The Biggest Fishing Expos and Conferences You Should Attend in 2025

Fishing expositions, trade shows, and conferences bring together the most passionate, skilled, and enthusiastic anglers in our industry. While industry staff and professional anglers gather together to man booths, take meetings, and see and be seen, enthusiasts can wander the show floor aisles, discovering new gear, meeting the people behind their favorite products, and attending helpful workshops and seminars.

For Midwest fishermen, many expos and shows happen in the winter and spring months, helping burn the long, cold days of winter with hopeful planning for summer fishing. Whether you’re a weekend warrior who spends summer days on the lakeshore with the family or a seasoned ice fishing warrior looking for the latest and greatest tech, trade shows and fishing expos are a sure place to find something that will intrigue you.

Why Attend Fishing Expos and Conferences?

Fishing expos can be the perfect weekend event for fishing buddies—or really, the entire family. Plan for a long day walking the show floor, and then meet up with friends afterward to discuss the best things you saw while at the expo. Especially in the dead of winter when it’s cold and dark outside, joining hundreds or even thousands of fellow fisherman can be just the inspiration needed to start planning future fishing adventures.

Fishing expos and conferences offer several benefits, including networking opportunities with fellow anglers and industry leaders. Sign up for and participate in workshops, seminars, and product demonstrations with professional anglers, including some of the biggest names in fishing, who often make appearances at the larger expos. They are also the ideal place to discover the latest fishing gear, techniques, and trends.

Top Fishing Expos and Conferences in 2025

If you’re looking for a little inspiration for the Midwest’s best 2025 fishing expos and conferences, here are a few to explore:

Ultimate Fishing Show: Detroit, MI | January 9-12, 2025

Michigan’s largest pure-fishing show! The Suburban Collection Showplace will be filled with hundreds of booths of fishing tackle including specialty baits that are only available here, once a year. Shop every kind of fishing boat or engine sold in Michigan by dealers that know how to rig ‘me right. Meet the owner operators of outfitters, lodges, resorts, charters and guides from all over before their calendars fill. People who like to catch more fish every year don’t miss this once a year opportunity.

Muskie Expo: Chicago, IL | January 17-19, 2025
The Muskie Expo is the Midwest’s best Muskie Fishing event. Join us for more than 80 of the industry’s top manufacturers, retailers, fishing lodges and resorts, and guides. Enjoy seminars with the top muskie professionals. Register to win great prizes.

Bismark Sport Show: Bismarck, ND | February 14-16, 2025
The Bismarck Tribune is proud to bring you our 55th Annual Bismarck Tribune Sports Show on February 14-16, 2025. Our keynote speakers include several Pro Anglers such as Ted Takasaki, Tom Huynh, and Jason Mitchell, and many more seminars and entertainment features this year. Enjoy tons of vendors including deals on Boats, RVs, ATVs, Ice Houses, Sport Equipment, and more! Come experience our Simulator Zone which includes a Fishing Simulator (The Sportfishin Simulator), Golf Simulator, Hunting Simulator, and Flight Simulator. 

Wisconsin Fishing Expo: Madison, WI | February 21-23, 2025

Enjoy a nearly 40-year track record of excellence, with a carefully curated mix of vendors, non-profit exhibitors, expert seminars and activities for kids. The Expo offers the opportunity for you to personally connect with the regional fishing industry and community. We have more

than 155,000 sq. ft. of prime exhibition space, chock-full with more than 350 booth spaces, and 32,000+ sq. ft of marine boat displays.

Northwest Sport Show: Minneapolis, MN | March 13-16, 2025
Learn from the experts on tips and secrets for catching walleyes, muskies and more! Plus, sessions to learn about the latest gadgets and technology. Explore the new RV area with 60,000 sq. ft. of the latest makes and models of RVs. Presented by Metro RV Dealers Association. Learn fishing basics at LUNDker Lake or Backyard Flipping, with pros and coaches. Plus, young anglers can get a free coloring book or play FISH Bingo!

Sioux Empire Sportsman’s Show: Sioux Falls, SD | March 13-16, 2025
South Dakota’s favorite Sportsmen’s Show is back at the Sioux Falls Arena & Convention Center on March 13th-16th, 2025. You will find the very best in resorts, lodges and camps from the Midwest and Canada. Boat Show pricing on the newest fishing boats and pontoons, tackle and electronics and more! RV Show pricing on the best campers and trailers by the area’s best dealers. Great Hunting and Fishing seminars and great fun for the whole family.

Eastern Iowa Sport Show: Cedar Falls, IA | March 14-16, 2025
The Eastern Iowa Sportshow offers a wide range of attractions, including a great selection of fishing boats, pontoons, and campers at excellent pre-spring prices. Additionally, there are exhibits related to fishing, hunting, and travel, featuring outposts, family resorts, canoe outfitters, tourism associations, campgrounds, hunting outfitters, fishing tackle, hunting gear, golf cars, all-terrain vehicles, and much more.

Saint Paul Ice Fishing and Winter Sports Show: St. Paul MN | December 2025 (dates not yet announced)
Called “the best ice fishing show in America, The Saint Paul Ice Fishing and Winter Sports Show hosts more than 190 exhibits with products and services dedicated to the die-hard ice fishing and winter sports enthusiast. The show will feature all new merchandise at a variety of price points to fit any budget. Whether you are an avid fisherman looking for a few new accessories, an experienced angler in need of an upgrade, or totally new to the ice fishing scene, you will find what you are looking for at this show! Meet your favorite pros, attend 

Tips for Making the Most of a Fishing Expo

Going through the expo doors with a plan will help you make the most of what could otherwise be a bit of an overwhelming day. Trade show floors are often jam-packed with vendors, seminar sessions, and RVs or boats—all of it teeming with people just like you, excited to be there and to see as much as they possibly can in the day or two they are present.

A few key tactics can help you make the most of your time at the expo. Do a bit of research before leaving home regarding the show schedule, and sign up for any key workshops or demonstrations which require pre-registration or which have a cap on the number of attendees. Bring a notebook or app for jotting down new tips and contacts, and pack your pockets with business cards or paper with your own contact information to pass out to new acquaintances. Take the time to network with exhibitors and attendees, expanding your knowledge and opportunities.

Gear and Equipment to Explore at a Fishing Expo

For anglers, shows are the best places to see new gear that may not be available yet in retail shops. Take a moment to touch, play with, and handle items such as apparel, rods/reels, and  electronics—it’s good to see these pieces in person, and to have sales reps or manufacturers on hand to answer your questions. 

Make a “hit list” of items you’d like to see in-person at the expo before you arrive. You might include gear such as:

• Boats
• Motors
• Fish houses
• Augers
• Underwater cameras
• Digital fish finders
• Rods and reels
• Tackle
• Apparel
• Accessories

However you choose to tackle your day at the regional fishing expo or trade show, be sure to reserve some time to meet up with friends, plan a few upcoming fishing trips of your own, and just enjoy the hectic expo atmosphere. It’s one of the best places to get excited about upcoming seasons.