PDF - Angling Trade

Transcription

PDF - Angling Trade

the buzz on the flyfishing biz
®
INSIDE
INSIDE THE PRODUCT ISSUE
Rod Warranties Revisited/What We Learn from
Yoga Pants/Hot List of New Gear/The Evolution
of Fly Product/Young Entrepreneurs/Predatory
Angling... and more.
September 2013 AnglingTrade.com
passionate about fishing since 1983.
Available in prescription. Find an authorized optical
eye care professional near you at CostaDe lMar.c o m
the buzz on the flyfishing biz
CONTENTS
®
Features
Departments
Editor
14 The Hot List
6 Editor’s Column
Managing Editor
Angling Trade looks at the hottest new gear
for 2014, including award winners from IFTD,
and others that are creating buzz and sales
potential. By AT Editors
24 Five Under 40
Youthful vigor meets respect for traditions...
a look at five entrepreneurial businesses in fly
fishing being run (at least in part) by those 40
and younger. By Geoff Mueller
A little support goes a long way. It took
two beers and a conversation about women’s
undergarments with my wife and sister-in-law
to realize that fly shops can learn a lot from
Lululemon. By Kirk Deeter
8 Currents
Kirk Deeter
[email protected]
Tim Romano
[email protected]
Art Director
Tara Brouwer
[email protected]
shovelcreative.com
The latest people and issues news from
the North American fly fishing industry.
Editor-at-Large
32 Opinion Editorial:
Copy Editors
Where we stand on Bristol Bay. By Scott Hed
Geoff Mueller
Mabon Childs, Sarah Deeter
Contributing Editors
Tom Bie
Ben Romans
Steven B. Schweitzer
Contributors
Chuck Furimsky, Scott Hed,
Geoff Mueller, Tom Reed
Photos unless noted by Tim Romano
36 The Evolution of Gear
An essay on an angler’s transformation over
the years, what gear shaped that, and what
proved to be fads. By Tom Reed
34 Book Reviews
Gary Borger teaches anglers to think and
fish like “predators.”
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.
46 Backcast
40 Opinion Pages: Rod
Warranties and Daisy-Chaining
Drift Boats
By Geoff Mueller
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 / September 2013
An open letter to the industry lets the
warranty genie out of the bottle (again). Will
this be the catalyst for some significant
policy shifts in the future? And is it bad form
to float through the same run, over, and
over... and over? By AT Editors
Yoga pants and the trade show circus.
Advertising Contact: Tim Romano
Telephone: 303-495-3967
CONTRIBUTORS
The only accessories
we don’t supply...
Tom Reed is a lifelong outdoorsman and a longtime Trout Unlimited employee. The author of
four books, he writes and works from his home
outside Pony, Montana. For more information
please see www.tomreedbooks.com.
...are the fish!
Geoff Mueller is our regular “Backcast”
columnist, and is Angling Trade’s editor-at-large,
which as most writers know, is not to be confused
with “large and in charge.” Nevertheless, we
value his insights more with every issue. He also
is senior editor of The Drake.
15353 E. Hinsdale Circle | Unit F |
Centennial, CO 80112 | 303-690-0477
www.anglersaccessories.com
“MOJO MUD“ is now
Scott Hed is the director of the Sportsman’s
Alliance for Alaska, and he’s played a critical
role in the fight against the proposed Pebble
Mine. In this issue, he shares some reasons to
be optimistic that the world’s most prolific wild
salmon fishery may well get protected... but he
also warns there’s still work to do.
Chuck Furimsky is well-known as the
mastermind behind the very popular Fly Fishing
Show(s), the off-season extravaganzas where
anglers buy themselves what they really wanted
for Christmas. Chuck also happens to have an
opinion on guides hammering the same runs,
over and over.
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and the choice of the pros.
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303-690-0477
*Also available in gray
EDITOR’S COLUMN
A Little “Support”
Can Apparently Go
a Very Long Way
Just when I thought, after 24 years of
marriage, I had run out of meaningful
philosophical lunch conversations
to have with my wife, Sarah, and
her sister, Susie, I had the most
extraordinary epiphany while with
them the other day. Bison burgers
(and perhaps a Colorado microbrew
or two) somehow led to a conversation
about women’s undergarments, and by
extension, the venerable, apparently
way-trendy retail chain named
Lululemon Athletica. Lululemon
specializes in selling things like yoga
pants and sports bras, but what I
hadn’t realized before is that the chain
does so with a retail panache that has
women literally lined up to shell out at
a premium for their unmentionables.
Now anyone who has ever met me
in person knows two things: A) I am
personally not an aficionado of fine
yoga pants (though apparently our
Backcast columnist Geoff Mueller
is); and, B) whenever I can land on
an angle that might worthily apply
to selling things like fly rods and reels
and lines with greater effect, I’m not
afraid to write about it.
6
And so it is that I attached to the
fodder for this column when my
sister-in-law, who is not typically
a candor-challenged individual,
described in riveting detail the
quest of finding a good sports bra.
Apparently (and I did not know this)
they are not all the same. Some are
meant for more physical “real sports”
endeavors, like playing hockey, or
volleyball, or jogging, while others are
meant for sports that are more aptly
described as “outdoor activities,” like,
well… fly fishing, for example.
Thing is, apparently, when a woman
walks into a Lululemon store, she is
consistently, immediately met by at
least one member from a team of
experts trained and ready to help her
dial in on exactly the right option for
the right situation. Call that a new
level of customer support. But it
apparently works, because women,
my wife now included, are willing
to fork over extra bucks (a lot) for
an expertise-driven bra, Fruit of the
Loom be damned.
Yes indeed, there’s a status factor
involved as well. Another woman/
angler friend of mine described
Lululemon as “the official uniform
of the soccer mom.” (Perhaps not so
ironically, the lunch conversation with
my wife and sister-in-law happened
between games of a youth soccer
tournament.) But the status wouldn’t
be possible without the sales, and
the sales don’t happen without the
expertise.
It’s no different than one of the
other shining examples of retail
success—you can’t walk into an
Apple computer store without being
met by one of a team of geeks who
can capably dial you onto the exact
laptop, or iPod, or iPad you really
need. In fact, those geeks are the
reason most people go to Apple stores
in the first place.
Which leads me back to fly fishing.
And no, I am not calling fly shop
people geeks. I am, however,
suggesting that expertise is the
critical factor that has kept the fly
shops that are still around today
in business, and will keep them in
business for years to come.
If you want to inoculate yourself and
your business against the dangers
of big box, and cheap imports, and
online retailers… if you want to
keep the products you sell from being
considered commodities, the answer is
really pretty simple.
Know things, and be able to impart
wisdom in ways that nobody else can.
Know more about what’s happening
in the river near your backyard than
what some intern hired to make
fishing reports for a website can
muster. Communicate those things
regularly and consistently. And be
damn sure your staff can also.
If there’s anything those of us in
this business might actually agree
upon, it’s that fly fishing is a how-to,
where-to-driven sport. Boots in the
water still matter for something. If
you’re still into the “secret fly” or
the “secret spot” in this day and age,
that’s your problem, and it will be
your undoing.
After all, if expertise can be applied
for substantial sales effect to sports
bras of all things (and again, I am
not trying to be critical of the sports
bra business in any way, shape or,
um, form), considering the beautiful
nuances and complexities fly fishing
inherently exhibits, the quest to
impart genuine expertise should be
considered an opportunity, not a
challenge. at
Kirk Deeter
Editor
CURRENTS
Currents
Check Out the Revamped Fly Fishing
in Salt Waters
We want to lead
this “Currents”
section with a
shout out to
our friend and
colleague John
Frazier, editor
of Fly Fishing in
the
Salt Waters. For
those of you who
FIVE MUST-FISH DESTINATIONS
hadn’t noticed
(NO PASSPORT REQUIRED)
yet, the magazine
has recently gone through a dramatic transformation. It’s a new look and feel, and the
writing and photography quality is getting
even better than it already was. Leafing
through the latest issue, we see a healthy
amount of advertising support, and we are
struck by how well this publication is serving a very important niche in the fly-fishing
world. So kudos, John, and we encourage
everyone to subscribe, or at least go out and
grab the latest issue. You will be pleased.
In search of Northern Territory barramundi
p.
40
KING’S HOO FLY
A GO-TO BAITFISH
FOR ALL REGIONS
EAST CAPE ACTION
GIANT ROOSTERFISH
OFF BAJA BEACHES
NEW BOAT
RANGER’S
240 BAHIA
Hit
Road
p.
50
Gary Jennings Moves to Hell’s Bay
Boatworks
In related news, Fly Fishing in Salt Waters
publisher Gary Jennings is leaving the
magazine after 11 years at its helm to take
the position of general manager for Hell’s
Bay Boatworks. Jennings said that it was
bittersweet to leave the publication. “Fly
Fishing in Salt Waters allowed me to travel
the world with a fly rod in hand and I am
grateful and proud of my time there. The
magazine is looking better than ever, but
the chance to work with Chris and Wendi
Peterson at Hell’s Bay was something that
I just couldn’t pass up. I’ll still be involved
with fly fishing, but will also be in the
marine industry—the best of both worlds!”
Jennings, who bought his own HB in 2001
8
said: “I can’t begin to count the number of
fish or all the great times that I have had
while fishing from their boats.”
Jennings first became associated with Hell’s
Bay Boatworks in 2000 when he brokered
an agreement between Hell’s Bay and the
Coastal Conservation Association Florida
chapter where he worked as a regional
director. Hell’s Bay continues to be a major sponsor of conservation by supporting
CCA, the Bonefish, Tarpon Trust, Guy
Harvey Ocean Foundation and the IGFA.
Jennings’ departure leaves a sales position
open at the magazine. Here are the details
on the position… Sales Manager of Fly
Fishing in Salt Waters. The ideal candidate will
be well connected in the fly fishing industry,
have sales experience and be able to travel
and operate with a high level of independence. Position is located in Winter Park,
Florida. To apply, go to: http://ch.tbe.taleo.
net/CH04/ats/careers/requisitionjsp?org=
WORLDPUB&cws=1&rid=1964
Redington Hires Ben Crook as
Sales Manager
Redington has hired Ben Crook as the
company’s sales manager. Crook holds a
bachelor’s degree in Commercial Recreation with an emphasis in outdoor retail.
After college, he moved to Florida to work
in the marine industry specializing in salt
water fishing boat sales. He tailored his
skills at Brunton Outdoor Group in Wyoming working as that company’s international sales manager.
“Fly fishing is a way of life for me; I
couldn’t be more thrilled to join the team
at Redington and implement sales tactics
to match efforts elsewhere within the
company. The brand is positioned well for
2014, offering price conscious, quality gear
as well as providing a gateway for people
who have never fly fished to be exposed to
the sport through innovative, attractive and
quality products,” said Crook.
