How does the biggest fishing expo in Europe compare to ICAST? This question has been on my mind for years and finally can answer it. Angel Welt (Fishing World) is held each year in Berlin. Unlike ICAST, anyone can buy a ticket. It was a lot of fun seeing the different brands, baits, tackle and boats compared to what we have here in the USA. In this week’s newsletter, I highlight some of the big takeaways from the visit. My vlog from the expo is available to watch on my YouTube channel.

Fished the big river in the Minneapolis Metro area this past weekend. A number of anglers were fishing on both sides. I stayed for about an hour, caught a small pike and this walleye. Both bit on a Rapala #10 X-Rap in the River Perch. When fishing stained water, this is a favorite color pattern for me.

Both fish bit in about 2 feet of water. There were small baitfish in the shallow water (1-3 feet) just out of the main current. I saw other fish, maybe smallmouth, attacking them near the bank. Short casts, aggressive snaps to jump the bait, pause… bite! Sufix braid to a 10lb Sufix Advance Flouro leader.

Angel Welt (pronounced "AHN-gel Velt”) is German for "Fishing World." It's Europe's largest recreational fishing expo, held annually at Messe Berlin, one of the biggest convention centers in Germany.

Think of it as Europe's version of ICAST, but with one major difference. Where ICAST is a trade-only event restricted to industry professionals, Angel Welt opens its doors to the general public. Anyone can buy a ticket, walk the floor, and purchase gear directly from the manufacturers and brands on site.

Angel Welt covers everything — lures, rods, boats, trailers, kayaks, carp fishing gear, predator fishing tackle, and live fish displays. Brands from across Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, and even Japan.

Walking the floor at Angel Welt, the first thing that hits you is how familiar everything looks from a distance, and then how different it actually is up close. Soft plastics, swimbaits, jig heads — the categories are the same. But the execution is built around completely different target species: zander, pike and perch.

Carp fishing had its own dedicated booths with boilies, feeders, and specialized rigs. Unlike catfish bait, the carp booths smelled like a candy store. On the catfish side of tackle, they have those massive wels cats in Europe that grow well over 100 pounds. Fishing for them requires some serious gear and tackle. Hope to catch one someday.

Multi-piece and telescoping rods. Walking Angel Welt it became impossible to ignore the variety of two, three, and four piece travel rods as standard product, not specialty items. In the US market multi-piece rods are still largely an afterthought, marketed to backpackers and travelers rather than serious anglers.

In Europe they're mainstream. The reason makes sense geographically, European anglers frequently travel by train, bike, and public transit to reach fishing spots. A four-piece rod that packs into a backpack isn't a compromise, it's a necessity. This is something the American fishing industry is missing. With shore fishing and urban fishing growing in the US, the infrastructure for travel-friendly gear simply isn't there yet.

Can’t believe it’s almost June! This year is flying by. In the next newsletter, we will dive into the differences between zander and walleye. If you made it this far in the newsletter, thanks! To watch the full YouTube video from my trip to Angel Welt, click on the photo link here: