the buzz on the flyfishing biz
®
TRADE
Inside
The “SHOW” Issue
New Rod Technology/All About Margins/ Legend Frank Moore/Reel People/ More from Guides/Q&A with Andrew Bennett/ Growing the Sport September2010 AnglingTrade.com
the buzz on the flyfishing biz
CONTENTS
®
TRADE
Features
Departments
26 Gonzo Graphite? Are the
6 Editor’s Column The budding AFFTA democracy... The worm may indeed be turning, and it couldn’t happen at a better time.
By Geoff Mueller
8 Currents
34 Icons... Frank Moore
The latest people, product and issues news from the North American fly fishing industry.
42 Maintaining Margin
By Kirk Deeter
Mabon Childs, Sarah Warner Contributing Editors
20 Travel
Tom Bie Geoff Mueller Ben Romans Andrew Steketee Greg Thomas
The steps any retailer can take to expand their travel business from hosting trips, to organizing full-on adventures. by Bill Marts
Contributors
Monte Burke, Joe Cermele, Lance Gray, Bill Marts, Will Rice, Bruce Smithhammer, Jeff Wagner Photos unless noted by Tim Romano
of Deneki Outdoors
22 Interview “Reel People” A brief Q&A with two of our favorite reel manufacturers, John Torok from Hatch Outdoors, and Kristen Mustad of Nautilus. By Will Rice
40 Recommended Reading A writer fly fishes... a sharp and poignant new collection of essays (even poetry) from an Alaskan scribe. Reviewed by Kirk Deeter
Tom Bie on trade shows, and the need for this industry to create, and sustain, its own identity.
Advertising Contact: Tim Romano Telephone: 303-495-3967 Fax: 303-495-2454 tim@anglingtrade.com Mail Address: PO Box 17487 Boulder, CO 80308
By Lance Gray
TM
Street Address: 3055 24th Street Boulder, CO 80304 AnglingTrade.com
3
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
How retailers can get more sales action through their best business ambassadors... fishing guides.
Angling Trade is published four times a year by Angling Trade, LLC. Author and photographic submissions should be sent electronically to editor@anglingtrade.com. 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.
60 Backcast
54 The Guide Game
Art Director
Copy Editors
48 Q&A with Andrew Bennett
By Bruce Smithhammer
Tim Romano tim@anglingtrade.com
Tara Brouwer tara@shovelcreative.com shovelcreative.com
Every retailer knows that sales are one thing... but maintaining a profit margin is the key to success. We take the gloves off and dive into this sensitive issue, offering some keen insights on the gorilla in the room. By Jeff Wagner
How one guy has taken a passion, leveraged a unique marketing approach, and created a new paradigm for fly fishing travel. And... how you can work with him to make money.
Kirk Deeter kirk@anglingtrade.com Managing Editor
rod wars back on? A new resin has led to claims of newer, stronger, and better fly rods... but some companies are sitting this one out... for now. Is the new technology all it’s cracked up to be?
Fly fishing is as much about people as it is fish, rivers, and insects. Angling Trade profiles a living legend, and one of the finest ambassadors and environmental stewards this sport has ever known. By Monte Burke
Editor
CONTRIBUTORS
Monte Burke
Monte Burke is a staff writer for Forbes. He’s also a noted author, and a frequent contributor to Angling Trade, as well as a number of other fly fishing magazines.
Joe Cermele
Joe Cermele is associate online editor for Field & Stream magazine. Check out the “Hook Shots” video series he produces at fieldandstream.com.
Lance Gray
Lance Gray owns Lance Gray & Company, a Willow, California-based guide service. He also conducts schools on everything from bass to steelhead fly fishing.
Bill Marts
Bill Marts is a Destination Travel Specialist with The Fly Shop. A former fly shop owner and contributor to various fishing magazines, Bill has been to and fished just about everywhere we’ve heard about.
Geoff Mueller
Geoff Mueller is a contributing editor for Angling Trade trade magazine, and senior editor at The Drake. He was formerly the managing editor of Fly Fisherman magazine.
Will Rice
Will Rice has a day job with Qwest… but he’s also a frequent contributor to Angling Trade, and he writes articles for a variety of fishing related blogs and magazines.
Bruce Smithhammer AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
Bruce Smithhammer is one of the masterminds behind the popular weblog “Buster Wants to Fish,” and a frequent contributor to The Drake. This is his first appearance in Angling Trade.
Jeff Wagner
Jeff Wagner is a merchandise financial planner with Cabela’s Inc. He’s long been a part of the fly fishing industry as an aquatic biologist, a master casting instructor, and one of the longest-serving members of the Angling Trade team.
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The New world of rediNgToN. New ProducTs To ATTrAcT New cusTomers. Check out our new line of products, aimed at bringing more people into the sport of fly fishing.
Visit booth #615 at the International Fly Tackle Dealer show in Denver, CO Sept. 9-11.
EDITOR’S COLUMN
When All is Said and Done… We Are a Family heavy-handed… rather to remind me that we’re all in this together. His point was well taken. And as such, I’d add that some of the points made in this forum have been well-taken also. We, as a fly fishing industry (or segment, or business, or whatever else you choose to call us) aren’t out of the woods, not by any stretch. But there are some things happening that make me optimistic.
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
All of you who have followed Angling Trade know I’ve been throwing some high-and-tight fastballs lately. Not a coincidence. We’ve talked about everything from divorces over trade shows… to lost water in Utah… to the waning trust in manufacturerdealer relationships, and much more. It’s my job to incite debate and action. I won’t apologize for any of that… in fact, I’m proud of it. And now, more than ever, this industry needs action more than words. We need solutions more than explanations. The amount of “thanks for telling it like it is” feedback I’ve received has been overwhelming. I did, however, receive one (only one) phone call—interestingly, from one of my oldest friends in this industry. I remember fishing with him as young trout bums, long before he became a powerful rep in this business, and before anyone ever cared about things I wrote in books or magazines. He wasn’t calling so much to complain that I was being 6
The International Fly Tackle Dealer trade show in Denver will be smaller in scale than past trade shows. But the effort put into pulling this thing together cannot be described as anything less than admirable. It’s going to make money. And by mandate, half of the money it makes will be plowed into a revamped “Discover Fly Fishing” program that is specifically designed to grow the sport. A little bit can go a long way in the effort to bring people through the doors of fly shops… and that is, after all, AFFTA’s mission. A few years ago, getting people to serve on the AFFTA board was about as easy as conscripting a crew to work a freighter bound to Indonesia. Twenty-eight different people threw their hats in the ring to contest for nine open positions on the AFFTA board. I think this is a very good sign also. In direct response to the complaint that AFFTA was a manufacturerdominated organization that has underserved the interests of retailers, guides, lodges, and the media, AFFTA’s board composition now must balance various segments, including retailers, manufacturers, media, and so forth. Once again… good (though the at-large seats are still dominated by manufacturers).
I had a long chat with Jim Klug, AFFTA’s newly anointed chairman, and as a result, I cannot help but like the way he thinks and where he intends to direct the trade group. But it isn’t just an AFFTA thing… nor should it be. If we think AFFTA is equipped and ready to lead a renaissance at this point, we are sorely mistaken. It isn’t a matter of intent… it’s resources. All of us—manufacturers, media, retailers, and others—must control our own destinies. To wit, Orvis launched a Fly Fishing 101 program that brought over 2,600 prospects (most of them, admittedly, had never fly fished) to stores and dealers… in July alone. I say that’s nothing short of great. And I hear Orvis only plans to amp the plan in the coming months… even better. I’ve heard many shops tell me the sledding has been hard, but they’re seeing the worm turn, and they’re making money. I am hopeful. We don’t need another darn movie. The inherent beauty of fly fishing stands on its own merits. Frankly, I’m willing to trust those who “get it’ to convey that. And I know that the barriers between fly fishing and the bass nation weren’t borne of flysnobbery; they’re there because the bass people put them there. So break them down. Just how we break down barriers, expand the sport’s appeal, and reach an end goal? Well, that’s up to us to decide. Trade shows, consumer shows… whatever else… well, in the end, it’s all good… and I can’t help but wonder, “Why can’t we have it all?” We can. We should. We Must.
at
shelf candy
Your customers are looking for the best product, you’re looking for the best profit; Scientific Anglers will give you both. Visit us at the IFTD/Denver Show! Contact Peter Frederixon, Scientific Anglers Sales Manager 651-733-5007 or pmfrederixon@mmm.com
3M Scientific Anglers | www.scientificanglers.com | © 3M 2010
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Issues
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
Bristol Bay Flyfishing and Guide Academy: A Program This Industry Should Embrace
Ultimately, the native corporations along the various Bristol Bay drainages have a major stake in determining the future of Pebble Mine, and also how these areas are preserved through time. It only makes sense that anglers who share this vested interest find innovative ways to embrace and collaborate with the native population to achieve mutual goals.
I recently had an opportunity to take part in the Bristol Bay Fly Fishing and Guide Academy, a cooperative initiative by The Nature Conservancy, Bristol Bay Native Corporation, Trout Unlimited, and the Bureau of Land Management. The event was held in Ekwok, Alaska, and its mission was straightforward: Introduce native (Yup’ik Eskimo) kids and young adults to fly fishing, with the goal of empowering some to work as fly guides in the future.
As such, this is one of the most visionary conservation efforts I’ve seen in the fly fishing world. I saw the seeds planted, and starting to grow. And it involves a major ecological issue that will have massive impact on the future of fly fishing. I encourage you to check out visitbristolbay.org/flyfishcamp to learn more, and get involved to build the program in 2011.
It was an extremely powerful and moving experience, and I think it deserves significant industry support (thanks to Redington for supplying fly rods and reels to the academy).
According to Orvis, more than 2,600 “students” took part in its nationwide Fly Fishing 101 campaign to recruit and instruct prospects to the sport. Over 90 percent of participants were “never-evers,” and many shops reported noticable sales and guiding spikes as a result. The company intends to expand this initiative significantly in the next 18 months.
The program helped to break down the information barrier between fly fishing “culture” and native culture. We tackled issues like catch-and-release ethics (vs. playing with food) as well as the nuts and bolts of fly fishing. The instructors, including Dan Plummer of the Friends of the Upper Delaware River organization, and Christopher Casey of Bear Creek Outfitters and Trout Unlimited in Juneau, Alaska, were were impressed by how well the students embraced the sport. We definitely realized 8
some very good prospects for lodge work, and if anyone would like a recommendation, please contact me directly at editor@anglingtrade.com.
-Kirk Deeter Orvis Fly Fishing 101 A Hit
Scott Backs Protection of Alpine Triangle Scott Fly Rod Co. of Montrose, Colorado, has endorsed Trout
Unlimited’s efforts to protect the fishing and hunting resources of southwest Colorado’s Alpine Triangle by joining a growing coalition of sportsmen, businesses and industry interested in keeping the Triangle just like it is today. “The Alpine Triangle is what people think about when they think of Colorado,” said Jim Bartschi, president and CEO of Scott, one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of fly rods. “Keeping it intact, and keeping its fishing and hunting resources viable well into the future is important to Scott, and we stand behind TU’s efforts to protect this special place.” The Alpine Triangle is a 186,000acre tract of Bureau of Land Management land located between Silverton, Ouray and Lake City (hence the “triangle”). It’s home to trophy big game hunting and excellent fisheries resources, with potential for even better fishing as the area’s century-old mining scars are cleaned up. Three of Colorado’s trophy trout streams— the Lake Fork of the Gunnison, the Uncompahgre and the Animas— start in the Alpine Triangle. “We’re working with a diverse group of people that includes hunters, anglers, businesspeople and folks from all over the country who come continued on next page...
