the buzz on the flyfishing biz
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TRADE
Inside
The ACCESS Issue
Fish Free or Die/ Private vs. Public/ Fish Parks... Why Not?/ Why Media Matters/ Now is the Time to Take Action December2008AnglingTrade.com
the buzz on the flyfishing biz
CONTENTS
®
TRADE
Features
Departments
Editor
Kirk Deeter kirk@anglingtrade.com Managing Editor
20 Fish Free or Die
We’re selling paradise by the acre or the hour, and we could be killing our industry by doing so. Now, more than ever, it’s time to tear down some fences.
6 Editor’s Column Americans are going to flyfish next year, no matter what the economy does. The issue now isn’t “if,” rather “where” they plan to fish. By Kirk Deeter
By Ben Romans
26 Private vs. Public “Private” is not, in fact, a dirty word. What is… is. The smart retailer and guide operator understands that balancing public vs. private water access can key business success. By Jay Cassell
8 Currents The latest product, people, company and issues news from the flyfishing industry.
18 They Said It Will Rice gets the inside perspective from Chris Patterson, director and cinematographer of the new film Drift.
Tim Romano tim@anglingtrade.com Editor-at-Large
Charlie Meyers charlie@anglingtrade.com Art Director
Tara Brouwer tara@brouwerdesign.com brouwerdesign.com Copy Editors
Mabon Childs, Sarah Warner Contributing Editors
Tom Bie Ben Romans Andrew Steketee Greg Thomas Contributors
Jay Cassell, Bill Deeter, Jeff Galbraith, Nate Matthews, Will Rice Photos unless noted by Tim Romano
30 Fishparks… Why Not?
25 Recommended Reading
Maybe we should take a lesson from skateboarding. If you build it, they will fish. They being young anglers, of course… maybe it’s time to give them more than just reasons for being involved. By Jeff Galbraith
Angling the World by Roy Tanami. Nate Matthews turns the pages of Tanami’s new adventure epic.
32 Opinion Editorial Now is the Perfect Time to Take Action. By Bill Deeter
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
34 Why Media Matters More
36 Backcast Are you competing with your customers? In the context of river access, that’s an issue every fly shop owner should consider. By Charlie Meyers
Street Address: 3055 24th Street Boulder, CO 80304 AnglingTrade.com
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AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
Now than Ever Want flyfishing to be cool? Well, seeing is believing. And seeing means video. Don’t believe it? Just ask kayaking... or skiing... or the X Games... By Tom Bie
Mail Address: PO Box 17487 Boulder, CO 80308
photo: Huskey • angler: Marcus Egge
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CONTRIBUTORS
Tom Bie is the publisher and editor of The Drake, and a contributing editor to Angling Trade. He’s also a former editor of Powder, and is involved with numerous other flyfishingrelated projects in various media.
Jay Cassell is a deputy editor for Field & Stream, the largest and most respected outdoors magazine in the world. He is a serious flyfishing enthusiast—and business insider—having acquired and edited some of the best flyfishing books and articles on this sport in recent memory.
Bill Deeter has been the principal and chief executive of a successful marketing and communications consulting firm, based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, since 1985. He makes no claims as to his flyfishing prowess, or his influence over/ association with the editor of this magazine.
Jeff Galbraith
Nate Matthews is the online editor for Field & Stream. He’s also a well-traveled and decorated writer, a “new media” insider of the highest order, and a flyfishing junkie. We’d tease him more here, but he’s our boss at www.fsflytalk.com.
Will Rice is the carp king of Colorado, a successful freelance writer, and an integral member of the Angling Trade team. When we need a “tell us what you really think” piece, from beer joints in Denver to beetle kills, we inevitably talk to Will.
BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHICH ACCESSORIES YOU MAY NEED... Angler’s Accessories proves again and again that high quality fly fishing accessories don’t have to be expensive to be great! Call, fax or email for our full-color 2009 catalog.
is an AT contributing editor, a seasoned writer with many flyfishing industry insights, and an angler with an unabashed penchant for fence-hopping. He has a Montana flyfishing guide book in the works.
15353 E. Hinsdale Circle, Unit F, Centennial, CO 80112 ph 303-690-0477 • fax 303-690-0472 sam@anglersaccessories.com
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
Ben Romans
Angler’s Accessories does NOT carry firearms.
is the editor and publisher of frequency: the snowboarder’s journal, and The Ski Journal. He’ll soon be making waves in the flyfishing world with a similar journal-type project on a subject we all hold near and dear.
EDITOR’S COLUMN
Americans are going to flyfish next year, no matter what the economy does. The issue now isn’t “if,” rather “where” they plan to fish. Bob Dylan said it best: “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.” You know better than anyone if and how the American economic slowdown is impacting your business. From where I sit, believe it or not, I’m getting mixed reports. On the one hand, I’m hearing about lodges that have been hammered by low bookings, and highend bamboo rod makers who have had customers abandon their deposits altogether. On the other hand, I’ve heard that certain manufacturers and shops are optimistic about 2009, and have the orders to back that up.
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
I’m not sure how many $700 rods are going to fly off the racks, and I can’t guess how many $500-a-day guide trips will be booked in 2009, but I do know this: People are going to fish next year, no matter what the economy is doing. I, for one, find flyfishing to be an even more important salve for my soul when times get tough. I suspect you might rank flyfishing right up there with beer and tobacco consumption in the context of “fixes” most Americans will cling to, even in the toughest of times. As Angling Trade editor-at-large Charlie Meyers (who has seen the market fluctuate over the past 40-some years of covering the outdoors) explained to me when we were out fishing (and bitching about the economy) the other day: “Think about it… a father and son can still grab a handful of flies, and go spend a day on the water together for roughly the same price as going to the movies.” The big question for the short term, therefore, isn’t whether or not people will fish, it’s where will they go? Put that in the context of food. I just heard that McDonalds recorded an eight-percent rise in profits. What that says to me is that people are still eating at 6
restaurants, but, given the cost factor, a Big Mac is looking a little more appetizing than filet mignon for some folks. I don’t believe flyfishing is a “fast food” entity, but I do think, in the short term, flyfishing will be a more localized, do-it-yourself endeavor. Some people will travel, for sure. They’ll camp, and float, and all those things… but they’re also going to key in on that piece of water close to home. Which leads us to the theme for this issue—access. I believe the access issue is more important now than ever before. Not that I have any steadfast opinions on the public-versus-private debate. Sure, I love wideopen public spaces. I also appreciate the experience of fishing private water. In my mind, it’s a matter of balance. I think the fly retailer has to consider this philosophical balance very, very carefully now. Working to secure new public leases and opening resources should be paramount concerns. But so, too, should be finding ways to ensure quality experiences for customers. I invited writers to weigh in on the access issue from various angles: Jay Cassell offers an enlightened “what is” perspective on pay-to-play in his piece, and Ben Romans gives us a passionate “what should be” argument in his. We also invited Jeff Galbraith, editor of the successful titles frequency, and The Ski Journal (and who will soon be launching The Fly Fish Journal), to give us his opinions on “fishparks.” Switching gears, in light of current market conditions, I asked Tom Bie, editor of The Drake to talk about video’s role in promoting the sport. I even asked my father, Bill Deeter, to chime in on marketing because, as a seasoned pro with 40 years in the marketing world, I figured he’d have some keen perspectives that would help you with your businesses. In other words, I played my aces. Whether you’re selling Big Macs or filet mignon, now is not the time to quit marketing. This is when the contenders seize opportunities. “Out of sight, out of mind” is an adage that holds true in any economy, and in that light, I suggest that now is sure as hell not the time to build more fences… either around the waters we fish, or our businesses. at - Kirk Deeter, Editor
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Hot News Angling Trade to Produce 2009 FFR Show Guide Angling Trade magazine and Nielsen Business Media, producers of the Fly Fishing Retailer (FFR) Trade Show, have reached an agreement under which Angling Trade has exclusive rights to produce the 2009 FFR Show Guide. The 2009 FFR show will be held in Denver in September; the show guide will be integrated into the September 2009 issue of Angling Trade magazine. The guide will be its own section in the September issue, and will feature many of the same elements as in previous years: an exhibitor list, map of the FFR floor, show information, AFFTA update, etc. It will also coordinate with features, columns, reviews and news items produced by Angling Trade.
Advertisers should plan accordingly in terms of budgeting. The contact for placements in the Show Guide will be Tim Romano (tim@anglingtrade.com). Ad positions will be determined by insertions with Angling Trade. Rates will remain unchanged in 2009. BC Steelhead at Center of Access Debate The Ministry of Environment in British Columbia is tackling the sticky issue of crowding and access through an extensive planning program, now underway. An excerpt on rationale: “For years, people have told the Ministry of Environment that waters in the Skeena River system have persistent steelhead angleruse issues – crowding, disproportionate numbers of non-resident anglers or guided anglers, lack of opportunities for resident anglers, illegal guiding, and poor angler etiquette – leading to a degraded quality of angling experience. Spring 2008 consultations confirmed these concerns about angler use on a number of waters in the Skeena River watershed.
ske/qws/. Angling Trade will report further in its March issue. Montana Supreme Court Rules Mitchell Slough Open The Montana Supreme Court recently ruled that Mitchell Slough is open to recreation under the state’s stream access law. This decision will have statewide ramifications in the ongoing stream access debate. In a 54-page decision, the court said that the 16 miles of this waterway (Between Hamilton and Stevensville, Montana) follows the historical course of a waterway mapped 130 years ago, and therefore is subject to the same public access and permitting standards as other natural waterways. This ruling overturned two earlier rulings by state district courts that found the slough was not a “natural, perennial-flowing stream.” Orvis Creates Casting Course Has Orvis created the first fishpark in the country (see “fishparks” editorial by Jeff Galbraith on page 30)? Perhaps. Call it “sporting
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
In response to these concerns, the ministry implemented the Quality Waters Strategy on the Skeena River and its major tributaries. The Quality Water Strategy is a process to develop a draft Angling Management Plan on priority waters of the Skeena River watershed.” This is an issue with wide-reaching ramifications, not only among guides, shops, lodges, and others in the Skeena region, but also for traveling anglers and the shops that refer them to this area. In some regards, access for “do-it-yourself ” anglers could be restricted significantly. To keep apprised of this situation, refer to www.gov.bc.ca/ 8
clays goes fishing” or “frisbee golf with fly lines” if you will, but the Orvis Casting Course at the Old Mill in Bend, Oregon, is the only 18-hole golf-style casting course of its kind in North America. It was designed for fun, education, and as an opportunity to practice essential casting skills before going fishing or
during the off-season. The course is free and open to the public. It was developed in partnership with The Old Mill District. Each station is named after a given fishing situation exemplifying its unique challenges; some will require roll casts, some distance, all require a level of accuracy and all provide fun and improve your casting. Users can keep track of their scores on scorecards distributed at the store. Best scores will be showcased on a plaque in the entrance of the store. Tosh Brown Starts Publishing Noted outdoor photographer Tosh Brown has created a new publishing venture called Departure Publishing (www.departurepublishing.com) designed to challenge traditional avenues and “facilitate a select list of accomplished writers who are challenging the tradi-
O’Keefe and Moen Make Impressions with Catch If you haven’t checked out Catch Magazine (www.catchmagazine.net) you should. It is the latest creation from respected photographer and manufacturer’s representative Brian O’Keefe, and world-traveling videographer Todd Moen. The team combines a balance of mesmerizing still images and video that capture the essence of flyfishing in stunning splendor.
Fishpond, for its “Dakota” carryon rod and reel case… which we’ve found to be an excellent travel companion. The case has a hardmolded bottom to keep rods and reels safe while traveling, as well as adjustable, padded interior dividers that are movable to accommodate gear. It can hold up to four rods and several reels or fly boxes. Kaenon… for hanging shades in style on some of the most celebrated figures in sport (including, of course, flyfishing). Latest on the roster: Future Hall-of-Fame NFL quarterback Brett Favre who’s now seen in Segment G12’s and Tampa Bay Rays skipper Joe Maddon, who wore Lewi, Hard Kore, and Basis designs (with SR-91 Rx Freestyle Progressive lenses) as he led his team to the World Series. continued on next page... 9
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
First on the Departure roster is a book called The Alaska Chronicles, a memoir by Miles Nolte, who transmitted via satellite Internet a semidaily account of what it’s really like to be a flyfishing guide on a remote Alaskan river. A list of other topics being considered for future projects is available at the company’s website.
Products Kudos To…
Fish & Fly Acquires… Fish & Fly
Fish & Fly Ltd, owner of the popular UK-based online magazine (www. fishandfly.com) has acquired the rights and title of its print namesake in the USA—Fish & Fly magazine—from Turnstile Publishing Company of tional boundaries of sporting and expedition publishing. Instead of continually churning out volumes of comfortable and habitual writing, we’re looking to occasionally publish something really unique.”
Orlando, Florida. Clayton Morris, president of Turnstile said: “We are delighted to see the USA and UK Fish & Fly brands joining forces because it is clear from our negotiations that the new owners have the passion and enthusiasm to build on achievements to date and are ready to create a truly global brand.” A new issue of the magazine is expected in the first quarter of 2009.
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Hardy, whose “Perfect” reel was chosen as one of the Top New Fly Fishing Products for 2009 under the reel category by our esteemed colleagues at Midcurrent.com.
The People Buzz
And Float Master Products, for its line of exceptionally sensitive, adjustable strike indicators that stay
stuck (in place) on leaders. Made from high-density polystyrene, these indicators attach to line with a piece of natural rubber tubing, and are available in various shapes and sizes, as well as 17 color combinations. See www.floatmasterco.net.
sports
tools
MANY SAY, “we have the best.” ONE must be right. All we ask is: COMPARE, THEN DECIDE. Clip n’ Knot
Green River Icon Denny Breer Killed in Accident The flyfishing community lost one of its greatest advocates and most gentle souls when Denny Breer, 59, was killed in a construction accident at his home in Dutch John, Utah, on November 6, 2008. As owner of Trout Creek Flies, Denny was a tireless advocate for the Green River fishery, and an ambassador for the sport as a whole. He was a gracious, caring, and humble person, and the consummate teacher. He literally wrote the book on fishing the Green, Utah’s Green River: A Fly Fisher’s Guide to the Flaming Gorge Tailwater. Through his sharing nature, Denny played a key role in a book that launched my outdoor writing career. He remained a good friend and mentor afterward. Our thoughts are with his wife, Grace, and their family. There will never, ever, be another river icon like Denny, who “walked the walk” far beyond “talking the talk.” His legacy will have lasting impact, likely far beyond anything he imagined.
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
- Kirk Deeter Retracing Needle • Sharpest Edges Stainless Steel • Made in USA See our entire line at www.sportstoolsusa.com sportstools@yahoo.com 1-800-827-7662 In Montana (406) 633-9444 10
Filson Names Harold Egler Vice President of Direct Sales; John Wright as North American Wholesale Sales Manager Filson expanded its management team by naming Harold Egler vice president of direct sales, responsible
for managing all of the brand’s direct consumer sales and the catalog and E-commerce platforms. John Wright, North American wholesale sales manager, will oversee all wholesale sales representatives in the United States and Canada. “Harry and John have extensive experience in outdoor industry sales and proven track records of success,” said Bill Kulczycki, president and CEO of Filson. “They not only understand the importance of nurturing an established brand history, but also, growing companies by introducing more consumers to the brand. They will be strong additions to our team.” Egler has more than 15 years of experience in specialty retail, including positions with Eddie Bauer and Lands’ End. Most recently, Egler was the vice president of marketing at Celebrate Express, a leading catalog and online retailer of party supplies and costumes based in Kirkland, Wash. Wright has more than 18 years of sales experience in the outdoor industry, most recently serving as the national sales manager for Slumberjack, a division of American Recreation Products, Inc.
Industry Buzz Orvis and Customers Provide Record-Breaking Support to Casting for Recovery Casting for Recovery (CFR), a national, non-profit support and educational program for women who have or have had breast cancer, announced that The Orvis Company and its customers have raised a record-breaking $100,000 in 2008, continued on next page...
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which will help expand CFR programs by 17% next year. The total includes a $25,000 direct contribution from Orvis, which matches a portion of the total given through individual donations of customers, employees, and the public. In 2008, 37 Casting for Recovery retreat programs were held in 28 states. Retreats will also be held in Canada through Casting for Recovery-Canada and in the UK through Casting for Recovery-UK/Ireland. In the United States, Casting for Recovery has served close to 3,500 women since its beginnings in 1996. Demand for the program continues to grow. “Thanks to the ongoing leadership and support from Orvis, we continue to be able to sustain and expand our services to women across the country. Their commitment to women and their families is to be commended,” says Seline Skoug, executive director of Casting for Recovery.”
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
Skoug added: “Women who attend a Casting for Recovery retreat tell us of the enormous difference it makes in their lives—as this quote from a recent participant illustrates: ‘My experience at the Casting for Recovery weekend was one of empowerment. I knew that no matter what I faced beyond that weekend I could handle. That weekend gave me the strength and support I needed to face a second diagnosis of breast cancer last December. My life was changed and blessed by the opportunity to attend this phenomenal retreat.’ The Casting for Recovery program is unique in that the retreat curriculum incorporates the elements of flyfishing combined with professional medical and psychosocial support to promote physical and 12
mental healing. Through classroom sessions, group discussions and inservice presentations, the focus is on wellness, learning and empowerment, while providing the participant with a true retreat—a respite from familiar surroundings and everyday routines. Each Casting for Recovery retreat is appropriate for women at all stages of treatment and recovery, and at various stages of emotional adaptation to breast cancer. Each retreat serves a maximum of 14 women and is staffed by trained volunteers, including one medical and one counseling professional; 4 flyfishing instructors; 11 “River Guides,” and at least 1 alumna who serves as the hospitality coordinator. The growth of the program relies on the efforts of a devoted cadre of over 1,000 volunteers nationwide and to generous donations by many donors. Demand for the program is growing: In 1998, Casting for Recovery conducted four retreats; it has scheduled 43 for 2009. For more information about the Casting for Recovery program, and for information on how to support our retreat programs, call (toll-free) 888-553-3500 or visit www.castingforrecovery.org. Zebco Acquires Vortex Outdoors (William Joseph) Zebco Brands, a W.C. Bradley company, has acquired privately held Vortex Outdoors. The move combines a group of companies that produce specialty packs and gear (including William Joseph) for the flyfishing market with one of the largest and most recognized fishing brands in the world. The purchased brands include William Joseph flyfishing gear, Badlands hunting equipment,
Vortex backpacks, Black Ridge packs and Watermark flyfishing packs. Purchase price and additional terms of the sale were not disclosed. Founded in 1992 as Vortex Corporation, the Salt Lake City, Utah, company was named among the state’s top 100 fastest-growing companies in 2006 and 2007, based on sustained double-digit growth for numerous consecutive years. “This is a good match for both companies,” said Zebco Brands president Jeff Pontius in making the announcement. “Vortex has achieved success through product innovation and building enthusiasm around their brands, and we have the resources and support structure to help them take that momentum to the next level. We are thrilled to lead the way in the further development of brands and markets.” Pontius said Vortex will continue to operate from its present Salt Lake City location with the same personnel in place, including Vortex founder Bill Crawley. “To watch our brands grow like they have, especially over the past decade, and see what they have become today has been a truly remarkable journey. We couldn’t be more pleased to have what we’ve built become a part of the Zebco Brands family,” Crawley said. “This is a good decision for us, and we’re in the best of hands with the Bradley folks.” In July, Zebco changed its company name to Zebco Brands, hinting that it had intentions to expand its brand portfolio beyond just fishing. This is the first acquisition by the W.C. Bradley Co. business since then and serves as proof of the company’s interest in strategic diversification.
Umpqua Feather Merchants Acquires Fly H2O Umpqua Feather Merchants recently announced the acquisition of Fly H20. The move effectively bolsters Umpqua’s massive Asian-based production capabilities, with complementary Mexico-based production assets from Fly H20. Specific terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“All fly companies face tremendous challenges delivering product to customers. By combining Umpqua’s quality ethic, the strength and sheer volume of its Asian facilities, with our commitment to high quality and the ability to quickly address market changes with our Mexican facility, it makes for one outstanding fly company,” said Troy Bachmann, founder of Fly H2O and new director of Umpqua de Mexico. Retailers working with either company are advised of the following: 1. As of now, all checks are to be written out to Umpqua Feather Merchants and mailed to: Umpqua Feather Merchants 594 S. Arthur Ave., Louisville, CO 80027. 2. All new orders should be sent to Umpqua as well, as they will ship out from their Colorado warehouse. If you currently order from Umpqua, you can send in one order with Umpqua items, Metz items, and FlyH2O items. continued on next page...
DENVER, CO JANUARY 9, 10 & 11 MARLBOROUGH, MA JANUARY 16, 17 & 18 SOMERSET, NJ JANUARY 23, 24 & 25
2009
CHARLOTTE, NC JANUARY 30 & 31 BELLEVUE, WA FEBRUARY 6, 7 & 8 PORTLAND, OR FEBRUARY 14 & 15 PASADENA, CA FEBRUARY 21 & 22 PLEASANTON, CA FEBRUARY 27, 28 & MARCH 1
PHOTO COURTESY OF BARRY AND CATHY BECK
“Fly H2O and its founder, Troy Bachmann, are an outstanding addition to Umpqua Feather Merchants,” said Umpqua president/COO Jeff Fryhover. “This acquisition partners the knowledge, skill, and experience of Troy Bachmann and his production team with Umpqua’s broad distribution and outstanding sales force… it’s a great fit!”
Fly Fishing is NOT part of the show
IT IS THE SHOW!
flyfishingshow.com
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a. Orders may be faxed to: 303-567-6697.
We are great believers in the US market and our long term commitment will bring that message home.”
b. Orders may be emailed to: umpqua@umpqua.com.
The warehouse offices and showrooms measure nearly 15,000 square feet and the fitted workspaces are designed specifically for the subsidiary. Staff will include customer service, sales administration, and warehouse personnel.
Questions? Please contact Bruce Olson, sales manager of Umpqua at bolson@umpqua.com or Kelly Pfeiffer, accounting manager of Umpqua at kellyp@umpqua.com. Hardy Expands North American Operation On October 22, Hardy North America officially opened the doors of its new Lancaster, Pennsylvania, warehouse service and distribution facility. The company will ship Hardy and Greys products to US Dealers from this facility. Jim Murphy, president of Hardy North America, said: “The
opening of the new Hardy North America facility represents the full confidence that Hardy has in the US market. “We are thrilled to become full members of the world’s largest fly rod market and look forward to delivering the world class products and services that have made Hardy famous during the last two centuries.
AFFTA Memberships Now Based On Calendar Year The AFFTA board of directors has voted to extend annual memberships to December 31, 2008 (typically, memberships had expired on October 31), and base future memberships on the calendar year basis. Beginning in 2009, AFFTA memberships dues will be due January 1 and will be effective for the calendar year. There are three types of memberships available: General, Associate and Individual. The General membership is suitable for manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, industry representatives, travel agencies and outfitters. General membership dues are determined by self-reporting a company’s annual revenue and submitting the appropriate amount of money for that level. (AFFTA assures that all proprietary information provided by each General member will be held in strictest confidence and will not be shared outside of the AFFTA HQ office. Associate memberships cost $100, and individual memberships are $50. Associate memberships are for media representatives and trade organizations. Individual memberships are for guides, shop staff and other individuals interested in supporting the flyfishing industry and promoting the mission of AFFTA. The 2009 annual AFFTA membership dues structure can be found at http://www.affta.com/additional. php?sect=membership.
