Tackle Trade World - January 2023

SENT TO MORE THAN 

18,500 

TACKLE INDUSTRY 

PROFESSIONALS 

IN OVER 

120 COUNTRIES 

EVERY MONTH 

JANUARY 2023 

 

FLYINGFISHERMAN.COM

COMMITTED TO INCREASING YOUR BUSINESS GLOBALLY 

www.tackletradeworld.com 

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Read our essential guide 

to the latest products for 

2023. 

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PAGE 24 

US OUTDOOR RECREATION 

BRINGS IN ALMOST $1TRILLION 

The outdoor recreation 

industry is worth 

nearly $1 trillion to 

the US economy, with fishing 

and boating being the biggest 

contributors to this figure. 

The US Bureau of Economic 

Analysis (BEA) Outdoor 

Recreation Satellite Account 

report reveals that the outdoor 

recreation industry generated 

$862 billion in economic output 

in 2021. 

This resulted in the creation 

of 4.5 million jobs – that’s three 

per cent of all workers in the 

United States. The total economic 

output value is 1.9 per cent of the 

nation’s total GDP. 

Across the 50 states, the 

outdoor recreation economy 

contributed between 4.8 per 

cent and 1.3 per cent of their 

individual GDPs – Hawaii saw 

the largest impact on the state 

GDPs while New York and 

Connecticut were the lowest. 

Boating and fishing were said 

to have contributed $50.4 billion 

in economic output, making these 

markets the largest economic 

driver among conventional 

outdoor recreation activities. 

The American Sportfishing 

Association was delighted to 

receive the news. 

A spokesman for the ASA said: 

“[We] recognise the important 

value outdoor recreation has 

across the United States and 

we are proud to be part of an 

industry that plays a critical role 

in growing our nation’s economy. 

“The outdoor recreation 

industry’s contribution to the 

US economy is greater than the 

amount contributed by other 

notable industries such as oil 

and gas extraction, mining, 

agriculture, and computers and 

electronics. 

“The economic impact of 

our industry is also an indicator 

of how important it is for 

Americans to have access to clean 

waters and abundant fisheries. 

ASA will continue our work with 

Congress, federal agencies and 

at the state level to ensure that 

outdoor participation continues 

to grow. 

“The growth our industry saw 

in 2021 indicates that outdoor 

recreation remains a top priority 

for all Americans in terms of 

time and dollars spent. Outdoor 

recreation will continue to have a 

huge impact on our nation even 

in the face of overall economic 

uncertainty. ASA is committed to 

promoting participation.” 

The figures are a welcome 

rise given that, in 2020, the 

outdoor recreation economy 

contributed just $689 billion in 

gross domestic output, equalling 

1.8 per cent of the US GDP. 

Although much of this was said 

to be down to the impact of the 

Covid-19 pandemic. 

Prior to that, the outdoor 

recreation economy typically 

equalled 2.2 per cent of the GDP, 

so it is clear the gap is closing. 

The outdoor recreation 

industry is also ahead of the 

country in overall economic 

growth, with an increase of 

18.9 per cent from 2020 to 

2021 compared to just a 5.9 per 

cent increase in the overall US 

economy. 

The tackle trade also saw a 

13.1 per cent rise in job growth 

from 2020 to 2021, equal to 3.1 

per cent of the country’s total job 

growth. 

You can read the full report 

via www.asafishing.org under the 

Reports and Trends tab. 

S E N T T O M O R E T H A N 1 8 , 5 0 0 T A C K L E I N D U S T R Y 

PROFESSIONALS IN OVER 120 COUNTRIES EVERY MONTH

JANUARY 

2023 

04 

TackleTrade 


EDITORIAL 

Editor: 

John Hunter 

+44 7990 542958 

john.hunter@dhpub.co.uk 

A journalist all his life and with 20-plus years 

of international business magazine experience, 

John was the founding editor of TTW and has 

now returned to the helm. He has helped 

many brands launch and grow over the years 

through B2B publications and via his own 

consultancy business. 

Co-Editor: 

David Haynes 

+44 7766 263908 

david.haynes@dhpub.co.uk 

A lifelong angler, David has tried his hand 

at most types of fishing and is a great 

accumulator of tackle and now focuses on 

competition fishing. Having worked at DHP for 

the last 16 years on every title in the company’s 

portfolio, he brings a wealth of knowledge and 

experience to the editorial team. 

ADVERTISING 

North America: 

Bart Manganiello 

+1 914 722 7601 

bartalm@optonline.net 

For over 35 years, Bart has been working with 

trade magazines, 31 in the tackle industry. 

Since 2001, he has been TTW’s North 

American Director, providing provide the 

best communication programs to companies, 

helping them connect with current and 

prospective trade partners around the world. 

Rest Of The World: 

Guido Knegt 

+39 3475036436 

guido.knegt@dhpub.co.uk 

A born and bred Dutchman, he spent five 

years travelling the world as a scuba-diving 

instructor and English teacher before settling 

down in Sardinia. Guido previously worked for 

TTW between 2014 and 2017. 

China: Robert Li 

Li Ziwei 

+86 13451914155 

robert.li365@gmail.com 

Li Ziwei (Robert) has been working as news 

editor for over 20 years. He founded the most 

influential Chinese fishing forum in the Straits 

and successfully organised many industry 

events. His love for culture and tourism has led 

him to devote his entire life to the exchanges 

between China and southeast Asia. 

Magazine Manager 

Justin Fox 

+44 7813 327966 

justin.fox@dhpub.co.uk 

A hugely experienced communicator with 

more than 20 years at parent company DHP, 

Justin knows what it takes to grow brands 

and businesses across the tackle sector. 

Art Editor: Paul Evans 

Editorial Design: Brad Sharp 

DHP LTD 

Editorial, administration, subscriptions and 

accounts to: DHP Ltd, 1st Floor, Nene House, 

Sopwith Way, Daventry, NN11 8EA, UK 


WILL FAST-MOVING 

INDUSTRY SLOW 

DOWN IN 2023? 

What a year it has been for the 

fishing tackle trade around the 

world! 

We’ve faced some major challenges during 

2022, from increased material and shipping 

costs, manufacturing issues (all a hangover 

from Covid-19), a fall in angler numbers 

after some impressive peaks (again due 

to Covid-19) and even natural disasters, 

with hurricanes affecting our friends in the 

southern US and in the Far East. 

That said, we have also seen some real 

positives – the return of trade and consumer 

shows (well, most of them anyway) has been 

a major shot in the arm for us all; whether 

that’s the chance to do business face-to-face 

once more or even just to catch up with old 

friends and acquaintances. 

From TTW ’s point of view, it seems 

to have gone at breakneck speed as we 

have made up for lost time and travelled 

extensively to meet up with customers and 

attend trade events around the world. 

But last year was a whirlwind for the 

trade in lots of other ways too, not the least 

the number of seismic changes within the 

industry that have taken place. 

We have seen Pure Fishing acquire 

another major business in the shape of 

Svendsen Sport – adding more brands to its 

already extensive portfolio. 

We have watched as Orvis closed down its 

UK retail outlets then marvelled at Simms 

buying a major fly tackle retailer before being 

purchased itself by Vista Outdoor. 

There have been some changes at the 

top of key businesses, too, with the latest 

being the news that Rapala VMC CEO 

and president Nicolas Warchalowski is 

moving on – the search for his successor is 

already under way and may even have been 

completed by the time you read this. 

3,511 

6,466 

While Patagonia’s founder even gave his 

own company away! 

So what does 2023 have in store? Will we 

see another fast-paced year? 

I’d like to think the industry will draw its 

breath and stabilise a little but, this being the 

tackle trade, I really can’t see that happening. 

There are rumours that Pure Fishing hasn’t 

finished with the acquisition trail just yet, 

there are still some question marks over a 

couple of key trade events – with breaks and 

changes, it will be interesting to see how 

EFTTEX in Budapest fares and then there’s 

The Confluence replacing the old IFTD 

Show. What will that look like? 

Senior figures at the big corporates will 

also be looking hard at the numbers their 

CEOs and management are submitting. 

While Covid-19 continues to affect a 

significant amount of manufacturing in 

China with sudden lockdowns, we have seen 

a drop in angler numbers in many markets, 

with a potential reduction in sales 

The economic climate globally is 

challenging to say the least – will we take a 

hit as consumers face rising energy and food 

bills, with less spare cash to splash on their 

hobby? 

One thing you CAN rely on, though, is 

Tackle Trade World. We’ll continue to keep 

you up to date with everything going on in 

our industry, through our printed and digital 

publications, our website and our social 

media channels. 

If you know others who would like to 

stay informed, point them to 

www.tackletradeworld.com where they can 

sign up for the digital magazine delivered 

direct to their inbox! 

John Hunter 

Editor

Super 

Heat Dissipation 

 

 

 

Super 

Low-Friction 

Super 

Hardness 

Super 

Lightness

JANUARY 


18 

30 

24 

08 

Contents 

28 

42 

8 NEWS 

Why Rapala VMC is searching for a new 

CEO, how Semperfli celebrated a huge 

export honour and what helped Shimano 

increase tackle sales? 

18 SPOTLIGHT ON… BOAT ACCESSORIES 

New small boat owners will need a raft of 

essential items before setting sail to the 

fishing grounds. 

20 SHOP WINDOW 

Boat owners love gadgets and accessories 

to make their trip afloat more enjoyable. 

What’s available for you to sell them? 

24 DOING BUSINESS WITH… THE UNITED 

KINGDOM 

A union of four countries that even 

together is smaller than Texas, the UK 

remains a big player in the global tackle 

market 

28 ICAST 2023 SET TO BE THE BEST YET 

With extra space for fly fishing gear, work 

is well advanced on ensuring ICAST 2023 

will be the best US fishing trade show yet. 

30 SIMMS STEPS FORWARD INTO 2023 

The iconic wader and apparel 

manufacturer has plenty of new gear 

in production for the coming year. We 

consider some of the highlights. 

32 MAKING CONTACT 

More products from global suppliers that 

will be worth stocking in your outlet over 

the coming months. 

40 WHY YOU NEED TO BE AN ONLINE 

EXPERT 

With more people turning to the internet for 

information or advice, it makes sense to be 

seen as an expert in your particular field as 

you’ll sell more. 

42 EFTTEX 2023 IS OPEN TO ALL 

The organiser of the European trade show 

looks forward to bringing the industry back 

together again for a reunion in Hungary. 

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE 

SUPPLEMENT 

Don’t miss out on the essential 

guide to all the latest gear for the 

coming year in the Tackle Trade 

World New Product Showcase supplement. 