“As Redington Sales Manager, Ben is
responsible for driving the Redington sales
effort creating and implementing a national
sales program that align with the goals of
the product, marketing and customer service
teams,” noted Redington General Manager,
David Visnack. “His previous experience will
no doubt bring insight to lead our sales team
with authority and expertise.”
3M Inks Matrix Resin Deal
with Jarden
After recently selling the Scientific Anglers
and Ross Reels brands to The Orvis Company, the 3M Company announced that it is
strategically aligning with Jarden Corporation, a leading provider of a diverse range
of consumer products including sporting
goods, to commercialize the Powerlux brand
composite technology for sporting goods.
“We are excited to align with Jarden, home
of such sporting goods brands as Abu Garcia, Berkley, Coleman, ExOfficio, K2, Marmot, Miken, PENN, Rawlings, Shakespeare,
Ugly Stik, Volkl, and many more,” said Vic
Genco, Director, 3M Engineered Products
and Solutions. “With their broad and direct
presence in multiple sporting good markets,
we believe they are well positioned to expand
the use of 3M’s Matrix Resin Technology
into other sporting goods applications.”
As a result of the agreement, 3M will work
exclusively with Jarden to commercialize the
3M Matrix Resin Technology for sporting
goods applications.
Umpqua Reaches Deal with Fly Factory in the Phillipines, Dealer Fly
Inventories Sould Benefit
Umpqua
Feather Merchants, the
world’s largest
manufacturer
of fishing flies,
has entered
into a long-term agreement with a well-established fly factory in the Philippines. This
marks the third new factory addition for
Umpqua in three years. “It’s no secret 2013
has been difficult due to the failure by fly
suppliers to meet industry demand. Umpqua
takes this very seriously and will continue to
aggressively follow our expansion plans to
meet the industry’s needs.” said Jeff Fryhover, president & CEO.
continued on next page...
CURRENTS
“We were very fortunate when this well
established, high quality factory contacted
us a few months ago. Unfortunately, they
had been left in a very difficult position
and our new partnership will enable them
to continue focusing on tying great quality
flies and enable Umpqua to focus on meeting the needs of the industry and helping dealers get back to healthy inventory
levels.” said Fryhover.
Umpqua will begin distributing flies
from its new Philippine partner as early
as October.
Utah Stream Access Coalition
Announces Video Contest
On the heels of its hugely successful photo contest this summer, the Utah Stream
Access Coalition—the group spearheading the effort to maintain public access
to trout waters in Utah—announced
that it would hold a video contest this
fall. Between now and November 15,
entrants are encouraged to submit threeminute videos that revolve around these
key themes:
Advocate involvement in USAC’s cause,
i.e. promoting others to become a member of USAC, encouraging Utahans to
contact their elected officials in support
of USAC’s cause.
Educating and supporting USAC’s mission - To promote and assist in all aspects
of securing and maintaining public access to, and use of, Utah’s public waters
and streambeds.
Illustrate waters, heritage, etc. that have
been lost by enactment of HB141 - The
Fine Rod Components and Cases
Providing innovative solutions to the fishing rod industry since 1968
*Engraving options avalible
* Natural and Black Pearl finishes
also available in Micro sizes
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A REPUTATION YOU CAN BUILD ON
Public Waters Access Act, and the impact that it has had on you/your family/
your life.
Winners will receive prizes from the likes
of William Joseph, Montana Fly Company, and Kast Extreme Fishing Gear.
Southwick Associates Offers First
Report of its Kind to Identify the
True Size of the Sportfishing Market
in America
With more than 33 million anglers in the
United States spending nearly $42 billion
a year on their activities, sportfishing in
America is big business. From the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and everywhere
in between, anglers young and old spend
money on equipment, boats, travel, food,
gas and more. But for those companies
providing goods and services to sportfishermen, understanding precisely
where those dollars are being spent has
been elusive. That is until now.
For the first time, detailed market data
are available. Southwick Associates, the
outdoor industry’s leading research and
survey firm, is offering its 2012 Size of
the Sportfishing Market Report that
presents the actual dollars spent on a
wide range of detailed sportfishing product categories and even for top brands.
The report identifies the true size of
the fishing rod and reel market, as well
as those for fishing line, lures, terminal
tackle, fly-fishing gear, fishing electronics,
ice fishing, fishing apparel and other key
equipment categories within the sportfishing market.
“Understanding how and where fishermen spend their money can help businesses and organizations better position
themselves to serve this lucrative group
of consumers,” said Rob Southwick,
president of Southwick Associates. “Our
intention is to help sportfishing businesses better understand the U.S. sportfishing market and improve not only their
business performance, but to provide the
products anglers want.”
CURRENTS
Trout Unlimited Hails Forest
Service Access Policy
Trout Unlimited
recently praised the
U.S. Forest Service
for establishing a new
and improved policy
that will enhance the
amount and quality
of restoration work
conducted on Forest
Service lands and waters—a change that
will support healthier
fish and game habitat and make fishing
and hunting better on Forest Service lands.
In June 2012, the agency published a proposed rule amending its National Environmental Policy Act regulations to include
three new categorical exclusions aimed at
“restoring lands negatively impacted by
water control structures, natural and humancaused events, and roads and trails,” and
recently moved to finalize its new policy. By
developing categorical exclusions, the agency
is identifying specific categories of activities
that do not, individually or collectively, have a
significant effect on the environment.
Environment Updates
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Earns
Milestone Protections in Florida
The Bonefish & Tarpon Trust reported
recently that, thanks to the foresight of
the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and FWC staff, effective
September 1, bonefish and tarpon were
designated as catch and release species in
Florida waters.
12
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also voted unanimously
to pass the Boca Grande jig ban at its September 5th meeting in Pensacola by a 7-0
vote. The jig issue has been hotly debated
over the past few years among bait and
jig fishermen. Bonefish and Tarpon Trust
noted that it is grateful to former FWC
chairman Ken Wright, current chairman
Dick Corbett and all the commissioners
for taking these important steps to protect
tarpon. The new regulations add language
that enhances the definition of “snagging”
or “snatch hooking” that applies statewide,
and prohibits the use and possession of
gear rigged with a bottom-weighed hook in
Boca Grande Pass, which is key habitat for
silver kings.
Congratulations and thanks to the
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust for these milestone achievements.
Absent project-specific circumstances to
the contrary, permitting for activities that
fall within a categorical exclusion can be
expedited—bypassing the requirement to
prepare an environmental assessment or
an environmental impact statement.
Request for Western Native Trout
Habitat and Conservation Projects
Announced
The Western Native Trout Initiative (WNTI),
a venture of the Western Association of Fish
and Wildlife Agencies and a National Fish
Habitat Partnership (NFHP), is pleased to
announce that the Request For Proposals
for 2014 native trout conservation project
funding from the National Fish Habitat
Partnership is now available on the WNTI
web-page: www.westernnativetrout.org
The Western Native Trout Initiative
(WNTI) continues to be fully involved
in the efforts to apply additional fiscal
resources to the improvement of the status
of western native trout. In 2012 alone,
WNTI funded 12 projects with $560,000
provided by the National Fish Habitat
Partnership and matched with over $2.6
million in public and private funding.
The deadline to submit is October 25, 2013. at
feed your ƒddiction
proudly mƒde in the usƒ
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feature
Hot List
Angling Trade takes a look at 55 products that we think will generate considerable buzz among consumers in
2014. Our editors saw some of these
at the IFTD and ICAST trade shows
(IFTD New Product Showcase winners are noted with *), others at the
Outdoor Retailer Summer Market,
some on visits to manufacturers, and
some were just sent to us. In most
cases, we’ve also tested them on the
water (or at the tying bench). This
is not, by any means, an all-inclusive
list, but it is a start at understanding
what we believe is the most impressive
industry-wide array of new product,
in terms of breadth and innovation,
in several years.
UNI French Oval tinsel
Hemo Holster
“Adult damsel tiers rejoice, 8/0 Unithread now available in blue! Other
new products include: copper oval
tinsel (copper rib/copper bead Prince
anyone?), elastic band thread (just
seems fishy), chartreuse and blue holographic tinsel, and various colors of
mohair thread. All in all, pretty cool.”
-Malcolm Robertson
Made from domestic cowhide, tanned
the in the United States rather than less
expensive, inferior imported leather
(this is the same leather used to make
custom holsters for pistols) the Hemo
Holster, as its name implies, is a holster
for hemostats. All Hemo Holsters are
hand-boned and fitted tight around the
hemostats, so they will stay put without
extra retention devices like straps or
snaps. Made in Bailey, Colorado, see
sweetwatersaddlery.com.
S O U T H W I C K A S S O C I AT E S
Prepare and Repair Gear SG-20
A new repair adhesive called SG20 can keep seasonal gear in good
repair and address any unexpected
damage on the water. SG-20 sets
in minutes and creates a watertight
B E T T E R I N F O R M AT I O N .
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seal on GORE-TEX, neoprene,
canvas, polyurethane and an assortment of many other materials
within one hour. So when an angler
experiences an unexpected tear or
puncture, waders, shoes, vests and
more can be repaired quicker than
with other sealants. With SG-20,
simply dry off the torn or punctured
material, apply the adhesive and let
it dry. Within an hour the gear is
usable again, keeping air, dirt and
debris out. Repairs with SG-20 have
been shown to be incredibly durable, lasting five or more years in the
field. Retail is $20 per kit.
John DePalma 303-552-8454 [email protected]
www.anglersurvey.com
www.southwickassociates.com
Books & DVDs
Affordable impulse items for
anglers of all types & budgets
phed
5 Autogra
HC: $39.9
Tippetac
Tippetac is an innovative new product that holds your fly line and flies
while you change up your rig from
wherever you are fishing. Simple
and unobtrusive, Tippetac’s powerful function comes from two elements: a rubber piece with a wedge
and slit that holds your monofilament tippet/leader, and two strong
Calendar: $13.95
ANGLER’S BOOK SUPPLY 800.260.3869
Featuring the very best books, dvds,
calendars & gifts that fly-fishing has to offer.
www.anglersbooksupply.com
feature
rare-earth magnets that function as
an attachment mechanism and an effective fly holder. Once you get used
to Tippetac, you’ll wonder how you
ever managed on the water without it.
waders
G3 Guide Stockingfoot by Simms*
The Simms G3
Guide Stockingfoot
won at IFTD for
“Best Wader” category, while the Women’s
version (Women’s
G3 Guide Stockingfoot) took home
the honors for “Best
Women’s Product.”
Both waders incorporate 25 percent more
breathable 5-layer
GORE-TEX fabric
Simms developed
last year for their G4
series. Price ranges
between $450-600.
Orvis Silver Sonic Zippered Wader
Orvis uses its sonic
seam technology,
adds a YKK zipper
and creates a durable
(4-layer), breathable, zippered wader
that retails for $395,
which explains why
the company’s wader
sales are up dramatically over the past 18
months and expected
to vault even higher.
Expanded size options, and a women’s
convertible top are
all available.
