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This one just might be the proverbial storm of the century. And, that's an under statement.


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Dave you could say that!

I've lived in Pearland/ Houston area for 63 years and never seen anything like that. One year we had 40" rain in a small area but nothing to this magnitude. This will take years to recover from. Prayers go out to everyone involved.

Side note : look how it brings all walks of life together, this is a good thing.

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I read some Houston city planner called this a "800 year" event


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We've been talking with people at La Torretta Resort. Lake Conroe rose almost five feet. The resort was shut down, due to flooding of nearby roads. But, we've been assured the hotel and convention center haven't flooded. The lake has been lowered three feet and now sits about two feet above pool level. So, our plans are to hold the conference. As close as Houston is to the Gulf of Mexico, the major flooding will end within a few days of the rain stopping. With as much rain as they're having, there's just no place for the water to quickly go. However, once the rain stops, the metropolitan Houston will have some major needs.
Regarding Pond Boss VII Conference and Expo, we plan to continue pushing forward.


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Got er done, registered and rooms reserved. looking forward to it all.


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I just read the editorial in the PB magazine about the low conference attendance. I am sorry for the disappointment, but the high fees and cost of stay is a budget breaker for me, and probably quite a few others. If more attendance is what is required, please make it more low key, and in a much less expensive place, if that is possible. Sorry for the rant, but it seems the conference was set up just for the more affluent, and not for us retired guys who have all kinds of pond time, but fixed incomes. I guess we couldn't afford much of the vendors offerings either.

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AGREE with Mr. Fitzgerald!

Like it or not, I am convinced this current high cost conference model rules out MOST all the Soil and Fish Farmers from attending (most soil farms have ponds and the owners want/need info!). These people work very hard and struggle to make ends meet, so this venue is likely out of the question. Most of the local hatcheries are one bad week away from closing the doors!

I'm a working stiff and find the total cost, plus travel to be unrealistic. The total cost is >/= most middle/upper income class annual vacation spend!

IMHO, if you keep a lower cost convention center venue as being the center of the conference for the week, and suggest people to stay in the general area at whatever level hotel/motel/YMCA they can afford, your attendance will likely blossom.

Maybe try it and see if it works? Maybe it has been? Don't know.


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I would add my hearty agreement as well. Jeff Calvin and I have further costs as the travel distance is further. I would propose alternating between a TX location and a Midwest location. The cost for the NY and other east coast folks must really be high just to get there and back.

With the little time left for sleeping after all the learning and socializing that we hear about at these conferences, any bed will do for a few hours and then back to the conference the next day. Clearly the drawing point is not the venue but the quality of the education at these events (and hopefully the focus stays that way)

I also feel much of the camaraderie and sharing that goes on in this site is most strongly felt by those who happen to live in Texas. The rest of us kind of are kind of like the kids looking wistfully through the glass from outside.

It might be wise to see if there can be 'local chapters' of pondmeisters who can enjoy the sharing, visiting each other's ponds and properties, and general companionship that the deep south members enjoy.

Last edited by canyoncreek; 11/28/17 12:46 PM.
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As someone who attended I can see both sides. My total cost was north of $800. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed every minute spent there. Lots of knowledge was shared along with great vendors and experiences. $800 for one person is something I had to budget for and that might not be available every time.


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I struggled with deciding if we were going this year as well. I'm not sure what can be done to increase attendance. I live in Texas, and went to previous conference in Rockwall with the wife. We both really enjoyed it. We figured it was going to cost about 1200.00 to do it this year. Between our regular vacations, pond projects, and a planned deer hunting trip(returned day before PB conference), we decide not to go this year.

As far as help reducing cost, I would be as happy in a local Civic center, and maybe not having the big catered dinner. BUT if I was flying in and didn't know the area, I might feel differently.

Last edited by BrianL; 11/28/17 05:05 PM.

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A little history. Others chime in with corrections thoughts etc.

We have had a series of local conferences
DFW airport
Atlanta
Nebraska
Ill.
W Va.

Bob has gone all over to thousands of local meetings From NY to Calif and all points in between at Co-ops , Farms , Hatcheries , Homes, etc.

We have had major conferences about every couple of years.
Arlington TX I & II - 2007, 2008
Big Cedar MO III , IV & V - 2009, 2011 & 2012
Lake Ray Hubbard VI - 2015
La Torretta TX VII - 2017

We always wrestle with several factors - location , time of year , cost and attendance. Many of us have talked at length about options and never have found the perfect or even the best answers. If you have ever tried to book a conference you know it is very difficult. There are room and food requirements that Bob is on the hook for no matter what else happens. Speaker schedules are almost impossible to make work. One thing for sure - they have never been planned or designed to attract the well off. Most have lost money and are not designed to make a profit.

