AnglingTrade_Issue14..

Transcription

the buzz on the flyfishing biz
®
TRADE
Inside
The “What’s Next?” Issue
Q&A with the American Sportfishing Asssociation/
Hot “Non-Fly” Buys/Kodiak Island/
The Euro Perspective/
What’s the Deal with Pro Deals?/
Killer Montana Guide Book/Bie’s Backcast
December2010 AnglingTrade.com
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FRESH STYLES & TECHNOLOGIES FOR MEN’S SPORTSWEAR.
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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
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S I M M S F I S H I N G.C O M
CONTENTS
®
TRADE
Features
Departments
22 Products You Should Know
6 Editor’s Column
Looking for things to sell that aren’t part of
the traditional “fly shop mix?” We thought
so. Here’s a collection of hot prospects for
the outdoors market, recommended by a
Field & Stream editor. By Jay Cassell
Looking beyond the trade show
toward 2011, New Orleans, and beyond,
it’s time to wonder aloud, “What in the
(heck) are we gonna do next?” And how?
By Kirk Deeter
Editor
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
26 What’s the Deal with
Pro Deals? Is that screaming rod
bargain you got for your mechanic’s sister’s
husband in return for new studs on your
snow tires really worth the effort... or fair?
Is it time to revisit an industry crackdown?
By Bob Mallard
30 Q&A with the ASA
The American Sportfishing Association
represents “all sport fishing” interests...
including the fly guy’s. So Angling Trade
asked the organization to explain exactly
how it’s doing so, and how it intends to
serve the fly market going forward.
8 Currents
The latest people, product and issues
news from the North American fly fishing
industry.
19 Travel
A one-of-a-kind angling, hunting, and
exploring adventure on Kodiak Island,
Alaska. By Kirk Deeter
By the Angling Trade editors
Contributors
Jay Cassell, Chuck Furimsky,
Bob Mallard, Paul Sharman
Photos unless noted by Tim Romano
Angling Trade is published four
times a year by Angling Trade,
LLC. Author and photographic
submissions should be sent
electronically to
[email protected].
Angling Trade is not responsible
for unsolicited manuscripts
and/or photo submissions. We ask
that contributors send formal queries
in advance of submissions. For
editorial guidelines and calendar,
please contact the editor via E-mail.
Printed in the U.S.A.
28 Recommended Reading
34 The Other Side of
Kirk Deeter
38 Backcast
Tom Bie on a couple simple steps the
fly world can take to broaden its horizons.
Advertising Contact: Tim Romano
Telephone: 303-495-3967
Fax: 303-495-2454
[email protected]
Mail Address:
PO Box 17487
Boulder, CO 80308
Street Address:
3055 24th Street
Boulder, CO 80304
AnglingTrade.com
3
AnglingTrade.com / December 2010
the Pond What is the state of the fly
market, and where is it going across the
Atlantic? A boots-on-the-ground from the
Fish & Fly editor. By Paul Sharman
AT contributing editor Ben Romans
takes the standard guide book approach
and knocks it out of the park. Reviewed by
4
CONTRIBUTORS
ACCESSORIES
YOU NEED
Tom Bie
Tom Bie, as most of you dialed into the fly fishing
world already know, is the publisher and editor of the
highly respected standard, The Drake. As such, he has
more-than-keen insights on the back-room dealings of
the fly world, and we’re honored to have him regularly
author our “Backcast” column... the literal “last word”
vis a vis goings-on in the fly fishing industry.
Jay Cassell
Jay Cassell is deputy editor of Field & Stream, and a
lifetime “Excellence in Craft” honoree of the Outdoor
Writers Association of America. Frankly, Jay’s
fingerprints are all over so many of the best books,
magazine articles, and so forth in hunting and fishing,
that we consider it an honor to have him contribute
here. (But the dirty secret we hold over his head
is... we know, at his core, that Jay is a die-hard and
passionate fly angler.)
Chuck Furimsky
Chuck Furimsky is one of fly fishing’s greatest
“ambassadors.” His consumer expos, collectively
named “The Fly Fishing Show,” annually expose many
thousands--die-hard fly anglers and newbies alike--to
the fly fishing ideal throughout the nation. In this
issue, Chuck has no ax to grind, other than to inspire
all of us who care about this sport to spread the
word... by example and action.
...at prices your
customers can afford!
15353 E. Hinsdale Circle, Unit F
Centennial, Colorado 80112
www.anglersaccessories.com
303-690-0477
Bob Mallard
If you’ve never fished in Maine, or never sent a client
to experience the wide wonders to be experienced
there... well, you’ve sold yourself (and your clients)
short. Bob Mallard, of Kennebec River Outfitters
(also an accomplished outdoor writer), has plenty
of insights to share. But in this issue, he has the
guts to tackle the taboo of pro deals, and where the
benefits stop, and the damage start.
WADING STAFF
Safe and Stealth!
Geoff Mueller
Geoff Mueller, formerly of Fly Fisherman, now of The
Drake, is a part of the Angling Trade permanent team...
if for no other reason than he tells it like it really is,
especially when it comes to product. In this issue, he
has nice things to say about Patagonia waders.
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
Paul Sharman
Paul Sharman is a real-deal angler who has seen and
experienced most of what America has to offer. Now
he’s editor at Fish&Fly Ltd, and a foremost authority
of what’s happening (fishing, and business-wise)
across the pond. Angling Trade is proud to have him
contribute some candid insights on what’s happening
in the Euro fly market, and henceforth, he’s our man
“over there.”
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
“...this is either going to end up a great fly
fishing story for the ages, or a bloody mess.”
last September, despite enormous
challenges. Amidst that hoopla,
they hooked themselves to another
expo in New Orleans next year.
And like when Conway was riding
that mako toward the land of the
rising sun, I get the sense that this
is either going to end up a great
fly fishing story for the ages, or a
bloody mess.
Several years ago, I was working on
a story about Conway Bowman and
fly fishing for mako sharks for Field
& Stream. We had a good piece going, but photographer Bill Decker
wanted to kick things up a level
to really drive the “thrill” element
over the top. So, on day three of
the shoot, like any good friends
would do, we talked Conway into
climbing on a sea kayak and hooking/fighting a large shark from
it. Which he did. But the thing I
remember most vividly wasn’t the
take, or the wild splashes, or even
the jumps. It was the moment, as
Conway got smaller and smaller
while the shark pulled him toward
Japan… when Decker and I looked
at each other (with the blood
draining from our faces) and asked
aloud, in unison, “What in the f--are we gonna do now?”
I wonder if AFFTA and a lot of
manufacturers and retailers are
feeling like that today. I bet they
are. After all, they pulled off what
can only be described as a positive (if smaller) International Fly
Tackle Dealer show in Denver
6
For the record, I’m very much
hoping for the former. But I think
it’s important to control the situation, and not get carried along in
the wake of excitement until things
start sorting themselves out next
summer. As such, we’ve dubbed
this the “What’s Next?” issue of
Angling Trade, where we focus on
issues and products that can help
specialty fly shops stay upright
through 2011 and beyond.
In my opinion, that starts with
seven things:
1. IFTD New Orleans must be
successful. The show needs more
exhibitors. But perhaps more
importantly, it needs more retailer
attendees. That won’t be easy,
because unlike Denver, there isn’t a
bundle of fly shops within driving
distance of the Big Easy. There
must be tangible value ($$$) to
drive attendance, and that responsibility rests with IFTD and the
manufacturers.
2. The fly fishing world must attach
itself more closely with the American Sportfishing Association, and
ASA must deliver value to the fly
market to make that happen. It’s
time to do a better job of putting
the “fishing” back in fly fishing,
and that is a two-way street.
3. Likewise, the fly world must
reconnect in some form with the
Outdoor Industry Association.
Some of the big action sport players—Oakley, and Patagonia, I’m
talking to you—should proactively
lead a crossover/exposure effort to
reach surfers, and skiers/boarders,
and bikers, etc.
4. We need to “tear down the wall”
as it relates to the perception that
fly fishing is difficult, and the learning curve is too steep for newbies to
attempt this sport. We all own this
responsibility, especially the media.
5. School-based curricula and
programming is critical. Trout in
the Classroom, and the Fly Fishing
in Schools Program deserve even
more support and attention,
right now.
6. Somebody, somehow, please
reach out to the bass nation and
figure out some cash incentive that
works. Catch a world record bass
on a fly, win a million bucks. Win
a tournament with a fly rod, win a
cash bonus. Money talks.
7. Retailers from around the
country need to talk more regularly with each other. Not just to
complain, and not just at a trade
show. Angling Trade just launched
a retailer chat forum at anglingtrade.com specifically designed to
facilitate that.
Of course, those are just one guy’s
opinions. You’ll see more, from
others, in the pages that follow
(check out Tom Bie’s take in “Backcast”). And I am always eager to
hear the opinions and suggestions
that come from our faithful readers.
Happy Holidays, and best in 2011.
Kirk Deeter
Editor
at
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Your customers are looking for the best product, you’re looking for the best profit;
Scientific Anglers will give you both.
Visit us at the IFTD/Denver Show!
Contact Peter Frederixon, Scientific Anglers Sales Manager
651-733-5007 or [email protected]
3M Scientific Anglers | www.scientificanglers.com | © 3M 2010
CURRENTS
First things first…
Kathleen and Jeff Wagner welcomed
Sariana Faith Wagner (7 pounds, 20
inchess) into the fly fishing community
recently. And Angling Trade (Jeff is one of
our regular contributors), wants to extend
congratulations to the Wagners.
On to business…
Angling Trade has a number of exciting
new developments in the works that
will help our readers tap into the news
and issues that shape this industry, better, faster, and more “on time.”
First, we’re launching an electronic
newsletter. This monthly newsletter
will feature breaking “issues” news
items, as they happen, as well as timely
product launch information, people
news, trend data, and other nuggets
helpful to manufacturers and retailers.
(If you are interested in advertising in
the newsletter, contact [email protected], as this project was inspired
by a number of key advertisers, and
space is already going fast…
We’ve also redesigned our website, and
are carrying a lot of newsflash information at anglingtrade.com, so be sure to
check that out for breaking news and
information.
We’re hosting a Linkedin forum for
retailers at anglingtrade.com… this is
the place for retailers from one side of
the country to chat and share opinions
with other retailers from the other side
of the country, in real time. Retailers,
this is your space, and your forum… so
we hope you take part.
8
Lastly, Angling Trade is working in
conjunction with another major consumer outdoors magazine to create
a comprehensive online directory of
all products and companies fishing…
the directory will include both conventional tackle, and fly fishing specific
tackle. But they’ll be connected and
part of the same joint effort. Look for
this tremendous resource in the next
few months….
