速
Inside the
2012 Q4 Issue
Women and Fly Fishing/Politics for Anglers/ Great Expeditions/Bristol Bay Update/ An American Manufacturing Success Story/ and More December 2012 AnglingTrade.com
CONTENTS
®
Features
Departments
Editor
24 No Man’s Land There’s
6 Editor’s Column
Managing Editor
enormous potential in marketing to women anglers, but frankly, most of us still don’t get it. By Geoff Mueller
Now... The Hard Part AFFTA has found a partner for its trade show. Now it has to make the relationship work for fly businesses... without burning other bridges in the process. By Kirk Deeter
8 Currents
28 REC: Manufacturing (the Right Way) in America A behind-
the-scenes visit with the “BASF” of fly fishing (“we don’t make a lot of the products you buy... we make a lot of the product you buy better”). The company that creates fly rod DNA (and now Wheatley fly boxes) is all about the fishing. By Kirk Deeter
The latest people, product and issues news from the North American fly fishing industry, including new brands, environment/conservation briefs, a post-election update on Bristol Bay, and much more.
22 Guest Editorial OIA’s Hugelmeyer suggests there’s more than one “honey hole” to be fished when it comes to trade shows.
Deep Canyon Outfitters demonstrates all the ingredients for overnight (trip) success.
By Chris Santella
23 Books
Rosenbauer’s latest on family-focused fly fishing.
38 Backcast
Small business... taxes... conservation... public access... they’re all important issues to the fly fishing business. But apparently not to all politicians in Washington. By Kirk Deeter
Tim Romano tim@anglingtrade.com Art Director
Tara Brouwer tara@shovelcreative.com shovelcreative.com Editor-at-Large
Geoff Mueller Copy Editors
Mabon Childs, Sarah Deeter Contributing Editors
Tom Bie Ben Romans Steven B. Schweitzer Contributors
Joe Cermele, Tom Sadler, Chris Santella Photos unless noted by Tim Romano
32 Great Expeditions Oregon’s
34 The Politics of Fly Fishing
Kirk Deeter kirk@anglingtrade.com
Closer to scat: bears, girlfriends, and the appeal of the real outdoors. By Geoff Mueller
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. Advertising Contact: Tim Romano Telephone: 303-495-3967 Fax: 303-495-2454 tim@anglingtrade.com
Street Address: 3055 24th Street Boulder, CO 80304 AnglingTrade.com
3
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
Mail Address: PO Box 17487 Boulder, CO 80308
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CONTRIBUTORS
Joe Cermele is the fishing editor for Field & Stream magazine, one of the oldest and most respected outdoors brands in the world. We’re lucky to to be able to tap Joe for stories now and then, if only because we knew and worked with him when he was a young editor at SaltWater Sportsman years ago. Joe also tends to get the deepest new gear insights from both the fly and conventional tackle worlds, as evidenced by his short piece on a new reel company with old industry connections in this issue of Angling Trade.
Geoff Mueller divides his magazine efforts between Angling Trade, where he is the editorat-large, and The Drake where he is the senior editor. Geoff handles the “Backcast” column and regular features for AT, including this issue’s insightful look at marketing fishing apparel to women. He and photographer (AT managing editor) Tim Romano partnered on a book called What a Trout Sees: A Fly Fishing Guide to Life Underwater, which will be released in the spring of 2013.
Tom Sadler is a member of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association board of directors, where he chairs AFFTA’s Government Affairs and Alliances committee. He is a wellknown and respected conservation advocate, having worked for numerous sportsmen’s and conservation groups including the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the Izaak Walton League, and the Trust for Public Land. He has served on the boards of the Federation of Fly Fishers, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture and the National Fisheries Friends Partnership.
Chris Santella regularly contributes fly fishing articles to the New York Times, Fly Rod & Reel, and Angling Trade, among many publications and websites. He is the author of the highlypopular Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die books. His next release Why I Fly Fish involves interviews with high-profile business exectutives, professional athletes, politicians, and other celebrities who share a passion for fly fishing. It will be released next spring..
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EDITOR’S COLUMN
Now… The Hard Part
If you think it’s “all outdoors,” fine. I’m not here to tell you which way to go. I’m here to help you with whichever path you choose (and I recognize for many, it isn’t an either-or deal).
it will be exhibiting at both “shows,” meaning it will have a booth presence in both the larger ICAST exhibition, as well as an IFTD presence. I think that’s clearly the high road.
I want to help AFFTA deliver a valuable, viable trade expo. I want the American Sportfishing Association to think more on the “fly side” (which should happen through healthy partnership).
I’m not sure how many others are going to follow it.
But at the same time, I want Outdoor Retailer (OR) and the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) to be infatuated with fly fishing as well. There is definitely more opportunity to make that happen now than there was in recent years. But I acknowledge that doesn’t come without a price.
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
The American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) has put its International Fly Tackle Dealer trade show on solid footing, and has hitched that wagon to the “all fishing” ICAST trade show scheduled for next July. That comes as a relief to many, and a disappointment for others. I guess that ultimately depends on whether you consider yourself a manufacturer or retailer of “outdoor goods” or “fishing goods.” Trust me, I’ve heard it from both interests at great length, as they’ve tried to lobby Angling Trade toward one camp or the other. Here’s where I land. I’m in the camp of the independent fly fishing retailer. Period. I want to see retailers sell more rods, reels, flies and what-not. If you think “all fishing” is the avenue to do that, great. 6
Marrying fly fishing with “all fishing” (ASA) can and should be a good thing, but now we’re going to get into the fine details. Ask ASA what it thinks about lead in tackle, for example, and you might not like the answers. Same for topics like “marine sanctuaries,” or “catch quotas,” or other issues. The good news is that the ASA powers-thatbe genuinely understand and appreciate fly. They wanted us… they got us. Now I hope they will listen to us. On the OR side, the same feeling applies. You wanted us… you still have many of us… now show us how much fly matters to you. And to its credit, OR already has made strides in that direction, promising a fly casting demonstration space at the OR show, and more.
And what about fostering the goals and objectives of those who want to build business through OR? A company or retailer that goes to OR should not be outcast, nor should it turn its back on AFFTA and the goals and objectives of the fly fishing industry. We have to work together. Accept and understand everyone’s specific goals, objectives and strategies, and work that into a larger strategic paradigm. It doesn’t matter how we move the collective ball down the field, just that we move the ball forward. That’s exactly what Angling Trade is going to be focused on in 2013. For the record, from what I’ve seen and heard thus far, I think that’s exactly what AFFTA can and will do next year. And I think ASA and OIA will too. The political elections are behind us, and that usually portends a time of national reconciliation and collaboration. So, too, is the trade show decision behind us. Now is the time to work together. Collaborate. Compromise. Think of the greater good. Find the win-win scenarios. I think we have a far greater chance of doing that within the fly fishing industry than we do expecting the same from Washington, D.C.
Some of the nitty gritty details of these partnerships have yet to play out. So, Mr. Manufacturer, you want to be at ICAST/IFTD… but where, exactly, are you going to exhibit? And do you join AFFTA, or ASA, or both as your price of admission?
So let’s get after it.
