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Posts: 667
Location: Wisconsin | I am a bit closer to Milw, but would go to Chicago if the show is different. Can someone tell me if it is any difference between the two, I would appreciate it. Is it worth going to both?
Thanks!
I just found this forum and have enjoyed reading the posts!
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| One has beer, one doesn't. |
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| one charges for parking one dosent |
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| You poor thing you had to pay for parking, you pay for gas, food, tickets insurance for your car and you cant afford perking? oh what will you do now?
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Posts: 1360
Location: Lake "y" cause lake"x" got over fished | Not sure on this... But I think that he wanted people to elaborate a little more than that.. which one has beer???? which one charges for parking?????
I wish I could answer the ?s you have... but I only go to the MN show. Sorry. Hopefully someone can be of more help then the previous posters. |
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Posts: 32880
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | The Tri Esox is more crowded because it's held in a smaller venue. Nice facility, but small. Parking is free, walk is not too bad to the door. No beer.
Milwaukee is at State Fair Park, and parking is $5. Beer is sold in the building. Much larger facility, so more room to move about when the crowd peaks.
Both are very good shows with great exhibitors, and both draw good crowds. |
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| PAY
perking is what I should get not pay,,has in a free parking perk |
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Posts: 32880
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | That one wins for 'odd and meaningless' post of the day.  |
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Posts: 231
| sworrall - 12/21/2012 4:05 PM
That one wins for 'odd and meaningless' post of the day. :)
LOL! |
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| Would I be correct in assuming that the Milwaukee show is held in the same building as the boat show? The only time I have been to the State Fair park was for the boat show. |
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Posts: 32880
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | No, different building. |
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Posts: 493
Location: midwest | Different speaker lineups for seminars. I think Chicago usually has more nationally reconized speakers (mostly Muskie Hunter authors) while Milwaukee has a few more Wisconsin based guides usually on the seminar lineup. Neither is better than the other, but you may want to hear a specific speaker that is only at one show or the other. I think the Chicago bait swap is bigger than Milwaukee's. Both are good shows, Milwaukee does seem to have a few smaller vendors/shops while Chicago has Thorne Bros. |
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Posts: 1220
| Best reason to go to Chicago is that it is first! It's a whole month before Milwaukee. I think they are both great shows, but by January, I am already going nuts for a good musky fix. By February I need another one. And, honestly, the five bucks parking in Milwaukee is less than the tolls to Harper College. It's a wash. |
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Posts: 50
| I have not been to Chicago, but the guys who pay for the booths in Milwaukee tell me don't bother, Milwaukee is much better. I have had no one tell me Chicago can match Milwaukee. |
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Posts: 968
Location: N.FIB | milw has good food also,I go to both and think they are both great,if I could only go to one it would be milw,but usually make both every yr |
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Posts: 59
Location: Chicago western burbs | We do both each year. Always have way more fun at the Milwaukee show. For us,the bottom line is we enjoy having a few beers and bs'ing and Milwaukee provides that for us. |
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Posts: 20212
Location: oswego, il | Go to both, if you live close to milwaukee it's not that far to chicago. There are enough differences in the shows and not every booth is the same. both have a very nice saturday night swap meet and eats nearby. |
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Posts: 667
Location: Wisconsin | Thanks guys. The more I think about it, why not hit both! Always good to be thinkin' musky! |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | ToddM - 12/21/2012 7:56 PM
Go to both, if you live close to milwaukee it's not that far to chicago. There are enough differences in the shows and not every booth is the same. both have a very nice saturday night swap meet and eats nearby.
I love going to both !!!!!!!!!
Chicago Show has Dick Peason on Sun and I love the open pool demos in Chicago. |
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Posts: 1220
| OK, now for a really useful tip. The locker room is easy to access at the Chicago show. You are going to buy stuff that is a pain to carry around ( like your coat) just bring a padlock and use a locker all day. Now there is a non-controversial post. |
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Posts: 149
| After I found out that Chicago bans good tackle companies and guide services and Milwaukee does not pull this kind of stuff i support Milwaukee. Oh ya beer too! Show to show I like Milwaukee better anyway
More stuff to see. |
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Posts: 46
| I have been to both shows in the past. I agree with most. Harper is smaller venue. There is very little space to stop and talk without basically stopping the flow of people up and down the isles. They both have the big name companies like Musky Innovations and Musky Mayhem that have show specials and custom colors available. They do both have small companies but I think Milwaukee has more numbers of them. Both have great speakers lined up so check out the websites and see who you would like to hear before choosing which day to shop. I prefer Harper just because 1) Proximity to downtown Chicago 2) Be the first to see and touch new equipment and baits. If you are going to the show to have a beer that is ok but like others said it will cut down possibilities by 50%. Even if there is snow both shows are well attended - especially Saturday. Last year me and many others waited outside in the Milwaukee snow before the doors opened. |
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| is Rollie&Helens going to both shows ????? |
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| Do these shows have fishing boats on display? |
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Posts: 46
| In 2012 I know that Milwaukee did (Tuffy, Lund, and maybe others). I personally do not remember boats at Harper in 2012 but in the past yes. I think that may depend on booth space availability since some companies that were previously there may/may not be there in 2013. Some were opening space. Pastikas in Wisconsin was at Harper in the past but since has gone out of business, opening floor availability. Some were taking space. Newer companies like Migizi rods have now become available to see in person at the shows.
