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the buzz on the flyfishing biz®TRADEInside The “SHOW” IssueNew Rod Technology/All About Margins/Legend Frank Moore/Reel People/More from Guides/Q&A with Andrew Bennett/Growing the SportSeptember2010 AnglingTrade.com

CONTRIBUTORSMonte BurkeMonte Burke is a staff writer for Forbes. He’s also a noted author, and a frequent contributor to AnglingTrade, as well as a number of other fly fishing magazines.Joe CermeleJoe Cermele is associate online editor for Field & Stream magazine. Check out the “Hook Shots” videoseries he produces at fieldandstream.com.Lance GrayLance Gray owns Lance Gray & Company, a Willow, California-based guide service. He also conducts schoolson everything from bass to steelhead fly fishing.Bill MartsBill Marts is a Destination Travel Specialist with The Fly Shop. A former fly shop owner and contributor to variousfishing magazines, Bill has been to and fished just about everywhere we’ve heard about.Geoff MuellerGeoff Mueller is a contributing editor for Angling Trade trade magazine, and senior editor at The Drake. He wasformerly the managing editor of Fly Fisherman magazine.Will RiceWill Rice has a day job with Qwest… but he’s also a frequent contributor to Angling Trade, and he writes articles for avariety of fishing related blogs and magazines.AnglingTrade.com / September 20104Bruce SmithhammerBruce Smithhammer is one of the masterminds behind the popular weblog “Buster Wants to Fish,” and a frequentcontributor to The Drake. This is his first appearance in Angling Trade.Jeff WagnerJeff Wagner is a merchandise financial planner with Cabela’s Inc. He’s long been a part of the fly fishing industry asan aquatic biologist, a master casting instructor, and one of the longest-serving members of the Angling Trade team.

EDITOR’S COLUMNAnglingTrade.com / September 20106When All is Said and Done…We Are a FamilyAll of you who have followed AnglingTrade know I’ve been throwing somehigh-and-tight fastballs lately. Nota coincidence. We’ve talked abouteverything from divorces over tradeshows… to lost water in Utah… tothe waning trust in manufacturerdealerrelationships, and muchmore. It’s my job to incite debateand action. I won’t apologize forany of that… in fact, I’m proud ofit. And now, more than ever, thisindustry needs action more thanwords. We need solutions morethan explanations.The amount of “thanks for tellingit like it is” feedback I’ve receivedhas been overwhelming. I did,however, receive one (only one)phone call—interestingly, from oneof my oldest friends in this industry.I remember fishing with himas young trout bums, long beforehe became a powerful rep in thisbusiness, and before anyone evercared about things I wrote in booksor magazines. He wasn’t calling somuch to complain that I was beingheavy-handed… rather to remindme that we’re all in this together.His point was well taken.And as such, I’d add that someof the points made in this forumhave been well-taken also. We, asa fly fishing industry (or segment,or business, or whatever else youchoose to call us) aren’t out of thewoods, not by any stretch. Butthere are some things happeningthat make me optimistic.The International Fly Tackle Dealertrade show in Denver will be smallerin scale than past trade shows. Butthe effort put into pulling this thingtogether cannot be described as anythingless than admirable. It’s goingto make money. And by mandate,half of the money it makes will beplowed into a revamped “DiscoverFly Fishing” program that is specificallydesigned to grow the sport. Alittle bit can go a long way in theeffort to bring people through thedoors of fly shops… and that is, afterall, AFFTA’s mission.A few years ago, getting people toserve on the AFFTA board wasabout as easy as conscripting a crewto work a freighter bound to Indonesia.Twenty-eight different peoplethrew their hats in the ring to contestfor nine open positions on the AF-FTA board. I think this is a verygood sign also.In direct response to the complaintthat AFFTA was a manufacturerdominatedorganization that hasunderserved the interests of retailers,guides, lodges, and the media, AF-FTA’s board composition now mustbalance various segments, includingretailers, manufacturers, media,and so forth. Once again… good(though the at-large seats are stilldominated by manufacturers).I had a long chat with Jim Klug, AF-FTA’s newly anointed chairman, andas a result, I cannot help but like theway he thinks and where he intendsto direct the trade group.But it isn’t just an AFFTA thing…nor should it be. If we think AF-FTA is equipped and ready to leada renaissance at this point, we aresorely mistaken. It isn’t a matterof intent… it’s resources. All ofus—manufacturers, media, retailers,and others—must control our owndestinies.To wit, Orvis launched a Fly Fishing101 program that brought over 2,600prospects (most of them, admittedly,had never fly fished) to stores anddealers… in July alone. I say that’snothing short of great. And I hearOrvis only plans to amp the plan inthe coming months… even better.I’ve heard many shops tell me thesledding has been hard, but they’reseeing the worm turn, and they’remaking money. I am hopeful.We don’t need another darn movie.The inherent beauty of fly fishingstands on its own merits. Frankly,I’m willing to trust those who “getit’ to convey that. And I know thatthe barriers between fly fishing andthe bass nation weren’t borne of flysnobbery;they’re there because thebass people put them there.So break them down.Just how we break down barriers,expand the sport’s appeal, andreach an end goal? Well, that’s upto us to decide.Trade shows, consumer shows…whatever else… well, in the end, it’sall good… and I can’t help but wonder,“Why can’t we have it all?”We can. We should. We Must. at

CURRENTSAnglingTrade.com / September 20108IssuesBristol Bay Flyfishing andGuide Academy: A ProgramThis Industry Should EmbraceI recently had an opportunity totake part in the Bristol Bay FlyFishing and Guide Academy, acooperative initiative by The NatureConservancy, Bristol Bay NativeCorporation, Trout Unlimited, andthe Bureau of Land Management.The event was held in Ekwok,Alaska, and its mission wasstraightforward: Introduce native(Yup’ik Eskimo) kids and youngadults to fly fishing, with the goalof empowering some to work as flyguides in the future.It was an extremely powerful andmoving experience, and I think itdeserves significant industry support(thanks to Redington for supplyingfly rods and reels to the academy).The program helped to break downthe information barrier betweenfly fishing “culture” and nativeculture. We tackled issues likecatch-and-release ethics (vs. playingwith food) as well as the nuts andbolts of fly fishing. The instructors,including Dan Plummer of theFriends of the Upper DelawareRiver organization, and ChristopherCasey of Bear Creek Outfittersand Trout Unlimited in Juneau,Alaska, were were impressed byhow well the students embracedthe sport. We definitely realizedsome very good prospects for lodgework, and if anyone would like arecommendation, please contact medirectly at editor@anglingtrade.com.Ultimately, the native corporationsalong the various Bristol Baydrainages have a major stake indetermining the future of PebbleMine, and also how these areas arepreserved through time. It onlymakes sense that anglers who sharethis vested interest find innovativeways to embrace and collaboratewith the native population to achievemutual goals.As such, this is one of the mostvisionary conservation efforts I’veseen in the fly fishing world. I sawthe seeds planted, and startingto grow. And it involves a majorecological issue that will havemassive impact on the future of flyfishing. I encourage you to checkout visitbristolbay.org/flyfishcampto learn more, and get involved tobuild the program in 2011.-Kirk DeeterOrvis Fly Fishing 101 A HitAccording to Orvis, more than2,600“students”took part inits nationwideFly Fishing101 campaignto recruitand instruct prospects to the sport.Over 90 percent of participantswere “never-evers,” and many shopsreported noticable sales and guidingspikes as a result. The companyintends to expand this initiativesignificantly in the next 18 months.Scott Backs Protection ofAlpine TriangleScott Fly Rod Co. of Montrose,Colorado, has endorsed TroutUnlimited’s efforts to protect thefishing and hunting resourcesof southwest Colorado’s AlpineTriangle by joining a growingcoalition of sportsmen, businessesand industry interested in keepingthe Triangle just like it is today.“The Alpine Triangle is whatpeople think about when they thinkof Colorado,” said Jim Bartschi,president and CEO of Scott, oneof the world’s leading designers andmanufacturers of fly rods. “Keepingit intact, and keeping its fishing andhunting resources viable well intothe future is important to Scott,and we stand behind TU’s efforts toprotect this special place.”The Alpine Triangle is a 186,000-acre tract of Bureau of LandManagement land located betweenSilverton, Ouray and Lake City(hence the “triangle”). It’s hometo trophy big game hunting andexcellent fisheries resources, withpotential for even better fishingas the area’s century-old miningscars are cleaned up. Three ofColorado’s trophy trout streams—the Lake Fork of the Gunnison, theUncompahgre and the Animas—start in the Alpine Triangle.“We’re working with a diverse groupof people that includes hunters,anglers, businesspeople and folksfrom all over the country who comecontinued on next page...

The way we see it,The more fly fishing the better.Innovating new levels of performance forhardcore fly anglers will always be central towhat we do. Our brands have been trustedby expert anglers the world over for decades.These brands also give us a unique ability tocreate products and programs for retailerswho are reaching out to those not yetcompletely hooked.Sure, you may say hooking more people onfly fishing helps us and the industry as a whole,but just as important, it means more attentionon conserving healthy waters and a greaterappreciation for natural spaces.So, bring them on.Give us the woolly trout bums and well salted skiff captains.The full-time guides and the 30 days a year fishers. And theweekend warriors and family campers and a few carloadsof curious onlookers. We have what they crave.See us at the IFTD show thisSeptember in Denver, Colorado.

CURRENTSAnglingTrade.com / September 201010to experience this amazing place,”said Ty Churchwell, backcountrycoordinator for Trout Unlimited.“This place is so unique, in thatit has something for everyone,whether you like to ride off-roadvehicles, fish for wild and nativetrout in a backcountry setting,explore old ghost towns or justexperience that signature RockyMountain scenery. We’d like tomake sure it remains just like it isfor the next generation.”The Triangle has seen its shareof abuse over the last 125 yearsor so. Its slopes are scarred withabandoned mines and mine tailingpiles, some of which drain toxic,metal-laden water into the area’swaterways. While some cleanupefforts are underway, much remainsto be done. Additionally, TUwould like to see any new miningin the area done responsiblyto prevent new pollution fromentering rivers and streams andfurther tarnishing trout habitat andangling opportunity.The Triangle was also just recentlynamed to the TU/Field & Streamlist of Best Wild Places (seefieldandstream.com for AnglingTrade editor Kirk Deeter’s reportson the Alpine Triangle). The listalso includes the Roan Plateau innorthwest Colorado, the OutlawTriangle in Utah and Wyoming, theGila National Forest of southern NewMexico, the Cabinet-Yaak Mountainsof Montana and the Blue Lakes-PineForest Range of Nevada.Product andCompany NewsSimms Unveils New ProductsIntimately and Early For ABigger BangBy Joe CermeleWorking a trade show floor can be areal chore for writers. You’re boggeddown with meetings, there are lotsof fleeting “hellos” and handshakeswith minimal face time with thecompanies you really want to see.But most importantly, you get thequick version of what’s new andrely heavily on catalogs to fill in thegaps. This year, Simms decided itwas time for a change and deviseda different way to unleash theirlatest wares to the world, in lieu ofattending the IFTD show in Denver.Back in early August, Simms inviteda small group of core players inflyfishing media to come out to theirBozeman, Montana, headquartersfor some more intimate face timethan these writers and editors get onthe busy show floor. And it worked.Products normally not seen by thepublic until just after the Fly Showfound their way onto popular blogs,such as Midcurrent.com, before theweekend get-together ever cameto an end. I was one of the luckywriters with a golden ticket that gotan in-depth pre-show look at theirentire 2011 line-up.Many of Simms’ new releases fallin the sportswear, outerwear, andfootwear categories, with the mostnotable advance in wading bootsbeing their new Riverteks, whichadopt the twist-tight BOA lacetechnology first seen on Korkerswading boots. If you cater tocustomers who fish in cold weather,they’ll thank you for having theseboots. Nothing’s worse than untyingfrozen laces with numb hands.For the warm-weather wader,Simms’ new RipRap shoe andStreamtread sandal featureStreamtread soles, quick-pull lacesand quick-dry materials for use on thebank or in the river. You also won’tlook ridiculous wearing them in thebar after a day on the river, as theyare both technical with a casual look.In fact, technical with a more casuallook seemed to be an ongoing themewith Simms’ new products.Though many of Simms’ popularjackets are receiving updates for2011, the new members of thepack are their Windstopper Transitjacket and vest. Windproof but verybreathable, these are the kinds ofjackets that get balled up, tossedin the truck, and become an oldfriend on the water. Adjustable necksand collars make them even moreelement-ready, whether it’s a coldday on the striper coast or cold daywalking the dog. You wouldn’t wearyour dad’s old fishing vest on thetown, but Simms is doing a fine jobof making products that cross theboundary between cool threads andtough threads.This idea carries into their sportswearreleases, which include their RogueFleece Hoody, Cocona crew neckshirt, and Surf shorts. The Roguebumps the standard hoody up a fewnotches by incorporating a dedicatedfly box pocket, a UPF 30 rating, andhand warmer pockets. The Coconashirt, which is made from materialcreated with recycled coconut shells,is one of the lightest shirts I’ve feltand has a UPF 50 rating. Coconamaterial dries very quickly, and thesecrew necks have a zippered frontpocket and longer-than-average tailthat Simms says helps keep the guyon the sticks from getting a charredlower back.Finally, Simms is making a bit ofbandwagon jump with their Surfcontinued on next page...

