PDF - Angling Trade

Transcription

PDF - Angling Trade

the buzz on the flyfishing biz
SM
TRADE
Inside
Made in America
Bowhunting v. Flyfishing/ The Case for Imports/
Filson Wades In/ The Best of Both Worlds/
America’s Fish/ Great Lakes/ Back to School Profits/
True to the Red, White & Blue
March2008AnglingTrade.com
the buzz on the flyfishing biz
CONTENTS
SM
TRADE
Features
PROFIT
Departments
Editor
Kirk Deeter
[email protected]
Managing Editor
20 Sticking True to the Red,
White and Blue You can sell American
because your heart tells you to… but that’s
not going to cut the mustard. Here are the
real reasons it makes sense to keep at
least a portion of your inventory made in
the U.S.A. By Kirk Deeter
PROFIT
PROFIT
6 Editor’s Column
What does “made in America” mean
to your business? The answer is likely
different for every shop in the country.
Tim Romano
[email protected]
Editor-at-Large
Charlie Meyers
[email protected]
Art Director
Tara Brouwer
[email protected]
brouwerdesign.com
Copy Editors
Mabon Childs, Sarah Warner
Contributing Editors
PROFIT
8 Currents
PROFIT
PROFIT
28 Made in America – NOT
You make the same thing, for less money,
and sell it at a lower cost. How could that
be wrong? It’s not. The import ship has
sailed, and smart retailers know how to
cash in. By Charlie Meyers
The latest people, product, and issues
news from the North American flyfishing
industry.
24 Opinion Editorial
Great (Lakes) Potential
In terms of flyfishing potential, we’re
barely dipping below the surface of the
greatest freshwater resources on the
continent. By Jerry Darkes
PROFIT
PROFIT
PROFIT
PROFIT
DESIGNED TO SELL
If flyfishing were to fishing what bowhunting is to hunting, nobody would
complain. What makes bowhunting the
one facet of the outdoors market that’s
booming? By Ben Romans
40 America’s Fish Brown trout?
/ RIVERSHED BOOT
TM
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An import. Carp? Haven’t heard of the
“Carpmaster Classic.” There’s only one
true choice… the largemouth bass.
By Monte Burke
43 Filson Wades In One of the
most respected outdoors labels in the
world has decided to jump into the river
with a new line of waders. Question is, will
they live up to the “might as well have
the best” reputation? By Greg Thomas
45 Backcast
What’s it going to be, a dunce cap or a
mortarboard? Because going “back to
school” might just be the ticket for flyshops to
graduate to more profit. By Charlie Meyers
Contributors
Monte Burke, Ellie Childs,
Ben Romans, Will Rice,
Jerry Darkes
Photos unless noted by Tim Romano
Angling Trade is published four
times a year by Angling Trade,
LLC. Author and photographic
submissions should be sent
electronically to
[email protected].
Angling Trade is not responsible
for unsolicited manuscripts
and/or photo submissions.
We ask that contributors send
formal queries in advance of
submissions. For editorial
guidelines and calendar, please
contact the editor via E-mail.
Printed in the U.S.A.
Advertising Contact: Tim Romano
Telephone: 303-495-3967
Fax: 303-495-2454
[email protected]
Mail Address:
PO Box 17487
Boulder, CO 80308
Street Address:
3055 24th Street
Boulder, CO 80304
AnglingTrade.com
3
AnglingTrade.com / March 2008
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!
34 The Stick and the String
Tom Bie
Ben Romans
Andrew Steketee
Greg Thomas
CONTRIBUTORS
U
RIZED LE
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PO
LA
S
ED
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PAT
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NT
E
IN
OFFERED IN A FULL RANGE OF LENS TINTS
AND LIGHT TRANSMISSION LEVELS
G12
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C12
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Nate Matthews is the editor of fieldandstream.com.
He lives in a tiny apartment on the Upper East Side of
Manhattan that’s crammed with books, fly tying materials,
and fishing rods. On weekends when the stripers are in
town (and he’s not in the office) you’ll find him dodging
jets in a skiff out on Jamaica Bay. Otherwise he’s
exploring the Catskill and Adirondack mountains on his
motorcycle with a 4-weight strapped to his backpack.
Jerry Darkes is a fly tackle sales rep, instructor/
guide, and writer based in northern Ohio. He has
over four decades of flyfishing experience in both
fresh and saltwater and is recognized as an expert
on Great Lakes steelhead and warmwater flyfishing.
He is also a member of the Scott Fly Rod Pro Staff.
Darkes has been featured in several books and video/
DVD productions about Great Lakes flyfishing and has
authored numerous articles about the region.
GAUGE • G12 LENS
Mabon Childs is a creative director at McKinney
in Durham, NC. His favorite prey: Native brook trout
caught on small flies between 2,000 and 3,000
feet above sea level in the Adirondacks, western
Pennsylvania and Surry County, NC. Nothing too tough.
Which may explain why the graphite he sees most
is attached to a golf club. We’re extremely grateful,
nonetheless, that he performs the “tough edits” on
Angling Trade.
Tim Romano is the managing editor of Angling
Trade, and the co-editor of Field & Stream’s Fly Talk
weblog. He’s also well recognized for his photography
pursuits; his work has appeared in Field & Stream, Fly
Rod & Reel, The Drake, Wild on the Fly, and a variety
of other publications and ad campaigns. We put him
on the contributors page to call attention to the nifty
images he produces to support the stories (see “The
Stick and the String”). He lives in Boulder, Colorado.
LOOK BENEATH
THE
SURFACE
Kirk Deeter is the editor of Angling Trade.
Look beyond the awe-inspiring images of athletes and adventurers. Look past the
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This
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He is also the author of three books, and an editor-atlarge for Field & Stream. His articles have appeared in
various publications, ranging from Fly Fisherman, to Big
Sky Journal, to London’s Daily Telegraph newspaper.
He lives in Pine, Colorado.
and glare-reduction all in one ultra-lightweight lens.
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Tara Brouwer is the art director/graphic designer/
illustrator for Angling Trade. She’s produced work for
many companies in the outdoor industry including
Pearl Izumi, Warren Miller, La Sportiva, and Sharp End
Publishing. Her flyfishing street cred: obtained first
fishing license in 2007 for the fine state of Colorado.
She’s a Lake Michigan area native and now resides and
plays in Boulder, CO.
EDITOR’S COLUMN
I couldn’t believe my ears.
There I stood, in a fly shop in the heart of the Great Lakes region—tried and true U.A.W. country—
and the guy behind the cash register
said: “If it weren’t for Temple Fork and
other foreign-made rods, we wouldn’t
be selling any rods at all, and we might
not even be in business. We stock
(imports) because they sell. Period.”
Several weeks earlier, I’d heard the flip-side perspective
from a Colorado fly shop owner. “Cheap Chinese and
Korean rods will kill the industry,” he lamented. “They
basically make price the only factor, and forsake the
specialty fly shop for the big box stores. It’s Wal-Mart
thinking at its worst.”
No matter where you stand, you should know that the
“made in America” debate has already placed you, the
retailer, neck-deep in a tug-o-war that will eventually
shape the course of this industry. How you position your
business in this regard may very well determine its fate.
Is it margins or volume that you’re after? Maybe both.
Can you play to the base demographic (that white, Baby
Boomer male with disposable income), or are you hoping
this market finds some new blood? Likely both.
We recently dangled a few carrots in front of a large
consumer audience by offering some free flyfishing
starter kits to readers of fieldandstream.com, thanks
to the support of Scientific Anglers. Of course, the
word “free” is a traffic magnet, and our response was
predictably off the charts. The lesson though, was that
there are plenty of people out there who are hungry
to get started in flyfishing. Some of the comments we
received: “I have lots of buddies starting out, and I’d
like to help them;” “I’d like to start flyfishing... my
employer is crazy about it... I live in Ohio;” “I’d like to
get my dad into flyfishing... he loves to fish and I know
he’d enjoy it;” “I am a 58-year-old (female) school
teacher, thinking of retiring, and would love to pick up a
hobby... flyfishing seems perfect.”
6
On the other hand, one shop owner recently told me that
he has a base clientele of die-hard, dedicated anglers who
say issues like quality, craftsmanship, and tradition (at any
price) are paramount. They buy American. Which, said
the shop owner, is not a bad thing, considering he makes
the same profit on one domestic rod as he does with three
imports. So where do you stand? More importantly,
where do your customers stand? Odds are the answer to
this questions is slightly different for everyone.
The last issue of Angling Trade was all about answers…
straight-up strategies for marketing your business. In
many ways, this issue is more about questions. We
cannot answer them for you, but we can share opinions
from all sides that help you find your bearing.
You’ll also notice in this issue that we’re expanding our
focus beyond the trout and saltwater world. Ironically,
as much of this industry centers on the chase for imports
like brown trout, Monte Burke points out that “America’s
Fish” is, in fact, the largemouth bass. Jerry Darkes
chimes in with a related Op. Ed. on the warmwater
potential. And Ben Romans gives us an insightful
glimpse at the one facet of the American outdoors
industry that has grown as others have shrunk—
bowhunting. (If the fly rod were to be perceived in the
fishing world what the bow is perceived in the hunting
market, I don’t think many would complain.) We’re
pleased to include a feature by Field & Stream online
editor, Nate Matthews, as well as return engagements
from Greg Thomas, and, of course, Charlie Meyers.
As always, I want to thank our advertisers, and encourage
readers to take note of the companies represented in
this magazine. They are here because they believe in
supporting a resource aimed at helping your business. at
- Kirk Deeter, Editor
7
Truth is, in the globalized economy, there aren’t many
products that are totally “made in America,” or made
in China, or Korea, of Japan for that matter. There’s
a good chance, for example, those T-shirts you sell that
were manufactured in China, were woven from cotton
grown in Texas. I drive an American-made truck, one
of the few in its class built in the USA. It’s called a
Toyota Tundra.
Interestingly, we couldn’t pinpoint a single
demographic—it wasn’t young people, or women,
or crossover bass anglers who expressed interest… it
was all of them, from all four corners of the country.
The barrier most of them pointed to as the reason
they or their friends had not gotten into flyfishing
was, you guessed it, price. Would-be newbies of all
ages consistently said flyfishing is expensive. Which
completely supports the import logic.
CURRENTS
The
Product Buzz
Cortland Launches
New Rods, Line
Cortland recently announced the
introduction of two new rod series:
The Big Sky and Brook series are
designed for big water and small
stream fishing, respectively. The
Brook series features a taper meant
to optimize delicate casts. The series
includes five four-piece rods from
a 6’6” 3-weight to an 8’ 5-weight.
Suggested retail is $179.95. The
Big Sky series rods are meant to
excel at longer distances. There
are 10 rod models in the series,
with suggested retail ranging from
$229.95 to $239.95. All rods come
with a cordura hard case that can
accommodate both the rod and an
attached reel.
The company also announced the
launch of the Precision Platinum line,
an addition to Cortland’s Dyna-Tip
floating trout line series. The line is
designed for versatile applications,
from tailwaters to small streams. The
new Platinum line is formulated with
Cortland’s DuraSilk coating.
Under the Diamondback brand,
the company is also releasing a new
“Flawless” series of fly rods. Sixteen
full models in the series cover a gamut
of applications from small creeks to
saltwater flats. Suggested retail ranges
from $249 for freshwater models to
$299 for saltwater models.
Dr. Slick Markets 2008
Product Line
Highlights from the 2008 product line
offering from Dr. Slick include:
Bamboo Handle Tying Tools (bodkin
with half hitch tool, whip finisher,
8
rotary, with half hitch tool, rotary
hackle pliers – small and large) at $8
each; The bamboo handle tools are
also available in a gift set that includes
a medium hair stacker, 4-inch ceramic
bobbin, and 4-inch all-purpose scissors, retail $52.
Bead Tweezers – 4-inch self closing in
gold and satin finish. Designed with
a straight arrowhead (pointed) jaw enabling the tier to pick up a single bead
from a tray, plastic bag or table. One
jaw is coated with plastic to keep glass
beads from breaking. Suitable for
brass, tungsten, glass, round, dumbbell or chain beads. $7.
Extra Hand fly tweezers for lifting
a single fly of any size out of a box
while streamside. The 2-1/4-inch
tweezers are self-closing. Hangs from
any flyfishing vest or jacket. In gold
and satin finish. $7.
Pisces Pliers 6-1/2-inch, stainless
steel pliers with double pocket holster
and lanyard. These are straight pliers
with an anvil cutter blade and rubber
handle grips. For all fresh and saltwater flyfishing, bass fishing and general
home use. $35.