16
Redington Super Dry Fly Waders
Super Dry Fly is the
name of Redington’s
new premium waders
that feature a slimmer
YKK Aquaseal zipper,
and Cocona interior
fabric that keeps moisture moving out of the
waders, so anglers stay
drier and more comfortable, even in extreme
conditions. Retail is
$499.95.
It looks like Orvis has a good grip on
the felt alternative challenge with its
new T3 Guide Boot ($219) that features soles made with a unique JStep
rubber compound. JStep is famous
for making boots for applications in
slippery oil and gas production situations. We haven’t worn these boots
yet (available next April) but we’ve
held them, and they are the real deal.
Orvis Pivot with Boa
BOOTS
Redington Ruckus Youth
Wading Boot*
Redington
took “Best
Youth
Product”
honors at
IFTD for
its youthspecific Ruckus wading boot. Our
kids think they look cool, and that’s
what matters most. Built with all the
quality of the adult boots yet at a
fraction of the size and the price, the
Ruckus Youth will retail for $89.95 so
outgrowing them won’t hurt. Available in sizes 2, 4 and 6.
Orvis T3 Guide Wading Boot
with JStep
Orvis has also joined the BOA Closure System brigade with the advent
of the new Pivot. These also feature
JStep soles, and will retail for $179.
G4 BOA boot by Simms*
Simms’ G4 BOA Boot took home the
prize for “Best Footwear” at IFTD.
The G4 BOA is highlighted by that
company’s new RiverTread platform
with Vibram Idrogrip rubber sole and
its unique asymmetrical BOA closure
system—there’s one wire, one dial on
the side of the boot. What we like
most is the black, stealth bomber look
and feel of the boots. They’re going
to be popular. Retail is $239.95.
Vapor by Simms
Patagonia Ultralight Wading Boots
Simms has also introduced a boot
called Vapor that it says is more intended for long hikes, backcountry
situations, and so forth. We took a
pair to Iceland, which may be the
ultimate setting for testing boots—
the rivers there are loaded with
slick vegetation, and the jagged
volcanic rocks will test the durability and construction of any footwear. The Vapor passed with flying
colors, and they were supportive,
though light, and comfortable to
wear. Retail is $169.95.
Patagonia has the light wading boot
dialed in. Ultralight is comfortable,
yet sturdy enough to provide reliable
support. You’ll be particularly fond
of these when you’re packing for a
return flight from somewhere, and
don’t have to pay the extra weight fine
at the airport. Retail for felt or sticky
rubber is $179.
Korkers Devil’s Canyon
Packs/Vests
Vaquero by fishpond*
Black Canyon backpack
(fishpond)*
Fishpond has landed
on a great design with
its Black Canyon modular backpack system.
This is an internal
frame pack that also
includes a detachable
Umpqua Famous 2500 Boat Bag
Umpqua, as most of
you know, has waded
in beyond the fly
realm into packs and
such. We’ve taken
a particular shine to
the Famous 2500 Boat Bag, which actually serves as a Famous “Back of the
Car” bag when we’re not on the water.
Retail is $199.99.
Umpqua Deadline 3500
Wet/Dry Duffel
We’re also very hot on the Duffel, which
serves as a great
field pack, boat
pack, backpack
for day trips, or
carry-on for travel. We like that it can
segregate wet from dry. Frankly, it’s a
great swimming bag, as well as a fishing
duffel. Retail is $159.99.
Simms Headwaters Guide
Hip Pack
We’ve been fishing with one for
several weeks
now, and have
come to appreciate the rigid wall
construction that isn’t too heavy. The
Guide model, as you might expect, has
extra capacity. Retail is $119.95.
17
Korkers has offered up a new twist
on neoprene with the introduction
of the Devil’s Canyon Boot, which
features a durable hard neoprene
shell, and a stretchable, supple
4-way stretch neoprene section
around the Achilles’ tendon area.
The result is a boot that form fits
around the ankle area (no gaps or
rubs), yet is extremely light, durable, and agile. Retail is $200,
which includes rubber and felt
interchangeable soles.
Fishpond’s
new Vaquero vest
is a looker...
made with
waxed canvas,
it is also very
functional,
with just the right mix of large and
smaller pockets in just the right places.
Retail is $159.95.
pack that can be warn as a chest pack or
sling. Retail is $179. The really compelling attribute, aside from the fact that it
has that distinctive, classy fishpond look,
is that the product is almost completely
made from recycled fishing net material.
You know… the stuff that floats around
in the ocean and will never disintegrate?
Well, applied for this purpose, that everlasting trash becomes a supremely durable
accessory. What was a problem is now
an asset. Kudos to fishpond, once again,
for combining environmental ethic with
exceptional product design moxie.
feature
Patagonia Stormfront Pack Sling
The Stormfront Pack Sling applies the
waterproof technology of the Stormfront pack (universally respected by
photographers and others who demand
unconditional all-climate protection)
to a sling design. We’ve worn the sling
and it’s functional, relatively light, and
easily adjustable. A handle allows it to
be carried as a tote, and it has an outside
water-repellent pocket for fast access.
Retail price is $199. No image of product
was available at press time.
Orvis Gale Force Sling
Orvis offers a waterresisitant sling as well,
the few-frills Gale
Force Sling Pack,
which retails for $119.
mtc at tp ad 4th quarter 13.pdf
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
1
RIO Perception*
lines
Airflo Super-DRI
Airflo
chemists formulated
SuperDRI,
a new
material
that the company claims repels water,
dirt and scum better than other fly
line materials. The result is a fly line
that rides higher in the water, and
also reduces distance-curbing friction
during casts. Retail price is $74.99.
8/21/13
5:47 PM
The top
Freshwater
Fly Line at
IFTD, we’ve
been fishing
Perception
lines for most
of the summer, and they
do indeed live up to their billing.
They float great, they’re slick, so
they shoot, but most importantly,
they accentuate the qualities of
a fine fly rod, from mending, to
double-hauling. They’re built with
ultra low-stretch technology, that
ultimately leads to more sensitivity.
Retail is $89.95.
Chard Grand Slam by Scientific
Anglers*
SA took
the Best
Saltwater line
category
at IFTD
with this
one... a
versatile, all-around, all-sized flies,
wind-buster for the flats and inshore. Inspired by/devloped with
Keys guide Bruce Chard.
Cortland Big Fly Lines
They do
what they
say they
do... help
anglers huck
large flies. The taper creates a powerful, positive energy for turning over
big bugs.
Four Reasons Why TROUT
is the Best Buy in Fly…
1
It has the largest sustained
print readership in the
space.
2
Its readers are the most
motivated anglers (they
spend and act).
3
TROUT offers by far the
best CPM value of any
publication that covers fly
fishing.
egacy of
shable water.
4
TROUT UNLIMITED • W
W W. T U. O R G • S U M M E R
2013
Money spent in TROUT
supports the organization
that protects the resources
that sustain fly fishing.
If you haven’t checked out
TROUT lately, make a
point to do so. We don’t
do how-to. But we’re also
not strictly a conservation
publication. TROUT is a
lifestyle publication that
covers the conscience of
angling in America. And
we’re growing...
19
For advertising
information:
Tim Romano;
[email protected].
feature
Vapen Rod by Redington
rods
Radian by Scott Fly Rod
Company*
We saw a
number of
impressive
new fly rod
designs in
the weeks leading up to ICAST and
IFTD, but we were confident that the
“Radian” from Scott Fly Rods would
ultimately be the belle of the ball.
The premise for Radian is fairly
straightforward—the company bills it
as a model that combines “fast” and
“feel” unlike anything else out there.
Having fished the Radian for a few
months now, we have to agree that it
definitely feels unique, and performs
as billed—it generates power and impressive line speed, but is impressively
subtle and sensitive in more nuanced,
technical casting situations.
The rod uses what Scott calls ReAct technology. The thought is that
distance, control and accuracy are
compromised by vibrations in the rod
during casting. ReAct counters vibration by increasing recovery of the
blank without the need to stiffen the
rod with more material.
If the technical details sound like too
much to process, you simply need
to pick one of these rods up and
cast it. The “holy cow” factor takes
care of the rest. They also happen
to be some of the most aesthetically
beautiful rods we’ve seen in a while.
They’re made in America, four-piece
models range from 8’-6” 4-weights to
10-foot 8-weights, and they will retail
for $795. In the context of production fly rods, this is going to be one of
the major statements for 2014.
20
Whether you buy into the notion that
a synthetic grip actually helps casting
performance or not, and whether you
go for the shockingly red color on the
grip, you need to know this: We lined
up six new rods from different manufacturers for a group of junior high
school kids, and they all gravitated to
the Vapen as first choice. We have
also taken it out on the water many
times now, and find the action and
feel more than respectable. Retail for
Red version is $349.99.
Method by Sage
Sage put a new emphasis on the
slower, more traditional feel when it
introduced its Circa rods, but now
Method is proving that fast—actually
make that ultra-fast—is still the action
that tickles the fancies of many angling consumers. Method is all that.
It’s a gun. Retail is $800-$1050.
Redington Butter Stick
Fiberglass gurus like Cameron
Mortenson and Chris Hunt tell us
that the new glass offering from
Redington lives up to its catchy
name. Redington didn’t just make
a fiberglass rod, it made a fiberglass
rod that fishes like a classic fiberglass
rod. We actually took it for a testfish ourselves and concur that the
action is right on the money. Retail
price is $249.95.
Superfine Glass from Orvis
The Orvis Company is revisiting
fiberglass for the first time in decades
with the unveiling of a new Superfine
Glass series. They’ll be available in
January, and will retail for $395. With
moss green blanks and brown wraps,
they look like artifact rods, and the
casting action (we tested them) will
be right in the wheelhouse of most
fiberglass junkies.
Hardy Jet
Hardy converted a strong following with its Sintrix technology and
Zenith rods. Now the company has
applied that base science to a more
moderately-priced series called
“Jet.” They are very light and
responsive, and yet also bulldogdurable. There are 20 models
in the series, and prices start
at $449.
Encounter rod package
from Orvis
Probably the rod with the most
long-term, far reaching potential
in the class of 2014 is the Encounter outfit from Orvis. The whole
package includes a rod, reel, line
and rod tube… for $159. The key
is quality. We’ve seen packages at
that pricepoint before, many times,
but we haven’t seen a rod and reel
that are as good as these for that
price, ever.
Winston Boron III LS (And TH)
Winston is applying Boron III
to a new series
of medium-fastaction rods that
are designed for
delicate presentation scenarios.
Retail is $795.
The company is also introducing a line
of eight two-handers that range from
6- to 9-weights in a variety of lengths.
Retail ranges between $830 and $940.
G. Loomis PRO4x (ICAST)
Can someone please explain to us
why one fly rod won best of show at
the IFTD trade show, and literally
about 50 yards away, in another New
Product Showcase for the ICAST
show, a different model was named
best fly rod? Who figured that out,
the people who set up the BCS rankings? Either way, the Loomis PRO4x
is a performance taper, made with
quality NRX blanks, at a kinder, more
intermediate pricepoint (which varies
by model).