14
Travel Highlight Written by Kirk Deeter
Finding Über-Trout at the Far End of the World of even the fabled Rio Grande... and, thankfully, I took it. There’s a new lodge there, called Far End Rivers (www.farendrivers.com), which caters to a very small handful of anglers per week. We flew to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, and from there, traveled by land to the lodge, which sits amidst a vast estancia within sight of the Atlantic and Cabo San Diego, the pencil-point tip of South America.
Argentina has long been one of the best value destinations for the traveling angler. And in this economy, with unstable fuel prices and an American dollar that’s weak against everything from the Euro to the Canadian Loonie, that holds particularly true. For what it’s worth, Argentina is also an incredibly alluring (socially and geographically) place worth visiting in your life, whether you plan to fish or not.
I had always been captivated by the latter, and dreamed of catching sea-run trout south of the Straits of Magellan. But I’ll admit I was also apprehensive, thanks to the stories I’d read involving giant rivers that demanded two-handed rods, everhowling winds, and notoriously spooky fish. But last year I had a chance to join Patty Reilly of Wilson, Wyoming, on an exploratory trip to the Rio Irigoyen, which is one of the southernmost trout rivers on the planet, far south
If you know someone looking for a “life experience,” a relative value (a week at the lodge is still $4500 US), and a trip that’s beyond what many people know about, this is a referral you can make with confidence (or a trip you should consider yourself). That guy from Grand Rapids, or Allentown, or Mill Valley, or Boulder, who has always wanted to land the monster brown trout of a lifetime… he can reliably do that here. 15
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
But we’re talking fishing, and in many ways, Argentine angling culture mirrors many of the best American flyfishing traditions. Minus the English-to-Spanish language divide (and 11 hours of air travel, give or take), when in parts of Argentina, it’s very easy to imagine yourself fishing rivers in the American West… only 50 or
75 years ago. Of course, in other ways, fishing in Argentina can flatout blow away any preconceptions the average American angler might have, from casting at giant golden dorado in Argentina’s warm northern drainages, to chasing the giant sea-run trout of Tierra del Fuego.
What took me by surprise was the intimate, in fact gentle, setting. Nestled in the terminal crook of the Andes, the Irigoyen is small enough to wade across (though we had many private miles to explore), and sheltered from Atlantic breezes in a deep lenga tree hollow. The fishing, it turned out, was quite similar to casting for browns on the streams in Michigan where I cut my angling teeth… only we used 8-weights, giant streamers, and some of the fish were over 20 pounds! The lodge was immaculate, the food was exceptional, the scenery was stunning, and the guides, Alex and Nico Trochine, were among the best I’ve ever fished with.
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That, above everything else, is what makes Far End Rivers a compelling lodge destination. The “Everyman” angler can, in fact, catch the trout he/ she only imagined before, bringing with him/her the casting skills they use back home. Of course, anyone who has seen and experienced Argentina and its culture realizes why it’s more than worth it to journey here. There is still very limited availability at Far End Rivers this season (US winter, South American summer). Contact Marcelo Perez at ceo@untamedangling.com or Patty Reilly at reillyconnects@wyoming.com for information.
Kristiansen deals daily with a problem that, to varying degrees, impacts the orderly allocation of goods. A direct fallout from Internet shopping, this illegal practice allows buyers to save as much as 70 percent on purchases while saddling legitimate retailers with subsequent warranty or handling costs. At the same time, it robs distributors such as the Norway-based Kristiansen of profits earned through normal delivery channels. Kristiansen and his associates have made perhaps a dozen inquiries to the offending major Internet houses on both U.S. coasts to establish their willingness, even eagerness, to circumvent import laws. “I have E-mails as proof,” he said.
Coming Soon to Your Shop?
The “Undercover Angler” Grey Market Sales The words from 8,000 miles away came as no real surprise. “They just told me straight out how to avoid paying duty and value added tax on the product,” Jarle Kristiansen related. “I didn’t even have to ask for it.”
As managing director for Flyfish/ Europe, the major distributor for Simms products on the continent,
But to shops and smaller firms trying to make a go in a slender market, this erosion of legitimate profit poses a real threat. “I have nothing against free competition. If I can’t compete with price, I shouldn’t be in the trade. But it’s a different matter when they cheat,” Kristiansen said. For Kristiansen and distributors in Europe and Japan, the pinch increases when one considers the standard costs of warehousing and dispersal. The common practice among offending Internet firms is to either disguise the product as an outright gift or to under-declare its value at a half or less. A European Internet customer thus might save 17 percent duty on the purchase of fish-
The problem is greatest for softgood distributors for a couple of reasons. First, duty is much less on rods and reels, just 3.7 percent. Also, serial number tracking allows the manufacturer to identify each item as to its point of sale, thus eliminating misdirected warranty claims. “We know where every one of our products go. We can track back to the origin and take whatever steps necessary to stop it,” said Bruce Kirschner, president of Far Bank Enterprises, which lists Sage among its product line. “Companies that don’t track are more vulnerable.” While it might be argued that the manufacturer is selling product either way, the more insidious aspect is that grey market sales undermine the integrity of a dealer network that thrives on grassroots promotion. If retailers aren’t boosting products, overall sales will suffer. Most believe that, as Internet sales blossom around the globe while manufacturers work to create solid distribution networks, the trouble will accelerate. “This is a big deal as far as its longterm implications,” said John LeCoq of fishpond. Meanwhile, Kristiansen shouts for the attention of tariff officials who thus far don’t seem to be listening. at - Charlie Meyers 17
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
Thus began another negotiation in the shady world of grey market enterprise as it relates to the sale of U.S.-based flyfishing gear in the international marketplace.
Trouble is, he’s not quite certain what to do with them, or who will listen amid the hurly-burly of a global economy in which the shuffle of a few relatively low-cost customs tickets don’t warrant much notice.
ing boots in Norway or the United Kingdom, 19 percent in Germany, 21 percent in Spain. Tack on a 25 percent VAT (sales) tax, plus the normal markup through a supply network, and the incentive becomes substantial. The margin grows when these fraudulent purchases are made at dollar pricing during periods when the Euro is dominant.
THEY SAID IT
They Said It:
“
Lots of automatic weapons, super fast water, very shady characters...
“
Interview by Will Rice
Name and age: Chris Patterson, 38 Title: Director/Cinematographer of DRIFT To earn a paycheck I: Shoot movies all winter for Warren Miller, so I can shoot movies about flyfishing all summer. The part of my job I love the most is: The
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
reward of sitting in a theater with an audience and experiencing their reactions to the images and stories I worked hard to create.
The part of my job I hate the most is: Filming great anglers who make it look so easy.
If I mysteriously came down with the avian flu my boss would most likely find me fishing: Southern Belize with cold Belikin to ease my fever. 18
My closest near-death, fishing-related incident: The 10 days in Kashmir while shooting DRIFT… lots of automatic weapons, super fast water, very shady characters and terrifying roads.
The last zone I fished that blew my mind that I’m willing to talk about: When I’m filming it’s kind of like fishing with my camera, I have the same stoke as the angler when he hooks a great fish, so I’d have to say chasing Steelhead on the Deschutes with John and Amy Hazel.
The fish I lost that still haunts me: I didn’t actually lose it—but I ran out of film which is kind of the same feeling—it was a big Rainbow in Kashmir with Travis Smith.
When I’m not working and not fishing you might find me: Thinking about how to fish more and work less.
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Written by Ben Romans
I just won the lottery. Bam! Two hundred million dollars, just like that. Who knew a string of ambitious little ping-pong balls stuck in a vacuum tube would decide my destiny? No more of “the man” keeping me down, he can kiss my ass, I quit. First thing I’m going to do is buy my little slice of heaven. River frontage of course, with at least a mile, maybe two, of the best riffle-pool trout water I can find. I’ll build some benches under shade trees; maybe add a small barbeque pavilion. It will be the perfect piece of water—filled to the nuts with 22-inch browns. Everyone will want to fish it. Want to hear the best part? You’re all invited.
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
I want to redefine what it means to be a riverfront landowner in the 21st century. Go against the grain. Areas closed to the public would reopen, all in the name of the greater good. Damn it’s nice to dream. I believe humanity is inherently entitled to the gifts of nature, no matter your background or wealth. The outdoors is a bandage for the soul. When we manufacture the fish, manipulate the water, manicure the fauna, and slap on a price tag, it cheapens the experience, and embarrasses me as an outdoorsman. Planting abnormally huge, dim-witted hatchery fish and charging untold amounts of money to catch them only adds insult to injury. Pay-to-play 20
cliques hook these marvels of pellet nutrition and the consequence is instant nitro fuel for the ego; a weekend-warrior’s golden ticket to boast like they’re angler-of-the-year after hoodwinking a 26inch slab of piscatorial Purina. It’s false advertising; the angling equivalent of high-fence hunting operations—instant rewards without the quest. The rise of pay-to-play and the overall privatization of flyfishing is the death knell for the industry. It’s forcing more anglers to occupy less public space and one reason participation continues to decline. From a financial standpoint, we can’t afford to lose any more of the sport’s public component than is already lost. The fly shop owner, the gear manufacturer, and the small-town tourist economies depend on “free range” fishing. And the best way to ensure its survival is through a united front. I know I’ll make enemies saying this, but Colorado and Wyoming, you guys got problems. Look at Utah, they’re finally getting the picture Montana’s Stream Access Law painted over twenty years ago.
You salty-dogs, you’re next. Up and down both coastlines beachfront homeowners are pushing anglers off the sand under the guise that property lines extend to the water. New Zealand gets the idea. This past September an overwhelming majority passed a bill in parliament that secures public access to the country’s great outdoors. Rural Affairs Minister Damien O’Connor said the “Walking Access Bill,” which creates a Commission to provide leadership on access issues, goes to the heart of what most New Zealanders regard as their fundamental birthright. “The Bill builds on the legacy of public access established over the last century and a half and creates the Walking Access Commission to clarify, promote and extend walking access to lakes and waterways throughout New Zealand,” O’Connor says. I’m with O’Connor. We should be creating entry points, not selling them. When a private interest “outbids” the public for access rights, or claims the streambed as its own, it angers me. I feel cheated and take it personally, as if someone is stealing from me. Such is the case with the Farmer’s Union property of the North Fork of the South Platte River outside Denver, Colorado—once an incredibly popular destination because of its quality fishing and proximity to the Mile-High City. For years, these miles of riverbank operated as an open-ended club where 80 to 100 members paid yearly dues, brought guests, continued on next page...
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and held events like church retreats and weddings. Non-members could access the water with a guide for a nominal fee, strikingly similar to the daily rod-fee structure used on Montana’s famous Paradise Valley spring creeks. That changed last winter when someone sealed an $80,000 a year, five-year lease agreement with the Farmer’s Union for exclusive fishing rights. The former members, local guides, and other interested parties
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
(like area fly shops) were blindsided, and for Dan Hydinger, owner of The Hatch fly shop in Pine Junction, it was a tough pill to swallow. “This was a nice piece of water. People from Denver could fish, it didn’t cost an arm-and-a-leg, and it was easy to take your kid or wife. Just a quality experience for the average Joe,” Hydinger says. “This is the third decent chunk of water we’ve lost to private interests in the last year or two and it’s starting to leave a bad taste in my mouth. Even if people weren’t booking our guides to fish at Farmer’s Union, they were at least stopping in the shop on their way to the water.” Jim Cannon of the Blue Quill Angler fly shop has a different take. Rather than denounce the new Farmer’s Union arrangement, he insists on 22
looking at the bright side and notes that Colorado is a great place to mix private and public fisheries. “Let’s choose our battles,” Cannon says. “In reality, Colorado has a tremendous amount of public water, and yeah, it was disappointing to see the Farmer’s Union go, but there are a lot of other places for people to fish. Most of the rivers in this state aren’t very big so crowding is a problem, especially this close to Denver. Our guides
primarily fish and guide on public water, but it’s nice to have the private areas for those that want the opportunity to catch bigger fish and get away from people.” And so it goes—two different people with two different opinions. It’s one reason why the issue of access has become such a hot potato and the movement to privatize water is splintering some circles of the sport. On one side are those that say privatization is good; that landowners have a vested interest in their property and are ideally suited to safeguard watersheds as they see fit. On the other side of the coin are the majority; public access advocates willing to take their fight to court. Nobody knows this more than Donny Beaver, owner of the Spring Ridge Club in central Pennsyl-
vania. Beaver became flyfishing’s poster child for greed when he tried to sequester public water for personal profit. He tried distancing himself from the image by playing the “savior” role (in my opinion, a smoke-and-mirrors public relations stunt propelling the myth his private-land stewardship benefited the river as a whole), but this only provoked his critics. In February 2007, the courts handed Beaver a smackdown, but it wasn’t a knockout. He had already put his show on the road, landed in Colorado (www.alpineriverclub. com), and locked up private leases with a similar pay-to-play scheme as the Spring Ridge Club. You can fish the river if the price is right, otherwise (to quote ol’ Woody) “If you ain’t got the do-re-mi honey, folks, you ain’t got the do-re-mi.” His business model is legal in Colorado, but doing something just because you have the right, doesn’t always mean it’s the right thing to do. Look for the Spring Ridge Club in a town near you! He’s planted additional roots in northwestern Pennsylvania on some popular Great Lakes steelhead water—another area plagued by problems with private landowners, crowds, and access issues. The outcome of the Spring Ridge Club fiasco was important for the Keystone State because it set a precedent. Approximately 83 percent of the land adjacent to Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams is in the hands of private owners. Outdoorsmen need to stay united or risk losing the remaining 17 percent. Like it or not, “private” is word that sometimes motivates us as anglers—that vision of casting over
naive fish is what dreams are made of. Nevertheless, it’s also a marketing buzzword, a catalyst for those with the Benjamins. Punch the words “private flyfishing” into a Google search bar and you’ll see what I’m saying. I’m sure having a personal slice of Heaven is the tops, but there are risks and consequences with closing paradise; namely the future of our sport. Enter James Cox Kennedy—a malevolent thorn in the side of Montana’s Stream Access Law. Kennedy, heir to the Cox Media fortune, owns thousands of acres along the Ruby River, and while the river isn’t one of the state’s “marquee” destinations, it is a well-known fishery frequented by anglers bouncing between the Beaverhead, Jefferson, and Big Hole watersheds. At some point he decided the Stream Access Law wasn’t his cupof-tea, chased anglers and floaters away, and erected fences to keep people out—not keep cattle in as he claims. Escalation ensued. Kennedy replaced barbed wire fences with electric and connected the barriers to county bridges. This angered, but didn’t stop anglers who risked a quick jolt for an afternoon on the water. When the electric fence short-circuited one gentleman’s pacemaker, however, Kennedy’s henchmen removed it, and restrung barbed-wire to the guardrails of the bridge. At issue was whether the Ruby was publicly accessible (which meant crossing Kennedy’s fences) where the road/bridge and river easements meet. After a public exhibition of finger
pointing between the Public Land & Water Access Association Inc. (PLWA), Madison County commissioners, and Kennedy’s attorneys, the dispute landed in court. In early October 2008, District Court Judge Loren Tucker issued a split
decision, but in the big picture, the stream-access advocates were clearly victorious. “His (Kennedy’s) implicit argument is that a county road may not be continued on next page...
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utilized in the vicinity of water. That argument is unsupported by authority or by logic,” Tucker said. What does that mean? Basically, Kennedy (and other state landowners) can attach fences to the bridge, but the public is allowed to cross and make their way to the water. The burden to ensure fences meet legal specifications rests on the shoulders of the county commissioners.
“We just wanted some accountability,” says John Gibson, president of the PLWA. “We’ve always argued there is a public right-of-way that overlaps where public rivers and public bridges meet. We’ve never asked Kennedy to remove his fences; we just wanted a reasonable and safe way to access the Ruby. Rather than address that issue in court, Kennedy and his attorneys tried chipping away at the Stream
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Access Law; calling it unconstitutional and such. Well, Judge Tucker shut’em down and his decision blew their arguments out of the water.” The Ruby/Kennedy case strengthened the Stream Access Law in Montana and set a powerful precedent for other bridge access points within the state. This case, and the decision against Donny Beaver, is proof that unified sportsman can prevail for the greater good. David can still beat Goliath—no matter how big his portfolio may be. So what’s the purpose of my rant? What did it take me 2,000 words to say that I can simply summarize in one sentence? Simple—we need to protect, enhance, and promote the public resources already available and pursue other public-access options with landowners to help facilitate a growth in outdoor participation. State-managed incentive programs like Montana’s Block Management and Idaho’s Access Yes are steps in the right direction. Overpriced, overrated, overvalued payto-play clubs send the wrong message to the next generation of anglers—we should be welcoming them to the water, not asking for American Express. Public resources are just that—public. We all have a stake in them. Every acre lost to the private sector chips away at the heart of our sport. Get fired up and join or contribute to organizations making a stand on a national level like the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (www.trcp.org) and the Trust for Public Land (http://www.tpl.org), or state level like the PLWA (www.plwa.org) and Pennsylvania Land Trust Association (http://conserveland.org). As an industry, and as an angling family, we need to remain vigilant and seek ways to open up more water for future generations. We cannot afford to lose public resource footholds in the name of aristocratic vanity. at
RECOMMENDED READING
Tanami’s stories are entertaining and well written, but it’s his photographs that take center stage. The best of these are his landscapes, which hit you like gut shots to the soul. They remind me of paintings by Thomas Cole and Frederic Church; the anglers temporal figures of human desire buried by the permanent sweep of creation.
Reviewed by Nate Matthews
My favorite is a picture of a fisherman standing in British Columbia’s Nass River, looping a cast between the jagged solidity of the Canadian Rockies and the soft vertical lines of a stand of fall aspens. It captures perfectly the humbling solitude that gives dedicated wilderness anglers perspective few others possess.
Here’s a tip. Unless you have a great deal of money or an uncommon freedom from responsibility, don’t read Angling the World when you’re sitting behind a desk. If you do, you’ll realize it’s possible to make a living out of traveling the globe on the excuse of a fly rod, and be sorely tempted to shrug off the burdens that chain most of us mortals to the earth.
First written for Wild On the Fly magazine, the pieces collected in Angling the World are case studies on the quest to satisfy that unquiet demon which drives men to test themselves against the unknown. Tanami takes us to Russia, Brazil, British Columbia, Mongolia, Cuba, and beyond, by airplane, helicopter, riverboat, and more, to the best destination fly water money can buy. These adventures run the gamut from primitive camping deep in the Amazon to hob-knobbing with wine-tasters at high-end Argentinian lodges.
At times Roy’s stories drift into screeds extolling the superiority of flies over bait, which, after all, is an ideal that makes the fly world go around. This book won’t do much to help entry-level rods fly off your shelves. But then, most entry-level anglers could never afford the trips about which Tanami writes. In the end, however, the value of this book is in its ability to cast the spell of wanderlust upon its readers, and transport them to the exotic, in spirit, if not in person. Anyone who picks up Angling the World will leave its pages desperate for an adventure of their own. If you know anglers who dream big, display this book in a prominent location. at 25
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
Roy Tanami has built a life out of, in his words, “Consistently and absolutely ignoring the wisdom that says you should never make your hobby your career.” There are many kinds of wisdom, though, and by ditching the conventional he’s found another, the kind you learn by spending most
of your days standing in a river. This book is a guide to finding those lessons that live in the far corners of the earth.
Then there are the fish. These are, in the end, an afterthought. The best fish stories have little to do with our quarry. But there’s no denying the visceral satisfaction of holding your achievement up to the camera for the world to see, and there are few fish more impressive than the bright sea-run browns, Arctic char, steelhead, Mongolian taimen, and other brilliant punctuation marks Tanami has scattered across these pages.
Public vs. Private
What the future holds for our fisheries
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
Written by Jay Cassell
Last May, I had the chance to fish Mud Run, a pristine (despite its name) little stream in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Mud Run flows through Graystones Preserve, a 3800-acre, 74-year-old privately held tract that has six cabins available to its members. About 65 people belong to Graystones, paying several thousand dollars a year for the privilege of fishing for outsize brown, rainbow, and brook trout. Members can fish anywhere on the stream they like, without worrying about other anglers pressuring them, or getting in their faces. The fishing is great, and it’s all quite civilized, with Adirondack chairs and even picnic tables situated at various overlooks along the stream. 26
I wrote a piece about this fishing for fieldandstream.com. The piece ran with a lot of photos of big fish, including one that went an honest 25 inches. Most responses were along the lines of “Man, I’d like to fish there,” and “It’s nice to know such fish exist in the Poconos.” A couple of responses really took me to task, though. “You should be ashamed of yourself for fishing waters like that,” one person noted. Another person told me I was full of it when I stated that the big trout in Mud Run were naturally produced. “You know they were just shoveled into the stream from a hatchery truck so that rich stiffs can catch them and feel like they’re great fishermen,” was another comment. I was surprised, at least at first. I guess I shouldn’t have been. The issue of public versus private fishing is always a touchy subject, with strong feelings on both sides. The Case for Private I spoke with Gary Edwards, manager at Graystones, and got his take on it. Gary used to be a steelhead guide on New York’s Salmon River, and has seen his share of public waters. “I understand where a lot of folks feel that paying money to fish waters exclusively is resented by people who perhaps can’t afford it,” he said. “Their feeling is that it’s their right to fish anywhere. “On the other hand, you can’t trespass onto private property to go hiking, can you? If the water is non-navigable, then a landowner is allowed to prevent you from going into his or her stream as well. continued on next page...
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“Limiting access to private water has a positive side to it. For instance, a lot of members bring their kids here to fish. They catch fish, like it, and come back again; before you know it, a new fisherman has been added to the ranks—which means someone who, in the future, hopefully will help to preserve fishing for future generations. “I’ve seen a lot of kids not catch fish on public waters. They get bored, don’t enjoy themselves, and move onto other things—organized sports, video games, whatever.” I asked Lefty Kreh, who has fished all over the world, on public as well as private waters, what he thought about private waters. “Private fishing water is occurring for a couple of reasons,” he told me. “One is that the public has taken such poor care of public fishing areas. People trash them, they bring suits against landowners. You know, we have not been kind to the people who own public water, or to private water that we use publicly. So, part of this is our fault.” When I asked him reasons for landowners not allowing the public to fish anymore, he stated that: “Because of liability, most private landowners today are reluctant to have the public come onto their property. They never know when somebody is going to sue them. “When somebody comes along and says, ‘Look, I’ll lease the rights only to fish the stream. I don’t want anything else, and I’ll pay you for it,’ that’s a win-win situation for the landowners and for the people. Whether we like it or not, it’s what’s going to come. We’re going to see more and more of that. The people who are leasing private waters are not just leasing them and fishing them, though; in many cases they’re actually improving the streams. So, that’s one positive thing.”
