Portable Modification Get-together

[dairyman]

Geez----wish it was closer!!! It would be 3-4hr drive for me---one way. So please post a lot of pictures

[MN BassFisher]

Counting down til Saturday morning! So the doors will be open when you get there at 5:30 then Matt? I won't be there that early, but probably before 9am (when the mod show starts).

[Matt Johnson]

The open signs will be on at 5:30am Stop in that early if you want, otherwise I will see everyone throughout the day!

[Matt Johnson]

See everyone tomorrow!!!

[TallPaull]

Matt:

That was a great event today. I was late getting to the store and all the portable mods were gone (except for the Clam with the stereo system). Did anyone take photos that can be posted?

[polarsusd81]

Paul, I took a bunch of photos out there. I will get them posted up here in a few minutes.

[polarsusd81]

Awesome day indeed. Got to see a lot of old friends and put names to some new faces. Thanks to Thorne Bros for hosting such a great event and especially Matt Johnson for putting in the leg work to get all the various companies represented with product and personnel. The hot dogs were great, Ma and Pa Wallace tend a good fire. Chris Hanson, Brandon Nyquist, and I did the final seminar on the day on Fish House Modifications and Efficiency on the ice. Putting all the pieces together and as Chris said "Not necessarily using the fish house the way it comes out of the box" can make your time on the ice more productive and less stressful for sure.

Anyway, here are some photos to recap the day.

The day started with a rainbow over Smitty's Rig with all the new Clam houses stuffed inside.

One nice wheeler

Corey Bechtold's Rock Box

My slightly more modest modded Clam Guide

New World Record for the Largest Tip-up. The Tip-a-Saurus REX.

Corey and Chris going over "Finer Points in Ice Fishing"

Quite a good turn-out this year for the seminars. It was packed up there.

New rod clips from Cold Snap Outdoors. These things are slick. Also visible are the snap on auger blade covers. I need one of these in a bad way.

Matt and Pat going over some of the new products available to ice anglers for this season.

[polarsusd81]

And Rich Flemming from Rose Creek showed up with an impressive new jig/spoon box. I see a few of these in my future.

Chris, myself, and Brandon chatting about modification ideas.

My Blue Box Hot Rod. Give me that and an auger and I will be fine for a day on the ice. Ultimate in keeping simple, yet having everything I need within reach.

Hanson's immaculate jigging spoon storage system.

Super-Mod Glidelite from Rod Woten. Awesome stuff right here.

Turn it around and it fits in his Trap Scout.

Different take on a Blue Box Hot Rod, Rod Woten style.

The prizes for the mod house contest, nice blank order slips for a Thorne Bros Custom Ice Rod. Oh yeah, 30" Outside Power Noodle, here I come.

[walleyewild]

Thanks Matt for organizing the event.

The seminars were very informational.

And I picked up a new Panfish sweetheart to add to my rod bag.

WW

[crappiebuster]

Musta been a few boys from Iowa that made their way up. Nice houses and mods guys. Kinda gives me a few ideas.

[Matt Johnson]

THANK YOU to everyone who attended the event yesterday and made it a successful day! It seems like every year this event comes so fast and the only good thing about it being over is that we'll be on the ice before you know it!

I would personally like to start off by thanking all of the customers and Thorne Bros supporters for attending the event. Without you the event wouldn't even be on the map and I know a lot of you drove a long way to get here! So THANK YOU!!!

Thank you to the following companies for attending the event and giving up your time in helping the sport grow...

Vexilar, Marcum, Strikemaster, Jiffy, Clam, Frabill, Northland Tackle, Lindy Tackle, Cold-Snap Outdoors, Rose Creek, Today's Tackle, CrappieTom Tackle, Ice Team, Pure Fishing (Gulp!/Berkley), Catch Cover and Humminbird!

All of the above companies also donated prizes for the giveaway and I know everyone who attended the duration of the event definitely went home with something! Those who stuck around to the end went home with bags full!!!

Another HUGE thank you goes out to the Andover Fire Department for donating the tent and the grill... AND for Fire Chief Wallace for being the grill master and sitting over the hot fire so we could all enjoy some food! And to the entire Wallace family to chipping in!

Also, thanks to Dave Genz for spending the day with us and to the In-Depth Outdoors crew for bringing along a film crew so we can have some memories of the event!

And last, but not least, a big thank you to the Thorne Brothers emlpoyees, Pro Staff and seminar speakers who helped out with this event. The amount of work that goes into planning an event like this (both in-store and outside of it) is amazing and everyone chipped in to make sure it was a success!

If I forgot anyone or anything I truly apologize, as I know a lot of hands went into helping with this event.

We're already planning ideas for next year's event and it will without a doubt be bigger and better yet!

See everyone on the ice!!!!!!!!

[chris63]

Thank You Matt and all the vendors that attended.The ice will be here before we know it.Be careful and have a GREAT! season.c63

[McGurk]

Looks like it was a good turn out, and a good time. Hated to miss it, but thanks for posting pix for us!

[slurpie]

I made it down there for the first two seminars, they were very informative. I envy People who live close to Thorne Bros. The Staff was great and willing to help and answer questions. Picked up some new rods and light tackle all in all a good time.