PDF - Angling Trade

Transcription

PDF - Angling Trade

the buzz on the flyfishing biz
®
Inside
the 2011 Show Issue
Golf and Fly Fishing/IFTD Exhibitors and Floor
Plan Pg.26/Making a Great Media Trip/Loss
Leaders/Schools Revisited/Discover Ireland/
DVD Profits/And More
August 2011 AnglingTrade.com
SIMMS ISDEDICATED
TO BEING A GOOD PARTNER AND
DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO EXTEND YOUR SELLING SEASON
AND DRIVE SALES. SUPPORT OUR PERFORMANCE
PROMOTIONS LIKE THE GORE-TEX® CAMPAIGN TO
FOOTWEAR LAUNCH
LAUNCH.
LEVERAGE AND PROMOTE YOUR BRAND THROUGH OUR CUSTOM LOGO PROGRAM.
WE’VE ALSO RECEIVED ENDORSEMENT BY THE SKIN CANCER FOUNDATION.
JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE OUR NEW PRODUCTS FOR
LIKE OUR NEW GUIDE STOCKINGFOOT AND UPDATES TO OUR FREESTONE WADERS.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR CUSTOM SHOP PROGRAM FOR WADERS
2012
.
/
WITH MORE SIZES AND STYLES.
AN EXCITING NEW LINE-UP FOR WOMEN ANGLERS.
FRESH STYLES & TECHNOLOGIES FOR MEN’S SPORTSWEAR.
WEVE SAID IT BEFORE...IT’S BEEN A BUSY SUMMER
HERE IN BOZEMAN,
BOZEMAN,MONTANA
MONTANAA.
NOW LET’S GO FISHING.
® S I M M S F I S H I N G P R O D U CTS / 2011 / TH E C H O I C E O F P R O F E S S I O NAL G U I D E S WO R LDW I D E
/
S I M M S F I S H I N G.C O M
the buzz on the flyfishing biz
CONTENTS
Features
36 Groove That Swing
He
brought us “Fifty Places to Dive,” “Fifty
Places to Golf,” and Fifty Places to Fly Fish
Before You Die (and he’ll soon be showing
us Fifty More Places to Fly Fish...). But
here, Chris Santella cuts to the quick about
fly fishing and golf demographics. Same
sports, one played wet, the other dry? You
decide... but the potential should not be
ignored. By Chris Santella
®
Departments
6 Editor’s Column
“What I Learned on My Way to
Louisiana.” AT’s editor gets frank about
some of the issues and opportunities that
are really shaping the fly fishing business
environment.
By Kirk Deeter
8 Currents
The latest people, product and issues
news from the North American fly fishing
industry, including reports from ICAST, and
a preview of IFTD... including exhibitor info,
the show floor map, and insights on the
issues people are already talking about (like
Redington selling direct, Simms going into
bass, and so on).
32 Travel
44 Film... Beyond the Surface
Fly fishing video—be it shown at live
events, or tucked into sellable packages,
might well be a media revenue opportunity
that fly fishing retailers neglect at their own
peril. By Geoff Mueller
Want to showcase your special fishery
for the world? You must involve the
media. Bring them to you, and let them
tell the story to the world. But there’s a
huge difference between wishing for some
positive spin, and strategically planning
the right exposure opportunity that will pay
dividends, both short-term and down the
road. By Will Rice
50 The Loss Leader... Good
or Bad? You lose a little here... you
make much more there. In the world of
Groupon, Living Social, etc., giving some
to make more might make perfect sense.
But understanding exactly how, when,
and why the fly tackle dealer dabbles in
this admittedly dangerous realm is the
difference between getting skinned, and
growing your sales.
By Steven B. Schweitzer
56 School Daze
Kirk Deeter
[email protected]
Managing Editor
Tim Romano
[email protected]
Art Director
Tara Brouwer
[email protected]
shovelcreative.com
Copy Editors
Mabon Childs, Sarah Warner
Contributing Editors
Tom Bie
Geoff Mueller
Ben Romans
Andrew Steketee
Greg Thomas
Contributors
Lance Gray, William Rice, David Rose,
Chris Santella, Steve Schweitzer,
Bruce Smithhammer
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.
48 Recommended Reading
Printed in the U.S.A.
Tom Reed shows us, in his poignant and
eloquent collection of essays Blue Lines: A
Fly Fishing Life, that the places are often as
relevant (or more so) than the people, the
gear, and even the fish.
Advertising Contact: Tim Romano
Telephone: 303-495-3967
Fax: 303-495-2454
[email protected]
Reviewed by Bruce Smithhammer
62 Backcast
Tom Bie wonders aloud if high runoff may
just force some shops to diversify their
offering, and if that might ultimately be a
blessing in disguise.
Mail Address:
PO Box 17487
Boulder, CO 80308
Street Address:
3055 24th Street
Boulder, CO 80304
AnglingTrade.com
3
AnglingTrade.com / August 2011
We’ve talked about teaching as the
gateway to customer recruitment and
retention. Here, a working guide spills the
beans on exactly what the school dynamic
can do for your fly fishing business, and
where the pitfalls lie. By Lance Gray
Editor
WHICH IS BETTER? THE TIGHT, ELEGANT LOOPS OF A SCANDI
HEAD? OR THE HEAVY-TIP, BIG-FLY POWER OF A SKAGIT?
For years, two-handed anglers—being who they are—have nearly come to blows over
the superiority of one or the other. But with our new Scandi Short VersiTip, you get
the best of both worlds in the easiest-casting Spey line ever made. Better yet, the
short head and 10-foot tips load up and fire out of even the tightest quarters,
opening up miles of previously unfishable water. Designed for today’s shorter,
faster two-handed and switch rods (not to mention single-handers), the Scandi
Short VersiTip excels on tree-lined coastal rivers and brushy Great Lakes streams.
Ready to stop arguing and start fishing better?
Fish the new Scandi Short VersiTip.
SCAN THIS CODE
WITH YOUR
SMARTPHONE TO
WATCH THE NEW
SCANDI SHORT
VERSITIP VIDEO
OBSESSED WITH
YOUR NEXT CAST
RIOPRODUCTS.COM
CONTRIBUTORS
Lance Gray
Lance Gray owns Lance Gray & Company, a Willow,
California-based guide service. He also conducts
schools on everything from bass to steelhead. We
don’t know if he does cooking classes, but we do
know this is his second written foray in Angling Trade.
Geoff Mueller
Geoff Mueller is a contributing editor for Angling
Trade magazine, and managing editor at The Drake,
meaning he was “Kansas” in the Spring 2011 issue.
He’s actually from British Columbia, and rumor has it
he is collaborating with AT’s own Tim Romano on an
underwater-focused trout book.
William Rice
Will Rice has a day job with Qwest… but he’s also a
frequent contributor to Angling Trade, and he writes
regularly for a variety of fishing related blogs and
magazines. We asked him to write about a road trip
(media trip) we took together, and surprisingly, did
not have to edit much out.
Because
It’s NEVER
Too Early
To Think
About
Accessories!
15353 E. Hinsdale Cir.
Unit F
Centennial, CO 80112
ph 303-690-0477
fax 303-690-0472
[email protected]
www.anglersaccessories.com
David Rose
David A. Rose is a writer, author, photographer, and
fishing guide who lives in the Traverse City, Michigan,
area. He’s now been in the outdoor educating
business well over a decade, and become one of
the state’s most influential writers and promoters
of fishing. He’s also a frequent contributor to
fieldandstream.com.
Chris Santella
WADING STAFF
Safe and Stealth!
Chris Santella is the fly fishing correspondent for
the New York Times, and the author of the popular
books Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die, and
Fifty Places to Golf Before You Die (among others).
Having golfed and fished with Santella, we can
vouch for his unique abilities and insights on two
sports that are effectively the same.
Steve Schweitzer
Steven B. Schweitzer is Angling Trade’s resident
bird dog reporter, who sniffs out the latest on
trends and issues that impact the retail side (like
hair extensions, Groupon, and so forth). He’s also
the author of A Fly Fishing Guide to Rocky Mountain
National Park.
Wood design provides for quiet, stealth wading
Sound travels 5 times faster in water than air
Unique handle design promotes stability
Retrieves flies from overhead branches
Field tested on the rugged Pit River
Beautiful white ash staff floats
Bruce Smithhammer
Bruce Smithhammer is one of the masterminds
behind the popular weblog “Buster Wants to Fish,”
and a frequent contributor to The Drake and other
publications. This is his second appearance in
Angling Trade, and unless he doesn’t like how this
one turned out, it won’t be his last.
942 Quarry Street, Petaluma, CA 94954
707.763.7575
[email protected]
w w w. p i t r i ve r c o m p a n y.c o m
Dealer/distributor inquiries welcome
EDITOR’S COLUMN
What I Learned on My Way to Louisiana…
Fly people are gear people. Gear
makes the fly world go around. That’s
because we’re all dweebs. We aren’t
cool. Many of us can make seemingly cool things happen with graphite
sticks… but in the American Idol
(saddle hackle in Steven Tyler’s hair)
world, fly fishers are literally the antithesis of cool.
So here we are, about to have our annual fly fishing “soirée” in New Orleans. The question on many minds is,
“Will the ‘new show’ be a breakthrough
event?” I wonder, will the fly fishing
business find some stability and cohesion? Have we turned a page? Is the
specialty retailer still the pivotal player
in promoting the sport and selling the
products people use to enjoy fly fishing?
I don’t know. I have hunches, but that’s
all they are. We’ll soon find out the real
answers. At least I hope so.
I will say that I spent a lot of time in
the past few years connecting with the
“base.” Talking with fishing clubs.
Guiding on the rivers and asking recreational anglers what they think about
certain things. Teaching my little boy
how to fly fish. Doing some hard reporting and asking manufacturers tough
questions, then listening to feedback
from my readers at Angling Trade, Field &
Stream, Midcurrent… and so on.
Here’s some of what I learned:
People who really love fly fishing connect with the way this game gets played
and with the intrinsic beauty of the
places where it’s played. It’s the same
now as it ever was. You either get it, or
you don’t. And it doesn’t take years to
cultivate those ideals.
6
The “edgy” fly blogger, typing away in
his underpants in the basement of his
mother’s house, is not, in fact, the future
of fly fishing media. And “initiation by
insult” on the message boards is soooo
2008. Where credibility and talent
meet electronic media is where the real
future lives.
The greatest threat to fly fishing retailers isn’t big boxes, or direct sellers, or
cheap imports… it is apathy concerning
the threatened natural resources needed
to sustain this sport. The “conservation deficit” in America is every bit as
alarming as the budget deficit. Your
livelihood depends on conservation.
And preserving habitat for fishing (and
hunting) is not a political issue… it’s a
cultural issue.
It is amazing how criticizing the word
“conclave” (which means closed meeting for bishops to elect a pope) will irk
certain people in the Federation of Fly
Fishers. FFF has a clear objective of
expanding and promoting this sport…
and has accomplished wonders, despite
the archaic name for its main annual
event. (I would recommend “soirée”
but I had to use a dictionary to figure
out how to spell that myself.)
Some in fly fishing have decided not to
call the bass angler “Bubba,” especially
as he peels across the lake in his $55,000
bass boat, with $10,000 worth of rods,
reels, baits, and other assorted gear
neatly tucked away in its storage lockers.
The “holy grail” of marketing for any
fly fishing manufacturer is to convince a
room full of young beer-drinking dudes
in baseball caps, who collectively say
“oooooh” as they watch videos of fish
eating flies—as well as the country club
set with millions of dollars in disposable
income—that their products are cool…
even though, in truth, none of us are
really cool, as I explained before.