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
So, if a stream is locked up, with no public fishing allowed, and someone comes along and leases it, that means that the water will now be cared for, and fished, whereas nothing was happening at all before. Another small plus, as I see it, is that with more people fishing private waters, that means fewer people are fishing on public waters. The downside to all this, of course, is that public waters are often crowded during prime fishing periods, such as when major insects are hatching or when fish are on spawning runs. Catch-and-release stretches at 28
least ensure that the fish will stay in the water; we all know what happens if anglers are allowed to keep a lot of fish. Pretty soon that water will be all but fishless, or carry only stocked fish, not natives. The Case for Public With strapped budgets and the number of fishing license sales declining in many states, what is the future of public fishing water? As a random sample, I asked Doug Stang, assistant director for fish, wildlife and marine resources of the New York State department of environmental conservation, about the current state of public fishing in his state. “In New York, we had the number of license sales drop from 1.2 million in 1990 to about 940,000 5 years ago, but that has leveled off and has held steady since. Was there a dropoff in revenue? Absolutely. But, that doesn’t mean the fishing on public waters has gone downhill. On the contrary, thanks to smart management and scientifically-based fishing regulations, the fishing is actually getting better. “There is also a new angling ethic, where fewer and fewer people feel the need to keep everything they catch. Catch and release, plus larger minimum size limits and smaller bag limits, have really made a difference in keeping the quality in fish populations high. “I can’t speak for other states, but here in New York, we are constantly looking to obtain more and more fishing access for the public. It’s an ongoing thing
that can benefit both landowners, whom we compensate in certain circumstances, as well as anglers. It ensures that the public will be able to reach good fishing spots, far into the future. “As for public versus private fishing, yes, there is room for both today. I understand the positive aspects of private fishing, but public fishing has many things going for it as well: For starters, it’s free, except for the cost of your license; the fishing is good and varied; and you aren’t limited to only fishing one spot for one type of fish, as you might at a club or a preserve. Plus, there are no hidden or additional costs, which is often the case at private clubs.” The Case for Both
A democracy is designed to be made up of public and private, for the good of all. To my mind, what is happening in fishing is what’s supposed to happen. Let’s live with that. at 29
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
Are we going the way of Europe, where wealthy landowners control all of the good hunting and fishing, and the public is kept out? No way, and we can thank Theodore Roosevelt and a group of likeminded conservationists for taking care of that. Back in the late 1880s, they pushed for hunting and fishing regulations to protect our wildlife, and established conservation groups to protect their habitat. Their efforts are the backbone of the North American Wildlife Conservation Model, the only one of its kind in the world. The Model has two basic priniciples: that fish and wildlife belong to all North American citizens, and that they are to be managed in such a way that their populations will be sustained forever.
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Fishparks: Build Them and They Will Cast Written by Jeff Galbraith
While the interest in, and increased emphasis upon, the “youth” market is a clear directive among the industry marketing honchos, at times it can be hard to discern what this means.
How young is young? What constitutes “cool” in a market where clothing often comes in two colors and the majority of participants are far more Dave Matthews than Kanye West? And how legitimate and/or micro is this market in comparison the bulk numbers of “adult” participants? It can be hard to say at times. But most all that have a dog in this fight would agree that regardless of the market size, compulsion or strength, that flyfishing kids are the key to flyfishing’s future and that there is little doubt many activities are doing a better job connecting with this market. And while, the idea of dumbing down or “X-gaming” the culture may make little sense, more can be done. One such possibility would be to mimic an already existing, off-the-shelf model developed to cater to a young, active demographic: skateparks. While it is nearly impossible to turn on cable television these days without seeing skateboard heroes hosting shows on MTV, selling video games, or appearing in the ESPY’s—there was a time before Tony Hawk. In the early 1990’s, skateboarding was in one of its downturns, and parents were being sued by city planning departments for
30
constructing backyard ramps for their children. Skateboarders themselves were being arrested for simply rolling down the street. There was effectively no access to quality skateboard spots, and not one municipal skateboard park in the country. However, as the sport began to come back and Mr. Hawk began to proselytize around the country to build city skate parks, things began to change dramatically. The harbinger of all of this, an illicit skatepark developed by Portland, Oregon’s, skate community under the Burnside Street Bridge was allowed to flourish by cops who shrugged, happy to see the prior community of heroin dealers displaced. With the success of Burnside and the advocacy of Tony Hawk, in less than a decade, nearly every major metropolis and mid-sized city in the country had a municipal skatepark. The years of parks department’s citing insurance, safety, and other impediments seemed to evaporate in light of the demand. One such park was built immediately adjacent to one of the more quality trout streams in America: Sun Valley, Idaho’s Big Wood River. And while the industry soothsayers sometimes write off teen and pre-teen participation in flyfishing as an impossible grail to grasp, I’ve seen different.
Which got me to thinking… Why not fishparks?
Compared to hiring union contractors, bringing in excavators, and getting lawyers to sign off on kids hurling themselves into the air on city-built structures, fishparks seem like a piece of cake. Ideally these would be located in proximity to other recreational opportunities: skateparks, ski areas, mountain bike trails, climbing walls, tennis courts, etc. and could function as a private/ public co-opt with the industry and groups like Trout Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy and others getting involved. Ideally the build-out on these spaces would be minimal; the beauty of the concept being that the water is already there. While the need to save habitat and critical fisheries is obvious enough, the greatest threatened resource is future vigilant fisherfolk themselves. And regardless of how you feel about the potential for the “youth” market to explode vs. incrementally grow, as access declines throughout the country, places to incubate young stoke for flyfishing are urgently needed for the long-term health of the culture. And to many parents, it would be jaw-dropping and incredibly warming thing to hear young James or Jane pipe up on the way to an afternoon of serious recreation: “Do we have the fly rods, too?” at
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AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
During the years I lived in the Ketchum area, it was a common sight to see kids stripping off their pads at the end of a skate session, grabbing the rods out of a base vehicle mini-van/ truck and fishing for another hour or so. I can’t imagine the same doesn’t go down in Steamboat Springs, Bend, Jackson Hole, Bozeman, Burlington, and other towns where active kids and fishy spots intersect.
If the most cash-strapped and moderate suburban burg can work their way through the land-use, insurance, and engineering juggernaut that is even the smallest cement skatepark, then why can’t the same civic bodies clean up a few hundred yards of urban stream, create juvenile fishing/ no-license-required zones, add some enhancement features, interpretive displays and hold casting competitions, stream clean-ups, school field trips, demos and derbies/contests?
OPINION EDITORIAL
is the Time to Take Action
Now
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
Written by Bill Deeter
For the past several months we’ve heard nothing but gloom and doom from nearly all the country’s financial experts. Yet those of us who have been through recessionary times before realize there really can be a silver lining for everyone who is willing to take the time to sit still long enough to look and listen to the marketplace. Yes, it is quite possible that in the short term many in business may not realize their sales projections and some may not want to build a lot more inventory. So what should you do to keep your people busy while the industry settles out or stabilizes? At times like these really smart marketers turn their attention to fact finding, data collection, self assessment, and opti32
mizing performance measurement. These are some of the very important marketing actions that don’t get talked about because, while they are just as important (if not more so) as advertisements, public relations activities, and sales promotions of various shapes and sizes, they are not quite as exciting. Nevertheless, behind every “great” advertisement, press release, direct mail campaign, trade show exhibit and point-of-sale display someone did the spade work to insure that communication was on time, on target and on budget. What did they do? Probably one or more of the following:
• They staged a situation analysis to assess their company’s marketing and/or communications function against market needs, objectives, and audience profiles. They wanted to be sure what they were doing was consistent with what was actually being called for in the marketplace.
embrace measurement as a way of improving process and not just evaluating performance. So, rather than sitting around the office, warehouse or store wasting time wringing your hands and lending yourself to gloom and doom conversations, pick yourself up,
dust yourself off and start wood shedding on some of those things that will bring your business back sooner than most and better than it was before. By doing the “hard” marketing you set yourself up for greater success when it is time to begin the fun marketing anew. at
• They conducted a self exam. Looking at their operations and functions, they determined if they were on target in terms of meeting client or customer expectations and needs. Key here is the ability to flag issues or problems that impact on success long before they creep into any goto-market strategy. No need to think about mid-course corrections when you are spot on. But you have to be tough on yourself. • They climbed outside their own skin to seriously determine their core competencies. Honestly assessing both strengths and weaknesses, they put themselves in the best position to take appropriate, meaningful action. Sometimes you need outside help to really pull this off. • They looked long and hard at the competition to determine what they were doing right and why. It is hard to give your competition credit but if they are successful you don’t want to reward them by being either stupid or stubborn. If we are willing to swallow our pride, it is amazing what we can learn from our competitors. • They explored more and better ways to measure their performance. Establishing measurement criteria keeps everyone on their toes in good times and bad. The secret here is working against clearly stated and agreed-to objectives. Everything a company does is measurable one way or another. Smart marketers
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It was a good time to be in paddlesports. Like almost every other industry at the time, it was receiving a strong infusion of capital from two different sources: booming dot coms, and a few noteworthy mergers and acquisitions that were consolidating companies and bringing in an influx of cash. Yet the dot coms and the consolidation of the industry was not the main source of fuel for the fire. It was video.