You’ll find it in the middle of this issue. 

06 www.tackletradeworld.com

SHIMANO REPORTS RISE IN 

FISHING TACKLE SALES 

Global tackle giant Shimano 

has seen sales grow for the first 

nine months of 2022 by more 

than 18 per cent – with fishing 

equipment sales up nine per cent 

on the previous year. 

The overall figure – which 

meant net sales reached 

¥467,665 million up to 

September – also included a rise 

of 20.6 per cent in its bicycle 

division. 

Shimano’s financial statement 

said: “During the first nine 

months of fiscal year 2022, the 

pace of global economic recovery 

slowed primarily because prices 

soared due to resource and 

energy supply constraints and 

rising resource prices caused 

by the situation in Ukraine, 

and central banks in various 

countries took steps to raise 

interest rates sharply to curb 

accelerating inflation” 

Net sales from tackle sector 

increased to ¥82,653 million, 

up nine per cent from the same 

period last year while operating 

income increased 1.7 per cent to 

¥17,482 million. 

Shimano said: “Strong interest 

in fishing that attracted attention 

globally showed signs of cooling 

down. 

“In the Japanese market, sales 

of mid- to high-priced products 

remained strong, although sales 

of popularly priced products for 

families and beginners slowed 

down and there were impacts 

from typhoons and other factors 

as well. 

“Overseas, in the North 

American market, although 

demand remained high for 

saltwater 

products, sales 

lacked strength 

under logistics 

disruption 

and prolonged 

inflation. 

“In the 

European 

market, although 

logistics 

concerns and 

high inflation in the UK caused 

a sense of stagnation in the 

market, there were signs of firm 

demand in some areas of Eastern 

Europe, and sales remained 

strong. 

“In the Asian market, sales 

were favourable in Taiwan 

and Southeast Asia, where 

demand for fishing tackle is 

expanding, and in the Chinese 

Shimano’s Ultegra XTE reels helped 

grow tackle sales during 2022. 

market, which has recovered 

from the effects of lockdowns, 

partly due to the easing of 

the zero-COVID policy. In 

Australia. sales remained firm in 

preparation for the full-fledged 

fishing season.” 

It said new products such as 

its Ultegra XTE spinning reels, 

Beastmaster MD and Stella reels 

all contributed to this growth. 

Whole company celebrates historic 

award presentation 

The whole of UK fly tying materials 

manufacturer Semperfli turned out to 

celebrate as the company received its 

Queen’s Award for Enterprise from King 

Charles III’s official representatives. 

The Yorkshire-based business welcomed 

the Lord Lieutenant and Deputy Lord 

Lieutenant of North Yorkshire to receive 

the prestigious honour for their success 

and growth in international trade. 

The day saw more than 50 staff and 

guests gather at the company’s brand 

new home in Selby for the official 

citation, which now allows the firm to 

fly the Queen’s Award flag and use the 

associated emblem for the next five 

years, demonstrating their outstanding 

achievement in boosting international 

trade. 

Although called the Queen’s Awards 

for Enterprise – as they were instigated 

by the late Queen Elizabeth II – the Lord 

The Semperfli family and Lord Lt Mrs Jo Ropner 

Lieutenant and Deputy are the 

official representatives for the 

reigning monarch, now King 

Charles III. 

The Lord Lieutenant, Mrs 

Jo Ropner – who is an avid fly 

angler – praised the company’s 

work and the whole Semperfli 

team before being presented 

with a box of flies hand-tied by top angler 

Paul Procter, using Semperfli materials of 

course. 

Semperfli CEO Ann Kitchener said: “It 

was undoubtedly the proudest day for us at 

Semperfli. We received our formal Grant 

of Appointment for our Queen’s Award 

from the Lord Lieutenant and Deputy 

Lieutenant, the King’s Representatives. 

It was the most amazing day, that we 

will never forget. Thank you everyone for 

helping us get here.” 

Andy Kitchener, fellow director and cofunder, 

added: “When we first found out 

we had received this honour – ironically in 

Salt Lake City, USA as we were preparing 

for the IFTD Show last March – it was an 

extremely emotional moment. 

“We have had to jump through a lot of 

hoops to be given this recognition but it is 

a feather in the caps of all of the team that 

we have been granted this award. We are 

all very proud.” 

The presentation was followed by a 

party for staff and guests complete with 

live band as the festivities continued 

throughout the day. 


RAPALA VMC SEEKING 

NEW CEO 

The hunt is on for a 

replacement CEO and 

president at Rapala VMC 

Corporation after news that 

Nicolas Warchalowski is 

to leave his role by mutual 

agreement. 

Current Rapala chairman 

Louis d’Alançon has been 

named interim president and 

CEO while a successor is 

found. 

In a statement, the board of 

directors said Warchalowski 

will be available until May 16th 

to assist on special projects to 

secure an orderly transition. 

Bajío, the maker of bluelight 

filtering, sustainable 

performance sunglasses has 

shown its support for the anglers 

of tomorrow by partnering with 

the US-based Association of 

Collegiate Anglers. 

As part of this deal, Bajío 

will activate on-site at events, 

products will be featured in 

prize payouts and there will also 

be sunglasses for competitors. 

Melinda Hays, bass fishing 

community manager with 

Bajío, said: “Bajio Sunglasses 

is proud to support the unique 

Louis d’Alançon said: “We 

want to thank Nicolas for his 

strong contribution to our 

strategic initiatives aiming 

at growth, improvement of 

profitability and improving 

the operational performance 

during the difficult Covid-19 

period.” 

Warchalowski, who took up 

his role in March 2020, added: 

“I want to warmly thank all 

Rapala VMC employees and 

other stakeholders for the 

good co-operation and great 

experiences during my time 

with Rapala VMC. We have 

Fly tying event promises much for year 

The recent International Fly Tying Symposium 

is the USA brought cheer for many as the aisles 

were jammed, suggesting the industry could be 

set to enjoy a boom time in 2023. 

Indeed, it was standing room only at the 

31st annual Tying Symposium as about 100 

professional and highly qualified amateurs 

turned fur, feathers and man-made materials into 

artificial fishing flies designed to fool everything 

from farm pond bluegills to ocean marlin. 

Show producer Chuck Furimsky said: “With 

the pandemic looking like it’s on its final curtain 

call, fly fishers and fans of the fly tying art were 

aching to get out of the house and swarmed the 

host hotel to watch the skills of fly tyers from 

opportunities the ACA provides 

to college anglers. I believe it 

allows so many anglers to gather 

together and form relationships 

that will carry through the years. 

“Our glasses are made 

by anglers for anglers, with 

conservation and youth 

programs being the core of who 

we are. We believe in not only 

enhancing anglers’ opportunities 

on the water but helping 

make a positive impact in the 

communities we are involved 

in.” 

ACA managing director Kyle 

Nicolas 

Warchalowski 

worked together on several 

new fronts with strategic 

initiatives, which I believe 

will form a good platform for 

Rapala’s long-term success. 

Now it’s time for someone else 

to take the lead and for me 

to pursue new things in due 

course.” 

around the world show off their passion for the 

art.” 

It was a truly international affair, with tyers 

at the Somerset, New Jersey seminar including 

Harry Schoel from Belgium, England’s Chris 

Reeves, Morten Valeur from Denmark and Piero 

Sistino and Eros Tommasi from Italy. 

They joined Americans Tom Rosenbauer, Tim 

Cammisa, Tim Flagler, Tom Baltz, Allen Rupp, 

Steve Culton, Bob Clouser, Bob Clouser Jr, Bob 

Mead and John Shaner during the two-day 

event. 

Attendees bought fly tying materials, hooks, 

books, videos, tying vises and other tools from 

pliers to bobbins at the symposium. 

SUNGLASSES BRAND LOOKS TO 

FUTURE WITH YOUNG ANGLERS 

Curry added: “We are extremely 

excited to announce this 

partnership with Bajío, which 

makes a phenomenal product 

that anglers will greatly enjoy 

wearing and using out on the 

water. This partnership is one 

that we are looking forward to 

this upcoming season!” 

Bajío representatives will also 

be on-site at each of the two 

ACA tournaments this year to 

connect with collegiate anglers 

from across the country. 

www.Bajiosunglasses.com 

Over 1,000 New Line 

items added to the 

2022-23 New Catalog 

Hareline Ceramic 

Zirconia Dubbing Rake 

The 

Bone Comb 

Hareline UV Flexi 

Squishenille

ST CROIX ROD LANDS TOP 

COMMS MAN JOSH 

St Croix Rod has netted well-known 

industry media specialist Josh Lantz to take 

on the role of corporate communications 

director at the Wisconsin, USA-based 

manufacturer. 

A lifelong angler, Josh brings 28 years of 

fishing-industry communications experience 

to the newly created position, having worked 

for the past eight as communications 

specialist and group editor with Traditions 

Media, providing media-relations services 

for some of the best brands in the outdoors 

industry, including St Croix Rod. 

The 52-year-old grew up on Lake 

Wawasee in Northern Indiana and 

graduated from Ball State University in 

1993 with a pair of bachelor’s degrees in 

Urban Planning and Development and 

Environmental Design. A freelance outdoor 

writer since 1994, he entered the fishing and 

communications industries full time in 2002, 

continuing his freelance communications 

work while also serving as editor-in-chief 

of Indiana Outdoor News and working as a 

self-employed fly fishing guide, among other 

roles. 

He said: “Today, native storytelling 

10 www.tackletradeworld.com 

through industry distribution, quality 

editorial content, direct-to-angler 

communications and top-tier service to 

hardworking media partners are critical 

parts of any successful fishing brand’s 

overall marketing strategy. 

“Traditions Media has been a pioneer 

in this area and I’m very grateful for the 

opportunities I’ve been given to work 

with and learn from this talented team.” 

In his new role he will work with the 

St Croix marketing team, led by vicepresident 

of marketing, Jesse Simpkins. 

“I’ve known and worked with Jesse for 

many years,” Josh added. “There are very few 

companies and very few people I would have 

left my career at Traditions Media for, but 

Jesse and St Croix were at the top of that 

extremely short list. 

“In working with St Croix over the past 

five years, I’ve seen how its commitment and 

promise to anglers guides what every person 

involved with the brand does every day and 

impacts every decision that’s made. I couldn’t 

be more excited to come work on this team 

in this angler-driven environment.” 

Meanwhile, Jesse explained: “Josh has 

Changes at the helm for 

Snowbee UK 

Fly fishing brand Snowbee 

UK is to go through some 

major changes at the top, 

with managing director 

Russell Weston stepping 

aside and handing control 

to SM Group (Europe). 