The more retailers talk to each other…
the more they see themselves as kindred
spirits, with common objectives (even if
they are across town from each other),
the smarter they get, and the more they
make themselves relevant as this market
continues to evolve.
Guides are the gatekeepers. The industry must do more for guides, and guides
must do more for the industry.
No matter how IFTD in New Orleans
shakes out, the final result will not be
attributable to lack of effort. I’ve been
on the record as one of AFFTA’s harshest critics in the past. That said, I know
AFFTA did its best to make this event
happen in a good way. I hope and
believe it will.
The bottom line is that we’re all in it
together, for better or worse. We need
each other. Sure, new ideas, challenging the norm, and good old-fashioned
American capitalist competition are
great. But the sniping, the pot-shots,
and the “every man for himself ” stuff
didn’t do us any good… and it won’t
help any of us who truly respect this
beautiful sport for what it really is, going forward.
That might be the most important lesson of all. at
Kirk Deeter, Editor
CURRENTS
Currents
MidCurrent and Angling Trade
Partner on Gear Coverage
“Fly Fishing Gear Guide” to Include Online
and Print Resources, with Consumer and
Trade Variations
MidCurrent, which reaches the largest audience of any fly fishing media
brand, and Angling Trade, the only
publication (and website) specifically
targeting the business of fly fishing,
recently announced plans to partner
on a “Fly Fishing Gear Guide” and
other gear-specific content related to
fly fishing products and services.
The co-branded joint venture will
include online gear reviews, product
listings, and a manufacturer database in both consumer-focused and
business-focused versions. MidCurrent/Angling Trade will also produce
a printed “Fly Fishing Gear Guide”
annually for angling consumers.
8
The agreement took effect in July.
Angling Trade is coordinating the “New
Product Showcase” at IFTD, and will
produce content on new products to
be distributed via Anglingtrade.com
and MidCurrent.com.
Following IFTD, MidCurrent and
Angling Trade will create and maintain
a database of manufacturers and
products, as well as a comprehensive
lineup of product-specific reports,
with an annual print version to follow.
Here is more information on the
IFTD New Product Showcase:
Categories…
Overall Best of Show
Best Wading Gear
Best Eyewear
Best Luggage
Best Chest Pack/Vest
Best Outerwear
Kirk Deeter and Tim Romano, copublishers of Angling Trade, will assume
roles as co-editors of gear content for
MidCurrent. The companies will
integrate editorial, sales, and marketing resources related to coverage of fly
fishing products and services.
Best Youth-Specific Product
The partnership combines the resources of the largest consumer media
brand in fly fishing with the media
outlet that reaches every manufacturer and retailer of fly fishing products
in North America.
Best Personal Watercraft
“The MidCurrent/Angling Trade
partnership will give consumers access
to richer, more current gear reviews
and in-depth product coverage,”
said MidCurrent publisher Marshall Cutchin. “Fly fishing product
designers will now be able to connect
directly—through a single channel—
with both information-hungry anglers
and retailers.”
Best New Fly Pattern - Freshwater &
Saltwater
Best Women’s-Specific Product
Best Eco-Friendly Product
Best Rods - Freshwater & Saltwater
If you want your products to be
included (meaning, if you want your
product news to hit every fly tackle
dealer in the country, IFTD attendees
and otherwise, as well as the largest
consumer fly fishing readership in
America), please bring your provided
“tent card” to IFTD with the following information filled out.
1. Product Name
2. Product Category
3. Exhibiting Company
4. Booth #
5. Product Description
(100 words or less)
6. MSRP in US dollars
Please also note that exhibitors at
IFTD will have an opportunity to
make a 45-60-second video presentation about their products at the
time they drop them off at the New
Product Showcase in New Orleans,
on Wednesday, August 17, between
8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. These product
videos will be shown on MidCurrent.
com and Anglingtrade.com.
For more guidelines on NPS, go to
anglingtrade.com.
Best Reels - Freshwater & Saltwater
Best Fly Lines - Freshwater & Saltwater
Best Fly Boxes/Storage System
Product News
Redington to Sell Direct Via
the Internet
Best Fly Tying/ Materials/Equipment
Best Accessory (Dressings, Tools, etc.)
Best General Apparel
Best New Book
Best New DVD
Best Gift Item
Far Bank entity Redington will begin
selling product directly to consumers
via the company’s website on October
1, 2011. Sage will sell company accessories (logo hats, shirts, etc.) as well,
but will not sell rods and reels via the
Internet. Rio will not sell any products via the Internet.
continued on next page...
SCIENTIFIC ANGLERS OFFERS A FLY LINE FOR
ANY FISH, ANY TIME, ANY PLACE
SA SPEY, MASTERY SERIES, MASTERY TEXTURED SERIES, & SHARKSKIN
www.scientificanglers.com
CURRENTS
Far Bank’s Marc Bale explained the
decision as a natural evolution that
keeps the Redington brand in sync
with consumer buying habits. He also
noted that the website’s “buy here”
option will be the third choice consumers find, after a referral to local
dealers, and “buy online” (from retailers) option.
Though other companies have sold
product through their own channels
as well as through specialty retailers
(Orvis, Patagonia, etc.), some retailers are less than pleased with the Far
Bank decision.
Ray Schmidt of Schmidt Outfitters, for example, said: “Schmidt
Outfitters is making some changes.
Products offered by us will either
carry our brand (Schmidt Outfitters)
or will have to stand up and deliver
great value and performance.”
The retailer LinkedIn forum facilitated by Angling Trade is seeing lively
dialogue on this topic… if you haven’t
checked it out, please do so by visiting
anglingtrade.com, and clicking on the
LinkedIn forum prompt.
Simms Wades Into Bass
By Marshall Cutchin
Rain Suite, (jacket $499.95, bibs
$399.95 and pants at $299.95). The
premium-priced products the company will sell to the general angling
public mark its entry into the much
larger conventional fishing market.
“The ProDry suits are a result of our
long relationship with Gore and were
perfected and tweaked on the pro
bass tour over the last three tournament seasons,” said Simms spokesman
Matt Crawford. The new line will
also include some products already in
the Simms rotation, taking some of
the products you’ve seen before and
putting them under the “conventional”
umbrella, with significant color and
style changes.
Simms also used the show to announce
a relationship with several professional
fishing organizations and their first
professional angling team, which will
include six B.A.S.S. anglers. The company will be at IFTD in August, where
they will show an expanded sportswear
line, new footwear items, and a new
G1 Guide Gore-Tex bib wader ($399).
Simms president K.C. Walsh had
this to say about the company’s new
line: “We’ve been making hardcore
products for hardcore fly anglers since
1983, but we are a fishing company,
not just a fly-fishing company, and this
latest slate of products is made for people who are passionate and committed
to fishing whether they are tournament
anglers, guides, industry professionals,
or avid anglers who hit the water hard
every day.”
Crossover Gear for The Fly Guy
A long-time leader in fly fishing gear
was at the all-tackle iCast trade show
in Las Vegas in July to introduce new
versions and new products for the
conventional angling market. Simms,
which started making fly fishing products in the early eighties, is debuting
products like a Gore-Tex ProDry
10
(In June, AT contributor David Rose posted a
short list of “conventional” items at anglingtrade.com that mesh nicely with fly fishing,
and perhaps offer retailers new sales options.
Here, the list goes on…)
Several of my good friends are also
some of the greatest fly-fishing an-
glers and guides in the United States.
They’ve taught me things I never
knew I should even know about catching fish. By far, they are rebels of the
sport; their thinking outside the box
has led to cutting-edge innovations
the common fly angler will eventually
consider trying out.
But one unexpected lesson I learned
was how much of the equipment they
use in their quest to catch fish with
feather and fur is not the normal gear
marketed towards flingers of flies.
The biggest problem for these counselors of the roll cast? They have difficulty locating these products in their
local fly shops (sometimes even local
retailers of general sporting goods),
and they’ve had to resort to perusing
the Internet to get what they need.
That’s profit lost to storefront owners
unwilling to overlook the stigma carrying of non-traditional equipment.
It’s a shame, indeed.
The following are items not normally
found on the shelves of fly shops that,
when marketed correctly, will not
only boost profits, but also have your
clients realizing your shop is as cutting
edge as the gurus who first used them.
The shop owners I know that have
carried non-fly products have been
pleasantly surprised by the results.
Stock them in your store and you’ll be
pleased, as well.
Shimano Evair Marine/
Fishing Shoe
fish.shimano.com
Whether casting from a
boat or relaxing around
the campfire
at day’s end,
Shimano’s Evair shoes fit fly anglers’ feet well. These soft shoes have
a non-marking rubber outsole that
won’t leave their mark on the deck of
a flats boat or dory, and the watercontinued on next page...
CURRENTS
canal design within the sole keeps
an angler stable during those crucial
casting occasions. They are light in
weight, approximately six ounces
per shoe. And the one-piece molded
EVA insole absorbs heel shock and
reduces foot fatigue. Suggested retail
price: $49.99
Carhartt Acadia Jacket and Pant
Carhartt.com
Known for their
rugged-work outerwear, Carhartt
has introduced a
lightweight, waterrepellent hooded
nylon jacket and
pant to take the
damp out of rainyday casting. The
external ripstop
material is prickerproof and the inner
breathable membrane is laminated
to the jacket rather than a loose liner.
The arms and pits have taped seams,
which bode well with keeping dry
during the backcast. The jacket is
hip-length and the full front zipper
is double storm cuffed, which keeps
water away even when donning waisthigh waders. The pants can be slipped
on quickly when a sudden downpour
appears because of the elastic waistband and ankle-to-knee leg zippers
with storm flaps. The cost depends on
size, with the pants ranging from $85
for S to XL to $95 for big man sizes
to XXXL, and $100 to $110 for the
jacket in the same size configurations.
Frabill FXE Stormsuit
Frabill.com
Early spring and late fall are, by far,
the best seasons to catch fish. But the
weather can be less than comfortable, in fact, downright foul. The list
of weather-shielding modifications
12
to the FXE (Frabill
Extreme Elements)
Stormsuit is too long
for this column, but
highly noted is that
both the bib and
jacket have been
designed to be the
most ergonomicallycorrect fitting outerwear on the market.
And this writer and
his guide buddies
have confirmed this
to be true. For example, the bib sports
articulated neoprene
padding in the knees. Translated:
They’re form-fitted and bend when
you do, and they cushion kneecaps
well when you are leaning on the
gunwale to net a catch. Suggested
retail: bib $219.99; jacket $209.99
like to jig up a
walleye for a
shore lunch inbetween their
casts for giant
northern pike.
Don’t send
them down
the road for
a kiddie pole;
instead, offer them one of the finest
3-piece spinning rods and a perfectly-balanced reel. The Escape series
offers seven spinning models from
ultra-light to heavy action, and all
can be matched up to a Sustain
spinning reel. Like a good multipiece fly rod, the Escape fits nicely
in a carry-on bag for long hauls.
The retail price on the rods range
from $310 to $375, and the reels
sell at $249 to $269.
Wright & McGill Magnetic Net
Release with Carabiner
Wright-mcgill.com
Bill Dance Hook Remover
Lurent.com
Always needed but often in the way,
nets are a plus for every wading
angler. No matter the configuration,
the carabiners
on this magnetic release
clip easily to
vest, and the
magnet is
strong enough to hold tight while
walking through the scrub, yet allows the net to be pulled free and
get under a fish fast. It has an elastic
safety cord, just in case the pressure is too much and the magnet
pulls apart unexpectedly. Retails for
$19.99.