An Appeal for Support: The
Bristol Bay Fly Fishing and Guide
Academy
In the last issue of Angling Trade, we
brought to your attention the Bristol
Bay Fly Fishing and Guide Academy,
which took place in Ekwok, Alaska,
last August. Conceived by The Nature
Conservancy, in partnership with the
Bristol Bay Native Corporation, the Bureau of Land Management, and Trout
Unlimited, the academy is a visionary
conservation and economic initiative designed to bridge the native culture with
sport fishing interests in the region. The
academy teaches native young adults
the sport of fly fishing, and trains them
to be fly fishing guides. Some graduates
have already been hired by area lodges.
The effort is hugely important in that it
more strongly unites entities within the
Bristol Bay region behind the shared
ambition of protecting the region’s wild
salmon resources (to which the proposed Pebble Mine is a major threat).
It is timely… extremely newsworthy…
and built with a grassroots focus.
There will be another academy next
year, hosted by Nanci Morris Lyon
at the Alaska Sportsman’s Bear Trail
Lodge on the Naknek River, near King
Salmon, May 22-29 (before the lodge
season and commercial fishing season
open). The goal is to make this academy larger, involving more students and
more resources. But they need the fly
industry’s help to reach this goal. They
need financial underwriters. They
need gear. They need help getting the
word out. They need in-kind support.
Angling Trade has already signed up to
take part in the program next year, and
we’re making this project the beneficiary of our annual percentage-of-profit
donation. For anyone willing and able
to support this important initiative, we
encourage you to contact Tim Troll of
The Nature Conservancy at ttroll@tnc.
org. And please do so soon!
Reader Feedback: On Conventional vs. Fly Sales…
“In the past two to three years we have
had a growing number of telephone
calls and visits to our store asking for live
bait and conventional tackle sales and
service. We gave those potential customers directions to the nearest Gander
Mountain or Dick’s Sporting Goods,
both within a half mile of our location,
and then snickered as they walked out
the front door. We are a fly shop, we
do not handle those things. As the visits
increased we had a growing discomfort
with the wisdom of our response to
these people who had already made the
choice that fishing was a leisure activity
they left time for in their lives and they
enjoyed doing. We surveyed our customers and found that 68% used both
conventional and fly tackle. We went
to ICAST in Orlando last year and
again this year in Vegas. We met some
interesting people and we have initiated
business with a few of them for both fly
fishing and conventional tackle product.
continued on next page...
We are now a fly shop that has added
Canadian night crawlers, $700 spinning reels and everything else in
between. I cannot tell you how many
times a customer has told me that they
were afraid to mention in our store that
they used conventional equipment.
Our practice of judging how other
people fished made our customers feel
uneasy and drove potential customers
away from our doors. It was “elitism”
at its worst. When we suspended our
judgement we learned more about
our customers, more about fishing,
and more about the fishing business.
If people fish, we want them in our
store! They see all the fly and conventional equipment, they experience the
service of our staff, they pet our dog,
they smile and laugh and they come
back again. Some of them buy worms,
hooks, bobbers, and sinkers. Some are
buying entry-level fly fishing kits or they
bring in older stuff they bought but
never used, getting what they need to
start fly fishing. That includes fly lines,
leaders, tippet, flies, the products we
make great margins on. People who
fish want to enjoy all aspects of the
sport and that includes the purchasing equipment experience. We cannot
dazzle our customers with the physical
presentation like Bass Pro in Springfield, Missouri. But we can provide a
very friendly personal experience to
everyone that comes in our door. That
will last longer than waterfalls and
stuffed animals.
produce some innovation of some kind.
That brings new products to market that
did not exist before. Listening, observing,
asking questions of our customers and
the conventional market has made our
business more profitable and enjoyable.
It has expanded our potential customer
base for fly fishing equipment. The fly
fishing industry has kept inself in a box
and the walls are closing in. How long
will it continue to do the same thing and
expect different results?”
Could ICAST and the Fly Show be
held at the same time and place but
not as the same show? Manufacturers
would then be able to have a booth
in both shows if desired yet have only
one expense for travel, hotel, food, etc.
Exposing both shows to each other will
Addendum Research Reveals Importance of
Retention Efforts to Increasing Overall
Participation
CARDS
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CALENDARS
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Derrick Filkins, Indianapolis, Indiana
Keep Your Customers
Retention is key to increasing overall
participation in fishing, according to a
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CURRENTS
new addendum to the 2010 Special
Report on Fishing and Boating. RBFF
took a closer look at the Special Report
to help identify the target market segments that represent the best potential for future growth of recreational
fishing and boating, as outlined in the
organization’s Strategic Plan.
ADDENDUM KEY FINDINGS
• Of the 48 million people who fish,
31.7 million (two-thirds of the total)
participate in freshwater fishing
exclusively.
• Freshwater fishing participation
increased 1.6 percent from 2008 to
2009.
• Between 2007 and 2009, fishing
has consistently attracted between
3.3 - 3.4 million new participants to
the sport each year. However, fishing
continues to lose participants at an
even higher rate.
• Fishing is expected to maintain its
current level of participation over
the course of the next five years.
However, the participation rate will
actually show a decline as the U.S.
population increases.
OIA Sees Summer Sales Slow
After several months of solid growth,
outdoor product retail sales growth
slowed considerably in August,
causing growing concern among
outdoor retailers and manufacturers. According to retail point-of-sale
data compiled by SportScanInfo
for OIA VantagePoint, the Official
Research of the Outdoor Industry,
total outdoor product sales were up
0.9% in August to $816.8 million
compared to $809.5 million for the
comparable four-week period last
year. Sales were driven primarily by
growth in Outdoor Hardgoods in the
Outdoor Chain Specialty, Internet
and Discount/Mass channels, offset
10
in part by declines in Outdoor Footwear during back-to-school in 2009, but this
and Outdoor Apparel.
year sales in this category were down.
Offsetting the declines in Outerwear,
“It’s a hopeful sign to see the Consumer
Women’s Activewear was up for the
Confidence Index up in August, but
month, particularly Active Lifestyle
people are purchasing mostly items they
Dresses, Skirts and Skorts.
consider necessities, with very little addon shopping to bolster retail numbers,” The primary growth vehicle for outdoor
said Frank Hugelmeyer, president and
industry sales in August was Outdoor
CEO of the Outdoor Industry Associa- Hardgoods. These categories were
tion. “As an industry we’ve weathered
impacted by increasing participation
the ups and downs of the economy
trends in key outdoor activities like
fairly well, growing just under five
camping and hiking. In addition, more
percent thus far in 2010. ConsumAmericans are looking to National Parks
ers recognize more and more that the
and National Wilderness Areas for
outdoors is an easy, accessible and afvacation opportunities and this shift is
fordable draw where your activities and translating into gear sales. In particular,
enjoyment don’t have to be tempered by the Adventure Travel categories are
your budget.”
beginning to spring back to life again
after a prolonged downturn following
Retailers described August as “unpre9/11. Consumers are now more willing
dictable” and “schizophrenic” due to
to invest in experiences and they are
the vast disparity of sales trends from
buying the equipment to support their
week to week.
travel adventures.
Outdoor Footwear sales declined only
In its first special report in an upcomslightly during the month, as increases
ing series, The Outdoor Foundation
in “barefoot” products, “minimalist”
released Outdoor Nation Special
product and Approach Footwear were
Report: Barriers to the Outdoors. The
offset by declines in traditional outdoor
Report provides insights from a growcategories like Technical Hiking. Outing community of ‘Outsiders’, which
door Chain Specialty Retailers, Sportrepresents youth ages 13-30, who have
ing Goods Retailers, and Department
come together to influence America’s
Stores all reported growth in footwear
outdoor programs, policies and prodsales in August, with Independent Outucts. According to Outsiders, the pridoor Specialty Retailers seeing Outdoor
mary reasons why young people aren’t
Footwear sales dip 0.2% for the month.
spending more time outdoors include
One noteworthy item found that while
indoor technologies, time management
Independent Outdoor Specialty Retailissues, poor parental influence and the
ers posted the dip in Outdoor Footwear
lack of transportation. Expense, dirt and
sales in August – a trend many see as
discomfort, as well as the perceived and
a result of tighter inventories on hot
actual dangers of outdoor adventures
limited-distribution product – sales of
are also among the top outdoor recrenon-outdoor product through the chanation barriers youth identified.
nel actually increased in high-singledigits for the period.
The Special Report includes insightful quotes and comments from a range
Outdoor Apparel sales declined in the
of young people. According to one
low-single-digits in August as back-toOutsider, “Internet and video games
school sales failed to materialize for
are extremely accessible and addictive.
many retailers. Outdoor Outerwear
was a major driving force for retail sales
CURRENTS
You can be whoever or whatever you
want to be while playing any type of
video game.” Another states, “Lack of
a parental push for outdoor activities
is a top barrier; whether parents are
busy with work, or some may find that
putting their kids in front of the TV is
easier than going outside.”
As a part of the Report, young leaders
developed solutions to address many
of the barriers. Ideas include: lower
entry fees for parks and outdoor competitions, formation of outdoor clubs
and parental and school support for
outdoor experiences. Re-branding the
outdoors in a way that doesn’t limit the
definition to things like wilderness and
extreme sports was another suggestion
offered by the community.
“The Outdoor Foundation is working
with its partners to empower youth across
the country to champion the outdoors.
These Outdoor Nation Special Reports
enable young leaders to influence outdoor
programs, policies and products,” says
Christine Fanning, Executive Director of
The Outdoor Foundation.
Today’s young hikers, campers, climbers and paddlers are tomorrow’s adult
outdoor enthusiasts and conservationists,
but fewer and fewer youth are heading
outdoors each year. In recent decades amidst changing technological and social
landscapes - the American childhood
has rapidly moved indoors, leading to
epidemic levels of childhood obesity and
inactivity. Outdoor Nation, an initiative
created by The Outdoor Foundation,
aims to reconnect youth and the outdoors
through youth-led projects and programs.
Guest Product
Commentary:
The Case for Tenkara,
by Daniel Galhardo
For years, the focus on producing
products and developing techniques to
12
make fly fishers more effective has actually increased complexity of the sport.
But now there is also a counter notion
that fly fishing’s appeal is borne of
simplicity. As such, there is a budding
revolution among American anglers,
which is happening in the form of
tenkara, the traditional Japanese
method of fly-fishing that requires
only a rod, line and a fly.
Tenkara was originated in the mountain regions of Japan, where commercial anglers caught trout in fast
flowing streams and sold them to
innkeepers and people in mountain
villages. To set the record straight:
tenkara was never practiced by
samurai, as has been suggested. Nor
is it dapping or cane-pole fishing; it is
fly fishing. You can see what tenkara
really is by viewing the videos at tenkarausa.com/videos.
Tenkara rods are now made with
high-quality carbon fiber and are
very light. They are comfortable for a
zones. Rio Gallegos’s two-tone color
scheme, exterior taping on inner-thigh
seams, removable kneepads, exterior
front pocket, and interior waterproof
pouch are other noteworthy additions.
As for fit, the men’s mediums allowed
deft, yoga-like movements from my
5’11 frame. The booties, although
comfortable on their own, fit large,
which made squeezing them into wading boots, even those purchased one
size up to account for bulk, cumbersome. These bootie ailments were
mostly remedied once immersed in
the river. The Rio Gallegos booties are
merino wool-lined
which helps wick
moisture, moderating foot temperature
in warm and cool
fishing scenarios.
This patent-pending
piece of bootie technology is more than
hype. It works.
The challenge for dealers and consumers
is wading through the hype.
Other Rio Gallegos
features include
Patagonia’s EZ Lock
Slider suspension
system, which allows
smooth transitions
from chest-highs
to waist highs. The
removable, internal
neoprene kneepad
system seemed gimmicky at first blush.
But in use, climbing up and onto
rocks, kneeling to release fish, et cetera,
quickly changed my perception. Even
with a minimal amount of extreme
knee-fishing on the agenda, anything
to help buffer against bruises is a plus.
From river trials in October 2010, the
Rio Gallegos looked great and functioned
well fresh out of the box. The pants use
Patagonia’s H2No fabric and, like the
Guidewaters before them, leg seams are
built forward of the inner thigh to reduce
wear in the Titanic of all potential leak
Last, $449 for these top-end waders
is a savvy price point. They look good
on the rack, function better in the river
and, produced by one of the best R&Dbacked companies in the business, are
poised to move numbers. So far they
have not sprung a gusher.
The Best Waders on Earth?
Patagonia Rio Gallegos ($449)
Written by Geoff Mueller
Best in the world, which the Rio Gallegos
have been dubbed by Patagonia brass,
is a lofty claim. The planet’s best waders, according to the simplest definition
of functionality, do not leak—period.
They fit, move, and breathe through four
seasons with exacting comfort. And last,
they look like something customers might
actually want to wear… on and sometimes even off the river.
is to work toward simplicity; replace
complex technology with knowledge,
hard work and skill.”
The other group is largely comprised
of those who have always had some
interest in fly fishing – backpackers
and outdoor enthusiasts are a big part
of this group - but have found [western] fly-fishing too intimidating.
full day of casting and since they are
telescopic, they are easy to pack. In
April 2009, I started Tenkara USA,
the first company to introduce the
tenkara method of fly-fishing outside
of Japan. With it, we have created a
brand new category in the industry.
Considered one of the most important
new concepts in fly fishing tenkara
has created unprecedented amounts
of buzz online, in fly fishing clubs
and many fly shops. Tenkara, like
Spey casting, is a specialized form of
fly-fishing, though on the opposite
side of the spectrum: simpler, with less
reliance on gear and ideal for small
streams, which like Japan, the US has
in abundance.
The biggest value to the sport is
how tenkara has steadily opened
the doors to many newcomers to fly
fishing, while providing experienced
anglers with new-found challenge
and excitement. As fly fishing writer
Gordon Wickstrom noted: “There is
in tenkara the possibility of discovering a new sort of complexity, but
now, in simplicity.”
Based on the established tenkara community and feedback from renowned
anglers, tenkara is not a passing fad.
It will continue to grow and to recruit
many more people to the sport. Fly
shop employees and owners eventually learn about it when a customer
walks in the doors and starts a conversation, “So do you know about
that Japanese type of fly-fishing, ten...
kara?” When that happens to you, are
you poised to tap that opportunity?
Cortland Keeps it Simple
Building on the “simplicity is golden”
theme, The Cortland Line Company
13
Tenkara adopters have generally fallen
into two groups. Those with many
years of fly-fishing experience, including the likes of Ed Engle, John Gierach and Yvon Chouinard, who realize
fly fishing can, and perhaps should be
simpler. They are happiest with few
elements between them and the fish.
They rely more on technique and
believe, as Mr. Chouinard put it: “The
way toward mastery of any endeavor
This year Tenkara USA started working with a small number of dealers
who have been excited to introduce
tenkara to their customers. Most of
our sales are still online directly to
consumers, but tenkara is proving
to be a tremendous opportunity for
in-store sales; customers are simply mesmerized at the concept of a
high-quality, 13ft long rod telescoping
down to a mere 20 inches and are
perfect for stream fishing. With few
elements necessary, the entry to the
sport becomes very easy and affordable. Lois Kilburn, manager of the
Creative Sports Fly Shop in Pleasant
Hill, California, (one of our first dealers) said: “Volume wise, these have
been our most popular rods this year.
Our backpackers love its compactness
and weight, our business clients can
fit it in their carryon bag, and it is an
easy first fly rod for a child.”
CURRENTS
has introduced two new lines and a
“Retro” click pawl reel for 2011. The
Precision Platinum Dyna-Tip Low
Vis line is a 90-foot freshwater model
that features a high floating welded
loop at the tip for ease of connecting
with leaders. The Precision Tropic
Plus Bonefish line (for saltwater) is
meant to turn over large flies and
float high in the water; it also is 90
feet long with a welded loop. Suggested retail for both lines is $69.
The “Retro” reel (it’s really named
that), is a simple model made of
aircraft aluminum, with an adjustable click pawl settings and an
exposed rim (for palming). Retail
is $130.
backcountry accessory for any fishing situation. See fenixlighting.com
for more details. –Tim Romano
Boat of the Issue…
JACKSON KAYAK COOSA
Price: $799 standard; $999 elite
Construction: superlinear rotomolded
WebSite: JacksonKayak.com
Length: 11”2”
Width: 32”
Weight: 56 pounds, standard; 62
pounds, Elite
AT Field Test: Fenix Lighting
Headlamps and Flashlights
We were recently sent a sampling
of Fenix lighting headlamps and
flashlights, specifically the LD15
flashlight (suggested retail $44.95)
and HP10 headlamp (suggested
retail $67.95). I thought both
functioned extremely well, and for
the cost, was very impressed with
the quality. The HP10 is claimed to
be the world’s brightest headlamp
that runs off AA batteries at 225
lumens, and features four different
levels of output, allowing you to
dim the light as low as 7 lumens,
which will run for up to 210 hours.
This sucker IS bright too…more
than any headlamp I’ve ever worn.
It’s a touch heavy on the battery
compartment, but overall a great
14
The Skinny: Pro kayak angler Drew
Gregory helped design this fisherman’s
dream boat and loaded it up with an
incredible array of savvy features including Hi/Lo seating and a 23”-wide
standing platform for incomparable
comfort, stability and efficiency. Loaded
with smart features like low-angle,
flush-mounted rod holders, rod locker,
a clever v-channel for anchors, replaceable skid plate, built-in inch markers
and ample storage for tackle and camping gear, this boat is a solid option for
dealers wanting to offer a new “fishing
buddy” to their customers.
Korkers Wins Dealer’s Choice
Korkers Products was presented the
Dealer’s Choice award at the Interna-
tionl Fly Tackle Dealer show in Denver, Colorado for its new CHROME
wading boot featuring hydraphobic
materials, true-fit sizing and the new
patented 3.0 OmniTrax Interchangeable sole system. The flagship OmniTrax technology has been re-engineered and redesigned for ease of use
and enhanced traction while providing
a unique solution to fighting invasive
species. Upgrades incorporated into
OmniTrax 3.0 system include the
elimination of the tool previously used
to change the outsole, a full perimeter
of traction and a wider protective plate
for support and stability.
“The CHROME Boot is the latest
Korkers wading boot utilizing innovative technology to optimize our consumers’ fly fishing and angling experiences,” said Korkers CEO Sean Beers.
“We know from direct angler feedback
and wear-test trial that anglers will love
this boot. We are confident that the
coveted Dealer’s Choice award will
bring this great new style to the attention of even more anglers.”
Carry Mountain Khakis for
Sales Effect
If you haven’t heard
of Mountain Khakis
or don’t carry them
in your shop, you
should. These aren’t
lightweight breathable flats pants, but
rather the opposite.
They’re made of
cotton, amazingly
comfortable and
with features that
anglers or anyone
spending time outside and traveling will appreciate. Standard on these pants are riveted metal
buttons, deep pockets, triple stitching,
two-ply reinforced back cuff, and a gusseted crotch. Oh, and they look damn
CURRENTS
good too. Think
of them as the
Carhartt’s for
the river...
I took a pair
of their Men’s
Original
Mountain Pants and a pair Alpine
Utility shorts on a photo shoot down
the length of the entire Rio Grande
river and wore them almost exclusively
for the entire 16 day trip from headwaters all the way to the gulf and was
extremely impressed. Simply put they
are the best Khakis I have ever worn. Tim Romano
Patagonia Launches New Packs,
Boots, Accessories
Patagonia launced a 60-piece Fly
Fishing collection for the Spring 2011
season. Fly fishing has been a part of
the company’s heritage since its inception in 1973, and the Spring 2011
season brings with it the most exciting
and explosive Fly Fishing product offering to date. In line with Patagonia’s
environmental ethos, 66% of the line
is now recyclable through Patagonia’s
Common Threads Recycling Program. All products will be available in
early 2011.
Constantly innovating and improving,
the Spring 2011 Fly Fishing collection
will include three new packs as perfect
alternatives for the vest-free fly fisher.
The season will also debut a brand
new wading boot utilizing exclusive
footwear technology and a host of new
accessories including new headwear
and gloves.
“We have worked tirelessly this season
to bring to market the finest boots,
packs and accessories available in the
market today,” notes Bart Bonime,
director of fishing, “With the help of
countless field testers, we feel that we
have accomplished our goal.”
16
Exhibiting the latest in modern fishpack technology and design, the new
Stealth Hip Pack and Stealth Chest
Sling Pack provide function and performance for the minimalist angler. Made
with 840-denier 100% ballistics nylon,
these packs are essentially waterproof
and extremely durable. Both feature
a molded drop-down front panel with
an interior fly keeper and room inside for two large fly boxes, with over
eight other utility pockets internally to
organize tippet spools, floatant, leaders, indicators and nippers. The new
Stormfront Hip Pack is a fully welded
waterproof pack, made from 840-denier double-coat nylon, with a 100%
waterproof/corrosion-proof zipper.