IMPERIAL FLY RODS >Offered in an uncompromisingly gorgeous gloss burgundy finish, justholding an Imperial brings a few new words to mind. Imperial fly rodsare lightweight, fast-action rods designed for maximum performanceand value. The dynamic blend of high-modulus / high-strain SC IV graphiteand premium-quality SC II graphite work together to outperform fly rodsnot only in the same price category, but those costing much more.A comprehensive line-up of 32 models – including four new switch rodsfor 2010, there is easily an Imperial that will impress the h**l out of you.In 2009, Imperial fly rods were awarded “Best Value” fromField & Stream and an “Editor’s Choice” from Fly Fish America.RIO SANTO FLY RODS & OUTFITS >Take a moment to offer our new Rio Santo series the reverence itdeserves. Premium-quality SC II graphite with a smooth moderate-fastaction provides performance that anglers at all skill levels willappreciate – at a price that deserves a few exclamations all on its own.Completely new for 2010, the Rio Santo is offered in eleven models from4- to 8-weight, as well as five Rio Santo Outfits that include a die-castaluminum reel, fly line and leader (already installed) and deluxecarrying case. The name translates to Holy Water – among other things.

aHOT “ “SELLERPacked withPlainspokenAdvice forBeginners andExperts AlikeThe Little Red Book of Fly Fishing is like havingtwo experienced fly anglers standing next you andwhispering tips in your ear.”-Roger Phillips, The Idaho StatesmanKirk Deeter and Charlie Meyers have done allanglers a huge favor by writing The Little RedBook of Fly Fishing…” -Brett Prettyman, Salt Lake TribuneDeeter and Meyers purposely modeled theirbook after two giants of the “how-to” genre:Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book: Lessonsand Teachings From a Lifetime of Golf, byPenick and Bud Shrake, and The Elements ofStyle, by William Strunk Jr. and E.B White,two collaborative books that became classicsbecause they were written clearly and conciselyby the best teachers in their given professions.”-Monte Burke, Forbes.comA brilliant new book from Kirk Deeter and the lateCharlie Meyers… contains 250 of the most helpfultips I’ve seen collected in one place. And this isn’t abook just for rookies. In the first dozen pages or so Ifound a few things that I had discounted or entirelyforgotten as proven methods for improving my fishing.So while the book is jammed with thoughtfuladvice for novices, most experts will find the mindfulnessand clear thinking refreshing.”-Marshall Cutchin, MidcurrentThis is not a book you’ll read just once—like a trustedfishing buddy, you’ll turn to it again and again forhelpful advice, friendly instruction, and insider information…a masterpiece.”-Anthony Licata, editor, Field & StreamContact your book supplier, or see skyhorsepublishing.com for more information.“““

CURRENTSAnglingTrade.com / September 201014monitors, without having to runthe full-length videos. Angler’sBook Supply will distribute 3,000copies to retailers via direct mail,and another 650 copies will beincluded in IFTD goody bags.Several hundred copies will be madeavailable upon request, limited toone per store. Additional copies canbe purchased for $2.50 each.Orvis iPhone App Reviewed onMidcurrent.comDo check outMidcurrent.com for thesome of latest(and most candid)fly fishingproduct reviewsanywhere.MarshallCutchin recentlygave the new Orvis iPhone App athorough once-over, and here’s whathe had to say:“We purchased the new Orvis iPhone“Ultimate Fly Fishing Guide” App($24.99 less a $10 gift card) for flyfishers last Saturday and after having abit of trouble getting it downloaded (it’sa little less than 400MB in size) wereimmediately impressed by the depth of infoit contains.The app contains five sections: Casting,Flies, Knots, Top 10 Casting Mistakes,and Fishing Reports (much of, if not allthe data in the Reports mirrors what’savailable on the Orvis Web site). TheCasting, Knots and Top 10 Mistakessection all use video and text to illustratethe content.The Knots section also includes excellentanimations, but I found the knot videos tobe particularly well done -- the scripting/narration is tight and info-rich, and inmost cases the line is visible enough, evenon the screen of a iPhone 4G, to provideall the guidance needed.My second-favorite section in the app isthe Flies section. It contains 100 of themost commonly used flies, along withhi-def images (thank you Orvis, for notputting these on a blue background) andsuggested sizes and tips on where andwhen they should be used. Oddly enough,an app screen seems the perfect place tozoom into fly pattern images. You can alsobrowse flies by type and by name, or searchfor a specific pattern.The casting videos are also well done,though one wouldn’t mistake them forhigh-budget productions. The instructionis great and overcomes some of the lightingand framing issues. No question that youcan find helpful advice on almost any basiccasting technique or issue -- especiallyvaluable for beginning anglers. I do hopeOrvis updates the design of the intro pages,which are pretty dull compared to mostapps I’ve used.The reports section is well-done, thoughnobody seems to have cracked the code fordelivering real-time info on fly hatches andone has to ask whether a call to the localfly shop isn’t still the best choice.It’s hard to evaluate apps with such depthof content without asking whether a 940-by-640 screen is the right place to displaycasting videos, for example, or lengthytext. I applaud Orvis for packing lots ofadvice into a workable app and in manyways setting the opening bar height forfly fishing instructional apps. Is it worth$14.99 (after cashing in the gift card)?In my mind, that depends on whether youthink having an excellent knot reference andfly pattern guide at hand is worth the cost.Given what I’ve seen of knot-tying videosin recent years, for some that section alonewould justify the cost.I look forward to seeing whether Orvis willcontinue to tweak the app, make it fullysearchable, and justify the download sizewith richer content. In all, though, it’s apretty good start.You can buy the app in the iTunes store.”Fly FusionWins ACEFly FusionMagazine washonored atMagNet 2010(Canada’sMagazineConference)with anACE AWARD for CirculationExcellence. Fly Fusion wonin the category of Best Retailperformance for a midsizemagazine.The magazine’s dealer coverageexpanded from 1,278 to 2,953, inincrease of 1,675 dealers or a 131%expansion. This makes Fly Fusionthe market leader over all other flyfishing titles, in Canada, the UnitedStates and throughout the world, interms of growing product visibility.Single copy sales of Fly Fusion’sUltimate Trout issue increased byover 246% in one year.Of course, it all starts with qualitycontent… if you haven’t thumbedthrough Fly Fusion, you should checkit out.The Fly Fishing ShowAnnounces DatesDenver Merchandise Mart January7-9; Marlboroough, Mass., RoyalPlaza Trade Center, Janyuary 14-16;Somerset, New Jersey, January 21-23; and in North Carolina, the showhas relocated from Charlotte to theRaleigh Fairgrounds, January 29-30.continued on next page...

fortable fit no matter head shape orsize. Available in mahogany polarchromiccopper, retail is $179.Hart and Montgomery JoinRep ForcesChris Hart, owner of SundownRiver Products, an outdoor sportinggoods manufacturers rep firm inthe Northern Rockies, announcedtoday a merger with Salmon, IdahobasedBrooks Montgomery, Sales &Marketing (www.brooksmontgomery.com), the sales firm responsible for3M/Scientific Anglers, St. CroixRod, Clackacraft, and other fly fishingproduct lines in Idaho, Montana,and Wyoming.The merger brings representationof a number of fly-relatedbrands under one umbrella: Hart-Montgomery Outdoor Sales. Hartis the sales representative for R. L.Winston Rod Co., Aire/OutcastInflatables, Idylwilde Flies, Kavu,Seattle, Sawyer Paddles and Oars,Chums/Beyond Coastal, and otherbrands. Brooks Montgomery is thesales representative for St. Croix,3M/Scientific Anglers, Waterworks-Lamson, , Korkers, Oregon,VortexOutdoors, Clackacraft Drift Boats,other brands.Effective September 1, 2010, Hart-Montgomery Outdoor Sales will beresponsible for sales & marketing oftheir combined brands in Montana,Idaho, and Wyoming.Hart-Montgomery Outdoor Saleswill operate at 190 Northstar Ln.Bozeman, MT. 59718. Telephone:(406) 585-8977, FAX 406-585-8817.Chris Hart can be reached at chris@hartmontgomery.comBrooks Montgomery can be reachedat brooksmontgomery@msn.com .People NewsLeinweber:“Don’t Drinkthe Kool-Aid”Editor’s Note:We gave DavidLeinweber thefloor in the lastissue of AnglingTrade, to makea pitch on behalf of AFFTA for the upcomingIFTD show. Leinweber has sinceresigned his position on the AFFTA board,and has asked to elaborate...The last four years working on theAFFTA board have been rewarding,but also very draining. Althoughmy business has managed to growduring that time despite the economicclimate, I have been unableto maximize opportunities becauseof my attention and heavy involvementwith AFFTA. I served with apassion for a vision of seeing a sportgrow. I made sacrifices personallyand in my business in order to feedthat passion and I was determinedand optimistic to see an industrysucceed. I believed the message Ihad about growing the industry bysupporting the specialty retailer wasthe right vision for AFFTA.A few months back I was faced withrenewing my AFFTA membershipand submitting my annual dues. Iwas surprised to find myself, a sittingAFFTA board member, strugglingwith the value and wondering if itwas really worth it. Honestly weighingall things involved, there is littleto no value for a retailer to join AF-FTA. The primary focus of AFFTAseems to revolve around manufacturerissues and AFFTA rarely considersthe small independent retailer.For many in the industry, retailersare considered the weakest link andtheir value is only as good as thenumber of store fronts they haveor the number of web pages theyproduce. There is little to no trust orconfidence in the specialty retailerand this has reciprocated little to notrust for manufacturers. A recentsurvey in Angling Trade magazineasked retailers, “Are your businessinterests being served by AFFTA?”Seventy-five percent (75%) said no.It is not a stretch to understand whyretailers have such little confidencein AFFTA. You can start by goingto the AFFTA website at www.affta.com. Check out the pictures, seehow impressive everything is laidout, but before you leave make sureyou read the mission statement. ToPromote the Sustained Growth ofthe Fly Fishing Industry. It has anice ring to it, but ask the question:How many customers have walkedinto your store because of AFFTA?Let me answer that for you, ZERO.AFFTA’s idea of growing the sportof fly fishing is paying a coupleof people $5,000 to sit in a 10x20booth for 3-4 days, at a consumershow in the month of January. Orspend $20,000 on a website withnice pictures, which were donated,but then forget to include updatingthe Discover Fly Fishing website.(Just for fun you should visit www.discoverflyfishing.com) If you readthe AFFTA mission statement youwill know that the Discover FlyFishing Program is AFFTA’s maininitiative to grow the sport… It onlyproves that AFFTA has no initiative.If this is not disturbing enoughRBFF (Recreational Boating andFishing, www.rbff.org) last yeardeveloped a fly fishing componentto their www.TakeMeFishing.orgwebsite, which receives nearly fourmillion annual visits. The past two17AnglingTrade.com / September 2010