The way we see it,
The more fly fishing the better.
Innovating new levels of performance for hardcore fly anglers will always be central to what we do. Our brands have been trusted by expert anglers the world over for decades. These brands also give us a unique ability to create products and programs for retailers who are reaching out to those not yet completely hooked. Sure, you may say hooking more people on fly fishing helps us and the industry as a whole, but just as important, it means more attention on conserving healthy waters and a greater appreciation for natural spaces.
So, bring them on. Give us the woolly trout bums and well salted skiff captains. The full-time guides and the 30 days a year fishers. And the weekend warriors and family campers and a few carloads of curious onlookers. We have what they crave. See us at the IFTD show this September in Denver, Colorado.
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to experience this amazing place,” said Ty Churchwell, backcountry coordinator for Trout Unlimited. “This place is so unique, in that it has something for everyone, whether you like to ride off-road vehicles, fish for wild and native trout in a backcountry setting, explore old ghost towns or just experience that signature Rocky Mountain scenery. We’d like to make sure it remains just like it is for the next generation.” The Triangle has seen its share of abuse over the last 125 years or so. Its slopes are scarred with abandoned mines and mine tailing piles, some of which drain toxic, metal-laden water into the area’s waterways. While some cleanup efforts are underway, much remains to be done. Additionally, TU would like to see any new mining in the area done responsibly to prevent new pollution from entering rivers and streams and further tarnishing trout habitat and angling opportunity.
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
The Triangle was also just recently named to the TU/Field & Stream list of Best Wild Places (see fieldandstream.com for Angling Trade editor Kirk Deeter’s reports on the Alpine Triangle). The list also includes the Roan Plateau in northwest Colorado, the Outlaw Triangle in Utah and Wyoming, the Gila National Forest of southern New Mexico, the Cabinet-Yaak Mountains of Montana and the Blue Lakes-Pine Forest Range of Nevada.
Product and Company News Simms Unveils New Products Intimately and Early For A Bigger Bang By Joe Cermele 10
Working a trade show floor can be a real chore for writers. You’re bogged down with meetings, there are lots of fleeting “hellos” and handshakes with minimal face time with the companies you really want to see. But most importantly, you get the quick version of what’s new and rely heavily on catalogs to fill in the gaps. This year, Simms decided it was time for a change and devised a different way to unleash their latest wares to the world, in lieu of attending the IFTD show in Denver. Back in early August, Simms invited a small group of core players in flyfishing media to come out to their Bozeman, Montana, headquarters for some more intimate face time than these writers and editors get on the busy show floor. And it worked. Products normally not seen by the public until just after the Fly Show found their way onto popular blogs, such as Midcurrent.com, before the weekend get-together ever came to an end. I was one of the lucky writers with a golden ticket that got an in-depth pre-show look at their entire 2011 line-up. Many of Simms’ new releases fall in the sportswear, outerwear, and footwear categories, with the most notable advance in wading boots being their new Riverteks, which adopt the twist-tight BOA lace technology first seen on Korkers wading boots. If you cater to customers who fish in cold weather, they’ll thank you for having these boots. Nothing’s worse than untying frozen laces with numb hands. For the warm-weather wader, Simms’ new RipRap shoe and Streamtread sandal feature Streamtread soles, quick-pull laces
and quick-dry materials for use on the bank or in the river. You also won’t look ridiculous wearing them in the bar after a day on the river, as they are both technical with a casual look. In fact, technical with a more casual look seemed to be an ongoing theme with Simms’ new products. Though many of Simms’ popular jackets are receiving updates for 2011, the new members of the pack are their Windstopper Transit jacket and vest. Windproof but very breathable, these are the kinds of jackets that get balled up, tossed in the truck, and become an old friend on the water. Adjustable necks and collars make them even more element-ready, whether it’s a cold day on the striper coast or cold day walking the dog. You wouldn’t wear your dad’s old fishing vest on the town, but Simms is doing a fine job of making products that cross the boundary between cool threads and tough threads. This idea carries into their sportswear releases, which include their Rogue Fleece Hoody, Cocona crew neck shirt, and Surf shorts. The Rogue bumps the standard hoody up a few notches by incorporating a dedicated fly box pocket, a UPF 30 rating, and hand warmer pockets. The Cocona shirt, which is made from material created with recycled coconut shells, is one of the lightest shirts I’ve felt and has a UPF 50 rating. Cocona material dries very quickly, and these crew necks have a zippered front pocket and longer-than-average tail that Simms says helps keep the guy on the sticks from getting a charred lower back. Finally, Simms is making a bit of bandwagon jump with their Surf continued on next page...
I M P E R I A L F LY R O D S > Offered in an uncompromisingly gorgeous gloss burgundy finish, just holding an Imperial brings a few new words to mind. Imperial fly rods are lightweight, fast-action rods designed for maximum performance and value. The dynamic blend of high-modulus / high-strain SCIV graphite and premium-quality SCII graphite work together to outperform fly rods not only in the same price category, but those costing much more. A comprehensive line-up of 32 models – including four new switch rods for 2010, there is easily an Imperial that will impress the h**l out of you. In 2009, Imperial fly rods were awarded “Best Value” from Field & Stream and an “Editor’s Choice” from Fly Fish America.
R I O S A N T O F LY R O D S & O U T F I T S > Take a moment to offer our new Rio Santo series the reverence it deserves. Premium-quality SC II graphite with a smooth moderate-fast action provides performance that anglers at all skill levels will appreciate – at a price that deserves a few exclamations all on its own. Completely new for 2010, the Rio Santo is offered in eleven models from 4- to 8-weight, as well as five Rio Santo Outfits that include a die-cast aluminum reel, fly line and leader (already installed) and deluxe carrying case. The name translates to Holy Water – among other things.
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shorts, which will go headto-head with such established offshore clothing brands as Pelagic and Old Harbor Outfitters. Available in three colors, including Simms’ saltwater camo, these shorts have zippered fly box pockets with tool loops and are made from 100% polyester. Will these shorts sweep the flats and offshore scene? I don’t know and only time will tell. But I do know these Simms products and the others too vast to mention here will not fail to impress customers who are serious anglers in 2011. RIO Products Intros Avid Lines
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
Rio has introduced a new Avid Series that incorporates five mid-priced fly lines (MSRP $54.95, in the US). Each line is
manufactured at RIO’s Idaho Falls facility and goes through the same rigorous quality control standards as all RIO premium fly lines. All lines, except the Intermediate line, feature RIO’s AgentX Technology that results in a higher floating line, as well as a super-slick coating that helps to keep the line clean and increases casting distance. The collection consists of the Trout WF, Trout DT, Intermediate, 24ft. Sinking Tip, and Saltwater. 12
C&F Design Offers New Boxes C&F Design has produced a range of hot-selling small fly boxes utilizing a Micro-Slit Foam (MFS) layout in each box that holds flies securely and safely. Now C&F has taken that same sized box and made it waterproof adding a silicone seal and a latch that keeps the box shut tight. This new range of boxes is called the “1600 Product We Like: Earth Smart Series” and have a manufacturer’s Camping Meal Kits suggested retail price of $42.95. One of Angling Trade’s favorite products from the recent ICAST Imago to Launch US Product show in Las Vegas is camping meal at IFTD kit (plates, utensils, etc.) made of fully compostable eco-friendly The upstart Swedish fly fishing materials, by Earth Smart Products brand Imago plans to introduce (see earthsmartllc.com or call product lines for 310-83-GREEN). The company the US market also makes biodegradable bait cups, at the IFTD which may not come in handy for show. The brand fly fishers... but imagine not having is known for its to see the styrofoam byproduct of practical design, worm dunkers littering you favorite high standard and river’s banks anymore... thorough quality testing, according Angler’s Book Supply to Offer to a company Video Sampler statement. Angler’s Retailers will Book Supply be shown the will be clothing line launching “Amphibian” that the has received a industry’s lot of attention first fly in Europe, as well as a new fly rod fishing video series, “Imago Performance Tool sampler on (IPT),” which is fully produced in DVD at the the US. Well-known names like upcoming Gary Loomis and Jason Borger are IFTD involved in the development. The trade show in Denver. The sampler one-hand rod series will have its features 32 trailers and clips, international release at the show. promoting more than 40 of the best More detailed information on DVDs in fly fishing. The sampler products and the story behind Imago will allow retailers to feature a variety of DVDs on their in-store can be found at: www.imagoflyfishing.com continued on next page...
a
HOT SELLER
“
The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing is like having two experienced fly anglers standing next you and whispering tips in your ear.” -Roger Phillips, The Idaho Statesman
“
Kirk Deeter and Charlie Meyers have done all anglers a huge favor by writing The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing…” -Brett Prettyman, Salt Lake Tribune
“
Deeter and Meyers purposely modeled their book after two giants of the “how-to” genre: Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book: Lessons and Teachings From a Lifetime of Golf, by Penick and Bud Shrake, and The Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr. and E.B White, two collaborative books that became classics because they were written clearly and concisely by the best teachers in their given professions.”
Packed with Plainspoken Advice for “ Beginners and Experts Alike
-Monte Burke, Forbes.com
A brilliant new book from Kirk Deeter and the late Charlie Meyers… contains 250 of the most helpful tips I’ve seen collected in one place. And this isn’t a book just for rookies. In the first dozen pages or so I found a few things that I had discounted or entirely forgotten as proven methods for improving my fishing. So while the book is jammed with thoughtful advice for novices, most experts will find the mindfulness and clear thinking refreshing.” -Marshall Cutchin, Midcurrent
“
This is not a book you’ll read just once—like a trusted fishing buddy, you’ll turn to it again and again for helpful advice, friendly instruction, and insider information… a masterpiece.” -Anthony Licata, editor, Field & Stream
Contact your book supplier, or see skyhorsepublishing.com for more information.
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monitors, without having to run the full-length videos. Angler’s Book Supply will distribute 3,000 copies to retailers via direct mail, and another 650 copies will be included in IFTD goody bags. Several hundred copies will be made available upon request, limited to one per store. Additional copies can be purchased for $2.50 each. Orvis iPhone App Reviewed on Midcurrent. com Do check out Midcurrent. com for the some of latest (and most candid) fly fishing product reviews anywhere. Marshall Cutchin recently gave the new Orvis iPhone App a thorough once-over, and here’s what he had to say:
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
“We purchased the new Orvis iPhone “Ultimate Fly Fishing Guide” App ($24.99 less a $10 gift card) for fly fishers last Saturday and after having a bit of trouble getting it downloaded (it’s a little less than 400MB in size) were immediately impressed by the depth of info it contains. The app contains five sections: Casting, Flies, Knots, Top 10 Casting Mistakes, and Fishing Reports (much of, if not all the data in the Reports mirrors what’s available on the Orvis Web site). The Casting, Knots and Top 10 Mistakes section all use video and text to illustrate the content. The Knots section also includes excellent animations, but I found the knot videos to be particularly well done -- the scripting/ narration is tight and info-rich, and in 14
most cases the line is visible enough, even on the screen of a iPhone 4G, to provide all the guidance needed.
searchable, and justify the download size with richer content. In all, though, it’s a pretty good start.
My second-favorite section in the app is the Flies section. It contains 100 of the most commonly used flies, along with hi-def images (thank you Orvis, for not putting these on a blue background) and suggested sizes and tips on where and when they should be used. Oddly enough, an app screen seems the perfect place to zoom into fly pattern images. You can also browse flies by type and by name, or search for a specific pattern.