St. Croix Legend X
St. Croix’s new Legend X fly rods
combine an exciting blend of graphite
fibers with a revolutionary new handle
and tactical look. Designed specifically
for fishing larger warm-water species
like musky, pike and bass, the new
rods are built on blanks rolled with a
blend of four carbon fiber materials,
and that translates into power. Retail
is $480-$490.
reels
Sage continues
to beef up its reel
presence with some
smartly-engineered
and contemporary
designed models, and
Abel Steal Your Face
When we got wind
of the new series of
Abel limited edition
reels, which are individually hand-painted with the Grateful Dead’s iconic
“Steal Your Face” logo, we bought
one. Abel has an agreement with
Warner Music Group which allows
them to produce 250 of these on its
Super Series and Classic Series model
reels. The Grateful Dead reels are
available for a premium of $300 over
standard pricing, but these things will
stand out on the water, and maintain
their value down the road.
ter reel honors at IFTD with this
new model. We haven’t actually
tried it yet, but we suspect this could
slow a train... smoothly. It has
twice the drag stength, with half the
startup inertia.
New Orvis CFO Made in America
The Orvis CFO is
an angling standard.
What’s new for next
year is in the name
(and shown right
on the bar stock aluminum frame)...
they’re made in the U.S.A. Featuring
a click and pawl drag, these reels will
cost between $325 and $349.
Bozeman Reel
You’ll want to check
out the new Bozeman
Reel Company, which
has actually been in
the works for several years now, but
the company’s product lines are just
coming to fruition. The reel we like
best is called RS 527, which overachieves its $495 retail pricepoint.
New from Lamson
Lamson will bring
a handful of new
reels to the market
in 2014, but the
best of the class
will be its Litespeed Hard Alox IV
series. It’s the same ultra-large arbor
design, modified to achieve a higher
retrieve rate.
Nautilus CCFX2*
Nautilus is always
pressing the envelope on drag
performance, and it
claimed top saltwa21
Sage 2200 Series
this series won at IFTD in the best
freshwater reel category.
feature
jackets
Acklins from Simms
“Best Outerwear”
at IFTD went to
the Acklins Jacket
from Simms. The
3-layer GORETEX fabric technology, 3-point
cinch hoods, lightweight and unique
corrosion-resistant zipper design that
incorporates a secure hand pocket
with pit zips impressed the judging
group, which was comprised of fishing media and retailers.
Dryfender Insulated raingear
from Shimano
Another product that
took a top award
in the ICAST new
product showcase,
Dryfender combines
proven performance
against the elements
at a lower pricepoint
than other high-end
foul weather gear.
Stormr Neoprene
One of the hottest
“new materials”
we’re seeing in a
number of products is actually the
old wader standard neoprene.
But nobody has
applied that material to create a
jacket as artfully and functionally as
STORMR. The new-for-2014 Strykr
Jacket (retail $299.95) is waterproof,
windproof, high-stretch, and exceptionally thermal efficient. In
22
other words, it’s ideal for snotty, chilly
steelhead conditions, or the sideways
squalls often encountered while in
search for striped bass.
eyewear
Hatch by Costa* and Tuna Alley
by Costa
Costa swept
the awards
categories
at IFTD
and ICAST with Hatch and Tuna Alley, respectively. As the names imply,
Hatch resonates on the river, while
Tuna Alley offers a wider coverage
that might be more applicable on the
salt. Actually, they both look great,
and feature Costa’s legendary 580
lenses... price depends on type, but
these are sharp shades.
Chromapop by Smith
Smith
Optics has
introduced
a new lens
technology that should be a paradigm
changer. Called Chromapop, the
premise is that where color wavelengths
cross (from blue to green, and green to
red) the eye has trouble distinguishing
color. Chromopop filters out that color
confusion specifically in those areas.
Whether you understand that or not,
there are other more straightforward
attributes that are easily grasped:
These lenses do not utilize polarizing
film; the treatment happens within
the lens material (called Trivex). The
Abbe value of Trivex (measure of
clarity) is 45. Glass is 44. So it is as
clear as glass and clearer than polycarbon. That said, it is 10 percent
lighter than polycarbon, and a whop-
ping 75 percent lighter than optical
glass. They’re anti-reflective coated,
and four times more scratch resistant
than plastic. So this is a legitimate
best-of-all worlds combination.
We tested the lenses and colors do pop
more. There is value in sight fishing
scenarios, where subtle motion and
color differentiations spell the difference
between noticing what’s there and what’s
not. MSRP starts around $209; for more
information see smithoptics.com
Low Light Ignitor by Smith
We field tested Smith’s
new Low
Light Ignitor lenses in Iceland and
gave them a big thumbs up. Details
definitely pop in gray sky conditions.
Hobie Hydroclean Glass
Another manufacturer worth paying
attention to is Hobie. You might think
of Hobie
for boats or
other things,
but the
company is marketing some really fine
lenses for fishing and a number of stylish frames. We’ve been wearing Bayside
with Hydroclean Plus glass copper
lenses ($190) and the optical clarity is on
par with the best in class.
other stuff
C&F Design Intruder Fly Box*
Won best fly box at IFTD. Waterproof. With magnets, $69.95.
Derek DeYoung UV Buff
naturally, it looks exactly like a living
fish. They’re available in “rainbow
trout” and shad-white colors (bass
food in California, and everywhere
else, respectively) retail for $12, and
they’re worth every penny. Just tie
good knots.
Ergonomically solid. Cutter is in
the right place. Jaws clamp tight.
And they’re made in the U.S.A.
Retail is $159.95.
We’ve
known
Fly Production
Specialist Brian
Schmidt for years, so we’re never
surprised by his brand of dirty pool.
He developed two killer flies for bass
that are better than bass lures—the
Schmidterbait (read Spinnerbait)
and the Schmidterbug (read Jitterbug). If you’re a fur and feather
purist, you will be repulsed. The
spinner variation has a real spinner (and marabou, and ostrich…).
If you want to catch bass on flies,
you’ll lose your inhibitions. Retail
for these will be $9.
Adding a touch of color to ICAST
was a collection of Derek DeYoung
UV Buff, a sun-protective piece of
headwear expected to be in retail
shops by Feb. 1. DeYoung, a respected
Montana-based fishing artist, has had
his work grace fly boxes, flasks, mugs
and apparel. Now his artwork is on a
Buff - actually, seven Buff ’s. Patterned
after fish (browns, brookies, rainbows,
largemouth, tarpon and wahoo) and
including a bass popper scheme,
DeYoung’s Buffs are made with Coolmax® fabric that block 95 percent of
the sun’s harmful rays and wicks away
moisture. Retail price will be $24.
Finn Utility Essex Side Bag
Vedavoo Day Pack
Having spent a good deal of time
reviewing new and innovative product designs, we think it’s appropri-
Two new
products
worth
checking
out are the
company’s
Thinline
Tablet
Messenger, a simple case that can be worn a
number of ways, and affixed to other
Vedavoo packs. It features a no-frills,
fully functional design, and is made of
100 percent American-sourced materials, including tear-resistant woven
Cordura. Retail is $79.
Flymen Fish Skull Fish Mask*
Another perennial winner at IFTD,
these fly tying elements make many
patterns more effective, and they
make the tying process simpler.
Umpqua Game Changer/
Umpqua Schmidterbait
Our favorite new flies are three new
offerings from Umpqua Feather
Merchants. We don’t like them because they are “classic.” They aren’t
“flashy.” Not even particularly pretty.
They’ve essentially taken the best
attributes of bass lures and applied
them to the fly realm. In other words,
they’re dirty.
The Gamechanger is exactly that.
Imagine a Sebile Magic Swimmer
in fly format. Designed by Blane
Chocklett of Virginia, this has a
multi-joint articulated body (built with
Fish Spines from Flymen), that, when
pulled through the water, undulates so
ate to bring things full-circle to the
traditional by highlighting a new
upstart company called Finn
Utility. Finn specializes in making simple, classic accessories like
the Essex Side bag, and a series of
leader wallets and streamer cases
out of leather, waxed canvas, brass
and shearling. All products are
made in America.
Vedavoo’s new Day Pack is just that, a
backpack for carrying lunch, waders,
raincoat, boots, and the sort. It is also
made of the same rugged fabrics as
their other products and lists at $149. at
23
Simms Pliers
feature
The Under 40s
Introducing some fresh faces of fly-fishing innovation
Written by Geoff Mueller
One of the greatest attributes
of this sport is its ageless quality.
Whether you’re 15 or 57, rivers don’t
discriminate. On the water and in
business, there are valuable lessons
the gray-whiskered veteran will no
doubt pass on to the fledgling—
the trials, the tribulations, and
the strategic moves that sparked
successes. While on the flip side, we
continue to evolve and grow thanks
to new demographics stretching the
boundaries; bringing innovation,
business savvy, a fearless conservation
ethos, and energy to the fold.
Today these fresh faces extend well
beyond the water and are infiltrating
various facets of the game. From fly
shop owners to edgy apparel startups to homegrown manufacturers
to producers of the flies we can’t
fish without, the following under-40
entrepreneurs have and continue to
sink teeth into the marketplace.
Their stories start, here.
Vedavoo
In July at the ICAST/IFTD collabo
in Las Vegas I shook hands with
Scott Hunter, the brain behind a
relatively unknown upstart called
Vedavoo. He was looking stressed,
and for good reason.
The booth I was standing in, one
MacGyvered together with wooden
crates, was in code violation: a
fire hazard flagged for immediate
24
Scott Hunter hard at work sewing a new Vedavoo Pack
disassembly by the setup goons
dragging their fists up and down the
convention center aisles. Never one
to shy away from adversity, Hunter
hatched a plan to have his wood
doused in fire retardant, saving his
team from being booted.
A couple of years earlier the cashstrapped entrepreneur had cobbled
together $10,000 for space at Outdoor
Retailer in Salt Lake City. This booth
landed in a dim-lit, untrafficked OR
alley and proved to be a total bust.
Then there was the time he dropped
$6,000 for a prototype backpack that
would end up stolen, copied, and
manufactured by the plant he’d been
negotiating with.
The list of situations-gone-awry
goes on and, back in 2009, with a
measly $700 left in his pocket, Hunter
could have easily, perhaps wisely,
called it quits. He got on Craigslist,
instead, and bought a ’70s-era sailmaking machine for 300 bucks, “…
and I bought another $300 worth
of Cordura fabric, and buckles and
hardware. I paid my website up for a
year and I taught myself how to sew.”