This pack is designed to easily store
tackle and accessories while providing
100% foul-weather performance.
On the footwear front, the new Rock
Grip Wading Boot- Sticky/Studded
comes out of the gate with a brand
new design and aggressive tread pattern, and includes a 23-piece removable stud kit. Features such as the
proprietary sticky rubber sole compound, exclusive outsole design with
multiple gripping zones, compression molded EVA midsole, stitch-less
rand design and stainless steel lacing
loops make this the most durable and
high-performance wading boot on
the market.
Accessories for Spring 2011 include
three new headwear options - the
Sun Booney, Vented Broadbill Cap
and Vented Longbill Cap. All offer
versatile, lightweight and quick-dry
sun protection for hot-weather conditions. Also new is the Printed Sun
Mask, made from a 20-UPF polyester jersey fabric that dries quickly
and wicks moisture. For cold-weather fishing, the new R1 Gloves offer
up a toasty waterproof solution, and
are made with smooth-skin neo-
prene and polypropylene insulation.
These gloves provide the ultimate
protection for any cold-weather
fishing application.
Environment
The Guy
Harvey
Foundation
and The
Humane
Society of
the United
States
team up with the Shark-Free
Marinas Initiative For Historic
Campaign;fishpond’s John Le
Coq Advises the SFMI Team
Beginning in October, the Shark-Free
Marina Initiative embarked on its largest membership campaign throughout
the United States and the Bahamas in
order to save sharks. Sharks are disappearing from our oceans at an alarming rate. Therefore, the Guy Harvey
Foundation, The Humane Society of
the United States, and various other
organizations have teamed up with the
Shark-Free Marina Initiative (SFMI) for
a singular, historic purpose: to reduce
worldwide shark mortality. SFMI certifies sport fishing and resort marinas as
‘Shark-Free’ thereby prohibiting any
shark from being landed at their dock.
The SFMI team is being advised by
Dr. Bob Hueter, Director of Shark
Research at the Mote Marine Laboratory and John Le Coq, co-founder of
Fishpond USA.
“SFMI works directly with the recreational and commercial fishing community to send a clear message,” says
Luke Tipple, Managing Director and
SFMI founder. “As shark populations
are decimated on a global scale we as
a species are obligated to pay attention
and reduce our wasteful destruction of
these incredibly important animals.”
Dr. Guy Harvey, Founder of the Guy
Harvey Ocean Foundation, supports
SFMI with more than just words.”We
put our money where our mouth is,”
says Dr. Harvey.”Our Big Game Fishing Marina is completely shark free. No
caught sharks can be landed here.” Dr.
John Grandy, senior vice president, The
Humane Society of the United States,
enthusiastically supports the SFMI
campaign. According to Dr. Grandy:
“Although shark finning and commercial fishing are responsible for the
majority of worldwide shark mortality
figures, this campaign to encourage
hundreds of marinas to go shark free
can save tens of thousands of sharks
each year and change perceptions
about this much-maligned creature.”
ever,” said Richard Marks, CEO of
Fishhound. “Anglers can log in and
get all the important information they
need on where and when to fish, what
flies to use and even get weather and
water conditions. And they customize it
to the specific waters and spots they’re
interested in.”
Fishhound uses information and intelligence gleaned from the country’s top
fly fishing shops, guides and lodges to
pinpoint the best fishing spots on any
water, on any day. Saving time and
increasing the odds of fishing success,
a Fishhound subscription provides
interactive maps, hatch information,
updates on water conditions and other
personalized data to anglers’ desktops
or mobile devices.
Advised by an influential and expanding roster of more than 150 professional anglers, Fishhound’s “Fishing
Intelligence Reports” include personalized angler home pages with 7-Day
Fishing Forecasts, quick links to favorite
waters and hatches, My Hatch Tracker
with up-to-date hatch tracking on any
river in the U.S, fly suggestions driven
by the most extensive entomology
database on the internet, and technique
and tactical advice from the best in the
sport. Fishhound reports are updated
frequently, meaning subscribers get the
freshest, most insightful reports available anywhere.
“We have created the most comprehensive network of fishing reports
The current roster of Fishhound pros
includes Lees Ferry Anglers in Ari-
zona, Bowman Blue Water Guides
in California, Blue Quill Angler in
Colorado, The Bozeman Angler in
Montana, Long Island On The Fly in
New York, Smoky Mountain Troutfitters in Tennessee and Deschutes River
Anglers in Oregon.
Orvis Goes Mobile
The Orvis Company announced
the launch of a mobile-optimized
website that creates a unique
shopping experience. Now customers can easily and conveniently
purchase the finest items and
services available from Orvis on
their mobile device - anytime and
anywhere. Through Digby’s Mobile Commerce Software Platform,
Orvis’ mobile channel complements their e-Commerce website,
catalogs, and stores. Orvis’ mobile
channel now reaches all 60 retail
locations in the U.S. and U.K. and
350 Orvis dealers worldwide.
17
Be a Fishhound for a Scoop,
and Profit
Have you checked out Fishhound.com,
which went live in September, and
now supplies anglers with answers to
the biggest questions they face: where
to fish, when to fish and what flies will
catch fish?
CURRENTS
Did You Know?
Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, the
Bozeman, Montana-based fly fishing travel company, is featured in a
new nationwide Verizon commercial
promoting small business services for
the nation’s largest wireless network
provider. The commercial features
Yellow Dog partners and co-owners Ian
Davis and Jim Klug, and profiles Yellow
Dog’s business operations and destination offerings throughout the world of
fly fishing. A part of Verizon’s new “Put
Your Business on the Map” campaign,
Yellow Dog is the only fishing-based
and outdoor recreation entity featured
in the new promotion.
“We were originally contacted by
Verizon last winter,” says Davis, “and
over the course of several interviews, the
list of potential participants was narrowed down. Verizon liked the fact that
our company thrives and survives on
our ability to communicate – with our
customers, with our worldwide network
of lodges, and with each other. Adds
co-owner Klug, “No matter where we
are in the world, scouting new locations
in South America, hosting groups in
the Caribbean, or visiting existing lodge
partners in Alaska,we have to have the
ability to stay in touch at all times. Verizon, more than any other cell company
that we’ve found, has given us the ability
to do that.”
A film crew from New York spent three
days filming with Yellow Dog in Montana in April 2009. The ad includes
interviews with Davis and Klug, profiles
of the company, footage filmed in
18
Montana, and additional footage shot
around the world by cinematographer
and filmmaker Chris Patterson. The
new Yellow Dog commercial is currently
available on Verizon’s website, and the
full commercial and a shortened version of the ad are scheduled to appear
in other places and as a part of other
advertising mediums in the near future.
The Yellow Dog Verizon commercial
is available for easy viewing on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/
verizonwireless#p/u/8/7QuNIusydn8.
Join the leading fly-fishing brands
at the West’s largest sportsmen
events—the 2011 AFFTA-sponsored International Sportsmen’s
Expositions shows in Denver and
Sacramento.
See You at ISE?
No other events west of the Mississippi
River promote fly fishing as widely,
attract as many prospective customers,
or offer the public as many opportunities to try gear, learn about the sport, or
buy products at a single location as ISE
Denver and Sacramento. ISE is offering an impressive pre-show, in-show
and after-show benefits package to all
exhibitors. This promotional program
will increase retail sales and heighten
exposure and awareness of fly fishing
in the marketplace. It’s also a great
opportunity to support AFFTA and the
growth of our industry. Seesportsexpos.
com for more details.
Fly Industry Loses a
Midwest Icon
As first reported on Midcurrent.com,
Tom Helgeson, the widely-respected
publisher and editor of “Midwest Fly
Fishing” recently passed away after a
battle with cancer.
Here is the Midcurrent.com bulletin,
which ran November 13, the day after
Helgeson died:
Tom Helgeson, publisher and editor of
the popular “Midwest Fly Fishing” maga-
zine, died of complications from cancer
Friday evening in Minneapolis. Besides
publishing the popular periodical, which
covers fly fishing in the central US, Tom
ran the Minneapolis/Chicago Great
Waters Expos and the Vermilion Sporting Arts Gallery in St. Louis Park. Tom
was an ardent conservationist, a caring
teacher, and a gifted writer.
As friend Brian Ramsey said: “Tom
brought many, many unfortunate youths
out on fly fishing trips to the Henry’s
Fork back in the 1980s and was instrumental in providing Midwesterners
the world of fly fishing on their home
grounds.... He will be deeply missed and
had a soft spot for youth in getting them
outside and was was huge supporter of
Midwest conservation issues.”
Midwest Fly Fishing magazine contributor, author and frequent Great Waters
fly fishing show speaker Robert tomes
writes: “My long time friend and mentor Tom Helgeson was a great unifying
force for Midwest fly fishers and fly
fishing in general. Whether you had the
pleasure of knowing him or not, he was
a valued friend to all anglers, guides,
fly shops and manufacturers, pulling us
together for the betterment of the sport
through his Midwest Fly Fishing magazine
and with the Great Waters fly fishing
shows in Chicago and Minneapolis.
And his personal dedication to educating anglers and preserving the fragile
Midwest fishing resource will stand as
an example of what one man can do to
change the world.”
John Mazurkiewicz of Catalyst Marketing added the following:
“Tom published a very well done, very
informative magazine focusing on fly
fishing in the Midwest, and was also the
main man behind the Great Water Expo
fly shows in Chicago and Minneapolis.
He truly was one of the good guys in
our biz - and did a great deal to raise the
awareness for fly fishing throughout the
Midwest. He’ll be missed...”
Travel Tips
Kodiak Legends Lodge
Larsen Bay, Alaska
Written by Kirk Deeter
Kososki jumped out of the bushes in a
bear costume as Bowman (who nearly
wet himself) was playing his seventh
red-banded buck of the day.
As many of you who have been to Alaska already know very well… once the
fly angler goes there for the first time,
the soul changes, the bar moves higher,
and the way they see and experience
fly fishing is altered forever. Transpose
that same thinking to Kodiak, from
the perspective of a writer/angler who
counts himself lucky enough to have already seen and experienced an amazing
amount of the Last Frontier.
Alaska is roughly the same size as the
Lower 48, from the Mississippi River,
eastward. Kodiak Island is roughly the
size of Connecticut. And yet, therein
is contained many of the greatest wild
and rollicking attributes Alaska has to
offer… the brawling rivers, the stunning
seascapes, the vast tundra, white-capped
jagged peaks, soaring eagles, caribou…
and yes indeed, the biggest brown bears
in the world, as well as unencumbered,
raw fishing.
The Lodge is owned by the Kososki
family, and we were accompanied by
Trent Kososki, along with a film crew.