Improved/Modified Dr. Slick Tools
for 2008: Necklace now comes with
waterproof fly box; Hook files now
have rounded bottom; Pliers have
upgraded holsters; Eco clamps have
improved ratchets.
Simms G4 Waders win Gray’s Best
Simms Fishing Products announced
that its G4 Guide Stockingfoots have
been awarded the prestigious Gray’s
Best Award for 2008. This award recognizes the quality, innovation, design
and overall functionality of Simms’
premier fishing wader.
Gray’s Sporting Journal, now entering its
38th year of publication, is the foremost sporting journal that embodies
the sporting life. Readers
of Gray’s have come to
expect quality, honesty
and integrity. Each year
the editors of Gray’s Sporting Journal rigorously field
test hundreds of pieces of
gear for several months.
Final endorsements go
to a few pieces of gear
that have innovative
craftsmanship and whose
construction reflect those
same values that are core
to the Gray’s name.
“We are very proud to be recognized
for the innovation, design and craftsmanship that went into the G4 Guide
Stockingfoots,” commented Simms
president K.C. Walsh. “Simms is
committed to making the highestquality, most durable gear for anglers
to wear fishing, and the G4 Guide
wader truly embodies this quest.”
Complete details on the Gray’s Best
2008 can be found in the Gray’s Sporting
Journal, 2008 Expeditions & Guides
Annual (Volume Thirty-Two, Issue 7).
Editor’s Pick: Pins and Fins
Wonder Products
We recently had
a chance to field
test a series of
“Wonder Products” (cloths, towels and patches
used for cleaning and drying flies, rods, reels, etc.) in
the gritty and demanding environs of
Tierra del Fuego in Argentina. With
no chemicals or abrasives, the cloth is
launderable up to 100 times. We were
surprised by how well they worked.
Our favorite was the Wonder Wading
Towel, the perfect size for cleaning your
hands after handling fish. Check out
the product line at pinsandfins.com.
continued on next page...
CURRENTS
Highland Mills Rod Co. Picked up
by Cabela’s
The Painted Trout Launches
Bandana with fishpond
Highland Mills Rod Co. which manufactures bamboo rods in the U.S.A.,
(retail $1299) announced that its
products are now offered by Cabela’s.
Rods feature hand-planed, flamed
Tonkin cane and are hollow-built for a
light feel. The dramatic swelled butts
kick into overdrive for extra power.
These rods have book-matched, mirrored tips, clear wraps with cinnamon
accents set off with varnish, titanium
guides and agate stripping guide,
blued nickel-silver hardware, Bailey
Woods ferrules with ferrule plug, REC
down-locking, screw-lock reel seat, and
English gunstock figured walnut reel
seat inserts. All these features result in
a rod with superb tracking, dampening
and effortless tight loops. Two-piece
rods with two tip sections. Poplin bag
with solid-brass capped tube. Dealer
inquiries: hmrod.com.
The Painted Trout, a Dexter,
Michigan-based producer of sporting market gift items, announced
the launch of its first product design
under contract with fishpond USA of
Silverthorne, Colorado. The product
is a flyfishing bandana dubbed the
“Amigos Bandana.” It’s an oversized
100% cotton bandana with distinctive patterning, available in three colors, sage, rust, and blue. Suggested
retail is around $12. For information
see paintedtrout.com.
Ross Worldwide has expanded its
Essence rod line with the addition of
a 9-foot 6-weight model in each of the
three series: FS, FC and FW. The
Essence series fly rods have been assigned
graphite designations of R-1, R-2 and
R-3 to highlight design differences.
While the fundamentals of each series
remain true to the design, a higher
numbered R-Value indicates a slightly
more progressive action. All three series
are 4-piece rods that ship complete
with a rod sock and rod case. The three
Essence rod series are priced at $99.00,
$149.00 and $199.00. Additional sizes
in each Essence series will be available in
spring 2008. For more information visit
rossreelsworldwide.com.
10
Nautilus announced the addition
of another member to its CCF reel
family: the Nautilus 12DD. The 12
Double Duty offers identical backing and fly line capacities as its larger
and heavier 12T sibling, but weighs
an impressive 2.5 ounces less. The
12DD falls between the 12 and 12T
and weighs a mere 10.2 oz. As with
all Nautilus CCF reels, the 12DD features the company’s patent pending
sealed cork and carbon fiber composite drag system that offers exceptionally low startup inertia. The Nautilus
12DD is recommended as a larger
capacity 12/13 weight reel for larger
tarpon, giant trevally, mid-size tuna
and sailfish. In freshwater the Nautilus
12DD’s capacity and light weight will
be appreciated by Spey and twohanded flyfishers that are turning to
shorter, lighter spey rods. Available
in black or silver anodizing. MSRP is
$550 for the reel and $295 per spool.
See nautilusreels.com.
Robert Ramsay Resigns from
the American Fly Fishing Trade
Association/Denver Targeted as
Probable New Headquarters
The American Fly Fishing Trade
Association (AFFTA) board of
directors announced that it had
accepted the resignation of president
Robert Ramsay, effective March 30,
2008. Ramsay and the board are
working together to ensure a transition
before Ramsay pursues his plans to
fulfill other career ventures.
“I’ve considered it a privilege to lead
AFFTA during a period of tremendous
building and progress,” Ramsay said.
“The flyfishing industry has just begun
to see what’s really possible from this
organization. I’m proud of what we’ve
accomplished together and heartened
by the potential that is clearly unfolding.
So much of that is due to a higher level
of member activism and optimism that
has brought vitality to AFFTA’s ranks.”
“Robert should be proud of all that he
has contributed to the flyfishing industry,” said Alan Gnann, chairman of
AFFTA’s board of directors. “Much
of the progress we’ve made under
his leadership has helped form a firm
foundation for AFFTA’s growth far into
the future.”
Gnann added that AFFTA will likely
use the transition to relocate the AFFTA headquarters from its current location of Athens, Georgia, to Denver.
AFFTA will be interviewing candidates
to replace Ramsay over the next several weeks, with the hope of selecting a
successor at or around the time of the
“National Casting Call” event at the
end of April.
“Our number one criteria (for the next
president) is having proven nonprofit
trade management experience, and
knowledge of the flyfishing market is
also essential,” said Gnann. For more
information, see affta.com.
AFFTA Ends Partnership with
Alliance for Fly Fishing Education
AFFTA and its Discover Fly Fishing
program also announced the decision
to end organizational partnership with
the Alliance for Fly Fishing Education
(AFFE). Working internally, AFFTA
plans to focus its direct consumer
recruitment and Discover Fly Fishing
efforts on proven strategies to grow participation in the sport of flyfishing with
a more effective return on investment.
AFFTA says the decision was based
on the success of its inaugural Fly
Fishing Expo held in Denver, Colorado,
in early January. As a direct result of
the learning opportunities presented
at the Expo, AFFTA developed a list
of over 5,000 individuals with an
interest in advancing their flyfishing
skills and knowledge. These enthusiasts, in combination with AFFTA’s
existing database of fly fishermen in
Colorado, give the organization current access to nearly 20,000 learning
and avid anglers.
The Last Word on the Denver
Consumer Show Flap?
We doubt we’ll hear the last word on
this issue for some time. How did the
respective shows fare? Depends on
who you ask. Both AFFTA and The
Fly Fishing Show West claimed success, and attendance numbers seem
to support both arguments. Angling
Trade has heard its share of both
praise and grumblings (mostly praise)
from exhibitors and attendees on both
sides of the fence. But we found the
following to be quite interesting. Bill
Leuchten, of Front Range Anglers
in Boulder, Colorado, conducted an
informal survey to gauge opinions of
11
Ross Expands Essence
Nautilus Launches New Reel
People News
CURRENTS
attendees at The Fly Fishing Show
West. Here’s what Bill had to report:
“I performed the survey because in the
turmoil leading up to the shows, there was
never any talk about the impact it had on
the thousands of attendees/consumers of
having two competing shows on the same
date(s). The talk was always what is good
for “industry” and it was a guessing game
as to where the herd of consumers was
going to go. Everyone had an opinion on
what the “right” thing to do was.
I spoke to 100 plus people over three
days but really only recorded 30. However the responses did not vary so I am
not concerned about the non-recorded
answers since they were very consistent.
10% went to both shows. However I
saw this number at 0% on Friday to
10% on Sunday because the Friday attendents obviously could not have made
it to the other show in that timeframe
while Sunday attendents had the opportunity to hit both shows by the time
I interviewed them. This is an elusive
number due to the timing of the survey.
Less than 5% never heard there was
another show.
When asked why they attended The
Fly Fishing Show West (FFSW) 100%
responded with a shrug and said: ‘This
was the show they always came to
and knew what to expect.’ Of these
respondents, they responded with, ‘It
had a more Colorado offering and did
not know what the other international
show was about.’ The other show appeared as a mystery. Since the other
show was an unknown, they just went
to the show that was familiar. I see this
as the creature of habit mentality.
2% of this group actually got specific and
said they were after equipment and deals
and knew they could find it at FFSW.
5% said the FFSW had more local
offering in terms of guiding. They
12
did not know about the other show
but still thought the FFSW was a
‘local show.’ This was a similar response to the people that thought the
AFFTA was ‘international.’
85% were disgruntled and annoyed
about the division of the industry. They
can’t see the exhibits at both places in
one hall. They have to go and drive, pay
and park to see the other show. ‘Why
can’t they join the shows,’ ‘That is stupid,’
‘Why do I need to go to two locations,’
‘Why can’t they be on different dates,’
‘What were they thinking,’ ‘I can’t see
manufacturers and a particular seminar
in one show.’ They were VERY confused
and really wanted to know why such an
aggressive approach was taken to inconvenience them. 10% were actually angry
about it. 5% took a boycott response in
that they said they would never go to that
other show for the above reasons.
100% asked: ‘Why was there another
show on the same day!’ They really
could not understand it and they expected me to provide an answer.”
Editor’s note: In fairness, we will publish
similar qualitative survey data on the Expo
from entities willing to provide it.
Licata Named Editor of
Anthony Licata, a
nine-year veteran
of Field & Stream,
has taken over
responsibilities as the
editor of the world’s
leading outdoors magazine.
“I am excited to have a chance to
lead this great magazine, which is the
voice of American hunting and fishing,” said Licata “One of the popular interests of our readers is flyfishing, and Field & Stream has a legacy
of great flyfishing writers. I fully
intend to continue this tradition.”
Licata replaces Sid Evans, who accepted a position as editor-in-chief
for Garden & Gun, a Charleston, South
Carolina-based lifestyle publication.
Evans was joined at Garden & Gun by
David DiBenedetto, formerly editor
of SaltWater Sportsman.
Jennings Named Publisher of
Bonnier Corp.’s
Glenn Hughes
announced the
promotion of
Gary Jennings to
publisher of Fly Fishing in Salt Waters,
which is published six times a year by
the Bonnier Marine Group. Formerly
associate publisher, Jennings joined the
publication in June 2002.
Mazur Promoted to Editor of
Bonnier also announced the promotion
of Mike Mazur to editor of Fly Fishing
in Salt Waters magazine. Mazur moves
to his new position from another
Bonnier title, Sport Fishing, where he
was managing editor. He also served
as associate editor during his time at
Sport Fishing. Mazur succeeds Capt. Ted
Lund, who has been promoted to editor
of Bonnier title SaltWater Sportsman
under editor-in-chief John Brownlee.
Reilly Steps Out, Healy In at
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sunglass system ever built. Simply twist the temple to open, replace with a new
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Our respected colleague
Jim Reilly has stepped
down as managing
editor of Fly Rod &
Reel magazine. He will
contribute to the magazine, and pursue
other freelance opportunities. Joe
Healy has been hired as the magazine’s
new associate publisher. Editorial and
business inquiries should be directed to
Joe at [email protected].
smithoptics.com
lookgoodseefish.com
800-635-4401
CURRENTS
McDowell Departs from Simms
Whitney McDowell has stepped
down from her marketing manager
position at Simms Fishing Products.
She will spend more time fishing,
and will remain an ambassador for
Simms. Diane Bristol is reassuming
marketing-related responsibilities for
the foreseeable future.
Gary Graham Named to California
Outdoors Hall of Fame
Gary Graham, 67, who parlayed a lifetime love of fishing into a role as conservationist, writer, advocate and spokesman for the sport, was inducted into the
California Outdoors Hall of Fame.
Others elected with Graham were Rick
Copeland, founder of “Becoming an
Outdoors Woman” and Francis Farquhar (1887-1974), a San Francisco Bay
Area mountaineer, writer and longtime
director of the Sierra Club.
Graham was cited by the Hall of
Fame, “... for his willingness and ability
to share his extensive knowledge of
fishing and the ocean with thousands
of others...” His background in fishing
spans more than 40 years in Southern
California and the Baja Peninsula, beginning with the half-day boats fishing
the local kelp beds off San Diego.
