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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
3
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 Â
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 $ $ + ,-- . $ $ + ,- 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
1¼U VW\ []ZM PW_ UIVa ZWL[ IZM OWQVO \W Æa WNN the racks, and I can’t guess how many $500-a-day guide trips will be booked in 2009, but I do know this: 8MWXTM IZM OWQVO \W Å[P VM`\ aMIZ VW UI\\MZ _PI\ \PM economy is doing. 1 NWZ WVM ÅVL ÆaÅ[PQVO \W JM IV M^MV UWZM QUXWZtant salve for my soul when times get tough. I suspect aW] UQOP\ ZIVS ÆaÅ[PQVO ZQOP\ ]X \PMZM _Q\P JMMZ IVL \WJIKKW KWV[]UX\QWV QV \PM KWV\M`\ WN ¹Å`M[º UW[\ Americans will cling to, even in the toughest of times. As Angling Trade editor-at-large Charlie Meyers (who has seen \PM UIZSM\ Æ]K\]I\M W^MZ \PM XI[\ [WUM aMIZ[ WN KW^ering the outdoors) explained to me when we were out Å[PQVO IVL JQ\KPQVO IJW]\ \PM MKWVWUa \PM W\PMZ LIa" “Think about it… a father and son can still grab a handN]T WN ÆQM[ IVL OW [XMVL I LIa WV \PM _I\MZ \WOM\PMZ NWZ roughly the same price as going to the movies.” The big question for the short term, therefore, isn’t _PM\PMZ WZ VW\ XMWXTM _QTT Å[P Q\¼[ _PMZM _QTT \PMa go? Put that in the context of food. I just heard that 5K,WVITL[ ZMKWZLML IV MQOP\ XMZKMV\ ZQ[M QV XZWÅ\[ What that says to me is that people are still eating at 6
restaurants, but, given the cost factor, a Big Mac is TWWSQVO I TQ\\TM UWZM IXXM\QbQVO \PIV ÅTM\ UQOVWV NWZ [WUM NWTS[ 1 LWV¼\ JMTQM^M ÆaÅ[PQVO Q[ I ¹NI[\ NWWLº MV\Q\a J]\ 1 LW \PQVS QV \PM [PWZ\ \MZU ÆaÅ[PQVO _QTT be a more localized, do-it-yourself endeavor. Some XMWXTM _QTT \ZI^MT NWZ []ZM <PMa¼TT KIUX IVL ÆWI\ 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 Å[PQVO XZQ^I\M _I\MZ 1V Ua UQVL Q\¼[ I UI\\MZ WN JITIVKM 1 \PQVS \PM Æa ZM\IQTMZ PI[ \W KWV[QLMZ \PQ[ XPQTWsophical balance very, very carefully now. Working to secure new public leases and opening resources should JM XIZIUW]V\ KWVKMZV[ *]\ [W \WW [PW]TL JM ÅVLQVO 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 T he Ski Journal (and who will soon be launching T he Fly Fish Journal), to OQ^M ][ PQ[ WXQVQWV[ WV ¹Å[PXIZS[ º Switching gears, in light of current market conditions, I asked Tom Bie, editor of T he Drake to talk about video’s role in promoting the sport. I even asked my father, Bill Deeter, to chime in on marketing because, I[ I [MI[WVML XZW _Q\P aMIZ[ QV \PM UIZSM\QVO _WZTL 1 ÅO]ZML PM¼L PI^M [WUM SMMV XMZ[XMK\Q^M[ \PI\ would help you with your businesses. In other words, I played my aces. Whether you’re [MTTQVO *QO 5IK[ WZ ÅTM\ UQOVWV VW_ Q[ VW\ \PM \QUM 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 UWZM NMVKM[° MQ\PMZ IZW]VL \PM _I\MZ[ _M Å[P WZ our businesses. at - Kirk Deeter, Editor
CURRENTS
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 ..: ÆWWZ [PW_ QVNWZUI\QWV )..<) 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 IKKM[[ LMJI\M 1V I XIOM 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 0I[ 7Z^Q[ KZMI\ML \PM ÅZ[\ Å[PXIZS QV \PM KW]V\Za [MM ¹Å[PXIZS[º 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 ZIUQÅKI\QWV[ VW\ WVTa IUWVO 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 sigVQÅKIV\Ta <W SMMX IXXZQ[ML WN \PQ[ situation, refer to www.gov.bc.ca/ 8
KTIa[ OWM[ Å[PQVOº WZ ¹NZQ[JMM OWTN _Q\P Æa TQVM[º QN aW] _QTT J]\ \PM 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 KI[\QVO [SQTT[ JMNWZM OWQVO Å[PQVO WZ
during the off-season. T he course is free and open to the public. It was developed in partnership with The Old Mill District. Each station is VIUML IN\MZ I OQ^MV Å[PQVO [Q\]I\QWV 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 h as created a new p ublishing venture called D eparture Publishing (www.departurepublishing.com) d esigned to challenge traditional avenues a nd “ facilitate a s elect list of accomplished w riters 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. T he 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 [M^MZIT ZMMT[ WZ Æa JW`M[ Kaenon… for hanging shades in style on some of the most celMJZI\ML ÅO]ZM[ in sport (including, of course, ÆaÅ[PQVO 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 T he Alaska Chronicles, a memoir by Miles Nolte, who transmitted via satellite Internet a semidaily account of what it’s really like \W JM I ÆaÅ[PQVO O]QLM WV I ZMUW\M Alaskan river. A list of other topics being considered for future projects is available at the company’s website.
Products Kudos To…
Fish & F ly Acquires… Fish & F ly
Fish & Fly Ltd, owner of the popular UK-based online magazine (www. Å[PIVLÆa KWU PI[ IKY]QZML \PM ZQOP\[ and title of its print namesake in the USA—Fish & Fly magazine—from Turnstile Publishing Company of tional boundaries of s porting a nd expedition publishing. I nstead o f continually churning o ut volumes of comfortable and habitual writing, we’re looking to o ccasionally publish something really u nique.”
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 \PM ÅZ[\ Y]IZ\MZ WN !
CURRENTS
Hardy, whose “Perfect” reel was chosen as one of the Top New F ly Fishing Products for 2009 under the reel category by our esteemed colleagues at Midcurrent.com.