Why Good Media Matters— Now More Than Ever AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
Written by Tom Bie
In July of 1999, I took a job as the managing editor of Paddler magazine in Steamboat, Colorado. Paddler was, as it is now, one of only two prominent paddlesports publications, the other being Canoe and Kayak. 34
In 2000, no less than seven kayaking films premiered at the winter and summer Outdoor Retailer shows in Salt Lake, including one produced by Teton Gravity Research—at the time one of the hottest production companies in ski filming. The resulting media explosion had kayaks dropping off waterfalls on TV sets across the country. Tao Berman even appeared on the news show 20/20, after he plunged 120 feet off a western Washington waterfall. Nike started sponsoring kayakers. Kayaking was cool. That same year, ESPN made two big changes to their Winter X Games. First, they began allowing skiers—not just snowboarders—to compete in the halfpipe competition. And secondly, they began broadcasting live, from Aspen, giving skiing equal footing with snowboarding for the first time. Suddenly, kids were watching skiers boost 10 or 15 feet farther and higher out of the halfpipe than snowboarders could. And that’s all it took. Almost overnight, snowboarding became something that their parents did. Skiing was cool. Over the past nine years, these two industries have shown quite a contrast. Skiing manufacturers continue to fund filmmakers and the result is 10 or 12 decent ski films a year,
from the king Warren Miller all the way down to the “companies” consisting of a couple kids with a digicam and a creative idea. There’s even been a trend that was inconceivable just a few short years ago—snowboarding companies manufacturing skis, instead of the other way around. Even surf companies like Quicksilver and Roxy started making ski and snowboarding gear. The result is a still-strong and vibrant ski industry, 15 years after it was proclaimed dead by snowboarders. And kayaking? Let’s put it this way: If it weren’t for thousands of overweight anglers who convinced their wives that an $800 fishing kayak was easier on the family budget than a $40,000 flats boat, and that floating around drinking beer in that fishing kayak somehow passed as exercise, then there would BE no paddling industry.
at the local play park. Mountain bikers have the traditional single-trackers vs. the Red Bull inspired tricksters on man-made dirt mounds. But flyfishing has none of that. A 16year-old kid casts pretty much the same way his grandfather does, and for the most part, they’ll be fishing the same water. What do we have that differentiates us from previous generations of flyfishers? Video. It’s how many young people see the differences in the old way vs. the new way. More than anything else, video has helped make flyfishing cool. In 2003, in Salt Lake City, I walked around the Flyfishing Retailer show asking for sponsors to help make my flyfishing movie, Feeding Time. I was the only one there who was doing it. Three companies—Clackacraft, Smith, and
Scott fly rods, contributed to the cause. And I still sell copies of that movie today. But at the 2009 FFR show in Denver, I’m betting there will be at least 20 different “production companies” looking for funding. My advice: give it to them. You might not think it matters that flyfishing looks “cool” to the next generation of anglers. And you might be right. But I promise you this: if, eight years from now, flyfishing videos have gone the way of kayaking videos, then young people will find something else to participate in that is producing the type of media they want to watch, whether that’s skateboarding or jetskiing or paintball. And then we’ll hear it: hundreds of flyfishing industry old-timers, standing around the trade show asking the question, “Where did all the young people go?” at
The whitewater kayaking industry has largely stopped funding filmmakers altogether, and the result is that when you walk into almost any drinking establishment in the country on any night of the week, what do you say playing in the TV sets around the bar? Surfing. Surfing! In Salt Lake City and Denver!
35
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
Flyfishing will never have the “cool” vibe of surfing, if only because spandex is sexier than Gore-tex. Which is fine. I don’t want to have to go to Hollisters at the mall to buy my next chest pack anyway. But ALL these sports—skiing, kayaking, surfing, mountain biking— they have all shared something in common the past decade: a rift within each industry that separated the “new school” style of participating in the sport from the old. With skiing, it’s been the “Big Mountain” Alaska or backcountry guys vs. the kids who spend all day working on tricks in the terrain park. With kayaking, it’s the big-water river-running set vs. the park-and-play kids refining their moves
BACKCAST
Are You Competing with Your Customers?
A columnist in search of an idea more elusive than any large brown trout sometimes finds it—the notion, not the fish—in the strangest places.
Since the concept I was reaching for had to do with the impact of public access, or lack of same, on the relative prosperity of the flyfishing business, it only took a few more casts to start getting my mind around the topic. The immediate conclusion was a no-brainer. Wyoming, whose law forbids wading through private property, has less crowding because there are so few people there. At any given moment, more folks will be engaged in Washington, D.C., rush hour traffic than reside in the whole damn state. Then, this law-limiting factor has a way of discouraging visitors who haven’t paid their way into some sort of deal. It occurs that this matter of access stirs different emotions from each of us, depending upon which circumstance we happen to be wading in at the time. We’ve all been there, that sweet spot on some private water where the fish are jumping and the cotton is oh, so high. We relish our temporary good fortune, all the while thinking how glad we are that the riffraff can’t barge in and spoil it for us. But the real point of all this is about all those other guys, the thousands, perhaps millions pounding on the gates of Rome trying to enjoy some of the good stuff. Your very own customers, as it were. This thing about public access, this opportunity for the ordinary fly fisherman to wet a line in a spot desirable enough to make him want to come back tomorrow and the day after that may be the most important issue facing the industry. It’s nice to have a private stash for preferred customers, but much better still if the hundred-odd others who come through the shop enjoy a good day as well.
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
This one arrived as I dodged an overweighted nymph while bouncing along a river in northern Wyoming that wound a conundrum course through public and private land. It was a lovely float, except for the fact that we never could quite figure out where one left off and the other began. We solved the quandary by staying in our seats, but each little pleasure was tempered by the thought that we were missing really good chances to get out and pound some juicy water. The man at the oars, a local who was not a professional guide, turned philosopher at one point in the proceedings. The thing he most loves about his recently adopted home, he allowed, is that the streams aren’t overrun with other anglers, as he perceived to be the case just over the border in Montana. He had other thoughts about the subject, but if you boiled them all down, that’s what stuck to the bottom of the pot. 36
If these folks get discouraged and don’t want to keep fishing, don’t think it’s fun enough to bring along family and friends, then we’re all in a world of trouble: the shop owner, the manufacturer, the ink-stained wretch who writes for magazines that no longer exist. From where I sit at my real job as outdoor writer for the Denver Post, I hear more frustration over access to good stream fishing than any other complaint. Out my way, we have plenty of excellent and open tailwaters. Trouble is, they don’t tail far enough. These, and other big-water locations obtained by the state wildlife agency wind up crowded to the point of suffocation. Find what seems like a good spot and there’s always someone creeping up on you. The fish look like they’ve gone several rounds with a bad dentist; something intrinsically precious about the experience has been lost. continued on next page...
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BACKCAST
estimable organizations as Trout Unlimited, even causing consternation among families. More recently, a seismic shift occurred in Utah, where a unanimous State Supreme Court decision declared all waters open to the public.
In a state with laws similar to Wyoming, successful destination shops lease private water for guide trips. But I can’t help comparing this to their counterparts in Montana, Idaho and several other states with open-access laws who get the same, and much more, for free. There’s a powerful reason ordinary anglers—people who desire to spend their vacation, or at least a part of it, fishing on their own— flock to the Big Sky.
In the more than quarter century since Montana enacted its open-access law, the state has become the Mecca of America’s conventional trout fishing, perhaps of the world. Many book guide trips; all make several stops at fly shops on their way to all that open water. They buy stuff. Lots of stuff. This sticky matter of stream access law has carved a deep divide in the flyfishing community, splitting such
Whether the Utah ruling survives legal or legislative challenges remains to be seen. But when it was announced, a flurry of celebratory fishing caps got tossed into the air, a lot of these from the heads of fly shop owners and guides. It’s tough to predict where we’re going with this access thing, or how fast. This much seems certain: we’re not likely to grow our sport unless we find adequate and desirable space to support it. at - Charlie Meyers
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