Teaching oneself how to stitch,
embroider, and run a successful business
simultaneously is no easy task. For
Hunter, who’d graduated from Babson
College in Wellesley, Massachusetts—a
school renowned for its top-ranking
entrepreneurial program—it was
a challenge he relished. Before that
he completed his undergrad at the
University of Wyoming in Laramie. All
the while, he was honing a vision for a
traditional consumer-product company
that played into his passion for the
outdoors.
Today Vedavoo doesn’t have massive
financial backing, doesn’t have infinite
distribution channels, in fact it doesn’t
have reps. But it’s got buzz and,
despite the whole crate-booth fiasco,
it’s catching fire. Unlike big names in
the business, what Vedavoo brings is
something different. Each pack, for
instance, is customizable and built
like an a la carte omelet, to order, via
an array of preferences you select
online. Vedavoo can achieve these
specifics because its wares—including
backpacks, slings, and gear pouches—
actually come from Hunter’s calloused
hands. The 30-year-old has been
chief sewer since he bought that funky
sailmaking machine and started the
brand in 2009.
If Hunter’s tale sounds at all
familiar, it’s because it’s not so
unlike that of a dude we know from
Patagonia Inc. Yvon Chouinard,
no surprise, is a hero of Hunter’s
and the two have spoken. “What
I learned from those discussions,”
Hunter says, “is that practical
knowledge matters. But at the end
of the day getting your hands dirty
is really the best way to succeed.”
Following those wisdoms while
trailblazing his own path, Hunter keeps
close tabs on growth, spends wisely, and
doesn’t stray far from home. Americanmade production is a hallmark of the
brand. Although Vedavoo is not yet
available in stores, expect that to change
with select specialty shops slated to
carry it in upcoming seasons.
feature
The Kurtz Brothers “product testing” in the tropics
photo by John Land Le Coq
Fishpond
Like Vedavoo, Fishpond is another
brand in the lifestyle and fishing
accessories category. And although
we’re more familiar with the Johnny
Le Coq pond from which the company
spawned, its 27-year-old twin brother
co-owners, Will and Ben Kurtz, are the
less recognizable entities.
The Denver-based Kurtzs came on
board about a year and a half ago
when their father, Charles Kurtz,
purchased half the company from
former partner David Thompson.
Ben was already working for the
brand in its design and customer
service departments, while Will had
26
gone from ski-bumming and guiding
in Wyoming to working an array
of positions at Harrow Sports—a
company specializing in the racquet
industry.
Since the family bought in, the
brothers have been ironing out
inefficiencies, pulling the plug
on Fishpond’s Kansas City
shipping and fulfillment center
and relocating operations under
one Denver roof. Passionate fly
fishers, Ben and Will both strive
to broaden consumer reach with
product lines inspired by on-thewater innovation and lessening
environmental impact. In addition
to the hydrophobic, TPU-welded,
and highly popular Westwater
lineup and a new pack series using
recycled fishing-net fabrics, the
company recently acquired Nomad
Nets along with the services of its
founder, another former Harrow
employee, Kevin Best.
“I’d fished the [carbon fiber and
fiberglass composite] net for three
years and there was nothing on the
market quite like it,” says Will Kurtz.
“For us it’s been more of a vertical
expansion and it’s not like jumping
into apparel. It’s something that’s
logical for the brand, goes with our
bags and packs, and we’re pumped to
have the deal inked.”
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feature
As Fishpond continues to scoop up
new business opportunities and grow,
it remains a tight-knit entity. Peek
inside day-to-day operations and
you’ll find a suit-free environment
where t-shirts and casual ball caps
dominate. Likewise the “boss
brothers” have their hands on
everything from customer service
and R&D to helping the crew pack
boxes for big shipments and, of
course, vitals such as securing beers
for the team at closing.
It’s loose, free, and a place where
innovation flows, Kurtz says. “From
in-shop operations to the products
we produce, functionality is key.
We’re a small business, with about six
or seven guys in-house, but it makes
us unbelievably nimble.”
and accessories crafted for function,
style, and good times.
Heard says Howler Brothers’ success
stems from taking the time to fully
formulate their brand before diving
in. That included wrapping their
collective heads around cutting,
sewing, and sourcing in order to
get best-in-class quality, as well as
producing “…something for people
to dig into and a get a real feel for
the vibe of the brand.”
At Howler that vibe is unmistakably
laid back, fashion-forward, and
ocean and river inspired. Heard
is an artist first and surfer second.
Both Brent and Stepanion, on the
other hand, are avid fly fishers.
Combined, their musical, business,
Heard says—Howler Brothers
recently moved out of its garage
space and into full-time digs, with
a warehouse and small office in
Austin. And with the company’s
catch phrase “Heed the call” its
team has been busy promoting that
spirit through an active blog and
the company’s “Pilgrimage” series
that included last year’s Yucatan
permit tourney at the Palometa
Club. Heard says this grassroots
movement has been essential to
vaulting Howler from dive bar to
big-venue status.
“Whether it’s tradeshows or
tournaments or events and athletes
that we sponsor and blogs we
support, the people we’ve met and
community we’ve formed have been
Howler Bros.
From Denver to Austin, Texas,
another band of brothers powering
the fly-fishing industry forward are
the thirtysomethings behind the
upwardly mobile apparel brand
Howler Brothers. With Mason Brent
shredding electric guitar, Chase
Heard strumming banjo, and Andy
Stepanian contributing lyrics and
additional riffs the trio has been
making music under the “Wrinkle
Neck Mules” handle for more than
a decade—ever since they met while
completing their undergraduate
degrees at the University of Virginia.
After four years of touring and
surviving on scraps they split.
Heard, heeding another calling,
eventually went back to school
for architecture. Brent secured an
MBA. And Stepanian went into the
beer-making business. But they’ve
since reunited, this time rocking
limited-run lineups of garments
28
and outdoors chemistries have
translated well into the breath-offresh-air clothing the brand delivers.
Riding exponential growth—“Easy
when you’re starting from scratch,”
the most valuable aspects of our
growth—that word of mouth has
been ultra-key.”
feature
Grant & Julia Houx, Owners of St. Peter’s Fly Shop
St. Peter’s Fly Shop
Word of mouth, whether you make
clothing, produce packs, or you’re a
business charged with selling those
products, goes a long way when it
comes to brand and relationship
building. For St. Peter’s Fly Shop
in Fort Collins, Colorado, the word
on the street has been a resounding
“Business is good!” ever since it
recently turned the keys on its
second location.
Shop owner Grant Houx is a
29-year-old with industry experience
that runs deep. Before he owned the
shop, the Albuquerque-native was a
part-time guide at St. Peter’s, while
finishing his studies at Colorado State
University. After college he took
30
“We were presented with a great
opportunity to get the shop,” he says,
“and took a stab at it really knowing
nothing about running a business in
this industry.”
to the equation that he brought in
tow from previous gigs at Gander
Mountain and Jax Mercantile
(another Fort Collins-based outdoors
mainstay). St. Peter’s has since
aligned with top brands all housed
within a beautiful, historic storefront.
It specializes in guiding local waters,
delivers accessible educational
programming, hosts saltwater and
steelhead expeditions, and continues
to nurture its reputation through
specialized events that reach out and
into the community.
Houx, together with his wife Julia,
dove in and when they surfaced for
air found buoyancy and stability
in the form of a skilled and trusted
staff. Manager and longtime friend
Jin Choi, for instance, lent expertise
Although Fort Collins isn’t
necessarily a destination for bigname waters, it is a terminus for the
college-bound. After the summer
ebb, every fall its population
flows with about 30,000 new and
guiding to the full-time level on rivers
ranging from Wyoming’s North
Platte system to gradient-rich waters
of Front Range Colorado’s Cache
la Poudre River. Running a flyshop,
however, was not on Houx’s radar
until the impromptu opportunity
presented itself in 2007.
returning students. And St. Peter’s
has been successful tapping into that
demographic, with everything from
targeted seminars to a guide school
and on-the-water demos.
Riding a wave of good fortune and
fishing, in 2011 the Houxs purchased
Angler’s Roost on the south side of
town, integrating its clientele into the
St. Peter’s mix. With shops catering
to both Old Town in the north, as
well as the southern reaches of a
sprawling Fort Collins, Houx has
successfully bookended the market.
The seed for MFC was planted
in 1996, during a 5-day float on
Montana’s Smith River. Trina was
entertaining a group of clients when
one of the sticks turned to his guide
and asked the question all young,
carefree fishing professionals loathe to
be asked, “Just what are you planning
on doing with your life, son?”
Crunch these numbers: Since it
started in 1998, MFC is currently
one of four or five larger players
in the fly-tying business. It
churns out about 35,000 dozen
fly patterns a month, year round,
via manufacturing facilities in
Thailand and Cambodia. And, this
past May it added 85 new tiers into
the fray.
“It’s allowed us to be able to
service the entire community more
efficiently,” he says. “And even
more than Fort Collins, it’s enabling
us to expand our goal of being
known as the best shop in Northern
Colorado… as far as our array of
products, customer service, and the
most comfortable spaces to want to
shop, hang out, and buy flies.”
Montana Fly Company
While the benefits of educating
fly fishers to the profits of selling
flies have helped foster St. Peter’s
expansion, bug sales are the raison
d’être for a business like Adam Trina’s
Montana Fly Company (MFC).
The 40-year-old founded MFC
after “guiding” his way through an
extended aquatic entomology degree
at the University of Montana. By
combining fishing and science, Trina
says, the business of producing bestin-class flies followed naturally.
At the time, Trina confesses, he
didn’t have a clue. “I was enjoying
my life just being on the water;
guiding and tying flies and having
the winters off to ski. It really
wasn’t too bad. It was simple,
but rewarding.”
The pointed question, nonetheless,
stabbed at the psyche and over the
course of that same Smith float
a plan was hatched, focused on a
buggy marketplace. There were
decent flies in the bins, Trina says,
but they weren’t the same quality
bugs he and his guide buddies were
using, tweaking, and inventing daily
on the water. The theory was that
“guide flies” would have traction
with consumers primed to catch
more and bigger trout.
But all things that start
skyrocketing eventually level out
to a degree. In recent years MFC’s
overall fly-tying sales have, Trina
says, come close to hitting a ceiling.
Its new tying staff expansion stems
from market share opened up by
the uncertainty of Idylwilde Flies,
which this past spring lost—at least
temporarily—its manufacturing
capabilities. Meantime, Trina
has been proactively exploring
opportunities for vertical growth
in the form of MFC’s expanding
lineups of tools, accessories, River
Camo fly boxes, and digital device
cases. Staying innovative and
hungry, he says, is key to longevity,
and something all newcomers
should consider.
“The fly-fishing industry is not that
big, meaning that designing one
small product can be a tough sell as
far as trying to make a living. You
must focus on being innovative and
stay open to change if you’re going
to make headway fighting any of
these pre-established big brands.” at
31
“If you look at science in general, it’s
all about being analytical,” he says.
“And much of that mindset exists in
the scientific perspective that lends
a hand to forming business acumen.
Being able to analyze data and being
really comfortable with math, which I
did a minor in, has helped immensely.”