The People Buzz
And F loat 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. ;MM ___ ÆWI\UI[\MZKW VM\
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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 <PM ÆaÅ[PQVO KWUU]VQ\a TW[\ WVM of its g reatest 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 F lies, Denny was a tireless advocate for the Green River Å[PMZa IVL IV IUJI[[ILWZ NWZ \PM sport as a whole. He was a g racious, caring, and humble person, and the consummate teacher. He TQ\MZITTa _ZW\M \PM JWWS WV Å[Ping 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 :M\ZIKQVO 6MMLTM ;PIZXM[\ -LOM[ ;\IQVTM[[ ;\MMT 5ILM QV =;) 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, g rowing 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 VI\QWVIT VWV XZWÅ\ []XXWZ\ IVL 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...
CURRENTS
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
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. Â
mental  healing.   Through  classroom  sessions,  g roup  discussions  and  inservice  presentations,  the  focus  is  on  wellness,  learning  and  empowerment,  while  providing  the  participant  with  a  true  retreatâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a  respite  from  familiar  surroundings  and  everyday  routines.   Each  Casting  In  2008,  37  Casting  for  Recovery  for  Recovery  retreat  is  appropriate  retreat  programs  were  held  in  28  for  women  at  all  stages  of  treatstates.  Retreats  will  also  be  held  in  ment  and  recovery,  and  at  various  Canada  through  Casting  for  Recovstages  of  emotional  adaptation  to  ery-Canada  and  in  the  UK  through  breast  cancer.  Each  retreat  serves  Casting  for  Recovery-UK/Ireland.  I UI`QU]U WN _WUMV IVL Q[ In  the  United  States,  Casting  for  staffed  by  trained  volunteers,  includRecovery  has  served  close  to  3,500  ing  one  medical  and  one  counseling  women  since  its  beginnings  in  1996.   XZWNM[[QWVIT# Ă&#x2020;aĂ&#x2026;[PQVO QV[\Z]K\WZ[# Demand  for  the  program  continues  11  â&#x20AC;&#x153;River  Guides,â&#x20AC;?  and  at  least  1  to  g row.  alumna  who  serves  as  the  hospitality  coordinator.  The  g rowth  of  the  proâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Thanks  to  the  ongoing  leadership  and  support  from  Orvis,  we  continue  gram  relies  on  the  efforts  of  a  deto  be  able  to  sustain  and  expand  our  voted  cadre  of  over  1,000  volunteers  services  to  women  across  the  country.   nationwide  and  to  generous  donations  by  many  donors.   Demand  for  Their  commitment  to  women  and  the  program  is  g rowing:  In  1998,  their  families  is  to  be  commended,â&#x20AC;?  says  Seline  Skoug,  executive  director  Casting  for  Recovery  conducted  NW]Z ZM\ZMI\[# Q\ PI[ [KPML]TML  of  Casting  for  Recovery.â&#x20AC;?   for  2009. Skoug  added:  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Women  who  attend  For  more  information  about  the  a  Casting  for  Recovery  retreat  tell  Casting  for  Recovery  program,  and  us  of  the  enormous  difference  it  for  information  on  how  to  support  makes  in  their  livesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as  this  quote  from  a  recent  participant  illustrates:  our  retreat  programs,  call  (toll-free)  888-553-3500  or  visit  www.castingâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;My  experience  at  the  Casting  for  Recovforrecovery.org.  ery  weekend  was  one  of  empowerment.   I  knew  that  no  matter  what  I  faced  beyond  Zebco  Acquires  Vortex   that  weekend  I  could  handle.  T hat  weekOutdoors  (William  Joseph)  end  gave  me  the  strength  and  support  I  Zebco  Brands,  a  W.C.  Bradley  needed  to  face  a  second  diagnosis  of  breast  company,  has  acquired  privately  cancer  last  December.  My  life  was  changed  held  Vortex  Outdoors.   The  move  and  blessed  by  the  opportunity  to  attend  combines  a  group  of  companies  that  this  phenomenal  retreat.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; produce  specialty  packs  and  gear  QVKT]LQVO ?QTTQIU 2W[MXP NWZ \PM Ă&#x2020;aThe  Casting  for  Recovery  program  Ă&#x2026;[PQVO UIZSM\ _Q\P WVM WN \PM TIZOM[\ is  unique  in  that  the  retreat  curIVL UW[\ ZMKWOVQbML Ă&#x2026;[PQVO JZIVL[ riculum  incorporates  the  elements  in  the  world.  The  purchased  brands  WN Ă&#x2020;aĂ&#x2026;[PQVO KWUJQVML _Q\P XZWNM[QVKT]LM ?QTTQIU 2W[MXP Ă&#x2020;aĂ&#x2026;[PQVO sional  medical  and  psychosocial  gear,  Badlands  hunting  equipment,  support  to  promote  physical  and  12
Vortex  backpacks,  Black  Ridge  packs  IVL ?I\MZUIZS Ă&#x2020;aĂ&#x2026;[PQVO XIKS[ 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  stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  top  100  fastest-growing  companies  in  2006  and  2007,  based  on  sustained  double-digit  g rowth  for  numerous  consecutive  years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This  is  a  good  match  for  both  companies,â&#x20AC;?  said  Zebco  Brands  president  Jeff  Pontius  in  making  the  announcement.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;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.â&#x20AC;? 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. â&#x20AC;&#x153;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  couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  be  more  pleased  to  have  what  weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve  built  become  a  part  of  the  Zebco  Brands  family,â&#x20AC;?  Crawley  said.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;This  is  a  good  decision  for  us,  and  weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re  in  the  best  of  hands  with  the  Bradley  folks.â&#x20AC;?   In  July,  Zebco  changed  its  company  name  to  Zebco  Brands,  hinting  that  it  had  intentions  to  expand  its  brand  XWZ\NWTQW JMaWVL R][\ Ă&#x2026;[PQVO <PQ[ Q[ \PM Ă&#x2026;Z[\ IKY]Q[Q\QWV Ja \PM ? + Bradley  Co.  business  since  then  and  serves  as  proof  of  the  companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  QV\MZM[\ QV [\ZI\MOQK LQ^MZ[QĂ&#x2026;KI\QWV
Umpqua Feather Merchants Acquires F ly H2O Umpqua Feather Merchants recently announced the acquisition of F ly H20. The move effectively bolsters Umpqua’s massive Asian-based production capabilities, with complementary Mexico-based production I[[M\[ NZWU .Ta 0 ;XMKQÅK \MZU[ of the deal were not disclosed.