CURRENTSAnglingTrade.com / September 201018years they have asked AFFTA for aplace to send web visitors, AFFTAhas yet to respond…Over the past four years I have saton the AFFTA board and carriedthe banner of supporting retailersand growing the sport of flyfishing through the specialty retailnetwork. I have been a team playerand contributed much of my time,talent, and resources. I also defendedAFFTA whenever possible, butlast June I resigned from the boardbecause honestly I cannot defendthe trade group any more. If AF-FTA cannot live up to its missionof growing the sport then changethe mission statement to: Findingcost-saving ways to bring profitablefly fishing products to market. Atleast that would be honest. Readthe recent Chairman’s remarks andtell me that I am wrong.Ironically, days after I resignedOrvis announced a new Fly Fishing101 program. Tom Rosenbauer wasquoted as saying, “I’ve been worriedabout the lack of growth in thefly-fishing industry for a long timeand have grown tired of waiting forour trade association to do somethingmeaningful about it.” I couldnot have said this better myself. Weparticipated in the Orvis Fly Fishing101 program and sold out the entiremonth in the first week. We actuallyhad to turn dozens of folks away.We doubled the sales of our classesfor the month of July. Our guidingincreased 28% and retail sales grew7%, all combining to produce thebest July ever for our store. I am leftwith one question… Why couldn’tAFFTA do that?There is a sliver of hope for AFFTAto get its act together. Fifty percentof the profit from IFTD is designatedto the Discover Fly Fishingprogram. There is a small chancethey can create a program thatretailers across the country wouldget behind and with manufacturers’support it just might succeed. It istime for AFFTA to stop abdicatingits mission to other organizationsand develop a program that promotesthe sport and helps grow theheart of the fly fishing industry, theindependent specialty retailer. It istime to become the national tradeorganization that grows and caresfor our sport and not just the productswe sell.With all this said I do plan to be atIFTD. I am a strong believer thatthe industry needs to come togetherannually and discuss trade issues.I also find it very valuable to mybusiness to meet directly with mymanufacturer partners. I hope wecan share a beer together and createideas that will grow our business andour industry.David LeinweberAngler’s CoveySpecialty Fly Shop OwnerMcNett Hires David WiggsMcNett Corporation, the industryleader in specialty personal careand gear care and repair productsfor 30 years, has hired David Wiggsas Vice President of Marketing.Wiggs will spearhead the company’snational and international strategicmarketing initiatives, includingbrand development, consumerengagement, and enhanced dealerand distributor relationships.“Marketing is no longer a one-wayconversation,” said Duane McNett,founder and President. “David’srole includes facilitating dialogueswith our customers to improve theirexperience with our brands. Weare very pleased to have David as amember ofour team.”“We wantedDavid on ourteam becausehe’s a globalthinker,”said GaryCruikshank,McNettCEO. “He recognizes that marketingtouches every aspect of ouroperation, which will be crucial aswe move the company forward.”“I’m excited to join McNett,” saidWiggs. “I was initially involved withthe company as a marketing consultant,and it became clear that themanagement team and I shared avision for the company’s future. It’sgreat to be part of a lifestyle companywith a forward-thinking team,all of whom are passionate aboutwhat they do.”Wiggs’ 15-year career covers retail,advertising and marketing. He mostrecently operated a strategic marketingconsultancy.Places Worth CheckingOut (Or Sending YourClients)Since 1959, Deep Water Cay hashosted some of the most famousnames in fly fishing. Joe Brooks, A.J.McLane, Curt Gowdy, Ted Williams,Flip Pallot and Lefty Kreh arejust a few of the legends who have

enjoyed the island’s 250 square milesof bonefish and permit flats. Overthe past six months, a new ownershipgroup has breathed new lifeinto this legendaryfishing paradise.Often referred to as the Granddaddyof Bonefish Lodges, the onlything that has aged is the lodge’slegacy. Seven quaint oceanfront cottageshave been completely renovatedand radiate the perfect blend ofrefinement and relaxation. Becauseof the tides, anglers spend long dayson the flats, and after a cocktail inthe new Tiki Bar, watch the sunsetfrom the new verandas. All therooms have new air-conditioners,furniture and appointments. Severalhomes were built to accommodatelarge groups, and now up to 34guests can vacation on the island.Boats are an integral part of islandlife at Deep Water Cay, and 10 newMarquesa and Professional skiffsfrom the Hell’s Bay Boatworks arejoining the current fleet of Dolphinskiffs. Two 33-foot World Cats wereadded for offshore fishing for wahooand tuna as well as for blue holescuba diving and reef fishing. DeepWater Cay is a regular host of theRedbone Tournament. They taketheir boats so seriously they’ve builtthe Burrows Marina which featureswet and dry storage facilities and afull workshop.A new Welcome Center has beenadded complete with a very convenienton-island Pro Shop, DiveShop with compressors, and floatingdock. Fly rods and reels are fromSage. For more information or tolearn about the Fly Shop DiscountProgram, contact Dana Dribben at(242) 353-3073 or (242) 727-7979 ordana@deepwatercay.com.atBooks & DVDs.DVD: $5.00 SRPAffordable impulse items foranglers of all types & budgets3 easy steps togrow your DVD sales:1) Stock the best new DVDs2) Play this DVD in your shop3) Re-order oftenand ask about new titles!It’s that easy!Our advice is based on sales & experiencewith 1000s of shops worldwide.ABS will make you money!Trailers from 35 of todaysbest films & instructional DVDs.Visit booth #310 at IFTDor call for your shops free copy!ANGLER’S BOOK SUPPLY 800.260.3869Featuring the very best books, dvds,calendars & gifts that fly-fishing has to offer.www.anglersbooksupply.com

CURRENTSTravel TipsFollow Up and Follow ThroughWritten by Bill Marts, Travel Specialist, The Fly Shopsmoothing over concerns in a timely manner. Successfulfishing travel businesses spend a lot of time with this. It is notsomething to be sloughed off in a dusty corner while waitingfor your clients to call because they are confused or concerned.The successful businesses know this is as importantas the fishing itself in regards to future travel and equipmentsales to these travelers. The information can be deliveredelectronically or hard copy sent through the mail. More andmore people want information via email. A lot of it canbe sent with the invoice; more can be sent with the depositreceipt and even more can be sent when the final paymentis made. Set the timing up with your computer to alert youwhen these times are approaching.AnglingTrade.com / September 201020In the last issue of Angling Trade, Mike Mercer explained thata great way to get into the fishing travel business was to host atrip. Okay, you decided to do this and you have talked eight ofyour best customers into accompanying you to XYZ destination(maybe you have been there before or maybe not; it reallydoes not matter). You have told them of the fun stuff– big fish,lots of fish, great food and a good time. Now is the time forfollow-up and follow-through. You probably have a good ideaof how to get to your chosen destination; what equipment willbe needed; what the daily fishing and lodge schedule is like,what amenities the lodge boasts of and what phone numbersare needed in cases of emergencies, late planes or emergenciesfrom home. Each member of your group needs to have this ina written form that is easily understood and provides them withconcise information for all they have committed to in advance.This is really the foundation for building your client trust, loyaltyand commitment for future business. Give them all of thedetailed information they need to successfully travel with you.With any fishing travel, there are so many variables to dealwith, such as flight schedule changes, weather (hurricanes forexample), equipment failure at the lodge, etc. You, as host, willhave to deal with these as they may happen. You really haveno control over this. What you have control over is getting yourclient good information and giving them realistic expectationsfor the trip.Follow-up is simply anticipating the next questions and concernsof your client and providing him/her with answers andInformation that is not absolutely necessary for travel, butmakes it more fun and interesting should be included as partof any follow-up. Items of interest could be great hotels andrestaurants where overnights are necessary during travel, interestingsights to see or historical landmarks and tips on packingluggage for a fishing trip.Follow-through is making your promises come true. Whilepromoting your hosted trip, you may include statements like“we’ll get steady fishing reports from the lodge before we getthere.” Or, I’ll send you some fly patterns you can tie yourself.”Follow-through on all statements such as this. Theyare easy to forget. Write them down and put them on yourcalendar. As Mercer mentioned last issue, make them aspersonal as possible.After the trip, what now? More follow-up and follow-through.Write each and every one of your group a letter telling themhow much you enjoyed your trip and look forward to the nextgroup adventure. Immediately write the lodge manager andowner to thank them for your trip and taking such good careof you and your customers. Within a few weeks of returningsend out a trip report for clients to fill out asking for praiseand/or criticism and comments about the trip and to return itto you. An additional follow-through would include a personalphone call from you to each of your group and sendingthem each a disc of your pictures (include every member andguides/staff). Take a lot of pictures!! This is so important thatit will be a topic of a future travel article.These are simple steps, really, but often THE most over lookedpart of being a competent and successful fishing travel agent.at

Bring 5to Deep Water Cayand the 6thgoes for free.After a full day casting to bonefish and permit, what's better than sitting on the oceanfront deck of one of Deep Water Cay's cottages?Not much. But if you see a tailing bone on the flat in front of your digs, head down and take a cast. + Bring a group. At Deep Water Caywe can accommodate a up to twenty-two guests. And you won't see your friends on the water. Unless you want to. + 250 square miles offlats. Excellent guides. Well-appointed cottages. Infinity pool. Tennis courts. Blue holes. Kayaks. Tranquility and privacy with plenty offishing. + Come on down to Deep Water Cay. We make time for ‘one, last cast.’Call 888.420.6202 to book your reservation. www.DeepWaterCay.comWe’ll make yourcustomers really,really happy.Then we’ll sendyou a check.The High Lonesome Ranch Fly Shop Affiliate Program. Between our two ranches, we can provide your customers the trip of a lifetime.They’ll walk-and-wade our 7-miles of the White River. Cast to 20+ inch browns and rainbows on our three spring creeks. Or drift-boat fish the Roaring Forkor the Colorado River. Or sight-fish to trout cruising in our spring-creek ponds. If there are folks who don’t fish, we can accommodate them with horsebackriding, hiking, mountain biking, birding, and more. Send one, send a group, or send an entire family. And when they depart, we’ll send you a check.Contact Tim Patterson at 303.283.9420 for more details.The High Lonesome RanchDeBeque, CO www.TheHighLonesomeRanch.com 970.283.9420

INTERVIEWAnglingTrade.com / September 201022Reel People…We posed the same questions to twoprominent reel manufacturers toglean some personal philosophiesthat make their brands tick.Written by Will RiceJohn Torok of Hatch ReelsKristen Mustad of Nautilus ReelsJohn C. TorokPresident/Co-OwnerHatch OutdoorsTo earn a paycheck I: Make fly fishingreels.1) What are the three most importantthings you think about when designinga fly reel:A) DragB) DurabilityC) Design2) Let’s talk about your philosophyand commitment to new technology…and specifically how that technologyplays a role in your reels…“Keep it simple” would probablybest describe our philosophy. Howcan we achieve the performancecharacteristics we want with thefewest amount of moving partswhile maintaining a stylish anddurable design? As for technology,we’re always looking around for newmaterials or exploring better ways tomachine something. We’ll only applyit to the reels if it makes a measurableimprovement over what we’vealready done. After all, technology isreally only useful if it can be appliedeffectively at the human level.3) What about technology as it appliesto fresh water reels vs. salt waterreels? Do I need all of that technologyfor an 18” trout?We use the same platform in all ofour reels no matter their intended use.You design for the worst case environment,because if it works there, it willwork anywhere. As for needing allthat technology for an 18” trout…Absolutely! You could probably catchone using a stick and string if youwanted to, but who wants to?4) How do you test your equipmentto know that it will handle the everydaystresses of a fly angler?

We do a lot of in-house testing on thereels, but basically that’s to establish abaseline for performance. It’s impossibleto simulate all of the variables thatgo into fish fighting in the real world.So, we rely heavily on the feedbackof guides and anglers that fish 200+days per year all over the world. Fromthe Seychelles to Montana, we haveguys hammering our products. Theirfeedback is critical in the developmentand performance of our reels. Wehave made some small but significantchanges over the years from this feedbackand it has allowed us to make evenbetter reels.1) What are the three most importantthings you think about when designinga fly reel:made some amazing designs that nevermake it to market. Because I like it, itdoesn’t mean you will.A) Performance2) Let’s talk about your philosophy andB) Lookscommitment to new technology andhow it plays a role in your reels…C) Will the public buy it? We have continued on next page...5) How do you support your customersonce something with the reel andtechnology goes wrong?I’m happy to say we don’t see too manyHatch reels back here at the shop. Butwhen we do, we operate as a no-questions-asked-typecompany. Arguingwith customers and assigning blamewhen something breaks is pointless.We just replace it and move forward.The most important thing is that weget people back on the water fishing asquickly as possible.6) Tell me about the last time a fish reallytested you and the fly reel you created?It’s usually during any Tarpon fishingtrip. Tarpon are erratic during a fight.They’re all over the place. They stop,they go, they jump, they run back onyou. This behavior really tests the dragin a completely different way.Kristen MustadPresident, Chief Product Tester,Receptionist, Accountant, ReelDesigner, Delivery Boy, FlyTier-in-ResidenceNautilus ReelsTo earn a paycheck I: Have the pleasureof making some of the finest flyreels around.