You can buy the app in the iTunes store.”
The casting videos are also well done, though one wouldn’t mistake them for high-budget productions. The instruction is great and overcomes some of the lighting and framing issues. No question that you can find helpful advice on almost any basic casting technique or issue -- especially valuable for beginning anglers. I do hope Orvis updates the design of the intro pages, which are pretty dull compared to most apps I’ve used. The reports section is well-done, though nobody seems to have cracked the code for delivering real-time info on fly hatches and one has to ask whether a call to the local fly shop isn’t still the best choice. It’s hard to evaluate apps with such depth of content without asking whether a 940by-640 screen is the right place to display casting videos, for example, or lengthy text. I applaud Orvis for packing lots of advice into a workable app and in many ways setting the opening bar height for fly fishing instructional apps. Is it worth $14.99 (after cashing in the gift card)? In my mind, that depends on whether you think having an excellent knot reference and fly pattern guide at hand is worth the cost. Given what I’ve seen of knot-tying videos in recent years, for some that section alone would justify the cost. I look forward to seeing whether Orvis will continue to tweak the app, make it fully
Fly Fusion Wins ACE Fly Fusion Magazine was honored at MagNet 2010 (Canada’s Magazine Conference) with an ACE AWARD for Circulation Excellence. Fly Fusion won in the category of Best Retail performance for a midsize magazine. The magazine’s dealer coverage expanded from 1,278 to 2,953, in increase of 1,675 dealers or a 131% expansion. This makes Fly Fusion the market leader over all other fly fishing titles, in Canada, the United States and throughout the world, in terms of growing product visibility. Single copy sales of Fly Fusion’s Ultimate Trout issue increased by over 246% in one year. Of course, it all starts with quality content… if you haven’t thumbed through Fly Fusion, you should check it out. The Fly Fishing Show Announces Dates Denver Merchandise Mart January 7-9; Marlboroough, Mass., Royal Plaza Trade Center, Janyuary 14-16; Somerset, New Jersey, January 2123; and in North Carolina, the show has relocated from Charlotte to the Raleigh Fairgrounds, January 29-30. continued on next page...
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Products to Watch For... Redington Sonic-Pro Wader Series, featuring Zip Front, Stocking Foot, and Pants models, MSRP ranging from $200 to $350. Also the Deschutes Rain jacket designed specifically for women, retailing at $150. Confluence Films Plans New Movie Following the successes of the fly fishing films “Drift” and “Rise” (in 2008 and 2009), respectively,
Dustin Carlson – Fishwest At Large Seats (5 required) Jeff Wieringa – Scientific Anglers David Heller – Ross Reels USA / Ross Worldwide Outdoors Larry Barrett – Far Bank Enterprises Riley Cotter – Umpqua Feather Merchants Mike Gawtry – LL Bean Things to Look for at IFTD…
Confluence Films has begun a third movie to be released in 2011. The new film will once again involve traveling the world and fishing in interesting places. Confluence is a partnership between director Chris Patterson of Warren Miller Entertainment and executive producer (now AFFTA chairman) Jim Klug of Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures. New AFFTA Board Members Elected Congratulations and good luck to the newly-elected (or re-elected) members of the AFFTA board. They are: Representatives (1 required)
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
Scott Harkins – San Miguel Mountain & River Products Media/PR&MKT/Associations/ Government/Educational (1 required) Kate Fox – Casting for Recovery Retailer (2 required) Pat Pendergast – The Fly Shop, Inc. 16
There will be a “Guide’s Lounge” at the upcoming IFTD Trade Show in Denver. The lounge is a gathering place for all Guides, Outfitters and Lodges. In addition to free coffee, comfy couches and great tunes, tables will be set up with pro purchase forms from all the attending manufacturers. IFTD will also feature an “Iron Fly” fly tying competition, consisting of two rounds of fly tying using the supplied vises, tools, and materials. In addition, all tiers will be given a “secret” ingredient that must be used in tying a fly. All tiers will have 15 minutes to complete their fly before being judged for overall quality, originality, and use of the “secret” ingredient. Two winners will move on to compete for the title of “Iron Fly Champion.” To sign up for the competition, please contact Ray Schmidt at 888-221-9056 or email at Schmidt@schmidtoutfitters.com. News from Sage Sage is coming out with a new branding and identity package for 2011, in addition to the following: An ultra-light and responsive fly rod series called TXL-F, designed
for fishing with tiny flies and light tippets. The TXL-F is 33% lighter than the TXL, thanks to new Micro Ferrule Technology and guide package. Retail is $625 for rods ranging from 000 weights through 4 weights. A fast-action rod series in 3-5 weights called VXP. The rods will retail at a mid pricepoint of $485-$495. And a new 4200 reel series featuring machined aluminum frames and carbon drag systems. Retail ranges from $289 to $319. Smith Intros New “Tenet” Smith Optics has expanded its influence over the high-glass fishing lens market by introducing the Tenet. Extremely light, these lenses deliver optical precision down to
1/2000mm. They feature feature optically precise TLT (Tapered Lens Technology) Optics, Hydroleophobic (Water+Oil/Grease repellent) lens coatings, anti-reflective lens coatings and high quality Japanese polarized film. A resilient Grilamid TR90 frame is fitted with hydrophyllic Megol temple and nose pads for a secure fit in all conditions wet or dry. Italian stainless steel spring hinges provide a com-
fortable fit no matter head shape or size. Available in mahogany polarchromic copper, retail is $179. Hart and Montgomery Join Rep Forces Chris Hart, owner of Sundown River Products, an outdoor sporting goods manufacturers rep firm in the Northern Rockies, announced today a merger with Salmon, Idahobased Brooks Montgomery, Sales & Marketing (www.brooksmontgomery. com), the sales firm responsible for 3M/Scientific Anglers, St. Croix Rod, Clackacraft, and other fly fishing product lines in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. The merger brings representation of a number of fly-related brands under one umbrella: HartMontgomery Outdoor Sales. Hart is the sales representative for R. L. Winston Rod Co., Aire/Outcast Inflatables, Idylwilde Flies, Kavu, Seattle, Sawyer Paddles and Oars, Chums/Beyond Coastal, and other brands. Brooks Montgomery is the sales representative for St. Croix, 3M/Scientific Anglers, WaterworksLamson, , Korkers, Oregon,Vortex Outdoors, Clackacraft Drift Boats, other brands. Effective September 1, 2010, HartMontgomery Outdoor Sales will be responsible for sales & marketing of their combined brands in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. Hart-Montgomery Outdoor Sales will operate at 190 Northstar Ln.
Chris Hart can be reached at chris@ hartmontgomery.com Brooks Montgomery can be reached at brooksmontgomery@msn.com .
Leinweber: “Don’t Drink the KoolAid” Editor’s Note: We gave David Leinweber the floor in the last issue of Angling Trade, to make a pitch on behalf of AFFTA for the upcoming IFTD show. Leinweber has since resigned his position on the AFFTA board, and has asked to elaborate... The last four years working on the AFFTA board have been rewarding, but also very draining. Although my business has managed to grow during that time despite the economic climate, I have been unable to maximize opportunities because of my attention and heavy involvement with AFFTA. I served with a passion for a vision of seeing a sport grow. I made sacrifices personally and in my business in order to feed that passion and I was determined and optimistic to see an industry succeed. I believed the message I had about growing the industry by supporting the specialty retailer was the right vision for AFFTA. A few months back I was faced with renewing my AFFTA membership and submitting my annual dues. I was surprised to find myself, a sitting AFFTA board member, struggling with the value and wondering if it was really worth it. Honestly weighing all things involved, there is little to no value for a retailer to join AFFTA. The primary focus of AFFTA seems to revolve around manufacturer issues and AFFTA rarely considers the small independent retailer. For many in the industry, retailers
are considered the weakest link and their value is only as good as the number of store fronts they have or the number of web pages they produce. There is little to no trust or confidence in the specialty retailer and this has reciprocated little to no trust for manufacturers. A recent survey in Angling Trade magazine asked retailers, “Are your business interests being served by AFFTA?” Seventy-five percent (75%) said no. It is not a stretch to understand why retailers have such little confidence in AFFTA. You can start by going to the AFFTA website at www.affta. com. Check out the pictures, see how impressive everything is laid out, but before you leave make sure you read the mission statement. To Promote the Sustained Growth of the Fly Fishing Industry. It has a nice ring to it, but ask the question: How many customers have walked into your store because of AFFTA? Let me answer that for you, ZERO. AFFTA’s idea of growing the sport of fly fishing is paying a couple of people $5,000 to sit in a 10x20 booth for 3-4 days, at a consumer show in the month of January. Or spend $20,000 on a website with nice pictures, which were donated, but then forget to include updating the Discover Fly Fishing website. (Just for fun you should visit www. discoverflyfishing.com) If you read the AFFTA mission statement you will know that the Discover Fly Fishing Program is AFFTA’s main initiative to grow the sport… It only proves that AFFTA has no initiative. If this is not disturbing enough RBFF (Recreational Boating and Fishing, www.rbff.org) last year developed a fly fishing component to their www.TakeMeFishing.org website, which receives nearly four million annual visits. The past two 17
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
Bozeman, MT. 59718. Telephone: (406) 585-8977, FAX 406-585-8817.
People News
CURRENTS
years they have asked AFFTA for a place to send web visitors, AFFTA has yet to respond…
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
Over the past four years I have sat on the AFFTA board and carried the banner of supporting retailers and growing the sport of fly fishing through the specialty retail network. I have been a team player and contributed much of my time, talent, and resources. I also defended AFFTA whenever possible, but last June I resigned from the board because honestly I cannot defend the trade group any more. If AFFTA cannot live up to its mission of growing the sport then change the mission statement to: Finding cost-saving ways to bring profitable fly fishing products to market. At least that would be honest. Read the recent Chairman’s remarks and tell me that I am wrong. Ironically, days after I resigned Orvis announced a new Fly Fishing 101 program. Tom Rosenbauer was quoted as saying, “I’ve been worried about the lack of growth in the fly-fishing industry for a long time and have grown tired of waiting for our trade association to do something meaningful about it.” I could not have said this better myself. We participated in the Orvis Fly Fishing 101 program and sold out the entire month in the first week. We actually had to turn dozens of folks away. We doubled the sales of our classes for the month of July. Our guiding increased 28% and retail sales grew 7%, all combining to produce the best July ever for our store. I am left with one question… Why couldn’t AFFTA do that? There is a sliver of hope for AFFTA to get its act together. Fifty percent 18
of the profit from IFTD is designated to the Discover Fly Fishing program. There is a small chance they can create a program that retailers across the country would get behind and with manufacturers’ support it just might succeed. It is time for AFFTA to stop abdicating its mission to other organizations and develop a program that promotes the sport and helps grow the heart of the fly fishing industry, the independent specialty retailer. It is time to become the national trade organization that grows and cares for our sport and not just the products we sell. With all this said I do plan to be at IFTD. I am a strong believer that the industry needs to come together annually and discuss trade issues. I also find it very valuable to my business to meet directly with my manufacturer partners. I hope we can share a beer together and create ideas that will grow our business and our industry. David Leinweber Angler’s Covey Specialty Fly Shop Owner
McNett Hires David Wiggs McNett Corporation, the industry leader in specialty personal care and gear care and repair products for 30 years, has hired David Wiggs as Vice President of Marketing. Wiggs will spearhead the company’s national and international strategic marketing initiatives, including brand development, consumer engagement, and enhanced dealer and distributor relationships. “Marketing is no longer a one-way conversation,” said Duane McNett,
founder and President. “David’s role includes facilitating dialogues with our customers to improve their experience with our brands. We are very pleased to have David as a member of our team.” “We wanted David on our team because he’s a global thinker,” said Gary Cruikshank, McNett CEO. “He recognizes that marketing touches every aspect of our operation, which will be crucial as we move the company forward.” “I’m excited to join McNett,” said Wiggs. “I was initially involved with the company as a marketing consultant, and it became clear that the management team and I shared a vision for the company’s future. It’s great to be part of a lifestyle company with a forward-thinking team, all of whom are passionate about what they do.” Wiggs’ 15-year career covers retail, advertising and marketing. He most recently operated a strategic marketing consultancy.