¹)TT Æa KWUXIVQM[ NIKM \ZMUMVLW][ 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 Æa KWUXIVa º [IQL <ZWa *IKPUIVV founder of F ly 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 .MI\PMZ 5MZKPIV\[ ! ; )Z\P]Z 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 F lyH2O 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 NWZKM° Q\¼[ I OZMI\ Å\ º
Fly Fishing is NOT part of the show
IT IS THE SHOW!
flyfishingshow.com
CURRENTS
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.
<PM _IZMPW][M WNÅKM[ IVL [PW_ZWWU[ measure nearly 15,000 square feet IVL \PM Å\\ML _WZS[XIKM[ IZM LM[QOVML [XMKQÅKITTa NWZ \PM []J[QLQIZa ;\INN _QTT 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 UMUJMZ[ WN \PM _WZTL¼[ TIZOM[\ Æa 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 represen\I\Q^M[ \ZI^MT IOMVKQM[ IVL W]\Å\\MZ[ 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 QV [\ZQK\M[\ KWVÅLMVKM IVL _QTT VW\ be shared outside of the AFFTA HQ WNÅKM )[[WKQI\M UMUJMZ[PQX[ KW[\ $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 supXWZ\QVO \PM ÆaÅ[PQVO QVL][\Za IVL 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 XMZ _MMS ?M ÆM_ \W =[P]IQI \PM 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 b een o ne o f the best value d estinations for the traveling angler. And in this economy, with unstable fuel p rices a nd a n American dollar that’s weak a gainst everything from the E uro t o the Canadian Loonie, that holds p articularly true. For what i t’s worth, Argentina is also an i ncredibly a lluring (socially and g eographically) place worth visiting i n your l ife, whether you plan to f ish o r n ot.
I h ad a lways been captivated by the l atter, 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 f ish. 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 _MMS I\ \PM TWLOM Q[ [\QTT =; and a trip that’s beyond what many people know about, this is a referral aW] KIV UISM _Q\P KWVÅLMVKM WZ I 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, a nd i n many ways, Argentine a ngling culture mirrors many o f the b est American f lyfishing traditions. Minus the English-to-Spanish language d ivide (and 1 1 hours o f air travel, give or take), when i n parts of Argentina, i t’s very easy to imagine yourself f ishing r ivers in the American West… o nly 5 0 o r
75 years ago. Of course, in other ways, f ishing in Argentina can f latout blow away any preconceptions the average American angler might have, f rom casting at giant golden dorado i n Argentina’s warm northern d rainages, 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 PWTTW_ <PM Å[PQVO Q\ \]ZVML W]\ 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 WN \PM Å[P _MZM W^MZ XW]VL[ <PM 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 Å[PML _Q\P
CURRENTS
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 d irect fallout from Internet shopping, this illegal practice allows buyers to save as much as 70 percent o n purchases while saddling legitimate retailers with subsequent warranty or handling costs. At the same time, it robs distributors such as t he Norway-based Kristiansen of p rofits 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.”
)[ UIVIOQVO LQZMK\WZ NWZ .TaÅ[P Europe, the major distributor for Simms products on the continent,
*]\ \W [PWX[ IVL [UITTMZ ÅZU[ \Zaing to make a go in a slender marSM\ \PQ[ MZW[QWV WN TMOQ\QUI\M XZWÅ\ 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 ofNMVLQVO 1V\MZVM\ ÅZU[ Q[ \W MQ\PMZ 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 perKMV\ L]\a WV \PM X]ZKPI[M WN Å[P-
The problem is g reatest 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 g rey market sales undermine the integrity of a dealer network that thrives on g rassroots 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 WN Å[PXWVL Meanwhile, Kristiansen shouts for the I\\MV\QWV WN \IZQNN WNÅKQIT[ _PW \P][ far don’t seem to be listening. at - Charlie Meyers
17
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
Thus began another negotiation in the shady world of g rey market enterprise as it relates to the sale WN = ; JI[ML ÆaÅ[PQVO OMIZ QV 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 OTWJIT MKWVWUa QV _PQKP \PM [P]NÆM 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 g rows 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 NWZ ?IZZMV 5QTTMZ [W 1 KIV [PWW\ UW^QM[ IJW]\ ÆaÅ[Ping all summer.
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
The part of my job I love the most is: The
5a KTW[M[\ VMIZ LMI\P Å[PQVO ZMTI\ML incident: The 10 days in Kashmir while shooting DRIFT… lots of automatic weapons, super fast water, very shady characters and terrifying roads.
<PM TI[\ bWVM 1 Å[PML \PI\ JTM_ Ua UQVL \PI\ I’m willing to talk about: ?PMV 1¼U ÅTUQVO Q\¼[ SQVL
WN TQSM Å[PQVO _Q\P Ua KIUMZI 1 PI^M \PM [IUM [\WSM I[ \PM reward of sitting in a theater with an audience and IVOTMZ _PMV PM PWWS[ I OZMI\ Å[P [W 1¼L PI^M \W [Ia KPI[QVO experiencing their reactions to the images and stories I Steelhead on the Deschutes with John and Amy Hazel. worked hard to create. <PM Å[P 1 TW[\ \PI\ [\QTT PI]V\[ UM" I didn’t The part of my job I hate the most is: Film- IK\]ITTa TW[M Q\¸J]\ 1 ZIV W]\ WN ÅTU _PQKP Q[ SQVL WN the same feeling—it was a big Rainbow in Kashmir ing great anglers who make it look so easy. with Travis Smith.
If I mysteriously came down with the I^QIV Æ] Ua JW[[ _W]TL UW[\ TQSMTa ÅVL UM Å[PQVO" Southern Belize with cold Belikin to ease my fever. 18
?PMV 1¼U VW\ _WZSQVO IVL VW\ Å[PQVO aW] UQOP\ ÅVL UM" <PQVSQVO IJW]\ PW_ \W Å[P UWZM and work less.
at
1890 PERFECT
1911 ST GEORGE
1913 ST GEORGE
First flyreel with adjustable check run on ball bearings.