G.Loomis, which has in recent years shunned IFTD, has announced that
Kirk Deeter Editor
Again, as is tradition for this issue, I want to thank you all for your support, and wish you and your families the very best in the holiday season and in the coming year. at
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Hardy is for Sale
Harris & Sheldon Group Ltd, the family-owned private investment group which has owned Hardy for the past 45 years, is still looking for a potential buyer for Hardy & Grey’s. In an interview with our partner Marshall Cutchin, publisher of MidCurrent, Jim Murphy, president of Hardy North America, said:
“I believe the company will come out of this in much better shape. Expansion in the US and Germany have been rapid and demanding, and it has outstripped the portfolio. On the other hand it’s a great opportunity for the company to retool its capital resources and continue expanding. In my opinion Hardy & Grey’s has been a wellkept secret.” The London Telegraph reported on Hardy: “Despite turnover of £12.8m from selling 80,000 rods in 2010, the company made a loss of £446,000. It axed 19 staff from its 100-strong workforce, but the cost cutting was deemed to be insufficient.” Interestingly, AT has
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
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learned that Hardy is not the only major rod brand that’s for sale. Keep reading anglingtrade.com for updates. Cortland Promotes Randy Brown If you’re looking for the turnaround story for 2013, it may indeed revolve around Cortland Line Company. That was boosted in November when the new ownership group of investors promoted Randy Brown (also part of the investment group) from COO to CEO and president. Brown replaces Brian Ward. The new investment group is comprised of an eclectic, yet impressive, array of business talents, from heads of Wall Street and west coast investment firms, to a founder of an ad agency, CEO of a publishing company, even a Texas rancher. The common thread is that they all share a genuine passion for fly fishing. 3-TAND Reels: The New Saltwater Brutes? How the man behind Van Staal and ZeebaaS is doing fly. By Joe Cermele Engineer and designer Rob Koelewyn is the brains behind Van Staal and ZeebaaS—two brands considered by many surfcasters and big-game anglers to produce the toughest, most dependable spinning reels on the market. Recently, Koelewyn launched his third brand, 3-TAND, and kicked off the line with a series of fly reels that feature the same high-end components, continued on next page...
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tolerances, and indestructibility of Van Staal and ZeebaaS. Only this time the price tag is significantly lower than his previous offerings. Whereas a Van Staal or ZeebaaS could set you back nearly $1,000, 3-TANDs range from $350 for a 7/9-weight to $600 for a 13/15-weight. Cheap? No, but definitely below the high-end reel standard. All 3-TAND reels accommodate two spool sizes with different arbors.
told me. “There is no acceptance of sub-standards at 3-TAND. I will continue to manage quality control so we can make sure each reel meets the highest possible standards.” I tested a 10/12-weight 3-TAND this fall and managed to connect with some exceptionally large 18-pound bluefish off the Jersey coast. Compared to other 10s in my arsenal, the 3-TAND is noticeably lighter. The drag also took the beating the blues dished out sans hiccups or pauses in smoothness.
with fly reels that can stand up to a goliath tarpon or monster sailfish should be a little nervous. For more information go to 3-tand.com. Bighorn Angler Fly Shop and Lodge Under New Ownership
Recently, veteran Montana guides Pete Shanafelt and Steve Galletta purchased the Bighorn Angler Fly Shop & Lodge. Numerous improvements to both the fly shop and lodge have already been made, in an attempt to provide their customers with the best service and experience possible while fishing the Bighorn River.
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
The Bighorn Angler was established 30 years ago as the first and premier shop on the Bighorn River. In an attempt to carry on the long standing tradition of quality and service the following improvement have been made:
The frames and spools are made of ultra-light cold-forged, tempered aluminum alloy. The multi-carbon fiber drags are sealed and saltwaterproof, and the handle can be easily swapped around to taper in or out based on what you find most comfortable. “Over the last two years I personally designed each and every single part of the 3-TAND reels,” Koelewyn
10
Coming from someone who has relied on Koelewyn’s spinning reels to beat tuna and stripers for years, I trust that he has once again produced a reel that won’t let me down in the heat of the moment. Time will tell if Koelewyn’s reputation for quality will make him as big a player in the fly world as it did in the conventional world, but brands that have made their names
• Remodeled Lodge Rooms – Fully renovated rooms now feature tile showers, new bedding, new towels and new a/c units, along with a host of other updates. • Fly Shop – The fly shop has received many updates along with numerous new products. The Bighorn Angler now hosts the best selection of fly patterns on the Bighorn River. continued on next page...
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• Orvis Endorsed Outfitter – The Bighorn Angler is now a fully stocked Orvis Authorized dealer and guide service. • New Website & Online Store – The owners have re-launched our website in an effort to make it easier and more efficient for their guests to plan for and book trips on the Bighorn River. We have also introduced a brand new online store which will allow anglers the ability to purchase everything needed to fish the Bighorn River and beyond.
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
Offering guided float trips, rental boats, lodging and a full service fly shop, the Bighorn Angler offers fly fisherman everything they need to experience one of the
12
world’s greatest trout fisheries. For more information, contact Pete Shanafelt or Steve Galletta at the Bighorn Angler in Fort Smith, Montana at 406.666.2233 or info@ bighornangler.com. Shimano Expands Distribution Center To improve operational capabilities to better service its customers, Shimano American Corporation broke ground today on an expansion to its Ladson, S.C. distribution center. The new construction adds nearly 99,000 square feet to the current 102,000-square-foot facility at 9550 Palmetto Commerce Parkway, built by Shimano in 2006. The addition will be ready in August 2013.
“With this investment, it’s much more than just doubling the size at our South Carolina facility; we’ll also be prepared for both current and future distribution needs for all our brands,” said Dave Pfeiffer, president of Shimano American Corp. “Taking our original investment in 2003 in a 25,000-square-foot distribution center in Ladson’s Benchmark Industrial Park to another level again, this a needed positive step in order to increase services to our business partners up and down the East Coast, and throughout the Midwest and Southern states. We continued on next page...
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Along with the added capacity, the expanded facility “will allow Shimano to improve our material handling automation processes, and will also provide us with nearly 3,000 square feet of needed office space,” said Shimano’s senior manager of operations Allen Johnston. He notes that along with Shimano bicycle components and fishing tackle, the company distributes its G.Loomis fishing rods and PowerPro fishing line from the Ladson facility. When the improvements are complete, Shimano will add the distribution of its Pearl Izumi technical cycling and running products, and also Jackall brand fishing lures, to the facility. look forward to our South Carolina facility playing a larger role in Shimano’s operations in the U.S., and
we appreciate the cooperation we’ve received from local, regional and state agencies in our expansion plans.”
Shimano American Corporation is the U.S. subsidiary of Osaka, Japancontinued on next page...
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based Shimano, Inc., a worldwide leader in the manufacturing of fishing tackle and bicycle components. Along with its Irvine, Calif. sales, service and distribution operations and its Pearl Izumi USA headquarters in Louisville, Colo., Shimano manufactures its PowerPro braided fishing line in Grand Junction, Colo., and its G.Loomis fishing rods in Woodland, Wash. Beginning in January 2013, it will also handle the sales, marketing and distribution of Jackall Lures in the U.S. and Canada. Hendrix Outdoors Launches New Adamsbuilt Fishing Brand with Shopatron
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
Hendrix Outdoors recently launched the Adamsbuilt Fishing online store with Shopatron. The new store, available through shop. adamsbuiltfishing.com, will allow fly fishermen to purchase the company’s quality fly-fishing reels, rods, and waders at any time from any place, and have them shipped from the closest Adamsbuilt dealer. Hendrix Outdoors has long been known as a leading distributor in the fly-fishing industry, but in 2002 the company started manufacturing quality fishing gear for sale. In 2011, to avoid confusion between the two businesses, Hendrix created “Adamsbuilt Fishing” for use with their branded products. Now, the brand has its own online store. Through their new online store, built on Shopatron’s retail-integrated 16
eCommerce platform, Adamsbuilt will complete online orders with shoppers, collect all payment and shipping information, then pass those orders to a local shop for fulfillment. This solution improves brand loyalty while, at the same time, encouraging retailers to stock more Adamsbuilt products. “You don’t get where we are today by competing with your partners,” said Mont Adams, owner of Adamsbuilt. “We chose Shopatron because creating an online store that generates sales for our loyal dealer network was the best way to support them. Now, we are able to reach a wider audience online and simultaneously act as a better partner for retailers that stock our products.”
Environment What the Election Means for Bristol Bay Now that President Barack Obama has been reelected, people are wondering what a second term means for the issues that matter to them. For
many of us, one of those key issues is protecting Bristol Bay, Alaska. Many of you have a red and white “No Pebble Mine” sticker on your boat, gear or vehicle. It is a rallying cry for the fly fishing community, which has supported protecting Bristol Bay as a top-tier conservation goal since 2006. Sportsmen have written, spoken out and shown their concerns about the impacts largescale mining could have on the Bristol Bay watershed. Now the chance to protect this world-class recreational venue is in the hands of the President and the Environmental Protection Agency, and sportsmen need to continue pressing for action now. As a professional fly-fishing guide and member of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association’s board of directors, I know first-hand how important our natural resources are. Our industry depends on recreational venues like Bristol Bay to survive. Clean water is our business! The Bristol Bay fisheries support 14,000 jobs and are an economic
engine that generates $500 million a year. There are an estimated 29,000 fishing trips to Bristol Bay every year. The Pebble project would be 20 times larger than all the mines in Alaska combined, and would dig up to 10 billion tons of toxic waste that must be treated and stored forever. Thankfully the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has taken an important step to protect Bristol Bay’s world-class fishery. But more needs to be done. The EPA’s Watershed Assessment of Bristol Bay, released in May, highlights its unique natural resources and salmon habitat and provides important scientific review of the impacts from massive development like the proposed Pebble Mine. EPA deserves credit for being proactive in this forward-looking assessment. Knowing the potential ecological and economic impacts a project of this size could have allows EPA and those with interests in Bristol Bay to be much better informed when it comes to siting mining or other extraction projects in the region. In fact, one of EPA’s findings is that digging a mine the size of Pebble would destroy up to 87 miles of salmon streams and up to 4,300 acres of wetland salmon habitat – impacts that are unacceptable to Bristol Bay residents, commercial fishermen, anglers and more. Now that we know the values and the risks involved, the President and EPA should use the Clean Water Act to protect Bristol Bay and its outdoor recreation opportunities. Please urge the administration to initiate a Clean Water Act 404(c)
process in Bristol Bay immediately. Bristol Bay demonstrates that some places should be left free of industrial development because their natural resource values, and the benefits they provide to people, outstrip shortterm development values.
This is the wrong mine in the wrong place, and this administration should stop it before more time and resources are wasted. By Tom Sadler continued on next page...
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AT Editor to Speak at Didymo Conference
Angling Trade and TROUT magazine editor Kirk Deeter will be the keynote speaker at the International Didymo Conference, to be held March 12 and 13, 2013, in Providence, Rhode Island. The conference will be presented by the Invasive Species Action Network and sponsored by the New England Panel for Aquatic Nuisance Species, the Mid-Atlantic Panel for ANS, the Mississippi Basin Panel for ANS, and Trout Unlimited, along with others. The leaders of this conference are the same who created the 2006 International Didymo Symposium that has shaped research on this topic for the past six years. For more details, to offer support, and/or get involved, see www.stopans.org/Didymo_ Conference_2013.htm.
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
New Marine Reserve Preserved The Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve was enacted on Tuesday (9/25/12) by the Hon. Lisel Alamilla, Belize’s Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development. The act will manage and protect the largest and most biologically diverse atoll in the Caribbean announced 18
Craig Hayes, Board Chairman of Turneffe Atoll Trust and owner/ operator of Turneffe Flats Resort. “This 325,000 acre Marine Reserve, the largest in Belize, will benefit Turneffe’s commercial fishermen, its tourism sector, the atoll’s environment and all Belizeans. It has been established through the hard work and dedication of several individuals and organizations including the Turneffe Atoll Trust, the Fisheries Department, Turneffe’s fishermen and several nongovernmental agencies,” he said.
Establishing Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve makes it possible to sustainably manage the unique environmental, economic and social aspects of the area located some 30 miles off the country’s mainland.
• Improved control and monitoring of future development; • Sustainable management of the atoll’s environmental, economic and social benefits for Belize; • Scientific research and environmental monitoring for the atoll; and • Support for catch and release sport fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling and other sustainable tourism. TAT’s mission is to drive conservation and other efforts leading to a healthy ecosystem at
Turneffe Atoll supporting sustainable social and economic benefits for Belize and serving as a model for similar coastal marine environments throughout the world.
Enactment of the new law will allow:
Orvis, TU to Open 1,000 Miles of New Trout Water
• Improved enforcement and sustainable management of Turneffe’s commercial fishery;
Orvis and Trout Unlimited recently announced the first two streams that will be improved to allow better
passage for wild and native trout as part of the new Orvis/Trout Unlimited “1,000 Miles Campaign.” Murphy Brook in Vermont and Tabor Brook in New Hampshire— both tributaries of the Connecticut River system—will be the first beneficiaries of funding raised by Orvis and its customers, and TU will oversee construction and reconnection projects on both streams. Migration-halting culverts will be replaced, and dozens of new miles of habitat will be available to brook trout and brown trout that need intact coldwater habitat to spawn and to escape the worst of summer’s heat.
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Thanks in part to an Orvis grant and matching funds from the company’s customers, the two entities hope to open up 1,000 miles of new coldwater habitat to trout and salmon all over America. Many streams with spawning and rearing potential—and fishing potential—are now blocked by faulty culverts and other manmade barriers. The campaign’s goals include not only increasing overall trout habitat from coast to coast, continued on next page...
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but improving fishing opportunity resulting from stream improvements.
• Yellow Creek, a tributary to the Bear River in southwest Wyoming
and genuinely promote the sport of fly fishing.”
“Opening up 1,000 miles of new habitat for trout and salmon over the next 10 years is an ambitious goal, but we think we can do it,” said Elizabeth Maclin, TU’s vice president for eastern conservation. “We’re lucky to have dedicated partners like the people at Orvis— they’ve always been very supportive of the work we do, and their commitment to this project means the world to us.”
• Big Slough Creek, a Driftless Areas stream in Jackson County, Wisconsin.
The National Fishing in Schools Program (NFSP) has developed tremendous momentum in 2012. A just-announced partnership with the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA), along with a major grant from the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and growing support from state and federal Fish and Wildlife Agencies, has allowed NFSP to launch a dedicated campaign to implement “Fishing in Schools” into 500 schools across the US and teach 225,000 youth by the close of 2015. With 60 schools and organizations already participating in the program in 12 states and the District of Columbia, NFSP anticipates adding an additional 50 schools by the close of 2012 and doubling that number a year later. With your help “Fishing in Schools” can accomplish, or even exceed, this reachable goal.
By opening up habitat in Murphy Brook and Tabor Brook to migrating fish, anglers will likely see improved fish numbers in downstream stretches of water, and enjoy more fishable water in the coming years. Two culverts will be replaced on Tabor Brook this fall, and work to remove a culvert that blocks upstream migration on Murphy Brook will begin later in the year. The 1,000 Miles Campaign will help fund culvert removal projects on several other trout streams located all over America. These streams are: • Kinne Brook, a tributary to the Westfield River in Massachusetts
“Culverts are significant impediments to fish passage and survival – just as significant as a major dam – but the solution is dramatically simpler, costs less, and the overall benefits to many watersheds is profound,” said Dave Perkins, Vice Chairman of Orvis. “By removing these impediments, we not only add vital habitat for fish, but we also open many miles of fishable waters for anglers. We’re proud to partner with TU in this effort to engage the flyfishing community in support of this often overlooked opportunity to dramatically improve fish habitat across the country.” Announcing the 2012 Fly Fishing Industry Challenge Presented by the National Fishing in Schools Program “Uniting industry leaders and specialty retailers with state and federal wildlife agencies in support
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
• Coyner Springs, a tributary to the South River near Waynesboro, Va. • Crazy Creek, a tributary to the Crooked River in the Upper Deschutes River drainage in Oregon • Aldrich Brook, a tributary to Azizschos Lake and the Magalloway River in Maine 20
of an in-school, accredited angling education program designed to inspire and empower our youth –
“Fishing in Schools” has modeled itself in part on the hugely successful “Archery in Schools” program (NASP) which, after a decade of development, is now taught in over 10,000 schools and has educated over 10-million kids in the sport. As an “in-school” curriculum, usually taking place during PE classes, NFSP ensures participation as new students take the course year-after-year. As a result, NFSP expects outcomes similar to NASP – a program that is now a larger participatory activity for youngsters than Little League Baseball!
But even more significant than NASP’s participation numbers are the 27% of the kids who took the class and went on to become active participants in the sport, thus assuring a boundless customer base for the archery industry. NFSP is very excited to report that its own data echoes a similar trend, with 25% of participants purchasing their own fly fishing equipment after finishing the course. NFSP’s data also reveals that with nearly half of the kids having never fished before, and most of the rest having only limited experience, Fishing in Schools is a true “recruitment” effort and not just “retentive” in nature.
NFSP recently received a commitment from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for $50,000 in matching funds to install the program into 30 schools. The 2012 Fly Fishing Industry Challenge endeavors to match that amount by soliciting fly fishing manufacturers and service companies to contribute $5,000 as a corporate sponsor and fly shop owners $500 as a local school sponsor. Sponsors are asked to make an initial pledge to NFSP with monies due by December 31, 2012. Sponsorship funds will only be collected if the initial $50,000 goal is fully pledged. If the goal is not met the Challenge Grant will not be realized. If more
than the initial goal is met the additional funding will be used to install more schools in other areas. Based on NFSP data a $5,000 contribution (paired with matching funds) pays for 1,500 kids to complete the program over a threeyear period. If 375 of those kids (25%) become active participants in the sport, your investment creates potential lifetime customers at a mere $13.33 each. Assuming most anglers spend $10,000+ over a lifetime of fly fishing, that’s a terrific ROI for our industry. Please join us in this extremely worthwhile effort and make your pledge now, and/or contact us for further information. at
New-Fangled Quality, Old-Fashioned Value
FFor iinformation f i go to:
www.adamsbuiltfishing.com
Or contact us at: (775) 423-4254 hendrixorder@hotmail.com 21
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
We Remember
Opinion Editorial
It’s Time to Fish More than One Honey Hole one. Once participants discover the wonderful sport of fly fishing, it gets even better. They remain active participants in fly fishing much longer than in any other activity measured. These findings imply that actively creating outdoor industry partnerships and fostering sport segment adjacencies is the quickest and surest path to building new participants in fly fishing. Outdoor Industry Association CEO Frank Hugelmeyer
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
As fly anglers, we know that success often depends on changing flies or moving to a new spot. In a time when show allegiances are being chosen and financial decisions are being made, it is equally important for brands and retailers to find unexplored waters to ensure the growth and success of the sport we love. In this spirit, I would like to share some observations of the market opportunities and challenges that we all face. When we consider the broader outdoor industry, companies that collaborate with multiple market segments are better positioned to succeed. The American consumer has a proven desire to sample a wide variety of outdoor experiences, a fact that has led to the overall growth of outdoor generalists, even in tough times. Once introduced to their very first outdoor sport, participants go on a passionate lifelong journey to pursue numerous activities in a search for the most meaningful. According to Outdoor Foundation research, eight out of 10 Americans already active in an outdoor leisure or sport activity want to try a new 22
At the same time, every brand and specialty retailer is at a serious inflection point in this fast-changing marketplace. Technology, mobile connectivity and e-commerce have changed the game we all play, and the related consumer expectations are impacting the fundamentals for all specialty retailers. At a recent Outdoor Industry Association board meeting, 28 CEOs from multiple outdoor segments, including fly fishing, estimated that 90 percent of the specialty retail and manufacturer base focused on apparel, footwear and equipment was unprepared to face the dramatic and rapid future shifts in the way we must do business. With old retail models being completely turned on their heads, every company finds itself focused on consumer acquisition and change management — all while facing massive crowdsourcing competitors. In just a few short years, consumer connectivity has become the new currency and mobile technology analytics the new business tool for every outdoor sports segment. Discovering and implementing consumer reach strategies that extend beyond traditional silos has become
absolutely paramount to the longterm prospects of every business and the industry as a whole. At the same time, tradeshows have gone through a transformative period that was influenced and accelerated by the economic collapse of 2008. Standalone venues have shrunk, and many have become more isolated. On the other hand, collaborative forums expanded during this period. Considering these trends, it should not be a surprise that IFTD struggled to grow beyond its core. Without question, collaborating with our friends at American Sportfishing Association and ICAST is a good start and a smart move for the fly fishing industry. It should prove to be viable for many brands and retailers. But why stop there? Being culturally attractive to many sports segments and openly welcomed into multiple tradeshow communities is a huge advantage for the fly fishing community. Why not embrace the industry’s full crossover potential? If fly fishing is to head off the challenges within the market and benefit from the numerous opportunities that outdoor lifestyle trends, technology shifts and tradeshows present, the community should leverage every appropriate invitation and partnership, including Outdoor Retailer. In this technology and Facebook-fueled world, it makes business sense to “like” new concepts and “friend” everyone. And in a fly angler’s world, it makes even better sense to try different tactics and explore new waters. It just might lead to that special honey hole. at Frank Hugelmeyer is an avid fly angler and the president and CEO of Outdoor Industry Association.
RECOMMENDED READING
The Orvis Guide to Family Friendly Fly Fishing Written by Tom Rosenbauer
Three things Rosenbauer did in this book that I thought were brilliant: First, he states flat-out that a first time angler should start with a push-button rod. No need to make things too complicated, too quickly. Second, he focuses the subject matter on many species of fish. There might be more bluegills in this fly fishing book than any other “general instruction” book I have seen. And that’s probably as it should be. Third, Rosenbauer hits the obvious topics—what gear, what flies, where to find fish, and how to make them eat—but he also hits the topics Mom is wondering about—like how to plan a family vacation, and how to stay safe (wading safety, not getting hit by lightning, etc.).
The adage about “giving a man a fish, and he eats for the day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime” also applies to the act of teaching itself. In other words, you can teach someone to fly fish, and with luck, you create a fly angler. But if you empower someone with the knowledge to teach others to fly fish, you create an ambassador, and the potential impact increases exponentially.
When you ask the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF)—the people who coordinate the “Take Me Fishing” campaign— what types of consumer information requests they receive most often, it inevitably includes things like “how can I be a better teacher and mentor to the people I want to share my fishing passion with?” At Field & Stream magazine’s Fly Talk blog, we are constantly barraged with comments asking for more information on “how to teach” fly fishing.
If we’re looking for significant growth in this industry that outpaces the water pouring out the hole in the bottom of the consumer bucket, the focus needs to be on more than education. It must also include mentoring. Maybe it’s time to talk about discount “mentorrenter” gear programs, and other things like that. For sure, a book on family friendly fishing and mentoring is a needed part of that mix, and Rosenbauer was the right author to pull it off. Whether you’re Orvis-affiliated or not, you’d be wise to read this book yourself to bolster your own ideas related to family fishing and cultivating generation next. You’d also be wise to sell it. Because I can tell you there are more people (young and old) who want to be taught fly fishing—and more folks who want to teach them—than most of us probably realize. at Reviewed by K. Deeter 23
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
Which is why I was pleased to see Tom Rosenbauer’s latest book release, The Orvis Guide to Family Friendly Fly Fishing, a concise, easy-reading tome on how best to share the fly fishing experience. The focus is certainly on kids, but the lessons are easily applied to would-be anglers of any age.
He also dedicates an entire chapter to conservation. In the context of creating a generation of anglers, it’s important to understand that being a “complete” angler involves having a conscience when it comes to resources, as well as an ability to catch fish.