SMG, as it is known, 

will become the exclusive 

European distributor for 

the brand, handling all 

aspects of the business. 

Plymouth-based Russell, 

now 67, is stepping down 

after nearly 39 years in 

charge. 

He told TTW: “Having 

built the company and 

the Snowbee brand from 

nothing, almost 39 years 

ago, to where it is today, 

makes me immensely proud 

of the achievement but the 

time has come to step aside 

and spend more time with 

my family and actually get 

to do some fishing! 

“I’m very pleased to 

transfer the Snowbee brand 

to SMG’s safe hands. I’ll be 

staying on in a part-time 

consultancy role and to help 

with the seamless transition 

of the business. With the 

rest of the employees at 

Snowbee UK transferring 

to SMG without any job 

losses, it is very much 

business as usual.” 

SMG, also based in 

Plymouth, has been 

associated with Snowbee 

since 2016. Better known 

as the UK’s largest marine 

electronics distributor, 

amongst over 60 quality 

brands SMG also has 

products for the fishing, 

watersports, outdoor and 

equestrian markets. 

Ray Badminton, MD 

of SMG, explained: “We 

already have a long history 

with Snowbee, with great 

symmetry between each 

company’s values, staff 

dedication and company 

structure. 

“Equally important is 

the growth potential we see 

for the brand, offering its 

products to a selection of 

SMG’s 800 trade accounts.” 

A bonus for Snowbee’s 

current trade accounts is 

that they will also now have 

access to all SMGs other 

brands allowing them to 

increase sales with names 

such as Garmin, Raymarine, 

ThrustMe, Rebelcell and 

Railblaza. 

Josh Lantz 

become a valuable and trusted part of the St 

Croix family over the past few years, helping 

us clearly and consistently communicate 

our unique brand story, our values, our 

technologies, our mission, and – most 

importantly – our promise to anglers. 

“We couldn’t be happier to welcome 

him to our team full time. St Croix is more 

committed than ever to handcrafting more 

and better tools for all anglers. [This new] 

position speaks to that commitment and I 

believe Josh’s communication skills and the 

respect he’s earned from his peers in the 

fishing media are going to help position the 

St Croix brand and its anglers for continued 

success for many years to come.” 

FREE SPACE AT 

AUSTRALIA’S 

ULTIMATE 

FISHING EXPO 

Members of the Australian Fishing 

Trade Association are being offered 

free floor space at the Ultimate Fishing 

Expo, running in Melbourne in mid- 

February. 

The free-entry event, to be staged at 

Melbourne Conference and Exhibition 

Centre on Saturday and Sunday, 

February 18 and 19th, will feature both 

tackle and boats with a programme 

of celebrities, experts, activities and 

competitions plus plenty of advice and 

information. 

AFTA has negotiated a ‘never-to-berepeated’ 

zero-dollar floor space rate, 

allowing retailers and wholesalers to 

reach thousands of angling consumers in 

one weekend. 

To find out more, visit afta.net.au/theultimate-fishing-expo-2023

BKK hooks top design award for Raptor-X 

Hook brand BKK has clinched another 

Good Design Award Japan for its 

Raptor-X lure hook at a ceremony in 

Tokyo. 

The Raptor-X is a 3X-wire treble hook 

whose design is inspired by one of the best 

treble hooks BKK ever launched – the 

Raptor-Z. 

The Raptor series has been designed 

with only one objective – to hook strong 

and aggressive “monster” fish and keep 

them hooked to the very end 

Featuring a lighter wire and also being 

available in very small sizes from 8 to 

3/0, the Raptor-X is also suitable to 

arm smaller lures without affecting their 

swimming action. 

The lightness of the hook structure is 

increased using the BKK hand-ground 

processing technology, through which the 

hook is manually sharpened by removing 

material around the point. The hook 

gap-shank proportions are maintained to 

equip the Raptor-X with excellent holding 

power, yet the hook point is slightly 

straightened to enhance the hook-up rate. 

The Bright-Tin coating of the hook is 

designed to maximise its performance in 

terms of saltwater corrosion resistance, 

making it suitable even for harsh saltwater 

environments. 

To date, BKK hooks has bagged a 

total of five Good Design Award Japan 

accolades including Lone Diablo, GT- 

Rex, Raptor-Z, Titan Series and now the 

Raptor-X. 

BKK product engineer and global brand 

director, Michele Gori, said: “We are 

honoured for this new recognition. We 

are proud anglers as well as hook makers. 

We live the purpose every day by focusing 

on our research and innovation, we strive 

to build quality hooks. We continue to 

focus on research and innovation, always 

concentrating on what our consumers 

want. We strive to build better hooks. 

Hooks that stand for stronger, sharper, 

and more reliable, which equivalent to 

tournaments level.” 

He added: “We want anglers who are 

chasing after 

the biggest, 

meanest, 

nastiest and 

hardestfighting 

fish, 

to rest assured 

about the 

hooks, the last 

thing most 

anglers worry 

about. It costs 

more and takes more time looking for 

better metals, sharpening the tips of hooks 

but it’s worth it to create hooks that are 

truly competitive and extraordinary.” 

The Good Design Award has been a 

sole comprehensive design evaluation 

and commendation system in Japan since 

1957. Commonly known together with 

the “G Mark”, the symbol of winning 

the award, the awards recognise various 

industries including consumer goods, 

architecture, software, systems and 

services. 

NEW PACBAY 

CHARONOSAURUS 

ROLLER GUIDES 

The world’s best-known saltwater anglers trust in PACBAY’s fishing tackle components and accessories for their 

reliable and faultless performance. With a view to preserving its valued reputation, PACBAY has maintained a strict 

program of quality control in the making of each and every product with the PACBAY name carved on it. 

In the same spirit as always, PACBAY has now launched its brand-new Charonosaurus roller guides. 

- Aluminum openwork construction reduces weight but doesn’t reduce strength - Deeply embedded roller design restricts line from cramming between 

roller and frame - Inbuilt Teflon tube bearing to diminish friction and heat - Tube bearing treated with TEFLON for performance and constant lubrication 

- Perfectly shaped guide feet to fit blanks with tip size - The structure of the arch-bridge design reduces weight as well as reducing the restrain between 

blank and guide - Structure designed to accommodate knots and connection of wind-on leader – line never gets stuck 

- PACBAY roller tip-tops (model # ERT,EMRT,EJRT) are an excellent match for these guides - All products patented. 

Build Great Fishing Rods 

info@fishpacbay.com 

www.fishpacbay.com

NEWS IN BRIEF 

IGFA grows 

awards 

The International Game Fish 

Association (IGFA) has added two 

awards to its current schedule of 

annual honours. 

The IGFA Joe Brooks Fly Fishing 

Award acknowledges anglers 

who have made significant and 

outstanding contributions to the 

world of fly fishing, while the 

IGFA Johnny Morris Freshwater 

Angling Award will honour those 

who have made significant and 

outstanding contributions to 

freshwater angling. 

$25m events 

praised 

Two major US 2022 events – the 

Academy Sports + Outdoors 

Bassmaster Classic presented 

by Huk and the Abu Garcia 

Bassmaster High School National 

Championship have been 

recognised for their important 

economic contribution. 

The 2022 Champions of 

Economic Impact in Sports 

Tourism cited the two events 

after they generated $25.5 million 

between them. 

B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson 

said “We are so proud to have 

the positive impact of the iconic 

Bassmaster Classic recognised 

again, but also to highlight the 

incredible draw of our High School 

National Championship.” 

Lucky 13 for media 

group 

13 Fishing has become the 

exclusive rod and reel sponsor 

for all In-Depth Outdoors media, 

beginning with the current ice 

season. 

13 Fishing’s marketing director 

Ben Alcocer said: “In-Depth 

Outdoors is a staple when it 

comes to fishing content in the 

ice belt. 

“The organisation’s robust 

knowledge of both fishing 

techniques and equipment 

combined with their outstanding 

ability to educate through highquality 

content makes IDO one of 

a kind.” 

CARLISLE HEADS TO 

CALCUTTA FOR TOP ROLE 

Highly experienced brand leader Chris 

Carlisle has become president and general 

manager of US-based fishing tackle and 

outdoor sports equipment manufacturer 

Calcutta Outdoors. 

He will handle the day-to-day 

management of the outdoor sporting 

goods, lifestyle and fishing brands 

company effective immediately at its head 

office in North Carolina. 

With more than two decades of brand 

leadership, Chris marries a comprehensive 

knowledge of brand and performance 

marketing to a deep dedication to people 

and purpose. 

An award-winning thought leader and 

conference presenter, Chris’ domestic 

and international expertise in marketing 

technology and lifestyle branding, applied 

in both retail and manufacturing settings, 

will accelerate the momentum behind the 

Calcutta Outdoors brand portfolio. 

He spent nearly 20 years on brands like 

Oscar Mayer, Scrubbing Bubbles and Ball 

Jars. Most recently, Chris led the marketing 

efforts for BraunAbility, the world’s largest 

transportation mobility company, supporting 

the growth of the company’s North 

American manufacturing and retail units 

plus its European manufacturing division. 

Ed Small, CEO of parent firm Peak 

Global Holdings, said; “We are thrilled to 

have Chris join the Calcutta Outdoors team. 

Mud Hole aids redfish release 

As part of its continued work 

to support the health of local 

fisheries and ecosystems, 

Mud Hole Custom Tackle 

again joined Coastal 

Conservation Association 

(CCA) Florida and the Duke 

Energy Mariculture Center 

to release more than 15,000 

redfish 

The release, part of 

the East Coast Redfish 

Restocking Initiative 

‘Release the East’ was 

the culmination of years 

of planning and activities 

to re-establish and grow 

the redfish population 

in Florida’s Indian River 

Lagoon. 

Chris Carlisle 

Mud Hole Custom Tackle 

president Brook Oliva 

explained: “The Indian 

River is such an important 

ecosystem to the east coast of 

Florida and we are proud to 

work with CCA Florida to 

help with its preservation. 

“It’s been amazing to work 

with the whole CCA team 

over the past two years on 

this program. From catching 

the brood stock to today’s 

release of thousands of 

redfish, it’s been a rewarding 

effort for the Mud Hole 

Custom Tackle team.” 

The release of juvenile fish 

in the lagoon was just the 

beginning, as at least 100,000 

His extensive experience and track record 

in building and developing strong consumer 

brands will be a tremendous asset that will 

help Calcutta continue to provide best-inclass 

service and value to its customers.” 

Among the brands under Calcutta 

Outdoors’ umbrella are Calcutta, Sea Striker, 

Got-cha, South Bend, Shoreline Marine, 

Danielson, Kunnan, Ready2Fish, Billfisher, 

Star Rods and more. 

redfish were planned to be 

released throughout the 

month. 