Charter Life Member of the San Diego
Marlin Club (with two terms as president). He has also served as director of
the Los Angeles Billfish Club, the Los
Pescadores Fishing Club, Southwestern
Yacht Club, and the National Coalition for Marine Conservation, as well
as chairing national and international
saltwater tournaments.
In 1977, Graham and his wife, Yvonne,
founded Friends of Fishing, non-profit
organizations to take disadvantaged
children enrolled in Big Brothers and
Big Sisters of San Diego County fishing
and teach them about the ocean. Graham led Friends of Fishing for 12 years
before handing the program over to Big
Brothers and Big Sisters.
Graham is also a writer and photographer. In addition to two books on saltwater flyfishing, hundreds of his articles
have appeared in publications including
Big Game Fishing Journal, BlueWater, Destino, Fly-fishing in Saltwater, Gringo Gazette,
Marlin, Pacific Coast Sportfishing, Saltwater
Fly-fishing, Salt Water Sportsman, Southwest
Fly-fishing, Sport Fishing, The Drake, Western
Outdoor News and Western Outdoors.
Graham has served as the International
Game Fish Association’s Baja California Representative since 1994 and is a
member of the historic Avalon Tuna
Club (and editor of its newsletter) and a
Since 1993, Gary and Yvonne have
owned Baja on the Fly, a flyfishing
expedition company in Baja California, which has hosted more than 2,000
flyfishing clients in several locations in
Baja and mainland Mexico.
Abel 2007 Tarpon Winner Watches
Prize Reel Made
Webster “Web”
Young, a Chicago
flyfisher who won
the 2007 Abel
On Your Honor
Tarpon Tournament, spent two days
at the firm’s precision machine shop in
mid-December watching a new Super
13 being made.
10’ TrailWater trailer shown
with 13’ and 9’ watercrafts!
Finally…a trailer built specifically
for fly-fishing and
inflatable pontoon boats.
8’, 10’ and 12’ models available.
Visit our website, or call us.
www.trailwater.com or call 800.228.1003 x34
for more info and a free brochure.
14
by Broyhill
Young, together with his longtime
fishing companion, Henry T. Cannon,
Germantown, Tennessee, was flown to
the Abel factory and given an extensive
factory tour by shop foreman and vice
president Glen Krapff and director
of sales Jeff Patterson. Over two days
they witnessed their grand prize reel
being cut from 6061-T aluminum bar
stock, precision machined on a CNC
lathe and mill, hand polished, anodized,
YOUR BUSINESS,
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OUR INDUSTRY.
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MARKETS YOU SERVE.
FlyFishing Retailer 2008 is your chance to
meet the world’s leading fly manufacturers
to see, test, touch and research new
product lines preview emerging fly fishing
innovations and gain market insight.
2008
TRADESHOW
SUNDAY • MONDAY • TUESDAY
SEPTEMBER 14-16, 2008
COLORADO CONVENTION CENTER
DENVER, COLORADO, USA
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today at www.flyfishingretailer.com
FLYFISHING RETAILER IS ENDORSED AND SPONSORED BY
THE AMERICAN FLY FISHING TRADE ASSOCIATION.
CURRENTS
assembled and finally engraved to their
specifications. The prize, including the
all-expense-paid trip to California, was
valued at about $3,000, according to
Don R. Swanson, president, of Abel.
retail management experience with
Orvis, knowledge of local water, an
understanding and dedication to customer service and a contagious energetic
enthusiasm to our TCO family.”
Young selected the Super 13 as his reward for the 140-pound tarpon caught
in early June in the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, Homosassa, Fla.
He’s giving the reel to his guide, Capt.
Dan Malzone. “I’d have never have
hooked or landed the tarpon without
Capt. Dan,” said Young.
TCO Fly Shop was established in 1990
in West Lawn, just outside of Reading,
PA. TCO has grown quickly through
a commitment to top quality products
and customer service excellence. TCO’s
flagship store in Reading is among
the biggest flyfishing specialty shops
in the United States. TCO Fly Shops
are also now open in Philadelphia’s
Main Line suburb of Bryn Mawr and
in Adirondack Park just outside of
Lake Placid, NY. In the spring of 2007,
TCO opened TCO State College and
TCO Spruce Creek right in the center
of some of the best flyfishing central
Pennsylvania has to offer. TCO’s also
operates an extensive Internet store,
www.tcoflyfishing.com.
Entries in the 2008 On Your Honor
Tarpon Tournament are now being
accepted. The winner and a guest will
be flown to California, hosted by Abel,
and given the reel of his or her choice.
The winner will watch the progression
of their personal reel being precision
machined, anodized and finished.
Company News
TCO Fly Shop Expands with Sixth
Retail Location
“TCO attributes its growth and success to a continued focus on providing
the best flyfishing products and services
through both retail and E-commerce
channels,” said TCO Fly Shop president
and managing partner Tony Gehman.
“Corey James shares our values and
approach to providing clients with excellent products, unparalleled service, continuous educational opportunities and
professional guide services. Customers
initially come to TCO for our extensive
product line and industry expertise and
return as loyal clients based on the level
of service we provide. Corey brings
The Orvis Company is working with
iVendix, a software
application by CenterStone Technologies, Inc. as a business-to-business (B2B)
online ordering solution for their retail
dealers and sales reps. Dealers and
sales reps are now able to view automated catalogs, check on the availability
of product, place orders, and track and
monitor the status of those orders using
iVendix since it is accessible 24/7 via
the Web.
“Since its founding in 1856, The Orvis
Company has been committed to
providing world-class customer service.
That commitment extends not only
to its traditional consumer base, but to
their worldwide network of dealers as
well. To continue building on the Orvis
tradition of superior customer service
in today’s business environment, the
“In our mind, a proven solution is one
that retailers will quickly adopt, and in
outdoor recreation and sporting goods
CenterStone has rapidly become the
industry standard. With many thousands of specialty retailers already using
their Web-based application, we are
confident that Orvis dealers will also be
quick to embrace CenterStone’s iVendix
solution. Because this new solution is
internet-enabled, and available 24/7,
our dealers will be able to spend more
time during the day on their shop floors
with their customers and still be able to
conduct business with Orvis after normal, retail business hours. Having the
best products has always been an important tradition at Orvis, but being easy
to do business with, will also help Orvis
continue to set its brand apart, and it
will contribute to the ongoing success
of our specialty dealers. With this new
sales order management solution, Orvis
expects to take a leadership role by setting a new standard for customer service
in the fishing industry. We are hoping
that our new B2B solution will also limit
the exchange of paper documents with
our dealers and sales reps. An on-line
B2B solution will allow Orvis to conduct business in a paperless manner by
reducing the need for faxes, worksheets
and catalogs, and it reinforces Orvis’
commitment to environmental sustainability,” said LePage.
“We are truly excited and pleased that
such a storied brand in the flyfishing industry has selected CenterStone for their
B2B solution. Clearly, Jim LePage and
the whole senior management team at
Orvis understand the importance of this
initiative, which will help Orvis maintain
their leadership position in the fishing and outdoor recreation space. The
Orvis Company has a long-standing
tradition of providing superior customer
service to their specialty retail community, and Orvis has a well-deserved
reputation for the unrivalled quality of
their rod and tackle products. They
have built the brand upon this foundation. B2B software is NOT what has
made the Orvis brand a great one;
software development is not their core
competency. That’s CenterStone’s core
competency,” said Peter O’Neil, executive vice president, sales and marketing
of CenterStone Technologies.
Brands that currently use CenterStone’s
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model and
make the company’s other solutions
available to retail customers and sales
reps include: The North Face, JanSport,
Vans, Reef and VF Imagewear, part
of VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC);
Pearl Izumi, a division of Nautilus, Inc.
(NYSE: NLS); Marmot Mountain,
Ex Officio, Marker Apparel, Adio
Footwear and Planet Earth, brands
of Jarden Corporation (NYSE: JAH);
Under Armour (NYSE: UA); Helly
Hansen; Perry Ellis Intl. (NASDAQ:
PERY); Geneva Watch Group;
Cleveland Golf, and Fidra Golf, part of
Quiksilver, (NYSE: ZQK); SmartWool,
a division of Timberland (NYSE: TBL);
RipCurl; Billabong; Sport Obermeyer;
Smith Optics; KHS Bicycles; Dale of
Norway; O’Neill Clothing; Hot Chillys;
Petzl; Sole Technology; Icebreaker;
Four Star Distribution; Buck Knives;
Fresh Produce Sportswear; Yakima
Products; Patagonia Europe and others.
Spyder Active Sports Acquires
Cloudveil Mountain Works
Ski and
performance
apparel company Spyder Active
Sports, Inc. announced last month
it had acquired Cloudveil Mountain
Works, Inc. Terms of the agreement
were not disclosed. Under the
agreement, Cloudveil will remain a
separate brand entity and operate as
TCO Fly Shop announced the opening
of TCO Fly Shop Carlisle in the former
Cold Springs Angler location at 419
East High Street in Carlisle, PA. TCO
hired Corey James to lead the new TCO
Fly Shop Carlisle.
Orvis Working with
CenterStone’s iVendix
company needs a reliable B2B ordering
tool,” said Jim LePage, vice president of
Rod and Tackle for Orvis.
CURRENTS
From The Chicago
Sun Times…
a wholly owned, independent division of
Spyder. Cloudveil’s founders, president
Brian Cousins and vice president Stephen
Sullivan, have signed multi-year contracts
to continue in their respective roles within
Prep Bass Fishing Tourney Gets
the new organization.
Go-Ahead By Dale Bowman
Illinois will become the first state to have a
Simms Account to Pale
statewide bass-fishing tournament at the
Morning Media
Simms Fishing Products has named Pale high school level in the spring of 2009.
Morning Media its agency of record for
public relations and strategic media support. The Waitsfield, Vermont, agency
lists the Fly Fishing Retailer World Trade
Expo among numerous other clients.
Albright Tackle Retains
Backbone Media
Following up on its hire of Burke White
as the president of Albright Tackle, the
company also inked a deal with Colorado
based Backbone Media to handle its PR
and marketing efforts.
Events
FLW-Style Flyfishing Only Bass
Tournament Set
Sponsors of the event include: Ranger
Boats, Mercury Motors, Orvis, Sage,
Scott, The Hook-up Outfitters, Arizona
Fly Fishing, TFO, SA, RIO, G. Loomis,
Redington, Smith Optics, Umpqua,
Riverborn, Galvan, Targus, Solitude,
Idylewild, and many more.
The event will offer cash and products as
prizes. Cost to enter is $350 per team.
Registration is being handled by The HookUp Outfitters, thehookupoutfitters.com.
18
AT: Hi, is XXXX there please?
Employee of the Month: No.
The big step came “in February”. The
Illinois High School Association’s board of
directors approved a recommendation from
executive director Marty Hickman to add
the bass-fishing tournament “as an IHSA
activity beginning in the spring of 2009,
provided that adequate sponsorships are
secured in advance for the tournament.’’
AT: Any chance he’ll be back in
today?
That won’t be a holdup. The concept is
innovative enough that sponsors will flock
to it. (If I’ve already been contacted by one
of the biggest national players in outdoors
since my first column about the tournament Sept. 16, I assure you the IHSA has
heard from many more.)
AT: Does he have voice mail?
“The level of support for a bass-fishing
tournament, from both our membership
and from other non-school groups, has
demonstrated clearly to our board that
this event is one with potential tremendous value to our schools,’’ Hickman
said. “Implementing such an activity will
enable our schools to provide another opportunity for students that will enrich their
educational experience and keep with the
association’s mission.’’
EOM: Unintelligible response....
AT: Excuse me?
EOM: He’ll be back tomorrow
between 12 and 3.
EOM: Nope.
AT: Can I leave a message?
EOM: Sure, but it’s likely XXXX
WILL NOT respond to it.
AT: Why not?
EOM: He’s very busy.
AT: What about an E-mail?
EOM: You can try, but he won’t
answer that either.
AT: What? Why on earth would he
not respond to a potential customer?
EOM: He’s busy.
AT: (Speechless for a second)…
That’s pretty crappy customer
service.
Coming Soon to Your Shop?
The “Undercover Angler”
Phone Service? In the interest of
fairness, the undercover angler
turned its attention for this issue to
EOM: I know.
We couldn’t have made it up if we
tried. Likely, we aren’t the first to
have experienced this. Ironically, if
you really wonder which company
this is, it claims on its website to
have the best customer service in
the industry. – the Editors.