G. Loomis Escape pack rod/Shimano Sustain FE spinning reel
Gloomis.com/fish.shimano.com
It’s conceivable that wicked weather—with winds so strong one can’t
even make a cast—can create cranky
customers. Or, perhaps, they’d
A deeply hooked fly
does not mix well with
a fish you’re going to
release. Add to that,
the angle you have to
tweak a pair of forceps
to remove a fly from a
small fish can damage
its jaw beyond repair.
When using a Bill
Dance Hook Remover,
however, a hook can be taken out
without stress to either the angler
or fish. The handle sports a “soft
touch” pad so wet hands won’t slip,
and the guts are made from stainless
steel for years of service. In addition, a line cutter is built-in for a
quick snip of a tippet when needed.
It’s an easy sell at $9.99.
Written by David A. Rose
CURRENTS
Another Product We Like:
Buff ’s New Sport-Series
Water Glove
Sun protection is one
of the most
important
considerations for
an angler,
and while
many of us are smart enough to reach
for the sunscreen to slather our faces,
arms and legs, we often forget about
our hands. We’ve been wearing these
50+ SPF gloves all summer, and
found them to be light, comfortable,
and actually enhance grip on oars,
rods, etc. Check out buffusa.com for
pricing details.
Check out anglingtrade.com and
midcurrent.com for all the latest
fly specific product information,
including new product releases
from the IFTD trade show…
Industry News
Startup Company Brings Online
Management and Booking Technology to the Outdoor Industry
“My Outdoor Calendar” provides
outdoor businesses with ways to
manage their business by using the
correct management tools. These
tools allow fishing businesses to
book customers online, accept many
forms of payment, utilize a point14
of-sale tool, and track all reports
through an online-based system.
Shops and managers are now organizing their businesses by streamlining
the booking process. The “live” calendar feature keeps everyone up-to-date.
My Outdoor Calendar also sets each
business up with free features that are
critical to their business’ success such
as QuickBooks integration, a Facebook booking app, Google Calendar
integration, mobile features, and
much more.
The company is currently serving
guides, outfitters, and fly fishing shops
all over the United States, Canada
& South America. If you need more
organization in your life, then a cost
effective solution like My Outdoor
Calendar might be right for you and
your business.
My Outdoor Calendar starts at just
$50 for the first three months and
then a monthly rate after your trial
has expired. If you would like to see a
demo of the product, please contact
Sam Dryden at [email protected]. Learn more at http:/www.
myoutdoorcalendar.com or get in
touch at (970) 439-5495.
Fly Fusion, IF4, and Northwest/
Southwest Fly Fishing
are Collaborating
Fly Fusion has
agreed to remove
the exclusive
nature of its
relationship with
the International Fly Fishing Film
Festival (IF4) and will be sharing the
magazine media sponsor position with
Northwest, Eastern and Southwest
Fly Fishing magazines. In return, the
group of magazines has agreed to
provide IF4 with full-page insertions
in ALL of their publications during
IF4’s 2012 tour.
Angler Trends Available Online
The May 2011 Angler Trends Media
Report from AnglerSurvey is ready.
The report is prepared for those who
have offered links and promotion to
our AnglerSurvey.com. We thank you
for supporting the survey and helping
us to increase participation.
From Southwick Associates
AFFTA Announces Three
Board Members
The final results of the AFFTA Board
elections have been tallied, and the
most recently elected board members
are: Gary Jennings (Bonnier Corporation), Andrew Bennett (Deneki
Outdoors), and Jim Murphy (Hardy
& Greys).
ASA Names Board
Six members of the American Sportfishing Association’s (ASA) board of
directors were elected or re-elected to
fill three regional and three at-large
seats. Their terms begin October
1, 2011, and they will serve for two
years. ASA board members may serve
three, consecutive two-year terms.
Regional seats went to Martin MacDonald, conservation director, Bass
Pro Shops, Springfield, Mo. (reelected—South Central Region); Dick
Pool, president, Pro-Troll Fishing
Products, Concord, Calif. (re-electedWest Region); and Aledia Tush,
president, CB’s Saltwater Outfitters,
Sarasota, Fla., (Southeast Region).
At-large seats went to Dave Bulthuis,
vice president of sales, Costa, Daytona Beach, Fla. (re-elected); Paul
Schluter, president, St. Croix Rods,
Park Falls, Wis. (re-elected); and Gary
Zurn, senior vice president, marketing
and dealer services, Big Rock Sports,
LLC, Newport, N.C.
CURRENTS
Fly Fishing Show to Mark 20
Years in Somerset
The Fly Fishing Show will celebrate its
20th Anniversary at the Somerset, New
Jersey, location January 27-29, 2012.
“Although our show will travel to six
other U.S. cities, Somerset remains our
largest event,” said Chuck Furimsky,
show director. “From the first year,
when crowds were so large the fire marshall closed the doors until some people
left, the Somerset show continues to
live up to the title of ‘the world’s largest
show for fly fishers,” said Chuck.
Many fly fishing manufacturers exhibit
in Somerset where customers can hold
and cast hundreds of the latest fly rods,
reels, lines, clothing, waders, tying materials, books and videos, art
and accessories.
During the three-day show, the list of
fly fishing celebrities and programs
includes: Lefty Kreh, Gary Borger,
Barry and Cathy Beck, Dave Whitlock, Bob Clouser, Enrico Puglisi, Bob
Jacklin, Steve Rajeff, Mark Petitjean,
A.K. Best, Ed Engle, Jake Jordan, Michael Mauri and Bob Popovic among
others. There are 60+ seminars each
day of the show and everything is
open to those attending at the single
admission price.
“Exhibitor booths have sold out the
show every year, but we always try to
accommodate new people, as long as
space remains. Somerset is usually
the first location to sell out,” concluded Furimsky. The Fly Fishing Show
can be reached by phone at 814-4433638, email is info@flyfishingshow.
com, and all important information
will be posted on the website at www.
flyfishingshow.com.
Conservation News
Our New Favorite Beer
(Drink Beer, Save Trout)
Upslope Brewing
Company has released
its Craft Lager beer
and has kicked off a
“1% for Rivers” campaign. One percent
of revenues from the
sales of Upslope Craft
Lager will be donated
to Colorado Trout
Unlimited in order to protect watersheds statewide. Protecting snowmelt
at its source is not only good for trout;
it’s also good for Colorado beer.
“Colorado Trout Unlimited is thrilled
to engage in the 1% for Rivers
partnership with Upslope Brewing
Company,” said Sinjin Eberle, CTU
president. “This type of collaboration
is a great model for how businesses
16
that depend on our natural resources
can help to protect the places we love
and ensure the quality of their products at the same time.”
Why cans? Cans are better for the
beer and the environment; they’re
also perfect for the on-the-go
lifestyle of Colorado and points
beyond. The benefits of canning—
protection from light and oxidation,
and retention of brewery-direct
freshness—have been well received
among Upslope consumers.
American Fly Fishing Trade
Association Joins TU in
Opposing Bill that would Trash
America’s Backcountry
AFFTA cites loss of habitat and opportunity
that would impact the bottom line of the fly
fishing industry.
The American Fly Fishing Trade
Association today joined Trout
Unlimited and a host of other sporting and conservation organizations
in opposing the so-called Wilderness
and Roadless Area Release Act, which
would remove all protections from the
last, best fishing and hunting destinations in the United States.
“This bill takes direct aim at America’s sporting heritage,” said Jim Klug,
co-owner of Yellow Dog Flyfishing
Adventures and the chairman of the
AFFTA board of directors. “Under
the guise of improving access to the
backcountry for all Americans—
something that we all support—Congress is instead allowing the best
remaining wild and native fish habitat
to be developed by industry and penetrated by new roads and motorized
trails. We already have enough roads
and trails, and the government can’t
afford to maintain even a small percentage of them today. We don’t need
more roads. We need to protect what’s
left of our backcountry, protect habitat, and protect our existing access.”
The bill, dubbed the Attack on our
Sporting Heritage Act (ASH) by Trout
Unlimited, would impact about 43
million acres of roadless backcountry
from coast to coast, all on public lands
within the U.S Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management systems.
Inventoried roadless lands provide the
best remaining fish and game habitat
in the United States, and they’re vital
for the persistence of wild and native
trout. In the Rocky Mountain West,
roadless lands shelter the bulk of the
country’s remaining cutthroat trout
and bull trout populations. Additionally, the best remaining spawning
and rearing habitat for ocean-going
steelhead and salmon is in streams
flowing through or from the roadless
backcountry.
“We’re grateful that AFFTA understands the intrinsic connection between habitat and opportunity,” said
Steve Moyer, TU’s vice president for
government affairs. “The fly fishing
industry understands the opportunity
public lands provide to all anglers,
and keeping the backcountry just like
it is today ensures the recreational
fishing industry a promising future.
We hope Congress will get the message and do away with this terrible
idea that would tarnish the public
lands that belong to every single
American by birthright.”
Roadless areas throughout the
United States are accessible to all
Americans—many are bounded by
paved highways, and others, despite
the misleading status, are accessible
by dirt roads and trails. Hunting
and fishing are allowed on roadless
lands—in fact, the country’s best
hunting harvest rates for trophy deer
and elk occur in hunting units that
are predominantly roadless.
“Congress needs to understand that the
roadless backcountry that exists today is
very limited,” Moyer said. “Keeping it
like it is gives sportsmen and women the
opportunity to share with their children
the places that look today much like
they did generations ago.
“Rather than try to pass a ‘one-sizefits-all’ bill to determine the future of
5 lb.
our roadless backcountry, Congress
should instead do what we do all
the time, and work with people on
the ground who have a vested interest
in the future of public lands near the
places they call home. Doing otherwise
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CURRENTS
puts our sporting culture at risk, because once the backcountry is gone,
it’s gone.”
Update on the Pebble Mine /
Bristol Bay Campaign
By Scott Hed, director, Sportsman’s
Alliance for Alaska
I’ll spare you
the background
details. We all
know the basics.
Bristol Bay =
Great. Pebble
Mine = BAD.
I first attended IFTD (FFR back in
the day) in 2006 and since then I’ve
had the good fortune to work with
many fine people in the fly fishing
industry. Support has been across the
board from manufacturers, media, fly
shops, guides, outfitters, travel companies, lodges—it’s amazing to see the
industry so united in the campaign to
protect one of the world’s finest sport
fishing destinations. I consider the fly
fishing industry to be the vanguard
of our efforts in the Lower 48 which
have expanded quite a bit in the past
year. We’ll need support from all
corners if we are to prevail.
The foreign-owned mine companies
plan to apply for permits in late 2012
or 2013. We don’t need to wait for
them. In February 2011, U.S. Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency announced plans to review the suitability
of large-scale development projects—like Pebble—in the Bristol Bay
watershed. Let’s keep the foot on the
gas pedal, crank up the grassroots networks in the coming year, and make
sure EPA follows this process through
to its logical conclusion: Pebble is
simply the wrong idea in the wrong
place. We’ve got a fighting chance,
and support from the fly fishing world
will continue to be critical.
Here’s what we need from you:
• Put this link on your web page and
in your newsletters and catalogs so
your customers can contact the EPA
and Congress: www.SaveBristolBay.
org/TakeAction.
• Send a letter to your members of
Congress (we’ll help with the draft,
just ask).
• Make a donation to the campaign;
it’ll take resources to win this fight.