CCA Florida executive 

director Brian Gorski said: 

“Partnering with Mud 

Hole Custom Tackle really 

helped move the Release 

the East effort forward, 

with financial support and 

hands-on volunteerism. 

It was only fitting to 

have Brook personally 

release the first group of 

redfish on Friday. We look 

forward to continuing our 

partnership with Mud Hole 

and establishing a thriving 

redfish population on 

Florida’s East Coast.” 


Costa gifts $50,000 for 

Hurricane Ian relief 

Costa Sunglasses has continued its support of Hurricane Ian relief 

efforts with a $50,000 donation to its long-time conservation partner 

Captains For Clean Water. The money will go towards the organisation’s 

Emergency Disaster Relief Fund to help those impacted by the 

hurricane at the end of September to get back on their feet. 

The category four hurricane caused catastrophic damage to southwest 

Florida, home to many Costa partners and pros. Costa, Captains For 

Clean Water and the fishing community in Florida were some of the 

first responders to jump into action after the hurricane. 

Justin Cupps, senior vice-president at Costa, said: “Being in Florida 

for the past 40 years, Costa is no stranger to hurricanes and the effects 

they have on our communities. As soon as we learned the magnitude 

of this storm, we were in close communication with our friends at 

Captains For Clean Water, based in Fort Myers. It’s been incredible to 

see their response and how they immediately jumped into action to do 

whatever was necessary, despite many of them losing their own homes. 

As a trusted partner, we’re honoured to follow their lead and support 

our community and friends after the tremendous damage Hurricane Ian 

caused.” 

Captains For Clean Water co-founder Chris Wittman added: 

“Fishing guides don’t wait for someone else to take the lead on how to 

fix a problem, we get to work and do what needs to be done. 

“Hurricane relief isn’t what our organisation was created to do, but 

since this directly impacts the people that fight with us for clean water, 

it’s our turn to fight for them – and Costa gets that. Always a phone call 

away, Costa has been on the ground alongside us to help with emergency 

relief efforts since day one. We’re incredibly grateful for their ongoing 

support, and know that together, we will rebuild this devastated fishing 

community.” 

OZFISH BIDS FOR 

JUNIOR ANGLERS 

Young fisherfolk in Australia now 

have their very own exclusive club 

designed to help them secure the 

future of the sport. 

Junior OzFishers is the latest 

initiative from Australia’s own 

recreational fishing charity, 

OzFish, which aims to improve 

fishing habitats. The new club will 

cater for children aged between 

four and 14 and will focus on 

helping them restore healthy 

habitat, adopt sustainable fishing 

practices, support native fish and 

secure the future of recreational 

fishing. 

It incorporates 10 challenges 

designed to engage, entertain and 

educate youngsters in better ways 

to look after waterways and be 

their custodians in the future. 

Cassie Price, OzFish director 

of Habitat Programs, said: “Since 

launching in 2015, OzFish has 

had the clear goal of creating 

better habitat for better fishing. 

We’ve mobilised the Australian 

recreational fishing community, 

with the support of our major 

partner BCF, to give back to our 

waterways. 

“It’s something we are proud 

to have seen happening on an 

ever-growing scale and Junior 

OzFishers is the next step. It will 

ensure the latest generation of 

recreational fishers do their part 

for a sustainable and long-term 

future for recreational fishing. 

“We already have many children 

and young people engaged in our 

projects through our family and 

junior memberships. However, we 

realised we didn’t have anything 

dedicated solely to engaging our 

young members.”

DEBUT TAIWAN TACKLE SHOW 

HAILED SUCCESS 

The first-ever Taiwan 

Tackle Show at the start of 

October has been described 

as a resounding success by 

organisers, after attracting 

more than 10,000 visitors. 

The event, which took place 

between September 30th and 

October 2nd built on the 

growth of the Taiwanese tackle 

industry itself, which had an 

estimated market value of 

$US472 million last year with 

many respected Taiwanese 

fishing tackle brands increasing 

their global recognition. 

Charles Chang, president 

of the Taiwan Fishing 

Tackle Association (TFTA), 

said: “This is a remarkable 

achievement with a vision 

looking for next international 

partnership.” 

Highlights included the 

introduction of recreational 

fishing in the island and 

marine sustainability. 

Demonstrations of fishing 

tackle recycling were also 

shown on-site during the 

event. 

The organisers explained 

they felt it was an event for 

family activities and also 

placed much emphasis on the 

protection of sea resources. 

The show was also supported 

by the government and 

academia such as Keelung 

Municipality and Taipei 

University of Marine 

Technology, with a mission to 

educate people how to know 

more about, to approach and to 

enjoy the ocean. 

The show organiser, under a 

public policy called “Respect 

Our Sea” by the Ocean 

Conservation Administration 

(OCA), has been helping 

Taiwanese people to better 

understand the spirit of 

sustainable leisure fishing and 

protection of sea resources. 

TFTA says it will continue 

to devote itself to the 

interaction and education of 

the industry and the promotion 

of sport fishing. 

A fishing carnival was also 

due to be held at Stone Park, 

Taichung on October 30th. 

St Croix backs veteran f ishing initiative 

US-based rod manufacturer St Croix has 

been giving back to veterans by supporting 

two concepts designed to back service 

members in their fishing endeavours. 

The firm opened up its facility in Park 

Falls, Wisconsin during one of eight 

fishing outings organised in 2022 by Take 

A Vet Fishing and Operation Healing 

Heroes Foundation. 

TAVF co-founder Jay Garstecki 

explained: “Our slogan is ‘A Day of Giving 

Back’ and our outings are at the core of our 

mission. 

“One of the highlights of our Eagle 

River event was a visit to St Croix Rod. 

St Croix has been a valuable long-time 

supporting partner of TAVF well 

as a corporate sponsor of OHHF. 

“They really rolled out the red 

carpet for our veterans, providing 

an in-depth, guided factory 

tour, a wonderful lunch with 

employees and they even gave 

them a handcrafted Premier rod 

with our TAVF logo. 

“They made our participating 

veterans not only feel appreciated 

but really made them feel a 

special part of the St Croix 

family.” 

St Croix vice-president of marketing, 

Jesse Simpkins, added: “Anyone who 

knows Jay and his organisations know that 

they don’t just take veterans fishing and 

send everyone home with fishing rods; they 

provide extensive service and support.” 


WORLD 

DESIGN - INNOVATION - EXCELLENCE 

CLASS 

Atomic tackle is a 100% Australian owned 

tackle company making rods, lures and line for 

a wide variety of fish species all over the world. 

With a guaranteed swimming action, and a 

huge choice, you can rely on Atomic when you 

absolutely have to catch fish. 

FISHING 

TACKLE 

WWW.ATOMICTACKLE.COM.AU

Fly line firm offers free 

recycling scheme 

Airflo, one of the world’s best-known fly 

line, leader and tippet manufacturers, is 

inviting consumers in the US to drop off 

any plastic-based fly lines, fishing lines 

and spools at participating retailers for 

free recycling. 

The company has partnered with 

TerraCycle, an innovative recycling 

company specialising in hard-to-recycle 

materials for its Airflo Free Fly Line 

Recycling Program, due to kick off early 

in 2023. 

Jeff Wagner, president of Mayfly 

Outdoors and Airflo fly lines, explained: 

“Airflo and Mayfly Outdoors are 

committed to providing the best fly 

lines, leaders and tippet while protecting 

our natural environment through more 

sustainable solutions and reducing waste. 

“This presents one of our top priorities 

and commitments to our dedicated 

customers that share in this passion. 

Working together with fly shops and 

customers we can reduce our footprint 

and impact. This program combined 

with solar energy production (coming in 

2023), non-PVC lines, and giving back to 

conservation partners are a few ways we 

will continue to show this support.” 

The program aims to simultaneously 

provide a convenient recycling solution 

for items that do not belong in kerbside 

recycling bins while measurably reducing 

contamination levels in local waterways. 

According to the World Wildlife Fund, 

between 500,000 to 1 million tons of 

fishing gear are discarded or lost in the 

ocean yearly. Discarded nets, lines, and 

ropes make up about 46 per cent of the 

Great Pacific Garbage Patch. 

“At TerraCycle, our goal is to 

‘Eliminate the Idea of Waste’ on and 

off the land,” said Tom Szaky, founder 

and CEO of TerraCycle. “Through our 

partnership with Airflo, we are providing 

consumers a free and easy way to 

responsibly recycle their waste and enjoy 

a favourite pastime.” 

The scheme is in addition to other 

proactive sustainability measures 

implemented by the brand, including 

designing water contamination-causing 

plasticisers out of its fly lines. 

While the majority of fly lines are 

made with PVC – a naturally rigid 

plastic that requires plasticizer additives 

to increase plasticity – Airflo fly lines 

are made from polyurethane, an inert 

material that requires no plasticisers and 

lasts longer than PVC. 

Wiley X scoops fourth EFTTEX 

award in a row 

Eyewear manufacturer Wiley 

X is celebrating winning its 

fourth EFTTEX Best New 

Product Award in a row – the 

first time any brand has done 

this. 

The firm won Best New 

Sunglass Product once again 

– this time in a digital online 

showcase event (as the inperson 

EFTTEX 2022 show 

had been cancelled) for its WX 

Ozone with CAPTIVATE 

technology. 

Wiley X EMEA president 

Jan Mikkelsen said: “We are so 

honoured by this award – for 

the fourth time in a row, it’s 

terrific! It’s the first win with 

our CAPTIVATE technology 

and it’s nice to see that the 

independent judges are just as 

excited by the technology as 

we are.” 

The WX Ozone features 

CAPTIVATE polarised 

blue mirror lenses and the 

company’s new Click A.I.R 

gasket for easy, one-click 

ventilation to avoid fogging 

– a perfect combination of 

durability and technology. 

Jan added: “We are known 

for the extraordinary quality 

of our polarised lenses as well 

as an uncompromising, high 

level of protection and we 

are happy to have been given 

this acknowledgement for our 

amazing lens technology.” 

Its CAPTIVATE 

technology, which ensures 

contrast and colour 

enhancement, was launched in 

2020 and has since been a great 

success. Together with their 

polarised filter, which removes 

glare from reflective surfaces, 

the lenses are said to deliver the 

best possible optical conditions 

for anglers, who now can see 

the fish clearly in the water. 

Jan elaborated: “We try 

to constantly develop our 

materials, technology and 

designs. That is why we are so 

grateful for this recognition – it 

really demonstrates that our 

hard efforts are worthwhile.” 

