2026 Trade Show Playbook: China Fish Show, ICAST, EFTTEX, ICAF

If you source fishing tackle from China, four shows are non-negotiable on your calendar. They are not interchangeable: each serves a different purpose, attracts a different crowd, and rewards different preparation. Going to the wrong show — or going to the right one unprepared — is a common reason sourcing trips fail.

This is the complete guide to all four shows for 2026. Written from an international buyer’s perspective (US, EU, AU, JP buyers visiting Chinese shows, or Chinese brands visiting US/EU shows). Covers:

• What each show does well (and doesn’t)
• Who attends, by count and type
• What to bring (booth or no booth, sample case, business cards, translator)
• How to budget realistically
• The unwritten rules of the show floor

Show 1: China Fish Show (China International Fishing Tackle Trade Exhibition)

Location: Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) When: Mid-February annually Founded: 1988 (38 consecutive editions through 2026) Scale: ~600 exhibitors, ~30,000 visitors, ~80,000 m² floor space

What It Does Well

• Source new factories across all categories
• Meet existing suppliers face-to-face (Chinese business culture still requires in-person meetings)
• See the entire industry in one day
• Lock annual contracts at favorable terms (February is when factories commit H1 capacity)

What It Doesn’t Do Well

• Meet international brands (most Western brands attend ICAST, not China Fish Show)
• Premium product launches (China Fish Show is B2B; consumer-facing launches happen at ICAST)
• Hard bait and saltwater innovation (most Chinese factories don’t invest R&D in these categories)

Attendees

• 60% Chinese factory representatives (exhibitors and visitors)
• 25% Chinese domestic distributors
• 10% International buyers (mostly Russia, SE Asia, Middle East, Latin America)
• 5% Other (media, associations, government)

International buyer share is growing, but the show remains China-focused. If you are an English-speaking buyer, you will be welcomed.

What to Bring

• Comfortable shoes (the floor runs 800 meters end to end)
• Notebook or tablet
• WeChat installed, QR code ready (WeChat is the primary business channel in China)
• Business cards (English on one side, optional Chinese on the other)
• Translator or Chinese colleague if you don’t speak Mandarin
• Sample case — bring 3–5 products you currently sell and ask factories if they can make them or improve on them
• Flexible schedule — don’t try to walk the entire floor in one day

Budget

• Admission: Free (pre-registration required)
• Airfare (US round trip): $800–$2,000
• Hotel (4 nights): $400–$800
• Meals and ground transport: $200–$400
• Translator (full day): $150–$300
• Total: ~$1,500–$3,500 per attendee

For a full cost-benefit analysis of exhibiting, see B2B Buyer Calendar.

Show 2: ICAST (International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades)

Location: Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida When: Mid-July annually Founded: 1957 (69 consecutive editions through 2026) Scale: ~600 exhibitors, ~15,000 visitors, ~30,000 m² floor space

What It Does Well

• New product launches and awards (ICAST New Product Showcase is the industry’s most-watched event)
• Meeting US-based brand marketing teams
• Seeing the entire US consumer-facing market in one day
• Industry media coverage (every major fishing publication attends)

What It Doesn’t Do Well

• Sourcing (most ICAST exhibitors are finished-brand companies, not factories)
• Direct access to Chinese factories (small but growing Chinese factory presence, mostly through their US distribution reps)
• Negotiation (this is where US MSRPs are set)

Attendees

• 45% US retail (independent and chain)
• 25% US brand staff (marketing, sales, product development)
• 15% International buyers (Latin America, Canada, Europe)
• 10% Industry media
• 5% Other

What to Bring

• **Comfortable dress shoes (Orlando is hot in July; the convention center is air-conditioned but the walk from hotel to center is not)
• Pre-scheduled meetings (the show is too large to navigate without a plan)
• Notebook or tablet
• Sample case only if you have buyer meetings scheduled to review samples
• Business cards (US format)
• Dinner budget (US brand dinners are where relationships are built)

Budget

• Admission: $50–$200 (varies by registration type)
• Airfare (domestic US): $300–$800
• Hotel (4 nights): $800–$2,000 (Orlando is expensive during ICAST)
• Meals and ground transport: $300–$600
• Total: ~$1,500–$3,500 per attendee

For coverage of the Chinese presence at ICAST, see How Chinese Fishing Tackle Brands Quietly Conquered Amazon.

Show 3: EFTTEX (European Fishing Tackle & Trade Exhibition)

Location: Rotating (2024 Amsterdam, 2025 Vienna, 2026 Brussels) When: Mid-June annually Founded: 1982 (44 consecutive editions through 2026) Scale: ~250 exhibitors, ~5,000 visitors, ~10,000 m² floor space

What It Does Well

• European market intelligence (retail trends, pricing, compliance requirements)
• Meeting EU distributors
• More intimate than ICAST (you can meet everyone in two days)
• **EFTTEX Awards (the European equivalent of ICAST New Product Showcase)

What It Doesn’t Do Well

• Factory sourcing (most Chinese factories don’t exhibit here; they attend China Fish Show)
• Scale (small show, small audience)
• US market intelligence

Attendees

• 50% EU retail (mostly DE, UK, FR, NL, IT)
• 25% EU brand staff
• 15% International brands (US, JP)
• 10% Other

What to Bring

• Layered clothing (European convention centers tend to be cold)
• Pre-scheduled meetings
• Notebook or tablet
• European business dinner budget (EFTTEX networking is heavier on dining than ICAST)

Budget

• Admission: €100–€300
• Airfare (US to Europe): $600–$1,500
• Hotel (3 nights): €400–€1,000
• Meals and ground transport: €300–€600
• Total: ~$1,500–$3,000 per attendee

For more on EU market entry, see Amazon US vs EU vs TikTok Shop: 2026 Platform Guide.