Places Worth Checking Out (Or Sending Your Clients) Since 1959, Deep Water Cay has hosted some of the most famous names in fly fishing. Joe Brooks, A.J. McLane, Curt Gowdy, Ted Williams, Flip Pallot and Lefty Kreh are just a few of the legends who have
enjoyed the island’s 250 square miles of bonefish and permit flats. Over the past six months, a new ownership group has breathed new life into this legendaryfishing paradise. Often referred to as the Granddaddy of Bonefish Lodges, the only thing that has aged is the lodge’s legacy. Seven quaint oceanfront cottages have been completely renovated and radiate the perfect blend of refinement and relaxation. Because of the tides, anglers spend long days on the flats, and after a cocktail in the new Tiki Bar, watch the sunset from the new verandas. All the rooms have new air-conditioners, furniture and appointments. Several homes were built to accommodate large groups, and now up to 34 guests can vacation on the island.
A new Welcome Center has been added complete with a very convenient on-island Pro Shop, Dive Shop with compressors, and floating dock. Fly rods and reels are from Sage. For more information or to learn about the Fly Shop Discount Program, contact Dana Dribben at (242) 353-3073 or (242) 727-7979 or dana@deepwatercay.com. at
impulse items for Books & DVDs. Affordable anglers of all types & budgets 3 easy steps to grow your DVD sales:
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Boats are an integral part of island life at Deep Water Cay, and 10 new Marquesa and Professional skiffs from the Hell’s Bay Boatworks are joining the current fleet of Dolphin skiffs. Two 33-foot World Cats were added for offshore fishing for wahoo and tuna as well as for blue hole scuba diving and reef fishing. Deep Water Cay is a regular host of the Redbone Tournament. They take their boats so seriously they’ve built the Burrows Marina which features wet and dry storage facilities and a full workshop.
1) Stock the best new DVDs 2) Play this DVD in your shop 3) Re-order often and ask about new titles! It’s that easy! Our advice is based on sales & experience with 1000s of shops worldwide. ABS will make you money!
Trailers from 35 of todays best films & instructional DVDs. Visit booth #310 at IFTD or call for your shops free copy! ANGLER’S BOOK SUPPLY 800.260.3869 Featuring the very best books, dvds, calendars & gifts that fly-fishing has to offer.
www.anglersbooksupply.com
CURRENTS
Travel Tips
Follow Up and Follow Through Written by Bill Marts, Travel Specialist, The Fly Shop
smoothing over concerns in a timely manner. Successful fishing travel businesses spend a lot of time with this. It is not something to be sloughed off in a dusty corner while waiting for your clients to call because they are confused or concerned. The successful businesses know this is as important as the fishing itself in regards to future travel and equipment sales to these travelers. The information can be delivered electronically or hard copy sent through the mail. More and more people want information via email. A lot of it can be sent with the invoice; more can be sent with the deposit receipt and even more can be sent when the final payment is made. Set the timing up with your computer to alert you when these times are approaching.
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
In the last issue of Angling Trade, Mike Mercer explained that a great way to get into the fishing travel business was to host a trip. Okay, you decided to do this and you have talked eight of your best customers into accompanying you to XYZ destination (maybe you have been there before or maybe not; it really does not matter). You have told them of the fun stuff– big fish, lots of fish, great food and a good time. Now is the time for follow-up and follow-through. You probably have a good idea of how to get to your chosen destination; what equipment will be needed; what the daily fishing and lodge schedule is like, what amenities the lodge boasts of and what phone numbers are needed in cases of emergencies, late planes or emergencies from home. Each member of your group needs to have this in a written form that is easily understood and provides them with concise information for all they have committed to in advance.
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Information that is not absolutely necessary for travel, but makes it more fun and interesting should be included as part of any follow-up. Items of interest could be great hotels and restaurants where overnights are necessary during travel, interesting sights to see or historical landmarks and tips on packing luggage for a fishing trip. Follow-through is making your promises come true. While promoting your hosted trip, you may include statements like “we’ll get steady fishing reports from the lodge before we get there.” Or, I’ll send you some fly patterns you can tie yourself.” Follow-through on all statements such as this. They are easy to forget. Write them down and put them on your calendar. As Mercer mentioned last issue, make them as personal as possible.
This is really the foundation for building your client trust, loyalty and commitment for future business. Give them all of the detailed information they need to successfully travel with you. With any fishing travel, there are so many variables to deal with, such as flight schedule changes, weather (hurricanes for example), equipment failure at the lodge, etc. You, as host, will have to deal with these as they may happen. You really have no control over this. What you have control over is getting your client good information and giving them realistic expectations for the trip.
After the trip, what now? More follow-up and follow-through. Write each and every one of your group a letter telling them how much you enjoyed your trip and look forward to the next group adventure. Immediately write the lodge manager and owner to thank them for your trip and taking such good care of you and your customers. Within a few weeks of returning send out a trip report for clients to fill out asking for praise and/or criticism and comments about the trip and to return it to you. An additional follow-through would include a personal phone call from you to each of your group and sending them each a disc of your pictures (include every member and guides/staff). Take a lot of pictures!! This is so important that it will be a topic of a future travel article.
Follow-up is simply anticipating the next questions and concerns of your client and providing him/her with answers and
These are simple steps, really, but often THE most over looked part of being a competent and successful fishing travel agent. at
Bring 5 to Deep Water Cay and the 6th goes for free.
After a full day casting to bonefish and permit, what's better than sitting on the oceanfront deck of one of Deep Water Cay's cottages? Not much. But if you see a tailing bone on the flat in front of your digs, head down and take a cast. + Bring a group. At Deep Water Cay we can accommodate a up to twenty-two guests. And you won't see your friends on the water. Unless you want to. + 250 square miles of flats. Excellent guides. Well-appointed cottages. Infinity pool. Tennis courts. Blue holes. Kayaks. Tranquility and privacy with plenty of fishing. + Come on down to Deep Water Cay. We make time for ‘one, last cast.’ Call 888.420.6202 to book your reservation. www.DeepWaterCay.com
We’ll make your customers really, really happy. Then we’ll send you a check. The High Lonesome Ranch Fly Shop Affiliate Program. Between our two ranches, we can provide your customers the trip of a lifetime. They’ll walk-and-wade our 7-miles of the White River. Cast to 20+ inch browns and rainbows on our three spring creeks. Or drift-boat fish the Roaring Fork or the Colorado River. Or sight-fish to trout cruising in our spring-creek ponds. If there are folks who don’t fish, we can accommodate them with horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking, birding, and more. Send one, send a group, or send an entire family. And when they depart, we’ll send you a check. Contact Tim Patterson at 303.283.9420 for more details.
The High Lonesome Ranch
DeBeque, CO www.TheHighLonesomeRanch.com 970.283.9420
INTERVIEW
Reel People… We posed the same questions to two prominent reel manufacturers to glean some personal philosophies that make their brands tick. Written by Will Rice
John C. Torok President/Co-Owner Hatch Outdoors To earn a paycheck I: Make fly fishing reels. 1) What are the three most important things you think about when designing a fly reel: A) Drag B) Durability C) Design 2) Let’s talk about your philosophy and commitment to new technology… and specifically how that technology plays a role in your reels…
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
John Torok of Hatch Reels
“Keep it simple” would probably best describe our philosophy. How can we achieve the performance characteristics we want with the fewest amount of moving parts while maintaining a stylish and durable design? As for technology, we’re always looking around for new materials or exploring better ways to machine something. We’ll only apply it to the reels if it makes a measurable improvement over what we’ve already done. After all, technology is really only useful if it can be applied effectively at the human level. 3) What about technology as it applies to fresh water reels vs. salt water reels? Do I need all of that technology for an 18” trout? We use the same platform in all of our reels no matter their intended use. You design for the worst case environment, because if it works there, it will work anywhere. As for needing all that technology for an 18” trout… Absolutely! You could probably catch one using a stick and string if you wanted to, but who wants to? 4) How do you test your equipment to know that it will handle the everyday stresses of a fly angler?
Kristen Mustad of Nautilus Reels
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We do a lot of in-house testing on the reels, but basically that’s to establish a baseline for performance. It’s impossible to simulate all of the variables that go into fish fighting in the real world. So, we rely heavily on the feedback of guides and anglers that fish 200+ days per year all over the world. From the Seychelles to Montana, we have guys hammering our products. Their feedback is critical in the development and performance of our reels. We have made some small but significant changes over the years from this feedback and it has allowed us to make even better reels. 5) How do you support your customers once something with the reel and technology goes wrong? I’m happy to say we don’t see too many Hatch reels back here at the shop. But when we do, we operate as a no-questions-asked-type company. Arguing with customers and assigning blame when something breaks is pointless. We just replace it and move forward. The most important thing is that we get people back on the water fishing as quickly as possible. 6) Tell me about the last time a fish really tested you and the fly reel you created? It’s usually during any Tarpon fishing trip. Tarpon are erratic during a fight. They’re all over the place. They stop, they go, they jump, they run back on you. This behavior really tests the drag in a completely different way. Kristen Mustad President, Chief Product Tester, Receptionist, Accountant, Reel Designer, Delivery Boy, Fly Tier-in-Residence Nautilus Reels To earn a paycheck I: Have the pleasure of making some of the finest fly reels around.
1) What are the three most important things you think about when designing a fly reel:
made some amazing designs that never make it to market. Because I like it, it doesn’t mean you will.
A) Performance
2) Let’s talk about your philosophy and commitment to new technology and how it plays a role in your reels…
B) Looks C)
Will the public buy it? We have
continued on next page...
INTERVIEW
People still flock to reels with cork drags that were developed in the 50’s, and plastic drags from the 70’s. They were great at the time. Not anymore. Fly fishermen react to new technology when it comes to everything else: rods, phones, cars, you name it. Our philosophy is to innovate, innovate, innovate! Find new materials, new technologies, new manufacturing techniques, and put them into a fly reel. Never skimp on components. People change their cars every few years, but hold onto reels for 20. Our goal is to offer newer and greater stuff so people realize it is worth upgrading. And a new paint job just does not cut it. 3) What about technology as it applies to fresh water reels vs. salt water reels? Do I need all of that technology for an 18” trout? There is no need for any of it. But there is a want. Do you need a Ferrari to get on I-95 where the speed limit is 55mph? 4) Can you tell me about your research and design processes? How do you test your equipment to know that it will handle the everyday stresses of a fly angler? Let’s make a new reel. Wish list: 5 wt. MSRP $325. In one month I am fishing the reel. On a 6-weight rod, 20-lb tippet, drag cranked to max, false albacore off Jupiter with Capt.