Thanks for the past and continued
support. Contact Scott Hed (Scott@
SportsmansAlliance4AK.org or 605351-1646) to play your part.
Fly Fishing Publisher Donates
Book Proceeds for Stripers
Departure Publishing recently released
The Blitz, Fly Fishing the Atlantic Migration
The Trapped-Air
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redfish, and other nearshore pelagics.
Recognizing that Atlantic striped bass
stocks are once again in significant
decline, Departure Publishing is donating $5 per copy from all direct sales of
The Blitz to select conservation groups
that are currently fighting on the front
lines to sustain and improve the striped
bass fishery in the Northeast… The
Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Stripers Forever, and Coastal Conservation
Association.
The Blitz was released in July (we
have read it… the work is stunning)
and retails for $49.95 with 216
pages, fifteen essays, and over 300
color images. This book is the
perfect complement to your fly
fishing collection.
Commentary
The Ripple Effect
By John Land Le Coq, co-founder,
Fishpond, Inc.
In the same way that a fish takes
your fly and creates ripples across the
water’s surface, protecting our natural
heritage creates ripples for generations.
We should take a moment and applaud
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s efforts
to protect this country’s phenomenal
public lands and waters and reconnect
Americans with the outdoor places we
love. Salazar and the America’s Great
Outdoors initiative – an outreach
and policy plan based on a national
dialogue with hundreds of thousands
of engaged Americans – are creating
important ripples.
The America’s Great Outdoors report identifies two particular ripplemakers, which are some of the most
effective, time-tested conservation
tools America has: the Land and
Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
and the Antiquities Act.
LWCF was created by Congress in
1965 using federal revenues from
offshore oil and gas leasing – not
taxpayer dollars – to fund the
conservation of natural resources
onshore. Over the years, LWCF
monies have preserved national
treasures such as Rocky Mountain National Park, the Florida
Everglades, and historic Civil War
battlefields, and provided access
for hunters and anglers to prized
wildlife habitat.
What many of us might not know
is that a large number of our most
beloved local parks, ball fields, and
playgrounds have also been funded
with LWCF matching grants.
The Antiquities Act is a 100-yearold tool that American presidents
from Theodore Roosevelt to George
W. Bush have used to act decisively
to protect irreplaceable treasures like
the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest,
Muir Woods, and Dinosaur National Monument from development
and other threats. Secretary Salazar
advocates a collaborative process,
enlisting public input to identify
and recommend potential national
monument sites for protection.
The emerging national focus on outdoor recreation and the tools needed
to sustain it is good news for sportsmen and women, hikers, mountain
bikers, off-road enthusiasts, horsemen and women, and the hundreds
of millions of families that explore
our national parks, forests, and other
public lands every year.
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CURRENTS
record 13-pound, 5-ounce sea trout
(caught by angler Sean Smith with
ghillie Neil O’Shea).
But it is also good news for rural and
urban economies across America.
Outdoor recreation contributes $730
billion to the U.S. economy annually—
and employs one in every 20 Americans! That is serious business, and
just like other major U.S. industries,
requires attention to keep it thriving.
As a private company that depends
on public access to our public lands,
rivers, and favorite fishing spots, it is
vital to us that critical public lands are
preserved. We value the shared connection we have to our land, water,
and wildlife and believe in the ever
widening “ripple effect” that occurs
when we act in concert with others to
conserve our natural world.
We have an obligation to our children
and grandchildren to ensure they can
experience America’s Great Outdoors. Secretary Salazar’s continued
efforts to champion critical funding
for the Land and Water Conservation
Fund and talk with Americans about
the protection of new national monuments, will surely create more ripples
and new opportunities to sustain our
heritage, and our economy.
Go Fish in Ireland
(and Send Clients)
By Kirk Deeter
One of the hottest “new” adventure
fly fishing destinations for American
anglers may very well be a place with
some of the oldest angling traditions… Ireland.
Mark my words, you will be hearing
and reading a lot about fly fishing in
Ireland in the coming months. And
smart travel businesses—as well as retailers who refer traveling clients—are
going to want to experience and refer
customers to places like the River
Moy in County Mayo, and/or Lough
Currane in County Kerry.
Here are eight reasons to fly fish Ireland and send trips there:
1. The fishing is good and getting better. The Irish government
banned the use of offshore drift nets,
which is having a tangible positive
impact on the numbers and sizes of
both Atlantic salmon and sea trout
(sea-run browns) in the freshwater
system. The River Moy is producing
prolific runs of salmon… and Lough
Currane just produced an Irish
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2. Traditions run deep. There’s
something to be said for working the
water with the wise assistance of a
seasoned ghillie, or making casts in
places like the legendary “Ridge Pool”
on the River Moy… it is the angling
equivalent of playing golf through
“Amen Corner” at Augusta National.
3. Speaking of golf… the crossover
potential for “fish a little, golf a little”
vacation packages are limitless in
Ireland. (See Chris Santella’s story
on golf-fishing demographics in this
issue for more rationale). You may
have heard that pro golfers like Mark
O’Meara, Tiger Woods, etc., like to
fish in Ireland en route to and from the
Open Championship… they stay in
places like Mount Falcon (www.mountfalcon.com) in Ballina, County Mayo,
and Waterville House in County Kerry.
4. Affordability. Sure, a lot of Irish
fishing is on leased and private water,
and you pay to play… but that can be
as little as 20 Euros for access to fish a
world-class beat on great water. Golfwise, a round at one of the greatest
links courses in the world like Enniscrone or Carne, can be arranged for
less than $100… far less expense (for
far better golf) than you’ll get at an
American resort.
20
CURRENTS
Catch Some Great Stories (and Some Great Secrets!)
5. Accessibility. From the East Coast
of the United States, you can be in
the west of Ireland within a 6-hour
flight… that’s closer than Alaska, Hawaii, South America, or many other
popular travel destinations.
6. The spouse factor. Ireland is an
undoubtedly safe bet for the angler
who wants to bring a non-fishing
companion on a trip that doesn’t
involve desolate places, bugs, snakes,
and other nasty things.
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Secrets from Florida’s Master Anglers
Ron Presley
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7. Opportunity. Though tourism
is a staple of the Irish economy,
angling tourism targeting Americans
is a fairly wide-open affair. There
are plenty of opportunities to be
explored, and eager partners waiting in Ireland to help.
8. Hospitality. You’ll find that
people in Ireland will shake your
hand and say, “You’re welcome.”
That’s not a response to an unsaid
thank-you… it’s a heartfelt way to
say they are glad you visiting. And
by action, the Irish show visiting anglers and golfers just how much they
mean it. The hospitality in Ireland
is legendary, with very, very good
reason. The greatest memories I
brought back from Ireland weren’t
those of big fish, or birdie putts, or
even the photographs of the stunningly beautiful landscapes… they
were the friendships I forged with
Irish people.
Angling Trade will feature more information on Ireland at anglingtrade.
com, and in future editions of the
magazine.
In the interim, if you want to
explore possibilities, we’d suggest
contacting:
Alan Maloney, proprietor of Mount
Falcon in County Mayo, E-mail
[email protected].
(Do check out the mountfalcon.
com website… it is an extraordinary
place, with outstanding fishing opportunities right on the property).
Confluence Films Offers
Conservation Benefit Screening Opportunties with New
Film “Connect”
Following on the heels of the successful movie projects Drift and
No inner tubes
No crowds
Just you, the trout, and a Parachute Adams
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CURRENTS
Rise, Confluence Films, LLC will
release their third feature-length
movie, Connect, in the fall of 2011.
This new movie project is once
again a multi-segment collection
of individual stories shot around
the world and includes locations
in Japan, Maine, Cuba, Alaska, Yellowstone National Park, and Africa.
As with Drift and Rise, Connect
is the result of a partnership by
director Chris Patterson of Warren
Miller Entertainment and executive
producer and writer Jim Klug of
Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures.
The world premiere of Connect
will be in Bozeman, Montana on
Friday, October 7, 2011, where
Confluence will offer an exclu-
sive VIP screening of the film for
members of the fly fishing industry.
Complimentary tickets and event
passes will be provided to guides,
outfitters, retailers, media, and
other industry entities interested in
attending. A follow-on screening on
Saturday, October 8, will be open
to the general public, and DVD’s
of Connect will be available for
sale beginning November 4, 2011
(retail price of $34.95), available
through the Confluence Films
website (www.confluencefilms.tv)
and through fly fishing retailers and
specialty shops.
While more details and specifics
about the new film will be released
in the coming months, Confluence
is announcing that they will once
again offer early screenings of the
new film to qualified conservation
entities and organizations. With the
new movie available to the public
on DVD in early November, for the
month of October, Confluence will
offer retailers, groups, clubs, and
other select entities the chance to
exclusively premiere the new film
in their area as a fundraiser for
fisheries-based conservation projects. Groups and entities interested
in setting up or scheduling a pre-release screening and fundraiser during the month of October should
contact Jim Klug of Confluence
Films at (406) 585-8667 or by email
at [email protected].
IFTD Exhibitor floor map on next page...
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IFTD Exhibitor Floor Map as of July 15, 2011
26
27
CURRENTS
IFTD Exhibitors & Booth #’s as of July 15, 2011
28
Abel Automatics Inc.
1139
Dragonfly Boatworks LLC
1045
Alert Stamping & Mfg. Co., Inc.
SB2
El Pescador Lodge & Villas
503
American Tackle Company International
430
Federation of Fly Fishers
SB9
Andes Drifters
1400
Fish Pimp
419
Angler Sport Group
937
Fishhound
525
Angler’s Book Supply
1100
1219
Aquaz USA/Aquaz Sports Co. LTD
1503
Fishing Education Foundation/
National Fishing in Schools Program
Fishpond Inc.
504
Art of Paul Puckett
844
Flex Spex LLC
642
Batson Enterprises
245
Fly Fishing Film Tour
440
Bauer Premium Fly Reels, Inc.
509
Fly Fishing in Salt Waters
630
Black’s Fly Fishing- Grand View Media
1129
Fly Fusion Magazine
1201
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust
1209
Fly Tyer’s Carry All
1220
Breath Like a Fish Apparel
446
Fly Wheel
SB7 & SB8
Buff Inc.
513
Flying Fisherman
410
Cablz Inc.
846
Flymen Fishing Company
1127
Cascade Crest
632
Frank Amato Publications
639
Casting for Recovery
1211
Freedom Hawk Kayaks, LLC
938
Catch Magazine
1038
Galvan Fly Reels
313
Cheeky Fly Fishing
1039
Gamakatsu USA Inc.
341
Chota Outdoor Gear
300
Glacier Outdoor, Inc.
533
Clear Creek
1022
Global Rescue LLC
644
Cliff Outdoors
1236
Grosse Savanne Water Fowl & Wildlife Lodge
345
Climax
631
Hammerhead Industries/Gear Keeper
1501
Confluence Films
507
Hardy North America
927
Cortland Line Company
1029
Hatch Outdoors
331
Costa Sunglasses
100
Hell’s Bay Boatworks
743
Damonte Outfitters
740
Hendrix Outdoors
1102
Dan Bailey
1202
Hobie Fishing
1025
Diablo Paddle Sports
1206
Howler Brothers
743
Dr. Fish Hook
SB3
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IFTD Exhibitors & Booth #’s as of July 15, 2011
30
International Fly Fishing Film Festival
1203
Pockit Sports Co.
SB10
Jim Teeny, Inc.
SB12
Pro Line MFG CO
600
Kast Gear
1026
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Inc.
