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February 14, 2026 12 mins
Originally aired on February 14, 2026. Doug's insightful interview with Houston Fishing Show owner and show director Don Martindale, for your listening pleasure.
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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is awesome, Don Martindale, what's going on?

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Man?

Speaker 1 (00:05):
It's like it's like everything's just going fine for you.

Speaker 3 (00:07):
If you just woke up, you missed a whole hour
where we couldn't get this studio working. I didn't know
if I was going to be able to talk to
you at all.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Man, I want to say, you know, good good mans.
Just think alike, Doug.

Speaker 1 (00:19):
I guess all, yeah, that's exactly right. So I want
to get to you.

Speaker 3 (00:24):
And I want to start talking about the show. And
first of all, can you believe we're in the fifty
first edition of this thing?

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Not really, Doug? I mean, you know, we don't. We
do one show a year, but it don't seem like
it's been over fifty years.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Oh gosh, yeah, it's and and you're as soon as
this one stops, you'll be you'll start working on the
fifty second. Actually, you're pre selling the fifty second the
whole time this show is going to be going on,
aren't you.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
Well yes, sir, you know, we have people coming in
at the show and we take their information and uh,
you know, go from there, but go back little. Luckily
I got I got some real law exhibitors. Yeah, come
back every year just about.

Speaker 3 (01:12):
Well why wouldn't they They're they're dealing with the best
fishing audience in the entire country. I know that went
every think back to the first one, okay, back in
the early, early, early days, when there was just almost
no space at all, but all that space was filled
with something pretty new and exciting.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
And that's never changed.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
Has it? No? I mean it's uh, you know, every
year people come out with with new lures, new rides,
and uh, you know, it went from bank fishing to
kayak fishing, to fly fishing to you know, there's there's
always some somebody coming up with new ways to catch fish.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
Well, isn't that's the truth?

Speaker 3 (01:56):
You know, that's funny you say that because I was
going to ask that at some point in this show,
and then then the wheels fell off right as we
were trying to get on the air.

Speaker 1 (02:03):
And I don't even know where my notes are right now.

Speaker 3 (02:06):
But just something unusual, something different that you and I
and anybody else has used to catch a fish. And
mine was when I was teaching my son to fish
for a little panfish. There was a lake where we
could go catch a bazillion of them if we wanted to,
and I actually showed him how to take just a
little sliver of a blade of grass and work that

(02:26):
onto a little tiny hook and you just kind of
dabble it at the surface. And he was just so
amazed that he could entice a fish to eat his lure,
if you will. It was so exciting. So back to you,
back to your show. How many first timers you think
you've got this year exhibitors?

Speaker 2 (02:44):
Uh, probably probably close to fifty. Wow, I had. I
had several new people. We had some people uh drop
for one reason or another. Couldn't you know, couldn't get
there some pliers together and stuff. But uh, a lot

(03:04):
of different guides. Uh, a lot of new people with
new lures. So I mean it's uh, it's gonna be.

Speaker 3 (03:12):
Exciting, you know, I expect I expect more guys now
that you mentioned that's kind of a category that's refilling itself,
because for the last four years or so, not a
whole lot of people had hire a guide money to
go fishing.

Speaker 1 (03:27):
But things seem to be turning around.

Speaker 3 (03:30):
It makes sense that the GUIDs would come back and
want to get right back in front of all these
people as there as their economic recovery continues.

Speaker 2 (03:37):
Right, Well, yeah, I mean it's uh, and and people
I think are wanting the experience of the guide and
you know, the better chance to catch fish, and and
uh you don't want to learn something from them. So uh,
it's you know, it's a good place to do that.

Speaker 1 (03:58):
Yeah, it is.

Speaker 3 (03:58):
And I've been talking for ever since I started covering
this show professionally, even in the paper and on radio.

Speaker 2 (04:04):
Here.

Speaker 1 (04:06):
My contention is that if you go into that show
and you.

Speaker 3 (04:09):
Walk around and you don't walk out of there with
either written notes in a little notebook you brought in
there or maybe something you dictated into your phone after
talking to all those fishing guys, you're missing out on
probably at least half the value of that ticket.

