Shows and seminar season

Just after the New Year rolls in, outdoor shows of nearly every description make their annual appearance.
Personally, I like going to them if for nothing more than to see what is new on the market in terms of gadgets.
In prior years, many people brought rods, lures, tools, clothing, you name it, to shows for sale. Much of this was created right out of peoples homes.
For instance, a charter boat captain would get an idea for a lure that he thought would produce. With a little handwork and engineering on-the-fly, a prototype would be produced and the next thing he knew, friends were asking him to make one for them.
If that worked so well, why not make a bunch, rent booth space and have a go at selling them to the general public?
Some of these caught on while others were a flash in the pan. I still have rods and lures I bought from people that thought theirs would be the next thing Kevin VanDam would hold up following his next Classic win.
Some make the grade and others fall by the wayside. It's still good fun to walk around shows and see what the others guys have. Who knows, it may just give you an idea to build that better mousetrap.