While I don’t think I’m spoiling the
plot of something you might see on the
screen in a year or so, I think it’s fair to
say that all of us who were on this trip
are still feeling a tad numb, with minds
buzzing from sensory overload.
Sure, there was the fishing... our mission, that late in the season, was to
catch wild steelhead on the fabled
Karluk River, which is a five-minute
“milk-run” hop away from the lodge
via Legends’ supercharged deHavilland
Beaver (or a relatively easy hike if the
weather so dictates). At the onset, we
caught late-running silver salmon, with
hefty Dolly Varden, a few vibrant red
sockeyes, and/or the occasional steelie
in the mix.
But by the fourth day, something
uncanny, almost magical, happened.
From the first “tunk” until the last
screaming pull on the reel, it was all
about steelhead. From the leech-swinging purist (Santella), to the egg-dropping whore (myself), it was full-contact,
full-tilt action, spiced up only when
The lodge is more than comfortably
appointed. The food is superb. The
guides, Trent Deeter and Chuck Mercer, are as hard-working and insightful
as they come. The pilot, Jay Wattum,
is smooth and skilled, born and raised
in one of the most challenging flying
environments in the world.
There’s satellite television, WiFi Internet, a pool table, and dartboard for
leisure time (after many tries, I finally
topped Kososki in a cricket game late
in the trip)… but most of the extra time
is spent planning the next day. With all
the options there, that’s time well-spent,
because no matter how hard you try,
and no matter how you try to stick to a
“plan” there is no leaving Kodiak Legends Lodge without wondering what’s
still out there, and ultimately without
hoping for an opportunity to come back
someday and taste more.
If you want to organize an over-the-top
steelhead (or salmon) adventure, or if
you want to recommend a place to a
valued client where they can see and
experience the best of Alaska, in one
week, this is a great place to consider.
Trust me.
19
I recently had an opportunity to join
friends Chris Santella (author of 50
Places to Fly Fish Before You Die, New York
Times contributor, etc.) and Conway
Bowman (of mako shark fishing fame,
holder of the world-record Louisiana
redfish on the fly), for a fantasy jaunt
in October to Kodiak Legends Lodge
(kodiaklegendslodge.com) in a remote
cannery village on the western side of
Kodiak named Larsen Bay.
Other fishing opportunities included a
flight to the Upper Dog Salmon River,
where Santella and crew hit dozens
of native rainbows on mouse flies. I’d
have been there, but I was busy stalking
blacktail deer (after hunting sea ducks
that morning) in the hills. At that same
time, Bowman was offshore, chasing
salmon sharks, halibut, and rockfish.
CURRENTS
Grow the Industry
How to to grow fly fishing... hmmm. That
is, indeed, the question on top of many
minds, from manufacturers, to retailers,
to guides and lodges... and certainly here
at Angling Trade. So we’ve decided to
create a regular “Grow the Sport” forum
where we feature opinions from various
people with their boots on the ground in the
fy world. Our first installment comes from
Chuck Furimsky of The Fly Show. Have
something to add? We want to hear from
you! Contact [email protected].
My luck with my daughter was only
marginal, but her future husband
saw the light. In return for my acceptance into the family, he knew
a pass was easily given if he knew
how to double haul. Thus, his
quest to learn the sport from picking my brain, and my son if they
fish together, became a mission.
Today he just might catch more fish
than me, but don’t repeat that. My
son always beats me. Don’t repeat
that either.
Chuck’s 2 Cents... “How to
Quadruple Our Sport”
A week ago I startled him while he
carried my fly rods back to the garage from the boat and said, “Would
you like to learn how to cast one of
these?” He lit up as if I handed him
an Xbox and his own cell phone.
The next day, after supper, we met
and went over to the nearby soccer
field. In 15 minutes he was casting
40 feet and loving it. When we got
back to his gramp’s house, he said,
“Could you get me a fly fishing outfit for Christmas?” His grandfather
said, “We’ll see,” which we all know
in grandfather language means, “Of
course I’ll buy it for you.”
Over the past few years, the older
members of fly fishing, me included,
have been wondering where the
young people are that will replace
us when we’re gone. I should say
this discussion isn’t just an old fart’s
topic of conversation, but one
that all ages of our sport question,
especially manufactures, guides, and
dealers whose income depends on
selling. Will there be customers in
the future?
I examined myself and what I did
do, or will do, to bring more people
into our sport. It’s easy to pump up
my ego and take credit for thousands that took up fly fishing after
they attended one of my shows over
the past two decades. But I wanted
to just put myself under a scrutinizing lens, and look at my contribution button as an individual. Here’s
what I concluded.
Number one was my son who began
fly fishing at an early age, around
5 or 6, the same time he started
skiing. I credit myself for teaching
him fly fishing and tying, not skiing.
I might add that, had I taught him
skiing, he might still be snowplowing
instead of jumping off cliffs.
20
My neighbor, where I dock my
boat, also has a grandson. He’s
a bait fisherman and taught his
grandson how to catch flounder
on minnows. Ben is about 12, and
for some reason, thinks I’m the
greatest. When I get off my boat
carrying about 3 or 4 fly rods and
answer him about what I caught,
he’s all ears and eyes. I showed
him my crab flies and baitfish
imitations which fascinated him
because I caught as many flounders
as his grandfather... only I don’t
use bait.
Then my grandson came along. If
you happen to see a magazine ad
or brochure for my International
Fly Tyer’s Symposium he’s in the
photo with the vise. He’s only four,
but when he’s five, I guarantee he
will be fly fishing for something,
if only bluegills, which are great
starter fish.
So there you have it. With just a
sporadic summary of the years I
count four people I was able to
bring into our sport. It was easy
and I loved it. If I tried hard, I
could find more that asked me questions and my help steered them to
fly fishing. But these four match the
title of this two-cents piece, “How
to Quadruple Our Sport.”
Just like we sometimes change a
material on a successful fly pattern,
then pretend we invented a new fly,
I’ll leave you with a quote that resembles this “borrowing” technique.
“It’s not what your sport can do
for you; it’s what you can do for
your sport.” at
Great fly fishing doesn't have to be expensive.
Access Rods — Cast this rod once youʼll question the low price.
Cast it twice you wonʼt fish without it.
orvis.com/access
feature
The
Good
Gear Advantage
following items are a start. Stock
Thinking outside the The
a few and see what happens. You
might be surprised.
typical fly product
1) Stanley Nineteen13 Vacuum
box will catch your
Bottle (Stanley-pmi.com)
customers’ attention…
Long famous for classic green vacuum
and generate sales.
bottles, Stanley has come out with a
Written by Jay Cassell
One of my favorite stores is on Main
Street in Roscoe, New York, hard by
the banks of the Beaverkill. It’s called
The Little Store, and it carries practically anything an angler, hunter, or
camper could want. When you walk
in, the first thing you see is a cabinet to the left of the front door; it’s
loaded with reels and knives. A gun
case is behind it. Walk in a bit more,
and you’ll run into cases with drawers
stuffed with every Catskill-appropriate
fly you could think of. Farther back
are waders and camo gear (depending on the season); head into the
other room, to the right, and you’ll
find clothing, shoes, kitchen utensils,
hardware, even homemade fudge.
Every time I go there to get flies, or
a license, I end up buying something
else. The last time, I bought a collapsible walking staff – something I’d
been meaning to get for years.
If you have unused shelf space in
your tackle store, consider carrying
some ancillary items, gear that would
appeal to fishermen who have come
in for flies, lures, lines, rods, or reels.
22
new high-tech series of bottles called the
Nineteen 13 (1913 being the year when
the company
was founded).
Included in the
series is a onehanded 24-ounce
water bottle, a
16-ounce insulated travel mug,
and, my favorite, a 16-ounce
vacuum bottle.
The vacuum
bottle is stylish,
and is offered
with a bass, stag,
or script “Stanley” inscribed on
the side. But that’s not why I like it: I like
it because it keeps liquid hot (or cold) for
a long time, it doesn’t leak and, being
made with double-wall stainless steel, it’s
tough. The 6-ounce cup has a large onefinger handle. Price is $25.
2) Princeton Tec Byte Headlamp
(princetontec.com)
There comes a point, as afternoon
turns to evening, that you must have a
light in order to thread that 8x tippet
through the hook eye on your No. 24
midge. Hand-held lights don’t cut it;
you need a headlamp, and Princeton
Tec has come up with a good one with
the Byte. It’s light weight (a little more
than 2 ounces), bright (35 lumens),
and has white and red lighting options.
Red is good for tying on tippet without
blinding yourself or spooking fish;
while white will help you navigate the
path back to your car in the dark. The
company claims burn times of 96 and
146 hours, respectively. $19.95 msrp.
3) Coleman Woodsman II Chair
(coleman.com)
Folding camp chairs aren’t expensive
– the Woodsman II only costs $20
retail – and they’re the kind of impulse buy that anglers make. Why?
You’d be surprised how many people
forget to pack folding chairs for a
weekend fishing trip. Coleman offers
many models that are appropriate for
camping, sitting at a fly-tying table
(check
out the
Packaway
Folding
Table - $59
msrp), or
even backpacking. If
you want
to go light,
get the
Woodsman
II — it
only weighs 1.78 pounds. It can support 225 pounds, the fabric is weather
resistant, and it folds down to fit in
your car trunk or onto the outside of
a backpack.
®
TRADE
Stay in tune with the pulse of the fly fishing market
any time, any day.
Angling Trade has expanded well beyond its quarterly print editions...
www.AnglingTrade.com
• Be part of a dealer-only LinkedIn Forum by visiting Anglingtrade.com
• Read our monthly E-newsletter, featuring the latest people and product news, as
well as commentary on major issues affecting the fly world, as they actually happen
(read it there first)
• An extensive online buyer’s guide
• Job listings in the fly fishing world
And that’s www.anglingtrade.com
Check it. Stay Dialed. Be “In the Loop.”
23
If you want the latest, most relevant news on the fly fishing business, there’s now one
solid online source to find it.
feature
4) Engel DeepBlue High Performance Cooler (engel-usa.com)
All fishermen use coolers – and if
they’re looking for quality, they should
check out Engel. Known for making
super-tough coolers with durable lids
and unbreakable
latches, the
company
recently
came out
with a
35-quart
DeepBlue cooler, a smaller cousin of
the other, larger (65- to 320-quart)
coolers that the company offers. A
good size for most fishermen, the
Engel 35 has a roto-molded shell, two
inches of high-density polyurethane
foam on the top, sides, and bottom,
and an air-tight freezer gasket on the
lid that holds in the cold. It’s expensive—msrp $239—but this one is
going to last long after you’ve turned
your other coolers into planters.
