Osaka Tackle show 2013 - Day 1

I woke fairly early this morning excited about going to play with all the shiny toys at the Osaka Fishing show, and catching up with my mates who would also be at the show today, we are staying at the Hyatt Rgency at Intex, a cracking hotel with a cracking buffet breky, amazing mix of eggs, bacon and custard filled doughnuts  for me with plenty of coffee to wash it down, I met a wholesaler from France who operates out of Hong Kong named Eric and Steve from Gladiator for the morning feed, was interesting talking to Eric about how the world fishing market varies so much.

Staying at the Hyatt I was sadly informed that I would have to walk to the exhibition  I thought hang on a sec, I dont do walking and was prepared to get a cab to the show, I was directed out a back door and sure enough no more than 200 paces in front of me was the Intex Building where the show was being held so a quick morning stroll and we were on our way, this place is huge, it makes jeffs shed look tiny in comparison.

We got inside to find a very formal ceremonial opening of the show with speeches and ribbon cutting a very different experience to the other shows I had been to. After much applause and what sounded like the bells ringing in wall street the doors were open. For those who have been to the AFTA show in Australia to try and explain how many people were there for business only talks on the first day, there was more people in the foyer in 1/2 an hour than there were people for the whole show over 3 days at AFTA it is a huge event.

As I walked in one of the first stands I came across was the Gan Craft and Gosen Stands, I walked over to the Gan Craft stand to meet with some of my friends to find the surprise of a bill board with my mug on it, after the shock and horror wore off I went to have a look at it, holy crap I cant believe I have my own billboard. After expressing my humbling thoughts to Mr Kake from Gan Craft he then tells me that the bill board is nothing much and I should see the full page ad in Lure Magazine. Oh dear who would have thought I could have ever put the word international model next to my name....piss funny but very humbling.

I am not going to talk too much about the show from today as the first day is a day for business talks only and it would not do it any justice, tomorrow and Sunday are the public days of madness so I will keep most of the show stuff for then, all I will say is WOW.

So I had been walking around looking at big boys toys from 0900 till 1700 I was starving, I was asked to join the Gan Craft friends and family dinner at a local Izakaya Resturaunt. Thank god I had some where to put my legs under the table as a table on the floor is not built for a man of my carriage.

Massive thanks to Mr Yuki Kitagawa for sorting out most of the language barrier, to every one at the show that made me feel welcome and my Gan Craft family for their amazing hospitality

Hotel view

Hotel View

Intex from the lobby

Hyatt Wedding chapel from rear exit.

opening

sneak peak of show

love these hats, they have their own hair

Pirates take over the Damiki stand

Geki goes curly lol

some TV stuff

Dress reel parts dress up

good to catch Esuke in Osaka

Gan Craft Staff

Gosen Girl looks happy.

My mug in a magazine in Japan

all beered up with more of the Gans Family

Osaka Tackle Show 2013

Well its no secret as I have been harping on about it for ages that I was coming to the Osaka Tackle Show 2013. I have arrived in Osaka today and look forward to the show starting tomorrow.

Osaka Bay views

My day started in Melbourne at about 0300 where I got into a cab to the airport, when I left the temp was about 10 degrees, I flew out of Melbourne to Cairns where it was about 35 degrees with a humidity of about 20 million % (well maybe not but it was horrid) I met up with Steve from Gladiator and then got on another plane to Japan where it is about 6 degrees at the moment. To say my body is in a bit of shock is an understatement.

Nice rooms

I was great to meet Mr Kitagawa at the airport who was not only kind enough to give us a lift to our hotel but was the one who organised our accommodation prior to us arriving and a Tonkatsu feast upon our arrival.

We checked in to the Hyatt Regancy in Osaka where the staff are amazing as are the rooms before sneaking down to the secret bar for a couple of night caps before getting some sleep for the big day ahead. Also vey happy staying on the 23rd floor that I do not have to go out for a smoke, smoking rooms are handy and something I miss when I am in Australia.

I will keep the blog updated throughout the trip, especially the part where i get to go and play with all the new toys at the tackle show.

Chillin with the locals in the bar

Mitsuya and Mild Sevens, does it get any better

Osaka Bay Views

Outside view

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Sitting at home on a Sunday night I had the urge to go and have a squid bash, like many last minute trips I had nothing organised so quickly put some gear together and made the decision to launch at Hastings in Victoria.

Like many things when I plan a last minute trip I find myself going alone so on most occasions I turn to facebook to see who is keen on a squid session. On this occasion Kane Knos O'Rourke answered the facebook post and plans were made to meet at Hasting boat ramp at about 0500 in the morning. Like all good plans they never quite wok out. I realized once I left my house that both the car and boat needed fuel after my last 2 trips. I managed to squeeze 102 litres of petrol into the boat which meant I was very lucky I remembered to fuel up as the boat only holds 120 litres (could have been a close one) this meant I was running a little late for my meet up with Kane. A quick message and I was on my way again.

Arriving at the ramp I loaded the boat up and a good thing that Kane knew how to reverse a trailer meaning our launch time was reduced and we were on our way to the squid by 0545. We made a passage to the southern end of the Port, it is no secret to any one that when I go squidding I am normally targeting big squid and the first stop was at one of my big squid locations. Although we managed a squid in the first few minutes the trend was not to follow. We made a few drifts and only managed a few squid over a half an hour or so, I wanted to make my way outside the port and fish in some sheltered water offshore but the wind was not being a willing participant, a stiff South East wind was the only thing holding us back. We persisted in my normal haunt for a further half an hour landing a couple more small squid but not the big girls I am after.

We finally got a break in the wind so I made the dash outside, still far from great conditions I made the trip around to a spot that I had fished a few weeks prior with Dale. To say we did it tough was an understatement, I lost a few jigs to the friendly Pike that reside in the bays and coves at the rear of Philip Island and we only managed a few more small squid. Kane landed a couple using a Shimano Sephia Keimura white 3.0 and I picked up a couple on Gan Craft UO-Jya 3.5 Mookie and Gan Craft EGI-JYA 3.5 in Pink Shrimp head. With things moving slower than I was hoping for I decided to go back into Western Port and fish some of my normal spots for numbers rather than size.

Slowly making our way back up the port we made a few drifts along the way but again only managing a few smaller squid on each drift, I think we ended up with 12 squid for the day. Happy not have a doughnut day I managed to clock up 128.4km on the Lowrance HDS and use 33 litres of fuel. Kane was great company and he is welcome to fish on my boat again at any time.

 Upon our return to the boat ramp another indication of the state of affairs with our launching facilities, it was a 40 minute wait at a 4 lane ramp with things all running smoothly, a further example of how our government is happy to take millions of dollars off recreational boaters and not give a cent back. Considering that in Victoria we have 170,000 registered trailable boats and only 1500 boat and trailer car parks at our ramps we should expect more for our money and take note any ministers who may see this, we will be voting next time round with our boats and fishing rods