Many fly shop owners and guides have embraced the mission of teaching newbies how to fly fish in recent years. The Orvis Fly Fishing 101 campaign has already exposed thousands of “never-evers” to the sport, and that’s a great thing. But the truth is, for every person who musters the interest and courage to walk into a fly shop and ask to be taught, there are likely 10 people who are interested in learning to fly fish—they just don’t want a complete stranger teaching them how to do so.
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No Man’s Land
Exploring a new imperative for women flyfishers
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
Written by Geoff Mueller
Whoever says that “Women don’t fish…” is not living on the same planet I am. During a recent fall float on Montana’s Bighorn River, we slipped into the After Bay directly behind a female guide and client. Throughout the morning we passed two more “couples” fishing teams. Around noon, we anchored just upstream of a woman with a newborn kiddo in stroller, sitting tight as Mom cast sweet loops at a pod of trout that bumped baetis emergers just below the surface. This picture is becoming more and more the norm. From a retail sales perspective it certainly represents an area of untapped growth potential. To the naysayers, try this on for size. Transworld Business Magazine, which specializes in action sports merchandising and retailing, recently pointed out that women 24
now account for 80 percent of America’s total purchasing power. Yep, 80 percent. This is largely due to the fact that females continue making strides in securing college and post-graduate diplomas. (Smarter.) More women are moving into high-ranking exec positions. (Powerful.) And more are financially independent. (Flush.) According to Transworld, “It only makes sense then for companies to begin continued on next page...
Coming in 2013 from the editors of Angling Trade‌
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tapping even further into the power of women shoppers by identifying and catering to what female consumers are really looking for.” Unfortunately, when it comes to the fly fishing industry, what female consumers are mostly looking for has been a non-existent entity. At this year’s IFTD show in Reno a women’s roundtable was set up to discuss these implications. For the most part, it imploded. “Irritating,” is how Redington marketing manager, Jen Gish, describes the exchange. “We had a bunch of women in the room trying to put out there that it’s about products that are designed by women, for women,” she says. “It’s hard, especially in the flyfishing space. It’s an industry dominated by men and I think the product that’s been out there in the past has not been appealing for women.”
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
Redington has worked to turn that sentiment on its head. The company currently markets two women’s wader options and a moderate-sized line of tech apparel that includes shirts, pants, vests, and hoody offerings to name a few. There are women featured on its website. And they look like they might even fish. Gish admits that women’s apparel and hardgoods remain a small slice of Redington’s overall vision. But the company continues to dedicate resources to the women’s apparel realm because it’s something it believes in. Women designers have been brought into the fold to address crucial details such as fit and style, with the ultimate goal being to increase sell-thru. The toughest sell, Gish says, has been convincing retailers that now is the time to adopt and adapt. “It’s a different game out there, with way better products available for female flyfishers.” 26
Another Reno roundtable participant was Western Rivers Fly Fisher owner, Steve Schmidt. Schmidt’s shop has been a Salt Lake City mainstay since the mid-’80s. Over those years fashions and tastes have changed, but one thing that hasn’t is the lackluster performance of women’s apparel within his doors. Western Rivers has and continues to carry women’s specific products: waders, boots, rods, and apparel. It even offers women-specific classes. But the results remain slim, at best. “Fly fishing to me seems like such a great sport for women, yet as an industry we haven’t done a good job nurturing it,” Schmidt says. “On many levels a tremendous amount of resources have been dedicated to this, but we’re far from being even moderately successful.”
it’s because women never buy anything at retail. There’s truth to that, but it’s also simply a numbers game.” That numbers game also applies to the manufacturer. Simms director of marketing and service Diane Bristol says the Bozeman-based company, which first ventured into the women’s market with neoprene waders back in 1994, continues to modify and add to its women’s collection. The challenge stems from sourcing the sweet spot for what women want, without overextending inventory due to large minimum order quantities. In the last five years, Simms has added new wader styles, a women’s specific wading boot, a GORE-TEX rain jacket, and an expanded sportswear collection to address a broader women’s demographic.
The reasons are myriad, more complex the deeper you delve. Over the past decade or so business models have changed. Manufacturers and retailers have been forced to run smaller inventories due to challenging economics. The women’s market for many shops either shrunk or disappeared.
“While we have specialty retailers that support the line, a fair number of our retailers aren’t prepared to accommodate the entire collection, both from a floor space perspective or a basic service level, like changing rooms with full length mirrors... and that doesn’t mean the bathroom,” Bristol says.
“Several years ago my women’s apparel section returned a whopping 2 percent,” Schmidt laments. “We now have it up to about 25 percent. Better, but not sustainable by any means.”
This slow evolution within the retail space shows that many shops aren’t keeping pace with the trends. What are those trends and who’s setting them? Besides Simms and Redington, best look outside the bubble for inspiration. Women’s flyfishing fashion these days is less log cabin living sprinkled with country kitsch and a heavy dousing of pine. Women, much like men, want performance. And women, much more than men, want fashion.
The problem, he adds, is two-fold: Women consumers getting frustrated with a lack of selection. And fly shops trying to find a niche that women are willing to pay retail for. It seems that women, unlike many of their male counterparts, are savvy shoppers. They want value. They hunt bargains. “I once had a lady who was shooting our sale rack,” Schmidt says. “She commented on how we always seem to have such great women’s clothing items on sale and asked me why. I told her
April Vokey vs. Joan Wulff— I don’t know who would win a wrestling match between April Vokey and Joan Wulff. Would I buy tickets to watch? Sure. And what I’d also pay attention to, if I were a retailer, is how
their styles are different. The fashion chasm between the 30 somethings and the 50 and 60 somethings can be vast, and defining which side best represents your customer base is imperative. This industry compared to the outdoor industry as a whole lives in medieval times—often forcing the younger demo to rove elsewhere for inspiration. Nonflyfishing lines from LuLuLemon, PrAna, Kuhl, Patagonia, Under Armour, and even Columbia are making strides with outdoors-oriented women—who also happen to fly fish. “That style is very apparent at Outdoor Retailer,” Schmidt says. “But only a mere presence at the [IFTD] show. It’s distinct, has a younger look, and to some degree makes a refreshing statement. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.” Back at Simms, Bristol shudders when harkening back to the “shrink it and pink it” philosophies that have dominated women’s flyfishing apparel for years. “That isn’t our point of view, nor has it ever been,” she says. “It’s incredibly important, critical really, to have women anglers involved in every step of research, design, and development of women’s products.”
GREAT FISHING ANYWHERE IN FLORIDA
Simms targets its female guides for inspiration and product beta, considering professionals in the field have the best handle on what works and what doesn’t. Then it looks toward cues in the general outdoor industry for fabrics, colors, and styles that are working and selling well. For retailers the biggest cue to keep in mind is that women, more than ever, are fishing. Choosing to ignore the majority of America’s purchasing power because “Women don’t fish” is today, more than ever, a notion worth reconsidering. at
UNIVERSITY PRESS OF FLORIDA 800.226.3822 | www.upf.com
Available wherever books are sold
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REC: Making the Elements (in America) Photo: Kirk Deeter
that Make Fly Fishing Products Sell
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
Written by Kirk Deeter
A number of years ago, German chemical and manufacturing giant BASF came up with an ad slogan that, while a bit of a tongue-twister, clearly explained its mission: “We don’t make a lot of the products you buy; we make a lot of the products you buy better.” 28
In the fly fishing business, you can describe Stafford Springs, Connecticut-based REC (which stands for Research Engineering Corporation) the same way. While the company, purchased by Alan Gnann in 1997, is carefully venturing into its own branded products (like travel cases, fly boxes, etc.), the bulk of REC’s focus goes into producing the components that go into fly rods. Things like reel seats, rod guides, even the tubes the rods come in (tens of thousands every year), are all carefully crafted in its 25,000-foot manufacturing facility—
making REC the only surviving American-based components manufacturer of its kind.
locking reel seats with fancy finished woods, and the handsome tubes that are finished packages.