INTERVIEWPeople still flock to reels with cork drags that were developedin the 50’s, and plastic drags from the 70’s. They were great atthe time. Not anymore. Fly fishermen react to new technologywhen it comes to everything else: rods, phones, cars, you nameit. Our philosophy is to innovate, innovate, innovate! Find newmaterials, new technologies, new manufacturing techniques,and put them into a fly reel. Never skimp on components.People change their cars every few years, but hold onto reels for20. Our goal is to offer newer and greater stuff so people realizeit is worth upgrading. And a new paint job just does not cut it.3) What about technology as it applies to fresh water reelsvs. salt water reels? Do I need all of that technology for an18” trout?There is no need for any of it. But there is a want. Do you needa Ferrari to get on I-95 where the speed limit is 55mph?4) Can you tell me about your research and design processes?How do you test your equipment to know that it will handle theeveryday stresses of a fly angler?Let’s make a new reel. Wish list: 5 wt. MSRP $325. In onemonth I am fishing the reel. On a 6-weight rod, 20-lb tippet,drag cranked to max, false albacore off Jupiter with Capt.Ron Doerr. It will survive the trip and perform flawlessly.I will likely have to make some minor adjustments. Thatwill take another month. It pays to be nimble and to haveemployees that are there for you 24/7.5) How do you support your customers once somethingwith the reel and technology goes wrong?We act quickly. Fix the problem and make sure the fix isseamless and flows right through to production so thereis no delay. One complaint is just noise - five complaintsopen an investigation.6) Tell me about the last time a fish really tested you andthe fly reel you created?I was fishing in Louisiana in 36-degree weather witha prototype reel we rushed out for this trip. The reelwas a little pet project of mine that had gone back andforth between assembly, manufacturing, engineeringand me one too many times. On the water, the handlefell off, the unpolished corners scraped my cold fingersand the reel free spooled. My index finger became thehandle, and the redfish came in. Back to the drawingboard for this one! Note to self: Make sure the handlescrew has Loctite. at

New for 2011A sea change in perception of price for performance.orvis.com

featureThe Race to ResonateReading between the “lighter, faster, stronger” linesWritten by Geoff MuellerAnglingTrade.com / September 201026In a show of collective rod-making progress, 2011promises to be a banner year with rollouts fromleading manufacturers across the board. But, ina curious twist of events, a new resin technologybrought to market by none other than 3M—wizardsof everything from pet and professional health careproducts, to fire-barrier sealants and insect repellent—seemsto be garnering more spotlight than thesum total of any individual stick.Companies using 3M’s Matrix Resin technologyinclude G.Loomis (NRX) and St. Croix (Elite), whileHardy has been pushing the merits of its new nanosilicaSintrix rod series.So far the noise has reached high decibels, withsuperlatives ranging from “stronger,” “lighter,”“faster,” to the upper echelons of “radical” andeven “revolutionary.” Andy Mill, Hardy’s new U.S.consultant, tells us Sintrix rods “…are the mostpowerful, lightest, smoothest casting rods everdesigned, EVER [sic]!” And strong sentimentshave also been voiced by G.Loomis in the wakeof NRX’s award-winning stints at the EuropeanFishing Tackle Trade Expo and ICAST tradeshowsearlier this year.As for mainstay industry players such as Orvis,Scott, Sage, and (Mr.) Gary Loomis, when it comesto the Matrix Resin mayhem, they’re equally vocalas to why they’re sitting this party out.So, is the time for a resin revolution now? Or, perhapslater?You be the judge.---How it workscontinued on next page...

the buzz on the flyfishing biz®TRADEStay in tune with the pulse of the fly fishing market any time, any day.Angling Trade is expanding well beyond its quarterly print format...www.AnglingTrade.comWe’re growing new content at www.AnglingTrade.comWe’re posting daily industry news updatesWe’re creating a free industry buyers guide online, flyfishingbuyersguide.comWe’re posting fly-fishing job listingsWe’re launching e-bulletinsCHECK IT OUT. GET DIALED IN. STAY IN TUNE.27AnglingTrade.com / September 2010

featureResin is an essential ingredient inthe early stages of the fly rod buildingprocess. During the prepregphase, it becomes the glue that, onceheat-activated, holds the carbon fibersin a rod together. The strongerthe adhesive; the better the bond.The better the bond; the strongerthe rod. A stronger rod, other thanobvious decreases in smash-up potentialwhen hooked up to a whale,can allow manufacturers to thin theblank wall and trim weight (whichcould technically detract from overallstrength gains), ultimately alteringperformance and feel.3M’s new Matrix Resin has nanosized(microscopic) spheres of silica,which are said to perform as a uniform,homogeneous non-abrasivefiller between the carbon fibers ofa graphite blank. These smoothnano-silica particles pack togetherto reinforce the individual graphitefibers during compression (whenthe rod is flexed), which resistsmicro-buckling.This phenomenon can be viewedmuch like a paper-towel core:When it’s over flexed, it bucklesinward and collapses. Rods breakwhen over-flexing causes the carbonfibers to fail on the compressionside of the tubular structure. Thenano-silica filler in Matrix Resin,according to its proponents, fightsmicro-buckling, resulting in a strongerblank.In a nutshell, 3M says that addingnano-sized spherical silica to the resinprovides increased modulus andductility (toughness), without compromisingother important properties.Reported rod-strength increasesfrom manufacturers using nano-silicaresins range from 20 percent to 60percent more overall muscle.---Believe ItIf you’ve seen G.Loomis’s currentad campaign depicting rod designguruSteve Rajeff, pencil stuffedbehind his ear, rods strewn acrossan engineering table, you’re likelyalso familiar with its NRX marketingslogan, “It took 17 years to buildthis rod.” The statement refers to thecompany’s graphite rod technologyprogressions since the early 1980’s—from IM6 to IMX, to GL3 to GLXto NRX.G.Loomis Brand Manager, JustinPoe, says the company has beenworking with Matrix Resin for aboutcontinued on next page...THE BRAND OF A GENERATIONDATE: August 9th, 2010, TEST DAY: #46There’s a reason why IMAGO is the fastest growing brand in Europe.At the IFTD-show, experience your customers demand of tomorrow.www.imagoflyfishing.com

featureAnglingTrade.com / September 201030two and a half years. During thattime, rods constructed with MatrixResin have endured everything fromhook and deflection tests, to corrosionon guides and weather tests.In addition to building a stronger,longer-lasting rod, the goal was tocreate a lighter rod with a betteroverall feel. A combination, Poesays, the company has achieved byway of nano-silica technology in thenew NRX designs.G.Loomis reports that NRX rodsare 20 percent stronger/moreimpact resistant than comparableGLX offerings (the company is notreleasing actual breaking strengths),as well as at least 15 percent lighter.Much of this weight reductionstems from the bolstered strength,which allows the use of less materialto build the final product.Just how much lighter is 15 percent?G.Loomis won’t say, choosing, Poesays, to remain out of the “who’slightest”debate. And instead relyingon stated improvements in “performance”and “feel” to carry the series.At St. Croix, which is reporting 30percent break-strength strides withMatrix Resin, weight reduction isa nonfactor in its marketing. JasonBrunner, St. Croix’s director ofengineering, has been working withthe new resin for more than oneyear. He says that after running thenano product against preexistingepoxies, the company noted “phenomenal”strength breakthroughs,and has since swapped out previouslyused epoxy resins for the 3Mproduct in its top-end Legend Elitefresh- and saltwater lineups.As far as changes in overall rodweight and modulus counts via MatrixResin, Brunner says, “Not true.We’ve done the testing—and thepower, weight, and actions remainthe same.” You can make the rodlighter, he says, but you’re walkinga fine line as far as wall thicknessto strength ratios. So far, St. Croixis building its Elite blanks to thesame tapers and specifications oflast year’s models. The rods arestronger, cost about $10 more and,Brunner says, generally cast andperform similarly.---Or Leave ItLike most good stories, there’soften a flipside. And the tale ofnano-silica resins is no exception.Gary Loomis, owner of NorthFork Composites (NFC), makers offresh- and saltwater rod blanks, firstbecame familiar with nano resinprototypes about 10 years ago.“In almost 40 years of manufacturingexperience, I have seen manyimprovements in materials that haveresulted in performance increases ofup to 20 percent. Never before haveI seen an improvement that resultedin a performance increase of morethan double,” Loomis says.Looming questions regarding nanosilicause in NFC blanks, accordingto his team, have revolved aroundconsistency issues.“NFC is known throughout thefishing industry for its consistency.Whenever we develop a new blank,whether that blank utilizes a newfiber, resin, or design, that blankwill not be released into the marketuntil we are sure it can be producedperfectly for years to come. Onlywww.hardyna.com | 888.516.1247

then is a blank worthy of carryingthe signature endorsement of GaryLoomis,” says Jon Bial, NFC’s generalmanager.Back at St. Croix, Brunner agreesthat the consistency of rods builtwith yesteryear’s nano-silicabatches had been hit or miss, butcounters that 3M’s new technologyis the real deal: “If you’re notusing this nano-silica product now,I don’t know what you’re thinkingbecause it’s good stuff,” he says.“Bottom line, a company like 3Mis not going to bring something tomarket that isn’t ready.”Regarding its readiness to launch,3M’s marketing supervisor JanetKirkman says, “3M’s nanotechnolgyproduct has gone throughrigorous R&D testing, verifyingthat every lot meets specificationsand that the nano-silica particlesare consistent throughout. Ourcustomers often work with us tohelp ensure that each batch isconsistent throughout their manufacturingprocess into its finalcomposite form.”Like NFC, Jim Bartschi, presidentand chief rod designer at Scott FlyRods in Montrose, Colorado, haschosen to forgo 3M’s nano-silica MatrixResin, at least for the present.same rods made with and withoutthe [3M] product were no savings inweight and no appreciable increasesin durability. It didn’t make sense forus,” Bartschi says.Scott, however, continues to watchthe technology closely: “We’retotally into it. There was anotherpromising nano-resin introducedabout three years ago, but it was stillcontinued on next page...Solar • Wind • Hydro • BioDan Fink and Dan BartmannRenewable Energy ConsultantsPO Box 292Masonville, CO 80541970.672.4342FAX 970.373.1311info@buckville.comwww.buckville.comRENEWABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS FORREMOTE BUSINESS OPERATIONS• Minimize and pre-plan generator run time• Reduce transportation cost of generator fuel• Portable systems possible for helo, small planeor boat transport in and out of remote sites• Redundant backup systems for critical loads• Renewable energy is quiet!SITE ASSESSMENTS, ENERGY EVALUATIONS, SYSTEMDESIGN, TROUBLESHOOTING, TRAINING, CONSULTINGfishpondusa.comBartschi says that nano-silica particlesfrom early batches had a tendencyto “clump or conglomerate”into masses that could contaminatethe product, instead of reinforcing it.But, he adds, since those preadolescentphases, 3M has developed waysto polish the silica, which meansbetter dispersals and the potential toeliminate clumping problems.Regardless, Scott passed on theproduct a little over a year agoafter extensive factory testing.“What we found in A-B tests of the31AnglingTrade.com / September 2010

featurenot quite right. The technology ispromising, but it’s infant. Our job isto bring really good stuff to marketthat proves to work in real fishingsituations… or our name is mud.We take a lot of risks—just notreckless ones.”Orvis is another company playingthe wait-and-see game. MarketingDirector Tom Rosenbauer says:“Basically, it’s pretty good stuff butwe’re able to get better results withour (patent pending) high-cure thermoplasticresins. We get a betterflow and thus better fiber translationand adhesion.“We’re not ruling out the use ofsome sort of nano composite in thefuture as we test new rod materialsall the time. But the 3M stuff justdidn’t do it for us.”Orvis says it was offered the materialtwo years ago, and concludedthat, “Comparing our thermoplasticsystem with the 3M resin system,our Helios technology showedbetter impact strength.” But, “Weshould stress that we have not castany of the rods by Hardy, Loomis,or St. Croix. Nor has anyone elseoutside of their field testers andstaff.”Sage, with a team of engineers ledby Steve Greist, says it was presentedwith Matrix Resin from aprepregger about 18 months ago.After putting the new resin throughits standard sets of procedures andtesting, the company’s Director ofSales, Marc Bale, says the findingswere “interesting” but not along thelines of anything “revolutionary.”“We did not come away with resultsthat say it’s better than our Graphite5 (G5) technology, and we’re not goingin that direction.”Meantime, and despite a littleheated resin debate from all sides,G.Loomis, Hardy, and St.Croix willline rod racks across the countrywith new nano-silica based rods thissummer/fall. With the 3M stampbehind them, the Nano Matrix buzzhas awoken all those in the arena.But any back-and-forth will ultimatelybe settled on the water.Let the casting commence.at

