HomeblogsTackleModZ Blog – Preparing for ICAST With ICAST less than one week away many of us in the industry find ourselves either in final preparations or full blown scramble mode. With this being my first trip to ICAST as a credentialed media member, I thought it smart to reach out to some of my more experienced colleagues in the outdoor media world for some packing and planning advice. A few things either stuck out or were mentioned multiple times so I thought I’d take a moment and share them here… Things to not forget: Camera Good shoes Advil A strong, high quality empty backpack to bring home any goodies from the show More Advil (Most popular answer) Portable battery packs for your cameras and phone. Extra memory cards The power cords for the devices Business cards – You cannot have too many Download the ICAST app to your phone – It’s got a floor directory, schedule, exhibitor list, map, etc., and is invaluable. If you’re coming to ICAST On the Water on Tuesday (and you should be if you plan on covering ICAST in any meaningful way), bring a spare shirt you can change into before going to the New Product Showcase reception. Your patience, Sense of humor, and a positive attitude Bring your work ethic – 10% of the folks there are working their butts off — for the other 90% it’s just a big social event… Don’t be in the 90%. Cliff Bars Wireless Microphones Things to think about as you plan: It’s a very big room. Take a few moments to get your bearings when you first get there and use the map on the ICast app to help you get around efficiently. Don’t overbook yourself Schedule meetings in odd increments, like 45 minute appointments instead of an hour and 20 minutes instead of 30, that gives you time to move between appointments. Don’t schedule meetings at 5:00, that’s officially social hour. A lot of this certainly helped me and I hope it can do the same for you… If anyone has any other great suggestions or comments feel free to send them to us through Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TackleModZ or on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TackleModZ Don’t forget to stay glued to The ModZ Blog and Advanced Angler during ICAST for all of our great coverage from the show. We look forward to seeing some of you there and sharing all the great stuff from the show with those of you who can’t be.