It’s one thing to win but it’s 

something entirely different for 

a company to win four times in 

a row. It is a true achievement 

and it really underlines Wiley 

X’s strong reputation as one of 

the leading manufacturers of 

polarised, protective eyewear 

worldwide. 


STOPPIONI s.n.c. Firenze Italy Prod. Effevuemme s.r.l. 

Tel.+39 0558739615 -Fax +39 0558739648 stonfo@stonfo.com 

Art.687 

APICALE SOFTLINK 

The quickest and safest device to connect line 

and elastic. The Softlink elastic connector is 

composed of an highly resistant body with rubber 

knot cover. It is ideal for solid or hollow elastics up 

to 4 mm of diameter. 

rubber 

knot cover 

Art.694 

PTFE CURVED 

Bush in pure curved PTFE realized to facilitate 

the elastic retrieving outside the pole during the 

fight. It ensures the maximum smoothness of 

both solid and hollow elastics. 

Other features: 

small, lightweight, elegant design with reduced 

overhang. The mounting on the pole, thanks to an 

exclusive click system, is very easy, quick, 

secure and doesn't need the use of glue. 

Supplied with 2 useful elastic holders. 

FUJI ® ULTRA-Poly ® 

Wrapping Thread 

it’s not just good, it’s FUJI ® good. 

Preferred by the best custom rod builders and 

factories worldwide. ULTRA-Poly ® is a colorfast 

polyester guide 

wrapping thread made 

exclusively for FUJI ® 

to wrap smooth, 

burnish without 

fuzzies and resist 

fading. You’ll enjoy 

intense color that 

gets better with 

every coat of finish. 

Contact info@ 

anglersresource. 

net for more information. 

Carded 

product available 

for retail. 

US and International Patent# 10,349,643 

Photo courtesy of 

Scott Fly Rods 

Exclusive FUJI Agent North America 

Foley, Alabama USA • info@anglersresource.net 

www.anglersresource.net 

A ReputAtion You CAn Build on 

SinCe 1968 

www.REC.com | SALES@REC.COM | 1.860.749.3476 x202 

Thread ad for TTW.indd 1 

5/9/22 9:41 AM

SPOTLIGHT ON... 

BOAT 

ACCESSORIES 

SPOTLIGHT ON 

BOAT ACCESSORIES 

Any existing or new small boat owner (see last month’s feature!) will need a 

raft of essential items before setting sail to the fishing grounds. 

Safety, comfort, ease and success are 

all words that spring to mind when 

considering an angling boat trip, but 

what can a tackle store offer to facilitate 

these elements? 

From life preservers to waterproof 

luggage, from fishfinders to anchors, from 

seats to electric motors, there’s plenty 

to stock on your shelves to improve the 

experience and make it more comfortable 

for boat anglers when out trying to catch 

fish. 

Top of anyone’s list and without doubt 

the most important is safety, and no 

matter how strong a swimmer anyone 

claims to be, some form of life preserver, 

lifejacket or buoyancy aid is absolutely 

indispensable when out on the water. 

Conditions can change in an instant and 

capsizing into any water is dangerous, no 

matter how shallow, deep, warm or cold. 

From foam filled vests for kayaking and 

canoeing to more sophisticated inflatable 

life jackets, if you sell boats you should 

sell a range of these. 

Other safety items include lights and 

torches, flares, compasses, whistles; having 

a small selection for new owners to buy 

will enable them to set out on the water 

soon after leaving your shop… and safely. 

Then there’s the need to keep tackle, as 

well as belongings such as spare clothes, 

cameras and mobile phones dry in what 

can be a wet environment, so efficient 

waterproof luggage and storage boxes are 

a good choice. Water is unforgiving and 

relentless, and can penetrate even the 

smallest cracks or imperfect seals, so your 

storage solutions need to be watertight. 

Finding your camera or mobile phone 

sitting in a pool of water, or putting on 

an extra layer of clothing to warm up and 

finding it cold and damp is not going 

to cut it, so any bag or box needs to be 

impervious to water ingress. 

If the boat is to be used on inland 

waters a fishfinder or fishspotter will be 

a useful asset, with anything from a glass 



BOAT 

ACCESSORIES 

An electric outboard can 

make boat movement 

stealthy and easy. 

Fishfinders can be as high 

or low tech as you want. 

If a rainstorm moves in while you’re out 

on the water you may be stuck out there, 

so good waterproof gear is a must. It’s the 

same stuff that anglers use on the bank, but 

lightweight versions that can be screwed up 

and stowed in a stuff sack can be a popular 

choice. Also, brightly coloured or fluoro 

versions are best when afloat, to enable easy 

spotting by potential rescuers if in distress. 

The same goes for life preservers. 

If you have the space in store, other 

useful items might include paddles, anchors, 

gloves and boat seats. And if you sold them 

an inflatable, a pump to pump it up with! 

Don’t go afloat without one of these. 

bottomed bucket through to electronic 

sonar systems doing the job of finding out 

what lies beneath. These don’t have to cost 

the earth to be efficient, so having one or 

two on display is quite feasible. 

While it is unlikely many tackle 

stores will sell outboard engines, there is 

certainly scope for an electric outboard 

to power through the inland waterways. 

Electric trolling motors are best used on 

small boats on calmer freshwaters and can 

make life afloat much more pleasurable, 

as well as being cleaner, quieter and 

more affordable than many outboards. In 

keeping with small boats, they won’t take 

up too much room in the van or trailer 

and have forward and reverse gears to 

quickly and quietly manoeuvre yourself 

into the perfect position to make that vital 

cast, or perhaps carry a boatload of carp 

gear from one side of a large lake to an 

otherwise inaccessible island or far bank 

swim. 

… as do tackle boxes and 

… as do tackle boxes and 

storage. 

Bags and luggage 

need to be completely 

waterproof… 

Alternative seating 

arrangements are available. 


19


BOAT 

ACCESSORIES 

MILLENNIUM 

MARINE 

MONITOR MOUNTS 

These depth finder and 

fishfinder monitor 

mounts are constructed 

with corrosionresistant 

anodised 

aluminium that stands 

up to harsh elements. Designed 

to securely hold single or double monitors 

at the perfect angle, they offer a wide array 

of adjustments, including rotation, height 

and viewing angle. The mounts provide 

a 180-degree base rotation, a 180-degree 

tilting riser, and an adjustable telescopic riser 

from 18 to 24 inches. 

www.millenniumstands.com 

HUK 

ROGUE WAVE FISHING BOOT 

Huk’s Rogue Wave fishing boots are 

specifically designed for all-day comfort and 

engineered for optimal performance in any 

condition. The boots feature an 8mm thick 

moulded EVA footbed that provides plenty 

of underfoot cushioning and support so 

anglers can extend their time on the water. 

The GRIP-X outsoles deliver unbeatable 

traction to avoid slips and spills, no matter 

how slick the deck or dock may become. 

At 38oz per pair, the Rogue Wave delivers a 

lightweight and durable fishing boot that can 

conquer the most inclement weather. 

www.hukgear.com 

POWER-POLE 

CHARGE MARINE POWER MANAGEMENT 

STATION 

A battery charger, a charge-on-the-run, and 

emergency start system – all in one compact 

unit. Automatically devotes more power 

to the batteries that need it the most for 

maximum efficiency, whether it is the trolling 

motor, live wells or other devices, so boaters 

can enjoy more time on the water. 

Whether you are plugged in directly to a 

120V power outlet at the dock, at home or 

while using it to charge from your primary 

motor while on the run, the CHARGE system 

replenishes your entire battery bank, 

including the 12V cranking battery and up to 

three auxiliary batteries, all at once. 

power-pole.com 

HOBIE 

TRACK MOUNT MINI BIN 

Despite the name, the Track Mount Mini 

Bin packs serious utility. The oversized 

tension wheel and locking ab on the 

underside of the bin make for a very 

secure installation. Featuring a moulded 

tool holder, knife slot, braid scissor holder/ 

pad eye, this bin holds it all. A snap-in floor 

makes cleaning easy, and the raised drain 

channels shed water and prevent pooling. 

www.hobie.com 

RAM 

DRILL-DOWN BALL MOUNT 

Designed specifically for the Humminbird 

Helix 8-15, Solix 10-15, and Apex 13 & 16, the 

RAM Drill-Down Ball Mount is the most 

premier solution for mounting marine 

electronics on boats. Made of powdercoated, 

marine-grade aluminium, the 

included RAM Hi-Torq Wrench provides 

extra leverage and even more security when 

you use it to tighten the knob on the socket 

arm. 

rammount.com 

PLANO 

STOWALL 

The transparent design and super-strong 

waterproof closures make it easy to 

identify and access contents in a flash. 

Store anything from fishing tackle to cell 

phone, wallets to soft plastics in one do-itall 

waterproof bag. 

planomolding.com 

TRUE 

SWIFT EDGE FILLET KIT 

True’s Swift Edge Fish Fillet Kit features a 

handle, three fillet blades, a moulded sheath, 

and a soft storage case. The knife handle is 

made from thermoplastic rubber and houses 

a lanyard/carabiner mount on the rear. This 

design and material are more useful in wet 

and slippery environments as it provides a 

better gripping surface. 

Pre-installed is a 7½in fillet blade. The kit 

also includes 6in and 9½in blades, which 

can quickly be changed by moving the 

toggle lock on the back of the handle and 

depressing the release tab. All blades are 

5Cr13 steel with a titanium nitrate coating for 

extra durability and hardness. 

www.true.acgbrands.com 


PLANO 

MEDIUM ABS WATERPROOF CASE 

A Dri-Loc O-ring seal turns the Medium ABS 

Waterproof Case into a waterproof, airtight 

environment for all your valuables and 

electronics like cell phones, Go Pro cameras 

and memory cards. 

The interior features a TPR rubber lining 

so contents won’t slide around or scratch. 

Supplied with a carry strap that secures 

around the wrist. 

planomolding.com 

AQUAGLIDE 

FRAME SEAT 

The AG Frame Seat can be added to 

most Aquaglide SUP models for a unique 

paddling experience. With a sturdy 

aluminium frame, supporting padded air 

mesh seat and seat back, fully adjustable 

back angle and two seat height settings. 

The AG Frame Seat is also compatible on 

other paddleboards that have tie-down 

points to create a Hybrid SUP/Kayak. 

www.aquaglide.com

UNI PRODUCTS J.G. Cote Inc. 