1213
Korkers Products, LLC
923
Rail Riders
415
Larva Lace
1125
Rajeff Sports
421
Loksak Inc.
1224
REC Components
1007
Loon Outdoors
730
Redington
708
Maui Jim, Inc.
443
Renzetti Inc.
628
Milo Creek Carvings Fine Art
343
RG France
SB13
Montana Fly Company
942
Rio Products Intl. Inc.
724
Morning Star Lanyards
339
RL Winston Rod Co
317
Morris Sporting Group
444
Ross Reels
917
My Outdoor Calendar
842
Royal Wulff Products
738
Mystic Rods
704
Sage Manufacturing
716
Nautilus Reels
936
Saracione MFG
346
No Nonsense Fly Fishing Guidebooks
624
Scientific Anglers
1015
Northern Sport Fishing Products
647
Scott Fly Rod Company
737
Northwest Fly Fishing
1212
Sea Level Flyfishing
1401
NRS
537
Seattle Sports Company
442
O’Mustad & Son (USA) Inc.
145
Seongil TNC Co. Ltd
1403
Onos Polarized Performance Sunglasses
1107
Simms Fishing Products
400
Orvis
1000
Smith Optics/Suncloud Optics
700
Outcast Sporting Gear
425
Smithfly Designs
SB14
Outdoor Art Apparel
SB5 & SB6
Snake Brand Inc.
637
Pacific Fly Group
1200
Solitude Fly Co.
438
Panhandle Outfitters
SB11
Spirit River
947
Partridge of Redditch
531
Sportsmen’s Alliance for Alaska
1205
Patagonia
1106
Spotted Tail Outdoors
643
Peak Engineering
SB4
Stackpole Books
413
Penn State University Press
SB15
Streamworks
1136
Struble MFG Co.
646
Water Skeeter Sports
845
Temple Fork Outfitters
325
West Water Products
1300
The Waterworks-Lamson
437
Wet-A-Hook Technologies
645
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CURRENTS
Travel
Show and Tell
Show the media your fishery and let them tell the
world about it.
Written by Will Rice
To put the excursion into perspective, everyone on the
trip was doing something they had never done before:
sight fishing for big carp in the shallow fresh waters of a
remote island in Lake Michigan.
Angling Trade editors and writers have been on many trips
around the world, fishing new venues and trying out
new gear on other people’s dimes. Tough job, we know.
We’ve fished legendary spring creeks in Montana for
brown trout, connected with permit on the flats of Ascension Bay, and flown into tiny dirt airstrips in the hills
of Bolivia to stalk freshwater dorado in clear water.
Preparation
Some trips were epic... like FIBfest, coordinated by
Deneki Outdoors’ Andros South operation in the Bahamas. Others... well, will remain nameless, because they
weren’t so productive for either party.
As the host of the trip, put your best foot forward and
plan the outing when it’s “game on.” It doesn’t make
sense to invest in this type of event when the fishing is
marginal. If you want the right type of exposure and the
right type of message being delivered to the masses (or
the niches), show off your goods and services when it is
prime time.
From the media side, the goal of these trips is to experience the products and services business owners would
like potential consumers to... well... consume. But
there’s also a goal of making entertaining and informative stories. No doubt about it, media events are a great
part of this job. But media folks have jobs to do. Featuring your destination the right way and helping them find
a win-win angle is the key to generating exposure.
Businesses thinking about throwing a media event and
wanting to score a home run need to concentrate on
three things: preparation, communication, and focus.
Kirk Deeter, Tim Romano and myself (along with a
number of other media content creators) were recently
32
invited to Beaver Island, Michigan, by Indigo Guide Service and a number of partners it had coordinated into a
team (the Beaver Island Chamber of Commerce, Beaver
Island Lodge, Fresh Air Charters, Beaver Island Boat
Company, etc.). The trip was simple, yet well-executed—
and most importantly—effective.
Keep the trip simple and keep it organized. Spending
significant effort ensuring the logistics of the trip are
accurate will save countless hours down the road, avoid
agitation, and keep guests focused on your products or
services, and not worried about making a flight or a connection.
“I had high confidence that the fishing would be good
and it was. Even with poor weather there were still fish
to catch,” said Kevin Morlock, owner of Indigo Guide
Service. “With the ‘bloggers’ we also wanted to create
interest for the 2011 season, hoping that it may help fill
dates this season. As guides we were also at the peak of
our excitement because it was the start of the season.”
In some cases, as the host, you are going to have to
shoulder all the costs, but not always. In preparing for
CURRENTS
your event, think about the potential benefits of partnerships. When
thinking about partnering possibilities, think about other businesses
with similar interests as you. In the
case of our trip, our hosts partnered
with Fresh Air Aviation. Fresh Air
is one of the air services that take
anglers and other tourists to the
Island from mainland Michigan
(about a 25-minute flight). They
also partnered with the Chamber
of Commerce, the Beaver Island
Lodge, the Shamrock (bar and grill),
and the Harbor Market. The key
here is that partnering means not
only sharing the costs, but also the
mutual benefits.
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Communication
Over-communicate with the media
professionals you are inviting and the
other businesses you partner with.
Think about creating a “hook” or key
message that you want to deliver to
each writer and be sure that everyone
on the trip can use that “hook” for his/
her specific audience. Try to cover
your “hook” with each individual to
ensure they understand what you are
trying to convey. Understanding who
your writer’s audience is and what is
important to them is going to be key
to your success. Consider the mix of
your group… don’t have six competing vertical magazines on the same
trip, and don’t push the same angle on
everyone. (A smart writer/editor will
know how to find his own hook… or
two, or three.)
“JP Lipton was invited because he is
the social media king of carp. He has
well over 6000 Facebook connections
(friends and ‘likes’) between his personal and blog profiles,” said Indigo’s Matt
Dunn. “His blog is popular and well
connected. He has done a great job of
creating a ‘carp brand’online.”
Also think about communicating with
your existing customer base to let them
understand you are doing something
new and innovative. Let your customers and partners know what you are up
to and who will be visiting to test your
wares. Use all of the different communication devices at your disposal:
phone, email, and hard copy print
letters.
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“I think it was important to the Chamber to communicate to the island that
several top outdoor media personalities
were going to be visiting the island and
why,” said Morlock. “The Chamber
used this event to emphasize the point
that the island needs to think bigger
than local recreation when it comes to
its outdoor resources.”
Once it is game time, be adaptive and
also honest. Nothing goes as planned,
so communicate transparently. If a
guide is sick and failed to show up, say
it. If a cook is having marital issues
and is not going to make it, tell them.
Writers will understand these things.
This is another reason to think about
B-plans and business continuity options. If an engine goes out on one of
the boats, what are you going to do?
Focus
The things that matter on a trip like
this are really the nuts and bolts…
the basics. Think about the core
product or service. Ask the question:
Why am I committed to this product
or service? What makes me excited
and gets me moving every morning
to deliver these services to the general
public? Make sure you can answer
these questions and then focus on
these things. Simple. Basic.
You don’t have to worry about fivestar dinners or over-the-top accommodations. Full disclosure: our trip
to Beaver Island scored super high
ratings on both counts.
One note here we all agreed on (and a
good call by the Beaver Island team):
Most writers I know appreciate some
privacy if it can be accommodated.
A single room where one can rest,
relax and get some work done on the
down time is a super plus. We bring
this up to make a point: something as
simple as a single room is very basic,
but it can go a long way. Not only
do writers not like to be doubled up
with a (snoring) roommate they don’t
know, they sometimes work at night
(believe it or not). A photographer
might work until 3 a.m. editing the
day’s shoot… the writer doesn’t care
about that, and doesn’t want to be
kept awake as that happens. Give
them each their space, and they will
give you more productive work, and
be grateful.
In my case, the trip to Beaver Island
had a “hook” and focus that was all
about sight casting to big fish with
giant bugs in crystal clear water
(weather permitting) and watching
carp move to a fly. We had plenty of
time in the lodge, on the boat and at
the bar to discuss the dynamics of the
fishery, the behavior of the fish, other
species we would encounter on the
water (smallies), and even some history
of the island itself.
Then we got down to real business.
We pounded the water for four days
and our guides delivered the goods (in
clear weather and foul). They communicated what we’d be up against,
the challenges and the right strategies
to think about as we approached each
flat or cove. They got us on the water
on time every day and focused hard
on delivering the experience.
“Beaver Island probably has the best
flats experience in the Great Lakes;
it is at least as good as anywhere I’ve
been,” concluded Kevin Morlock.
“Then add in that Beaver Island has
great accommodations and food and
is one of the coolest places around. It
has a laid-back island atmosphere, is
very family friendly but knows how
to kick-up its Irish heels after the sun
goes down.”
And that brings us to our last piece of
advice, which is also a simple one. Have
fun. If it’s all business, hype, and spin,
then the trip is going to be a buzz-kill.
Think about your message, deliver it
effectively, and have some fun doing
it. Executing a successful media event
is the best way to inspire these types of
writers to join your cause and deliver
the right message to the right target audience (the folks who want to buy your
stuff)… and to other media (we all talk
to each other… a good story spreads
from blogs to magazines to television
like a virus, in a good way). Do a trip
right, and the exposure benefits will not
only kick-start an operation, but they’ll
also last for years. at
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Golfers – The Future of Fly Fishing?
Written by Chris Santella
The United States Golf Association estimates there are 28.6 million
golfers in the United States. The median income for subscribers to
the game’s leading monthly, Golf Digest, is $131,000.
An attractive demographic,
wouldn’t you say?
And one that could help resuscitate
the fly fishing industry.
If the notion of legions of Rodney
Dangerfield-type characters in
fluorescent orange checked pants
36
pounding down the doors of the
local fly shop is laughable, take
pause... both golf and fly fishing are sporting cultures perfectly
suited for the type-A personality. Think about it: In an average
four-hour round of golf, the time
one spends actually swinging a
club and putting amounts to about
three minutes. The rest of the time
you’re gauging distances, checking
the wind, selecting clubs, reading
greens, and enjoying the scenery.
When fly fishing a river, the best
day involves minutes, not hours,
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feature
of actually fighting fish. The rest of
the time is spent gauging currents,
checking for rises, selecting flies,
reading the water… and enjoying
the scenery. In both cases, it’s what
happens “between the ears” (in the
words of the immortal Bobby Jones)
that separates success and failure.
“For me, the shared appeal of golf
and fly fishing is the chance to be
outside in a beautiful place,” said
Russ Miller, director of golf at The
Broadmoor in Colorado Springs,
Colorado. “The river or lake is your
golf course. Or vice versa.”
“There are so many similarities
between golf and fly fishing,” said
Spencer Schaub, general manager
of Pronghorn Club & Resort, a
high-end golf community in Bend,
Oregon. “Both a golf swing and a
fly cast can evolve into an art form.
Practitioners want to make that
swing or cast into a thing of beauty.
The feeling you get when a trout
takes a dry fly is the same feeling
you get when a long putt falls in.
You feel like you’ve made a good
execution, you anticipate the result,
and then you get to enjoy the rush
of success.”
Given these parallels, it should
come as no surprise that many
big-name PGA pros, including Jack
Nicklaus, Mark O’Meara, Padraig
Harrington, Nick Faldo, Nick Price,
Davis Love III, Justin Leonard, David Duval and David Feherty, spend
many of their off-fairway hours with
a fly rod in hand.
It’s not too far-fetched to think that
some of their devotees might follow suit.