Ron Doerr. It will survive the trip and perform flawlessly. I will likely have to make some minor adjustments. That will take another month. It pays to be nimble and to have employees that are there for you 24/7. 5) How do you support your customers once something with the reel and technology goes wrong? We act quickly. Fix the problem and make sure the fix is seamless and flows right through to production so there is no delay. One complaint is just noise - five complaints open an investigation. 6) Tell me about the last time a fish really tested you and the fly reel you created? I was fishing in Louisiana in 36-degree weather with a prototype reel we rushed out for this trip. The reel was a little pet project of mine that had gone back and forth between assembly, manufacturing, engineering and me one too many times. On the water, the handle fell off, the unpolished corners scraped my cold fingers and the reel free spooled. My index finger became the handle, and the redfish came in. Back to the drawing board for this one! Note to self: Make sure the handle screw has Loctite. at
New for 2011
A sea change in perception of price for performance.
orvis.com
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The Race to Resonate
Reading between the “lighter, faster, stronger” lines Written by Geoff Mueller
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
In a show of collective rod-making progress, 2011 promises to be a banner year with rollouts from leading manufacturers across the board. But, in a curious twist of events, a new resin technology brought to market by none other than 3M—wizards of everything from pet and professional health care products, to fire-barrier sealants and insect repellent—seems to be garnering more spotlight than the sum total of any individual stick. Companies using 3M’s Matrix Resin technology include G.Loomis (NRX) and St. Croix (Elite), while Hardy has been pushing the merits of its new nanosilica Sintrix rod series. So far the noise has reached high decibels, with superlatives ranging from “stronger,” “lighter,” “faster,” to the upper echelons of “radical” and even “revolutionary.” Andy Mill, Hardy’s new U.S. 26
consultant, tells us Sintrix rods “…are the most powerful, lightest, smoothest casting rods ever designed, EVER [sic]!” And strong sentiments have also been voiced by G.Loomis in the wake of NRX’s award-winning stints at the European Fishing Tackle Trade Expo and ICAST tradeshows earlier this year. As for mainstay industry players such as Orvis, Scott, Sage, and (Mr.) Gary Loomis, when it comes to the Matrix Resin mayhem, they’re equally vocal as to why they’re sitting this party out. So, is the time for a resin revolution now? Or, perhaps later? You be the judge. ---How it works
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Resin is an essential ingredient in the early stages of the fly rod building process. During the prepreg phase, it becomes the glue that, once heat-activated, holds the carbon fibers in a rod together. The stronger the adhesive; the better the bond. The better the bond; the stronger the rod. A stronger rod, other than obvious decreases in smash-up potential when hooked up to a whale, can allow manufacturers to thin the blank wall and trim weight (which could technically detract from overall strength gains), ultimately altering performance and feel.
nano-silica particles pack together to reinforce the individual graphite fibers during compression (when the rod is flexed), which resists micro-buckling.
from manufacturers using nano-silica resins range from 20 percent to 60 percent more overall muscle.
This phenomenon can be viewed much like a paper-towel core: When it’s over flexed, it buckles inward and collapses. Rods break when over-flexing causes the carbon fibers to fail on the compression side of the tubular structure. The nano-silica filler in Matrix Resin, according to its proponents, fights micro-buckling, resulting in a stronger blank.
3M’s new Matrix Resin has nanosized (microscopic) spheres of silica, which are said to perform as a uniform, homogeneous non-abrasive filler between the carbon fibers of a graphite blank. These smooth
In a nutshell, 3M says that adding nano-sized spherical silica to the resin provides increased modulus and ductility (toughness), without compromising other important properties. Reported rod-strength increases
If you’ve seen G.Loomis’s current ad campaign depicting rod designguru Steve Rajeff, pencil stuffed behind his ear, rods strewn across an engineering table, you’re likely also familiar with its NRX marketing slogan, “It took 17 years to build this rod.” The statement refers to the company’s graphite rod technology progressions since the early 1980’s— from IM6 to IMX, to GL3 to GLX to NRX.
---Believe It
G.Loomis Brand Manager, Justin Poe, says the company has been working with Matrix Resin for about continued on next page...
T H E B R A N D O F A G E N E R AT I O N DATE: August 9th, 2010, TEST DAY: #46
There’s a reason why IMAGO is the fastest growing brand in Europe. At the IFTD-show, experience your customers demand of tomorrow.
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two and a half years. During that time, rods constructed with Matrix Resin have endured everything from hook and deflection tests, to corrosion on guides and weather tests. In addition to building a stronger, longer-lasting rod, the goal was to create a lighter rod with a better overall feel. A combination, Poe says, the company has achieved by way of nano-silica technology in the new NRX designs.
power, weight, and actions remain the same.” You can make the rod lighter, he says, but you’re walking a fine line as far as wall thickness to strength ratios. So far, St. Croix is building its Elite blanks to the same tapers and specifications of last year’s models. The rods are stronger, cost about $10 more and, Brunner says, generally cast and perform similarly. ---Or Leave It
Looming questions regarding nanosilica use in NFC blanks, according to his team, have revolved around consistency issues.
G.Loomis reports that NRX rods are 20 percent stronger/more impact resistant than comparable GLX offerings (the company is not releasing actual breaking strengths), as well as at least 15 percent lighter. Much of this weight reduction stems from the bolstered strength, which allows the use of less material to build the final product.
Like most good stories, there’s often a flipside. And the tale of nano-silica resins is no exception. Gary Loomis, owner of North Fork Composites (NFC), makers of fresh- and saltwater rod blanks, first became familiar with nano resin prototypes about 10 years ago.
“NFC is known throughout the fishing industry for its consistency. Whenever we develop a new blank, whether that blank utilizes a new fiber, resin, or design, that blank will not be released into the market until we are sure it can be produced perfectly for years to come. Only
“In almost 40 years of manufacturing experience, I have seen many improvements in materials that have resulted in performance increases of up to 20 percent. Never before have I seen an improvement that resulted in a performance increase of more than double,” Loomis says.
Just how much lighter is 15 percent?
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
G.Loomis won’t say, choosing, Poe says, to remain out of the “who’slightest” debate. And instead relying on stated improvements in “performance” and “feel” to carry the series. At St. Croix, which is reporting 30 percent break-strength strides with Matrix Resin, weight reduction is a nonfactor in its marketing. Jason Brunner, St. Croix’s director of engineering, has been working with the new resin for more than one year. He says that after running the nano product against preexisting epoxies, the company noted “phenomenal” strength breakthroughs, and has since swapped out previously used epoxy resins for the 3M product in its top-end Legend Elite fresh- and saltwater lineups. As far as changes in overall rod weight and modulus counts via Matrix Resin, Brunner says, “Not true. We’ve done the testing—and the 30
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then is a blank worthy of carrying the signature endorsement of Gary Loomis,” says Jon Bial, NFC’s general manager. Back at St. Croix, Brunner agrees that the consistency of rods built with yesteryear’s nano-silica batches had been hit or miss, but counters that 3M’s new technology is the real deal: “If you’re not using this nano-silica product now, I don’t know what you’re thinking because it’s good stuff,” he says. “Bottom line, a company like 3M is not going to bring something to market that isn’t ready.” Regarding its readiness to launch, 3M’s marketing supervisor Janet Kirkman says, “3M’s nanotechnolgy product has gone through rigorous R&D testing, verifying that every lot meets specifications and that the nano-silica particles are consistent throughout. Our customers often work with us to help ensure that each batch is consistent throughout their manufacturing process into its final composite form.” Like NFC, Jim Bartschi, president and chief rod designer at Scott Fly Rods in Montrose, Colorado, has chosen to forgo 3M’s nano-silica Matrix Resin, at least for the present.
same rods made with and without the [3M] product were no savings in weight and no appreciable increases in durability. It didn’t make sense for us,” Bartschi says.
Scott, however, continues to watch the technology closely: “We’re totally into it. There was another promising nano-resin introduced about three years ago, but it was still continued on next page...
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Regardless, Scott passed on the product a little over a year ago after extensive factory testing. “What we found in A-B tests of the 31
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
Bartschi says that nano-silica particles from early batches had a tendency to “clump or conglomerate” into masses that could contaminate the product, instead of reinforcing it. But, he adds, since those preadolescent phases, 3M has developed ways to polish the silica, which means better dispersals and the potential to eliminate clumping problems.
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not quite right. The technology is promising, but it’s infant. Our job is to bring really good stuff to market that proves to work in real fishing situations… or our name is mud. We take a lot of risks—just not reckless ones.” Orvis is another company playing the wait-and-see game. Marketing Director Tom Rosenbauer says: “Basically, it’s pretty good stuff but we’re able to get better results with our (patent pending) high-cure thermoplastic resins. We get a better flow and thus better fiber translation and adhesion. “We’re not ruling out the use of some sort of nano composite in the future as we test new rod materials
all the time. But the 3M stuff just didn’t do it for us.” Orvis says it was offered the material two years ago, and concluded that, “Comparing our thermoplastic system with the 3M resin system, our Helios technology showed better impact strength.” But, “We should stress that we have not cast any of the rods by Hardy, Loomis, or St. Croix. Nor has anyone else outside of their field testers and staff.” Sage, with a team of engineers led by Steve Greist, says it was presented with Matrix Resin from a prepregger about 18 months ago. After putting the new resin through its standard sets of procedures and
testing, the company’s Director of Sales, Marc Bale, says the findings were “interesting” but not along the lines of anything “revolutionary.” “We did not come away with results that say it’s better than our Graphite 5 (G5) technology, and we’re not going in that direction.” Meantime, and despite a little heated resin debate from all sides, G.Loomis, Hardy, and St.Croix will line rod racks across the country with new nano-silica based rods this summer/fall. With the 3M stamp behind them, the Nano Matrix buzz has awoken all those in the arena. But any back-and-forth will ultimately be settled on the water. Let the casting commence.
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Profile:
Steelhead Icon Frank Moore AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
The first thing you notice about Frank Moore is his smile. Frank is a people person: outgoing, friendly and curious as heck about you and yours. You will miss Frank’s second defining characteristic on that first glance. Written by Monte Burke
Frank is about 5’9”, maybe 160 pounds, and slightly hunched at the shoulders. An average build. But when he inevitably moves in close to shake your hand, enveloping 34
your fingers and knuckles with his big paw, you’ll discover quickly that the man is powerful, even at the seasoned age of 87. In the course of that handshake, your entire arm
feature ® will feel as if it is being wrenched from its socket. You will sense—as Moore’s longtime fishing buddy Steve Rajeff, does—that, if needed, Frank could drag your ass up and over the rocks for a few miles upriver.
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In our society we like to ascribe greatness to leaders who are in charge of multitudes in our government or corporations. But there is another type of greatness that may even have more resonance, one that emanates from men who are on the ground, front-liners who see a problem and who damn near spend their whole lives trying to correct it, and succeed in doing so. That is Frank Moore. That is the power of that smile and that strength.
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Frank was born in 1923 in Carlton, Oregon. His father, who ran a Pontiac garage, built his own fly rods, tied his own flies and made his own fly lines. “I still remember those old lines hanging in the back of the garage,” says Frank. “There was linseed oil and varnish all over the place.” Every summer, his father brought in his brother-in-law to run the continued on next page...
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Frank Moore is a fly fishing icon, a phrase that’s thrown around a bit easily these days. But this is a man who has truly earned it. It’s safe to say that no one knows the North Umpqua River and her steelhead as well as Frank does. He’s been fishing and guiding on the river for well over six decades. He is, according to Rajeff, one of the best steelhead fishermen ever. But his fishing ability, however great it is, is secondary to his legacy as a conservationist.
