Recreational fishing industry launches its first online auction

ICAST Fishing © ICAST Fishing

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) is excited to announce its inaugural online auction to support Keep America Fishing.

Keep America Fishing is the association's grassroots advocacy program that gives our nation's 55 million anglers a way to let their voices be heard when fisheries policy and management decisions will impact recreational fishing.

"Keep America Fishing plays a critical role in connecting anglers with their local and national leaders to help ensure we have clean water, abundant fisheries and access to both," said ASA President Glenn Hughes. "The website and the email campaigns promote the efforts of ASA's Government Affairs team who work so diligently to support the industry, its anglers and conservation."

The inaugural online auction opens at noon, ET, on Thursday, September 16, and ends at 8:00 p.m., ET, on Sunday, September 19. The auction will "go live" at noon with links available on the ASA, ICAST and Keep America Fishing websites.

Access is also available through ASA's social media on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn; ICAST social media on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter; and Keep America Fishing's social media on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Auction items are available for preview.

The Keep America Fishing online fundraiser is the only auction featuring ICAST 2021 New Product Showcase "Best of Category" winning products as well as dozens of fishing-related tackle, gear and accessories that were featured in the New Product Showcase - many of them not available elsewhere.

By far, the New Product Showcase is the most highly anticipated event at ICAST, the industry's annual trade show which is produced by ASA. Each year, participating companies display their latest and greatest products which are reviewed and voted on by the thousands of retailers and media in attendance. The best products in each category are awarded the prestigious "Best in Category" award with one of the winners being selected as "Best of Show."

"The response from the ICAST exhibitors to this first-ever online auction has been tremendous," said Hughes. "Our member exhibitors have shown their support for Keep America Fishing by coming together around this event. We are grateful for our members' generosity for filling this auction with amazing items, and we are happy to share them with the fishing public."

"It's very exciting to see more than 100 items up for bid to support Keep America Fishing," said Trade Show and Membership Vice President Blake Swango. "There are items in this auction that are not available anywhere with the bragging rights going to the lucky bidder."

Learn more about the event. Bidding starts at noon on Thursday, September 16, ET, and ends Sunday, September 19 at 8:00 p.m., ET.