The Golf Industry is Starting to
See It
Several golf destinations have recognized the appeal that fly fishing holds
for their core golf constituents, and
have launched angling programs accordingly. “In the golf business, we’re
competing for people’s recreational
time,” Schaub continued. “When
I ask people why they purchased a
home at Pronghorn, the overwhelming response is ‘I love to golf, but I also
like to fly fish, mountain bike, ski etc.’
The number one BUT is fly fishing,
so we’ve tried to build some programs
around the two activities. It plays to
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feature
the strengths of Central Oregon, and
makes for an easier sell. It used to be
that the decision to join a golf club
community was the husband’s decision. Now, he needs to sell the family
on the idea. Having activities like fly
fishing available facilitates the sales
process.” To accommodate guests’
piscatorial passions, Pronghorn has
engaged a local outfitter (Deep Canyon Outfitters) as a preferred provider
for guided trips on local rivers, and
casting lessons at an on-property
stocked pond.
Down the road at Crosswater, a private golf community in Sunriver, Oregon, the synergies between golf and
fly fishing have also been recognized.
“I like to fish and a number of our
members also do. We even named
or member/guest tournament the
“Cleek and Creel,” said Josh Willis,
Crosswater’s head golf professional
and club manager. “We used to have
the fishing component of the tournament in the Little Deschutes River,
which flows through the course but
since we had gorgeous lakes on the
Crosswater property it occurred to me
that they could make great trout lakes.
We had them stocked and the next
year, we had the fishing segment of
the Cleek & Creel at the lake on hole
2. People loved it – a golf event with
a little fishing became a fishing event
with a little golf. The lakes have now
become a sales tool for events and
potential homeowners. For events,
we bring in local Orvis guide Fred
Foisset from The Hook Fly Shop to
help with casting lessons and to assist
with catch and release fly fishing. If
you were debating between a vacation property with no onsite fishing
and one where you could catch a six
pound rainbows outside your door,
which would you choose?” Willis has
also incorporated fly fishing into the
merchandising scheme at Crosswater’s
award-winning golf shop. “We have
hats that incorporate fly rods into the
Crosswater logo and ‘Crosswater Fly
Shop’ hats,” Willis added. “We even
have some bamboo rods that a guy in
town builds that we keep around the
shop on consignment.”
To facilitate fly fishing outings, The
Broadmoor partnered with Colorado
Fishing Adventures to establish an onsite angling presence.
At The Broadmoor in Colorado, fly
fishing is a natural extension of the
resort’s recreational offering. “For
someone visiting from New York or
D.C., fishing is synonymous with Colorado,” Russ Miller said. “It’s part
of the experience people are looking
for, especially if they don’t have trout
fishing where they live. It’s part of
our (the Broadmoor’s) responsibility to deliver on many levels – great
golf, great room, great food and great
outdoor experiences.”
Connecting with Your
Golf Market
“We have what might be the smallest
fly shop in the world—7’ by 14’,” said
Tony Gibson, the operation’s owner.
“But we provide a turnkey operation.
I’d say that only one in five Broadmoor clients have had any fly fishing
experience, so we supply everything
from wading shoes to licenses. Our
guides are excellent instructors.” I
asked Tony how many of his sports
had a conversion experience. “It’s my
guess that seven to ten percent of our
clients who are new to fly fishing will
go out again on a guided trip at home
or at another resort,” he said. “From
there, they’ll decide if it’s a pastime
they’ll want to commit to.”
The numbers are there. The interest seems to be there. But as this is
new territory, there are no blueprints
for reeling in the 19th hole crowd.
First and foremost, it would seem to
be a marketing and communications
challenge. Having spent a bit of time
around the golf world (I can hit a fiveiron nearly as far as I can spey cast),
I will venture a few thoughts on how
the fly fishing community might reach
out to their Titleist-driving brethren:
Reach out to local golf pros
The golf professionals or directors of
golf at your local course(s) are your
best conduit to their clientele. Make
friends with the local golf pros. If
they like to fish, offer to take them
out. If they’re not familiar with
the sport, talk about the similarities
between the two sports, and offer to
give them a casting lesson on a pond
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feature
around the course, either before or
after hours. If you get the pro on
your side, things will be a lot easier.
(You’ll find a draft introduction
letter to help get you started at
www.anglingtrade.com.
Do an “intro to fly fishing”
program for members
You’ve likely done more than a few fly
fishing club presentations to promote
either your local guide service or
some exotic destinations you serve.
Take some of your favorite slides that
capture the excitement of fly angling
and combine those with some images
that will make the sport accessible
to beginners. Then contact the club
pro and offer to come in and do an
introduction to fly fishing program.
Most private clubs – and many that
are part of residential communities
– have member-oriented gatherings,
and they’re often looking for something new and interesting for the dessert course. At the conclusion of the
program, offer to return and conduct
a complimentary casting clinic onsite. You can use one of the ponds,
or even cast on the fairway.
Offer to provide a “Golf/Fly Fishing – Separated at Birth” story for the
club newsletter.
Just as there’s often space to fill on
the evening program for member’s
events, golf club newsletters are often
looking for fresh content pertinent
to their members. If you can show
these folks the many similarities
between the sports – and how many
of their idols embrace fly fishing –
don’t you think you might spark some
interest? (Not a writer? Don’t worry
—visit www.anglingtrade.com and
download a sample article that you
can tailor for your region.)
Offer to help set up a “Cleek &
Creel” event at a local course
As mentioned above, a golf/fly fishing
tourney can be a catalyst for generating interest in fly fishing among the
golfing populous. Competitions are
generally based on some combination
of total inches of fish caught (and
released) and best ball golf scores.
Josh Willis from Crosswater was kind
enough to provide an outline of the
rules for his event at www.anglingtrade.com. Take him fishing if he
shows up in your town. at
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feature
Adventure in a Box
Translating film into retail gold
Written by Geoff Mueller
gression of film in the marketplace
is difficult to document, but rests
largely on quality product.
“We’ve sold more Eastern Rises in the
first year than we have our previous film Red Gold in more than two
years,” Rummel says. “And we’ve
sold more of Red Gold than The Hatch
and Running Down the Man, combined.
So it’s definitely been a nice curve
for us. But I think it shows that with
each film, we’ve gotten progressively
better at producing a more compelling product.”
As Felt Soul’s product has improved,
so too have the distribution channels
for adventure films, as well as brickand-mortar and online flyshop support. That wasn’t always the case.
Ben Knight, one half of Felt Soul - Filming a small creek at the foot of a tea farm in Kenya for the Rainforest Alliance
in 2010. Photo by Travis Rummel
In the March “20 Greatest
Things” issue of this
magazine I wrote about
the rise of adventure
filmmaking, extolling the
Fly Fishing Film Tour as
a means to lure untapped
audiences into the fold. As
the experiential film genre
continues to gain traction
it also has implications for
the retail side of the game.
Fly fishing film is not entirely new,
per se. It’s been around since VHS
had its clunky heyday, predominantly
44
in the form of instructional how-to
videos. When we needed to cast under a bush, whip-finish a Hornberg,
or tie nail knots like grand champions there were plenty of scintillating
options to pick and choose. These
films are still being pumped out today and continue to sell. But as consumer tastes evolve, we’re witnessing
a new push for the contemporary, in
addition to the classic.
On today’s store shelves, Felt Soul
Media leads the charge with its Russian trouting manifesto: Eastern Rises.
Travis Rummel, who alongside filmmaking partner Ben Knight makes
award-winning documentaries under
the Felt Soul banner, says the pro-
“It wasn’t until after we did Running
Down the Man, our second film, that
we started working with distributors
and selling wholesale,” Rummel says.
“I felt like up until that point, it was
only really how-to and instructional
films on shop shelves, so people
didn’t really know how to market
it. Or shops would buy one or two
copies just to see how they would do.
It was a pretty slow start to get them
into the shops.”
Running Down the Man was released
in 2006. It became an official selection at Telluride Mountainfilm
Festival the following year. Felt Soul
has since made several marketable
fly fishing features, as well as gone
on to produce shorts for The New
York Times, Hawaiian Airlines, and
Scott Fly Rods (June, 2011), to name
a few. But Felt Soul isn’t the only
contender moving product. A daily
search of blogs, forums, and hosting
sites such as Vimeo and YouTube,
as well as social networking giant
Facebook, shows a proliferation of
new filmmakers and films making
the rounds. Amidst the weeds, some
of these shorts will go feature-length
and eventually to market, where
the pruning is fine-tuned by major
distributors, such as Oregon-based
Angler’s Book Supply (ABS).
According to ABS owner Mark Koenig, top-selling adventure films are
currently winning the battle against
best-selling books and instructional
DVDs. While sales for books by bigname (by industry standards) authors
such as John Gierach remain strong,
the adventure film has risen from
dust to top dog in terms of total oneyear sales for an individual title.
“In the past five years the latest
greatest films that you could call
adventure—the equivalent of a male
romance novel—definitely have had
the biggest numbers,” Koenig says.
“If you look at sales, the best-selling
adventure DVDs at any given time
outshine traditional titles such as
books and how-to films. On the
other hand, those guys don’t have the
staying power of say a Joan Wulff or
Lefty Kreh casting video,” he says.
“Maybe you’d sell 1,000 copies of
Eastern Rises and 300 or 400 of a
casting DVD, but you’ve been selling
300 or 400 of that casting DVD every year for the past 10 or 15 years.”
Although the best new DVDs are
outselling the best new books in most
cases, the overall sales split is closer
to even. In 2010 ABS’s flyfishing-specific sales were 55 percent books, 45
percent DVDs. Those numbers show
a 10 to 15 percent increase for DVD
sales from what they were in previous
years, with much of that weighted
toward adventure film sales.
“Most importantly,” Koenig says,
“shops and retailers that ID and
stock the best new titles will continue
to do well selling DVDs and books.
It’s really a game of getting interesting and new stuff in front of the
consumer at the right time.”
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At the Caddis Fly in Eugene, Oregon,
Chris Daughters says that since purchasing the shop in 1996, he’s offered
an inventory of books and films, and
even rented VHS tapes at one time.
And although film and book sales
generate a small portion of overall shop
revenue, 3 to 5 percent in Daughters’
case, it’s a category worth entertaining,
he says.
“At the shop, we don’t sell them like we
do a new line or a handful of flies. It’s
often an afterthought for customers. But
of course there are exceptions. Skagit
Master 2 is a super regional and important DVD for the Pacific Northwest.
I bought 125 copies and sold them all
inside of 60 days. That’s pretty rare. On
the other hand, the new Gierach book
is probably selling really well elsewhere.
Not for me, though.”
Daughters attributes the growth in
DVD sales to several variables: the
youngifying of the flyfishing demographic, more compelling subject
matter making it to market, and Internet marketing.
“Those younger folks who are more
dialed into Catch Magazine and This is
Fly, for example, often see a trailer and
get the DVD when it comes out,” he
says. “I also think it has something to
do with our instant gratification society:
the DVDs are entertaining as hell,
well done, and fun to watch. Not all
books, but many, are regurgitations,
so I see that product quality lessoning
in some areas.”
Adventure fly fishing film has yet to
reach the realm of regurgitation,
but it certainly draws on inspirations
from elsewhere. Sports such as skiing,
snowboarding, mountain biking, and
rock climbing all have longstanding
filmmaking roots. Warren Miller, for
instance, pioneered the quirky skiscene documentary back in the ’80s,
when rocking neon and nut-hugging
one-piece outfits was the flavor of a
generation. Thanks to a handful of
visionaries within our sport—Chris
Keig, Doug Powell, Tom Bie, Jim
Klug, Felt Soul, Guy de la Valdene,
the group formerly known as AEG—
we’ve caught on and caught up relatively fast. The best fly fishing films on
the market are comparably well shot,
directed, and edited as those we’re
seeing across the outdoor spectrum.