Speaker 2 (04:25):
You know, at least between talking to the rep groups
and the GUIDs and the seminars, you know, with people
telling you how to flounderfish, you know what the good
spots are on Galveston Bay and that type of stuff.
You know, there's always something learned, even if you're the old, experienced,

(04:47):
you know, best fishing here you are, So, you know, I.

Speaker 3 (04:50):
Just looked over at the seminar schedule on and Thursday
at one o'clock. You've got Aaron Mauser, this long distance
casting guy, and yeah, I I may come and just
kind of sit and listen, because I used to do
some of that, not not long distance casting, just to
be doing that, but I was trying to sling baits
off the end of that ninetieth Street pier as far
as I could and making my own rods and it

(05:13):
was really, it was really it seemed very sophisticated then,
and I just I want to kind of pick this
guy's brain and see what it's like.

Speaker 2 (05:20):
Now.

Speaker 1 (05:21):
I think that'd be a good one.

Speaker 2 (05:23):
Well, you know, there is an art to it, and
you know, I'm not eveny good at it, but you know,
it seemed like you are to be able to walk
up there and just tell that thing about but that
it don't always work that way.

Speaker 1 (05:33):
Not really doesn't.

Speaker 3 (05:34):
But they're I mean, they're just casting farther and farther,
and that that's opportunity even bass fishermen, well, bass fishermen,
more more structure in the bay, the farther you can cast,
probably the more.

Speaker 1 (05:46):
Fish you're gonna catch.

Speaker 3 (05:48):
Because there's boat, there's hole slap from the from the
little waves. Somebody's got the stereo going too loud. All
these things that close up can spoop fish. But if
you can sling it out.

Speaker 1 (05:59):
There a little ways, you catch some more fish, aren't you.

Speaker 2 (06:02):
Yes, sir, that's you know, that's a fact. You know.
There there again. That's that's why they call it fishing,
not catching.

Speaker 3 (06:10):
Offhand, this is just kind of a funny question to
ask you offhand done, how many soft plastic baits do
you think will be in the Georgia R. Brown Convention
Center next week? Quarter million? That's my guess.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
Uh easy. I mean, you know, they they all bring
the best and whatever, and they bring, you know, buckets
of them.

Speaker 1 (06:33):
You know, it makes sense.

Speaker 3 (06:34):
It's it's a great place to find bargains on anything
from rubber worms all the way up to a big
old boat.

Speaker 1 (06:39):
What's the biggest boat you're going to have in there?

Speaker 2 (06:41):
You think, uh, Texas uh Sport Fishing usually brings a
big one. They brought uh seventy eighty footers before. But lord,
you know, it's it's it's it's something to watch that
big boat pull en. They'll have them, you know, from
sixteen seventy foot up to you know, fifty sixty seven foot.

Speaker 3 (07:05):
So whatever, you can afford, they'll they'll get it in
there somehow.

Speaker 2 (07:09):
Huh. You know what with huge motors?

Speaker 1 (07:13):
Oh my gosh, what are those big the biggest outboards? Now,
what do they cost? Do you have any idea.

Speaker 2 (07:22):
More than the boat? Uh? You know, that's a good
point they run. I really don't know.

Speaker 3 (07:30):
That's exactly why I was going to say, thirty forty
grand a pop. And some of these guys are throwing
four and five of them on the back of the boat.

Speaker 2 (07:37):
Well, you know, I saw the other day that they've
come out with.

Speaker 1 (07:40):
A new eight hundred Oh no, man, Oh my gosh.

Speaker 2 (07:45):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (07:47):
Oh well, okay, you know, just let that just let
that sit there. Don So. I got a better question
for you.

Speaker 2 (07:56):
So.

Speaker 3 (07:56):
I had a guy call a week ago, maybe two
weeks ago talking. I was talking about the show, and
he called ask if there were any Alaska guid's gonna
be here next week based on past shows.

Speaker 1 (08:06):
I said, yes, was that right?

Speaker 2 (08:08):
Oh yeah, I've got probably uh, I don't know, eight ten, twelve,
oh wow, different Alaska and probably very four from Canada.