That formula, aided by some
exceptional timing, proved to be a
winner. MFC took root in the mid’90s, just in time for Brad Pitt to
slap a large trout on the big screen
and launch the sport into the
stratosphere. Competition was thin,
other than Umpqua, and there was
room to achieve a toehold
and grow.
Opinion Editorial
BRISTOL BAY
CAMPAIGN HEADING
TOWARD TIPPING
POINT?
Those associated with fly fishing have
engaged in many ways. Individual
anglers have commented to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
written letters to and met with their
members of Congress, slapped the
ubiquitous No Pebble Mine decals
on their rides, and more. Trade associations and the companies that
supply our gear have donated cash
and product to support the efforts of
report, you can find it on the EPA’s
official web site for Bristol Bay (http://
www2.epa.gov/bristolbay). The bottom line still boils down to the fact that
construction of a large mine in the
headwaters of the planet’s most productive wild salmon fishery will have serious
impacts to the waters that support the
fishery. It’s what nearly 1,000 sport fishing and hunting groups and businesses
have been saying all along: Large-scale
mining is simply not appropriate in this
location. This isn’t “all mining is bad,”
but it is “mining in Bristol Bay is BAD.”
EPA received nearly 900,000 public
comments on its revised study, and the
majority of total comments submitted,
as well as the majority of comments
from Alaskans and the overwhelming
majority of comments from Bristol Bay
residents sided with EPA taking action
to protect Bristol Bay. EPA is expected
to release the Final Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment before the end of
2013, after it considers the public comments as well as input from a second
round of peer review from a panel of
independent scientific experts.
Written by Scott Hed, Director –
Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska
While the debate over the proposed Pebble Mine in southwest
Alaska’s famed Bristol Bay region
has seemingly been around forever,
it is reaching a critical stage in late
2013. While “forever” may be an
exaggeration, it has been around
eight years that the fly fishing
industry has been on the front lines
in what many view as the top-tier
freshwater fisheries conservation
battle of our day.
32
those working day in and day out to
ensure Pebble never comes to fruition. Magazines and web sites have
donated space to run public service
advertisements. Fly shops and film
tours hand out educational materials
in their stores and at their events. TU
and FFF chapters have shared information with their members who’ve
become further engaged. It’s been a
real team effort.
And it’s paying off. In early 2013, the
EPA released the second draft of its
Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment. If
you want to read the minutiae in the
At that point, the angling community
will need to join with Alaska Natives,
spot hunters, commercial fishermen,
jewelers, chefs, restaurants, and the general public to call on President Obama
to take a bold action to protect the
world’s most prolific wild salmon fishery.
To sit on the sidelines of this battle is
unacceptable. This fight will one day be
viewed as one of the signature victories
in fisheries conservation history. But
only if we keep up relentless pressure.
You’ve helped the campaign get this far,
now let’s finish this thing!
Stay on top of Bristol Bay happenings
at www.SaveBristolBay.org.
Read more at anglingtrade.com.
Breaking news: Earlier this month, Anglo
American, the major player in Pebble, withdrew from the project. at
BUsiness:
www.TU.org/TUe
Become a TU Become
e n d o rasTU
e dendorsed
B Us in es
s : w ww.
T U . o r g /T U e
RECOMMENDED
RECOMMENDEDREADING
READING
The Angler As Predator
By Gary Borger
As reviewed by AT editor Kirk Deeter on the Field &
Stream fly-fishing blog, “Fly Talk”
(Please visit www.fieldandstream.com to track the daily
commentaries by Deeter and his AT partner Tim Romano.)
As fate would have it, a few days later a new book
by one of my favorite instructors and writers, Gary
Borger, showed up in my mailbox. The title? The Angler
as Predator. The book is now one of my favorite how-to
books on fishing. It cuts to the core of something that’s
extremely important, something we rarely discuss. The
mental game.
There is a definite science to this sport. You have to
know how to load your rod with the right force. Time
your casting stroke just so in order to punch out long
casts. You must be in tune with the insects trout eat to
know which fly to tie on. And you have to drift the fly
precisely, reading currents to reduce drag until it floats
like a natural insect. Those are all very important things
to master. But sometimes we pour so much time and
effort into understanding the physics, entomology, and
hydrodynamics of good fly fishing that we forget about
the psychology of the sport.
This is the great angler’s trump card and Borger covers
it better than anyone else I’ve read. He talks about
being like a leopard as you fish, approaching the fish
with stealth. Watching. Blending in. Minimizing sound.
Recognizing opportunities and knowing how to subdue
your prey quickly and efficiently.
The bottom line is that good fishing is about exploiting
the weaknesses of your quarry. Since most fish we
chase with flies have brains about the size of almonds,
this might not seem difficult. But brainpower shrinks
fast when unfocused, loaded down with thoughts
like wading headlong into a run, or punching out
that 60-foot hero cast. When I guide, I’d rather take
a predator with a 30-foot limit on her cast than an
angler who can show me his backing knot at will,
any day.
About a month ago I was fishing with a bunch of
friends and the weather conditions were particularly
nasty. As we regrouped in the lodge one evening, I
asked one buddy how he’d done that day, and he said:
“Some anglers are casters, and others are predators.
Today, I was a caster.” Which was a gracious and
eloquent way of saying he’d been skunked (he wasn’t
the only one).
34
This book is volume four in Borger’s ambitious Fly
Fishing, The Book Series, which will ultimately cover
everything from casting to reading water, to picking
flies. I am sure this one will stand out. You should
get the whole series as these books become available,
because Gary Borger is really one of the masters of
the craft (as is his son Jason, who provides illustrations
and commentary as well), and he’s spilling the beans
with uncommon candor and insight. The Angler as
Predator costs $24.95. at
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feature
The Evolution Of Gear
And The Gear-Head
Written by Tom Reed
The Montana ranch house I live in
was built in 1908. I doubt that the
cased bamboo fly rod I found in the
barn shortly after I closed on the
place is that old, but when I turn it
in my hands, admiring the ferrule
wraps and the texture of the wood,
smelling that musty antique odor,
thinking about the man who wrote
36
his name on the storage sock, I wonder
where it has been. What rivers and
streams it has been on? What kind of
automobile did it ride in? Was it ever
on the back of a horse for a trip into
the high country? On the Madison?
George Grant’s Big Hole River?
Yellowstone? The Yellowstone itself ?
And it takes me back.
Gear has a way of doing that,
inspiring sentimentality. Making
one think back over time, transport
to place and moment, transcend.
This is not my fly rod, nor will it
ever be, even though I own it. I have
never fished it, but I will and only
in that action will I feel as if it is
THANKS TO THE
FLY COMMUNITY
FOR A JOB WELL DONE!
THE SHOW IS OVER, BUT NOT THE BUZZ.
WE’D LIKE TO THANK THE FLY FISHING COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORTING OUR NEWLY
FOCUSED FLY ACTIVATIONS DURING OUTDOOR RETAILER SUMMER MARKET. WE
COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU.
Winter Market
JANUARY 22-25, 2014
Summer Market
AUGUST 6-9, 2014
OUTDOORRETAILER.COM
April Vokey for Patagonia® | Photo Jeremy Koreski
NEW BRANDS, NEW BUYERS, ALL TELLING
A GREAT CROSSOVER STORY.
feature
mine, for I will remember the place
and the first fish I catch on it. My
own fly rods are different, for they
have been held in my hands on
sweaty hot days or knocked about
in airplane overhead baggage en
route to some place I’ve never been.
When I look at that fly rod I found
in a dusty old barn, I think about
how things have changed and how
they have stayed the same.
What has changed over time is gear.
One of the first books I read
as a young fly fisherman
was Ray Bergman’s classic
Trout, published in 1938.
Bergman writes of whippy
fly rods for wet fly fishing,
of silk lines and bamboo,
of evolving technologies
like nylon for fly line and
glass for rod building. Back then,
it was even called something
different. Not gear—tackle. I
wonder what he would think if
he saw the “tackle” of today, our
graphite and boron wonder sticks,
our specialized equipment for every
occasion and every condition. I love
having a quiver of gear as much
as the next guy, from Spey rods
to tiny 1-weights, sinking line and
floating line and weight forward
and shooting heads and large arbor
reels. But sometimes, I think about
those simple days of leather fly
wallets and cane.
My first fly rod was a telescoping
steel number, only about seven feet
in length with all of the action that
you’d expect, kind of like waving
around a metal T-post in the air. It
came with an automatic retrieve fly
reel that would scare the hell out
of you if you accidently bumped
the button that zinged in the line. I
never did figure out why someone
felt that winding in the line by hand
38
was just too cumbersome, but that’s
one innovation that came and went. I
remember when my Dad handed me
that rod on the banks of a Colorado
trout stream and told me, “Just crawl
up really slow behind that willow
and toss this fly in.” I do remember
catching a lot of brook trout that day,
clumping about in rubber hip-boots
that had all of the traction on mossy
cobble that roller skates do on a
twelve-twelve metal roof.
they still make. For flies, there wasn’t
such a thing as foam quite yet.
I was a voracious reader of outdoor
magazines, back when there were
a bunch of legitimate outdoor
magazines published in New York
City and I read a lot about graphite,
a new innovation that would make
a champion fly caster out of you. So
I saved up some money. I can still
remember walking into the sporting
goods store and buying that first
graphite, a 4-weight about
eight feet in length. I thought
it made me cast better, but in
all honesty, I was practicing a
lot and that is what made me
cast better. Practice.
From that steel rod, I graduated
to something that was a lot more
limber, a four-sectioned bright
yellow fiberglass rod that was as
whippy as one of those branches
off that same willow I had hidden
behind a few years earlier. I thought
that rod was pretty cool because
you could pull apart the reel seat
and handle, turn it around, and
set it up to spin cast. I threw a lot
of flies with that rod and by the
time I was backpacking into some
high mountain lakes as a young
teenager, I’d caught a lot of trout on
spinners tossed with the rod set on
“hardware chucker.”
Pretty soon, though, I had
to have something different.
Something better. More expensive.
Lighter. Faster. I had to have better
fly line and somewhere in there,
I switched to weight forward and
figured out I could get a few more
feet on my cast and a bit better
control. The fly reel stayed pretty
much the same, but I picked up
another one just so I had two,
threading one with sinking line so
I could strip streamers. And then
along came foam and I started
tying up foam beetles and ants
and hoppers and that was pretty
darned sexy too. The fly boxes
themselves changed a bit from
the old aluminum clips to neat
compartmentalized boxes, to using
foam right in the box for pinning
the hook.