And as quality and entertainment
value continues to move forward,
average consumers stepping into a fly
shop, or surfing a wave of new titles
on the Internet, have taken notice.
“I think that people want to be taken
on adventures and have stories that
resonate with their experiences on
the water. The majority of people
won’t travel to Kamchatka, but to be
able to sit down and watch a 40-minute feature on it and feel like you are
there… I think it’s worth the $25
bucks,” Rummel says.
“That’s how we’ve been successful.
We’ve had interesting characters. We
always try to incorporate humor and
not take it too seriously. But then at
the same time we want to capture
peoples’ passion for the experience.
And sharing that passion is what really resonates for the audience.”
Living the dream is one thing, but
selling it ultimately boils down to
good merchandising. And Daughters’ shop, one that’s done well
pushing DVDs, is no slouch in that
department, devoting prime real estate to the subject matter. The shop
has several racks: two small ones at
the checkout counter each holding
18 DVDs, and two tall floor-to-ceiling wooden displays which face
the DVDs out, so customers can
peruse covers.
“Having the newest one at the
counter is critical,” Daughters says.
“But I really think these movies are
like new releases, you better have
a bunch when they first come out
and then sell, sell, sell. Then get
your staple and regionally important films to stock at all times, then
go out of the box because there’s
always that customer who wants a
DVD collection in his home… and
is willing to buy it.”
ABS sale manager Rob Russell perhaps puts it best: “Shops that are
merchandising DVDs are selling
the heck out of them, while shops
that fall back on the old ‘I tried
DVDs once, and they just didn’t
sell’ are missing out.” at
46
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RECOMMENDED READING
Blue Lines:
A Fishing Life
by Tom Reed
(Riverbend Press, 2010)
Reviewed by Bruce Smithhammer
had been all of his life, serving in the Mexican War in the late ‘40s,
then coming West.
But something that year set him off. He may have gotten lost as the
newspaper speculated. He may have had enough of fighting. Or he
might have decided that Cochetopa was a pretty good place to die. But
something stopped him, made him put the muzzle of his .45-70 to
his head and send a chunk of lead through his brain…
“… I reckon we all have our Cochetopa. I have several. They are
born of meltwater and high snow fading. They etch our landscapes
and seep through granite and limestone, laugh down canyons of lodgepole pine and alpine fir, wind and meander through sedge meadow and
aspen grove, then drop to sage flats that in late summer swell with the
chatter of grasshoppers. Mine are blue lines, thin as the cut of a razor,
little more volume than a few firehoses. It seems sacrilege to describe
their waters in cubic feet per second, for these are birth waters where
our trout are as pure as the snowmelt itself…”
For some reason, this story continues to stick with me,
prodding me to wonder about all the undocumented history contained in the soil of the backcountry places that I
too wander throughout my home range. And therein lies
the subtle power of Reed’s writing – yes, it’s ostensibly a
fishing book, but that’s kind of like saying Steve Rinella’s
American Buffalo is just a “hunting” book, or that Sand County
Almanac is merely about it’s namesake; oversimplification to
the point of insult.
I’ll confess that as soon as I hear the term, “fly fishing
memoir” I’m apt to look elsewhere. Too often, this abused
sub-genre is rife with more navel-gazing than I can stomach, too often degenerating into that tired trap of using
fly fishing as a means for maudlin self-discovery, or as the
vehicle to work through some mid-life crisis, which for
some reason the author feels the need to share with the rest
of the world.
There is a particular chapter in Tom Reed’s latest book
that I’ve had to go back and re-read several times, a true
story of a personal encounter with the ghosts of history on
a high alpine plateau in Colorado:
“In 1881, Jack made his way into the mountains between Saguache
and Gunnison. They were wilder mountains then, on the edge of Ute
Territory, near a mining district, bristling with trouble. Jack was part
of the detachment of Infantry Company G, U.S. Army. A soldier. He
48
But if Reed’s latest collection can be seen as a “memoir”
at all, it is a memoir not of self, but of place. A testament
to how a life can be shaped by the remnants of what is
still wild in the American West. Of places now gone for
good, and places that still take effort to get to. Of celebrating small, off-the-radar waters and equally celebrating the
tenacious trout, regardless of their size, one finds in such
high, remote places. In a time when so many outdoor
pursuits have been molded by the marketing machine into
being about ego-driven personality, or fleetingly immpressive but ultimately vain accomplishments, Blue Lines is a a
good reminder that no hyper-developed personality can
rival the power of geography. at
EXTREME FISHING GEAR
www.KASTGEAR.com
feature
Loss Leaders
[
[
Do They Work?
a product sold at a low price (at cost or below
cost) to stimulate other profitable sales.
Written by Steven B. Schweitzer
Retail loss leaders—do you
use them? If so, do you
know how they perform?
Most do not. “Loss what?”
some ask. Loss leaders is
a selling strategy where a
business offers a product
or service at a price that
is not profitable for the
sake of offering another
product/service at a
greater profit or to attract
50
new customers. Sites like
Groupon or Living Social
thrive on generating loss
leaders on your behalf.
You can employ the loss
leader strategy yourself,
without using a site like
Groupon that takes a huge
cut of your profits. The
trick is knowing when
and how to employ a loss
leader strategy effectively.
Loss Leaders on the Front End
Why use Loss Leaders?
Classic examples of front-end loss
leaders are all around us. Gillette
practically gives away shavers to sell
more expensive replacement blades.
Microsoft has sold the popular Xbox
gaming system at nearly a $100 loss
in order to create demand for the
higher margin video games. Cable
companies offer six or 12 months
of free or ridiculously reduced
service pricing to attract customers
from satellite services. All these are
examples of offering the discount
up-front.
There are plenty of reasons to
consider using loss leaders. While
the list below seems compelling,
they aren’t always the panacea to
slumping sales, but nonetheless, are
important considerations for
employing a loss leader strategy.
1. Create new demand
Loss Leaders on the Back End
Loss leaders also work as a deal
on the back-end of a purchase,
where the buyer gets something of
great value if another high-margin
product is purchased at standard
retail rates. Orvis recently offered a
free Battenkill reel with any purchase
of a Hydros or Helios rod. That’s
an extremely attractive offer to the
rod shopper. Orvis is now running
a deal where a free Wonderline fly
line is added to the purchase of
any Mirage, Hydros or Access reel.
Again, a very attractive offer. But
you gotta buy the product first to get
the deal on the back-end.
Loss Leaders on the Clock
51
Oftentimes, retailers limit the time
when items are on sale with the hope
that a rush of shoppers will also buy
full-price offers. Big Box department
store “one-day sales” offer steeper
discounts until 11:00 a.m., for
example, and then lesser savings
for the rest of the day. This tactic
can be psychologically magnetic
and insanely lucrative—the fear of
missing out on a deal is addictive in
the minds of consumers.
feature
2. Create brand and product awareness— b. You moved to a new retail space
you just took on a new brand line and you c. You have merged two separate
want to get the word out
brand identities
d. You’ve opened an Internet store
3. Generate a new customer base
4. You are new to a market space
a. You opened up a new store
5. Liquidate excess, discontinued or
slow-moving inventory
6. Selling products that are at
the tail-end of the product lifecycle (products that are becoming
unfashionable or outdated)
7. Generate add-on sales: You
already have a large customer base
and you want to generate buying
traffic that will lead to add-on sales
(Walmart is a good example)
Pitfalls of Using a Loss Leader
Strategy: Training Customers
to Buy the Wrong Way
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There’s a side effect of loss
leader pricing known as “cherry
picking.” This is a practice where
customers move from store to
store, making purchases only on
those products that are priced near
or below acquisition cost. Such
purchasing patterns effectively
foil the underlying loss leader
pricing strategy—to lure customers
who will also buy products with
healthier profit margins. Customers
are savvy-smart and will predict
and follow loss leader offerings.
When this happens, retailers have
effectively trained the customer-base
to shop only for the deals and not
for the standard-priced items.
Loss Leaders Without
Promotion = Lost Profits
Selling products at a loss doesn’t
necessarily mean you will get A) new
customers and B) additional add-on
sales. Without good promotion upfront, don’t expect new customers to
just happen upon your special deal.
Use low-cost avenues to generate
buzz—websites, email newsletters
and social media.
feature
Loss Leaders May Build the
Wrong Brand Image
Traditional marketing literature
suggests that loss leaders can bolster
and build brand. In today’s
global economy, I find this to be
poppy-cock. Loss leaders build a
brand of being a low-cost provider.
Is this what a fly shop wants? –
most likely NO! A brand of being
a small-shop, low-cost provider has
little differentiation to being a big
box store. If you want to
build a value-add brand, there
are other more cost-effective
ways to do this. There is no need to
use loss leaders to build
brand image.
Customers Can Smell
a Bad Deal
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Offering “junk” items won’t
attract customers. If you’ve
held a product on your shelves for
years and it’s collecting dust, it’s
probably not a good candidate for
a loss leader product. If it hasn’t
sold in years, it will not sell as a
loss leader. Those items are just
good fodder for a clearance bin and
that’s it.
New Products Do Not Need
Loss Leader Strategies
Using a loss leader strategy on
new products sacrifices the best
opportunity to make the highest
margins. When a product is new,
demand will be high. And thus, the
early adopters of a new product are
not going to be very price sensitive.
It would be a waste to sacrifice this
profit opportunity with a loss
leader strategy.
10 Keys to Using the Loss
Leader Strategy
15353 E. Hinsdale Circle, Unit F
Centennial, Colorado 80112
www.anglersaccessories.com
303-690-0477
What’s a how-to article without
offering tips? Here are our top ten
keys to employing a loss
leader strategy:
1. Know the legal side of things.
• Find out if the distributor or
manufacturer of the product line
will contractually allow you to sell
at a loss—losing the product line is
at risk.
• Some states limit or make
unlawful the practice of selling
products below cost—know your
local laws.
2. Do the math—only venture
into using loss leaders when you
are sure the lost profit can be
countered by the sales of other
more profitable products/services.
The fact is that most small
businesses cannot afford to take a
profit hit.
3. Re-think it one more time before
you act—do you really need to
offer a loss leader? Recent retail
studies have shown that loss leaders
have no greater effect than a wellplanned “Grand Re-Opening” or
“Summer Clearance” event.
4. Use loss leaders sparingly. Don’t
train your customers to only spend
money with you when there’s a deal
to be had.
5. Don’t run out—make sure you
have enough quantity or capacity
on hand to meet the surge in
demand. Running out of a great
deal makes a customer think he
has just been swindled. Plan
your inventory needs ahead of
time—which means you should do
a demand forecast. Oftentimes,
planning ahead and purchasing
larger quantities of a loss leader
product will yield a purchasing
price break from the distributor or
manufacturer—effectively reducing
the loss on each sale.
6. Promote, Promote, Promote —
Don’t believe: “If I build it, they
will come.” You have to promote
your deal using every channel
effectively possible: newspapers,
radio, newsletters, websites,
social media, posters and signs
throughout your retail space, etc.
7. Dip your toe in first—offer
small loss leaders, not large ones.
Minimize the effect of the loss in
the event the lost margin isn’t made
up with more profitable sales.