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feature®will feel as if it is being wrenchedfrom its socket. You will sense—asMoore’s longtime fishing buddySteve Rajeff, does—that, if needed,Frank could drag your ass upand over the rocks for a fewmiles upriver.Frank Moore is a fly fishing icon, aphrase that’s thrown around a biteasily these days. But this is a manwho has truly earned it. It’s safe tosay that no one knows the NorthUmpqua River and her steelheadas well as Frank does. He’s beenfishing and guiding on the river forwell over six decades. He is, accordingto Rajeff, one of the beststeelhead fishermen ever. But hisfishing ability, however great it is,is secondary to his legacy asa conservationist.In our society we like to ascribegreatness to leaders who are incharge of multitudes in our governmentor corporations. But there isanother type of greatness that mayeven have more resonance, one thatemanates from men who are onthe ground, front-liners who see aproblem and who damn near spendtheir whole lives trying to correctit, and succeed in doing so. That isFrank Moore. That is the power ofthat smile and that strength.Frank was born in 1923 in Carlton,Oregon. His father, who rana Pontiac garage, built his own flyrods, tied his own flies and madehis own fly lines. “I still rememberthose old lines hanging in the backof the garage,” says Frank. “Therewas linseed oil and varnish all overthe place.”Every summer, his father broughtin his brother-in-law to run thecontinued on next page...America’s Premier Fishing,Hunting & Travel Showswww.SportsExpos.comAFFTASponsoredAFFTASponsoredFor ExhibitingInformation,Call800-545-61002011 Tour Dates

featuregarage while he knocked off to go fishing, his entireimmediate family in tow. The Moores fished all overOregon. Frank caught his first trout on NeskowinCreek on the coast in 1927 at the age of four. Thefirst thing he ever caught on the North Umpqua wasa wooden bridge. “I was in the back of a pickup goingacross the bridge when my fly worked loose from thekeeper and flew out of the back of the truck. And allof a sudden I heard my reel scream,” he says. “Thatbridge fought like hell.”Frank was drafted for World War II before his 20thbirthday. He enlisted in an automatic weapons battalion.On D-Day he landed at Normandy after the firstwave of Allied troops had hit the beach. “We had afairly easy landing if you can call losing a few hundredkids easy,” he says. When the ramp went down on thelanding craft and he got ready to dive onto the beach,Frank says he had two thoughts: “One was my beautifulwife Jeanne back home and the other was my brandnew Montague fly rod that I’d bought before the war,even though it was a terrible rod.”Frank eventually joined up the 83rd Infantry, whichended up suffering 16,000 casualties by the end of thewar. He went with them to northern Germany andFrance before coming home in 1945. He describesWorld War II as nothing but “a terrible mess.”Back home he decided to forgo school and go straightinto business. The Moores moved to Roseburg wherethey opened up and ran a restaurant named Moore’sCafé for ten years. During this time he began to seriouslyfish the North Umpqua. “I was a pretty quicklearner,” he says. Within a few years he was guidingfor Clarence Gordon at the North Umpqua Lodge.Wife Jeanne put a tongue-in-cheek ad in theRoseburg paper that read: “Lost: One owner andmanager of Moore’s Café. Last seen up the NorthUmpqua River.”12799 PL_Anglingtrade.ai 8/9/10 12:49:49 PMCMYCMMYCYCMYKAnglingTrade.com / September 20103642004 Carrington42004W Willow Creek• 100% Waterproof and breathable• Innovative 2 layer construction• 70 Denier nylon upper• Inside pocket with hook and loop closure• Elastic suspender with YKK ® Buckles• Built-in self fabric gravel cuff with lace keeperer• Neoprene bootie• Belt included42004 Men’sBreathable WadersSize: S, M, L, XL, XXL42004W Women’sBreathable WadersSize: S, M, L, XL, XXLWorld Famous Hunting & Fishing BootsGET THE BESTYOU CAN GET.56301/56301W Pro-Clear• Synthetic leather and mesh upper• Reinforced toe and heel• Lightweight EVA midsole• Removable insole• Padded collar• Pull loop for easy onand off• Drain holes• Eco-Trak bottom56301 Men’s Size:Men’s 8 to 14 whole sizes only56301W Women’s Size: Women’s 5 to 10 whole sizes onlyRevolutionary Pro-ClearEco-Trak E bottom.Non-slip, N felt free andecologically friendly.Dynamic organic rubbercompound will leaveyour favorite fishingspot clean and freefrom transported nastyPro Line Manufacturing Co.microbes.186 Parish Drive • Wayne, NJ 074701-800-334-4612 • Fax: 1-973-692-0999 • www.prolineboots.com

In 1957 the Moore’s bought Gordon’sfishing store in Steamboatand started the Steamboat Inn,which they would run for nearly20 years. The Steamboat was verymuch a family place, with theMoore’s four kids buzzing aroundthe lodge. The fishing was excellent,too, attracting the well-todofrom Los Angeles andSan Francisco.In the 1960s Frank began to realizethat there was something amisswith the North Umpqua steelhead.There were fewer fish in the river.Most of the problems stemmedfrom reckless logging of the area’sDouglas firs. The tributaries of theNorth Umpqua, stripped of theirnatural shade, warmed up quickly.Spawning gravel was coveredin silt.Frank decided he couldn’t just sitaround and let this destruction ofthe fishery just happen. He becamea one-man wrecking ball. Franktraveled the state to attend meetingsheld by the Bureau of LandManagement, the government entitythat was in charge of doling outlogging rights. He would sit quietlyin the back during meetings andlisten to the presentation. Then hewould politely raise his hand andproceed to give them hell. But hecouldn’t help but employ his smilingstrength. “What’s funny is thatsome of my best friends were andstill are loggers. But I always gavethem my opinions,” he says.In 1968 two advertising honchos,Hal Riney and Dick Snyder,stopped by the Steamboat Inn oncontinued on next page...Light, Fast, High Performance Fly Rod Blanks.Item# Length Suggested Line PiecesFAF904-4 9’ #4 4FAF905-4 9’ #5 4FAF906-4 9’ #6 4FAF907-4 9’ #7 4FAF908-4 9’ #8 4FAF909-4 9’ #9 4FAF9010-4 9’ #10 4FAF1004-4 (Czech Nymph) 10’ #4 4FAF1005-4 (Czech Nymph) 10’ #5 4FASW1106-4 (Switch) 11’ #6 4FASW1107-4 (Switch) 11’ #7 4FASW1108-4 (Switch) 11’ #8 4FASY1409-4 (Spey) 14’ #9/10 Spey 4FASY1510-4 (Spey) 15’ #9/10 Spey 485FAF905-4 ERN: 6.76AA: 72FAF908-4 ERN: 9.16AA: 67FAF1005-4 ERN: 6.49Czech Nymph AA: 71FASW1106-4 ERN: 6.62Switch AA: 70FASY1409-4 ERN: 15.45Spey AA: 80FASY1510-4 ERN: 14.69Spey AA: 77756555QUALITY COMPONENTSwww.fishpacbay.comby45 35 25TMAvailableFall 2010Actual CSS DeflectionSpecial thanks to Dr. William Hanneman forcreating the Common Cents System.15

featuretheir way to British Columbia,where they planned to shoot amovie about fishing. Frank tookthem on a tour of the destructionaround the North Umpqua.Impressed, the filmmaking duo insteadmade a film about Frank andhis fight for the North Umpqua.The resulting movie, Pass Creek,became fly fishing’s Silent Spring,the clarion call that escalatedpublic pressure on the logging industryand changed their damagingpractices. The images of largetrees being dragged destructivelyacross tributaries film resonatedfar beyond Oregon.Frank was also a leader in the fightagainst hatchery fish in the nation’swild fish rivers. “When theyfirst started planting hatchery fishin the North Umpqua, it seemedlike such a great idea. There wouldbe more fish for all of us!” hesays. But he soon started to see thestark difference between wild andstocked fish, and how the latterdeteriorated the wild fish gene pool.“It was terrible,” he says.Conservation is just a natural outflowof his love of fly fishing. “Ifyou really get into fly fishing, you’redoing more than fishing. You’reimmersed and absorbed into thetotal world of the fish’s universe,”he says. “You don’t just see the fish,you see the river, the flows, thebanks, the hills.” Protecting thatuniverse is paramount. “The NorthUmpqua and all of our rivers arepart of the gift the good Lord hasgiven us,” he says. The part of theBible where man is given dominionover nature is misunderstood, hebelieves. Dominion doesn’t meandestroying. It means stewardship.Conservation is not Frank’s only giftto the fly fishing community. WhenFrank first met Sherman Smith,the founder of Korkers, Smith’sproducts were mainly popular withloggers and longshoreman. Frankimmediately saw their utility onthe slippery rocks of the NorthUmpqua, and effectively becameKorkers’ first retailer, selling themto guests at the Steamboat. HeQuality / AudienceAnglingTrade.com / September 201038[2010 Traver award]Winning Fly-Fishing StoriesHenry’sForkOn the RiseMORE TROUT,CLASSIC HATCHESHow to Tie TraditionalSpanish Wet FliesNorthern Patagonia isBrown Trout HeavenUsing Hackle Feathersfor Maximum ImpactCallibaetis Spinnerby Henry’s Forkguru René HarropThe magazine readers and advertisers trust forquality and value, with a circulation of 45,000 and anational audience of 90,000-plus. Great stories, superbwriting, exciting images and innovative thinking.The most effective way to reach an audience that buys fly-fishingproducts and services is national print advertising in Fly Rod &Reel. Share your advertising message with Fly Rod & Reel’s uniqueand proven readership—fly-fishers who see your product orservice in an environment they trust, believe in and, throughsubscriptions and newsstand purchases, pay for. And just byreading this message you know: print advertising works.Call 1-800-766-1670 ext 447Or e-mail lwood@flyrodreel.com

sold a pair to his friend JackSpence, who would eventually introducetougher carbide studson the sandals.Frank’s other major industry connectionis with G. Loomis. Rajeff,the company’s rod designer, sayshe’s known Frank for 40 years. “Iwas always amazed at Frank’s skillin casting,” says Rajeff, high praisefrom one of the world’s greatest flycasters. Rajeff has been sendingFrank rod prototypes for years, andFrank was integral in the developmentof the GLX series of rods.Frank, even at 87, has shown nosigns of slowing down. He’s stillfighting loggers. “Especially duringthese hard economic times,they feel like they can stretch theirlimit on taking timber,” he says.“There are still people who don’tgive a rip.” He says he’s worrieda bit about the new generation ofanglers and their commitment tothe entire fish universe. “Some ofthem seem like self-centered knuckleheads,”he says. “But there aresome good people, too.” His solutionfor the knuckleheads? “Youhave to get out there with them oneon one and show them what youthink is right and wrong,” he says.Use the smile; use the strength.This winter Frank and Jeanne spenta month in New Zealand, startingtheir trip just ten days after Frankhad a pacemaker put in. He fished,and Jeanne, who is an avid botanist,checked out the local flora.Back home, where they live in alog cabin Frank built on a hill overthe river, Frank has already caught“some nice fish” this year. “I canstill throw a nice loop or a long lineif I have to,” he says. Jeanne prefersthat he always fish with one ofthe many friends he’s made on theriver, but Frank says he still “sneaksout there alone sometimes.”For Frank, the sport of fly fishinghas doled out immeasurable rewards.“I’ll always be grateful thatI picked up a fly rod so many yearsago,” he says.So are we.atGOODSHOW!We’re stillhere...makingboxes,selling foamgoods, customprinting, and doing ourbest to help retailers give theircustomers the very best products forthe very best price.• Every one of our boxes is STILLmade and assembled in the U.S.A.• Custom printing is STILL FREE –no hidden charges.• All Mill Stream boxes STILL retailfor under $20.Millstream®60 Buckley Circle • Manchester, NH 03109603-647-4003 • www.millstreamproducts.com