1004 Principale 

Ste-Melanie, QC. Canada JOK 3AO 

Tel: 450-889-8054 

Toll-Free: 1-877-889-8054 

Fax: 450-889-5887 

Email: info@uniproducts.com 

NEW FOR 2023 

UNI-MYLAR TINSEL WHITE AND BLACK THREE SIZES 

UNI-FLAT BRAID 8 PLIES 

SMALL HOLOGRAPHIC GOLD 

UNI-THREAD 8/0 PUMPKIN 

WAXED OR UNWAXED 

Look to UNI for the best in spooled fly-tying materials! 

www.uniproducts.com

DBW... 

the UK 

d O i n G B U S i n e S S W i t h . . . 

THE UK 

A union of four countries that even together is smaller than 

some US states, the UK remains a big player in the global 

tackle market. 

T 

he United Kingdom is made 

up of four geographic and 

historical parts – England, 

Scotland, Wales and Northern 

Ireland. Together England, 

Wales and Scotland constitute 

Great Britain, the larger of the 

two principal islands, while 

Northern Ireland and the 

republic of Ireland constitute 

the second largest island, 

Ireland. 

Apart from the land border 

with the Irish republic, the 

UK is surrounded by seas 

including the English Channel, 

the North Sea, the Irish Sea 

and the Atlantic Ocean. At its 

widest the United Kingdom 

is 300 miles across. From the 

northern tip of Scotland to the 

southern coast of England, it 

is about 600 miles. No part is 

more than 75 miles from the 

sea. 

On a global scale, the UK 

covers a small area about the 

same size as the US state of 

Oregon or the African country 

of Guinea. The UK’s islands 

only rank 78th in the world, 

and are easily surpassed by 

countries like Germany, France 

and Spain. The US states that 

are bigger than the UK include 

Alaska, Texas, Montana and 

New Mexico. 

And although the UK can 

fit into Australia’s Queensland 

state seven times and North 

Queensland alone is the size 

of Scotland, the UK still plays 

an important role on the world 

stage. What it lacks in size, 

the UK makes up for with its 

population, especially when 

compared to its European 

neighbours. The UK has a 

population surpassing that of 

the much larger France and 

Spain and is number three 


DBW... 

the UK 

eCOnOMy FOCUS 

$3.187 trillion GDP (USD) 

$47,334.46 GDP per capita (USD) 

7.4% GDP growth rate (average) 

3.5% Unemployment rate 

Top export partners: 

– USA $59.5 billion 

– Switzerland $39.5 billion 

– Germany $38.8 billion 

– netherlands $34.4 billion 

– France $25.6 billion 

The 

UK is 

greater 

than the 

sum of 

its parts. 

Top import partners: 

– China $91.16 billion 

– Germany $75.51 billion 

– USA $59.69 billion 

– netherlands $41.62 billion 

– norway $35.97 billion 

FACt FiLe 

Capital: London 

Dialling code: +44 

Population: 68,714,493 

Prime Minister: Rishi Sunak 

Official languages: English 

Time zones: GMT 

Currency: Pound 

Internet domain: .co.uk 

on the list of Europe’s most 

populated countries, only 

surpassed by Turkey, Germany 

and Russia. 

the FiShinG tACKLe SeCtOr 

According to government 

figures around four million 

people in Britain take part in 

some form of fishing activity, 

making it one of the nation’s 

biggest participation sports, 

although membership of 

angling clubs has seen a slight 

decline in recent years. Pre- 

Covid rod licence sales fell 

to about 1.19 million sales in 

2016/17, but since lockdown 

restrictions eased and angling 

was one of the few activities 

allowed, licence sales and 

tackle sales have been on the 

increase. 

There are between 2,000 

and 2,500 fishing tackle 

retailers in the UK, typically 

owner-managed businesses. 

It is estimated that the total 

annual market for fishing 

tackle is worth about £600 

million. Traditionally, British 

fishing stores are local, 

independent and smaller 

family run businesses and 

have an important place in 

the community as a place to 

go for advice and information. 

The UK tackle shop industry 

has been likened to a cottage 

industry where many of the 

retailers are anglers who turned 

their hobby into a job rather 

than savvy businessmen with 

heads for retail. Over the 

last decade or so, things have 

started to change, in part down 

to the growth of some of the 

bigger retailers and the gradual 

introduction of some chain 

stores, and in part down to an 

increase in professionalism 

among retailers. Now the UK 

has the likes of Angling Direct 

and Fishing Republic and also 

the increasing involvement 

of general outdoor retailers 

such as Go Outdoors and 

Decathlon, with a huge range 

of stock and mail order sales, 

although the number of smaller 


25

DBW... 

the UK 

retailers has been falling. 

Since Covid, angling clubs 

have been overwhelmed with 

new recruits and fishing tackle 

retailer Angling Direct said its 

annual sales had risen 27 per 

cent to almost £68m despite its 

stores being closed for months, 

while Argos reported its sales 

of fishing kit were up 300 per 

cent. Farlows, the upmarket 

tackle store that sells online 

and from a flagship store in 

London, said web sales rose 

by 70 per cent, with sales 

of beginner kits more than 

doubling, and the demand is 

still there. 

Retailers of fishing tackle 

struggled to keep up with 

demand as thousands of people 

took up angling as a pandemic 

pastime and a physically 

distanced way to enjoy the 

outdoors and the number of 

annual rod licence applications 

in England and Wales surged 

by more than 120,000 in 2020. 

The two dominant styles 

of fishing in the UK are carp 

fishing and general coarse 

fishing. Modern carp fishing 

was pioneered in the UK 

and the country remains the 

trendsetter for this style and 

the culture around it. There are 

many retailers who specialise 

only in carp fishing and often 

take larger units to be able to 

properly display some of the 

larger products involved in 

carp fishing such as bivvies, 

bedchairs, rod rests, barrows 

to carry tackle to your peg and 

so on. Carp fishing is the main 

discipline attracting young 

anglers to the sport, who see it 

as cool and edgy. 

Coarse fishing includes most 

kinds of freshwater fishing for 

species including roach, bream, 

rudd, tench and perch to name 

a few. Using bait, whether 

natural or man-made, is the 

most common way to fish like 

this, which means many tackle 

shops must have fridges and 

cold storage to keep things like 

maggots and worms in good 

condition. A sub-division of 

this type of fishing is match 

fishing, with the winner being 

the one who catches the 

biggest overall weight of fish. 


Carp fishing is 

a popular entry 

point for the sport. 

Feeder fishing is booming in the UK. 

Most fishing retailers will sell 

some tackle for coarse fishing 

of some type. A recent trend 

is the surge in feeder fishing 

gear as this method has taken 

off in popularity, with many 

feeder-only competitions 

now, including World 

Championships. 

Other types of fishing 

common in the UK include 

fly fishing and lure fishing. Fly 

fishing has many of its own 

dedicated retail stores, whereas 

lure fishing items tend to be 

sold by general tackle stores or 

by carp stores in the winter as 

carp anglers often turn their 

attention to predator species 

like pike, perch and zander in 

the colder months. 

UK fishing tackle stores are 

very varied and anglers like a 

bargain – they will often opt 

for the lower end of the price 

spectrum in many cases. There 

are of course those who spend 

a lot on their fishing tackle, 

but these are fewer and fewer. 

In 2021, UK manufacturers 

sold over £63 million worth of 

fishing rods, line fishing tackle, 

and other fishing or hunting 

articles. 

Given the onset of the latest 

cost of living crisis it will be 

interesting to see how this 

affects tackle sales. 

Match fishing has always been 

popular and can set new trends.

DBW... 

the UK 

i n d u s t r y V I E W s 

Ann Kitchener, CEO Semperfli Fly Tying Materials Ltd, established 2010 

Semperfli is a UK based 

manufacturer of fly tying 

materials selling trade only 

to a global market. Winner of 

the Queen’s Award for Export 

due to the high amounts of 

international trade we do, 

we absolutely value our home 

market most highly. 

With all of our products being 

produced at our Yorkshire base 

in the north of England, with 

our own staff we are passionate 

about what we do. 

Our social media analysis 

shows that internationally 

the age of our end user is 

predominantly 35 to 44 and 

based outside of the UK. 

Whereas our British market 

age range is mainly 60 plus. 

Consequently we see huge 

differences between our 

markets. 

We do see that the UK market 

does seems to lag behind the 

international markets in 

adoption of new products by 

one to two years. 

With Covid we have seen 

a lot of change in the market. 

During lockdown people were 

at home and spent their money 

on their hobbies so fly tying 

grew massively. Our dealers 

in the UK were doing massive 

sales at that time and have 

continued to do so. There were 

also supply issues from a lot of 

overseas manufacturers so a lot 

of stores converted to Semperfli 

as our factory didn’t close 

and we had stock to delivery 

promptly. 

As the economic climate is 

biting, feedback we are getting 

from our dealers is that less 

spend is happening on capital 

gear such as rods but still 

consumable fly tying materials 

is strong. People appear 

understandably timid of the 

oncoming recession but want 

to maintain contact with their 

hobbies where they can do so at 

a low cost. Tying materials are 

affordable. Tying is a relaxing 

pastime that people can enjoy 

at home. 

The past years we have seen 

a decrease in the materials in 

the UK for salmon flies for 

example, possibly related to the 

Scottish salmon farm issues 

and decreases in natural stock. 

Simultaneously we are seeing 

increases in trout, predator 

and saltwater materials. 

What is most interesting is 

these trends are not reflected 

in our international markets. 

The climate change affecting 

fishing and sewerage problems 

appear to be driving fly tyers 

to stocked reservoirs and new 

species, for example pike and 

saltwater. These are trends that 

we see less of in our USA and 

Canadian markets probably 

due to the highly diverse nature 

of species targeted and the fact 

these countries are so vast. Here 

fishing is much more accessible 

without the restrictions we see 

in the UK with private waters 

etc. 

Patrick MacInnes, Marketing Manager, Leeda UK, established 1980s 

Leeda is one of the longestrunning 

companies in the 

UK angling sector, with own 

brands such as MAP, Wychwood 

and ICON sitting alongside 

wholesale distribution brands 

such as Mustad, Maxima, Petzl, 

and Lowrance. 

We have a long history in 

servicing the many sectors of 

angling in the UK and are one of 

the few companies who still cover 

all disciplines under one portfolio. 

Since the 1980s, Leeda has 

always had a place in UK tackle 

shops, with an increasing export 

business that now accounts for 

a significant proportion of its 

turnover. However, we have 

always focused on our local 

market first and foremost, which 

has given us the opportunity to 

really fine-tune what our inhouse 

brands are all about. 