Environment/
Conservation
Report Highlights Fishing’s
Broad Economic and
Conservation Impact
Recreational fishing is more than just a
getaway for millions of Americans. As
an industry, it provides a living for countless people in businesses ranging from
fishing tackle and accessories manufacturing, to travel, and hospitality, to boat
manufacturing. According to a new
report on fishing statistics, published by
the American Sportfishing Association
(ASA), when expenditures are multiplied
by America’s nearly 40 million anglers,
their dollars have a significant impact on
our nation’s economy.
“Sportfishing in America: An Economic Engine and Conservation
Powerhouse” (www.asafishing.org/asa/
statistics/index.html) highlights how
fishing not only endures as an activity
that permeates social and economic aspects of Americans’ lives, but also plays
a huge role in the country’s successful
conservation movement.
“As an industry, we are keenly aware of
the impact that sportfishing has on this
nation’s economy,” said ASA president and CEO Mike Nussman. “Just
by enjoying a day on the water, men,
women and children across the United
States pump billions of dollars into this
country’s economy.” Nussman further
said, “And it’s not just the economy;
America’s anglers are in many ways the
nation’s most powerful force for the environment. Investing hundreds of millions
of dollars each year in fisheries management and conservation through taxes on
fishing equipment and license sales.”
America’s nearly 40 million anglers
spend over $45 billion per year on
fishing equipment, transportation,
lodging and other expenses associated
with their sport. With a total annual
economic impact of $125 billion, fishing
supports over one million jobs and
generates $34 billion in wages and $16
billion in tax revenues each year. The
average amount anglers spend yearly on
hooks, rods, lures and other fishing tackle
increased 16 percent from 2001 to 2006.
A number of reports strongly indicate
that fishing is identified by American
families as one of the best ways to spend
quality time together. According to the
National Sporting Goods Association,
fishing as a leisure-time activity ranks
higher than playing basketball or softball,
skateboarding, jogging or hiking.
Substantially more than any other
groups, anglers support the nation’s
conservation efforts through the Sport
Fish Restoration Program. Special
taxes on fishing gear and motorboat
fuel channel hundreds of millions of
anglers’ dollars to state fish and wildlife
conservation and recreation programs
each year.
began on January 1. The DOW
regularly sponsors fishing derbies for
kids and in the past provided lead
fishing weights to all participants.
The DOW will now use lead-free
products for these programs which
educate more than 20,000 children a
year on the environment and angling
skills. The DOW is making great
strides in educating the state’s fishing
community on the importance of
using non-lead fishing weights.
“When we teach kids about becoming
anglers and conservationists we want
to make sure that they are learning
about the potential impacts they can
have whether it is positive or negative,”
said Scott Gilmore, angler education
program coordinator with the DOW.
“BossTin has gone above and beyond
in helping us teach this important lesson
with this cooperative program.” at
The American Sportfishing Association’s
analysis is based on data from the 2006
National Survey of Fishing, Hunting
and Wildlife-Associated Recreation,
conducted every five years on behalf
of the Association of Fish and Wildlife
Agencies by the Census Bureau and
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Sportfishing in America was produced
for ASA by Southwick Associates,
Fernandina Beach, Fla.
“Get the Lead Out”
The Colorado Division of Wildlife,
(DOW), and BossTin, a Pagosa Springs,
Colorado-based company that manufacturers non-toxic, lead-free weights for fly,
bass and bait fishing, have partnered to
“Get the Lead Out” of Colorado’s lakes,
streams, rivers and ponds.
The joint venture between the
DOW’s Angler Education Program
and BossTin to “Get the Lead Out”
A FLW-style bass tournament – but with
fly tackle only – is set for April 4th and
5th, 2008, at Lake Pleasant, northwest of
Phoenix, Arizona. The tournament organizers say the goal is to bring attention
to the sport of flyfishing, get fly anglers
interested in bass fishing, introduce them
to the associated fun and products, as well
as introduce and highlight flyfishing to
conventional gear users.
a manufacturer. This company
will remain anonymous, because
its performance on a servicerelated call was so pathetic,
frankly we found it embarrassing.
Actual phone transcript:
feature
Sticking True to the Red,
White and Blue
Written by Kirk Deeter
retailer is overstocked, he blows out inventory by cutting
prices, and as soon as the domino falls, the chain reaction
moves fast through the industry, ultimately harming
retailers more than the manufacturers.”
But even the staunchest flag-waver will concede that
competing on price alone is a dead-end for American
manufacturers, because as much as Americans love their
apple pie and stars and stripes, they also love a good deal.
After all, it’s that same flag-waving, Lee Greenwoodsinging, NASCAR-loving nation that makes the Wal-Mart
world go around. Really, what’s more American these
days than a good old-fashioned 40-percent-off sale on
cheap Chinese imports under the banner of the yellow
smiley face?
So, understanding that, for better or worse, the price
genie is already out of the bottle, many specialty shops
now find themselves looking for the ideal balance of
imports and domestic brands in the product lines they
carry. That ideal balance will be different for every shop.
While there are no blueprints to follow in this regard, in
some product segments, like soft goods, apparel, and flies,
the issue has already been resolved in favor of imports.
In other segments, like rods, reels, and accessories, the
battle is just now heating up.
To Be or Not to Be a Commodity
Is “made in America” dead?
Well, not if you ask motorcycle maker HarleyDavidson. Or C.F. Martin guitars. Or Buck Knives.
True, traditional “widget” manufacturing (and steel,
and auto, and others), as we knew it, has long ago
seeped beyond American borders. But in certain
niche markets, from high-end road bikes to fine
musical instruments, to the blade you likely carry in
your hunting pack, “made in America” is still the
trump card.
It depends on whom you talk to. Perhaps more
accurately, it depends on which segment of the
market—rods, or reels, or apparel, or accessories—
you are talking about. To be sure, there are a good
handful of flyfishing companies that are banking on
the fact that “made in America” is still a consumer
20
The logic goes like this: Imports cost less to
produce. That lowers the price for consumers,
which is a good thing. But it also lowers margins
for retailers, which is a bad thing. To make up
profit, you have to increase volume. But the
consumer pool is only so big. So the big box
retailers who carry the inventory survive on
volume, and the specialty shop feels the squeeze.
“There is no other way to explain it, competing
on price leaves the specialty retailer more exposed
to economic downturns,” described Jim Bartschi,
president of the Montrose, Colorado-based Scott
Fly Rod Company. “The market contracts, the
In other words, Bartschi is banking on the fact that
enough of the fly market will graduate from the
“Chopsticks” level to concert pitch to develop an
appreciation for high-end product. Some would argue
that’s a stretch, that the majority of flyfishing consumers
really can’t tell the difference among most rods. Then
again, if you’re looking for a motorcycle to get you from
point A to point B, there are many cheaper options than
Harley-Davidsons.
It all comes down to status and prestige versus commodity.
Dave Klein, sales manager of Idaho-based Buck’s Bags,
makers of personal watercraft and belly boats, has fought
this battle firsthand.
“The critical concern is that once a product becomes a
commodity that is only sold based on price and not on
performance, quality and features, then everyone loses,”
said Klein. “A look at several pages of pontoon boats in
Cabela’s catalog, for example, reveals that they all look
fairly similar to the consumer who really doesn’t know
much about them. Also the fact is that there are only a
few factories in China that are building the boats for all
the American importers, so there really isn’t that much
distinction between seemingly different products and
brands. Then it just boils down to price.”
For some manufacturers, including the Scott Fly Rod
company, the answer to price-based competition has become The way around that quagmire, Klein explained, is to
create new products and technology, and promote them.
simple: Don’t go there.
“Companies that do this can stay ahead of the curve for a
“We’ve totally conceded the lower end, and dropped our
while and can bank on the likelihood that there will always
products in that space, because we decided that’s not
compatible with our vision and our interests,” said Bartschi. be enough affluent customers who want the latest and
“It’s not that we’re being elitist; I don’t think selling $100 fly greatest,” said Klein. “I think the danger is that if there
are not enough effective retail outlets for these high-end,
rods is evil. I’m glad there are people who service that part
technically oriented products, then it will mitigate the
of the market, but that’s not what we’re into.”
ability of the manufacturers to justify producing them.”
Bartschi noted that Scott also isn’t interested in
Marlboro Man Effect
expanding the company focus into other segments like
lines, reels, and accessories.
Not to be overlooked is the fact that the United States is seen
as an international cradle for the sport of angling, and flyfish“Too many companies are realizing they cannot make it
ing in particular. The halo effect on brands built and grown
on one product line, so they’ve decided to do anything
from rugged American roots has significant impact, within the
to grow, and while that might grow the top line a little,
United States and beyond. Call it the Marlboro Man effect.
if they’re doing it on (poor) margins, they do nothing to
grow the brand,” Bartschi said.
Cases in point: Simms, which imports soft goods, but
staunchly touts its wader line for being manufactured at
“One company we look at (to emulate) is Steinway &
its Bozeman, Montana, headquarters (Imported Beer?
Sons, makers of great concert pianos, all in New York.
They’re not nearly as big as a Yamaha, which has a huge
21
The question is, is flyfishing one of those
special niches?
hotbutton that leads to better margins and profits,
both for themselves, and for the specialty retailer.
In fact, they would argue that, for better or worse,
the fate of the specialty retail fly shop is vitally
connected with “made in America.”
music division. But they’re healthy because they’ve stuck
to a vision, and built a reputation and brand.”
feature
Occasionally. Imported Waders?
Never.) Then there’s Orvis, perhaps
the most iconic of all flyfishing
brands, which maintains rod
production at its facility in Vermont.
And G. Loomis, interestingly owned
by the Japanese firm Shimano,
but still maintains its rod
production facilities in
Woodland, Washington.
“You cannot underestimate
the power of the made in
America brands when it comes
to reputation for technical
excellence,” explained Jim
Lebson, director of sales and
marketing for G. Loomis.
“People who make rods
in China often don’t know what
flyfishing is. The average Loomis
employee has been here for around 10
years, and most of them are serious
anglers. That experienc and passion
for fishing translates into the rods we
make.”
In certain segments of the
flyfishing market, the feasibility of
manufacturing domestically can still
tilt favorably to the domestic side.
Machining high-end aluminum reels
is one such scenario.
Vista, California-based Hatch
Outdoors has experienced explosive
growth with its line of machined
reels since bursting onto the flyfishing
scene a few years ago. CEO John
Torok explained that manufacturing
in a relatively small space, with handson access to quality control has been a
catalyst for growing his brand. They
manufacture in the United States,
because they can. And Torok said he
wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I couldn’t imagine what it would
be like manufacturing overseas,
wondering every day if the reels
were being made correctly, or
what I’d be getting every time
my shipments arrive,” explained
Torok. “If I were manufacturing
soft goods, I could not imagine
anything but importing. But with
our reels, we place such a premium
on precision, and our retailers
and customers have embraced
the design and performance. It’s
imperative that I have a hands-on
involvement with production.”
Another southern Californiabased company, Hobie, which has
branched out from a traditional
background in sailing to kayaking,
manufactures in the States.
“Americans are looking for simple
means to expand their
fishing opportunities,”
said Hobie president Doug
Skidmore. “Our roots are
deep here, and being an
American company helps us
to connect with this growing
trend. There’s something
to be said for being an
American brand.”
Service American Style
There are companies that have
been able to buck the import trend,
even in segments now dominated
by imports, like accessory items.
New Hampshire-based Millstream
Products is a family-owned
operation that manufactures utility
boxes. Owner Dave Dobrowski
admits that injection-molding boxes
is far from “rocket science,” and
that the process can be performed
at lower cost outside the United
States. Still, he maintains a loyal
customer base by focusing on
service, and supply chain control.
“If you want to save nickels and
dimes on every unit, you can
place large preseason orders with
overseas manufacturers, but what
happens in August when you run
out of your supply? When my
customers need to restock, they
pick up the phone, call me, and we
take care of them,” said Dobrowski.
Dobrowski added that he’s actually
seen a countertrend among retailers
who appreciate his more nimble,
service-oriented approach, valuing
22
access and answers more than a
couple pennies on the dollar.
“Our customers appreciate the
total value; it isn’t like looking
at the fine print on a phone bill
to them,” he explained. “By
manufacturing here in America, we
can leverage what is often a lost art
called service.”
Dobrowski also explained how
maintaining hands-on domestic
manufacturing control helps
safeguard his company from
a common process called
“dumping,” wherein the overseas
manufacturing plant a company
outsources to, turns around and
manufactures the same knock-off
product design under its own label.
It is, for all intents and purposes,
product piracy, and a serious
concern within the conventional
tackle market if not yet the
flyfishing market.
The Case for Selling American
The truth is, in the current
economy, imports are a vital part
of the mix, particularly in the
specialty flyfishing retail market.