5) ThermaCell Outdoor Lantern
(mosquiteorepellent.com)
The Sintrix material allows the
design team to build the first series
of rods that combines the best
attributes of the modern reservepower, fast action fly rods with the
more technical requirements of
tracking, tippet protection and a
taper that shifts the load to the butt
when you need to lay into the fish.
Gone are the days when you had to
slather yourself with insect repellent
before you ventured out onto your
patio, much less to
a campsite in the
woods. With ThermaCell’s outdoor
lantern, you don’t
have to worry about
mosquitoes any
more. I tested the
lantern last May,
while trout fishing
in the Catskills. I
set the lantern on
my campsite’s table,
turned on the unit
(it’s powered with a butane canister
and piezo-style starter), and watched
as insects stopped short of an invisible
wall 10 feet from me in all directions.
Each canister lasts about 12 hours;
when lit, heat from the canister warms a
mat impregnated with a synthetic copy
of a natural insecticide. Each mat lasts
4 to 5 hours. The lantern has 8 LED
lights, powered by AA batteries. With
a plastic housing, you can hang this
lightweight (13 oz.) lantern on a tree or
shepherd’s hook, or simply place it on
the table. Price: $30.
6) Plano Molding Guide Series
Cases (planomolding.com)
Plano has a new series of waterproof
cases that are perfect for fishing, hunting, camping, or general household use.
There are four in the series, with the
smallest measuring 6.5x4.6x2.1 inches,
the largest 14x9x5 inches. All are rugged, airtight, waterproof, and feature
cam-action latches, O-ring seals, and a
purge valve.
The insides are
lined, to protect
valuable gear
such as cell
phones or cameras. You can
also store flies,
lures, and other
fishing accessories. Prices
range from
$10 for the
1449 model, to $40 for the 1470. This is
one item that’s practically guaranteed to
fly off the shelves.
7) Adventure Medical Kits S.O.L. 3
(adventuremedicalkits.com)
If you fish in the backcountry, safety
dictates that you stow a survival kit in
your gear. Chances are you’ll never use
it, but it’s always safe to have options.
That’s where the S.O.L. 3 (Survive
Outdoors Longer) kit comes in handy.
A three-in-one hybrid kit, with gear
to help you survive, deal with medical
emergencies, and repair gear, the S.O.L.
3 weighs only 1.5 pounds, and is perfect
for stashing in the back of your vest or
impulse items for
Books & DVDs. Affordable
anglers of all types & budgets
ARE YOU STOCKED
in your pack. The
survival component
contains tinder,
a flint-steel fire
starter, signal mirror,
whistle, compass,
headlight, and foil.
Medical articles
include bandages,
dressings, antiseptic
wipes, and antibiotic
ointments, while the
gear repair section
includes cable ties,
cord, shears, duct tape, and safety pins.
Price is $56.
8) Leatherman Skeletool
(leatherman.com)
Many good knife makers sell multi
tools, but when you’re talking the most
recognizable name in this field, you’re
talking Leatherman. A look at the
company’s website reveals innumerable large and small multi tools, for a
variety of chores.
For my money,
the Skeletool is
one of the more
useful multi tools
for fishing. It’s
light, weighing
only 5 ounces,
but it has seven
tools of use to the
angler, including
needle-nose pliers,
two wire cutters,
and a straight/
serrated knife. It also has Phillips and
flat screwdriver bits, and it clips to
your belt with a handy carabiner clip.
MSRP: $70.
Ever consider stocking angler-friendly
clothing, like the Little Store does? If
so, check out Rail Riders, a clothing
manufacturer that makes well-thought-
Hardcover $45.00 SRP
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Featuring the very best books, dvds,
calendars & gifts that fly-fishing has to offer.
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out garments
designed for fishermen. The Bone
Flats pants are a
perfect example of
what Rail Rider’s
clothing is all
about. Ultralight,
with UPF protection of 30+, they
have 27-inchlong mesh panels
down the sides for
ventilation. The
knees are articulated, the pockets are
reinforced, and there’s a side security
pocket with a zipper. Price is $89.
Check out the whole Rail Rider’s line,
including their work pants and weather
pants, on their website.
10) DeLorme Earthmate PN-60w
with SPOT Satellite Communicator (delorme.com)
Imagine having a GPS unit that can
not only plot your route and help you
navigate the wilderness, but can also
send messages to family and friends
around the globe – no matter how
far back in the woods you might be.
DeLorme’s new PN-60w with SPOT
does just that. These two devices are
sold together, and are designed to work
exclusively with one another via wireless communication. Type text messages on the keyboard and the SPOT
sends them to cell phones, email, and
your Twitter and Facebook pages; your
friends and family can also track your
progress online. In case of emergency,
send SOS messages with your GPS
location embedded. Price is $550 plus
SPOT subscription. at
25
9) Rail Rider’s Bone Flats Pants
with Insect Shield (railriders.com)
To inspire, entertain, educate?
Sell a dream this winter, make
some money & have fun...
feature
It’s Time to
Tighten Up on
Pro Plans
forum administrator and part-time
writer with a substantial investment
in the industry, I figure I deserve it. I
also believe the industry benefits as I
promote what I use…
I was introduced to pro plans long
before opening my shop. The first
time was when I traded some frequent flyer miles for a $500 fly rod
that a kid at a shop bought through
a key employee plan. Next I traded
some computer consulting with an
industry insider for a hefty discount
on a $600 fly rod he bought through
a pro plan. Then I bought a $400
fly reel from a guide for pennies on
the dollar…
Today, I see things from the other
side of the table. Hunting guides
in $400 waders… non-working
“guides” with $600 rods… part-time
seasonal employees of big box stores
outfitted from head to toe in the best
the industry has to offer... cousins
of shop employees and friends of
guides; all getting tackle through pro
plans, key employee plans and guide
programs cheaper than I can buy it
for my shop.
For 20 years, I was the kind of customer fly shops dream about.
Single, no kids and a good job; I directed much of my expendable
income toward fly fishing tackle. At any time I owned a drift boat,
raft, float tube or two, multiple waders and boots, a few vests and
10 to 20 different fly rod and reel outfits. I also fished more than
100 days a year, consuming myriad terminal tackle.
I live in Maine. Guide licenses are as
common as brook trout. Like pickup
trucks, they are more a status symbol
than a tool for employment. Working fly fishing guides, however, are
rarer than our imperiled Arctic char.
Some actually work against local
shops, undercutting them in regard
to price and rarely (if ever) directing
any tackle business their way. Yet
their boats are full of heavily discounted gear…
I still buy a lot of fly fishing tackle.
However, the game has changed
significantly for me. For the last
decade I have owned and operated a
fly shop. I now have access to heavily
discounted tackle. As a shop owner,
Once, when walking along the river
with one of my own guides an angler called out to him: “Did my fly
line come in yet?” I nearly snapped
my neck as I spun in the direction
of the offending party. I asked
Written by Bob Mallard,
Owner / Kennebec River Outfitters
26
him “In the tackle business now?”
I knew exactly what he was doing
without even asking.
Another time a customer asked for
their down-payment on a rod back.
He told me he was buying a similar
rod from a guide he just met on the
river for half what I was charging
him. I lost a $600 sale, the angler got
a discounted rod he was not entitled
to and the guide made $100.
In another case, a guy developed a
consumable product he was hoping
to sell to the industry. With nothing
but a website, some samples and a few
shops, he was able to get on multiple
pro plans simply by calling the vendors. What made it worse was that
some of my own vendors offered him
discounted tackle. Even in situations where a discount
is warranted, while the benefit to the
recipient is clear, the benefit to the industry is not always clear. I have been
guided well over 100 times. I have
never once been sold a piece of tackle
by my guide. In fact, they were often
unsure exactly what they used beyond
being able to name the manufacturer.
Where is the sales training? Where
is the branding—requiring a decal
on their boat or a patch on their vest
would not be too much to ask.
Control of pro plans currently rests
solely in the hands of reps and
manufacturers. Those of us on the
front line are, for the most part, out
of the loop. Conversely, we are the
ones most negatively affected by its
use and abuse.
Often times the local rep is at fault.
Either their requirements are too lax,
or they don’t do their homework. I
have also seen reps from outside the
area give discounts to anglers they
met on the water, at a bar or in a chat
room. In other cases, big box stores
extend discounts intended for fly fishing department employees to anyone
associated with the store. Then there
are the vendor-direct discounts…
While much discounted tackle disseminated by the industry ends up in
hands of people who actually should
have it, much does not. The only
ones who benefit from these transactions are the consumers who get
cheap tackle, and the vendors who
get their margin. Unfortunately, it
takes food out of the mouths of the
best ambassadors the industry has—
small fly shops.
Make no mistake about it: Pro plans
are no longer accomplishing what
they were intended to—help the industry as a whole. We are all guilty.
The “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy
in place up until now has not served
us well.
While discounted tackle for those
who can help us is a good idea, how
much of a discount is appropriate? Should industry insiders pay
less than shops? Should shops be
brought back into the loop so they
can regulate/audit the process and/
or get a piece of the pie? Should
reps be required to prove that the
person should get the discount?
Should a guide license, business
card and/or a website be enough to
warrant a discount? If a shop sells
a given product, should an independent guide who works against
them get a discount on that product?
Should those with small investments
in the industry pay the same for their
personal tackle as those with large
investments? Should big box stores
play by the same rules as the rest of
us limiting key employee plans to only
those who work in the fly shop?
Depending on where you are, pro
plans can take a huge bite out of a
shops potential sales. Take away the
high-end tackle business and shops
will be forced to live off flies and
leaders. What percent of high-end
tackle is now sold at a discount? How
much benefit is the industry deriving
from this?
While I do not have all the answers,
as a former business consultant and
current fly shop owner I will say that
the process is badly in need of an
overhaul. While pro discounts should
not go away, they do need to be reeled
in. I also believe that shops should be
brought into the loop from an administrative and economic standpoint.
Lose these shops and we will lose the
sport as we know it. at
RECOMMENDED READING
By way of disclosure, Ben Romans
and I have a long professional
relationship. Many years ago,
while Ben was an editor with Fly
Fisherman, he was my boss/editor
on a piece I did for that magazine.
Now, the worm has turned, and he
contributes to my magazine, so I
gratefully get to drop the hammer
(at least the red pen) on him from
time to time… but I rarely do.
He’s one of the most plainspoken,
eloquent, and honest writers I
know, and all of that is self-evident
in this new book.