First large arbour flyreel.
First flyreel featuring a quick release spool.
1989 GOLD SOVEREIGN
2008 DEMON
First flyreel with tool-less left- to right-hand wind conversion.
First flyreel with adjustable locking mechanism for cassette reels.
HARDY. INNOVATION, NOT IMITATION.
Since 1872, Hardy has designed and developed some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest fishing equipment from our headquarters in Alnwick, England. To continue this tradition today, our experienced craftsmen blend quality and innovation, wisdom and passion. Just like the very best fishermen do. Hardy North America, shipping from Lancaster Pennsylvania from October 2008. For details contact info@hardyna.com
www.hardyfishing.com
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MT CO
UT
PA
WY
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 g oing to d o i s buy my l ittle slice of heaven. River f rontage o f c ourse, w ith at least a mile, maybe two, o f the b est r iffle-pool trout water I can find. I’ll build s ome b enches u nder shade trees; maybe a dd a s mall b arbeque p avilion. It will be the perfect p iece o f w ater—filled to the nuts with 22-inch b rowns. E veryone w ill w ant to fish it. Want to h ear the best part? You’re all invited.
The rise of pay-to-play and the overall privatiza\QWV WN ÆaÅ[PQVO Q[ \PM LMI\P SVMTT NWZ \PM QVL][\Za It’s forcing more anglers to occupy less public space and one reason participation continues to decline. .ZWU I ÅVIVKQIT [\IVLXWQV\ _M KIV¼\ INNWZL \W TW[M any more of the sport’s public component than is I believe humanity is inherently entitled to the gifts of nature, no matter your background or wealth. The ITZMILa TW[\ <PM Æa [PWX W_VMZ \PM OMIZ UIV]NIKturer, and the small-town tourist economies depend outdoors is a bandage for the soul. When we manuWV ¹NZMM ZIVOMº Å[PQVO )VL \PM JM[\ _Ia \W MV[]ZM NIK\]ZM \PM Å[P UIVQX]TI\M \PM _I\MZ UIVQK]ZM \PM fauna, and slap on a price tag, it cheapens the experi- its survival is through a united front. ence, and embarrasses me as an outdoorsman. I know I’ll make enemies saying this, but C olorado and Wyoming, you guys got problems. L ook at Planting abnormally h uge, d im-witted hatchery Utah, they’re finally getting the picture M ontana’s fish and charging u ntold a mounts o f money to Stream Access Law painted over twenty years a go. catch them o nly a dds i nsult to i njury. Pay-to-play 1 _IV\ \W ZMLMÅVM _PI\ Q\ UMIV[ \W JM I ZQ^MZNZWV\ 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.
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
cliques hook these marvels of pellet nutrition a nd the consequence is instant nitro fuel for t he ego; a weekend-warrior’s golden ticket to boast l ike they’re a ngler-of-the-year a fter h oodwinking a 26inch slab of piscatorial Purina. It’s false a dvertising; the angling equivalent of high-fence h unting operations—instant rewards without the q uest.
20
You salty-dogs, you’re n ext. U p and down b oth coastlines b eachfront homeowners a re p ushing anglers off the sand u nder the guise that property l ines 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 l egacy of public access established over the last century and a h alf a nd creates the Walking Access C ommission to clarify, promote a nd extend walking access to l akes and waterways throughout N ew Zealand,” O’Connor says. I’m with O’Connor. We s hould be creating entry points, n ot selling them. When a p rivate interest “outbids” the p ublic for access rights, or c laims t he streambed as its own, i t a ngers me. I f eel cheated and take i t personally, as if someone i s stealing from me. Such is the case with the Farmer’s U nion property o f the N orth Fork of the South Platte R iver outside Denver, Colorado—once an incredibly popular d estination because of its quality f ishing a nd proximity to the Mile-High C ity. For years, these miles of riverbank operated as an o pen-ended club where 80 to 100 m embers paid yearly dues, brought g uests, continued on next page...
feature
and held events like church retreats and weddings. Non-members c ould access the water with a g uide for a nominal fee, strikingly s imilar to the daily rod-fee structure u sed o n Montana’s famous Paradise Valley spring creeks.
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
That changed last winter when someone sealed an $80,000 a year, Å^M aMIZ TMI[M IOZMMUMV\ _Q\P \PM .IZUMZ¼[ =VQWV NWZ M`KT][Q^M Å[PQVO rights. The former members, local guides, and other interested parties
looking at the bright side and notes that Colorado is a great place to mix XZQ^I\M IVL X]JTQK Å[PMZQM[ “Let’s choose our battles,” Cannon s ays. “In reality, Colorado has a tremendous amount of public water, a nd yeah, it was disappointing to s ee the Farmer’s Union go, but there are a lot of other places for p eople to f ish. M ost o f the r ivers i n this state aren’t very big so crowding is a problem, especially this c lose to Denver. Our guides
vania. Beaver became f lyfishing’s poster child for g reed when h e tried to s equester public w ater for personal profit. He tried d istancing himself from the image by p laying the “savior” role (in my o pinion, a smoke-and-mirrors public relations stunt propelling the myth h is private-land stewardship b enefited the river as a whole), but this o nly provoked his critics. In February 2007, the courts handed Beaver a smackdown, but i t wasn’t a knockout. He h ad a lready put his show on the road, l anded in Colorado ( www.alpineriverclub. com), and locked up private l eases with a similar pay-to-play s cheme as the Spring Ridge Club. You c an fish the river if the price i s r ight, otherwise ( to quote ol’ Woody) “ If you ain’t got the do-re-mi h oney, folks, you a in’t g ot the d o-re-mi.”