8. Be religious about tracking results.
By simply asking the customer a few
questions at cash-wrap, you can track
these three things, at a minimum
(and be sure to log the results on a
notepad nearby):
• How many new customers bought
the loss leader product?
• How many add-on sales were a
direct result of the loss leader deal?
• How many new customers are
now repeat customers as a result
of finding your shop and loss
leader deal?
9. Make customers walk through
your store to find the deal. You
won’t get add-on sales unless you
make the customer notice other
products on the path to finding the
killer loss leader deal.
10. Monitor the type of customers
you bring in. You want quality
customers that aren’t price driven
or overly price sensitive. You want
customers who value the quality
of your products, your atmosphere,
your service and the in-store
experience.
The Bottom Line
If done right, using loss leaders
in your retail pricing strategy can
act like a hydraulic lift to your
bottom line. However, the margin
for error is larger than the margin
for success. Loss leader pricing is
rampant amongst big box retailers,
but for small retailers, using a loss
leader strategy may just be a recipe
for disaster. You are in business
to make a profit. Loss leaders
can definitely be part of a profit
strategy, but generating profit then,
should be non-negotiable. at
55
feature
Schools a Key to Sales Success
Written by Lance Gray
Retail fly shops that do not offer
a school program for customers
are missing the boat. Schools are
profitable, and they’re very easy
to plan, advertise and sell. School
programs sustain the clientele and
introduce customers to additional
products in the store... products
like rods, reels, lines and everything
in between. Goods get sold. Other
schools and destination trips
get booked. Customers become
56
confident fly fishers and, one
hopes, thriving stewards of the
water. Schools generate and sustain
cash flow in lean months...
In other words, having a school
program is a necessity for
every shop.
As a guide and a school advisor
involved with hundreds of schools,
I have found common traits
among the school programs that
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When I establish a school
program for a shop, I create a
profile of that shop. I examine
the owner, staff and patrons. I
interview the owner and staff
on goals and on what they
would like to get out of the
school program. I also visit
the local fly clubs and observe
what their needs are. I check
the demographics of the local
population and the economic
factors (what a reasonable price
is and what is not). I explore
potential on the water locations
for school venues to gain an
understanding of the permits
and licenses for that area. Once
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Ultimately, a school is just like
any other product you sell, except
your schools have your name
on them. Make the school the
finest product you can. Start
with the basics. “Introduction
to Fly Fishing,” “Learning to
Nymph Fish,” “Controlling Your
Cast,” give the student the nuts
and bolts of the subject. Make
a course curriculum that is goal
oriented, with a reasonable
amount of subject matter
(only as much as can be
accomplished in the time
allotted). A school should never
be overwhelming for the student.
Overpowering students creates
bad experiences and causes more
harm than good.
2011
SUN
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work best: They have solid
curricula; they are taught by
seasoned instructors; and they
are reasonably priced so students
sense real value. Value is
everything to the student. They
value learning skills that last a
lifetime.
feature
I have the insight I need, I sit down and pencil out a
complete plan.
Before we implement the plan, we conduct a walkthrough school. Invite friends, local guides and valued
customers to the walk through. These people will
provide more insight and suggestions. Write down the
positives and the negatives. Work out the kinks and
then market the school.
When designing your school program keep it simple
and keep it within perspective. Keep all goals
attainable, including the shops, instructor(s) and
student goals. If everything is done correctly,
everyone wins.
A school program needs three different platforms
of instruction: clinics, workshops, and schools. Each
learning environment is a different concept. All are
still based on comparable fundamental techniques,
58
traditional tactics and etiquette. Essentially, the three
venues give options to the student. The students can
explore the entire school program based on needs
and interest.
Clinics should be in house (within the walls of the
fly shop). They should be free or at very little cost.
(I prefer free.) A clinic will key on basics: knot tying,
fly tying, tying a certain pattern or introduction of a
new product or material. Invite a sales representative,
master fly tier or even a popular member of the fly
club to help demonstrate or provide instruction to the
individuals attending the clinic. A clinic should not
exceed one hour. Have plenty of materials in stock and
have multiple staff willing to help with questions. I
have one shop that even sends out a personal invitation
electronically to its patrons inviting them to the clinic.
Make it personal, honest and above all genuine.
feature
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Workshops need to be an all-day
affair. Lunch, needed materials for
the school and all the equipment
(including waders and boots)
should be furnished. A workshop
must have goals that need to be
accomplished during the day
to reach the main goal of the
entire workshop. For example
“Introduction to Fly Fishing”
workshop must have a goal of
learning three basic knots. Let’s
say a perfection loop knot, surgeon
knot and an improved clinch knot.
Instructors show the students how
to tie each knot. After instruction
students should be able to show
the instructor how to tie each one
correctly. Once they accomplish
the lesson then they can move
to the next lesson within the
“Introduction to Fly Fishing”
workshop. Once all the lessons’
goals are complete then the school
has accomplished the entire goal.
A workshop is held on a stream,
pond or lake. The students must
be able to fish and practice their
new found tactics. Catching fish
only cements the entire program. It
gives students confidence that they
will be able to fish on their own
with little or no advice from you.
Schools are either two or three
days on one subject. A school
is held for the students to master
one subject. The schools should
include everything... rods, reels,
waders, pontoon boats and
everything in between. Lunches,
drinks and snacks are included.
Some shops even do a barbeque
on the middle night for the folks
that are attending the school.
Schools are focused on one subject.
For example at a “Switch Rod
School,” curriculum should be
based on instruction only for switch
rods. Instruct the students on
everything a switch rod is capable
of performing. Make sure that all
basic goals can be obtained within
the given time allotted. Scheduling
extra time in the school is wise. Not
having enough time to complete a
set lesson or the whole curriculum
is detrimental. If students learn
quicker than time allowed, praise
them. They like that. The school
could include overnight stays
provided within the school itself,
or give the students lodging easily
accessible to the school at different
economic levels. Not everyone
wants to (or is able to) spend
$185.00 for a bed for a night.
12799 PL_Anglingtrade.ai
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Schools need to set curriculum with
a review and testing period for each
student. This is not the SAT’s, but
tests are a necessary to gauge what
the students have learned and what
they have retained.
Clinics, workshops and schools add
value to your store. Your patrons
need and trust you to guide them
through the world of fly fishing.
You are the expert. Create an
environment that is fun, relaxing
and above all honest. Give the
students obtainable goals and
respectfully guide students that
need extra help. A school program
is the best product that you can
have in your shop. The product is
you teaching your patrons a subject
on the art of fly fishing. It will
better you, your business and your
patrons. It’s a must! at
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61
BACKCAST
Variety is the
Spice of Life
(and Sometimes Sales)
What dealers across the
country can learn from the
2011 high-water season
Written by Tom Bie
It’s been a tough summer for many
outfitters in the Rockies. Unless they
pre-booked a bunch of guide days on
private lakes or spring creeks, many a
flyshop owner has had to return some
deposit money. As I write this during
the second week of July, the rivers in
my neighborhood have barely begun to
recede. Colorado’s upper North Platte is
still running above 4,000 CFS—six times
the 100-year average. The Encampment
River is at 3,000—10 times the average.
The Snake in Wyoming, Yellowstone in
Montana, almost any river in Idaho—
you name it, many guides and outfitters
are still waiting for the water to drop.
The general sentiment was perhaps
best summed up by Dale Pennecard, an
employee at Boise’s Idaho Angler: “We’re
ready for August.”
Yet there have been some bright spots.
Tim Tollett from Frontier Anglers in
Dillon, Montana, told me that they’re
having a great year. “We’ve been pretty
lucky,” Tollett says. “Our guide trips are
actually up. The Big Hole clears early
and fast, and we’ve been on the Beaverhead since day one.”
62
The Beaverhead, of course, is a tailwater
below Clark Fork Dam, which helps. But
even some dealers not lucky enough to
have clear, controlled releases in their
back yard have found a way to survive
an exceptionally long and unnerving
runoff season. In talking with several
Rocky Mountain-based shops, I heard
three recurring themes that any dealer in
the country would do well to remember.
(Last year’s oil spill in the Gulf is this
year’s high runoff in the Rockies. Next
year, who knows?)
1. Don’t underestimate the importance
of catering to locals. This is a seemingly
obvious idea, yet it’s one that countless
resort-town restaurants have failed to
follow. Tourists might get you through
Christmas and the Fourth of July, but if
you want year-round revenue, you’d better know your neighbors come April and
October. And if you’re an outfitter in the
Rockies, your regular customers can save
you during times like this.
“We depend on regulars who have
no problem changing dates and times
depending on conditions,” says Steve
Wilson, guide and fly shop employee
for Sweetwater Fly Shop in Livingston.
“Some tourists aren’t coming out at all
this year because of what they’ve heard
about runoff. And when you have to fish
private water you’re adding a $200 rod
fee onto a $400 guide fee, which is a lot
of money. But PMDs have been fantastic
on the spring creeks, so that’s helped.”
2. Be flexible and adaptable on
short notice.
Last-minute airfares, instant weather reports for anywhere in the country, video
uploaded the second the first salmonfly
cracks its shell, and—this year more than
ever—everyone following USGS riverflow data.
“People are booking closer and closer
to the date they want to come fishing,” says Kris Kumlien, of Bozeman’s
Montana Troutfitters. “You used to
get those calls three or four months in
advance. Now you’re lucky if you get
two or three weeks. It’s tough from a
forecasting standpoint when you’re
trying to make a budget, but it’s just
part of our on-demand culture, so we
cater to these people—many of them
younger—and just stay prepared for
last-minute customers.”
3. Have a deep knowledge of alternative
fisheries, and be able to sell these trips,
even if it’s something that doesn’t initially
interest the client, and even if it means
sending someone out of state.
This is one of the best reasons for a fly
shop owner to attend the upcoming
IFTD show in New Orleans and take a
couple days to fish there—especially if
he or she has never done it before. Say
you own a shop in the northern Rockies
and you’ve got a great local customer
who came in, depressed, every other day
in June. How nice would it have been to
say to that person, “Look, things are bad
here and they’re only going to get worse.
I know you’ve never been redfishing, so
let me tell you about Port Sulphur, Louisiana.” (Or Hopedale. Or Grande Isle…)
OK, so I’m a big redfish fan who loves
New Orleans. But even if you just introduce some customers to a new place to
fish in their own town, you’ve provided a
terrific service.
“Being an urban shop, and with all
the high water in the mountains this
year, we’ve turned a lot of people
onto bass in our local warmwater
fisheries,” says Rick Mikesell, assistant manager of Trout’s Flyfishing
in Denver. “The South Platte has
been great for the warmwater stuff,
because a lot of people have this idea
that they don’t want to fish lakes, so
we take them to the Platte and they
are pleasantly surprised.”
Sweetwater’s Steve Wilson says their
shop has also experienced the lack of
enthusiasm for lake fishing as a substitute for blown-out rivers. But they’ve
taken a more direct approach: YouTube. “We’ve been uploading videos
of our fishing reports from the lakes
and sending them to potential clients,”
Wilson says. ”They tend to get a lot
more interested when they see the size
of the fish.” at
Right up to the point you crept along, that fish was just sitting there happily stuffing its face.
Whether he continues to do so depends on what happens next.
Introducing the ONE™ rod. With exceptional tip-to-hand sensitivity and precision tracking resulting from
Sage’s breakthrough Konnetic™ technology, you’ll be making intuitive, pinpoint casts all day long.
Now put the fly in his face. After all, that’s where his mouth is.
www.sageflyfish.com

PDF - Angling Trade

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