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garage while he knocked off to go fishing, his entire immediate family in tow. The Moores fished all over Oregon. Frank caught his first trout on Neskowin Creek on the coast in 1927 at the age of four. The first thing he ever caught on the North Umpqua was a wooden bridge. “I was in the back of a pickup going across the bridge when my fly worked loose from the keeper and flew out of the back of the truck. And all of a sudden I heard my reel scream,” he says. “That bridge fought like hell.” Frank was drafted for World War II before his 20th birthday. He enlisted in an automatic weapons battalion. On D-Day he landed at Normandy after the first wave of Allied troops had hit the beach. “We had a fairly easy landing if you can call losing a few hundred kids easy,” he says. When the ramp went down on the landing craft and he got ready to dive onto the beach, Frank says he had two thoughts: “One was my beautiful wife Jeanne back home and the other was my brand 12799 PL_Anglingtrade.ai
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new Montague fly rod that I’d bought before the war, even though it was a terrible rod.” Frank eventually joined up the 83rd Infantry, which ended up suffering 16,000 casualties by the end of the war. He went with them to northern Germany and France before coming home in 1945. He describes World War II as nothing but “a terrible mess.” Back home he decided to forgo school and go straight into business. The Moores moved to Roseburg where they opened up and ran a restaurant named Moore’s Café for ten years. During this time he began to seriously fish the North Umpqua. “I was a pretty quick learner,” he says. Within a few years he was guiding for Clarence Gordon at the North Umpqua Lodge. Wife Jeanne put a tongue-in-cheek ad in the Roseburg paper that read: “Lost: One owner and manager of Moore’s Café. Last seen up the North Umpqua River.”
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In 1957 the Moore’s bought Gordon’s fishing store in Steamboat and started the Steamboat Inn, which they would run for nearly 20 years. The Steamboat was very much a family place, with the Moore’s four kids buzzing around the lodge. The fishing was excellent, too, attracting the well-todo from Los Angeles and San Francisco. In the 1960s Frank began to realize that there was something amiss with the North Umpqua steelhead. There were fewer fish in the river. Most of the problems stemmed from reckless logging of the area’s Douglas firs. The tributaries of the North Umpqua, stripped of their natural shade, warmed up quickly. Spawning gravel was covered in silt. Frank decided he couldn’t just sit around and let this destruction of the fishery just happen. He became a one-man wrecking ball. Frank traveled the state to attend meetings held by the Bureau of Land Management, the government entity that was in charge of doling out logging rights. He would sit quietly in the back during meetings and listen to the presentation. Then he would politely raise his hand and proceed to give them hell. But he couldn’t help but employ his smiling strength. “What’s funny is that some of my best friends were and still are loggers. But I always gave them my opinions,” he says.
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their way to British Columbia, where they planned to shoot a movie about fishing. Frank took them on a tour of the destruction around the North Umpqua. Impressed, the filmmaking duo instead made a film about Frank and his fight for the North Umpqua. The resulting movie, Pass Creek, became fly fishing’s Silent Spring, the clarion call that escalated public pressure on the logging industry and changed their damaging practices. The images of large trees being dragged destructively across tributaries film resonated far beyond Oregon. Frank was also a leader in the fight against hatchery fish in the na-
tion’s wild fish rivers. “When they first started planting hatchery fish in the North Umpqua, it seemed like such a great idea. There would be more fish for all of us!” he says. But he soon started to see the stark difference between wild and stocked fish, and how the latter deteriorated the wild fish gene pool. “It was terrible,” he says. Conservation is just a natural outflow of his love of fly fishing. “If you really get into fly fishing, you’re doing more than fishing. You’re immersed and absorbed into the total world of the fish’s universe,” he says. “You don’t just see the fish, you see the river, the flows, the banks, the hills.” Protecting that
universe is paramount. “The North Umpqua and all of our rivers are part of the gift the good Lord has given us,” he says. The part of the Bible where man is given dominion over nature is misunderstood, he believes. Dominion doesn’t mean destroying. It means stewardship. Conservation is not Frank’s only gift to the fly fishing community. When Frank first met Sherman Smith, the founder of Korkers, Smith’s products were mainly popular with loggers and longshoreman. Frank immediately saw their utility on the slippery rocks of the North Umpqua, and effectively became Korkers’ first retailer, selling them to guests at the Steamboat. He
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Frank’s other major industry connection is with G. Loomis. Rajeff, the company’s rod designer, says he’s known Frank for 40 years. “I was always amazed at Frank’s skill in casting,” says Rajeff, high praise from one of the world’s greatest fly casters. Rajeff has been sending Frank rod prototypes for years, and Frank was integral in the development of the GLX series of rods.
ing these hard economic times, they feel like they can stretch their limit on taking timber,” he says. “There are still people who don’t give a rip.” He says he’s worried a bit about the new generation of anglers and their commitment to the entire fish universe. “Some of them seem like self-centered knuckleheads,” he says. “But there are some good people, too.” His solution for the knuckleheads? “You have to get out there with them one on one and show them what you think is right and wrong,” he says. Use the smile; use the strength.
Frank, even at 87, has shown no signs of slowing down. He’s still fighting loggers. “Especially dur-
This winter Frank and Jeanne spent a month in New Zealand, starting their trip just ten days after Frank
sold a pair to his friend Jack Spence, who would eventually introduce tougher carbide studs on the sandals.
had a pacemaker put in. He fished, and Jeanne, who is an avid botanist, checked out the local flora. Back home, where they live in a log cabin Frank built on a hill over the river, Frank has already caught “some nice fish” this year. “I can still throw a nice loop or a long line if I have to,” he says. Jeanne prefers that he always fish with one of the many friends he’s made on the river, but Frank says he still “sneaks out there alone sometimes.” For Frank, the sport of fly fishing has doled out immeasurable rewards. “I’ll always be grateful that I picked up a fly rod so many years ago,” he says. So are we.
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very little to do with the physical act of throwing flies. In fact, only once in the entire volume does the author describe landing a fish, and even then it isn’t the typical man-conquest-of-nature noise that smacks of Saturday morning outdoors television. Instead, he uses fly fishing as a thread woven through more elaborate tapestries like relationships, love, and loss. I am particularly moved by Chiappone’s honesty as he tackles an eclectic array of topics, as well as his ability to eloquently bounce from lighthearted humor to more stark tones.
By Richard Chiappone (Barclay Creek Press)
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
I’ve long thought that the world has far too many fly fishers who write stories, and far too few great writers who fly fish. Fortunately for us, Richard Chaippone falls into the latter category, even though the subtitle of his new book Opening Days might suggest otherwise. Chiappone is a former winner of the Robert Traver Award, and his stories have appeared in a range of publications, from Playboy to Gray’s Sporting Journal. He’s also a writing teacher for the University of Alaska. Opening Days is a collection of short stories and poems that involve fly fishing themes, but ultimately have 40
The wild Alaskan rainbow is one thing… but the stocked rainbow in a Pennsylvania pond is quite another. And as much as we like to catch them (and our industry, to a large degree, depends on this species that has been engineered for mass production, a la beef cattle), it’s worth a closer look at how the proliferation of rainbows throughout the country has had its consequences… good and bad.
But I’ve always been a sucker for good writing. And for me, with every passing year, fly fishing is less about the fish, and more about the places and people I experience along the way. So I buy into Chiappone’s approach. But ultimately, I like the way he tells stories. I think you will too.
By Anders Halverson (Yale University Press)
I really liked this book, even though I didn’t think I would. Heck, I’m a trout bum. There really isn’t such a thing as a “bad” trout, is there? Well, apparently that all depends on where you are.
You’ll find Halverson’s book isn’t a bitter pill, rather a remarkably wellresearched and well-plotted story that’s part science, part history, and part sociology... all of which are very interesting and entertaining. And ultimately, the book puts the rainbow trout story in perspective. All of us (particularly people who stock rivers and ponds with mutant triploid farmed rainbows, purely to manufacture photo ops for paying
clients) should at least acknowledge that a synthetic fish can lead to a synthetic fly fishing experience. Granted, that might be a good thing, or a bad thing. But you’ll be in a better place to decide for yourself having taken in An Entirely Synthetic Fish. Two Other Quick Suggestions…
By Douglas Brinkley (Harper Collins)
An ultimate, massive volume on Roosevelt and the conservation movement… it makes you appreciate what a bold visionary the man was, and makes you wish we had more of this thinking in our government these days.
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Money, Money, Money, Money…The popular 70’s O’Jays song titled For the Love of Money declares money alone is the root of all evil. The funk tune is, perhaps ironically, also the theme song of Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice” reality show. But on a less ideological level, maintaining margins is often the key focus of successful business owners. Many a business has failed, holding tight to the mantra that money through the doors leads to success. But it isn’t always about volume. More accurately in the world of business, the lyrics should unapologetically herald “profit, profit, profit.” But in the fly fishing industry real profits are sometimes garnered under whispered tones by business owners fearing backlash from those that want to hold fly fishing to an unrealistic standard of hippie idealism. It may not have the same ring in a lyrical stanza, but profit is music to any business owner’s ears, and despite any public opinion, it is what keeps the doors of any fly fisherman’ favorite fly tackle purveyor open. Sales look great on paper and are needed for a business to survive. But sales with no margin will cause payroll checks to bounce. Similarly margin rate is also critical and margin rate growth is vital for a company, not only to stay alive, but also to flourish, compete and grow. The combination of the two, margin rate and sales dollars, produces the life blood of a business: profit dollars. In a mature industry such as fly fishing, margin rate growth is as difficult to achieve as squeezing in-stream flows for fisheries out of an irrigation
Pointed at Profit: The Margin Game Written by Jeff Wagner
district’s water budget. So if margin rate is hard to come by, the only way to increase profit dollars is through increased sales, right? That would be the case if sales for many businesses were not also decreasing, making any kind of growth, let alone continued on next page... 42
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their company goals. Many products in the industry are MAP priced keeping retails at a premium and giving no one retailer an advantage. This is fine, until you are looking for more margin or more sales. This can become especially apparent when you overestimate sales units for a pre-season and need to move it to reduce end-of-season inventory.
survival, seem a daunting task. So what is the solution? Overall, many factors may contribute, but right now, in our current economic climate, there are a few that stand out. In no particular order I present to you the top offenders. Then, unlike most fluffy articles, we (AT) will cover some common remedies to help fight the margin blues and regain capitalist territory. Is there one that makes sense and is achievable without alienating customers or pissing off vendors? The following ideas will need to fit your business model but will be meaningful factors increasing profit:
Lack of innovation – Innovation creates demand and demand creates sales. It’s that simple. Innovation also creates new processes, building techniques and often, at least in the future, higher margins once production increases. But at a retailer level product innovation is out of our hands.
Product costs – Cost of materials, such as the graphite, are increasing. The material shortages are compounded by the labor shortages and are forcing manufacturing to increase their prices. With increased prices come increased retail, but not always enough to cover the cost, reducing the margin. Often this is unavoidable, and given the small purchasing quantities in fly fishing compared to other industries like automotive, we are subject to the ebb and flow of the markets.
Chinese Labor issues – The world of manufacturing has been put on
MAP – Map-priced products are solely determined by the vendor and
Getting stuck by the “man”- things we can’t do anything about but impact the bottom line:
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
its head with a perfect storm of issues out of China. With rising labor costs, an ever-increasing pool of talented laborers that know their worth are being paid more and are working less hours. This shift has not only caused wages to go up and the man hours to go down, but has given the Chinese work force more time and more disposable income. Currently, lead times are increasing and factories are becoming picky about who they work for and how long it takes. The end result is higher retails, lower margins, and longer waits.