His business model is legal in Colorado, but doing something just because TQSM IZMI Æa [PWX[ _MZM JTQVL[QLML primarily fish and guide on pubyou have the right, doesn’t always and for Dan Hydinger, owner of lic w ater, but it’s nice to have the mean it’s the right thing to do. Look <PM 0I\KP Æa [PWX QV 8QVM 2]VK\QWV private areas for those that want it was a tough pill to swallow. the o pportunity to catch bigger fish for the Spring Ridge Club in a town VMIZ aW] 0M¼[ XTIV\ML ILLQ\QWVIT and g et away from people.” “This was a nice piece o f w ater. roots in northwestern Pennsylvania People from Denver c ould f ish, i t And so it goes—two different people on some popular Great Lakes steeldidn’t cost an arm-and-a-leg, a nd with two different opinions. It’s head water—another area plagued it was easy to take your k id o r w ife. one reason why the issue of access by problems with private landowners, Just a quality experience for the has become such a hot potato and crowds, and access issues. average Joe,” Hydinger s ays. “ This the movement to privatize water is is the third decent chunk o f w ater splintering some circles of the sport. The outcome of the Spring Ridge we’ve lost to private i nterests i n the On one side are those that say priva- +T]J ÅI[KW _I[ QUXWZ\IV\ NWZ \PM Keystone State because it set a preclast year or two and i t’s s tarting tization is good; that landowners edent. A pproximately 83 percent of to leave a bad taste i n my m outh. have a vested interest in their propthe land adjacent to Pennsylvania’s Even if people weren’t b ooking o ur erty and are ideally suited to safeguides to fish at Farmer’s U nion, O]IZL _I\MZ[PML[ I[ \PMa [MM Å\ 7V rivers and streams is in the hands of private owners. Outdoorsmen they were at least stopping i n the the other side of the coin are the need to stay united or risk losing the shop o n their way to the w ater.” majority; public access advocates remaining 17 percent. _QTTQVO \W \ISM \PMQZ ÅOP\ \W KW]Z\ Jim Cannon of the Blue Quill Angler Æa [PWX PI[ I LQNNMZMV\ \ISM :I\PMZ Like it or not, “private” i s word Nobody knows this more than than denounce the new Farmer’s Donny Beaver, owner of the Spring that sometimes motivates u s a s Ridge Club in central PennsylUnion arrangement, he insists on anglers—that vision of c asting over 22
naive fish is what dreams a re made of. Nevertheless, i t’s a lso a marketing buzzword, a catalyst for those with the B enjamins. Punch the words “private f lyfishing” into a Google s earch b ar and you’ll see what I ’m s aying. I’m sure having a personal s lice of Heaven is the tops, but there are risks and consequences w ith closing paradise; namely the future of our sport. Enter James Cox Kennedy—a malevolent thorn in the side o f Montana’s Stream A ccess L aw. Kennedy, heir to the C ox M edia fortune, owns thousands o f a cres along the Ruby River, a nd while the river isn’t one of the s tate’s “marquee” destinations, i t i s a well-known fishery f requented by anglers bouncing b etween t he Beaverhead, Jefferson, a nd B ig Hole watersheds. At some point he decided the Stream Access Law wasn’t his cupWN \MI KPI[ML IVOTMZ[ IVL ÆWI\MZ[ 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 a rgument is that a county road may n ot b e continued on next page...
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utilized in the vicinity o f w ater. That argument is unsupported by authority or by logic,” Tucker said.
“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 What does that mean? Basically, Kenwhere public rivers and public bridges nedy (and other state landowners) can meet. We’ve never asked Kennedy to attach fences to the bridge, but the public remove his fences; we just wanted a is allowed to cross and make their way to reasonable and safe way to access the the water. The burden to ensure fences Ruby. Rather than address that issue UMM\ TMOIT [XMKQÅKI\QWV[ ZM[\[ WV \PM in court, Kennedy and his attorneys shoulders of the county commissioners. 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 ,WVVa *MI^MZ Q[ XZWWN \PI\ ]VQÅML 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 ÅZML ]X IVL RWQV WZ KWV\ZQJ]\M \W 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
Reviewed by Nate Matthews
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 ÅO]ZM[ WN P]UIV LM[QZM J]ZQML Ja \PM permanent sweep of creation. 5a NI^WZQ\M Q[ I XQK\]ZM WN I Å[PMZUIV 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 h ave a great d eal o f m oney or a n u ncommon freedom from responsibility, don’t read Angling the World when you’re sitting behind a d esk. I f you do, you’ll realize it’s p ossible to make a living out of traveling the globe on the excuse o f a f ly rod, and be sorely tempted to shrug o ff the burdens that chain m ost o f u s mortals to the earth.
<PMV \PMZM IZM \PM Å[P <PM[M IZM in the end, an afterthought. The best Å[P [\WZQM[ PI^M TQ\\TM \W LW _Q\P W]Z 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 Å[P UWZM QUXZM[[Q^M \PIV \PM JZQOP\ sea-run browns, Arctic char, steelhead, Mongolian taimen, and other brilliant punctuation marks Tanami has scattered across these pages.