Price is, and will continue to be, a
key factor. Anyone who thinks that
“buy American, because it’s the
right thing to do” is a viable sales
platform is living a fairy tale.
Still, there are compelling
reasons for leveraging American
manufactured products, most
notably margins, supply chain
control, service, quality, innovation,
and consumer loyalty.
In the end, the question has less
to do with patriotism than it does
capitalism. How you answer it, and
how you apply that answer to your
business is completely up to you. at
OPINION EDITORIAL
Great (Lakes)
Potential
Written by Jerry Darkes
Is the flyfishing industry in a state of transition or a
state of confusion? For the independent, specialty
dealer and small U.S.-based manufacturer, times
have indeed been tough. Bigbox retailers and
quality off-shore imports have all been taking their
pieces of a pie that has seen static growth. If there
is hope on the horizon, the likely key will be getting
that pie to grow again.
Although I fish for trout, I am not a trout fisherman.
I am a fly fisherman, and this simple philosophy has
opened up a whole other world. It allows me to fish
for anything I want to with a fly and enjoy every
minute of it.
nearly any imaginable location and
situation. Why do most of us turn
our nose up at trying something
different, like throwing a sinking a
line for smallmouth bass?
The Great Lakes region where I live is one of the
top sportfishing areas on earth. Billions of dollars
are spent annually in pursuit of a long list of fish
species. All factors considered, it may be one of
the top flyfishing areas, too. Think about it, the
Great Lakes contain 20% of the world’s supply of
standing freshwater. There are nearly 11,000 miles of
shoreline with hundreds of tributary streams. There
are wilderness as well as urbanized areas, all with
productive fisheries. One quarter of the population of
North America is within an easy drive of one of the
lakes. There is an abundance of both coldwater and
warmwater species for fly anglers to pursue.
Too hard, you say? Bull. Here’s
hard: Me, a 50-plus-year-old
guy trying to tie on a size #24
Trico on 6X tippet and making
pinpoint casts to risers just when
a little breeze is starting up. No
fun to catch fish on sinking lines,
you say? Bull again. When you
have a three-pound smallie rocket
six feet in the air dragging 50 feet
of 7-weight Type 6, get back to
me. Not challenging enough?
Bull three. Try locating, stalking,
hooking and landing a 20-pluspound carp on a Lake Michigan
flat. Then tell me how easy it
was. The potential challenges, and
enjoyment, are endless.
Those waiting for another
movie to save us are going
to be waiting a while
longer. Catch and Release
was not the second coming
of A River Runs Through It.
So what is the answer? I
think many of us can find
one answer close by…
maybe even just around
the corner.
I believe the key will be
refocusing our efforts
outside the traditional
boundaries that have
been set. As an industry,
we have coldwater and
saltwater tunnel vision.
We need to peek outside
the tunnel a bit and then
open up completely and
see what all is out there
to learn and explore. There is a lot of territory
east of the Rockies, west of the Atlantic and north
of the Gulf.
I grew up in and still live in Ohio, just outside of
Cleveland. It’s hardly a hotbed of flyfishing activity,
yet I have been an avid fly angler for over 40 years.
24
Much of this fishing can be
accessed easily. Some of the best
action can be reached from shore
without the need for a boat. What
is needed is the realization by
anglers and manufacturers that we
can flyfish very successfully for fish
other than trout, steelhead, salmon,
tarpon, redfish or bonefish. Bass,
pike, muskie, carp and a host of
other species are prime targets
for fly anglers and can be caught
on the lakes themselves as well as
tributaries and connecting waters.
Yet how much attention has been focused on this area
by the flyfishing industry? True, tributary fishing
for steelhead and salmon gets a little play (but not
considered legit by most left-coasters) and inland trout
get some mention. But, if you look at opportunities in
the lakes themselves, it’s pretty much a blank slate. We
have the equipment these days to throw flies at fish in
Let’s expand the geography a bit.
I recently talked with Dick Haas
from Forward Cast Fly Shop in
Louisville, Kentucky. Haas has
caught over 100 species of fish
on flies, 40 in Kentucky. He was
telling me about a day’s fishing
he had just experienced throwing
flies on the Ohio River. A real
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OPINION EDITORIAL
smallmouth bass, largemouth bass,
sauger (how many of you even
know what a sauger is?), white bass,
and skipjack herring. If water
conditions were a little better he
could have added wipers (hybrids)
and stripers into the mix. Yes,
opportunities like this are seasonal
and yes, water conditions have to
be right, but isn’t that true of any
fishing, anywhere you go?
Largemouth bass are the most
popular sport fish in the United
States. They are found in every
state except Alaska. The public
loves to fish for largemouth bass
and spend lots money doing it.
For some reason the flyfishing
industry has paid only token
attention to this market. If we
can get just a small percentage
of this group to get serious about
flyfishing, think of the growth
potential it could provide.
There is a lot of territory to be
covered south of the Great Lakes
where the largemouth bass is king.
Big reservoirs hardly seem like a
26
There are indications that more
attention is finally being focused
on these formerly fringe fisheries
by American manufacturers. Sage
and Scott have introduced specific
rods for bass and other warmwater
applications. Line manufacturers
are following follow suit and
producing additional specialized
lines focused on warmwater
use. New fly patterns are being
developed for a complete lineup
of warmwater fish by innovative
tiers. We have really only begun
to scratch the potential that these
fisheries have to offer.
There has been localized flyfishing
focus on some of these alternate
fisheries. The Sacramento River
Delta in California or Lake
Superior’s Chequamegon Bay in
Wisconsin are two prime examples.
But looking closer, there are
countless, high-quality flyfishing
opportunities available all across
the United States that are ignored
by fly anglers for no other reason
than it is not trout fishing.
With gasoline costs continuing
to increase and the value of the
dollar continuing to decrease,
many anglers will be forced to
either travel less or stay closer to
home and concentrate on local
opportunities. We all need to
work together to let beginners and
experienced anglers alike know
that there are flyfishing options
out there when time or money or
both are tight. Maybe it’s time
to swallow a little industry pride
and admit a smallmouth bass is as
pretty as a rainbow trout.
If global climate change continues
and coldwater fisheries decline,
will this be the death knell for
our industry? Can focusing on
alternate fisheries now ensure
the survival of our sport for our
children and their children?
Maybe the question is a little farfetched, but I suggest it’s worth
thinking about.
One of the great, continuing
joys of my flyfishing career has
been the challenge to catch as
many species on a fly in as many
situations as possible. This keeps
it fresh and new all the time. Call
it cutting edge, call it eccentric,
call it whatever you like, but I call
it looking outside the tunnel and
continuing a legacy started by
pioneering anglers such as Bob
Clouser, Lefty Kreh, Dave Whitlock
and others.
There is a group of us out there
including myself, Conway Bowman,
Hogan Brown, Kevin Feenstra,
Rick Kustich, Russ Maddin, Brian
Mezaros, Chad Miller, Kelly
Neuman and many others (whom
I apologize to for not knowing or
having the space to name) who
are working to open the tunnel
up as wide as possible in the
exploration of big water and
alternate species. Come on and
take a look outside and see what
we are up to. The future of
flyfishing may depend on it. at
27
The point is that we need to focus
on and take advantage of what we
have locally and let beginners know
that it is okay to flyfish for the same
species they have been chasing
with conventional tackle. That’s
especially true here in the Great
Lakes Region. But more national
focus would help as well. Flyfishing
does not need an upgrade in social
standing or require we ignore the
fish we have chased all our lives.
This is the beauty of our sport.
It allows us to challenge ourselves
to do something different. If
trout and travel are part of the
equation, so be it, but they are
not requirements.
suitable place for throwing flies, but
if we are looking for new frontiers
to conquer, let the exploration
begin. Include the various other
available species and there will be
work to keep plenty of us busy for
a long time. The time has come
to accept this challenge. In fact,
this may be the “final frontier” of
our sport.
feature
“The world needed another expensive fly rod like lip cancer,” the outspoken Pope said of a concept that
carried his manufacturing process
straight out of the country and into
the hearts of eager consumers.
“The industry needed a rod for
the first-time fisherman or as a
backup for that clumsy brotherin-law or something for a kid. The
affordability of our business plan
meant going overseas.”
Made in America— NOT
Written by Charlie Meyers
The temptation in this eternal debate concerning the overseas production
of flyfishing gear is to view it in the trivial context of chicken-and-egg.
These divergent lines of reasoning
since have been scrambled into
an omelet of emotion stirred from
runny yolks. The only important
issue now is whether this galloping
trend toward made-in-Asia is a
suitable feast for the flyfishing
business. Or not.
28
The short answer depends, of course, upon which part of the industry
elephant one happens to be engaging at the moment. A much longer
discourse will be written in the extended growth pattern of an
enterprise whose essential converts will be secured through the option of
inexpensive foreign-made equipment.
By this oft-repeated rationale, a neophyte hooked on a $100 fly rod
subsequently will buy a $300 and then a $600 model, plus a wagon
load of other stuff that makes the cash register chime. Everyone wins
in the long run except, perhaps, a dwindling number of American
craftsmen who, so the argument goes, grow less interested in the
process by the day.
Certainly that is the mantra of groundbreaking entrepreneurs such as
Rick Pope, president of Temple Fork Outfitters, an upstart that in many
ways revolutionized the ways graphite fly rods are made and marketed.
That role has made TFO something
of a lightning rod for criticism from
those who decry the importation of
wands that compete with made in
the USA.
“In any industry that I know of,
there’s every reason to feel pride in
your own country’s craftsmanship,
from cars to watches. But only in fly
rods does this made in America seem
to attract so much attention.
“That’s why we get so many rocks
thrown at us.”
In a strategic bombshell that continues to pay dividends, Pope signed
Lefty Kreh, America’s best-known
fly fisherman and cast master, to a
contract that involves both promotion
and rod design. That brainstorm gave
TFO a sort of instant credibility while
also gaining the creativity of someone who knows a thing or two about
propelling a fly line.
“We have these little tweaks that
Lefty wants in an action and
they stand ready to deliver. We
communicate with the factory every
week,” Pope says of a relationship
that grows progressively more solid.
“There are a lot of good fly rod
engineers and I think our guys are
as good as anyone,” he said of what
he believes is a misconception about
pricing. “Performance and price often times is completely disconnected
in fly rods.”
A second part of the TFO strategy
concerned that very philosophy
of pricing.
“Most companies set price on the
basis of what the market will bear,”
Pope said. “We used a fair margin
approach that considered both us and
the dealers.”
For his justification of TFO’s position
as an Asian-made rod in an American market, Pope offers this: “Someone’s first purchase should be a rod
they can afford and that they feel
good about because of the price. But
it also should have a performance
that doesn’t impede their ability to
use it well.”
The shop equation in all this, Pope
says, is that TFO offers better
margins, while more expensive rods
turn more dollars.
“Our better dealers make 10 times the
inventory turn. But to get good turns,
you have to find new customers. A
specialty shop has to go out and get
them, not sit back and wait for them
like a buzzard. Then we all win.”
Pope is quick to declare his firm isn’t
the only significant brand in this niche
market, nor the first. That distinction
belongs to Redington, which traveled
a strange path from rock-the-boat
industry maverick to rock-ribbed
stalwart in that iconic powerhouse Far
Bank Industries, the holding company
that includes Sage and Rio.
Indeed, certain shop owners and
consumers who never blink at
Asian-made reels, vests, waders or a
myriad other accessories somehow
hit a patriotic wall with the long
rod. The same standard evaporates
when it comes to spinning rods,
now made almost exclusively in the
Orient. The gripe seems strictly to
be a fly rod thing.
29
Did certain manufacturers
make the long leap across the
Pacific because their products
no longer could be made
economically and competitively
in the U.S.? Or did their very
actions cause this to be so?
Pope’s notion since purchasing
in 1996 an obscure Utah-based
company then called Temple Fork
Outfitters was less to displace
existing brands than as “an addon for people who were interested,
maybe beyond our wildest dreams,
in stuff that doesn’t cost a lot
of money.”
All of which brings Pope back to that
time nine years ago when he made
an exclusive contract with a company in Korea that manufactures
expressly for TFO. He began with an
inexpensive two-piece graphite rod
and steadily tweaked the design and
price tag from there.
Angling Trade:angling trade
feature
Home and abroad, various companies
early on produced low-cost and often
inferior graphite rods. But it remained
for Redington to present a highly
affordable, yet effective product that
shouldered its way into many mainstream specialty shops.
“Some shops were carrying low-end
rods, but most of them were hiding in
the back room. Certainly no one was
promoting them,” said Bruce Kirchner,
president of Far Bank, as well as Redington and Sage. “Redington was the
first presented to the flyfishing industry
as a true value rod.”