It’s fair to say that the average angling consumer would be hardpressed to walk into any fly shop in the world, or peruse any fly-fishing website or catalog, without seeing at least traces of the “DNA” materials produced by REC. Yet, most anglers don’t realize it. And Gnann says he’s just fine with that.
But it also has to do with performance and durability. Sure, the distinguishing characteristics of a fly rod are rooted in things like graphite materials, resins, and taper designs. But as rod companies also tout things like “lightness” and “feel,” components certainly come into play. (For example, for the rod company that wants to shave a few grams of total weight off the rod, small details like punching holes in rings, akin to the “ported” façade of a reel, or shaving down aluminum elements to reduce total mass definitely translate to weight savings that are stamped on the rod and marketed to the public.) It’s also fair to say that REC’s “RECOIL” guides have shifted the performance paradigm with many conventional and fly fishing rods.
“We prefer to let our customers make the marketing splash,” said Gnann. “They understand our value and what we do, and they know we’re here to help them grow their businesses.” On a recent behind-the-scenes tour of the REC facility, we were immediately struck by the array of rods the company has bought back from customers and meticulously displayed on racks in its hallways. For many companies, those walls are adorned with photos and autographs of dignitaries and celebrities. At REC, it’s all about the finished products. For a “fly wonk,” those rod displays comprise a veritable modern art museum. Gnann is careful not to publicly list the many companies his firm serves, but suffice it to say that there have been few notable absences over the past decade or more. He does point out that REC works with a full gamut of rod makers, from domestic “boutique” operations to the largest brands in the industry.
Perhaps the larger factor that keeps REC growing as an American manufacturer is a simple focus on smart business practices. That starts with where the company is located. Gnann transitioned REC from where it was near Stowe, Vermont, when he bought it, to where it is now, with good reason. “The region comprising Hartford, Connecticut, Springfield, Massachusetts, and so forth has been the focus of the American metalworking industry for years,” explained Gnann. (To wit, consider
REC is also about savvy engineering practices and economies of scale. For example, shaping, cutting, and grinding raw aluminum results in a fair amount of excess material. REC collects its metal “turnings” and sells them for recycling, recouping a full one-third of its materials cost by doing so. Several years ago, as REC found itself importing large quantities of cork from Portugal to make rod grips, Gnann realized he could leverage that opportunity into producing corks for wine bottles. With some capital investment in equipment, and by dedicating a portion of the REC plant to this process, “CORKTEC,” a sister operation, is now in the wine business, cranking out 15-20 million corks a year. But what’s most striking is REC’s— and Gnann’s—focus on people. Gnann can tell you the exact calendar dates on which he’s hired almost every one of his employees (@30 total). Throughout the years, REC has never experienced lay-offs (which is almost unheard of in the manufacturing sector, especially during the recent recession). And Gnann’s people stick with him. Plant manager Shawn Szczesiul, sales manager Dan Lanier, and Chuck Smith, who is now producing Wheatley fly boxes, have all been with him for 15-plus years. His wife, continued on next page... 29
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
What also came into clearer focus on our recent REC visit is just how important components are in the translation to marketing new generation rods. That partly has to do with aesthetics—REC has had a hand in designing as well as manufacturing those distinctive accents like up-
So innovation is definitely part of the REC mantra. And it’s also not a stretch to say that REC does a lot of the things that keep rods different, creating individual marketing platforms, and in essence protecting fly rods from being considered (and sold as) commodities.
that almost all the firearms manufactured in the United States are done so within relatively short driving distance of the REC plant.) “One of the advantages we enjoy is that we are close to the raw materials and the metal finishing services, like anodizing and powder coating.”
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Linda, is REC’s administrative manager. And they all fish. “I don’t think it’s possible to succeed in this (fishing) industry unless you have a genuine understanding of, and passion for the sport,” said Gnann. “Let’s face it, most of us can make more money doing other things. This market can be brutal. But we’re here because we love fishing.” Indeed REC’s headquarters building is literally a stone’s throw away from a trout stream, and the Willimantic, Connecticut’s premier fly-only trout water is also within a short drive. The standing policy at REC is that those rods on the racks are all available as loaners, anytime. Want to go throw some red quills after your shift? Fine. Just bring it back. Chase some stripers with a 9-weight in Long Island Sound? (Gnann has a fishing boat he designed himself and is a false albacore fanatic.) Go for it. Szczesiul and Gnann recently visited Colorado to fish following the IFTD trade show in Reno. (Gnann, as most of you know, is the former chairman of AFFTA, who will be credited with moving the tradeshow to stand-alone status, which precipitated the current partnership with ICAST).
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
But in Szczesiul’s words, the greatest satisfaction comes with those walks through the fly shops. He said with a smile: “I go into a shop anywhere, and in my mind I’m pointing to different things, and saying to myself, ‘yep, I made that… and that… and that… and that…” 30
Richard Wheatley Fly Boxes… Another American Revolution For any “traditionalist” angler, Richard Wheatley fly boxes aren’t just bins for holding bugs. Wheatley is an iconic brand that dates back 150 years. The details—from window compartments with spring-hinged lids, to individual clasps for fly patterns—have made Wheatley boxes standards in various shapes and sizes, and treasured heirlooms that have been passed down through generations. REC acquired Wheatley recently, and not long after, Gnann was faced with the economic reality that issues like taxes and tariffs made it impossible to continue manufacturing at a profit in England, where the company had been founded. While many firms might automatically consider keeping the brand name but moving manufacturing to Asia, Central America, or elsewhere with reliably low labor costs, Gnann had a thought that was, well, downright revolutionary. He moved Wheatley to America. Understanding that the traditional manufacturing processes were exactly
what had set Wheatley apart for decades, he took one of his employees, Chuck Smith, to England in order to learn the craft of producing these fly boxes. Not long after, REC brought an array of the heavy cast iron apparatuses for stamping and shaping metals—aesthetically, and almost literally straight out of the Industrial Revolution—as well as forms and materials, put them on a ship, and brought them to its plant in Connecticut. And now, those Wheatley boxes are produced by hand with the same artisan attention as they always have been. Only now, we are seeing some Yankee accents, like boxes with the Colorado state flag (conceived by Scott Harkins, who formerly was a sales rep for Wheatley among many other notable brands, and now heads sales for Simms Fishing Products), and pink boxes that are designed to benefit breast cancer causes, etc. “If you can think up a design, we can put it on a fly box,” deadpanned Smith. But just don’t expect fashion to ever trump form and tradition, so long as it wears the Wheatley name. at
BUsiness: www.TU.org/TUe Become a TU Become e n d o rasTU e dendorsed B Usin es s : w ww. T U . o r g /T U e
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Outfitters: What Makes a Great Expedition? Written by Chris Santella
certain standards and practices that outfitters can set (or at least aspire to) that can help make an outing memorable… or at least enjoyable. Setting a High Bar
The client can’t cast AND won’t listen…
There are no codified, objective standards for outfitter quality and performance (though Don Causey’s The Angling Report fills that role, to an extent, for consumers). Orvis has standards for those who become Orvis Endorsed Outfitters.To qualify, the outfitter must meet certain baseline quality criteria and pay an annual fee. To adjudicate said quality, Orvis representatives accompany expedition-based businesses on a trip every few years. And as part of this process, Orvis names an Expedition of the Year. (Gaining this recognition is, understandably, a marketing coup for the fortunate outfitter.) It works like this: Customer feedback is analyzed to establish a shortlist of finalists. Then Orvis’s trip reports are scrutinized alongside other criteria, such as the outfitter’s commitment/involvement in conservation issues, how pro-active they are in terms of product development, and whether they’re strong stewards of the Orvis brand and the sport of fly fishing in general. (Similar honors are also meted out to guide services, lodges, outfitters and individual guides.)