RECOMMENDED READINGvery little to do with the physicalact of throwing flies. In fact, onlyonce in the entire volume doesthe author describe landing a fish,and even then it isn’t the typicalman-conquest-of-nature noise thatsmacks of Saturday morning outdoorstelevision.Instead, he uses fly fishing as athread woven through more elaboratetapestries like relationships,love, and loss. I am particularlymoved by Chiappone’s honestyas he tackles an eclectic array oftopics, as well as his ability to eloquentlybounce from lightheartedhumor to more stark tones.The wild Alaskan rainbow is onething… but the stocked rainbow ina Pennsylvania pond is quite another.And as much as we like to catchthem (and our industry, to a largedegree, depends on this species thathas been engineered for mass production,a la beef cattle), it’s wortha closer look at how the proliferationof rainbows throughout thecountry has had its consequences…good and bad.By Richard Chiappone(Barclay Creek Press)I’ve long thought that the world hasfar too many fly fishers who writestories, and far too few great writerswho fly fish.But I’ve always been a sucker forgood writing. And for me, withevery passing year, fly fishing isless about the fish, and more aboutthe places and people I experiencealong the way. So I buy into Chiappone’sapproach. But ultimately,I like the way he tells stories. Ithink you will too.AnglingTrade.com / September 201040Fortunately for us, Richard Chaipponefalls into the latter category,even though the subtitle of his newbook Opening Days might suggestotherwise. Chiappone is a formerwinner of the Robert TraverAward, and his stories have appearedin a range of publications,from Playboy to Gray’s Sporting Journal.He’s also a writing teacher forthe University of Alaska.Opening Days is a collection of shortstories and poems that involve flyfishing themes, but ultimately haveBy Anders Halverson(Yale University Press)I really liked this book, even though Ididn’t think I would. Heck, I’m a troutbum. There really isn’t such a thing asa “bad” trout, is there? Well, apparentlythat all depends on where you are.You’ll find Halverson’s book isn’t abitter pill, rather a remarkably wellresearchedand well-plotted storythat’s part science, part history, andpart sociology... all of which arevery interesting and entertaining.And ultimately, the book puts therainbow trout story in perspective.All of us (particularly people whostock rivers and ponds with mutanttriploid farmed rainbows, purely tomanufacture photo ops for paying

clients) should at least acknowledgethat a synthetic fishcan lead to a synthetic flyfishing experience.Granted, that might be a goodthing, or a bad thing. But you’llbe in a better place to decide foryourself having taken in An EntirelySynthetic Fish.Two Other Quick Suggestions…By Douglas Brinkley(Harper Collins)An ultimate, massive volume onRoosevelt and the conservationmovement… it makes you appreciatewhat a bold visionary theman was, and makes you wish wehad more of this thinking in ourgovernment these days.1-800-437-3794 · WWW.RAILRIDERS.COMX-TREMEADVENTURE PANTSSTREAM BASHINGBy Steven Rinella(Spiegel & Grau)A smart read from Outside correspondentRinella starts withhis own hunt for wild buffalo inAlaska, and adds layer upon layerabout the species, its demise, andimpending rebirth in concert withan evolving America. atI’ve been fly fishing for over 30 years and have been an Orvis guide and instructor. I fish hard and am verytough on gear, and much of my fishing is off the beaten path and I need my gear to be durable, comfortableanddry quickly. Here I am in action on the Madison River in Montana wearing my RailRiders X-TremeAdventure Pants. They are my favorite ‘under wader and wet-wading pants because they have a slim profile,a Velcro cuff that keeps them in place as I pull my waders on, and when the fishing is over and the waderscome off, they dry amazingly fast. The X-Tremes do that and more – at the end of the day I can walk into anyrestaurant and fit right in. Paul Scott , Williamsburg, Virginiaxtremead.indd 1415/21/10 5:21 PM

featureWritten by Jeff WagnerMoney, Money, Money, Money…The popular 70’sO’Jays song titled For the Love of Money declaresmoney alone is the root of all evil. The funk tuneis, perhaps ironically, also the theme song of DonaldTrump’s “The Apprentice” reality show. But on aless ideological level, maintaining margins is oftenthe key focus of successful business owners. Many abusiness has failed, holding tight to the mantra thatmoney through the doors leads to success. But itisn’t always about volume.More accurately in the world of business, the lyricsshould unapologetically herald “profit, profit,profit.” But in the fly fishing industry real profitsare sometimes garnered under whispered tones bybusiness owners fearing backlash from those thatwant to hold fly fishing to an unrealistic standard ofhippie idealism. It may not have the same ring ina lyrical stanza, but profit is music to any businessowner’s ears, and despite any public opinion, it iswhat keeps the doors of any fly fisherman’ favoritefly tackle purveyor open.Sales look great on paper and are needed for a businessto survive. But sales with no margin will causepayroll checks to bounce. Similarly margin rate isalso critical and margin rate growth is vital for acompany, not only to stay alive, but also to flourish,compete and grow. The combination of thetwo, margin rate and sales dollars, produces the lifeblood of a business: profit dollars.In a mature industry such as fly fishing, marginrate growth is as difficult to achieve as squeezingin-stream flows for fisheries out of an irrigationPointed at Profit: The Margin Gamedistrict’s water budget. So if margin rate is hardto come by, the only way to increase profit dollarsis through increased sales, right? That would bethe case if sales for many businesses were not alsodecreasing, making any kind of growth, let alonecontinued on next page...42

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featuretheir company goals. Many productsin the industry are MAP pricedkeeping retails at a premium andgiving no one retailer an advantage.This is fine, until you are looking formore margin or more sales. Thiscan become especially apparentwhen you overestimate sales units fora pre-season and need to move it toreduce end-of-season inventory.AnglingTrade.com / September 201044survival, seem a daunting task. Sowhat is the solution?Overall, many factors may contribute,but right now, in our currenteconomic climate, there are a fewthat stand out. In no particular orderI present to you the top offenders.Then, unlike most fluffy articles,we (AT) will cover some commonremedies to help fight the marginblues and regain capitalist territory.Is there one that makes sense and isachievable without alienating customersor pissing off vendors? Thefollowing ideas will need to fit yourbusiness model but will be meaningfulfactors increasing profit:Getting stuck by the “man”- thingswe can’t do anything about but impactthe bottom line:Lack of innovation – Innovationcreates demand and demand createssales. It’s that simple. Innovation alsocreates new processes, building techniquesand often, at least in the future,higher margins once production increases.But at a retailer level productinnovation is out of our hands.Chinese Labor issues – The worldof manufacturing has been put onits head with a perfect storm of issuesout of China. With rising laborcosts, an ever-increasing pool of talentedlaborers that know their worthare being paid more and are workingless hours. This shift has not onlycaused wages to go up and the manhours to go down, but has given theChinese work force more time andmore disposable income. Currently,lead times are increasing and factoriesare becoming picky about whothey work for and how long it takes.The end result is higher retails, lowermargins, and longer waits.Product costs – Cost of materials,such as the graphite, are increasing.The material shortages are compoundedby the labor shortages andare forcing manufacturing to increasetheir prices. With increased pricescome increased retail, but not alwaysenough to cover the cost, reducingthe margin. Often this is unavoidable,and given the small purchasingquantities in fly fishing compared toother industries like automotive, weare subject to the ebb and flow ofthe markets.MAP – Map-priced products aresolely determined by the vendor andBig Box- It is important to understandthat fly fishing is a tinyindustry, a spec on the screen of theglobal markets. Large retailers likeCabela’s, Orvis, Bass Pro, and GanderMountain purchase a high percentageof the industry’s fly fishinggear. In many ways this assists thesmaller shops. Larger orders fromthese retailers allow manufacturersto buy and stock more gear at alower risk and have more availablefor in-season purchases. This alsodecreases costs by increasing buyquantities and reducing productionoverhead. The increased buyvolume creates more profit in thepocket of many vendors that can beused for expansion and innovation.Sticking it TO the man… things wecan impact on a daily basis:Buying Groups – Common to manyother industries, especially thefishing industry (non-fly): puttinggroups of retailers together allowsfor larger purchases and groupdiscounts. Sounds simple, and it is.But few fly fishing retailers band togetherin regional buying groups ofaffiliated shops to purchase together.This would improve deliverytimes, improve margin and improvecustomer satisfaction.continued on next page...

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featurePlan Accordingly – buying is aprocess, not a one-time event whenthe rep comes by. Use the POSsystem and its sales history (whichyou have of course purchased, andif you have not NEED to). Reviewwhat you did last year ask the repswhat they are seeing and hearing.Use a simple % increase/decreaseof your LY sales. DON’T go byfeeling. How does this help? Abetter understanding of your pastgives you a better idea of what youwill do in the future. Now you havethe inventory you think you needinstead of the inventory you feellike you want. This reduces theend of season sales and liquidationsat reduced margin. It also givesyou the opportunity to make preseasonorders and get the producton time.Utilizing distributors that increaseyour merchandising options – Getyour name out there. Fly shopsshould have name recognition. Usinga group that can create “privatelabel” products like Rocky Bloskosand StoneCreek will increase margin,get your name out, and keepyour customers coming back. Theywon’t be able to find what you sellanywhere else. Your name andyour packaging make it unique.AnglingTrade.com / September 201046Lost Art of Negotiating – vendorsor reps that make everything blackand white should be sent packing.You can’t always get a bettercosting, but be creative. Will theytake product back at the end of theseason if you increase your productlineup to test the market? Will theyhelp pay for advertising? Will theybuy fixtures? Can you combineforces for demo days, day clinics,fly fishing schools? Can you get an

WRAD8-09:WRAD7-05 8/17/09 10:30 AM Page 1extra 2% for pre-season orders forthe year? Can you stock swap? Allof these options will improve yourbottom line at the end of the year.Not only helping sales throughincreased promotion but possiblybetter pricing. Think outside thebox. If you don’t think of it theywon’t offer it.Find your niche – This is THEbiggest area for improvement andshould be a topic all on its own.Your geography, customer base,fishery, retail location, and everythingthat makes up your currentand potential customers is unique,use it. The shop down the streetmay have a larger footprint andmore product but you may havemore knowledgeable sales staff.Use your advantages! If you havemore product display it usingproper merchandising techniques.If you have great instructors, usethem. Offer classes, teach casting,teach tying, and create tying clubs.Look for the products no one elseis carrying. Be the fly tying shop.Be the destination shop. Be whatyour customers want you to be andnot what you want to be. Takingcare of their needs and separatingyourself from others will keep themcoming back.Get in gear...Each year, we break new ground by launching new colours and new product lines.Micro Tinsel6/0 Black, Brownand 3/0 BronzeFly Boxes • Vests and BagsClothing • Entomology • LightsAccessories • Giftswww.windrivergear.com • Dealer Inquiries • 303.652.0648NEW 2011AXXEL 8Brown, Yellow, Pink,Rainbow/Black and Light BlueUNI-MylarHolographic Orange3 sizesAt the end of the day the key is tosee the fly fishing world throughthe lens of a business filter. Yourlivelihood and your customers interestsdepend on it. This approachwill keep your customers comingback as they get what they want,keep you making enough profitto keep the doors open, and onehopes enough time without stress tohit the stream. atFor the best and widestselection of fly-tying thread, ask aboutUNI products at your favourite fly shopwww.UNIPRODUCTS.comUNI Products J.G. Cote Inc.1004 Principale P.O. Box 209Ste-Melanie QCCanada J0K 3A0Telephone: 450-889-8054Toll-free: 1-877-889-8054Fax: 450-889-5887E-mail: info@uniproducts.com47AnglingTrade.com / September 2010

featureQ&AWith Andrew Bennett,President of Deneki OutdoorsWritten by Bruce Smithhammer“But is there anyway that you, youcould just sockme out so there’sno way that I’llknow I’m atwork?…Can I justcome home andthink I’ve beenfishing all day orsomething?”– Peter Gibbons,speaking to histherapist in the movie“Office Space.”AnglingTrade.com / September 201048I can’t help but be remindedof the scene above as AndrewBennett, president of DenekiOutdoors, shares with me howhis change in careers came about.continued on next page...