MAP is our key matchoriented 

brand and continues 

to go from strength to strength; 

pole sales continue to be a major 

part of the brand’s appeal – our 

TKS series is one of the most 

popular in Europe – but we are 

really biting into the popularity 

of feeder fishing both here in the 

UK, and abroad with ranges such 

as Parabolix and DUAL. 

Wychwood is our specimen/ 

carp/game brand and again, is 

firmly established. Carp sales are 

predictably strong because of the 

bias towards carping here in the 

UK, but we continue to offer an 

extensive game fishing portfolio 

and are investing in it. We’re 

also expanding our predator 

range – Agitator – which we feel 

will be a huge growth area for 

us in 2023. Specimen fishing (ie 

non-carp) is also an area we are 

aiming to target once again. 

The UK is a hugely varied 

market; carp fishing dominates 

but in certain regions, match 

fishing is very strong. With 

thousands of miles of coastline, 

sea fishing is still a large market 

but one that is not the focus for 

many companies. 

Brexit was a major hurdle 

for the whole industry and the 

pandemic further highlighted 

to us the importance of having 

really strong relationships with 

our manufacturing partners to 

ensure throughput of product 

remained fluid; the uncertainty 

of Covid threw the industry into 

turmoil but we have ridden the 

storm well because we have been 

able to react quickly to events as 

they unfolded. Retailers have 

had confidence in working with 

us not only because we offer such 

a wide portfolio, but also because 

our ability to warehouse on 

behalf of retailers is received well 

by the trade – we’re not about 

forcing high levels of stock into 

our retailers via extended credit. 

The future is really bright 

for our brands; our wholesale 

business is as strong and focused 

as ever, thanks to having really 

trusted, popular brands on board. 

Our in-house brands are also 

well cemented into retailers and 

over the next two years we will 

be working hard to diversify 

both MAP and Wychwood to not 

only keep offering really unique, 

innovative products, but also to 

stay ahead of trends and cater 

for a wider variety of end user 

types as budgets and angling 

preferences evolve. 


27

FEATURE 

Icast 

ICAST 2023 SET TO BE 

BETTER THAN EVER 

The best place to see innovative products is ramping up with new features and returning 

favourites this year as ICAST 2023 starts taking shape. 

ICAST, the annual recreational fishing 

industry’s trade show produced by the 

American Sportfishing Association, 

has become a gathering place not 

only for US-based buyers and media 

but for a global array of businesses from 

Europe, South America, Australia, Africa 

and Asia too. 

International attendees fish the rolling 

rivers of the Scottish highlands, the 

tropical reefs of the Queensland coastline 

and the swirling depths of the Peruvian 

rainforest. They know where to fish for bass 

in Spain, Italy, Japan and South Africa. 

In 2022, businesses from 73 countries 

made their way to Florida, USA, to join 

a crowd of more than 12,000 attendees 

at an event that serves as the signature 

experience of the summer for people who 

live and breathe the business of fishing. 

“ICAST is the number one destination 

for everything an angler would need for 

their ultimate, on-the-water experience,” 

said trade show and membership director 

Blake Swango. 

Last year, 585 exhibitors set up shop 

inside the spacious halls of Orlando’s 

Orange County Convention Center. From 

elaborate, double-decker booths with 

cocktail bars and meeting rooms to simple 

10x10 setups with a trifold, exhibitors 

showcased an astounding array of products. 

The latest fishing lures were on tap but 

so too were shoes, raincoats, nets, coolers, 

sunglasses, weights, hooks, paddles, rods, 


reels, lines, tackle boxes and sonar units. 

“Fishing tackle is at the core of ICAST, 

but ICAST is so much more than fishing 

tackle,” added Blake. “Each year, we 

look for opportunities to add events and 

activities that help showcase everything our 

exhibitors have to offer. And add some fun 

to make it even more memorable.” 

NEW FOR 2023 

To emphasise that point, the 2023 show 

will return to Orlando from July 11th 

to 14th with an expanded New Product 

Showcase that ushers in more categories 

for manufacturers. 

The show will feature six new fly 

fishing categories ranging from clothing 

to rods and reels and two new categories 

for boating accessories. 

“Fly fishing has always been a part 

of ICAST,” Blake explained. “This year, 

we are creating even more ways for the 

fly fishing community to be a part of 

the show and elevating their presence 

in the New Product Showcase. That 

goes alongside new lifestyle categories 

that allow more of the innovative, less 

traditional products that have been 

making appearances at the show to 

shine.” 

Outdoors, attendees will once again 

have the opportunity to investigate 

products at ICAST On The Water 

Demo Day. There, tackle dealers can cast, 

retrieve and paddle new products while 

networking with the manufacturers who 

designed them. And buyers and media 

have the option of participating in a 

professional bass fishing tournament on 

Lake Toho with Major League Fishing. 

Daily Lunch & Learn business 

seminars are set to return to the show 

floor, with topics covering the gamut 

from marketing your business in an 

evolving economy to managing your 

social media with a limited staff. 

Seminars are led by industry veterans, 

agency insiders and passionate activists 

that are helping to shape the landscape of 

recreational fishing today. 

Meanwhile, after-hours networking 

events help keep attendees brimming 

with ideas that can help push their 

businesses to grow. 

Blake concluded: “But, as always, the 

star of the show will be the products 

themselves. In July, buyers and will come 

from all corners of the globe to convene 

at an unmissable affair that sets the tone 

for the future of fishing every year.” 

Registration for ICAST 2023 opens 

during the second week of February at 

ICASTFishing.org . There, tackle dealers 

can browse through more information 

about events during show week, the New 

Product Showcase itself and a gallery of 

videos from last year’s event. 

ICAST 

ICASTFishing.org

Welcome to the world of 

& 

This is where passion, clever design and 

practical knowledge results in award 

winning quality fly fishing gear, and 

now also spin fishing gear, for the most 

dedicated, demanding and price/margin 

oriented customers. 

Following a year where we expanded 

into spin fishing with a very positive 

response and growth we’re now seeking 

new partners globally (distributors,sales 

agents and/or retailers), but especially 

in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, 

UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Canada, USA, 

Poland, Austria, Norway, Finland, Iceland 

and Spain. 

Interested? Contact: A.Jensen Fly Fishing - Denmark 

info@AJensenFlyFishing.com www.AJensenFlyFishing.com Tel: 45 48264547

FEATURE 

SIMMS PUTS BEST FOOT 

FORWARD TO 2023 

With a long-standing history and reputation of delivering the most performance driven, 

reliable, fishing focused gear on the planet, each year, Bozeman-based Simms Fishing 

Products faces a recurring self-imposed challenge – raising the industry bar they continually 

set season after season, year after year. 

Thirty years ago, Simms 

introduced the first ever 

waterproof/breathable wader 

– after its release, everything 

changed. Not only did this wader launch 

Simms on its current trajectory, it also 

set a new standard for the entire fishing 

industry. It’s also a wader that’s served 

as a baseline that Simms has been 

innovating against ever since. 

For Simms, though, innovation doesn’t 

begin and end with waders. Now that 

2022 has come and gone, its spring 2023 

collection has arrived and, true to form, 

game-changing innovations can be found 

across all categories. 

WADING ON 

The popular Freestone and Tributary 

wader collections have been reimagined 

and are both prime examples of Simms 

utilising innovations found in other 

award-winning models such as G3 and 

G4. 

Built with an incredibly durable, 

waterproof/breathable four-layer Toray 

Quadralam fabric package, the men’s, 

women’s and Freestone pant offer more 

comfort, mobility and performance than 

ever before. Simms has incorporated 

its patented front and back leg seams 

for enhanced range of motion and has 

also eliminated the previous self-fabric, 

gathered elastic bottom hem in exchange 

for built-in neoprene gravel guards. 

For anglers just getting into fly fishing, 

the all-new Tributary collection (men’s, 

women’s and kids’) provides waterproof/ 

breathability in a feature-rich wader 

equipped with tons of Simms DNA. Built Men’s Freestone Wader Men’s Tributary Wader 


Simms 

FEATURE 

SolarFlex Guide Hoody 

Challenger Jacket 

SolarFlex Wind Hoody 

with a four-layer lower and a threelayer 

upper, the Tributaries come with a 

reach-through fleece lined hand warming 

pocket, zippered top stash pocket, built-in 

Tippet Tender pockets and built-in gravel 

guards. 

PROTECTION FACTOR 

Another noteworthy aspect of Simms’ 

spring 2023 product collection is just 

how many new and exciting pieces of sun 

protective gear it is bringing to market. 

For many years, SolarFlex has 

become the norm for anglers fishing 

in hot, humid environments where sun 

protection is a must. The latest SolarFlex 

collection utilises the highest-performing 

solar protective knit fabric that’s smooth 

to the touch, stretches for comfort, 

dries fast and keeps anglers odour free 

with HeiQ Fresh and HeiQ stain away 

technology. 

Fan favourites such as the men’s and 

women’s SolarFlex Crew, SolarFlex 

and Bugstopper Hoodies use this new 

upgraded fabric but there are also 

some additions to the family such as 

the SolarFlex Wind Hoody and Guide 

Hoody, that anglers can add to their 

UPF50 arsenal. 

On the outerwear front, the men’s 

and women’s Challenger Jacket and Bib 

have also been retooled for enhanced 

comfort and performance. The latest 

iteration of both Challenger Suits are 

now constructed from a recycled polyester 

two-layer Toray fabric for all-day 

waterproof/breathable protection. 

Equipped with reflective logos for 

safety, both feature stashable and 

adjustable storm hoods, adjustable cuffs 

to lock water out, and a pocket array 

that allows ample on-body storage. In 

addition, the chest pockets include a 

built-in sunglass chamois and the bibs 

incorporate rugged overlays in high 

abrasion zones for unmatched durability. 

STEPPING OUT 

Of all of the innovations for spring 

2023, the most significant revolution 

lands in the footwear category – the G4 

PowerLock Boot. 

While G4 has been part of the Simms 

family for many years, it’s not a badge 

that gets put on just anything. Instead, 

G4 is reserved for its most rugged, 

durable and innovative offerings. 

Designed from the ground up, the 

G4 PowerLock Boot offers the perfect 

balance of durability, weight, grip, 

support, and stability. Featuring a 

Vibram Idrogrip outsole for 

slip-resistance, dualdensity 

EVA midsole 

for comfort, and an 

integrated TPU heal 

clip and moulded 

heal cap for support 

and stability, the boot 

itself is constructed 

from highly abrasion 

G4 

PowerLock 

resistant textile, scratch rubber, and 

synthetic rubber. 

In order to source a better cleat 

retention system that also allowed for 

easy removal and replaceability, Simms 

leaned into a technology found in the 

golf and rugby cleat industry. 