Sage’s landmark 2003 move to
acquire Redington was motivated,
Kirchner said, “to have a position in
the lower price market without having to risk the franchise.”
The very fact that Sage took this
formidable step speaks volumes
about how far this handful of mainline domestic manufacturers will go
to preserve the sanctity of the made
sports
push past the rod rack. The possible
exception might be flies, but this
segment, too, is dominated by brands
made in Asia.
With that price template set, the rest
becomes a simple function of production cost and dealer margin—a model
that works few places other than Asia.
For this we can thank, or blame,
Umpqua Feather Merchants, whose
founder Dennis Black three decades
ago went to India in search of prime
hackle and ended up with a factory as
well. Black’s winding entrepreneurial
thread led next to Thailand and then
to Sri Lanka, a pattern of manufacture
and distribution that several generations of competitors have followed.
The same mold can be fitted precisely
over the stitch goods industry, an
enterprise that has migrated almost
exclusively overseas.
When Umpqua later established its
much-imitated model of contract tyers,
the flow to Asia became a tidal wave.
“If you go back 25 years or so, not
very many fly patterns were available
to consumers,” Umpqua’s Bruce Olson
recalled. “But with so many talented
innovators coming into the contract
program, that number grew very
quickly, accelerating the demand for
more efficient production.”
When John LeCoq concepted fishpond in 2000, he went directly to
Taiwan and China, following a path
he had learned in another startup
enterprise, the Colorado-based Case
Logic brand of cassette holders.
“One of our original products was a
little 15-unit cassette case. We were
making it in Lafayette, Colo., for $11.
We had no clue how to manufacture
offshore. But we went to Taipei and
wound up with the same case, ready
to ship to the U.S., for $1.60.”
For a firm whose hallmark is inventiveness, Asian manufacture proved
a must.
“The level of creativity you can put
in a product is far advanced if you
do it in Asia,” LeCoq emphasized.
“You can do samples quickly, make
changes on the fly. In China, we have
37 full-time sample makers, just to
create prototypes. We couldn’t begin
to approach that in the U.S.”
in the USA mantra. But as Kirchner
points out, it is a tune sung exclusively in the fly rod sector.
“Look at clothing, accessories and flies.
All are made overseas.”
Indeed, it would be almost impossible
to find an American-made product
in most fly shops once customers
30
The basic reality of high-volume tying,
Olson said, is that only with unwavering, year-round Asian factory output
can these growing quotas be met.
LeCoq said he’d be happy to make his
products in America, but that option
no longer exists. “The problem is, the
industry has moved out of America.
The cut-and-sew industry has just
gone away, certainly where it involves
bags and zippers.”
“You and I can’t sit down all day and
work for what the consumer wants to
pay,” Olson reasoned. “There are not
enough tyers in the U.S. who’ll work
for that kind of money.”
For all its efficiency and economy,
Asian manufacture isn’t always a
panacea. Successful U.S. firms maintain a constant vigil against inferior
materials and ruinous shortcuts.
“Getting them to throw something away
is difficult,” Pope said of the Asian tendency to use older or tag-end materials.
“Our greater fears relate to consistency
and delivery, or some mix of the two.”
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While he has heard horror stories,
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bad experience, in large part because,
“I don’t make bets with people I’m uncomfortable with. Sometimes you have
to count your fingers after you shake
hands with some of those folks.”
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Pope rates Korea, Taiwan, then China
in terms of quality and reliability.
“Making Koreans slow down and pay
attention to quality control is hard.
Culturally, they feel they have to compete with China, but they can’t. China
is a helluva lot cheaper than Korea,
with a labor cost of near zero.”
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The trouble comes, Pope said, “in getting your specifications right, getting
your carbon fiber pre-impregnation
formulas right all the time.”
He describes the Chinese rod factories as “absolute behemoths, monsters, that just don’t fit well with the
flyfishing market.”
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11
feature
The Best of Both Worlds
Written by Nate Matthews
The Savvy Company Knows How to Leverage
Made in China and Made in America Equally.
Editor’s Note: The real lesson in this exercise of exploring domestic manufacturing vs.
importing was that, in the globalized marketplace, smart companies play a balancing act.
They import when they compete on price, and leverage the “made in U.S.A.” ideal for
equal effect with other constituents. No doubt, this strategy can be implemented to effect on
the grassroots level … in the specialty fly shop. We asked Field & Stream’s online editor,
Nate Matthews to share his perspectives on the topic, centering his research on a conversation with an individual who seems to have one of the most effective grasps on the “best of
both worlds” strategy, K.C. Walsh, CEO of Simms Fishing Products.
There was a time when buying “made in America” meant NASCAR,
Detroit, and waving the flag at the local V.F.W. But in some industries
these days it’s been picking up a new label. In addition to “something I’m
doing for the good of the country,” it’s starting to mean “something I wish
I could afford.”
Trend-spotting reporter Alex Williams noted this in an article he wrote
for the New York Times last September. “With so many mass-market goods
made off-shore,” he wrote, “American-made products, which are often more
expensive, have come to connote luxury.” An “evolving image of many
American-made products as small-batch, high-craftsmanship products”
that’s mostly true in “connoisseur-friendly industries.”
Is flyfishing one of those industries? K.C. Walsh, the president and CEO of
Simms, gave me some thoughts on the subject a few weeks ago.
32
“I think we are in a business that
caters to a discerning group of consumers who value well-made, high
performance products that can
only be made in the U.S.,” he said.
“I mean, if you really enjoy flyfishing, is there anything like fighting
a fish on a Tibor reel, or casting a
Sage, Winston, or Scott Rod?”
labor costs are high and expanding
plant operations isn’t easy. Which
means the product, in the end, is
more expensive. So where does that
leave the newcomer to our sport?
Or the younger customer who loves
flyfishing but can’t yet afford to
shell out $500 for a pair of waterproof pants?
Simms waders fit into this category.
They are premium products that
appeal to people who want the best
and are willing to pay for it, from
the budget-minded enthusiast who
spends enough time on the water
to make high cost worthwhile to
the wealthy professional for whom
price matters less than quality. And
according to Walsh, Simms can
make waders better in the U.S.A.
Field & Stream’s flyfishing blog, Fly
Talk (fieldandstream.com/flytalk)
recently asked its readers this question
in a post on what “made in America”
means today. One of them, who
signed his name as “Sam,” said this:
“Our key goal since the early 90’s
has been to make the best waders
in the world,” said Walsh, “and we
can better control the quality, fit and
durability of our waders by controlling all aspects of the manufacturing
process.” He adds that, “Most of our
competitors’ waders are made in one
or two factories in China. They’re
okay, but they don’t have supervisors,
managers, and production workers
who’ve been making waders in the
same facility for 15 years.”
Another advantage to making waders in the States: flyfishing isn’t as
big in China as it is in Bozeman,
Montana. “A meaningful percentage of our employees like flyfishing,” said Walsh. “We run a fourday work week so that employees
can have a three-day weekend to
go fishing. We have former guides
on our production staff. The folks
that are making these products
actually use them.”
That kind of knowledge base
takes money to build and maintain, especially in the U.S., where
“As a recent college grad it is hard for
me to justify spending $200 - $1000
on a rod simply to support American
business... I try to practice the think
global act local mantra whenever possible, so when I do have the available
funds I will buy quality local goods.
Unfortunately for the time being if I
have to buy foreign made rods to keep
me out on the water, I’m willing to
make that sacrifice.”
the widest product offering in the
cluding its hand-made Custom Shop
industry, from offshore manufactured models, which sell for several thousoft goods to high-end rods hand-built sand dollars — in California.”
in Vermont.
The lesson is clear for American
flyfishing manufacturers... diversify
This dual strategy of making high
end products in the U.S.A. and entry your offerings and you can grow
your business while still maintaining
level goods overseas is being used by
operations in the states, employing
companies in many other industries.
American workers. But what does all
Williams again, in the Times, wrote
this mean for the retailer who wants
that: “New Balance produces less
expensive running shoes abroad, but to continue supporting the “made in
America” label?
it still makes the top-of-the-line 992
model — which the company says
Two things. One: sell as much quality
requires 80 manufacturing steps and entry-level gear as possible, regardcosts $135 — in Maine. In bicycles,
less of where it comes from, in order
too, Schwinn and Huffy have deto get more people out on the water.
camped to Asia, leaving high-end
And two: provide the kind of service
specialty companies like Trek and
those customers need to progress
Cannondale alone making bikes in
from water-whipping newbies into
this country... Fender, the guitar mak- skilled enthusiasts. It’s how we’ll
er, builds entry-level electric guitars in grow our sport, and the better they
Mexico, but it still makes higher-end get, the better the gear they’re going
to want to buy. at
Stratocasters and Telecasters — in-
In effect, the gauntlet has been
thrown down. Even Simms has embraced the reality that cost feasibility makes producing items outside
of the wader line – soft goods like
jackets, boots, fleeces, etc. – overseas
is the rule, not an exception. It just
makes sense.
Other flyfishing industry leaders are
mixing the import-export paradigm
to help them produce products
that cover a broader price range,
this appeals to a potentially larger
target/consumer audience. Take,
for example, Ross Reels, whose
“Ross Worldwide” division now
manufactures an array of imported,
lower pricepoint rods and reels to
complement its traditional reel line,
manufactured in the States. Orvis,
has for years, balanced the importexport game across what is arguably
at
feature
downsloping trend is the result of an array of factors
including costs (gear, travel, licenses), the loss of available
access, and most importantly, the failure to integrate
youth. Generally speaking, hunting numbers are also
dipping. But bowhunting is bucking the trend.
In the December ‘07 issue of Field & Stream, Dave Hurteau
outlined the “Bow Boom,” pointing out that between 1996
and 2006, the number of licensed bowhunters spiked from
2.86 million to over 3.3 million. Not only has participation
increased, so too has the quality of the experience. From
1989-1990, the number of Pope & Young worthy bucks
recorded was 1,814. In 2005-2006, that number jumped
to 4,981. And businesses are paying attention to the trend.
Cabela’s, for example, dedicated 82 pages in its archery
catalog in 1994; in 2007 the page count is 292.
Given the fact that bowhunting and flyfishing share
philosophical roots, and they both attract impassioned
participants (those that are as excited about “the ride” as
much as they are about harvesting an animal or catching a
fish), I wondered what the flyfishing industry might learn,
if anything, from the archery crowd.
Making the Most of the Resources at Hand
After talking with bowhunting and flyfishing industry
insiders, a few themes came to the fore. Both sports face
obstacles like increased urbanization, the loss of public
land/water, and the struggle to capture the attention
of youth. The difference, however, is that bowhunting
has adapted better than flyfishing and has built a strong
following by focusing on its strengths.
The Stick and the String…
Written by Ben Romans
I am a bowhunter and a fly fisherman. Hunting
with stick-and-string allows me to be an active
observer of nature. Scouting mountain ridgelines,
sitting in a treestand, or hiding patiently in a blind
invigorates my senses and kicks my adrenaline into
overdrive. In many ways, it’s similar to standing
knee-deep in a cold freestone watching trout sip
from the surface and strategizing how to deliver
the cast.
34
You might say that bowhunting and flyfishing are
distant cousins, both born of basic tools, storied traditions, and that essential desire to get closer to your
quarry. But the family resemblance ends when we
start talking about participation numbers.
According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife’s 2006
participation study, the overall angling population
has dropped 12 percent since 2001, and flyfishing
falls under this umbrella. Other studies show the
In the fly world, a similar initiative is gathering momentum. When the fly shop lauds the virtues of fishing on
farm ponds, in warmwater haunts, and other accessible
The bow industry also pushes the benefits of extended
seasons. In most states archers can hunt big game a full
month or more before firearm seasons commence. This is a
huge draw for anyone pursuing a specific animal or looking
to be in the mix during the height of the breeding season.
Despite living in the New York City area, Field & Stream
editor Anthony Licata is an avid bowhunter who thinks the
opportunity to spend more time in the field is a huge draw.
“You have to give credit to state wildlife management
departments. They’re the ones that have created archeryspecific seasons—most of which are two- or three-times
longer than gun seasons,” he said. “This doesn’t necessarily
give hunters a better chance of harvesting an animal, but it
does give them more time in the woods to study deer or elk
and an opportunity to extend their experience. For hunters
that are equally enthusiastic about the hunt as the kill, this
season is amazingly attractive.”
In some respects, flyfishing is no different. There are
hundreds of rivers and lakes (or portions of such) across
the U.S. open throughout the year to fly anglers when
others are off limits to live bait and treble hooks. There
are commonly unpublicized catch-and-release zones
that present an opportunity to shake off the winter
blues, wet a line, and enjoy a perfect diversion while
conventional anglers are relegated to waiting for a
favorite stillwater to thaw.