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featureAnglingTrade.com / September 201050Straight out of Dartmouth College,Andrew went to work for a softwarecompany for 9 years, but soonrealized that something needed tochange. Whether it was the resultof growing up in Fairbanks, Alaska,and spending a lot of time outdoorsas a kid, or simply realizing that hewanted to run his own small businessand spend a lot more timefishing than sitting in front of acomputer, Andrew cut the corpo-Your customers target Permit, Bonefish andTarpon. You sell tackle, clothing andaccessories while earning commissions.rate cord at a relatively young ageto make it happen. Hence, Deneki(pronounced Deh-NEE-kee) wasborn; the name being taken fromthe native Athabaskan word for“moose,” and a favorite childhoodbook of Andrew’s.The first operation that Denekiacquired was Alaska West, locatedon the Kanektok River, one of themost prolific salmon and trout riversin western Alaska. Within a fewyears, the operation grew to includeAndros South in the Bahamas (oneof the best bonefishing areas on theplanet), B.C. West on the famedDean River in British Columbia,and most recently, Chile West. Ina relatively short period of time,Deneki has emerged as one of thetop destination outfitters in theindustry. This is no doubt a creditto Andrew’s adept business acumen,and the professional team hehas hired to staff his operations,but what is truly noteworthy is thatDeneki has gotten to this point bylargely side-stepping the traditionalchannels of marketing – they dolittle print advertising, relying insteadon a blog that is updated dailyto cultivate web traffic. They’ve alsotaken such unconventional stepsas inviting fly fishing bloggers (asopposed to more traditional printmedia types) to their operations.Deneki is breaking ground in thisapproach, and it seems to be working.I recently had the good fortuneof spending time with Andrew whilevisiting Andros South, and was curiousto learn more about the philosophybehind his unusual approach.Q: Would you say that Deneki hasa target client demographic? If so,how would you describe that person?AB: I’m always amazed at the reallywide range of demographics thatcontinued on next page...

we see at our lodges - kids as youngas 10 or 12, master anglers as oldas 94, wealthy folks who do tons oftravel, middle-class folks who budgetand save for years for that ‘tripof a lifetime.’There are a couple of things thateverybody has in common though -they’re looking first and foremost fora fantastic fishing experience (versusa luxury lodging experience that alsooffers fishing), and they’ve got someflexibility in their schedules. Ourlocations are pretty remote, so a typicalweek-long trip is really more like8 or 9 days away from home. Wedefinitely see a lot of business owners,recent retirees and professionals- doctors, lawyers, dentists, architects,etc. - but I really think that’s mostly afunction of the flexibility that they’vegot in their schedules.So yes, our target demographicwinds up being maybe what youthink of as typical – middle-agedand up, mostly US-based, mostlymale, and certainly above-averageincome. It’s not all about about themoney though - a lot of it has to dowith having the time.Q: That’s interesting, because myinitial impression was that Deneki’sstyle of operation appealed to amore “hardcore” type of angler. Butin thinking about it more, and hearingyour response, that’s clearly notthe case – the average Deneki clientis really no different in terms of age,background, etc. But, at the sametime, I’d say that you are bucking aconventional industry wisdom, especiallyof the last few decades, thatseems to think that destination fishingclients are looking for/expectinga high-end lodge experience.AB: Yes, I think that’s true. What isdifferent is the type of experienceour clients are seeking. Our averageclient, even though they can typicallyafford it, isn’t interested in goingto a 5-star, luxury resort to fish. Instead,they are interested in immersingthemselves in a place that offersreally good fishing, and having a funWADING STAFFSafe and Stealth!Wood design provides for quiet, stealth wadingSound travels 5 times faster in water than airUnique handle design promotes stabilityRetrieves flies from overhead branchesField tested on the rugged Pit RiverBeautiful white ash staff floats942 Quarry Street, Petaluma, CA 94954707.763.7575brian@pitrivercompany.comwww.pitrivercompany.comDealer/distributor inquiries welcomeplace to return to at the end of theday, where they don’t need to worryabout spilling beer on their shorts,or even whether or not they’vemanaged to take their waders off bydinner time. On top of that, I think15353 E. Hinsdale Circle, Unit FCentennial, Colorado 80112CUSTOMIZABLEwww.anglersaccessories.comREEL E GOOD WINDER SYSTEMReel & line maintenance made simple, EZ to power strip & load line#0001 Basic WinderWorks with all types of fishing reelsFly reels not included, shown for demo onlyPhone 805-525-7051New for 2010#0010 Large Arbor Fly Reel LoaderFor 3-1/4" or larger outside diameter reelsReel E Good Products, Inc.ACCESSORIESYOU NEED...at prices yourcustomers can afford!303-690-0477Power load your fly reels!#0008 Fly Reel LoaderFor 3-1/4" or smaller outside diameter reels51AnglingTrade.com / September 2010

featureAnglingTrade.com / September 201052that the 5-star, formal approach canactually hurt the atmosphere of theexperience by making it too rigidand stuffy. We design our experienceto be what we would want ifwe went to a lodge – a relaxed andfun place to hang out. And I’ve hada number of our return clients –people who have the means to fishanywhere they want to, tell us thatthat is precisely why they return toour operations.Q: What I find particularly interestingabout your approach to marketingDeneki is that it has not followedconvention of how to marketa destination travel business. Doyou feel that this has been a moreeffective approach for reaching yourtarget client than more traditionaladvertising avenues?AB: I’ll tell you in a couple of yearshow effective our marketing approachhas been. We started focusingpretty heavily on online marketingabout 18 months ago, and onething that I learned really quickly isthat it just takes a long time. It takestime to build quality content, ittakes time for people to find you andshow their friends, it takes time forthe search engines to decide you’reimportant, and all those things buildon each other. Six months into thebig online push I would have saidno way was it worth it. At this pointI think yes, it’s been worth the effort,and the idea is that over thenext few years we will have reachedmany people online.There’s one big reason that I decidedto push hard to get a bunchof great content online. It’s goingto sound way too obvious at thestart, but bear with me; one of mychallenges in marketing is that thethings that truly make our operationsdifferent - amazing fishing,incredible teams of people, fantasticservice - are all really easy to claim,and everyone in fly fishing travelclaims them (and you yawned whenyou read that, right?). So, when Ilook at more traditional media - say,print ads - I have a hard time figuringout how to communicate that“yeah, everyone says those thingsbut at our places they’re actuallytrue”. Everyone can do a nice adlayout, get a cool logo designed,throw in a picture of the biggest fishever caught at their lodge, and makethose claims in a print ad.It just occurred me that we needto have a big depth of content toshow that we actually deliver onthose promises. Marketing onlineprovides an opportunity to deliverdepth - pictures of all elementsof an operation, tips from seniorguide staff that show you’re credible,videos that capture more of theenvironment, reports from guestswho have visited, gear reviews thatyour guests might find helpful...thelist goes on and on.So that’s the blessing of our onlineapproach. The curse is that deliveringdepth is a ton of work. We canreach a lot of people and we hopeshow them that we know what we’retalking about, but on www.deneki.com alone, as one example, we’vegot 700 pages currently, all with atleast one edited photo, and we’redoing a new blog post every day.We’re a small company and that’sa very big commitment, but ouroperations really are different, andI believe that the best way to showhow we’re different is to provide thatdepth, and to do it online.Q: It seems like the key to thesustainability of any destinationoperation, in addition to attractingfirst-time clients, is cultivating asustainable, return-client base. Whatare your thoughts on how/why thisis succeeding with Deneki?AB: Agreed, return clients areincredibly important for any destinationoperation, and I’d say thata thrilled client base is even moreimportant for us with multiple destinations- even if someone decidesin advance that their trip to Alaskais truly a once-in-a-lifetime event, ifthey have a great experience on thattrip and decide someday that theywant to try bonefishing, for example,hopefully they think of takingthat bonefishing trip with us.They key to building that sustainableclient base is incredibly easyto describe and incredibly difficultto pull off - deliver fantastic fishingtrips. Sorry, but there’s no magicwand here. Do what you say you’regoing to do. Pick only the very bestfisheries. Hire the best staff possible.Work hard for your guests everyday. Invest in the facility and theequipment. Provide a fun, welcomingenvironment. Ask for feedbackand take it to heart.Q: What sort of relationship doyou seek to cultivate directly withindividual fly shops?AB: We love working with fly shops!I’m going to use one of the worstclichés of all time here, becauseit couldn’t be more true - it’s justa classic win-win situation. Whenanglers travel, they need gear. It’sas simple as that. And yes, our tripstend to be pretty big trips, withguests often targeting species thatthey don’t target at home, and oftenmultiple species as well...in otherwords, they’re buying more thanleader and tippet.We pay commissions to fly shops onall guests that they refer to us, andthose commissions can definitely

turn into some real dollar amounts.But if you talk to the shops that do alot of business with us, they’ll tell youthat the commissions are great butthat from a business standpoint theypale in comparison to the equipmentsales that result from the trips.We also have a really successfulhosting program for people in theindustry that provides for discountedor free host spots (depending on thesize of the group), in addition tothe commissions that we pay. Thehosted groups work out great for allfour players involved:- The guests get a great trip and getto travel with someone they know.- The shop gets equipment sales andcommissions.- The host (usually a shop employee)gets to take the trip.- We get a new group of gueststhat we probably wouldn’t havemet otherwise.Like everything worthwhile though,building good relationships with flyshops takes time and effort. WhenI start a new relationship with ashop, I generally don’t expect to seeany business come of it for at leasta year. It just takes time to get toknow each other, to get in front ofthe right customers of the shop, toanswer logistical questions, to get allthe different folks at the shop up tospeed, and maybe to have someonefrom the shop come by and checkout our operations.Most of the business that we do withshops is built around hosted trips,but we also do quite a bit of straightreferral business - the shop sends acustomer our way, they book a trip,we send the shop a check and theshop sells them some gear for theYour business is only as goodas your employees.2011 SHOW SCHEDULEDENVER, COJANUARY 7, 8 & 9MARLBOROUGH, MAJANUARY 14, 15 & 16SOMERSET, NJJANUARY 21, 22 & 23NEW LOCATION FOR 2011!RALEIGH, NCJANUARY 29 & 30PASADENA, CAFEBRUARY 19 & 20PLEASANTON, CAFEBRUARY 25, 26 & 27NEW SHOW FOR 2011!PHILADELPHIA, PAMARCH 5 & 6Fly Fishing isNOT part of the showIT IS THE SHOW!trip. It’s all good! atflyfishingshow.comSPONSORED BY:Hire the best.Over 500 international fly fishing professionals seekingemployment. Guaranteed results. The right person the first time.Save time, save money.infinite-fishRECRUITING. HEADHUNTING. OUTSOURCINGInfinite-Fish Group LLC | 20 Shawnee Way, STE B | Bozeman, MT 59715406.922.0178 | solutions@infinite-fish.comWWW.INFINITE-FISH.COMPHOTO BY BARRY AND CATHY BECK

featureGuidesas Ambassadors for Fly FishingWritten by Lance GrayAnglingTrade.com / September 201054

The top was off of my1969 Bronco and thespring morning air wascool as I drove intothe fly shop’s parkinglot. The “coffee club”was waiting for me.The “coffee club” wasa group of retired guysthat hung out at thefly shop, fished andalways had an opinion.Bob was holding a boxof donuts in his handswith a donut stickingout of his mouth. Theother Bob had a brokenfly rod and Richard wassmoking a cigarette.One OF the“25 hOt PrOducts”FOr 2010!—Angling Trade MagazineNO-TIE, EASY-ON, EASY-OFFwAY TO chANgE FlIES AS SEEN AT ThE2010 FFF cONclAvENo more threading the eye,no more tying a knot—change your flyin seconds!MADE WITH PRIDE IN THE USA.Full-line available in Fall 2010www.gatewayhooks.comAs I jumped out of the Bronco Iasked Bob, “What happened tothe rod”.“I broke it,” he said. “Now open upthe door!”I realized then the morning wasoff to a great start. By mid morningthe coffee was flowing and theshop was busy. Press walked intothe shop from the rod companyand grabbed a donut and a cup ofcoffee. He took a bite of his donutand then a swig of his coffee andlooked right at me.“Are you ready?” he asked.“Am I ready for what?” Icautiously asked.“I just booked your first guidetrip,” said Press.continued on next page...