Montana’s Best
Fly Fishing
by Ben Romans
(Stackpole, Headwater
Guides, $29.95)
Never since we’ve published Angling
Trade, have we dedicated a review
to a “guide book” on where to
fish. The reason is simple… there
are a lot of more-than-decent
guide books out there, but frankly,
we haven’t seen anything worth
pointing the entire fly-business
nation onto one work, on one
specific locale.
Until now.
Ben Romans, contributing editor
for Angling Trade and long-time
industry insider, just published
Montana’s Best Fly Fishing. And it is
the best guide book we have ever
seen, on Montana or elsewhere, bar
none. It is a model of how guide
books can and should be done.
28
The truth for any writer in fly
fishing (at least those who want
to make money for their work) is
that “it’s a how-to, where-to world,
baby.” What makes this book
special is that Romans dishes the
facts with insights and hard-earned
(hard-waded) advice that never
once smacks of pretense or
“I know something you don’t
know.” Reading his book is like
having an honest friend telling
you the straight story, entirely for
your benefit.
A little back-story here: Joe
Cermele, a friend and colleague
from Field & Stream talked his
editors into letting him write a
Montana fly fishing feature a
few years ago. Having made his
pitch, he had one small problem to
tackle: “Where should I really go,
and where should I fish?” So he
called me. And I certainly didn’t
have his answers… but I knew who
would. Romans.
I could heap tons more professional
praise on Ben, and he’d probably
turn red if I did. The fact is,
whether I knew him or not, the way
his book reads, from blasting and
casting on the Bighorn, to the best
put-in approach for the Clark Fork,
to the nuances of reading hatches
on the Kootenai, is as impeccably
detailed as anything you’ll ever see
on fly fishing in Montana.
So why should you sell it? For
the person who plans a once-ina-lifetime trip to Montana, it’s a
perfect primer. For the person who
already visits Montana and has
cursory knowledge, this book amps
the insights. Even for the 20-year
resident of Bozeman who thinks
he/she has it dialed, there’s an
awful lot to be learned here.
Fly Fishing,
the Book Series
A 20-book series by Gar y A. Borger,
with Jason Borger
Mark Your Calendar!!
2011
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NEW FOR
0+
PF3
(Reviews by Kirk Deeter)
Visit the show website at www.AFFTAIFTD.com
for more information.
1 -8 0 0 -4 3 7 -3 7 9 4 · W W W. RAIL RIDERS. COM
29
RRthirdsquare.indd 1
11/9/10 2:56 PM
The first installment is Fishing the
Film. In this book, Gary Borger
covers the skills necessary for
successfully fishing the film,
including an understanding of
what fish see when feeding at
the surface. There’s a thorough
look at the food organisms of the
film zone and Gary reveals the
secret of the Universal Emerger,
hatch types, rise forms, and much
more. The book contains a host
of tactics for fishing the film,
including both dead drift and
action-packed presentations. A
chapter entitled, “What, When,
Where, Why, and How” details
the presentation tactics for fishing
stream and lake situations.
It’s the largest
international
gathering of fly fishing
businesses in the world.
SUN
P
Talk about kicking things up a
notch, you’ll also want to take
notice of a new series of 20 books
focusing on the skills of fly fishing
and the life experiences generated
by more than five decades on
the water, from none other than
Gary Borger, with additional text
and illustrations by Jason Borger.
From approach and presentation,
to casting and line handling,
to reading water and designing
flies, these books cover a broad
spectrum of fly fishing. In
addition, the how-to is enhanced
with fly-fishing scenarios and
stories gleaned from Gary’s
many angling experiences all
over the world.
Plan for the 2011 International Fly Tackle Dealer
Show August 18-20, 2011 in New Orleans, LA.
feature
Q&A
President and CEO of the American Sportfishing Association, Michael Nussman
In talking about trade shows, and trade organizations, we at
Angling Trade are constantly reminded that few “average
fly tackle business people” are familiar with the American
Sportfishing Association (ASA), which organizes the ICAST
(all tackle) trade show. ASA also happens to be the most
prominent and influential trade association/lobby organization advocating on behalf of sport fishing in the United States.
Likewise, we’ve heard some in the fly industry wonder aloud
how “in tune” ASA is with the interests of the fly retailer and
consumer. With that in mind, and with the belief that a closer
relationship between the fly market and ASA can be beneficial,
Angling Trade asked some questions... and ASA responded:
30
with the ASA...
AT: What should the average “fly guy,” be that
a fly shop owner in Pennsylvania, or a guide in
Alaska, or a rod maker in Montana, need to know
about ASA-- what does ASA do for those people
beyond organizing the ICAST trade show?
ASA: The American Sportfishing Association
is an inclusive organization comprised of large,
mid- and small-size manufacturers as well
as many other companies and organizations
that represent the entire recreational fishing
community. ASA’s members include sportfishing
and boating manufacturers and their
representatives, independent and chain outdoor
retail stores, state fish and wildlife agencies,
conservation organizations, federal land and
water management agencies, angler advocacy
groups, outdoor media groups and journalists.
ASA’s been in business for more than 75 years
advocating for sustainable fishing on our nation’s
public waters and helping to increase fishing
participation while promoting the health of
the industry. ASA advocates for all its members
within the public policy arena to ensure that
ASA: The recreational fishing
industry is comprised of many
different segments and fly fishing
is part of that make up. Many fly
fishing companies annually exhibit
at ICAST in order to distribute
their products both domestically
and internationally. The more
people we can get into the outdoors
and on the water, the more likely
they are to try all types of fishing
including fresh, surf, saltwater and
fly fishing.
sportfishing interests are well
represented when policy decisions
are made.
AT: How does ASA view the fly
market? A tiny piece of the pie, or
otherwise... and if otherwise, how so?
AT: The fly guy will tell you that
conventional tackle manufacturers
(ASA members) have done more to
foster the stereotype that fly fishing
is an “elitist” and exclusive sport
than anyone... that the barriers are
put up by the gear guys, and not
the fly guys. What can ASA do to
promote crossover.
ASA: Participation in recreational
fishing will always come down to
personal preference. Our efforts
are to promote access and fishing
participation whether it is with a
spinning rod or a fly rod. The more
people we have fishing, the better
it is for our collective business
interests.
AT: What is ASA doing to promote
fishing participation?
ASA: ASA’s mission and goals are
centered on growing our members’
business by increasing participation
in the sport and helping to ensure
31
feature
access to fishing as well as healthy
fisheries, fresh and saltwater. Over
a decade ago, ASA took the lead
in establishing the Recreational
Boating & Fishing Foundation to
increase participation in recreational
fishing and boating supported with
federal tackle manufacturers’ federal
excise tax dollars. RBFF is actively
working to incorporate more fly
fishing specific information in its
marketing and advertising.
AT: I see ASA jump into issues like
a proposed EPA lead ban... but
where was ASA on the water access
legislation in Utah that took away
50% of public access for fly anglers?
More importantly, where will ASA
be in the future on stream access
and clean water issues that affect
primarily fly anglers?
ASA: In an effort to combat access
restrictions around the country
which impact everyone, during
ICAST 2010, ASA launched
KeepAmericaFishing to unite
the nation’s 60 million anglers –
conventional and fly - under one
voice. Through policy, science
and conservation, ASA is working
through KeepAmericaFishing
to minimize access restrictions,
promote clean waters and
restore fish populations. With its
conservation partners, we are
working to limit and provide for
review and revision science-based
closures to areas in which they are
clearly beneficial to the health of
the fishery. And to oppose efforts
where there is no clear benefit to
the resource and that will have a
negative impact on recreational
32
fishing. ASA has always ensured
that our members, and the entire
sportfishing community, are
represented when policy decisions
are made. If we are aware of the
issue, we will work to make an
impact on the outcome. Individual
anglers, as well as the industry,
can have a significant impact on
issues such as recreational fishing
access in Utah. In fact, through
KeepAmericaFishing.org, over
43,000 anglers sent comments
requesting dismissal of the petition
to ban lead fishing tackle to EPA
Administrator Lisa Jackson which
had a direct impact on the EPA’s
decision to reject the lead ban.
AT: What does the ICAST show
have to offer the mom and pop
specialty retailer from Colorado?
Isn’t ICAST a big-box buyerdominated event?
ASA: Our member exhibitors, the
media, the buyers and everyone
who attends ICAST are passionate
about fishing which is what makes
our industry so much more than
a collection of businesses. ICAST
has always brought us together
in more than just a literal way. It
is the industry’s gathering place
to share information, industry
experience and do business. In
2010, nearly 7,000 representatives
of the sportfishing industry attended
ICAST. The show featured 412
exhibitors filling 1,221 booths.
More than 2,000 buyers and 525
members of the outdoor media
were in attendance as well as 900
attendees from 63 countries around
the globe. With more than 2,000
buyers in attendance, clearly ICAST
appeals to a very broad-based
audience, and that includes both
small and large retailers. According
to our post-show surveys, buyers
tell us that ICAST is much more
than just a product show; it’s an
industry show where they get to
meet and exchange ideas with some
of the most influential people in the
recreational fishing industry.
AT: What, specifically, does ASA
think can and should happen to
grow the fly market?
ASA: Broader distribution will help
to ensure that fly fishing-related
products are easily accessible to
anglers who haven’t yet had contact
with this aspect of recreational
fishing. During the trade show, fly
fishing manufacturers can meet with
a broad-base of traditional tackle
retailers to help them understand
the products and answer any
questions they might have about fly
fishing. As the Recreational Boating
& Fishing Foundation works to
increase angling participation across
the board, more people will embrace
recreational fishing and that includes
both conventional and fly fishing.
AT: What is ASA’s view of AFFTA,
and OIA? Competitors or allies,
and how?
ASA: From ASA to AFFTA to
OIA, we are all in the business of
promoting fishing and the benefits
of being in the outdoors. The
industry and our sport benefit when
we all work together to accomplish
our collective goal – to get people
in the outdoors and experience
first hand what it means to go
fishing. In fact, this past October,
Frank Hugelmeyer, OIA’s Executive
Director, was a guest speaker during
the 2010 Sportfishing Summit,
ASA’s annual membership meeting,
where he outlined the challenges
and opportunities facing the entire
outdoor industry.
AT: What value does the fly market
offer to the all-fishing market?
ASA: The fly fishing market offers
value in both product diversity
and diversity of experience for the
recreational angler. By including
both conventional and fly products
in their places of business, retailers
can cater to a wider recreational
fishing audience and meet all their
fishing needs, all under one roof.
This helps to foster customer loyalty
and attract new business.
AT: What kind of representation do
fly businesses have within ASA and
the ASA board?
ASA: A number of fly fishing
companies are active in ASA, in
addition to being ICAST exhibitors.