Another factor is that the bow market has actively
tapped into the deeper well of hunters in general. Many
bowhunters are converted rifle hunters purely looking to
test their skills on a different playing field … no different
than plug casters with a curiosity for switching to flies.
“At this point in my life I place more importance on hunting
than fishing,” says Jim Vincent, of RIO fly lines. “It’s not
something I can do as well as fishing so I look forward to each
hunt with greater anticipation. I still enjoy fishing for permit
and tarpon. That’s about as close to the same rush as I get
from hunting, but given a choice I’d rather be in the field.”
The Bow’s (Learning)
Curve is Short
Despite the abundance of tutorials, videos, and first-rate
instructors in the field, flyfishing, particularly casting, is considered difficult. According to some, the “challenge”
35
Can the Fly Rod be to Fishing What the Bow is to Hunting?
The loss of access is the death knell for any outdoor
activity. As rural areas become urbanized, sportsmen are
confined to smaller places, the likelihood for conflict rises,
and experience quality nosedives. That’s undoubtedly one
reason rifle-hunters take up bowhunting. Unlike rifles that
send bullets traveling for hundreds of yards, archery gear
has a limited range of effectiveness and doesn’t require
large tracts of land to facilitate. In the right locations, small
plots less than ten acres in size are productive. It’s easy to
see why someone might look to bowhunting after their
favorite farm or ranch is auctioned off to developers and
the wooded fringe of suburbia suddenly becomes quite
attractive. Both big and small game are not far from the
back door, even in populated areas. It’s simply a matter of
making the most of what’s readily available.
water close to home, they keep people on the water —
people eventually in need of fly lines, flies, or a supply of
tying materials.
feature
1
is one aspect of flyfishing that’s
traditionally been oversold, perhaps
to the deficit of the sport as a whole.
Licata senses the alleged complexities of flyfishing may push away
more beginners
than they attract.
to learn, the number of anglers
would certainly improve.”
One other very important point
is that bowhunting doesn’t tout
promising success rates, but that
still doesn’t stop people from climbing into tree stands or bugling for
early-season elk. It’s about the
experience. Most bowhunters are
enthusiastic and
involved in their pursuit at nearly every
level. They strive
to understand their
prey, its environment,
feeding patterns, and
security thresholds;
they know the physical limitations of
their gear and proper
shooting mechanics.
When it’s all said and
done, it doesn’t matter if it’s a doe
whitetail or mature gobbler lying at
the end of a blood trail.
Likewise, the seasoned fly angler
gets it, but many novices, it can be
argued, do not. One might contend that the notion an angler isn’t
grasping Nirvana in flyfishing unless they’re wading a Chilean river,
stalking a Bahamas bonefish, or
netting a 22-inch brown might, in
fact, be counterproductive. While
there’s nothing wrong with describing once-in-a-lifetime endeavors
anglers dream about (just like the
hunter’s 7x7 bull elk, or the African safari), most are out of reach
of the common man—and to a
lesser degree somewhat intimidating to outsiders.
Bowhunting has thrived by making
the accessible seem exotic. To the
extent the fly market calls less attention to record books and focuses more
on the excitement of seeing small
rising trout, stripers blitzing bait on
the shoreline, or a carp puffing dust
clouds in a reservoir, some industry
pros suggest it might find solutions for
market growth.
36
There’s No Place like Home
Landon Mayer and John Barr are
two such people who have earned
their stripes in the “big trout” world,
but are now thinking outside the
box. Their latest DVD, “Weapons of
Bass Production,” focuses on flyfishing techniques for bass and other
warmwater fish and attempts to
persuade habitual cold-water anglers
to consider the challenge and fun of
throwing a line in traditionally plugcasting environments.
“What we tried to do with this DVD is
show people how easy it is to find and
fish for bass and carp. They’re two
of the most prevalent fish in the U.S.
and can be found nearly anywhere,”
says Mayer. “It’s also a great way to
get others involved in the sport—
especially those that already chase
bass with conventional gear. These are
aggressive fish that put up a good fight
and you don’t have to be as concerned
with hatch-matching, mending, or
presentations like on a river.”
Rod makers are branching out as
well. As previously reported in Angling
Trade, Sage and Scott have created
two bass-weight fly rods that meet the
parameters and protocol needed for
legal use in fishing competitions.
“For a few years now we’ve been hearing
from bass anglers in northern California
and the South asking for a fly rod that
meets tournament requirements,” says
Sage’s Paul Johnson. “They like to use
flies because they can make soft deliveries and snook-type casts under cover
which is sometimes tough to do with
weighted lures. So we came up with
something that has the backbone to
throw big flies and is legal for competition use. But we’re also finding these rods
are popular for beginner and younger
anglers because they’re fairly short and
you can really feel the line load.”
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37
“Shooting a bow
is fun,” Licata
explained. “You
can do it just about
anywhere, even in
urbanized areas.
There’s something
about it that attracts kids to pick
one up and why
archery programs
are so popular with
summer camps and gym classes.
Flyfishing, particularly casting, is
sometimes portrayed as having a
steep learning curve and taught by
short-tempered guides. This may be
one reason people shy away, especially if they’re first experience is
sour. If you’re able to get it through
their heads that it’s not impossible
More than 3000 different fly
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feature
One other important point that plays
to the “no place like home” line of
thinking: Bowhunting is generally
a local affair. Sure, there are highend hunting lodges and trophy deer
ranches for the traveling sportsman,
but one explanation for archery’s rising popularity is hunters don’t have to
go far to find game. With gas prices
reaching record highs, the rationale
for discovering and promoting local
fishing options, like hunting options, is
arguably stronger now than ever.
A Family Affair
Despite what many think declining
fishing and hunting license sales statistics are telling us, the fact remains
that people are hungry for outdoors
experiences. If anything, that’s what
the glimmer of bowhunting’s popu-
larity suggests. People want to be in
the field (or on the water), they just
need options.
Mentoring, therefore, is more important now than ever. At least that’s what
many in the bowhunting industry say.
The largest gap in outdoor interests
stems from those between 16- and 25years old. Unfortunately, some veteran
anglers view the trend with egocentric eyes—fewer licenses sold equals
less people on the water. In reality it
means a reduced number of unified voices speaking for conservation
and a balanced approach to wildlife
management. It means less money
(via license sales) for state agencies
to maintain fisheries, access points,
campgrounds, and any other publicservice outlets taken for granted. And
ultimately it jeopardizes the future
of the outdoors industry. A shrinking
youth demographic means a smaller
customer base in the years to come.
Bowhunter magazine publisher Jeff Waring says youth and family are two important considerations when it comes
to content for his publication and the
“Bowhunter T.V.” television show.
“We have a huge focus on youth because
we’re aging—we see the demographics
and if we’re going to safeguard our sport
we need to get youth involved,” he said.
“Ninety-nine percent of our readership
is males around 44 years old, and 85
percent of them are family men with
one or two children. We try to tailor
some our material so it stresses the experience and social highlights of hunting
with friends and family, and less on the
shooting of animals.”
The bowhunting industry is even
taking its message into schools.
Since 2002, over 4,000 schools
nationwide have enrolled with the
National Archery in the Schools
Program; a course that introduces
archery to students as part of their
physical education curriculum.
Equipment is donated by leading
bow, arrow, and target manufacturers (like Matthews, Easton, and
Rinehart) and instructors are led
through an 8-hour education and
safety seminar.
Jim Vincent says he’s seen firsthand
the lengths the hunting industry
has reached to incorporate family
and youth. And like the National
Archery in the Schools Program, he
believes the burden lies partly on the
industry—especially for those without a parent active in the outdoors.
“Flyfishing companies need to get involved at some level. They’re the ones
with the money and resources needed
to give these youth programs a boost.
Once you have that, people will volunteer their time,” Vincent says. “One
of our biggest competitors, Cortland,
did a great job many years ago when
Phil Genova had the idea of putting
together packages and information to
help kids get started in the sport. If
equipment is donated to schools, or if
fly shops have a supply of loaner-gear,
I think we’d be one step closer to getting youth involved. No parent wants
to see their 12-year-old kid destroy a
$600 rod, but if they can get a beat-up
loaner from a shop, there’s a greater
incentive to take them out.”
There are already several large- and
small-scale flyfishing campaigns, camps,
and programs in place intended to attract a younger crowd. To the extent
retailers can continue to drive this effort
on the grassroots level, with more casting clinics, seminars, or just taking kids
fishing, the benefits can multiply.
38
Granted, there are seldom any “silver
bullet” solutions to solving market
woes … but the archery industry
seems to be doing just fine without
them. And the flyfishing industry
stands to learn by example. Tapping
into the larger conventional fishing
consumer well, making the most of
the resources at hand, redefining
goals and ideals, and acting on opportunities at the family and youth levels
are just some of them.
Will this change the market overnight? Probably not.
But we’ll be on target.
at
feature
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• The bass would still maintain that
Nell Carter and Mama Cass were
the hottest women who ever roamed
the earth.
Written by Monte Burke
• The bass would prefer older Elvis
to younger Elvis. And older Brando
to younger Brando.
• All bass parents would name their
first-born sons “Bubba.”
• The bass would never smoke, but
those big lips would be perfect for a
pinch of chew.
• The bass would have the NFL
Direct TV package so it could
watch its favorite teams, the
Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago
Bears.
I’m usually wary of these types of designations. We
are a nation of dissimilar cultures, geography and
tastes and varying socio-economic means. Is there
such a thing as “America’s food” or “America’s shoe?”
But I think there may be an exception
here. (Did the illustration on this page
give it away?) That’s right. I would
argue that there is one gamefish that
could properly be called “America’s
fish:” The largemouth bass.
Let’s pretend for a moment that the
largemouth bass is human. What
kind of person would the bass be,
you ask? I have some answers:
40
• The bass would live in the
suburbs and drive the biggest
SUV on the cul-de-sac.
• The bass would order all goods
and groceries over the Internet
so he would never have to leave
his house.
• The bass would have a 62”
wide-screen HDTV.
• The bass would also be a huge fan
of college football, particularly of
the SEC variety.
• The bass would like NASCAR
and golf, but it wouldn’t care for
basketball, soccer, tennis or track.
• The bass would loathe low-fat
foods and the word “diet.”
I think you see where I’m going
here. The characteristics above are
not those of someone from Iceland
or Nepal.
• The bass would have all the old
“Best of Chris Farley” Saturday
Night Live DVDs.
Sure, you could make the argument
for another type of fish. Could
it be the trout? The brookie, the
Besides seeming to embody the
American condition, another way to
make the case for largemouth bass is
that they are found nearly everywhere.
Largemouths are endemic to the
US. Upon European settlement, the
species ranged from Florida north
to the Canadian border and west to
the Mississippi River. The Florida
strain was found in what is now its
eponymous state and possibly in
southern Georgia (home of the current
world record). Every other largemouth
bass in America was a Northern strain,
or a natural integrade of the two.
But they spread across the country
almost as quickly as Europeans did,
thanks to fact that the new settlers of
this land like to dam up nearly every
river, stream or creek they came across.
Between the time of European settlement and 1900, 2,661 dams were built
across the US. The New Deal spawned
an even bigger damming binge:
entities like the Corps of Engineers
and the Tennessee Valley Authority
constructed dams for flood control
and electrical power. Today there are
nearly 100,000 dams in the US, which
has resulted in diminished habitat for
cold-water riverine fish (like trout and
salmon) and increased habitat for the
warm water-loving largemouth bass.
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But dams aren’t the only story. In the
1940s the Soil Conservation Service
(now known as the Natural Resources
Conservation Service) encouraged (and
helped fund) the building of thousands
of farm ponds across the country to
help avoid another Dust Bowl era.
They even helped stock the ponds
with…you guessed it, largemouth bass.
In the 1980s and 1990s, one of the
primary drivers of the commercial
real estate boom was golf courses,
which seemed to sprout up even in
places where they made no sense (I’m
convinced that 2,000 years from now,
one of the measures of our decadence
will be the hundreds of water-guzzling
golf courses that are laid out in the
Arizona and Nevada deserts). Golf
course water hazards could easily go by
another name: bass ponds. That’s the
reason pros like Tiger Woods and Davis
Love III bring rods with them on the
PGA Tour (golfers are really just bass
fishermen in nicer shirts). Bass live in
lakes, ponds, rivers, brackish inlets and
mud puddles. They can survive in water
up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, making
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41
Probably not. I would argue that even
calling baseball “America’s pastime”
is a huge misnomer these days, just
based on anecdotal evidence on any
given Sunday in the fall.