25
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
of your days standing in a river. <PQ[ JWWS Q[ I O]QLM \W ÅVLQVO \PW[M At times Roy’s stories drift into lessons that live in the far corners of screeds extolling the superiority of ÆQM[ W^MZ JIQ\ _PQKP IN\MZ ITT Q[ IV the earth. QLMIT \PI\ UISM[ \PM Æa _WZTL OW First written for Wild On the Fly magaaround. This book won’t do much zine, the pieces collected in Angling the \W PMTX MV\Za TM^MT ZWL[ Æa WNN aW]Z World are case studies on the quest to shelves. But then, most entry-level satisfy that unquiet demon which drives anglers could never afford the trips men to test themselves against the about which Tanami writes. unknown. Tanami takes us to Russia, In the end, however, the value of this Brazil, British Columbia, Mongolia, Roy Tanami has built a life out of, in Cuba, and beyond, by airplane, helibook is in its ability to cast the spell of his words, “Consistently and absocopter, riverboat, and more, to the best wanderlust upon its readers, and translutely ignoring the wisdom that says LM[\QVI\QWV Æa _I\MZ UWVMa KIV J]a port them to the exotic, in spirit, if not you should never make your hobby in person. Anyone who picks up Angling These a dventures r un t he g amut f rom your career.” There are many kinds the World will leave its pages desperate of wisdom, though, and by ditching primitive camping deep in the Amafor an adventure of their own. If you the conventional he’s found another, zon to hob-knobbing with wine-tasters know anglers who dream big, display the kind you learn by spending most at high-end Argentinian lodges. this book in a prominent location. at
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 itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all quite civilized, with Adirondack chairs and even picnic tables situated at various overlooks along the stream. 26
I wrote a p iece about this f ishing for fieldandstream.com. T he piece ran with a lot o f p hotos o f big fish, including o ne that went an honest 25 inches. Most responses were a long the lines of “Man, I’d like to f ish there,” and “It’s nice to k now such fish exist in the Poconos.” A couple of responses really took me to task, though. “ You s hould be ashamed of yourself for f ishing waters like that,” o ne p erson noted. Another person told m e I was full of it when I s tated that the big trout in Mud Run were naturally produced. “ You k now they were just shoveled i nto the stream from a hatchery truck s o that rich stiffs can c atch t hem a nd feel like they’re g reat f ishermen,” was another comment. I was surprised, at l east at f irst. I guess I shouldn’t have b een. T he issue o f p ublic versus p rivate fishing is always a touchy s ubject, with strong f eelings o n b oth sides. The Case for Private I spoke with Gary E dwards, manager at Graystones, a nd g ot his take on it. Gary u sed to b e a steelhead guide on N ew York’s Salmon River, and h as s een h is share of p ublic waters. “I understand where a l ot o f folks feel that paying money to f ish waters exclusively is resented by people who perhaps c an’t a fford it,” he said. “Their f eeling i s that it’s their right to f ish a nywhere. “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 Å[P <PMa KI\KP Å[P TQSM Q\ IVL KWUM JIKS IOIQV# JMNWZM aW] SVW_ Q\ I VM_ Å[PMZUIV PI[ JMMV ILLML \W \PM ranks—which means someone who, in the future, hopeN]TTa _QTT PMTX \W XZM[MZ^M Å[PQVO NWZ N]\]ZM OMVMZI\QWV[ ¹1¼^M [MMV I TW\ WN SQL[ VW\ KI\KP Å[P WV X]JTQK _I\MZ[ They get bored, don’t enjoy themselves, and move onto other things—organized sports, video games, whatever.” I asked Lefty Kreh, who h as f ished a ll over the world, on public as well as p rivate w aters, what h e thought about p rivate waters.
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
“Private f ishing water i s o ccurring for a couple of reasons,” he told me. “ One i s t hat the p ublic h as taken such poor care of public f ishing a reas. People trash them, they bring suits a gainst l andowners. You know, we have not been kind to the p eople who own public water, or to private w ater that we u se p ublicly. So, part of this is our f ault.”
least ensure that the fish will stay in the water; we a ll know what happens if anglers are allowed to k eep a l ot of fish. Pretty soon that water will be all but f ishless, o r carry only stocked fish, not natives.
When I asked him reasons for l andowners n ot allowing the public to fish anymore, he stated that: “Because o f The C ase for Public liability, most private l andowners today a re reluctant With strapped budgets and the number of fishing l ito have the public c ome o nto their p roperty. T hey cense sales declining in many states, what is the f uture never know when somebody i s g oing to sue them. of public fishing water? As a random sample, I a sked “When somebody comes along and says, ‘Look, I’ll Doug Stang, assistant director for fish, wildlife a nd TMI[M \PM ZQOP\[ WVTa \W Å[P \PM [\ZMIU 1 LWV¼\ _IV\ IVa- marine resources of the New York State department o f thing else, and I’ll pay you for it,’ that’s a win-win situa- environmental c onservation, a bout the c urrent s tate of tion for the landowners and for the people. Whether we public fishing in his state. like it or not, it’s what’s going to come. We’re going to “In New York, we had the number of license s ales see more and more of that. The people who are leasLZWX NZWU UQTTQWV QV !! \W IJW]\ ! aMIZ[ QVO XZQ^I\M _I\MZ[ IZM VW\ R][\ TMI[QVO \PMU IVL Å[PQVO ago, but that has leveled off and has held steady s ince. them, though; in many cases they’re actually improving Was there a dropoff in revenue? Absolutely. B ut, that the streams. So, that’s one positive thing.” doesn’t mean the fishing on public waters has g one So, if a s tream is locked u p, w ith n o p ublic f ishing downhill. On the contrary, thanks to smart m anageallowed, and someone c omes a long a nd l eases it, that ment and scientifically-based fishing regulations, the means that the water w ill n ow b e c ared for, a nd fished, fishing is actually getting better. whereas n othing was h appening at a ll b efore. “There is also a new angling ethic, where fewer a nd Another small p lus, a s I see i t, i s that with more people fewer people feel the need to keep everything they fishing private waters, that m eans f ewer p eople are catch. Catch and release, plus larger minimum s ize fishing on p ublic waters. limits and smaller bag l imits, have really made a d ifference i n k eeping the q uality i n f ish p opulations high. The downside to all this, o f c ourse, i s that p ublic waters are often crowded d uring p rime f ishing periods, “I can’t speak for other states, but here in N ew York, such as when major i nsects a re h atching o r when fish we are constantly looking to obtain more and m ore are on spawning runs. C atch-and-release s tretches at fishing access for the public. It’s an ongoing thing 28
that can benefit both l andowners, whom we compensate i n c ertain circumstances, as well a s a nglers. I t ensures that the public w ill b e a ble to reach good fishing s pots, f ar i nto the future. “As for p ublic versus private fishing, yes, there is room for b oth today. I understand the p ositive aspects of p rivate f ishing, but p ublic fishing has many things g oing for it as well: For starters, i t’s f ree, except for the cost o f your l icense; the fishing is good a nd varied; a nd you aren’t limited to o nly f ishing one spot for one type o f f ish, a s you might at a club or a p reserve. Plus, there are no hidden o r a dditional costs, which is often the c ase 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 happenQVO QV Å[PQVO Q[ _PI\¼[ []XXW[ML \W happen. Let’s live with that. at 29
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
Are we going the way of Europe, where wealthy landowners control ITT WN \PM OWWL P]V\QVO IVL Å[Ping, and the public is kept out? No way, and we can thank Theodore Roosevelt and a g roup of likeminded conservationists for taking care of that. Back in the late 1880s, \PMa X][PML NWZ P]V\QVO IVL Å[PQVO regulations to protect our wildlife, and established conservation g roups to protect their habitat. T heir 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 XZQVQKQXTM[" \PI\ Å[P IVL _QTLTQNM JMlong 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 ÅOP\ _W]TL IOZMM \PI\ ZMOIZLTM[[ of the market size, compulsion or [\ZMVO\P \PI\ ÆaÅ[PQVO SQL[ IZM \PM SMa \W ÆaÅ[PQVO¼[ N]\]ZM IVL \PI\ \PMZM Q[ 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  b egan  to  change  dramatically.  The  harbinger  of  all  of  this,  an  illicit  skatepark  developed  by  Portland,  Oregonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s,  skate  community  under  the  Burnside  Street  Bridge  was  allowed  to  Ă&#x2020;W]ZQ[P Ja KWX[ _PW [PZ]OOML PIXXa 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  departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  citing  insurance,  safety,  and  other  impediments  seemed  to  evaporate  in  light  of  the  demand.