We might be better served with more local meetings with not as many speakers more like the early events. They are only inexpensive for the locals and anyone who travels to them will have costs like the major conferences (food , hotel ,car/travel, etc.).

The one thing I am sure of is ideas are welcome and most appreciated.

Last edited by ewest; 11/28/17 02:33 PM.















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I've got to admit, when I look at what I've invested in construction, docks, fish, landscaping, and structure, $800 seems reasonable. I've just always had the conference in my mind as a conference for professionals, land managers, pond managers, guys with hatcheries, etc..
I've just got a one acre pond,that's usually smaller than that due to the ongoing drought, and a small leak. I "assumed" that most of what was being presented wasn't going to apply to me. It's for the guys I call when I need help. I just recently decided not to add aeration to my pond due to cost issues, and a limited budget.
Maybe something on a smaller scale would make more sense for me. Just my $.02..
Jeff


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RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these.
I think that's about all I should put in my little pond.
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I’m still at work so cannot get too in-depth right now, but I’m glad this came up. Will try and collect my thoughts for later. Definitely feel what others are saying, and I’m glad to see I am not alone in thinking things might be a bit out of kilter.


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If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
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I had to back out at the last minute due to a lung infection. My thoughts: I have ; for me; always gotten my money’s worth by having an opportunity to talk to pro’s about things I don’t really understand. And, I really enjoy getting together with other pond owners.


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

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I think we have been to 5 PB Conferences now and have enjoyed them all. I'm also a "working stiff" and they happen every couple of years so we just plan for it. Already planning to attend the next one if/when it occurs. Every year thus far the kids have also attended and the quaility of the conference, speakers, and fellowship is great. The kids learn just as much as my wife and I do, I believe they have a discounted rate for attending. We figure they learn more at the conference than they ever would at school. I would keep them just the way they are.

I'm a member of another club type organization with about 3,000 members. We just started a local chapter under the national club and I think there would be some merit to that for PB as well. The biggest issue with the local club is getting folks to host and participate. I'm the local chapter president and regularly get chewed out for not having more events. We usually have 2-3 each year and I host one at my place each year, when I ask someone else to host they normally reply the don't have the time, space, equipment, etc. The other big issue is people not attending after they say they are, lots of extra food left over at the hosts expense. I feel that would most likely be an issue with a smaller PB group.

An advantage of the bigger event is the number of vendors and quality speakers. Hard to get a high end line up like at the PB Conferences if there are only 30 people in attendance.

I think those who haven't attended would see the quality and value if they would check one of the PB Conferences out. Thanks.

Bryan

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Ok, I'm the new guy here, but I wanted to throw my two cents in the hat.

I didn't know about Pond Boss or the PB VII convention/expo until a day or two before the event. I happen to live within 20 miles of La Torretta, so I was able to register on-site and commute to/from rather than staying at the hotel, so in full disclosure, that saved me a lot of coin attending.

At first, I thought the registration fee was a little steep, but after attending the event, I walked away feeling it was worth every penny. The value delivery was there in spades and it was put together and run very well. Since it was my first one, I had no concept of whether attendance was "light" or not. I just felt like my registration money was well spent.

I don't know the reasoning behind only having them every couple years or on an irregular schedule, but I think that might actually help attendance more than hinder it. I will say this... I am looking forward to the next one... not just to learn more, but to reconnect with new friends and acquaintances I've met not only here, but at the PB VII event.

Travel costs to/from obviously will vary by person, but the content/agenda, food, venue, etc were all done extremely well. There may be less expensive venue options, but there is a lot to be said for having the event at a location where you can attend the conference, eat, drink, fellowship, and fish without leaving the property. If/when I am traveling to another state to attend PB VIII, I would hope to have a similar convenience in event location.

I know it doesn't take the sting away for those unhappy with the cost - and I completely understand - but I do want to tip my hat to Bob and the Pond Boss team for putting together an exceptional convention at a beautiful location... and pulling it off without a hitch. In my opinion, the value justified the expense...

I don't know how far out in advance these are planned, but maybe one option would be to announce the event far enough out that people can plan/save as needed. Just a thought...

/c


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I can sure understand the cost being an objection as has been discussed. Even those that can afford it but are a tightwad like me cough a little at the cost.

That being said, I also can appreciate the difficulty in getting a convention center to accommodate a large group of people. Once you get past a certain size crowd and the need for meeting rooms, the pickings get slimmer and the cost goes way up. Easy to accommodate groups of 20 or 50. Start talking in the hundreds of people and the price of a chocolate chip cookie for break time goes to ten bucks. And you can't bring your own.

I'm sure if someone has suggestions of a strategic located facility that will accommodate the crowd the size of the convention with reasonable costs and reasonable local accommodations Bob would be all ears.