Show 4: ICAF (International China Fishing Tackle Fair)

Location: China Import and Export Fair Complex (Canton Fair Complex), Guangzhou When: Mid-September annually Founded: 2017 (9 consecutive editions through 2026) Scale: ~400 exhibitors, ~15,000 visitors, ~25,000 m² floor space

What It Does Well

• Sourcing from South China (Guangdong, Fujian, Hunan)
• Meeting Hong Kong-based trading companies (traditional gateway for international buyers)
• Year-end Q4 procurement (factories are filling H2 capacity)
• More intimate than China Fish Show (easier to build relationships)

What It Doesn’t Do Well

• Northern Chinese factories (Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong factories typically skip ICAF)
• **Western consumer-facing products (ICAF is focused on B2B)

Attendees

• 50% Chinese factory representatives (mostly GD, FJ, HN, JX)
• 25% HK/Macau trading companies
• 15% International buyers (SE Asia, Middle East, Latin America, Africa)
• 10% Chinese domestic distributors

What to Bring

• Same gear as China Fish Show (WeChat, business cards, comfortable shoes)
• Flexible schedule (Guangzhou has notoriously bad traffic)
• Post-show budget for networking with Hong Kong trading companies (this is where relationships happen)

Budget

• Admission: Free (pre-registration required)
• Airfare (US round trip): $900–$2,200
• Hotel (4 nights): $300–$700
• Meals and ground transport: $200–$400
• Translator (full day): $150–$300
• Total: ~$1,500–$3,500 per attendee

Unwritten Rules

Six rules everyone in the show circuit knows but no one writes down:

Rule 1: Schedule meetings before the show

The show floor is too crowded and noisy for serious business. Use the show to scan new factories, follow up with existing ones, and make initial contact. Save substantive conversations for meetings you schedule in advance — at your hotel or a restaurant near the venue.

Rule 2: Never close a deal on the show floor

Any deal closed on the show floor is one the factory will want to renegotiate later. Use the show to identify, then move to a private meeting for negotiation.

Rule 3: Bring a spec sheet, not a wish list

A spec sheet is a one-page document listing target price, target quality, target volume, and target lead time. A wish list is a vague vision. The spec sheet is what gets you into real conversations.

Rule 4: The person you meet at the booth is not the factory owner

**Chinese factory representatives at ICAST or EFTTEX are typically export sales managers or trading company intermediaries. ** They have limited authority. Get the owner’s WeChat early.

Rule 5: Chinese factory relationships take 3 visits

First visit: a courtesy meeting. Second visit: the real conversation begins. Third visit: real prices and terms come out. If you show up once and try to lock an order, you’ll pay 20–40% more.

Rule 6: Follow up within 48 hours after the show

After every show, send follow-up messages within 48 hours to every contact you made. Chinese business culture punishes delay; a contact you wait two weeks to follow up with has likely been picked up by a competitor.

2026 Calendar at a Glance

Serious buyers attend at least two per year. Buyers spending $1M+ attend all four.

Coming Up

We’re working on:

• 12-week pre-show preparation checklist for each show
• Sample spec sheet template (downloadable)
• Factory visit protocol (what to ask, verify, and observe)

If you have a show story — a surprise find, a cold lead that turned into a $1M account — submit it. This article updates quarterly.

Related Coverage

• B2B Cross-Cultural Negotiation — What to do after you identify a factory
• Reading Chinese Fishing Tackle Factory ICP Filings — Due diligence after the show
• Amazon US vs EU vs TikTok Shop: 2026 Platform Guide — Where to sell what you source
• Soft Lure Manufacturing Cluster: The Hidden Chinese Industry — A category to focus on at China Fish Show
• Xiamen: The Fishing Tackle Accessory Capital You’ve Never Heard Of — A cluster to visit after the show

Sources

• ICAST official site (icastfishing.org, accessed 2026-06-21)
• EFTTEX official site (efttex.com, accessed 2026-06-21)
• ICAF official site (icafexpo.com, accessed 2026-06-21)
• Eventbrite trade show budget guide (eventbrite.com, accessed 2026-06-21)
• Direct attendance notes: China Fish Show 2024, 2025; ICAST 2023, 2024, 2025; EFTTEX 2024; ICAF 2024
• Anonymous buyer interviews: 12 international fishing tackle buyers (US, DE, UK, AU, RU)

— Editor

Found a mistake? See our corrections policy. Have a tip? Contact the editor.