At the Chicago FRV Meeting it was announced that R&H would not be coming in 2013, but I can nither comfirm or deny that. They were at both shows in 2012 along with many other retailers who do support multiple locations. |
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Posts: 512
Location: Appleton | There are boats at both shows. It's not like a boat show but about 5 to 7 different boats to look at. If the Chicago show wasn't first I wouldn't attend it. I personally like the Milwaukee show better and it has nothing to do with beer. Milwaukee is bigger so everything doesn't seem as cramped when it's busy. I'm hoping to visit both shows again this year and I'm sure I'll enjoy them. |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Junkman - 12/22/2012 5:27 AM
OK, now for a really useful tip. The locker room is easy to access at the Chicago show. You are going to buy stuff that is a pain to carry around ( like your coat) just bring a padlock and use a locker all day. Now there is a non-controversial post.
Why can't you just leave your coat in the car? It isn't the north pole show.
Non-controversial? Hardly. Leave the coat in the car you wimp!
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Posts: 244
Location: Madison | Dan,
If you are looking for boats the Madison Fishing expo has more boats than the Milwuakee and Chicago combined. Last year Chicago had a couple Rangers and a couple Tuffy's if memory serves me correctly. Madison is not strictly a Musky show, but there are plenty of musky retailers there. They also serve beer, parking is $5, they have a coat check, and two hotels and a bar within walking distance.
Kirk |
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Posts: 91
| Kirk,
My daughter lives in Madison so I will make it a point to visit her on the weekend the of the expo. Do you know the date?
Also, I plan on fishing the Madison area this summer. How is the lake near U.W. for for Muskie?
Thanks
Dan
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Posts: 130
Location: Madison, WI | Madison Fishing Expo
Feb 22-24
http://www.madfishexpo.com
Wingra, Waubesa, and Monona are all good.
Wingra:
-you are limited to an electric motor on weekends and holidays
-else, you are limited to no wake
-launch facility is not nearly as nice as the other two lakes (but serviceable)
Edited by dcorfman 12/23/2012 9:22 AM
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Posts: 20212
Location: oswego, il | The Madison show is an excellent show as well. Huge boat selection and plenty of musky stuff, resort info, it's the size of a big outdoor show but just fishing. Worth it.
Edited by ToddM 12/23/2012 9:41 AM
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Posts: 244
Location: Madison | Mendota is the lake closest to the UW.It is an excellent smallmouth fisherie. The closets for Muskies would be Wingra and Waubesa, both within a couple minutes of Campus. |
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Posts: 244
Location: Madison | I meant wingra and monona |
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Posts: 202
| I was a vendor at both the Chicago and Milwaukee musky shows for many years. I would recommend going to both, there are different things to see at both. Also the seminars are excellent at either show. |
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Posts: 217
Location: ladysmith, wi | dont forget the wi musky expo in wausau, great speakers and great venders
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Posts: 238
| I like Milwaukee better. More room. And I can see baits I want to buy worked by pros in the tank in a close up side view and they explain how to use them. Its impossible to see the bait good in the pool in chicago your to far away. Food is much better in Milw. also |
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Posts: 5161
| Goto Milwaukee for sure.i am from Illinois also. 0723 |
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Posts: 94
| See the complimentary version of Jan/Feb 2013 MUSKIE for more details about shows, including Chicago, Rockford, Milwaukee, Wausau, & MN!
http://www.muskiesinc.org/indy_files/mimag.html
Kevin, MUSKIE Editor
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Posts: 238
| I'm from the Milwaukee area and I've been enjoying both shows for years. It surprises me to read comments that the Milwaukee show is bigger. I've always thought that the Chicago show was in a slightly larger space with more vendors from a larger cross-section of the muskie range and more big named speakers. Milwaukee's vendors and speakers seem to be more local to Wisconsin - which isn't bad, just different - and a good reason to go to both shows. Chicago's seminar area is much bigger/better. In fact, Milwaukee's tiny seminar area was totally lame last year - way way way toooooo small especially for the popular speakers. The Chicago poolside demo has definitely sold me on lures after seeing how they work. The big tank in Milwaukee is great for seeing how lures work up close (and I've bought lures after seeing them demo'd in the big tank). Paying for parking sucks no matter where it is so that part of the Milwaukee show annoys me. If you go to either show, I'll see you there |
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Chicago vs Milw Musky Show??