The fly reel by then was a simple
one with a plastic drag screw and a
clicking wind-up sound. I thought
that was pretty cool too, as was the
bright white fly line that was double
tapered. If I used strike indicators,
they were pinch on adhesives, which
All the innovations haven’t been that
great. I remember when I started
tying on a new barbless hook that
had an extra kink or two just past
the point before the bend. The idea
was the kink would theoretically
keep the fish pinned, but it would be
I was probably about 10 and I was
fully fevered with fishing.
a lot easier to release without that
barb. Problem was, it was hard to
get a good hook set and besides,
how hard is it really to pinch down
the barb to begin with? So those
hooks went the way of the dodo.
Today’s innovations have in fact
improved a good fisherman’s cast
just a bit. But face it, there’s no
substitute for practice, for patience,
for reading the water. It doesn’t
matter if you can bang out the
long casts and double haul like a
mother, you still have to mend and
read the water and avoid drag.
There’s a fly rod for every occasion
and like all good fly fishing junkies,
I’m a gear—or tackle—nut. I’ll buy
the big rods for the big game, the
Spey rods and the delicate bits of
perfection. There’s a bamboo rod
manufacturer over the mountain
from me and a buddy of mine made
the mistake of letting me borrow
his bamboo one day. Or maybe I
made the mistake of borrowing
it. Someday, I’d like to think that
there’s a bamboo in my future other
than that old rod I found. Fiberglass
has even made a resurgence. My
favorite rod is boron, but then again,
I have a wonderful light graphite I
use for the smallest creeks. I have a
few large arbor reels, a few reels that
go “click” and a few that are silent.
A friend of mine goes full throwback with silk line and old school
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bamboo and a classic English reel.
I still tease him whenever he steps
into the water with his retro setup wearing the best and newest
lightweight waders money can buy.
But gear alone won’t get you there,
just as the very best guide in the
world won’t catch fish for you.
Practice. Patience. Presentation.
That’s what makes the fisherman.
Having the gear to go along
with it is sure a damned nice
touch, though.
Tom Reed is the author of Blue
Lines, A Fishing Life, from Riverbend
Publishing. He lives near Pony,
Montana. For more information,
www.tomreedbooks.com at
feature
Opinion Pages
This industry is never short on opinions. As such, we at
Angling Trade want to highlight some of the hot issues
in the words of those who bring them up. The hottest,
at the moment, is the topic of fly rod warranties. David
Leinweber recently wrote an open letter to the industry,
and since we first ran it on anglingtrade.com, it has
generated considerable debate and comment. In case
you missed it, here it is:
Rod Warranties... It’s Time
for Us to All Have a Real
Discussion About This Matter
Written by David Leinweber,
owner of Angler’s Covey,
Colorado Springs, Colorado
When will the fly-fishing industry
mature and stop this absurd practice
of giving away free rods for the lifetime
of the consumer? Even if a model is
discontinued, many consumers are
offered replacements with new models
for free. I believe this practice is
heavily damaging the profitability of
our industry, and I think it is time to
consider real change.
40
As so many discussions within this
industry go, rod warranties have
always seemed to be a “hot” topic.
I know few (retailers) who love
them, and most hate them. Yet
the industry seems to be stuck in
place with little to no interest in
addressing or resolving this issue.
As a specialty retailer myself, I
believe warranties are the
number-one cause of premium
rod sales decline.
Fly-fishing retailers are tired of this
mess created by rod manufacturers.
It is past time for manufacturers
to address this issue, change their
practices and develop warranties like
those in other outdoor industries.
This is an ongoing discussion among
retailers throughout the world. We
need manufacturers to step out, take
a risk, and change this destructive
business practice.
Warranty rod repairs are adding
more and more rods to the
secondhand market, most of
which will be honored with the
original manufacturer warranty.
The website eBay is full of rods
that carry lifetime repairs free to
second, third, fourth, etc., users.
Generational, unlimited rod repair,
“Lifetime Warranty/Guarantee”
has also hurt the fly rod industry
by decimating individual rod
building and all but eliminating
blank and component sales. For
a consumer, there is too much
to lose in comparison to a
lifetime of unlimited rod repairs.
Unfortunately, the major rod
builders won’t reverse their policies.
The end result is a mess that lingers.
There’s no simple route to a
solution, but one avenue strongly
supported by retailers would be to
charge two different prices—one
for the rod itself, the second for
the guarantee. This is the same
model through which we can insure
our cars, appliances, and many
other major purchases. The rod
sale would be at a margin and the
“insurance” sale could be paid
directly to the rod manufacturer.
Most manufacturers could take
advantage of the Internet and
develop an online registration
process where the consumer could
purchase a one-, five-, or 10year warranty directly from the
manufacturer. This would have a
direct effect on pricing, reducing
41
for free (or at minimal cost) is a
senseless approach to business.
As retailers, we will benefit when
it becomes widely known among
our customers that used rods—
including eBay purchases—do not
carry a warranty. If the angler
breaks it, the rod should either go
in the trash, or it is going to be
costly to get it repaired. At that
point, a new rod purchase will
begin to look pretty appealing
again. At one time, many of us
believed that warranties helped
garner high-end rod sales. But this
argument has changed.
domestic rod costs, making it easier
to compete with imported rods.
to hell, and wait for UPS to ship a
new one. Why spend more money?
Other than fly rods, there are few
things we can buy that carry lifetime
warranties against anything beyond
basic defects. This business practice
has driven the price up on premium
domestic rods resulting in our
customers purchasing less expensive
imports, big box alternatives, or
even quitting the sport altogether.
The lifetime warranty subtly
encourages rod owners to stick with
what they have. It rewards secondhand buyers and takes away from
new rod purchases. For our industry
to thrive, we must restore incentives
and foster policies that encourage
new retail purchases.
As specialty retailers, we should let
the major rod makers know how we
feel. More than that, we should ask
for a reversal of the lifetime warranty
practice. Several of us are looking
for manufacturers who will take the
lead. We realize the risk and we will,
in turn, support those manufacturers
who have listened to us, and we will
get behind those brands.
Over the past decade, fly shops
across the country have seen
premium rod purchases decline.
There are several factors pointing
to the decline of premium rod sales
compared to the “pre-warranty”
era. It may be competition, the
economy, it may be the advent of
the Web, it may be the increasing
cost of repairs; it may be a lot of
things. My opinion is that there is
little incentive for someone with a
“lifetime warranty” to buy a new
rod. For the record, 25 years is
more than double any standard
warranty that I am aware of. Why
would anyone with this kind of
warranty go out and buy a new
rod? Our customers aren’t dumb.
There have, arguably, been no truly
great leaps in contemporary fly rod
performance in a decade. Would
you buy a new car if the old one
was performing adequately and was
guaranteed for life? Maybe. More
likely, you’d hold onto it a lot longer.
Stick the tip in a fan and bust it all
42
We believe selling the warranty
independently from the sale would
have a positive effect on our
industry. It would reduce the price
of the initial sale and afford the
customer the option of purchasing
the insurance independently, even
giving the consumer more options.
The extended warranty would have
an expiration date; just the way it is
with so many other retail products.
As it stands now, there is no realistic
reason for someone to replace
an old rod with a current model.
Beyond the hype, the differences
between rods are minimal in the
hands of all but the expert. It’s the
Indian, not the arrow, that most
often makes the difference, and most
anglers know that.
Many of us were hoping that
AFFTA would have placed this
as a discussion item at IFTD, and
that didn’t happen. We cannot
wait another year to push this idea
forward and change the retail suicide
strategy our industry has adopted.
As a specialty fly shop retailer,
I want to make the following
recommendations to rod
manufacturers:
1. Discontinue the lifetime warranty
on fly rods and approach the
warranty issue the same way every
other industry handles it.
2. If consumers want a warranty
beyond guaranteeing against defects,
sell it separately, and for a limited,
specified time. Just like washing
machines, computers, and every
other warrantied product.
3. Figure out how much the current
system is costing you and reduce
the price of the rod models by
that amount.
4. Sell the optional warranty for the
difference, through dealers, for a
modest commission (since we have
no investment in inventory).
5. Make the warranty available only
at the time of purchase and only to
the original buyer.
6. Develop a policy, work out the
procedures, communicate with your
dealers, and make the change in the
next buying season.
It is time to make big these changes
and support the health of our
industry. If you agree please voice
your support. If you have a better
or different idea, or would like to
modify the above recommendation,
let’s hear it.
This letter is based on comments
from retailers from throughout the
world. Over the past decade, more
than half of all specialty fly shops
have gone out of business. You
could point to a number of factors
such as the Internet, distribution
issues, or just bad business practices,
but the practice of providing
lifetime rod warranties must be
included as the chief bad business
decision our industry has made. It
has hurt our ability to thrive for too
long and it is time for change.
Rod manufacturers, please step up,
take the risk, we will take notice,
and we will support you. Angler’s
Covey will give preference to any
rod manufacturer that will take on
this issue.
And here are some comments from others:
“Good points. Very
tough change short term.
Especially for the first
manufacturer that takes
this direction. There are a
lot of failed industries of
the past that can show how
hard this type of thing it
is to change. Takes guts,
leadership and a healthy
company to be the first.
It would be better if the
industry got together on
this and made the change.
It could be phased in by
product line.”
Eric Korstad
“This sounds to me like
a very positive step to
support dealers and manufacturers.
More rod sales are good for all. As
are lower prices! Thanks for your
leadership on this issue. Call on us if
we can help.”
Frank Smith, owner Hunter Banks
Co., Asheville, N.C.
“MAP pricing is standard for niche
markets. Eliminating warranties
in the door. I have to go out and sell
something (doing well). Someone
please save the article here. If
Uncle Dave’s idea comes to fruition
they’ll know the source. It’s a niche
industry and needs to remain that
way by service and integrity. If you
want to sell more rods or service,
GO SELL SOMETHING! Don’t
ruin the industry for me because
you feel entitled to sales. Go out and
earn them every minute of every
day.” Ben, Steel City Anglers
“Anyone who thinks fly
shop are making huge
profits on high end
rods is nuts. Moreover,
potential clients are well
served by listening to
a knowledgeable sales
associates who have handson experience with these
products and can give you
the pros and cons.
and consequently reducing prices
may bring more customers to the
table for a while. It’s not just rods
but a great amount of products
(look at the price of net magnets,
leaders and indicators). It will also
open the door for box stores to
put their weight in when there’s a
$150.00 performance rod. If wally
world reaches a point where they
can dictate pricing to a rod/ reel
manufacturer the fly shop’s day is
done. As an outfitter only (no shop)
I can’t wait for a customer to walk
Another point. The real
cost of developing and
even building these leading
edge rods is very expensive
and if you don’t believe
it you know very little
about the design process,
materials, and how rods are actually
manufactured. Also keep in mind
that the performance matrix such
rods exhibit generally filter down
through the product line. As such,
all customers benefit from the
development work.
I think the warranty situation is
unfortunate and a huge hassle for
dealers. My vote would be for nontransferable warranties, front-end
warranty assessments at the point
43
“Part of the reason I buy top end
fly rods are the lifetime warranties.