For example, Simms and St. Croix
Rods are currently members
of ASA’s Board of Directors.
Just recently, G. Loomis had a
representative on ASA’s board for
three, two-year terms. Other fly
fishing companies are represented
on ASA’s committees, including
Government Affairs.
AT: What do you hope will happen
in the next year to more closely
connect fly businesses with the ASA
and/or ICAST?
ASA: ASA is committed to
representing the interests of
the entire recreational fishing
community, including the fly fishing
industry. There is a spectrum of
common issues facing our industries
ranging from participation to
access to the health of our nation’s
fisheries. United, we present a
much stronger voice to address
these and many topics that can
affect recreational fishing’s future
as we all maneuver through this
tough economy.
at
feature
TheOtherSide
A European Perspective on
the Fly Fishing Industry
Written by Paul Sharman
In addition to the excellent US-based reportage
found in this esteemed industry journal, I thought it
was time to give the other side of the story. No… I
mean, literally, the “other side,” as in, of the pond!
The UK and European fly fishing industry is as
dynamic as ever, but is this because of or in spite
of the current ravages inflicted by the infamous
double-dip recession? The UK is now also faced
with a brand new raft of government cutbacks
34
due to be inflicted on the nation over the coming
months. Just how will the industry fare? Most agree
that while the retail sector is likely to remain flat at
least it is not expected to dive-bomb with the associated casualties that would cause.
The UK has its main trade show (Tackle & Guns)
in October and Managing Director of owners
DHP Publishing, Sean O’Driscoll was actually very
pleased with the results this year. “The T&G Show
this year had a record attendance
with more than 2,000 people visiting the event over the two days. I
am still awaiting final figures but it
looks like over 700 individual shops
visited.” When asked about expectations for the 2011 show he added
“I am very positive and am looking
forward to another increase in attendance for the 12th year in a row.”
There is, however, a change in
wholesale buying patterns as one
Tackle & Guns show attendee noted.
Dr. Russell Weston of UK brand
Snowbee says that the dealers who
would normally place large orders
at trade shows and upon whom the
larger brands used to depend, now
prefer to buy smaller amounts of
stock. As Weston explained: “In the
current economic climate, they need
to retain flexibility and be able to
buy as and when they need to.”
Independent retailer Ian Woods of
Game Fishing Supplies has noticed
an upsurge in demand for predator
fishing products, something that has
been echoed in the angling media
here the last few months also. Another light on his horizon (at least) is
the demand for sales from overseas
clients. “Export markets have been
good for us this year and continue
to grow, especially into some of the
old Eastern Bloc countries,” said
Woods. “I expect this to continue
into 2011.”
In Europe, Fish and Fly Ltd has
gained market-leader position in
hosting large communities of anglers on their various websites, the
largest being FlyForums.co.uk. Head
T H EF LY F ISH JOU R NA L .COM
of sales and marketing Phil Broughton is encouraged by the general
consensus of a steady marketplace
currently. “There’s more good quality product at lower price points and
this should help sales, and hopefully encourage newcomers to get
involved and stick with the sport,”
he said. “We attract over 450,000
visits and 3,500,000 page views each
month across our websites. This
number of potential customers just
cannot be ignored by those wishing
to increase their sales.” A thought
echoed by Sean O’Driscoll: “They
(retailers) are not going to increase
footfall through their shops, so they
need to go and get the consumers.”
But what of the bigger pan-European picture? There is only one
Ed Hepp (L)
and subscriber
Jeff Hickman
(R) enjoying the
ride en route to
Kanetok, AK.
HIGHBROW LOWBROW READING
FROM THE BACK OF THE BUS TO FIRST CL ASS AND BEYOND
Limited ad pages.
Archival quality.
Global and backyard adventure.
Epic stories, incredible images.
Recycled paper stock.
Sympathy for the choagie.
Subscribe today and check the Tailgate:
www.theflyfishjournal.com
(Enter your trophy in Smolt of The Month)
For advertising and dealer inquiries please contact
[email protected] or call 360-752-5559
AFFTA Member
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person to ask about that right now
– Jean-Claude Bel, CEO of EFTTA
(European Fishing Tackle Trade
Association). An interesting observation from Bel is that he currently
sees the development of larger
sports chains (especially in southern Europe) grabbing more of the
market share in fly fishing but does
not think this will last. “In the future
there will be no space in big sports
chains anymore as they are too
much concerned by product inventories rather than specialisation, but
instead more future in small specialized shops with the shortest distribution chain possible due to internet
competition,” explained Bel. The
converse may be true, however, for
fly tying retailers, where Bel says the
smaller one-man operation reigns
via the Internet and specialization
and will remain so.
Standing slightly apart from the
rest of the market, destination fishing is also suffering as one of the
first things to go in a downturned
economy of is, of course, travel.
Managing director of Frontiers
UK operation, Tarquin MillingtonDrake still manages to keep that famous British stiff upper-lip though.
Despite expecting things next year
to be “medium to tough and maybe
tougher with cuts” still finds solace
in one travel market he can rely on
even when times are hard. “Atlantic
salmon will always do well, especially if there are some deals… Iceland
will be strong as it was last year.”
If things do remain as tough as
expected in the economy, some
businesses may indeed fall by the
wayside. Mainly, those will be ones
that remain staunchly set in their
ways and do not adapt to match the
climate. Those that accept change
and embrace new ways of meeting a
different demand from their customers will be the survivors. at
a
HOT
SELLER
“
The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing is like having
two experienced fly anglers standing next you
and whispering tips in your ear.”
-Roger Phillips, The Idaho Statesman
“
Kirk Deeter and Charlie Meyers have done all
anglers a huge favor by writing The Little Red
Book of Fly Fishing…” -Brett Prettyman, Salt Lake Tribune
“
Deeter and Meyers purposely modeled their
book after two giants of the “how-to” genre:
Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book: Lessons
and Teachings From a Lifetime of Golf, by
Penick and Bud Shrake, and The Elements
of Style, by William Strunk Jr. and E.B White,
two collaborative books that became classics
because they were written clearly and
concisely by the best teachers in their given
professions.” -Monte Burke, Forbes.com
Packed with
Plainspoken
Advice for “
Beginners and
Experts Alike
A brilliant new book from Kirk Deeter and the late
Charlie Meyers… contains 250 of the most helpful
tips I’ve seen collected in one place. And this isn’t a
book just for rookies. In the first dozen pages or so I
found a few things that I had discounted or entirely
forgotten as proven methods for improving my fishing. So while the book is jammed with thoughtful
advice for novices, most experts will find the mindfulness and clear thinking refreshing.”
-Marshall Cutchin, Midcurrent
“
This is not a book you’ll read just once—like a trusted fishing buddy, you’ll turn to it again and again
for helpful advice, friendly instruction, and insider
information… a masterpiece.”
-Anthony Licata, editor, Field & Stream
Contact your book supplier, or see skyhorsepublishing.com for more information.
BACKCAST
but if our sport doesn’t look cool, kids
aren’t interested. The theme of this
issue is “What’s Next?” I’m reluctant
to make predictions because everything—industries, attitudes, tackle,
techniques, media—is moving so
much faster than it used to. (Twitter
didn’t even exist five years ago. Now
try going a single day without hearing
it mentioned). Nevertheless, I can say
with certainty that making fly fishing
look cool matters, especially in the
oft-repeated desire to “attract more
young people to the sport.”
A Broader
Appeal:
Recapturing the
Cool Factor
Written by Tom Bie
There’s an intriguing bit of dialogue
in Social Media, one of fall’s hottest
movies, where Mark Zuckerberg and
Eduardo Saverin are arguing about
whether or not they should begin running ads on Facebook. “It’s time for
the website to start generating revenue,” Saverin says, “with advertising.”
Zuckerberg answers: “No. Facebook is
cool, and if we start installing pop-ups
for Mountain Dew, it’s not gonna be
cool. We don’t even know what it is
yet. We just know that it’s cool.”
Like it or not, this is true for fly fishing
as well—especially with young people.
It may sound childish or irrelevant,
38
In his editor’s letter, Kirk suggests that
we make a stronger connection with
the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the Outdoor Industry
Association (OIA), and “bass nation.”
And I agree. We absolutely should
reach out to those groups, because
having relationships with them can
only help our industry, especially
when it comes to lobbying efforts,
crossover marketing initiatives, and
speaking with a united voice on conservation issues.
But when it comes to attracting new
participants, I am dubious about
relying too heavily on a trade group
or professional organization to do it.
I still believe that each and every one
of us showing a few of our friends
what happens when a largemouth eats
a popper can attract new flyfishers as
well or better than a faceless, bureaucratic-sounding trade group. I use
bass fishing as an example because
“reaching out to bass nation” has
seemingly replaced the Second Coming of A River Runs Through It as our
industry’s Hail Mary. Clinging to the
notion that flyfishing’s future depends
on the Banjo Minnow Master using a
fly rod feels desperate to me. I think
the golfer, the skier, or the mountain
biker is more likely to set foot in a
fly shop than the guy who has spent
his entire life deciding which rubber
worm to buy at Wal-Mart.
But therein lies one of the beauties of
this sport. When it comes to “looking cool,” everyone’s perception is
different. I don’t think professional
bass fishermen look cool. To me, they
look like wanna-be NASCAR drivers
who can’t find the track. But to many
thousands of kids—the two sons in
Talladega Nights come to mind (“I’m
all jacked up on Mountain Dew!”)—
I’m sure bass nation guys are the
epitome of cool. Which is why we
need both approaches to help move
this industry forward.
Also, adding to Kirk’s list in his editor’s letter, there is one other thing I’d
like to see happen: Since fly fishing
has 10,000 freelance writers, all of
whom have apparently written a
book, I’d like to see these authors
start refocusing their flyfishing pitches
toward some non-flyfishing publications. I’m not suggesting writers stop
sending queries to Kirk Deeter, Frank
Amato, Joe Healey, Andrew Steketee, Ross Purnell, Steve Probasco,
Steve Walburn, Tom Bie or any other
flyfishing editor. I’m just requesting
that you also query some generalinterest magazines to see if we can
place a few flyfishing stories in front
of people not in the choir. In-flight
magazines would be a great place to
start, like Southwest Airlines’ Spirit or
United Airlines’ Hemispheres. These
mags have “Top Ten” articles on golf
courses or ski resorts or spas in every
other issue. Let’s bombard them with
some flyfishing destinations and see
what happens. And if you really love
the taste of rejection, send something
to Mens Journal or Outside or Esquire.
True, they’re a lot harder to get a
story in, but if you can pull it off, a
half million people will see it. And
that would be cool. at
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AnglingTrade_Issue14..

Transcription

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