Speaker 1 (08:23):
What about going south?

Speaker 2 (08:25):
Yeah, go down south. We've got Costa Rican police and uh,
you know, all up and down the Gulf coast, so
we've got it covered, and then go inland too the lakes,
So is there.

Speaker 3 (08:38):
Is there anything coming in that really kind of made
you go, wow, I've really never heard of that.

Speaker 1 (08:44):
I've really never seen something like that. You got a
couple of those in there?

Speaker 2 (08:48):
Uh, I'm sure. Uh, it's you know, every year we
get something new. And to be honest with you, and
until I get there and it's set up, and I
walk around and say, damn, look at that.

Speaker 1 (09:02):
You know, Yeah, never seen one of those before.

Speaker 2 (09:06):
Yeah, Or you know that's that's neat. I never thought
of that, you know, yeah, stuff like that.

Speaker 3 (09:10):
I so like that aspect of the show because there
are so many vendors there and there's so many uh,
like you talked about a minute ago, the people from
the factory, the factory reps are the guys you really
need to pick the brains up for maybe a maintenance
question or something like that, or what's what's new? Why
is this real better than last year's real? That kind
of thing, and.

Speaker 2 (09:31):
And yeah, they'll tell you and they'll show it, you know,
then't and they'll be punished with you about the hot
works and you know what kind of durability it's got. Yeah,
you know, we we've got people in there that will
put new line on your reels and and uh that
type of stuff for you know, sale prices.

Speaker 1 (09:51):
So yeah, nothing wrong with that.

Speaker 3 (09:53):
This is really I've been talking about my friend Brad
Schweiss over at Houston Gold Exchange for the last few weeks.
I've been telling people because gold prices are so high.
Now you go over there, you got a little just
a little thimble full of gold, you might be able
to get yourself enough money to buy.

Speaker 1 (10:09):
Two kayaks at that show. It's crazy.

Speaker 4 (10:13):
I know it's gone way up, trust me, it's you
know how much it is Announce now I watch it
for fifty plus and just just because I'm in the habit, now,
guess what it's selling for Announce Just guess.

Speaker 2 (10:25):
A couple of ground How about.

Speaker 1 (10:26):
Five thousand dollars an ounce?

Speaker 2 (10:28):
Now it doesn't dig in and see what I got
you They want to dig out one of one of
your old teeth in the bag or something, you know,
pull out a molar and go buy a kayak with it.
I don't need yeah, all right.

Speaker 3 (10:43):
Hey, so I gotta wrap it up in twenty words
or less. Don how would you describe this year's show.

Speaker 2 (10:50):
Uh, it's just like a rot the show, Doug. It's
it's you know, it's a family affair. Yeah, we all
have a good time. You know, we see the people
that that are good people once a year and everybody
enjoys it. I mean it's uh, you know, the fishing
family is one big family and uh, they all come

(11:12):
out and talk and smile and tell lies and yeah.
Uh it's it's just a it's just a fun atmosphere. Yep.

Speaker 3 (11:18):
I call it the unofficial opening of fishing season in Texas.

Speaker 1 (11:22):
That's what.

Speaker 2 (11:23):
Well, that's true. This time of year, it's uh, you know,
you got uh it's already starting to get a little warm,
so people are starting to get to it.

Speaker 3 (11:31):
Yeah, it's like the Robin's coming through. It's you know
what season it is. If you if you go to
the g r B and there's a fishing show, you
know it's time to get your stuff out and.

Speaker 1 (11:39):
Go to work.

Speaker 2 (11:40):
Well, you know, it gets your blood pumping a little bit.

Speaker 3 (11:42):
So sure, Don Martindale, thank you man. I really appreciate
your time this morning. Sorry about that, Well you didn't
you didn't even experience the delay, but thank you.

Speaker 2 (11:51):
I missed all that fun.

Speaker 1 (11:53):
So all right.

Speaker 3 (11:54):
Well, I'm glad you came on board. I'll see you
next week, you know I will, Yes, sir, Yes, sir,
Thank you,
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