Just a bug in everybody's ears. Wife and I have been talking about hosting a PBF get together (similar to Highflyers event) for the last couple years. It definitely will be low key and the cost will be zilch. Tentative date Sept 22, 2018. But I will start a separate thread about it. Kansas is about as central as you can get.


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I was there for most of it but I did miss some of the conference including the last evening meal. I did notice a smaller attendance over the prior PBC. It's a shame that so many were not able to attend. I am not sure how Pond Boss could offer up so many speakers in one place with out it costing some excess money to do so. It could be done but there might be fewer speakers with less this and less that but attendance could be down due to all that reduction also. I think the location of this one may have come into play. The Dallas area is more centrally located than Conroe is, I think. How was the attendance when held at Big Cedar?


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Originally Posted By: snrub


Just a bug in everybody's ears. Wife and I have been talking about hosting a PBF get together (similar to Highflyers event) for the last couple years. It definitely will be low key and the cost will be zilch. Tentative date Sept 22, 2018. But I will start a separate thread about it. Kansas is about as central as you can get.


Hope that happens and works well. Start early and id people in your draw area and let them know. Ask them what they are interested in hearing about. Pick a time that people are free to come. Not harvest time or opening day of hunting season. Call Bob and tell him what is up and get him on the schedule . He can provide names - both PB and non-PB. There are other marketing aspects that the PB office can help with if you choose to go that route.

Highflier's event is PB friends and I don't think any marketing to outsiders is involved. No speakers either. The prior regional meetings are a bit different in that they were marketed to non-PB folks and speakers were involved to some extent. The speakers were PB members - a round table discussion type presentation.

Both work - its just a different approach.

TGW
The BC attendance varied but was smaller than the first TX meetings. IIRC the Second Conf (Arlington II) was the biggest. I cant say about which had the biggest paid attendance vs number of people.


Last edited by ewest; 11/29/17 11:03 AM.















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One more thought, Sept-Dec is a busy time for sportsman. Between preparing for hunting season, actual hunting season, out of state hunting trips, then holidays, preparing for winter(cattle wise), there are more weekends that are prebooked than any other time of the year.

Last edited by BrianL; 11/29/17 11:14 AM.

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in the past I wondered if the PB team could show a graphic with a US or world map of where the current forum registered users come from, say 'x' amount per state, or if it is easier to generate the data, the PB magazine subscriber counts by zip code. It doesn't surprise me that the IL event had the potential for the best attendance.

I guess I feel like this is a super dumb question, but is the goal of the PB conferences to create profit to help keep everything going through the next year? If so then bringing in more vendors would be a plus and one could also bring in 'vendors' who would provide guided fishing tours in the local area for additional cost with some proceeds going to the event. Then I could see how attendance is critical and geographical location should be considered.

But if the event is OK at a break even at best then it would make sense to me that you could scale them down, less vendors, less speakers, smaller venue, more lodging options, or even commuting vs overnight stays and have a series of regional meetings.

What folks do to host at their own property is not considered an official PB event and is just great people getting together with great people. These are very much appreciated too!

Last edited by canyoncreek; 11/29/17 12:47 PM.
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Brian timing is a problem, that is for sure. Hard to get a date that accommodates everyone. I kind of also have to work around our schedule too. It is pretty flexible but we do have some family reunions and commitments to work around.

The main thing I was thinking about was the weather. This will mostly be an outside event but we do have a shed in case of some less than favorable weather. Summer is too hot and busy. Late fall the weather can get cold. By the end of September we are usually finished up with corn harvest and not yet started with bean harvest. I don't really do much in the fields any more, but I do like to stay available if needed. And most years we have some really pleasant weather then.

Eric my intention was something informal like Highflyers event. Just a get together of friends made here on PBF. If Bob would like to make it more than that I would entertain any ideas. He has been to my place and has stayed in Pittsburg more than once so is somewhat familiar with the area.

I do not expect huge numbers. If we get a dozen we will have fun. I would be surprised if we get more than a couple dozen. If we get 50 we still could handle it. But it will give a chance for some of the PBF'ers within driving distance to have a face to face. That was my intention. Nothing like a conference.

Last edited by snrub; 11/29/17 12:56 PM.

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canyoncreek, there was never a major PB Conference in Illinois.

If you're referencing ewest's most recent post where he mentions Arlington, he is saying the second Arlington meeting or "II."


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Got it, my bad on reading the post. Rats, I was hoping that there actually was a midwest conference in the past as that would give hope that it might happen again frown

Thanks for the correction

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Originally Posted By: snrub
my intention was something informal like Highflyers event. Just a get together of friends made here on PBF.


HighFlyer hosts great local Pond Boss get-togethers. I've been to two at the HighFlyer ranch and enjoyed every minute. I am getting closer to being able to host one, hey maybe in the Fall of 2018...we'll see. The local PB get-together at Overton's Fisheries was a lot of fun as well.


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