2013 Australian Lure & Fly Expo by Stephen Booth

The 2013 Australian Lure and Fly Expo was an amazing event to firstly be at and secondly to be involved with from a personal and company perspective.

The 2013 show had the addition of fly fishing and this broadened the amazing talent pool of Aussie lure and fly designers who attended the show and made it a must visit expo.

This year, more than at any other time since I've been involved in the industry, I noted clearly that the line between lure designing and art has become blurred. Some of the lure designers at this year's expo produced lures that were not only functionally sound, but were absolutely works of art in their own right. And this was highlighted in no better way than the amazing fish inside a lure creation from Ollie Hardt of Stingray Lures that took out the best lure of the Expo.

The Expo showcased the amazing diversity of lures available in Australia from our brilliant cottage industry. Makers such as AC Lures, Gidgee Lures, Stalker Lures, Lively Lures, BTD Lures, Mencho's Lures, Horsey's Lures, Chamo's Lures and more were all present. In fact there were too many to name and show organiser Garry Fitzgerald was pumped with the increase in exhibitor numbers. The show had definitely grown in its second year.

Garry said that organisers were over the moon with the increase in exhibitors from 2012 to 2013 and the general public numbers that attended proved that the first expo wasn't a freak. Including fly trying into the event was natural extension of lure fishing and this was accepted well by all and will become part of the expo permanently.

Garry added that "2014 will see a push to grow the Aussie-made offshore and skirted lures on display and for sale with some long time and well known brands already lining up to attend next year".