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  canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  the  same  civic  bodies  clean  up  a  few  hundred  yards  of  ]ZJIV [\ZMIU KZMI\M R]^MVQTM Ă&#x2026;[PQVO no-license-required  zones,  add  some  enhancement  features,  interpretive  displays  and  hold  casting  competi\QWV[ [\ZMIU KTMIV ]X[ [KPWWT Ă&#x2026;MTL trips,  demos  and  derbies/contests? Compared  to  hiring  union  contractors,  bringing  in  excavators,  and  getting  lawyers  to  sign  off  on  kids  hurling  themselves  into  the  air  on  KQ\a J]QT\ [\Z]K\]ZM[ Ă&#x2026;[PXIZS[ [MMU like  a  piece  of  cake.
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AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
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  One  such  park  was  built  immediately  involved.  Ideally  the  build-out  on  these  adjacent  to  one  of  the  more  quality  spaces  would  be  minimal;  the  beauty  trout  streams  in  America:  Sun  Valley,  of  the  concept  being  that  the  water  is  Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Big  Wood  River.  And  while  the  already  there. industry  soothsayers  sometimes  write  While  the  need  to  save  habitat  and  off  teen  and  pre-teen  participation  KZQ\QKIT Ă&#x2026;[PMZQM[ Q[ WJ^QW][ MVW]OP \PM QV Ă&#x2020;aĂ&#x2026;[PQVO I[ IV QUXW[[QJTM OZIQT \W greatest  threatened  resource  is  future  grasp,  Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve  seen  different. ^QOQTIV\ Ă&#x2026;[PMZNWTS \PMU[MT^M[ )VL During  the  years  I  lived  in  the  regardless  of  how  you  feel  about  the  Ketchum  area,  it  was  a  common  sight  potential  for  the  â&#x20AC;&#x153;youthâ&#x20AC;?  market  to  exto  see  kids  stripping  off  their  pads  at  plode  vs.  incrementally  grow,  as  access  the  end  of  a  skate  session,  grabbing  the  declines  throughout  the  country,  places  rods  out  of  a  base  vehicle  mini-van/ \W QVK]JI\M aW]VO [\WSM NWZ Ă&#x2020;aĂ&#x2026;[PQVO \Z]KS IVL Ă&#x2026;[PQVO NWZ IVW\PMZ PW]Z WZ are  urgently  needed  for  the  long-term  so.  I  canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  imagine  the  same  doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  health  of  the  culture. go  down  in  Steamboat  Springs,  Bend,  Jackson  Hole,  Bozeman,  Burlington,  And  to  many  parents,  it  would  be  and  other  towns  where  active  kids  and  jaw-dropping  and  incredibly  warmĂ&#x2026;[Pa [XW\[ QV\MZ[MK\ ing  thing  to  hear  young  James  or  Jane  pipe  up  on  the  way  to  an  afternoon  of  Which  got  me  to  thinkingâ&#x20AC;Ś [MZQW][ ZMKZMI\QWV" š,W _M PI^M \PM Ă&#x2020;a ?Pa VW\ Ă&#x2026;[PXIZS[' rods,  too?â&#x20AC;? at
)NSTANTLY TURNS A SIZE CADDIS
OPINION EDITORIAL
is the Time to Take Action
Now
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
Written by Bill Deeter
For the past several months we’ve heard nothing but gloom and doom from nearly all the country’s financial experts. Yet those of us who have been through recessionary times before realize there really can be a silver lining for everyone who is willing to take the time to sit still long enough to look and listen to the marketplace.
mizing performance measurement. These are some of the very important marketing actions that don’t get talked about because, while they are just as important (if not more so) as advertisements, public relations activities, and sales promotions of various shapes and sizes, they are not quite as exciting. Nevertheless, behind every “great” advertisement, press release, direct mail campaign, trade show exhibit and point-of-sale Yes, it is quite possible that in the short term many in business may not re- display someone did the spade work alize their sales projections and some may not want to build a lot more in- to insure that communication was on ventory. So what should you do to keep your people busy while the indus- time, on target and on budget. What try settles out or stabilizes? At times like these really smart marketers turn did they do? Probably one or more \PMQZ I\\MV\QWV \W NIK\ ÅVLQVO LI\I KWTTMK\QWV [MTN I[[M[[UMV\ IVL WX\Qof the following:
32
<PMa [\IOML I [Q\]I\QWV IVITa[Q[ to assess their company’s marketing and/or communications function against market needs, objectives, and I]LQMVKM XZWÅTM[ <PMa _IV\ML \W JM 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, r ather than sitting around the office, w arehouse or store wasting time wringing your h ands a nd l ending yourself to g loom and doom conversations, pick yourself up,
dust yourself off and start wood shedding on some of those things that will bring your business b ack sooner than most and better than it was before. By doing the “ hard” marketing you set yourself u p for greater success when it is time t o begin the fun marketing anew. at
