Ice fishing & hunting show kicks off at UP State Fairgrounds

ESCANABA, Mich. (WLUC) - The third annual U.P. Ice Fishing & Hunting Expo is back at the U.P. State Fairgrounds in Escanaba this weekend.

Daily Press Publisher and Event Organizer Sarah Maki says more than 20 new vendors signed up for this year's show.

"It's gotten bigger and better over three years," Maki said. "We are literally full this year on vendors."

Ohio-based Jay Outdoor Gear is one of the new vendors. Owner Michael "Mike Jay" Jarusiewic says the Jay Rope can be used for deer hunting and ice fishing.

"It's been so far utilized to rescue multiple people on the ice that have fallen through," Jarusiewic said. "It's been really rewarding."

Jarusiewic says he planned to come to last year's expo. But he had a conflict come up with a military commitment. The entrepreneur says he's served for 19 years and counting.

"Thankfully, they just rolled over my enrollment of last year into this year," Jarusiewic said. "And so, they invited us back and now we're here."

Jarusiewic and his team, all current or former military members, designed the certified safety rope as a daisy chain that, he says, "easily unravels and you have a 30-foot throw rope to throw to that person in the water."

Another first-time expo vendor is Canine Crumpets out of Gwinn. The company makes " natural, wholesome, homestyle made dog treats ."

"It's kind of a different venue for us," Owner Cindy Sunday-Bartha said. "But we've done gun shows in the Kansas City area. People have pets, fishermen and hunters have pets and we're gonna give it a try."

Sunday-Bartha says she donates the majority of her company's profits to "help rescue kids all over the planet" caught up in trafficking rings.

"It isn't just about pets for us," she said. "But we love pets and we think that they need to have healthy treats and need to have fun."

Maki says the event is free, but she asks expo goers to bring a can of food or a donation for the animal shelter for entry.

"We're not going to turn you away if you don't have anything, but that's what we're asking this year, so we can give back to the community," Maki said.

The 87 vendor booths include outdoor gear, guns, deer blinds and more. Click here for a vendor list.

Everyone who attends gets a ticket for a door prize to win items including fishing lures, ice fishing rods and Bark River knives.

The expo is in the Ruth Butler Building. It runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.