featureWhat does this mean for us the flyfishing guide?Simple- we need to give the anglernot just guidance on the waterwhile fishing, but guidance inequipment, techniques, fundamentalsand conservation issues. As aguide we are ambassadors to theentire fly fishing world.AnglingTrade.com / September 201056“What, when, where, who – what?”I exclaimed.“No need to thank me,” laughedPress.The coffee club joined in laughingwith Press. The laughter turned tocounseling me for my first guidetrip. Opinions varied and the arguingbegan again.That was 22 years ago and it wasmy first guide trip. I can rememberit like it was yesterday. The client,or as I call my clients now, “guest,”was a Japanese businessman Pressmeet at a Rotary Club event. Hespoke using an interpreter. Thetrip was long, hard, frustrating andabove all “Fantastic.” It was myfirst guide trip.The shop was Powell’s Fly Shopin Chico, California and I was 18years old. The days I spent at thatshop learning from the greatest rodbuilders of our time, fly tiers, flyfishers and guides became the backbone of my fly fishing knowledge. Iwouldn’t trade it for the world.Most guides will tell you that theyare not business people. Theystarted to guide because they loveto fly fish. But, successful guides,guides who want to build their business,must approach their businessjust as any business person would.Designing a business plan based onreal numbers and a sound philosophyis an absolute must. It shouldbe complete and within reason. Setgoals and monitor the progress ofeach set of goals and adjust themas necessary. Every successful businesseshas to network with otherbusiness to survive and grow. Theguiding industry is no exception.The definition of a guide is – Aperson who leads anyone throughunknown or unmapped country.This includes a guide of the realworld (such as someone who conductstravelers and tourists througha place of interest), as well as aperson who leads someone throughmore abstract places (such as toknowledge or wisdom).“I expect patience, expertise,professionalism and a genuinelove of the sport of fly fishing”Tim Loomis – SalesRepresentativeAs ambassadors, guides must havea great knowledge of fly fishing andtechniques interwoven with productknowledge and environmental values.We are stewards of the sportof fly fishing. It is an extremely importantresponsibility that no guidemust take lightly. How do guidessucceed you might ask? The answeris quite simple, plain hard workand honesty.“We expect the guide to bean ambassador to the sport”Dave Gibson – Great Bay RodCompanyBuilding a network is not easy andcan take time. Patience and a lotof hard work is the catalyst. Themain component in constructing anetwork is honest communicationduring the networking. As guideswe are going to network with avariety of people and businesses.The guide will network with manufactures,retail dealers, independentsales representatives, private waterproviders and yes other guides tomention a few. Everyone in thenetworking is going to have a differentgoal to accomplish while providingthe mission of “fly fishing”.We as guides must understand theirindividual needs.continued on next page...

INTRODUCINGTHE X-GRIP.Think about playing tennis with a round cork grip. You would have tosqueeze the handle with twice as much power and it would still rotate inthe hand – especially when factors such as sweat and sunscreen arein play. A round handle would also make it impossible to render a truestroke or “track” the path of the racket.Why should a fly rod be different? The patented hexagonal LoopX-Grip handle makes tracking the stroke of the cast or moving the rodin a straight path for a controlled loop much easier. This results in longercasts with higher precision. Less pressure on a grip that sits naturally in your handwill use less muscle. You will easily enjoy more power and accuracy with less effort,exponentially increasing your chances to catch more fish.X-Grip. Simple. Logical. Swedish.To see the new Evotec Series featuring the X-Grip, plus the complete line ofLoop equipment and travel services please visit us at www.looptackle.com.The Loop X-Grip is patented worldwide.www.looptackle.com

featureA fly tying material that increases thebouyancy and visibility of your fly.Toll Free 877-785-9425www.westwaterproducts.comCUSTOM BUFF®for your next promo, event or brandingwww.buffusa.comemail: custombuff@buffusa.com1-888-379-BUFF (2833) (M-F, PST)Buff® and the "How to wear Buff®" headwear ic on symbols are registered trademark of Original Buff, SA Spain.Constructing networks and forgingrelationships with other entitiesis sometimes easy and at othertimes very complex. The approachfor guides to network with otherbusinesses starts with a fundamentalphilosophy. “Built in the USA”is a philosophy example. Guideswith this core philosophy can pickequipment based on this philosophyand develop long-term guide/manufacturer relationship withmanufacturers who build productsin the USA. Guides that have a“green” philosophy may gravitateto companies or conservation issuesthat are at the forefront of the“green cause.”That said, guides like other businessowners must sit down and setthe philosophy for their business.This will in turn become the firstcornerstone of their business. Nextthe guide must set the financialbusiness plan into motion. Decidewhat equipment to use and whatmanufacture to work with basedon the financial plan. This is thesecond cornerstone.The trick to being involved withother fly fishing companies is to behonest. Honesty is the third cornerstone.When a manufacturer comesto you and wants you, the guide, topush the company’s products andthat product does not meet your setneeds and you push the product,then the cornerstone is weakened.If it does not fit be honest and givesuggestions on how it may work foryou. Forge networking partners onsound business decisions based onstraightforward business principlesthat you have set.“I think professional, hardworkingguides are awesomeand major assets to fly fishing,”Jamie Lyle – OutdoorSpecialty ProductsManufacturers are looking forguides who will represent and communicateto fly fishers the manufacturersproduct in a professionalmanner. They expect guides tocommunicate with them and givefeedback from the field. Manufacturersare always open to improvingproducts and services. As guides wecan shape this area with productresearch and development. A guidewho represents a product well anddoes not badmouth other productsto make the particular product theyare using look better is a guide thata manufacturer will want to workwith. Manufacturers also have reliedheavily on independent sales representatives(REP) to choose whatguides or pro staff that the companydesires to represent them. In mostcases the REP does the choosing fortheir regional area.The REP’s job is to service, promoteand educate all areas of flyfishing in a given regional area.The REP needs to help the manufacturerto gain guides that willpromote the product in a positivemanner. That REP is looking forguides who will gain product exposure;develop a product “brandname” and educate guests. REP’sand guides should develop a veryclose working relationship. Therelationship that a guide has withone’s regional REP is priceless.That being said, the relationshipmust be a two-way street. REPs donot want to work with guides who

abuse them and/or the companiesthey represent.Retail fly shop dealers are, in myview, the hardest networking condition.Simply due to the fact thatmost guides have already workedat shops or are working at a shop.Or the dealer already has a built-inguide program. It is still possibleto network with a dealer. Find aniche for that dealer. Develop aservice that a dealer wants andneeds. Schools, clinics or even atrip to local water that is not beingguided, gives the dealer a greatproduct point. Dealers are lookingfor guides that will treat “their”customers right. Dealers are alsolooking for guides that will treatthem right. The dealer does notwant to work with a guide that sellsequipment or refers their customerto a different shop. When a dealerbooks your services for their customersyou are working for them.Represent them well and in turnthe dealers will represent you well.“I think good fly fishingguides are very important tomy business and the sportof fly fishing,” Bill Kiene –Kiene’s Fly ShopPrivate property owners and providersare in my mind a must forguides. There is nothing better thanhaving private property to offeryour guest to fish. Private water ishuge in the fly fishing world andguides should have a great workingrelationships with these entities.Most private water providers havea guide program already in place.The guide needs to remember thatprivate water is like booking a res-taurant. Reservations and communicationwith the provider are thekey to making the network succeed.“We provide guides a qualityagenda so that they can maximizetheir skills with their clients”Terry Thomas – PrivateFly WaterA guide working with other guidesis like a high school society. Guideswill migrate to guides they like,know and admire. They will alsocreate a network within that group.Guides should be patient withother guides; they should be goodcitizens while guiding. If a guidehas an issue with another guidethen they should work it out asprofessionals. Guides who networkwith guides will benefit greatly.Guides may even guide you in thenetworking process.“Guides should not getwrapped up in their own ego,they are here to serve,” JackCook – Guideline USABuilding networks with othersis done with hard work, honestyand representing yourself and theproducts that you use in a positivemanner. Networking is the fourthcornerstone. It will collapse if theprinciples are not sound. Guidesmust have a network in place withan attitude that supports the bettermentof all. With all four cornerstonesentrenched business successis just around the corner.The fly fishing market is a symbioticmarket that only works wheneveryone is working toward acommon goal.at

BACKCASTOne of the many recurring pipe dreams within theflyfishing industry—other than the (finally) fadinghope for A River Runs Through It sequel—is thisnotion that a huge audience of bait chuckers andspin fishermen is out there just dying to fly fish if wecould only get them to give it a try.Better LuckThis Time:Why Fly Fishing DeservesIts Own Shows—TradeAND ConsumerWritten by Tom BieThis theory has flaws. For starters, it’s self-centeredand arrogant to believe that a guy who’s been pitchingsoft plastics at largemouths for 20 years is suddenlygoing to be satisfied nymphing for nine-inchbrookies on a Saturday morning. Or how about theLeft Coast Chinook fisherman, who spends everyfall filling his freezer with Kings he caught trollingHot Shots through the estuary? Think that guy isgoing to respond to “but they will hit a swung fly, Iswear!”?Like most of you, I believe flyfishing to be the greatestleisure activity on earth, and I can’t fathom howeveryone else doesn’t want to do it. “You just don’tget it,” I say to my non-fishing friends. “Because ifyou did, it’s all you would want to do.”Sadly, this is the same sort of misplaced passion thatwe might find at an Amway convention, a Trekkietrade show, or a gathering of paintball fans. Andit is this wishful thinking that has, in part, led to acouple disastrous decisions in recent years regardingour trade show and several consumer shows.photo: Jamie GormleyIt all began in January of 2008, when an AFFTAbackedconsumer show was scheduled at the DenverConvention Center during the same weekend asChuck Furimsky’s Fly Fishing Show, also held inDenver. I don’t know what the circumstances werethat led to this decision, all I know is that it didn’twork. It didn’t work for either of the promoters, itdidn’t work for the exhibitors, and worst of all, itdidn’t work for the consumers, who felt betrayed byan already small industry that inexplicably opted tocut itself in half at consumers’ expense.AnglingTrade.com / September 201060With the dueling consumer shows experiment behindthem, AFFTA then teamed up with the InternationalSportsmen’s Expo, providing the flyfishingcomponent to a large consumer show cateringprimarily to people who really, really like shootingthings. The idea was simple—an audience of 20,000continued on next page...

BACKCASTat ISE would surely be better thanan audience of 5,000 at Furimsky’sFly Fishing Shows. Besides, the logicwent, ISE provided access to “allthose crossover people” who wouldlove to try fly fishing.Problem is, this “crossover” consumergroup is sort of like Snuffleupagus(spell check in aisle four, please)—itsounds big and friendly, but it’s alsolargely fictitious. In fact, the numberof “I Catch and Release—Into MyFrying Pan!” T-shirts at shows likethe Sportsmen’s Expo is evidenceenough that at least a portion ofthese attendees are not only non-flyfishers, but anti-fly fishers, believing—insome cases accurately—thatthe snobatorium of fly fishing isprecisely what is restricting baitfishingaccess to their waters backhome. (See “State of Michigan” forcurrent examples.)Please don’t misunderstand me: Ithink Brian Layng and John Kirkand the whole ISE team do aphenomenal job promoting theirshows—they know how to fill aisles,and their marketing approach issomething that the fly fishing industryas a whole could learn from.Nevertheless, I still believe that,after the AFFTA contract with theISE shows expires next year, AF-FTA should go back to supportingFurimsky’s The Fly Fishing Show,or whichever independent shows areknown to be successful, like TomHelgeson’s Great Waters Expos.have to look at the results. And whenI compare apples to apples—havinga booth at The Fly Flyfishing Showin Denver in 2009, versus having abooth at the ISE show in Denver in2010, the return on my investmentwas much higher with Chuck’s show.Sure, not every industry businesshad the same experience as me—Iknow that travel companies, forone, do well at most ISE shows.But my point is why AFFTA needsa contractual obligation with ANYconsumer show, rather than justcherry picking the best ones—likeFurimsky’s notoriously successfulSomerset, New Jersey, show.The same logic can be applied toour industry trade show. Whileopen to the idea of this year’s showteaming with Outdoor Retailer inUtah—a historically successful showthat I attended for many years asa member of the ski and paddlingindustry—I think we ultimatelyended up with a far better deal: ourown show on our own terms, wherewe can work together to grow ourown industry.Certainly, there is “crossover” potentialout there, possibly lots of it.But growth in fly fishing will comefrom existing fly fishers sharing itwith and showing it to potential flyfishers on a real waterway, not on atwo-inch-deep casting pond wedgedbetween bowhunting targets, aclimbing wall, and the latest collectionof ATVs. atAnglingTrade.com / September 201062I know, I know… Chuck’s showsaren’t perfect. He doesn’t (or hasn’t)supported AFFTA; and his legendary“AFFTA’s out to get me”paranoia-laced letters to the industrywere unhelpful and unnecessary. Butstill, like any small business owner, I