Who's Behind the Shows
About the Founder
Jesus is Lord. He Loves Fishermen.
Bryant Jones grew up on a family flea market in East Texas, then spent nearly three decades in digital marketing helping businesses get found and get customers. Now he's putting the two together.
FishingPromoter puts on the ArkLaTex Fishing Expo and the Sportsman Swap, a free gear swap in the towns around the lakes — vendors, dealers, guides and anglers in one room.
No theory. No fluff. Real fishing people, face to face.
Origin Story
It Started at a Flea Market
Bryant's dad was an auctioneer, and when Bryant was young the family owned a flea market between Jasper and Kirbyville, Texas. That's where he fell in love with markets — the vendors setting up at daylight, the deals made across a folding table, and the food.
A good market is simple: the right vendors, the right crowd, and a reason to come back. That's the whole idea behind the Sportsman Swap and the expo.
First Fishing Client
A Website for a Tackle Shop
Bryant has been in digital marketing since 1997. One of his earliest wins was a crusty old wholesale tackle shop owner in Fort Myers, Florida — a skeptic who didn't believe the internet could bring him customers. Bryant offered to build him a website in exchange for fishing gear. Wholesale dealers started calling, Bryant walked away with over $10,000 worth of tackle, and the lesson stuck: simple, consistent marketing works.
Career
Built for Results
From there, Bryant built a lead generation company that produced over 500,000 full-contact leads for franchise and business opportunity clients in 18 months. He ran campaigns with monthly ad budgets up to $60,000, placed thousands of first-page listings on Google, and built email and conversion systems that beat industry benchmarks. His client list included the franchise divisions of well-known brands:
After nearly 17 years running his own marketing consultancy, Bryant turned his full attention to the industry he'd always loved — fishing — and to the kind of event he grew up on.
FishingPromoter.com
Expos and Swaps for Fishing People
Today FishingPromoter does two things. The ArkLaTex Fishing Expo is a fishing-only show series with three stops — Texarkana, Tyler–Longview, and Shreveport–Bossier — with a seminar stage, kids fishing pond, tank demos, boat dealers, and a Guide Row of working guides.
The Sportsman Swap is a free Saturday-morning gear swap in a lake town: locals selling their own gear, dealers with new gear, and a Cash Offer Row. It's the flea market Bryant grew up on, built for fishing and hunting.
The Goal Is Simple
Promote fishing in East Texas and the ArkLaTex by getting real fishing people in one room.