I would say if you do not want
to continue to provide a lifetime
warranty don’t charge twice what
the rod is worth. In my opinion
with the newer and less expensive
rods hitting the market losing the
warranty may put a final nail in the
high end rod coffin. If you charge a
premium I expect a premium. The
high end rod market always had a
small pool that consistently bought
from these companies, dont make it
smaller by losing customer service.”
Dave Holsman
feature
of purchase offered directly by
the manufacturers for a stipulated
period, free shipping and
packaging by shops who made sale
(part of customer service), return
shipping by the manufacturer
(included in the original
assessment).” Paul Prentiss
Question from the editor: What do you
think will happen first? A new line
of rods specifically offered without
warranties? “Insurance” sold on a
separate basis? Limiting the terms of
warranties? Voice your opinions by
joining the discussion at anglingtrade.com.
“Daisy Chaining for Trout”
By Chuck Furimsky
When you hear “daisy chaining”
your thoughts usually involve
about a dozen or more tarpon
circling nose-to-tail in a
reproductive ritual off the Florida
coast. But there is a similar ritual
that seems to be growing for a
number of reasons that’s not all
that appealing to me. This one
is performed by drift boats in
certain rivers. They don’t revolve
around a small area as the tarpon
do, rather, they are rowed up a
quiet shoreline of a long hole and
then drift down the deeper middle
channel that’s filled with feeding
trout. Clients fling their nymph
rigs with shot and indicators as
seasoned guides control the drift.
As the clients watch their bobbing
indicators, the guide prepares to
shout “hit it” when a trout pulls
down the float. The client hooks
up, lands a nice brown, smiles
and takes a photo, ready to do it
again, and again. Row up, drift
down... on the same spot.
44
This may be an effective technique
but there are too many negatives
that become obvious when you
watch it firsthand. Over 20 years
ago I saw this, perhaps where it
was first invented, on the San Juan
River. An early morning arrival at a
long hole with rising fish made me
think I died and went to heaven.
In a few hours that turned ugly for
me. Drift boats with local guides
and anxious clients drifted over
the rising fish. That’s always an
unwelcome irritation to someone
casting dry flies to those fish. After
they went by I mellowed for a while.
Then they rowed back up the hole
even closer to me, only to drift down
again. Some guides did this the
whole day, I can only guess, because
I packed it in by noon. That was
my last trip to the San Juan and the
spot I later found out was called the
“Texas Hole.”
On my most recent trip to Montana,
I spent a week on one of my favorite
dry fly rivers, the Bighorn. I once
again saw more of what chased me
from San Juan. I always knew that
one of the Horn’s favorite client flies
was the San Juan Worm. Now the
Bighorn has adopted “daisy chain”
drifting from the Juan. At least there
are more slow holes and stretches
of river to fish dries at the Bighorn,
but it’s getting more difficult to find
your own piece of river.
Pressure? Let’s look at long hole
below the “Afterbay Launch.” On
many mornings, about 25-30 drift
boats are launched at this first ramp.
A majority of them are guided
trips, and the guides like to start off
the day with clients hooking fish.
So they drift down the center, row
back up the bank of choice, maybe
three times on average. Doing the
math, that’s 75 floats down the first
200 yards of river with two clients
chucking double-fly indicator rigs,
giving the fish a look at, say, 300
choices to bite for breakfast! Thank
goodness there are so many fish you
see bent rods on every drift. But
for a guy walking down the bank
trying to spot rising trout, forget
it. Come back after lunch when all
those spooked fish chased from their
shoreline feeding lanes by upstream
rowers may return, as most boats are
now downriver.
Who’s in Charge? It’s difficult to
place any blame for this developing
“daisy chain” phenomenon at the
Bighorn. First, it really works. And
do you want to see other guides
using it, getting the high hooks for
the day, thus a bigger tip, and your
numbers dwindle? A good stretch
over a productive hole could land
your client 3 or 4 nice trout. How
can you repeat that success? Row up
and do it again... and again.
For the most part, the clients
enjoying this type of fishing are
happy with the success. If you’re a
bad caster, no problem. Can’t create
a drag-free drift? Still no problem.
Don’t know when you get a strike?
Again, no problem. All you need
to do is cast 20 feet with a rig your
guide has perfectly readied before
the drift begins. Let him keep boat
pace with your indicator, and set the
hook when a sudden “hit it” breaks
the silence. If this is the success and
fun you expected, the day will be
one to talk about at evening dinner.
So the burning question in my mind
is whether the client or the guide
dictate if and how much to use the
“daisy chain.” Is it OK to catch 20 fish
for the day or must you have 50 fish or
more to make it a successful outing?
How about the tip? The guides I know
all love the sport, but also eat, have
families, and sleep somewhere. Don’t
expect their pad to be neat. Sorry guys!
But I wonder if a new angler gets the
hang of the indicator float success and
wants to learn more, a guide jump at
this challenge? Maybe watching a big
brown head lift up and suck a perfectly
presented dry fly would sweeten the tip.
The San Juan gave us the worm and
the “daisy chain,” I wonder what’s
next? When I return to the Bighorn I
hope the “chain” will have gone away
(the worm I can appreciate). Granted,
my trip coincided with extremely
cold water at the Bighorn. That kept
hatches late or at a minimum, which
made nymph fishing the best way
to get novice clients into more fish.
You can do that, however, by drifting
the old fashioned way, with the river.
Maybe more guides will consider
rowing their boats merrily down the
stream. Or am I just dreaming? at
45
I like the guys who sit down and
ask, “How was your day?” The
guys that turn me off are those
that ask, “How many fish did you
catch?” There is a big difference
in these personalities. The first guy
will be good dinner conversation,
the second guy will have the bigger
cigar, more expensive wine, and
probably rented an Escalade for the
week. He’s the one that would ask
the guide to go back over the spot he
got a strike, guaranteed.
BACKCAST
followed AFFTA itineraries across the
hottest reaches of the country—all
during the height of summer. This
year that road ended at the junction
of Elvis meets conventional tackle
meets fly fishing thanks to the merger
of ICAST and IFTD in Las Vegas…
in July.
The Circus
Circuit
Tradeshow secrets from
Vegas to SLC to Orlando
and beyond
Written by Geoff Mueller
This year I had the double-your-tradeshow pleasure of attending the International Fly Tackle Dealer in Vegas
and was Outdoor Retail-ered a couple
of weeks later in Salt Lake City. During the course of those travels, let it be
known, I’ve found the answer to what
makes the ultimate fishing tradeshow.
Surprise, surprise, it’s not live bait and
Bill Dance: it’s yoga pants.
But before I get all limber and zen-like
on you, let’s take a second to rewind.
My show circuit indoctrination began
around ’06, just in time to catch the
historic blowup between the Mustache
(aka Chuck Furimsky) and the Acronym (aka AFFTA, aka the American
Fly Fishing Trade Association). Since
then I’ve trekked consumer and
industry show rows from the Rockies
to New Jersey, partied like it was Y2K
during the final Denver incarnations
of IFTD and, more recently, have
46
If this all sounds a little circus-y, it’s
because it has been. And now as a
full-fledged carny, who’s gone from
pitching booths to barfing on sidewalks to opining on which new rod
has more feel than another—this
year it was Scott’s Radian, by the
way—I finally reached a tradeshow
tipping point. It was time to seek new
perspective.
As far as circus acts go, SLC and
its summer Outdoor Retailer is like
Cirque du Soleil and Ringling Bros.
all wrapped up in a vegan burrito.
The show plays host to tigers of the
outdoor industry; big hitters with
names like Arc’teryx, GoPro, Reef,
and North Face. Moreover, it houses
team yoga-pant contortionists, as
well as a lake-locked tsunami of
stand-up paddle boarding bro-brahs.
According to event organizers yoga,
alone, has grown by 272 percent
over the past decade into a $16 billion industry. And it’s a commodity
deserved of its own space: The Yoga
Zone. Fifteen years ago there was
no yoga-specific show for retailers.
Much of its success has been attributed to crossover appeal.
Admittedly, fly fishing may not have
the six-pack abs, Gumby-like flexibility, or wide sweeping consumer appeal
of yoga or SUP. Regardless, it’s been
generally welcomed under the summer OR umbrella, largely based on
the fact outdoor-oriented people find
merit in it. And, vice versa, fly fishing
plays well with other outdoor lifestyleoriented groups… with rivers and
oceans being mainstay components
of what people look for when they
venture out of the house.
With that in mind, OR has become
a viable answer to a small but elevated list of fly-fishing and crossover
brands: from Redington and Costa to
Howler Bros., Smith, Orvis, Patagonia, Umpqua, Fishpond, and more.
Combined, we’re a drop in the OR
ocean, but that isn’t necessarily a bad
thing. Instead there’s room to move,
to grow in a loose, young, energized,
and more estrogen-laced environment—a fresh atmosphere absolutely
conducive to co-mingling. Although
it could be said the ICAST/IFTD
merger has brought its own dose of
excitement—which I’m sure it did
for certain brands and dealers—I’m
willing to make a Vegas-size bet that
we registered low as far as crosspollinations with the Bill Dance and
crankbait crowds.
Of the fly-fishing manufacturers I
spoke with at OR it’s been a similar
sentiment across the board: SLC isn’t
the solution for everyone. It continues, however, to be a worthwhile
exploration.
This became increasingly evident after
three days of untangling loops across
the OR casting pool—yes, they actually had a fly-casting specific area this
year. As I jammed fly rods and magazines into the hands of rock jocks,
paddle heads, yoga queens, camping
fiends, extreme hikers, skinny bikers,
moms, dads, and their kids it dawned
on me that collectively we all shared
an innate curiosity about all things
outdoors, including fishing with a fly
rod. Brilliant, let’s do business.
Whether it’s OR or Orlando you’re
teeing up for 2014 remember this:
It’s all a circus, of course, but the
variety of acts are unalike and the
nature of the tradeshow beast is
continually evolving. at
fast
feel
with
Radian puts the Feel in Fast.
Until now, you’ve had to choose between a rod with power and line speed, or a rod with touch and feel. But thanks to Scott and our all new ReAct technology,
those days are over. Fast and Feel have finally come together. To learn more visit scottflyrod.com or your nearest Scott dealer.
2013 IFTD NEW PRODUCT WINNERS Overall Best of Show – Radian by Scott and Best Fly Rod (Freshwater) – Radian by Scott
Scott Fly Rod Company
|
2355 Air Park Way, Montrose, Colorado 81401
|
970-249-3180
|
scottflyrod.com
Getting your hands on that fish means first getting into his head. The more you can feel his dark
intentions, the better you’re equipped to turn him back your way with an attitude adjustment.
Introducing the EVOKE—our revolutionary big game reel that lets you fight with your bare hands.
Integrated with its battle-tested carbon drag design, the EVOKE features a unique modified full
frame with exposed dual palming rim so you can finesse the fight with your fingers or palm.
You’ll swear you can read that fish’s mind. You sure as heck just changed it.
sageflyfish.com

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