• If the bass happened to play in
the NFL, it would be one of those
nose tackles who always has his shirt
untucked, barely concealing his
“Dunlop disease” (you know, when
a person’s belly has “done lopped”
over his belt).
rainbow, the cutthroat and a few
others are US natives, but they seem
to be a bit limited geographically,
and the most widespread trout is the
brown, which originally came from
Europe. The catfish? Bottom-dwellers
need not apply. Salmon? Not the
way we treat them on both coasts.
A saltwater species? No, that leaves
out too much of the country. The
ubiquitous panfish? A confusion of
varieties. Northerners call all panfish
“sunnies,” regardless of the species.
And southerners have multiple names
for one species (the bream is also the
bluegill is also the copper nose).
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feature
The largemouth bass is found in every
state in the Union, save for Alaska.
One has to wonder if the person who
coined the term “Seward’s folly” was
indeed a bass fisherman.
But every major movement needs an
oracle. Christianity had the Apostle
Paul. Scientology has Tom Cruise.
American Idol has Ryan Seacrest.
Bass fishing had a lanky former
insurance salesman from Alabama
named Ray Scott.
I’ve had the privilege of getting to
know Ray over the years, having
done a few stories on him here and
there. Ray, now 75, is always selling
something—a product or a story. He’s
a tall man (6’5”) with a deep voice
that hypnotizes you with its musical
southern cadence. He drops aphorisms
like Confucius. “I’ve found that if you
make people happy, they’ll give you
feature: New Product
money,” he told me one time, in an
offhanded manner. I’ve been writing
for Forbes magazine now for seven
years. No one I’ve ever interviewed—
no CEO, no marketing genius, no
hedge-fund billionaire—has ever
boiled down the engine behind our
consumer culture as neatly as Ray did.
Anyway, back in 1967 Ray was on
a fishing trip in Jackson, Mississippi,
when he got blown off the lake by a
thunderstorm. He was whiling away
the hours in his hotel room watching
a basketball game on TV when it hit
him: why isn’t bass fishing on TV? I
would have never come up with that
idea (among the reasons I am not
a millionaire). But Ray tapped into
something. Within a year, he had
founded the Bass Anglers Sportsman
Society (BASS), which has half a
million members today. BASS spawned
its own pro fishing tour. Wal-Mart
now sponsors another one. Regardless
of how you feel about bass fishing or
tournament fishing in general, the fact
is that no fish anywhere on the globe
supports two professional tours that
appear on national TV and dole out
millions of dollars to their “players.”
As a side note, Ray also is the oracle
of catch-and-release fishing. He didn’t
invent the concept. He only bowed to
pressure from the local communities
that hosted BASS events and were
appalled by the stringers of dead fish
at tournaments. But when he instituted
a catch-and-release policy for his
tournaments, due to the popularity of
bass fishing, he launched a modern
conservation movement.
I realize that most of us here
(readers and writers) are primarily
flyfishermen. Largemouth bass are
not the best gamefish on a flyrod.
42
The largemouth bass is the gateway
to other gamefish, the way oenophiles
start with Kendall-Jackson and
graduate to Chateau L’Evangile
or chocolate connoisseurs go from
Hershey’s to Godiva. If I could only
fish for one species for the rest of
my life, largemouth bass would not
be my choice, just as if I could only
drink one beer for the rest of my life,
it wouldn’t be Miller. But fishing, for
me at least, is like that old Crosby,
Stills, Nash & Young song. I love
the one I’m with. It all depends on
my mood. There’s a time and place
for cheap beer, for Hershey’s, for
Kendall-Jackson. As far as bass fishing
is concerned, the time is whenever
I can do it. That place: Pretty much
anywhere in America. at
Filson Wades In
Written by Greg Thomas
Editor’s note: We’re trying something different. Rather than a “Recommended Reading”
book review, we’re running a more detailed “New Product” profile. Help us decide by
E-mailing the editors... more products for the next issue, or back to the books?
Best known for its bomber waxed cloth
and wool garments that led Northwest
miners to Klondike gold in the 1890s,
Filson is diving into the current flyfishing
arena with breathable lightweight waders.
The new waders are constructed
of material that may sound
foreign to Filson’s faithful, mostly
men in their mid-30s-to mid-50s
who prefer wool, canvas and
reliability above revolutionary
fabrics and glam. Filson is
banking that its core customer
won’t care what their waders are
made of, or where they are made,
as long as they keep an angler dry
and on the water all day.
According to Amy Terai, Filson’s marketing administrator,
the new waders are built to last
and they feature elements that
ring “pure Filson.”
“We feel like these waders are
top notch, the most durable
out there,” Tarai said. “They
are made of a hundred percent
polyester super micro fiber
high-density mini Oxford and
we have five-layer construction
in the important places, the legs
and other high-wear areas. In
addition, we’ve placed all seams
on the outside of the wader, away
from the high-abrasion area.
“In the gusseted crotch and the
top of the wader we have fourlayer construction,” she added.
“And the knees are articulated
for ease of movement. Each
wader comes with gravel guards
and adjustable suspenders so the
wader can be rolled down and
secured around the waist
if desired.”
While the new waders feature
plenty of high-tech elements,
many of which were suggested
43
There are now 11 million bass anglers
in the country who fish for them for
more than two weeks a year, according
to the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
They really aren’t that great on
traditional tackle, for that matter. They
fly out of the gates quickly with a
sudden burst of fury, but just as quickly
tire themselves out from the strain of
their own girth, like those obese women
on Supermarket Sweep (that show where
contestants were given five minutes to
grab as many grocery items as they
could). I presume with some degree of
confidence that for most of us here, the
largemouth bass was the first fish we
ever caught on a flyrod. On my family’s
farm in North Carolina, down a gentle
slope of horsepasture, there was a little
pond that was absolutely eaten up with
bass. It was plagued with a lime-green
algal bloom, but when the wind blew
just right, you could get a lure or fly over
a bass with ease. I will always be grateful
for that pond. I learned how to flyfish
there. Flyfishing is a sport that, for the
newbie, requires a few successes to get
the juices going. For that, bass are the
perfect foil. My first year of flyfishing,
I had an old bass bug that was colored
like a bumblebee. I caught so many
bass on that bug that year that all of the
paint chipped off and it was literally just
a floating piece of beige-colored cork.
Of course, it never lost its effectiveness.
feature: New Product
by Filson’s CEO Bill Kulczycki,
an avid angler and the former
president of business development
at Patagonia, customers familiar
with Filson product should find
comfort in detail. These waders
carry a classic feel and they look like
a genuine Filson product, something
that could have been worn on the
set of A River Runs Through It.
To achieve that look on a competitive wader, Filson incorporated its
highly recognizable bridal leather
on the wader’s suspenders and
as decor on the top of the chest
pocket, which also harbors Filson’s
signature brass snaps and provides
classic red mackinaw wool in the
handwarmer pouch. In addition,
the company’s logo is stamped on
a small piece of bridal leather that
BACKCAST
adorns the back of the wader. Inside
the front of the wader is a modern flip-out pocket that offers two
zippered storage areas, one mesh
for tippet spools and such, and the
other waterproof, a place to safely
store (don’t choke on your stogies
Filson faithful) a cell phone or iPod.
The waders, Tarai assures, come
with the Filson guarantee, one of
the most respected promises in the
outdoor industry.
“We’ll offer the same guarantee on
these waders as we do on any Filson
product,” she said. “We’ll stand behind
these waders as we do every product,
as we have since the founding of this
company. If there’s a problem we let
people bring it back for evaluation and
replace it if necessary.”
Filson’s production of a contemporary high-tech wader is just
one in a line of recent changes
made by the 111-year old, Seattlebased company since being
sold to Doug Williams and the
Los Angeles-based Brentwood
Associates in January 2005.
Since that time, Filson has added
a women’s clothing line and a
“lodge” line of casual sportswear.
In addition, Filson opened a
retail store in Denver and plans
to build 13 additional stores in
major metropolitan areas. Most
noted, Filson sent some of its
production to Hong Kong after
building everything “in-house” at
its Seattle store for 100-plus years.
Dealer Inquiries: [email protected] or toll-free 866.347.4766
44
Filson’s waders, which join an
existing line of flyfishing vests,
hats, rod cases and shirts, will be
available in May and will retail in
the mid-range price slot at $325,
just under Patagonia’s top offering,
the Water Master II, which costs
$350. One percent of the sales of
each Filson wader will be donated
to American Rivers as part of that
organization’s 40th anniversary
celebration of the Wild and Scenic
Rivers Act. at
Now that he has graduated to shop manager, Kumlien is
even more dedicated to the notion that his alma mater,
with an enrollment of 12,000 more each year, will deliver him a fresh crop of cash-carrying customers.
“College kids are thirsty and eager. I see them once
or twice every week.”
All that’s needed is a way to make connection.
Kumlien begins with conventional advertising in
campus publications and radio, but believes he
makes his best score with direct contact.
“When we do seminars, the response has been
fantastic,” Kumlien said of an approach that
comes with the added lure of a student discount.
He also promotes fly casting and fly tying classes,
the first for free, the second at a nominal cost—
anything to forge that initial association. Each
spring, the shop also offers sessions featuring onstream casting and entomology.
Before anyone suffers a terminal
case of brain strain, let’s make
one thing clear. We’re not talking
re-enrollment here, just a few brief excursions inside
those ivy walls to mine a rich, untapped resource.
“College kids have more disposable income—
student loans and money from their parents—than
most working guys,” said Kris Kumlien, who has
written the dissertation on how to direct a chunk of
it to the Montana Troutfitters shop in Bozeman.
Students also have plenty of spare time, and those
attending a school near the mountains very likely
will be receptive to some outdoor activity to clear
their heads after a bout with the books. Something
like, say, flyfishing.
“My friends and I fished more in college than we do
now that we have real jobs,” said Kumlien, who got
the notion for this campus connection as a Montana
State University student and a Troutfitters employee
a half-dozen years ago.
“These kids are loyal. Once we get them, they
come back to our shop instead of the Big Box,”
said Kumlien, who keeps a running duel with a
local Sportsman’s Warehouse. “They may not be
the guys buying the $700 rods, but over time they
buy lots of tackle.”
Considering the potential harvest from this fertile
field, there’s little wonder that Kumlien is willing to
take extra measures to plant the seed.
“There’s a lot of perseverance involved. We talk to
professors, anyone who can help us spread the word.
We used to do a lot of posting on bulletin boards,
but the university has gotten more restrictive about
that sort of thing.”
Perhaps the most effective contact comes during
fall orientation week, when the university stages
an exposition of sorts, blocking off several square
blocks where local vendors tout their wares to
the newcomers.
“We get a lot of response from that,” said Kumlien,
“and over the past four or five years, we’ve been the
only shop there.”
Having recently been a student himself, Kumlien
isn’t about to forget the fount of that student
bankroll, the parent. Aware that parents often have
45
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near the top of the business plan
for most fly shop owners. But
for the many shops located only
a couple false casts from a college campus, it could be the key
to a quick and significant boost
in profit.
According to Tarai, who says the
company received backlash for
doing so, sending some production
overseas was not a matter of
boosting profit margins.
“We went overseas with some
product, including the waders,
because that’s where some of
our products can be built better,”
she noted. “We have some great
machines in Seattle, but we don’t
have what’s needed to build a
wader here.”
WILDHORSE TECH PACK
Going back to school may not rank
BACKCAST
free time during periodic campus
visits and that Bozeman is uniquely
located in the middle of the nation’s
trout Mecca, he targets key calendar
events such as parents’ week,
homecoming or rivalry games.
He sets the hook by boosting
advertising frequency and
extending the student discount to
parents. The payoff often comes
from high-dollar float trips, with
papa at one end of the boat and
junior the other.
“A lot of shops don’t believe they
get a good return from advertising,
but it works for us,” said Kumlien,
who keeps track of the bounce by
keying the student discount into the
cash register.
Now for the kicker. This college
traffic meshes perfectly with
what traditionally stands as
the slow season for most mountain shops.
FLY TALK
)NSTANTLYTURNSA
SIZECADDIS
The Flyfishing Blog From The World’s Leading Outdoor Magazine
“Ordinarily, we have just 3½
months, June to the middle of
September, to make hay with our
regular business. The college crowd
allows us to extend our season
when we don’t have many visitors
coming through.”
Cultivating the college crowd
may demand a bit of effort, but
the reward is there for the taking.
Mortar board or dunce cap.
What’ll it be? at
- Charlie Meyers, Editor-at-Large
CHECK OUT “FLY TALK,”
The New Flyfishing Blog From Field & Stream
www.fsflytalk.com
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PDF - Angling Trade

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