While there’s little to be done about the weather and water conditions on a given day – and there’s a very small percentage of clients who with even the greatest measures of patience and wisdom are beyond reach – there are
“We review a host of different elements when we’re assessing expedition operators,” explained Tom
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
A well-orchestrated wilderness trip makes everyone look good. The outfitter benefits; after all, he/she relies strongly on word of mouth and repeat clientele for future bookings. But the fly shop owner also benefits. You generate good will (and perhaps some commissions) from linking customers up with a memorable adventure. And you have the opportunity to outfit said customer with the gear he/she needs for the trip. Given that fly fishing generally occurs in the great outdoors and usually involves human beings, there are certain intangibles beyond the outfitter’s control, whether the trip be a three-day horse pack trip into the Wind River Range or a week-long float on the Kanektok. There’s too much sun. There’s not enough sun. The river’s too high. The river’s too low. The client can’t cast. The client won’t listen.
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focus on the river’s rainbows; later summer/fall trips target steelhead. The formula is fairly simple. “When we’re on the river, we’re 100 percent customer-service driven,” said Damien Nurre, Deep Canyon’s leader. “We strive to give the customer what they want—to a reasonable degree. The fishing is going to be what it’s going to be, and we can’t control that. But we can control the attitudes of the guides. I’ve heard stories of clients being yelled at by guides for missing a cast or a set. That doesn’t help.
Deep Canyon clients enjoy a riverside dinner.
Evenson, Western Director of Orvis Endorsed Programs. “These include the quality of the fishery and the quality of the staff, including both guides and support crew. On some levels, support crew may be most critical, whether we’re looking at a float trip, a pack trip or a fly-in operation. We want to see that there are enough support people to establish comfortable base camps, particularly if the operation is moving. Some operations will have a support boat/horse/plane and staff member dedicated to establishing a camp. Others will have fishing guides set up the tents and do the cooking as well. The guides have to deal with the extra weight of carrying camp along, and then have to set it up. Instead of rolling into the camp where there’s a fire going and a cold beer or cocktail waiting, guests have to wait for camp to be set up…or even help do so. It creates a different dynamic for the guest. There’s less fishing time and less relaxing time. “Another criterion we use when we’re reviewing expedition outfitters is the quality of the educational experience they provide. We like to see outfitters teach their clients about the area’s fishing, but also about the history of the area, the local lore and color. We hope they can provide a frame of reference for the flora and fauna encountered on the trip. Catching fish is important, but it’s only one piece of the larger puzzle. Ideally, we want guests to come away with broadened horizons.” Case in Point: Deep Canyon Outfitters To get a sense of who’s doing it right, it seemed to make sense to visit with the 2012 Orvis Endorsed Expedition of the Year provider, Bend, Oregon-based Deep Canyon Outfitters. Deep Canyon specializes in multi-day floats on the Deschutes. Spring/early summer trips
“I’ve tried to select people for their strengths, and let them get the job done the way that suits them, rather than make everyone do it the same way. Our main backboat guy – Ken Clarke -- is a career chef and perhaps a bit anal, but that’s perfect for the guy who sets up camp. His style is to break things down fast, set ‘em up fast, and then nap for a few hours. Michael Divita, our head guide, doesn’t look like a fishing guide. He’s a big guy and not that buttoned up, doesn’t necessarily wear the right clothes, but his strength is his personality. He’s very outgoing and helps all levels of angler have an enjoyable day. Where Ken’s ethic is go-go-go, Michael’s ethos is ‘I’ll get it done, but it will take a little more time.’” I accompanied Deep Canyon Outfitters on a three-day float during the Deschutes during what should have been the height of the salmon fly hatch. A low-pressure system had put the big bugs off, making the fishing a little tougher than expected. But none of the guests – mostly seniors from the Bend area – seemed to care. Ken served up several fine dinners – Kobe flat iron steaks and chipotle mac and cheese. Michael provided after dinner entertainment, “free-styling” a song/rap over the chords I strummed on his guitar. The three guides dined and enjoyed a few drinks with guests; the dynamic was that of nine friends hanging out around camp, not six guests and three hired hands. The key to Deep Canyon’s customer-service driven operation is its people, and that’s no great surprise. But it begs the question: What do you do to retain good people? “You have to pay your people well,” Nurre continued, “as payment is one signifier of respect. But retention of good staff is not, ultimately, about money. It’s about a comfortable working relationship. The guys I work with are close friends and feel like family. We have parties together, go fishing together, even take vacations together—not just the guides, but their spouses and children, too. “Occasionally I hear one of my guys say ‘I work for Damien.’ I correct them – ‘You work with me.’” at
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The Politics of Fly Fishing AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
Written by Kirk Deeter
I don’t think you could find a more eclectic political demographic than the fly fishing community. Think about it. We are the quintessential political melting pot. We count billionaires who jet around the world to dunk flies and modern day hippies who sleep in vans by the river in order to catch the morning trico hatch among our ranks. Hedge fund managers and trustafarians. Ranchers, college professors, students, writers, doctors, marketers, hourly laborers, and a fair number of the unemployed are all part of the fold. And they’re all welcome. 34
I don’t have to tell you that the bulk of Trout Unlimited members aren’t driving around in VW minibuses, but then again, I think it’s fair to assume that many of the pro-marijuana ballot initiatives in the recent election received strong support among many fly guides. The bottom line is that we’re Republicans, Democrats and Independents, and we’re all in the same boat. The sad truth, however, is that we all collectively failed to make a meaningful difference in this past Presidential election, one way or the other. Before the election, Angling Trade conducted an informal poll in its last E-newsletter. We didn’t ask whom you (retailers, manufacturers, guides, etc.) were planning to vote for. Instead, we asked what factors were driving your decisions to vote, one way or another. Specifically, the choices were: A) I work in small business, and I am mostly concerned about things like taxes, the deficit, and other economic issues; B) I work in an industry that is dependent on natural resources, and I vote to protect those resources and the right for the public to use them; and C) Other issues have more influence over my vote than the two mentioned above. We got almost 100 votes in our poll (which isn’t bad at all for a short-term micro poll in a niche industry), and the results were interesting. Forty-one percent opted for “A.” Thirty-nine percent chose “B.” And 20 percent chose “C.” Frankly, I thought choice C, given that it might include anything from foreign policy to abortion, health care to campaign reform, might carry the day. But it was clear that those who have a vested interest in fly fishing care most about the policies that help us maintain small businesses in the sport we love, and/or the resources that make fly fishing possible in the first place.
Why? Because most of those people only walk on pavement. They don’t get it. But we didn’t have the collective wherewithal to make any of them pay attention to us. “The long and short of it is that conservation is at a crossroads,” said Gaspar Perricone, co-director of the Bull Moose Sportsmen’s Alliance, an organization that seeks bi-partisan support of a conservation agenda that serves hunters and anglers. “Elected officials in Washington have decided that the conservation debate is a zero-sum game. Long gone are the days when both parties looked at our public resources, not as an investment or a political tool, but as an American value—a heritage—that transcends any political boundary.” The sad irony is that conservation is, in fact, not an expense. According to the Trust for Public Land, studies have shown that for every dollar spent on conservation, there’s a four-dollar return. And while budget hawks might look for easy pickings in the deficit debate, the truth is that conservation programs only account for 1.25 percent of the federal budget. In other words, our elected officials are not going to fix the deficit by clamping down on the EPA, or allowing more gas and oil drilling on public land, so long as they’re afraid to touch issues like foreign wars, Medicare, and/ or Social Security. “It’s really easy to say, ‘They didn’t listen to us,’ or ‘They don’t care about issues that are important to us,’ but the bottom line is, we didn’t exert ourselves enough during the campaign,” said Chris Hunt, national communications director for Trout Unlimited. “We, as anglers and hunters, didn’t force our issues enough. If we want to find out who’s to blame for politicians taking us for continued on next page... 35
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
So why is it that the political dialogue throughout this past campaign season seemed to make those ideals mutually exclusive? Neither candidate had the insight to stand before a camera and say, “Hey, for those of you who love the outdoors—those of you who love to fish, or hunt—I believe in clean water and public lands. I recognize the economic value of the outdoors. And I’m going to protect those interests.”
