertising Representative Sarah Maki, who has been actively involved with launching the event.
Interest in the expo has been far-spread with some vendors traveling from as far away as Illinois to attend. Other vendors and exhibitors are local, such as Kipling’s Blade’s Bait and Tackle, Gladstone’s Old Glory Firearms, and a plethora of other local businesses that embody the outdoor-spirit of the Upper Peninsula.
Anglers who are at home on the ice will have access to a wide range of products to make them more successful on the ice this season. In addition to traditional spoons and spinners, more unique lure options will be available, such as those made of tungsten and other novel materials.
They will also be able to see first-hand many of the latest and greatest pieces of ice fishing technology, such as those being brought to the expo by ice shelter manufacturer Clam, and have access to experts from both the ice fishing products industry and from groups like the Michigan DNR and the Bay de Noc Great Lakes Sport Fishermen.
The expo also caters to those who prefer a blind to an ice shack. In addition to fire arms, many of the vendors will also offer other hunting and trapping related items.
According to Maki, this is the perfect time of year for an outdoor-themed expo, with deer bow hunting season bringing people to the area and cool temperatures reminding hard-water anglers of the upcoming season.
“It’s right before ice fishing season; people are kind of geared up. The weather starts turning so they start thinking (of) that,” she said.
The large amount of interest has already prompted the scheduling of a second U.P. Ice Fishing and Hunting Expo. That expo is planned for Oct. 6 through 8 of 2023.