44
Big Box- It is important to understand that fly fishing is a tiny industry, a spec on the screen of the global markets. Large retailers like Cabela’s, Orvis, Bass Pro, and Gander Mountain purchase a high percentage of the industry’s fly fishing gear. In many ways this assists the smaller shops. Larger orders from these retailers allow manufacturers to buy and stock more gear at a lower risk and have more available for in-season purchases. This also decreases costs by increasing buy quantities and reducing production overhead. The increased buy volume creates more profit in the pocket of many vendors that can be used for expansion and innovation. Sticking it TO the man… things we can impact on a daily basis: Buying Groups – Common to many other industries, especially the fishing industry (non-fly): putting groups of retailers together allows for larger purchases and group discounts. Sounds simple, and it is. But few fly fishing retailers band together in regional buying groups of affiliated shops to purchase together. This would improve delivery times, improve margin and improve customer satisfaction. continued on next page...
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Plan Accordingly – buying is a process, not a one-time event when the rep comes by. Use the POS system and its sales history (which you have of course purchased, and if you have not NEED to). Review what you did last year ask the reps what they are seeing and hearing. Use a simple % increase/decrease of your LY sales. DON’T go by feeling. How does this help? A better understanding of your past gives you a better idea of what you will do in the future. Now you have the inventory you think you need instead of the inventory you feel like you want. This reduces the end of season sales and liquidations at reduced margin. It also gives you the opportunity to make preseason orders and get the product on time.
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
Utilizing distributors that increase your merchandising options – Get your name out there. Fly shops should have name recognition. Using a group that can create “private label” products like Rocky Bloskos and StoneCreek will increase margin, get your name out, and keep your customers coming back. They won’t be able to find what you sell anywhere else. Your name and your packaging make it unique. Lost Art of Negotiating – vendors or reps that make everything black and white should be sent packing. You can’t always get a better costing, but be creative. Will they take product back at the end of the season if you increase your product lineup to test the market? Will they help pay for advertising? Will they buy fixtures? Can you combine forces for demo days, day clinics, fly fishing schools? Can you get an 46
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extra 2% for pre-season orders for the year? Can you stock swap? All of these options will improve your bottom line at the end of the year. Not only helping sales through increased promotion but possibly better pricing. Think outside the box. If you don’t think of it they won’t offer it. Find your niche – This is THE biggest area for improvement and should be a topic all on its own. Your geography, customer base, fishery, retail location, and everything that makes up your current and potential customers is unique, use it. The shop down the street may have a larger footprint and more product but you may have more knowledgeable sales staff. Use your advantages! If you have more product display it using proper merchandising techniques. If you have great instructors, use them. Offer classes, teach casting, teach tying, and create tying clubs. Look for the products no one else is carrying. Be the fly tying shop. Be the destination shop. Be what your customers want you to be and not what you want to be. Taking care of their needs and separating yourself from others will keep them coming back.
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AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
At the end of the day the key is to see the fly fishing world through the lens of a business filter. Your livelihood and your customers interests depend on it. This approach will keep your customers coming back as they get what they want, keep you making enough profit to keep the doors open, and one hopes enough time without stress to hit the stream. at
8/17/09
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Q&A
With Andrew Bennett, President of Deneki Outdoors Written by Bruce Smithhammer
“But is there any way that you, you could just sock me out so there’s no way that I’ll know I’m at work?…Can I just come home and think I’ve been fishing all day or something?”
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
– Peter Gibbons, speaking to his therapist in the movie “Office Space.” I can’t help but be reminded of the scene above as Andrew Bennett, president of Deneki Outdoors, shares with me how his change in careers came about. continued on next page... 48
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AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
Straight out of Dartmouth College, Andrew went to work for a software company for 9 years, but soon realized that something needed to change. Whether it was the result of growing up in Fairbanks, Alaska,
and spending a lot of time outdoors as a kid, or simply realizing that he wanted to run his own small business and spend a lot more time fishing than sitting in front of a computer, Andrew cut the corpo-
rate cord at a relatively young age to make it happen. Hence, Deneki (pronounced Deh-NEE-kee) was born; the name being taken from the native Athabaskan word for “moose,” and a favorite childhood book of Andrew’s. The first operation that Deneki acquired was Alaska West, located on the Kanektok River, one of the most prolific salmon and trout rivers in western Alaska. Within a few years, the operation grew to include Andros South in the Bahamas (one of the best bonefishing areas on the planet), B.C. West on the famed Dean River in British Columbia, and most recently, Chile West. In a relatively short period of time, Deneki has emerged as one of the top destination outfitters in the industry. This is no doubt a credit to Andrew’s adept business acumen, and the professional team he has hired to staff his operations, but what is truly noteworthy is that Deneki has gotten to this point by largely side-stepping the traditional channels of marketing – they do little print advertising, relying instead on a blog that is updated daily to cultivate web traffic. They’ve also taken such unconventional steps as inviting fly fishing bloggers (as opposed to more traditional print media types) to their operations. Deneki is breaking ground in this approach, and it seems to be working. I recently had the good fortune of spending time with Andrew while visiting Andros South, and was curious to learn more about the philosophy behind his unusual approach.
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Q: Would you say that Deneki has a target client demographic? If so, how would you describe that person? AB: I’m always amazed at the really wide range of demographics that continued on next page...
There are a couple of things that everybody has in common though they’re looking first and foremost for a fantastic fishing experience (versus a luxury lodging experience that also offers fishing), and they’ve got some flexibility in their schedules. Our locations are pretty remote, so a typical week-long trip is really more like 8 or 9 days away from home. We definitely see a lot of business owners, recent retirees and professionals - doctors, lawyers, dentists, architects, etc. - but I really think that’s mostly a function of the flexibility that they’ve got in their schedules. So yes, our target demographic winds up being maybe what you think of as typical – middle-aged and up, mostly US-based, mostly male, and certainly above-average income. It’s not all about about the money though - a lot of it has to do with having the time.
place to return to at the end of the day, where they don’t need to worry about spilling beer on their shorts, or even whether or not they’ve managed to take their waders off by dinner time. On top of that, I think
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AB: Yes, I think that’s true. What is different is the type of experience our clients are seeking. Our average
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Q: That’s interesting, because my initial impression was that Deneki’s style of operation appealed to a more “hardcore” type of angler. But in thinking about it more, and hearing your response, that’s clearly not the case – the average Deneki client is really no different in terms of age, background, etc. But, at the same time, I’d say that you are bucking a conventional industry wisdom, especially of the last few decades, that seems to think that destination fishing clients are looking for/expecting a high-end lodge experience.
client, even though they can typically afford it, isn’t interested in going to a 5-star, luxury resort to fish. Instead, they are interested in immersing themselves in a place that offers really good fishing, and having a fun
Powe
we see at our lodges - kids as young as 10 or 12, master anglers as old as 94, wealthy folks who do tons of travel, middle-class folks who budget and save for years for that ‘trip of a lifetime.’
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that the 5-star, formal approach can actually hurt the atmosphere of the experience by making it too rigid and stuffy. We design our experience to be what we would want if we went to a lodge – a relaxed and fun place to hang out. And I’ve had a number of our return clients – people who have the means to fish anywhere they want to, tell us that that is precisely why they return to our operations. Q: What I find particularly interesting about your approach to marketing Deneki is that it has not followed convention of how to market a destination travel business. Do you feel that this has been a more effective approach for reaching your target client than more traditional advertising avenues?
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
AB: I’ll tell you in a couple of years how effective our marketing approach has been. We started focusing pretty heavily on online marketing about 18 months ago, and one thing that I learned really quickly is that it just takes a long time. It takes time to build quality content, it takes time for people to find you and show their friends, it takes time for the search engines to decide you’re important, and all those things build on each other. Six months into the big online push I would have said no way was it worth it. At this point I think yes, it’s been worth the effort, and the idea is that over the next few years we will have reached many people online. There’s one big reason that I decided to push hard to get a bunch of great content online. It’s going to sound way too obvious at the start, but bear with me; one of my challenges in marketing is that the things that truly make our operations different - amazing fishing, 52
incredible teams of people, fantastic service - are all really easy to claim, and everyone in fly fishing travel claims them (and you yawned when you read that, right?). So, when I look at more traditional media - say, print ads - I have a hard time figuring out how to communicate that “yeah, everyone says those things but at our places they’re actually true”. Everyone can do a nice ad layout, get a cool logo designed, throw in a picture of the biggest fish ever caught at their lodge, and make those claims in a print ad. It just occurred me that we need to have a big depth of content to show that we actually deliver on those promises. Marketing online provides an opportunity to deliver depth - pictures of all elements of an operation, tips from senior guide staff that show you’re credible, videos that capture more of the environment, reports from guests who have visited, gear reviews that your guests might find helpful...the list goes on and on. So that’s the blessing of our online approach. The curse is that delivering depth is a ton of work. We can reach a lot of people and we hope show them that we know what we’re talking about, but on www.deneki. com alone, as one example, we’ve got 700 pages currently, all with at least one edited photo, and we’re doing a new blog post every day. We’re a small company and that’s a very big commitment, but our operations really are different, and I believe that the best way to show how we’re different is to provide that depth, and to do it online. Q: It seems like the key to the sustainability of any destination operation, in addition to attracting first-time clients, is cultivating a sustainable, return-client base. What
are your thoughts on how/why this is succeeding with Deneki? AB: Agreed, return clients are incredibly important for any destination operation, and I’d say that a thrilled client base is even more important for us with multiple destinations - even if someone decides in advance that their trip to Alaska is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event, if they have a great experience on that trip and decide someday that they want to try bonefishing, for example, hopefully they think of taking that bonefishing trip with us. They key to building that sustainable client base is incredibly easy to describe and incredibly difficult to pull off - deliver fantastic fishing trips. Sorry, but there’s no magic wand here. Do what you say you’re going to do. Pick only the very best fisheries. Hire the best staff possible. Work hard for your guests every day. Invest in the facility and the equipment. Provide a fun, welcoming environment. Ask for feedback and take it to heart. Q: What sort of relationship do you seek to cultivate directly with individual fly shops? AB: We love working with fly shops! I’m going to use one of the worst clichés of all time here, because it couldn’t be more true - it’s just a classic win-win situation. When anglers travel, they need gear. It’s as simple as that. And yes, our trips tend to be pretty big trips, with guests often targeting species that they don’t target at home, and often multiple species as well...in other words, they’re buying more than leader and tippet. We pay commissions to fly shops on all guests that they refer to us, and those commissions can definitely
turn into some real dollar amounts. But if you talk to the shops that do a lot of business with us, they’ll tell you that the commissions are great but that from a business standpoint they pale in comparison to the equipment sales that result from the trips. We also have a really successful hosting program for people in the industry that provides for discounted or free host spots (depending on the size of the group), in addition to the commissions that we pay. The hosted groups work out great for all four players involved:
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Like everything worthwhile though, building good relationships with fly shops takes time and effort. When I start a new relationship with a shop, I generally don’t expect to see any business come of it for at least a year. It just takes time to get to know each other, to get in front of the right customers of the shop, to answer logistical questions, to get all the different folks at the shop up to speed, and maybe to have someone from the shop come by and check out our operations. Most of the business that we do with shops is built around hosted trips, but we also do quite a bit of straight referral business - the shop sends a customer our way, they book a trip, we send the shop a check and the shop sells them some gear for the trip. It’s all good! at
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Guides as Ambassadors for Fly Fishing
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
Written by Lance Gray
54
The top was off of my 1969 Bronco and the spring morning air was cool as I drove into the fly shop’s parking lot. The “coffee club” was waiting for me. The “coffee club” was a group of retired guys that hung out at the fly shop, fished and always had an opinion. Bob was holding a box of donuts in his hands with a donut sticking out of his mouth. The other Bob had a broken fly rod and Richard was smoking a cigarette. As I jumped out of the Bronco I asked Bob, “What happened to the rod”. “I broke it,” he said. “Now open up the door!” I realized then the morning was off to a great start. By mid morning the coffee was flowing and the shop was busy. Press walked into the shop from the rod company and grabbed a donut and a cup of coffee. He took a bite of his donut and then a swig of his coffee and looked right at me. “Are you ready?” he asked. “Am I ready for what?” I cautiously asked. “I just booked your first guide trip,” said Press. continued on next page...