Throughout three Presidential debates, none of the moderators, nor any of the spinsters or wonks paid to comment on cable television in their aftermaths, had the gumption to ask a single question, nor make one comment about natural resources and conservation.
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granted, the first place we need to look is in the mirror.” To wit, Perricone and John Land Le Coq, founder of Fishpond, offered an op/ed piece that wasn’t ultimately picked up by the Denver Post, following the first Presidential debate in that city. (And by the way, shame on the Denver Post for not influencing a more focused conservation discussion in Colorado, particularly around the time of that debate. Minus a pointed column by outdoors writer Scott Willoughby, the Denver Post by and large underdelivered on a topic that is vital to this “swing state,” and many of its readers.) The Perricone/Le Coq
“Neither President Obama nor Governor Romney (nor the moderator) recognized the sportsmen, farmers and ranchers, or environmentalists that have looked after America’s great outdoors for generations. And most germane, they appear to have overlooked the connection between the conservation of our outdoors resources and the economy and jobs.
manufacturing, and tourism, to name a few. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, outdoor recreation supports 6.1 million jobs while generating $646 billion in spending, $39.9 billion in federal tax revenue, and $39.7 billion in state/local tax revenue, with a total economic impact of $1.06 trillion annually. As we continue to fight our way out of the recession, ignoring those kinds of economic numbers doesn’t make sense for either candidate running for President.
“Throughout the West, jobs and the economy are synonymous with outdoor recreation and conservation. And it’s not just those who spend their weekends in the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains that benefit; it is also a boon for retail trade,
“The foundation of this outdoor economy is policies regulating conservation stewardship. So why is it that we don’t hear greater discussion about conservation, public lands, and their connection to a huge economic driver?
op/ed (meant to follow that first debate in Denver) reads, in part, as follows:
“The simple answer is that conservation, like most issues in Washington these days, has been caught in the crosshairs of political divisiveness. As Congress quarrels aimlessly over the merits of domestic energy production vs. environmental protection, clean water vs. agriculture development, defense of wildlife habitat vs. urban expansion, and so on, conservation policies have become mere partisan wedge issues.”
domestic energy production weren’t enough, you are probably also wrong. I’d suggest that if he’d have paid even a little bit of attention to the hunting and fishing cultures that depend on natural habitat (beyond the Second Amendment), especially in outdoor-loving“swing” states like Colorado, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, he may have done better.
They went on to contend: “It is more important than ever that we elect candidates willing to set aside partisan politics and heed the wisdom of predecessors like Theodore Roosevelt, who understood the economic value of conservation. On occasion that will mean additional federal spending, but we now know that every dollar invested in conservation yields a four-dollar return.
The election is now over. But the ramifications of it are far from manifest. I think too many politicians on both sides see environmental concerns as a “green” movement, when, in a real sense, those “green” organizations
“A recent survey conducted by Colorado College indicates that most Westerners agree conservation of our natural resources should remain a priority. Seventy-eight percent of those surveyed believe we can protect our land and water while maintaining a strong economy at the same time. Nine out of 10 respondents in Colorado said our national parks, forests, monuments, and wildlife areas are an essential part of Colorado’s economy. Further, 86 percent support continued funding to protect and maintain our state’s land, water, and wildlife.” Now President Obama has won four more years. But he would be foolish to assume he has a mandate. He has to play ball with the energy industry now. If you think his reelection is enough to protect the environmental policies in place, you may be wrong. If you were a Romney supporter, and you think his stance for small business, tax breaks, and increased
like the Sierra Club, and Greenpeace, and the World Wildlife Fund may have exhausted their political capital. The real “green” movement, isn’t, in fact “green” anymore. These days, the real environmentalists wear camo… and waders. And they come from both of the main political parties. The only question now is whether they’ll band together to make their voices heard. After the election (because it still matters). When the mid-terms roll around. And when we collectively choose the next leader of the free world four years from now. at
BACKCAST
Within a Whiff of the Scat Written by Geoff Mueller
AnglingTrade.com / December 2012
Venturing deeper and deeper into less traveled country has its allure. Fewer people on the trail; more scat. These backcountry experiences have come to represent a cleansing of sorts. Whether it’s missioning upstream to Third Meadow or marching miles deep into the Madison River drainage flowing out of the park en route to Hebgen, there’s nary a second to sweat deadlines or the steaming piles of emails jamming the inbox. And that’s the way I like it. Here in the backcountry, the mind’s eye becomes glued to new surroundings and sets of stimuli spurred by remoteness. River nuances and habitats that cradle your intended targets replace billboards and popups. Mind-blowing scenery. Aspens on the brink of color combustion and this year new and old distractions such as idiotic tourists getting too close to unfenced animals, bears in heat for meat, and blue skies whitewashed by billowing clouds of wildfire smoke. 38
Although run-ins with parkbound tourists and raging wildfires throughout the West were mostly unavoidable in 2012, I’ve been lucky enough to stave off a first-hand grizzly encounter. At least some of that success can be attributed to traveling with people who possess much more “bearwithall” than myself. When I see a river it’s mostly a case of blinders, aimed directly at water and wild fish within. We continue to invade bear country because it’s good fishing country. And whether it’s cutthroat, steelhead, or fall-run browns, bears are regularly part of the ecological mix. An afterthought—although ever-present— lurking somewhere back there in the bushes. My fiancé, on the other hand, would likely interject right here. From the North Fork Shoshone through the heart of Jellystone and beyond, her idea of fishing in secluded spaces is akin to something along the lines of a Timothy Treadwell nightmare meets Berenstain Bears go berserk. She has a healthy fear of furry animals. Recently this included a cow grazing on the bank of the Henry’s Fork, a bovine completely befuddled by a small woman blowing a bright orange whistle and holstering two cans of bear spray—one on each hip. Thankfully, we evaded mad cow. We fished drys to rising trout for another hour or so before she headed back to the lodge and left me to my blinder pursuits. To her credit, we arrived at Rene Harrop’s iconic Trout Hunters fly shop earlier that day and met Millie Paini at the front desk. In addition to the usual flies and water condition banter, Paini, when prompted, began in on stories of local grizz gore. We learned of a shop guide
who had been chased up a tree by curious cubs. One of the little guys received a healthy dousing of spray that sent it running. But its relentless kin stayed underfoot… salivating over the prospect of a GoreTex wrapped appetizer. The bears eventually went home hungry. And the savvy guide survived, thanks to ringing in backup via cell phone. The next day, we too left unscathed. After skirting south, below the wildfire ring that had socked in Jackson so bad that the Tetons were erased from the panorama, we dipped below the grizz line and arrived home in Colorado ahead of schedule. Up in Skeena country, veteran Alaska Bush pilot and fly fisher Gary Limage wasn’t so lucky. Attacked by a grizzly while fishing the Morice, Limage was rushed to the hospital in Smithers. At the time, details of the attack remained scant considering Limage was missing a sizable chunk of his jaw. Limage would live to fish again. Around the same time in eastern Idaho, a grizz chose to sample the arm of an archer who was retrieving a bull elk carcass. The bear charged from the brush, then quickly retreated back to where it came. A sneak-attack of the scariest kind. As we make plans for a new year, fishing within a whiff of the scat still remains a draw. Biologists estimate the Greater Yellowstone area holds at least 600 grizz strong—those of both the “threatened” and threatening nature. But the number of quality fish per mile in that same region assures that you’ll likely catch the one you want before the one you don’t catches you. Tread lightly, pack your pepper cologne, and stay safe out there. at
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