<PMa KWVL]K\ML I [MTN M`IU Looking at their operations and functions, they determined if they were on target in terms of meeting client or customer expectations and needs. 3Ma PMZM Q[ \PM IJQTQ\a \W ÆIO Q[[]M[ 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. <PMa KTQUJML W]\[QLM \PMQZ W_V 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. <PMa TWWSML TWVO IVL PIZL I\ the competition to d etermine what they were doing right a nd why. I t is hard to give your c ompetition credit but if they are s uccessful you don’t want to reward them by b eing either stupid or stubborn. I f we are willing to swallow o ur p ride, i t is amazing what we c an l earn f rom our competitors. <PMa M`XTWZML UWZM IVL JM\\MZ 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 bringQVO QV IV QVÆ]` WN KI[P AM\ \PM LW\ coms and the consolidation of the industry was not the main source of N]MT NWZ \PM ÅZM 1\ _I[ ^QLMW
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 ÅTU[ XZMUQMZML I\ \PM _QV\MZ IVL summer Outdoor Retailer shows in Salt Lake, including one produced by Teton Gravity Research—at the time one of the hottest production KWUXIVQM[ QV [SQ ÅTUQVO <PM ZM[]T\ing 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 snowJWIZLQVO NWZ \PM ÅZ[\ \QUM ;]LLMVly, 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 \W N]VL ÅTUUISMZ[ IVL \PM ZM[]T\ Q[ WZ LMKMV\ [SQ ÅTU[ I aMIZ
;KW\\ Æa ZWL[ KWV\ZQJ]\ML \W \PM KI][M 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 compa*]\ ÆaÅ[PQVO PI[ VWVM WN \PI\ ) nies” looking for funding. My advice: year-old kid casts pretty much the same give it to them. way his grandfather does, and for the You might not think it matters that UW[\ XIZ\ \PMa¼TT JM Å[PQVO \PM [IUM ÆaÅ[PQVO TWWS[ ¹KWWTº \W \PM VM`\ water. What do we have that differgeneration of anglers. And you might entiates us from previous generations be right. But I promise you this: if, WN ÆaÅ[PMZ[' >QLMW 1\¼[ PW_ UIVa young people see the differences in the MQOP\ aMIZ[ NZWU VW_ ÆaÅ[PQVO ^QLMW[ have gone the way of kayaking videos, old way vs. the new way. More than \PMV aW]VO XMWXTM _QTT ÅVL [WUM\PQVO And kayaking? Let’s put it this way: If anything else, video has helped make else to participate in that is producit weren’t for thousands of overweight ÆaÅ[PQVO KWWT ing the type of media they want to anglers who convinced their wives that In 2 003, i n S alt L ake C ity, I w alked watch, whether that’s skateboarding or IV Å[PQVO SIaIS _I[ MI[QMZ WV IZW]VL \PM .TaÅ[PQVO :M\IQTMZ [PW_ jetskiing or paintball. And then we’ll \PM NIUQTa J]LOM\ \PIV I ÆI\[ asking f or s ponsors t o h elp m ake m y PMIZ Q\" P]VLZML[ WN ÆaÅ[PQVO QVL][\Za JWI\ IVL \PI\ ÆWI\QVO IZW]VL LZQVSÆaÅ[PQVO UW^QM Feeding T ime. I w as t he old-timers, standing around the trade QVO JMMZ QV \PI\ Å[PQVO SIaIS [WUMPW_ passed as exercise, then there would BE only one there who was doing it. Three show asking the question, “Where did companies—Clackacraft, Smith, and all the young people go?” at no paddling industry. 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.
at the local play park. Mountain bikers have the traditional single-trackers vs. the Red Bull inspired tricksters on man-made dirt mounds.
The whitewater kayaking industry has TIZOMTa [\WXXML N]VLQVO ÅTUUISMZ[ ITtogether, 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 <> [M\[ IZW]VL \PM JIZ' ;]ZÅVO ;]ZÅVO 1V ;IT\ 4ISM +Q\a IVL ,MV^MZ
35
AnglingTrade.com / December 2008
.TaÅ[PQVO _QTT VM^MZ PI^M \PM ¹KWWTº ^QJM WN []ZÅVO QN WVTa JMKI][M [XIVLM` Q[ [M`QMZ \PIV /WZM \M` ?PQKP Q[ ÅVM 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, SIaISQVO []ZÅVO UW]V\IQV JQSQVO¸ 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 XIZS IVL XTIa SQL[ ZMÅVQVO \PMQZ UW^M[
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 XZW[XMZQ\a WN \PM ÆaÅ[PQVO J][QVM[[ Q\ WVTa \WWS I NM_ 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 enOIOML QV ?I[PQVO\WV , + Z][P PW]Z \ZINÅK \PIV ZM[QLM 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, \PI\ [_MM\ [XW\ WV [WUM XZQ^I\M _I\MZ _PMZM \PM Å[P IZM 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 WZLQVIZa Æa Å[PMZUIV \W _M\ I TQVM QV I [XW\ LM[QZIJTM 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 pri^I\M TIVL 1\ _I[ I TW^MTa ÆWI\ M`KMX\ NWZ \PM NIK\ \PI\ _M VM^MZ KW]TL Y]Q\M ÅO]ZM W]\ _PMZM WVM TMN\ WNN IVL 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 Å[PQVO LWV¼\ \PQVS Q\¼[ N]V MVW]OP \W JZQVO ITWVO NIUQTa 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 [\ZMIU Å[PQVO \PIV IVa W\PMZ KWUXTIQV\ 7]\ Ua _Ia _M 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 [WUMWVM KZMMXQVO ]X WV aW] <PM Å[P TWWS TQSM \PMa¼^M gone several rounds with a bad dentist; something intrinsically precious about the experience has been lost. continued on next page...
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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 TMI[\ I XIZ\ WN Q\ Å[PQVO WV \PMQZ W_V¸ ÆWKS \W \PM *QO ;Sa
In the more than quarter century since Montana enacted its open-access law, the state has become the Mecca WN )UMZQKI¼[ KWV^MV\QWVIT \ZW]\ Å[Ping, perhaps of the world. Many book guide trips; all make several stops at Æa [PWX[ WV \PMQZ _Ia \W ITT \PI\ WXMV water. They buy stuff. Lots of stuff. This sticky matter of stream access law has carved a deep divide in the ÆaÅ[PQVO KWUU]VQ\a [XTQ\\QVO []KP
Whether the Utah ruling survives legal or legislative challenges remains to be seen. But when it was IVVW]VKML I Æ]ZZa WN KMTMJZI\WZa Å[PQVO KIX[ OW\ \W[[ML QV\W \PM IQZ I TW\ WN \PM[M NZWU \PM PMIL[ WN Æa 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 ÅVL ILMY]I\M IVL LM[QZIJTM [XIKM \W support it. at - Charlie Meyers
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