 CEO ALEX PIONTEK WITH BASSMASTER ELITE BILL LOWEN AT THE JAMES GANG BOOTH 2025 INDIANA FISHING EXPO Alex and Jesse decided to focus on just one show in 2025 after finding out that the Alabama Fishing Expo was cancelled. We wanted to find an out-of-state adventure once again, so we hooked up with TMO Tackle and weaseled our way into the Indiana Fishing Expo, located on the west side of Indianapolis. We stopped to visit this neat city last year on our way home from Knoxville, TN, and really enjoyed the skyscrapers and the hot chocolate at Monument Circle. Unknown to us, WWE was coming to town the same weekend, as Monument Circle was full of police and young families as they were walking over to Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Home of the Indiana Pacers) to watch the live filming of WWE Smackdown on Friday night. WWE made up some cool street signs downtown and Alex took his Canon T7 out to capture some great photos during the event.  CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL BEHIND THE JUDGEMENT DAY WWE STREET SIGN     SOLDIERS AND SAILERS MONUMENT, DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS  SALESFORCE TOWER, TALLEST BUILDING IN INDIANAPOLIS JAMES GANG FISHING COMPANY INDIANA FISHING EXPO LOCAL AD  Overall the show was a success, as Alex and I reached our goals for this event. Although ticket sales were down 28% due to the WWE event, we were happy with the Saturday mid-day sales, and the customer interactions we look forward to at each fishing expo. Chatting with anglers is always a fun experience for us! The 3/8 oz BABY SQUID BAIT once again took the honors as #1 sold lure for the second year in a row, this time in Green Pumpkin/Silver blade. Our Lovertail 2 in Gizzard Shad was our #2 seller in Indianapolis. Overall, our sales reached what we expected in the newer Alabama Fishing Expo, but with only 2 days of trade show time and much less traveling and lodging involved. It was a great experience and we really enjoyed the time we took in Chicago at the Riverwalk area on the return trip home!  ALEX & JESSE ARRIVE AT TRUMP TOWER CHICAGO FOR BREAKFAST   LAMBORGHINI URUS VALET PARKED AT TRUMP TOWER CHICAGO  GENTLEMEN STATUES BY JU MING OF TAIWEN   WRIGLEY TOWER & CLOCK, BUILT 1929  HEALD SQUARE MONUMENT - MORRIS, WASHINGTON, SALOMEN  BASE OF THE BEAUTIFUL WRIGLEY TOWER EATING FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP'S 16TH LEVEL RESTAURANT IN HIS SKYSCRAPER   JEAN BAPTIST DU SABLE, FOUNDER OF CHICAGO, 1790 (FROM HAITI) 18-24" OF SOLID ICE IN NW WISCONSIN = FRY TIME!!! OUR GOOD FRIEND TREVOR MEEKS IS PREPARING FOR DINNER IN NW WISCONSIN! On Uncle Jesse's second adventure on the ice in the 2025 season, he was joined by good buddies Doc Gilles, Todd Lundquist, and his son Conner in late January. They hit up a crappie hole near the James Gang Fishing 24/7 live bait & tackle vending machine in Cumberland, WI. On this day, many smaller crappies were hitting when compared to 2 previous outings. Every fish marked was willing to come up aggressively after a FAFO FISHING Grease Fryer 3mm Ft Knox jig and crush it, tipped with a live red spike. Todd and Conner found luck on waxies, and Doc Gilles with Conner put a few decent northern pike and a beautiful 12" yellow perch on the ice with tip-ups and live shiners. Check out these great fish below:  DOC GILLES SHOWS HIS EXCITEMENT AS CONNER LANDS A 12" YELLOW PERCH!  CONNER WITH FISH #4 ON TIP-UP - A NORTHERN PIKE OVER 30"  PRO STAFFER DOC GILLES WITH A BEAUTIFUL BARRON COUNTY NORTHERN PIKE Uncle Jesse called it a day in the mid-afternoon to run home and celebrate his 47th birthday with his family. Shortly after leaving, his cell phone began ringing steady with notifications, as 11 year old Conner lit it up out deep with an insane trophy black crappie at 16" long, and a 30" northern pike near the deep crappie hole!!! Congrats Conner on a fish of a lifetime!!!!!  FAFO FISHING, WISCONSIN FISHING EXPO, 2025 GUIDE SERVICE UNCLE JESSE JOINS THE FAFO FISHING BOOTH AT THE WI FISHING EXPO IN 2025 Uncle Jesse made the 3 hour drive south to Madison, WI for one day with the FAFO Fishing team, representing with James Cooper as Militia Pro Team Officers. We were proud to debut our teams' custom new colors at the show. Uncle Jesse had brought forward his 2 hottest fish-hooking colors from NW Wisconsin from the James Gang line, OSHA RECORDABLE and FLAMBEAU SHINER. These are available now in the deep-diving B10 crankbait model. More colors and crankbait models, as well as soft plastic colors will be here soon!  FAFO FISHING B10 in OSHA RECORDABLE  FAFO FISHING B10 in FLAMBEAU SHINER The show in Madison went well, as usual, with the largest attendance seen at a fishing expo in the Midwest. This show always seems to bring in a consistent turnout of anglers looking for hot lure designs. Future plans in 2026 do involve the James Gang Fishing Company, or possibly our new guide service, as well as seminar opportunities at the next show with Uncle Jesse. CEO Alex Piontek has a full plate with work, school, other activities, and the business, so he will re-establish his business plan in the fall and see if a booth is of interest in 2026, or if the guide service will take the booth over if one is available. If no booth is pursued, Uncle Jesse will choose to spend the weekend with the FAFO Fishing team while offering seminars when asked by the management team. Uncle Jesse is re-issuing his guide license with the WI DNR by May 1 for budget guide trips aimed towards amateurs and children looking to learn how to fish. Openings will be some Fridays and most Saturdays from Mid-May through October 2025. Rates will stay low for 2025, but increase for 2026. Options include bass/pike trips, panfish trips, riverbank adventures for rough fish, and premium trips to the Turtle Flambeau Flowage from May 19 to June 21. Please contact Jesse the following ways to register for a guide trip: email: [email protected] text: 715-214-8715 $199 full payment due to reserve trip. Paypal or credit/debit card through SQUARE is accepted on our website.  2025 GUIDE TRIPS AVAILABLE NOW!!! email [email protected] to book! |
AuthorJesse James is an avid fisherman that loves smallmouth bass fishing, loves spending time with his family, with other family-orientated people, and loves seeing children fish. A huge fan of BASSMASTER Elite Mike Iaconelli, like Mike, he is known to be a little strange, and obnoxious, but only to have fun and make people laugh.
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