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What does this mean for us the fly fishing guide? Simple- we need to give the angler not just guidance on the water while fishing, but guidance in equipment, techniques, fundamentals and conservation issues. As a guide we are ambassadors to the entire fly fishing world.
“What, when, where, who – what?” I exclaimed. “No need to thank me,” laughed Press. The coffee club joined in laughing with Press. The laughter turned to counseling me for my first guide trip. Opinions varied and the arguing began again.
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
That was 22 years ago and it was my first guide trip. I can remember it like it was yesterday. The client, or as I call my clients now, “guest,” was a Japanese businessman Press meet at a Rotary Club event. He spoke using an interpreter. The trip was long, hard, frustrating and above all “Fantastic.” It was my first guide trip. The shop was Powell’s Fly Shop in Chico, California and I was 18 years old. The days I spent at that shop learning from the greatest rod builders of our time, fly tiers, fly fishers and guides became the back bone of my fly fishing knowledge. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Most guides will tell you that they are not business people. They 56
started to guide because they love to fly fish. But, successful guides, guides who want to build their business, must approach their business just as any business person would. Designing a business plan based on real numbers and a sound philosophy is an absolute must. It should be complete and within reason. Set goals and monitor the progress of each set of goals and adjust them as necessary. Every successful businesses has to network with other business to survive and grow. The guiding industry is no exception. The definition of a guide is – A person who leads anyone through unknown or unmapped country. This includes a guide of the real world (such as someone who conducts travelers and tourists through a place of interest), as well as a person who leads someone through more abstract places (such as to knowledge or wisdom). “I expect patience, expertise, professionalism and a genuine love of the sport of fly fishing” Tim Loomis – Sales Representative
As ambassadors, guides must have a great knowledge of fly fishing and techniques interwoven with product knowledge and environmental values. We are stewards of the sport of fly fishing. It is an extremely important responsibility that no guide must take lightly. How do guides succeed you might ask? The answer is quite simple, plain hard work and honesty. “We expect the guide to be an ambassador to the sport” Dave Gibson – Great Bay Rod Company Building a network is not easy and can take time. Patience and a lot of hard work is the catalyst. The main component in constructing a network is honest communication during the networking. As guides we are going to network with a variety of people and businesses. The guide will network with manufactures, retail dealers, independent sales representatives, private water providers and yes other guides to mention a few. Everyone in the networking is going to have a different goal to accomplish while providing the mission of “fly fishing”. We as guides must understand their individual needs. continued on next page...
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Constructing networks and forging relationships with other entities is sometimes easy and at other times very complex. The approach for guides to network with other businesses starts with a fundamental philosophy. “Built in the USA” is a philosophy example. Guides with this core philosophy can pick equipment based on this philosophy and develop long-term guide/ manufacturer relationship with manufacturers who build products in the USA. Guides that have a “green” philosophy may gravitate to companies or conservation issues that are at the forefront of the “green cause.”
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That said, guides like other business owners must sit down and set the philosophy for their business. This will in turn become the first cornerstone of their business. Next the guide must set the financial business plan into motion. Decide what equipment to use and what manufacture to work with based on the financial plan. This is the second cornerstone. The trick to being involved with other fly fishing companies is to be honest. Honesty is the third cornerstone. When a manufacturer comes to you and wants you, the guide, to push the company’s products and that product does not meet your set needs and you push the product, then the cornerstone is weakened. If it does not fit be honest and give suggestions on how it may work for you. Forge networking partners on sound business decisions based on straightforward business principles that you have set.
“I think professional, hardworking guides are awesome and major assets to fly fishing,” Jamie Lyle – Outdoor Specialty Products Manufacturers are looking for guides who will represent and communicate to fly fishers the manufacturers product in a professional manner. They expect guides to communicate with them and give feedback from the field. Manufacturers are always open to improving products and services. As guides we can shape this area with product research and development. A guide who represents a product well and does not badmouth other products to make the particular product they are using look better is a guide that a manufacturer will want to work with. Manufacturers also have relied heavily on independent sales representatives (REP) to choose what guides or pro staff that the company desires to represent them. In most cases the REP does the choosing for their regional area. The REP’s job is to service, promote and educate all areas of fly fishing in a given regional area. The REP needs to help the manufacturer to gain guides that will promote the product in a positive manner. That REP is looking for guides who will gain product exposure; develop a product “brand name” and educate guests. REP’s and guides should develop a very close working relationship. The relationship that a guide has with one’s regional REP is priceless. That being said, the relationship must be a two-way street. REPs do not want to work with guides who
abuse them and/or the companies they represent. Retail fly shop dealers are, in my view, the hardest networking condition. Simply due to the fact that most guides have already worked at shops or are working at a shop. Or the dealer already has a built-in guide program. It is still possible to network with a dealer. Find a niche for that dealer. Develop a service that a dealer wants and needs. Schools, clinics or even a trip to local water that is not being guided, gives the dealer a great product point. Dealers are looking for guides that will treat “their” customers right. Dealers are also looking for guides that will treat them right. The dealer does not want to work with a guide that sells equipment or refers their customer to a different shop. When a dealer books your services for their customers you are working for them. Represent them well and in turn the dealers will represent you well. “I think good fly fishing guides are very important to my business and the sport of fly fishing,” Bill Kiene – Kiene’s Fly Shop Private property owners and providers are in my mind a must for guides. There is nothing better than having private property to offer your guest to fish. Private water is huge in the fly fishing world and guides should have a great working relationships with these entities. Most private water providers have a guide program already in place. The guide needs to remember that private water is like booking a res-
taurant. Reservations and communication with the provider are the key to making the network succeed. “We provide guides a quality agenda so that they can maximize their skills with their clients” Terry Thomas – Private Fly Water A guide working with other guides is like a high school society. Guides will migrate to guides they like, know and admire. They will also create a network within that group. Guides should be patient with other guides; they should be good citizens while guiding. If a guide has an issue with another guide then they should work it out as professionals. Guides who network with guides will benefit greatly. Guides may even guide you in the networking process. “Guides should not get wrapped up in their own ego, they are here to serve,” Jack Cook – Guideline USA Building networks with others is done with hard work, honesty and representing yourself and the products that you use in a positive manner. Networking is the fourth cornerstone. It will collapse if the principles are not sound. Guides must have a network in place with an attitude that supports the betterment of all. With all four cornerstones entrenched business success is just around the corner. The fly fishing market is a symbiotic market that only works when everyone is working toward a common goal. at
BACKCAST
One of the many recurring pipe dreams within the flyfishing industry—other than the (finally) fading hope for A River Runs Through It sequel—is this notion that a huge audience of bait chuckers and spin fishermen is out there just dying to fly fish if we could only get them to give it a try.
Better Luck This Time:
Why Fly Fishing Deserves Its Own Shows—Trade AND Consumer Written by Tom Bie
This theory has flaws. For starters, it’s self-centered and arrogant to believe that a guy who’s been pitching soft plastics at largemouths for 20 years is suddenly going to be satisfied nymphing for nine-inch brookies on a Saturday morning. Or how about the Left Coast Chinook fisherman, who spends every fall filling his freezer with Kings he caught trolling Hot Shots through the estuary? Think that guy is going to respond to “but they will hit a swung fly, I swear!”? Like most of you, I believe flyfishing to be the greatest leisure activity on earth, and I can’t fathom how everyone else doesn’t want to do it. “You just don’t get it,” I say to my non-fishing friends. “Because if you did, it’s all you would want to do.” Sadly, this is the same sort of misplaced passion that we might find at an Amway convention, a Trekkie trade show, or a gathering of paintball fans. And it is this wishful thinking that has, in part, led to a couple disastrous decisions in recent years regarding our trade show and several consumer shows.
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
photo: Jamie Gormley
It all began in January of 2008, when an AFFTAbacked consumer show was scheduled at the Denver Convention Center during the same weekend as Chuck Furimsky’s Fly Fishing Show, also held in Denver. I don’t know what the circumstances were that led to this decision, all I know is that it didn’t work. It didn’t work for either of the promoters, it didn’t work for the exhibitors, and worst of all, it didn’t work for the consumers, who felt betrayed by an already small industry that inexplicably opted to cut itself in half at consumers’ expense. With the dueling consumer shows experiment behind them, AFFTA then teamed up with the International Sportsmen’s Expo, providing the flyfishing component to a large consumer show catering primarily to people who really, really like shooting things. The idea was simple—an audience of 20,000 continued on next page...
60
BACKCAST
at ISE would surely be better than an audience of 5,000 at Furimsky’s Fly Fishing Shows. Besides, the logic went, ISE provided access to “all those crossover people” who would love to try fly fishing. Problem is, this “crossover” consumer group is sort of like Snuffleupagus (spell check in aisle four, please)—it sounds big and friendly, but it’s also largely fictitious. In fact, the number of “I Catch and Release—Into My Frying Pan!” T-shirts at shows like the Sportsmen’s Expo is evidence enough that at least a portion of these attendees are not only non-fly fishers, but anti-fly fishers, believing—in some cases accurately—that the snobatorium of fly fishing is precisely what is restricting baitfishing access to their waters back home. (See “State of Michigan” for current examples.)
AnglingTrade.com / September 2010
Please don’t misunderstand me: I think Brian Layng and John Kirk and the whole ISE team do a phenomenal job promoting their shows—they know how to fill aisles, and their marketing approach is something that the fly fishing industry as a whole could learn from. Nevertheless, I still believe that, after the AFFTA contract with the ISE shows expires next year, AFFTA should go back to supporting Furimsky’s The Fly Fishing Show, or whichever independent shows are known to be successful, like Tom Helgeson’s Great Waters Expos. I know, I know… Chuck’s shows aren’t perfect. He doesn’t (or hasn’t) supported AFFTA; and his legendary “AFFTA’s out to get me” paranoia-laced letters to the industry were unhelpful and unnecessary. But still, like any small business owner, I 62
have to look at the results. And when I compare apples to apples—having a booth at The Fly Flyfishing Show in Denver in 2009, versus having a booth at the ISE show in Denver in 2010, the return on my investment was much higher with Chuck’s show. Sure, not every industry business had the same experience as me—I know that travel companies, for one, do well at most ISE shows. But my point is why AFFTA needs a contractual obligation with ANY consumer show, rather than just cherry picking the best ones—like Furimsky’s notoriously successful Somerset, New Jersey, show. The same logic can be applied to our industry trade show. While open to the idea of this year’s show
teaming with Outdoor Retailer in Utah—a historically successful show that I attended for many years as a member of the ski and paddling industry—I think we ultimately ended up with a far better deal: our own show on our own terms, where we can work together to grow our own industry. Certainly, there is “crossover” potential out there, possibly lots of it. But growth in fly fishing will come from existing fly fishers sharing it with and showing it to potential fly fishers on a real waterway, not on a two-inch-deep casting pond wedged between bowhunting targets, a climbing wall, and the latest collection of ATVs. at