The PowerLock system allows anglers 

to quickly and easily remove and/or 

replace aluminium or TPR cleats (both of 

which come with the boot) on the spot. 

The disc-shaped soft aluminium cleats 

offer improved bite and 360 degrees of 

stability while the spider-like TPR cleats 

provide a grippy option that won’t scratch 

when worn in a drift boat. 

All in all, the G4 PowerLock Boot 

has undergone more field testing than 

any other Simms boot to date. To 

be exact, these boots have over 

8,500 hours of in-field 

testing, spanning over 

1,000 miles. Based on 

this extensive testing, 

the cleat performance 

and retention results 

have proven that 

the PowerLock 

system is not only 

the most innovative 

cleat system the 

fishing world has ever 

seen, it’s also unbelievably 

reliable. 

Innovation is far from a new 

concept for Simms – it has been doing 

just that for the past 30 years. In 

terms of spring 2023, these are only a 

few standouts amongst an amazingly 

innovative line. 

SIMMS 

www.simmsfishing.com 


31

MAKING 

CONTACT 

Making Contact 

1 

Want your products to 

be seen by thousands of 

potential buyers… FREE 

of charge? Then get in 

touch, we’d love to hear 

from you. 

2 

3 

1 FLYING FISHERMAN 

SOLSTICE SUNGLASSES 

2 THE WORTH COMPANY 

CLEVISES 

3 ST CROIX 

SKANDIC ICE RODS 

JOHN HUNTER 

+44 7990 542958 

john.hunter@dhpub.co.uk 

DAVID HAYNES 

david.haynes@dhpub.co.uk 

Contact John or David directly 

for details of how to send your 

product and a short description to 

Tackle Trade World’s office. 

New for 2023, these glasses are 

built for the water, featuring a 

large-fit, vented frame that helps 

to prevent sunglass fogging. Made 

from Grilamid TR-90, a lightweight 

thermoplastic known for its 

comfort, flexibility, and durability, 

they offer non-slip nose and 

temple pads and shatterproof, 

RhinoLens lenses for superior eye 

protection from flying lures, hooks 

and other objects anglers can 

encounter. They also block glare 

reflecting off the water and other 

flat surfaces and provide 100 per 

cent UV protection. 

The Solstice is available in matte 

black frames with amber, smoke, 

amber green-mirror or smoke 

blue-mirror lenses. 

www.flyingfisherman.com 

The Worth Company has provided 

fishermen with the world’s 

finest clevises since 1941. As the 

only American manufacturer 

of clevises, the company 

manufactures five different styles, 

all of which are produced from 

high quality brass and stainless 

steel material. 

All are available in bulk 

quantities, and offered in polished 

brass, nickel plated brass or 

stainless steel finishes. Visit the 

website to see all the components 

available for your needs. 

worthco.com 

Consisting of 12 models from 24in 

to 36in long and covering the 

gamut between ultralight and 

heavy power, Skandic Ice Series 

rods support precise presentations 

while offering extreme durability. 

Combining custom looks with 

high-quality components and 

angler-preferred ergonomics, 

these hit the sweet spot for 

premium performance and valueminded 

ice anglers, looking, feeling 

and performing well beyond their 

price tag. 

Handcrafted on St Croix’s 

proven, precision-taper solid 

carbon (SC) blanks, they boast 

precise, sensitive tips, powerful 

backbones, the most durable 

cork material and custom handle 

configurations. 

stcroixrods.com 


MAKING 

CONTACT 

5 

4 

6 

7 

4 ADAMSBUILT FISHING 

WATERPROOF/PAGE FLY BOXES 

Made from strong, durable ABS 

material with quality stainless 

steel hinges, these fly boxes are 

perfect when you need to swap 

out flies either in advance of or 

during your session. 

Each box boasts double-sided 

clear or grey lids with triangle or 

dry fly slots for easy placement 

and removal of your flies. 

The key, though, is the 

removable pages, which will boost 

your box’s capacity and increase 

the storage options. 

To protect your flies further, 

each also incorporates a 

360-degree gasket to ensure a 

waterproof seal. 

www.adamsbuiltfishing.com 

5 WESTIN FISHING 

DANNY THE DUCK HOLLOWBODY 

LURE 

The perfect weapon for big, mean 

bass, this baby duckling has a super 

weedless design for fishing in 

heavy cover. 

Twitch him and Danny will 

swing out 180 degrees in tight 

short swings and stays long on the 

hotspot. Whether you fish him fast 

or slow, either way you can create 

that hopping action with a unique 

bubble trail just like a fleeing 

duckling, the beak will also add a 

unique front splash. The small soft 

feet add extra attraction, fluttering 

below the surface. 

Offered in a selection of handpainted, 

detailed colours, it weighs 

18g. 

www.westin-fishing.com/en 

6 A JENSEN 

NEWTON REELS 

Built for battling the fish of your 

dreams, this powerhouse is named 

after the famous mathematician 

and scientist who understood the 

physical laws of motion. 

Tested in both fresh- and 

saltwater on hard-fighting species 

the reel is CNC cut from high-grade 

6061 aircraft aluminium, which 

ensures the highest strength 

combined with low weight. 

Meanwhile, the housing is a 

combination of high-strength 

woven carbon fibre and 

aluminium, making it lightweight, 

saltwater-proof and strong. The 

spool is “V” cut, to make space for 

extra backing when targeting some 

of the torpedoes of the saltwater 

and freshwater world. 

Available in a choice of colours 

and sizes. 

7 SEMPERFLI 

DUBBING DISPENSERS 

Semperfli offers a host of different 

dubbing ranging from the 

traditional to the unique. They 

include the reliable Superfine, 

Ice, Semperseal (seals fur sub), 

Sparkle and, of course, the very 

special Kapok. 

They come in individual colour 

sachets or in these modern and 

very handy slimline dispensers 

that contain a very generous 

amount of dubbing. 

All Semperfli dubbing is 

professionally dyed in its 

dedicated dye labs and is of the 

high quality we have all come 

to expect from this dedicated 

manufacturer. 

www.semperfli.net 

ajensenflyfishing.com 


JANUARY 


WAVEARMY / FORUM 

Wave Army News and Updates 

HIGHLIGHTS 

ACC Crappie Stix Leads The Way 

WAVE ARMY 

ACC Crappie Stix, a Wave Army member, continues to receive glowing reviews from industry professionals on the quality 

and design of their rods. From the unique color to the incredible balance, the ACC Crappie Stix GS08M is the ultimate 

in crappie rods. Jason Sealock of Wired2Fish says, “The rod has great balance and is incredibly sensitive even on a 

long cast. I worked over the crappie this fall and winter with this rod and had much fun doing it.” Find out more about 

this fantastic rod at ACCCrappieStix.com 

Visit ACC at www.acccrappiestix.com 

VICTORY 

YakRods Angler Wins Big! 

Derek Brundle, a sponsored angler from YakRods, has had a tough 

year but ended on a high by becoming the KBF Challenger Series 

Angler of the Year. Utilizing his YakRods, he was able to overcome 

adversity throughout this year. He is also a lead designer 

for the RIP rod, a new jerk bait rod from YakRod. YakRods is not 

only an innovator but a leader in rods designed for the ever-growing 

kayak sector of fishing, and with win after win, YakRods is the 

company to be using! 

Visit YakRods at 

www.yakrods.com 

The “Wave Army” is comprised of users and enthusiasts of the MicroWave Line Control System, the world’s only award-winning guide system. 

SCAN HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WAVE ARMY AND THE MICROWAVE LINE CONTROL SYSTEM!

2023 FISH TALES CUP 

THE LURE MASTER CHALLENGE 

Start registration, welcome to sponsor us 

Dates: 18-22 August 2023 

Location: Yunbing, Pahang, Malaysia 

VENUE:Kuala Rompin,Pahang,Malaysia 

consultation:robert.li365@gmail.com

CRAA Holds Industry Development Forum in 

Hainan 

The 2022 China (Hainan) International 

Marine Industry Expo will be held in Hainan 

International Convention and Exhibition Center 

from November 24 to 27 with the theme of 

"sharing the ocean and seeking cooperative 

development". The exhibition covers an 

area of 25000 square meters. It is divided 

into exhibition areas such as deep-sea self 

fishing products, marine ranching and deepsea 

aquaculture equipment, and Hainan City 

County Exhibition. Digital fishery technologies 

represented by 5G, Internet of Things, big data, 

and artificial intelligence will be displayed, New 

leisure yachts, international advanced breeding 

boats and other innovative products. 

During the exhibition, a number of 

supporting activities will also be held, including 

the International Marine Industry Development 

Summit Forum, the Forum on the Construction 

and Development of Marine Forests in the 

Free Trade Port, and the Hainan Free Trade 

Port Marine Industry Investment Promotion 

Conference.

The 2022 China Sea Fishing Festival and Sea 

Fishing Elite Invitational Tournament ended 

successfully 

On November 20, 2022, the 2022 China Sea Fishing 

Festival and China Sea Fishing Elite Invitational 

Tournament held a grand closing ceremony in Qingshui 

Bay, Lingshui Li Autonomous County, Hainan Province. 

Jingzhou, Wuzhou, Qixin Pavilion, Diaopin Pavilion, 

Chengsheng, Eight clubs, including Yuxianzi, Taiyi 

Moxibustion Roast, and Deep Sea Hunter, and 32 players 

have gained and joyed after two days of yacht fishing 

competition experience. 

At 6:00 a.m. on the 19th, at the Clear Water Bay 

International Yacht Wharf, following the command of 

the chief referee, the contestants set sail on time in four 

yachts. 

In this sea fishing competition, the ranking is based on the total weight caught by the four athletes of each team in two 

days. In the end, the Sanya Wuzhou team won the first place in the team's total weight, the Sanya Jingzhou team and the 

Sanya Qixinge team won the second and third place respectively in the team's total weight; the Hainan Diaopinge Sea 

Fishing Club team won the first place in the single-tail heavy 

weight. 

This event is not only a sea fishing competition, but also a 

holiday feast for sea fishing enthusiasts. While the competition 

provides fishing friends from all over the country with an 

opportunity to communicate, it also injects new elements 

and new vitality into the sea fishing competition. Vigorous 

development injects new strength. 

The holding of this sea fishing festival and elite competition 

is an effective attempt to the yacht sea fishing competition and 

the sea fishing industry culture. The healthy and sustainable 

development of China's sea fishing industry. 

In order to protect the ecological environment and implement 

green fishing, this Sea Fishing Elite Invitational Tournament 

releases all the catches caught in the competition into the sea. 

ecology. 

It is hoped that more fishermen will always adhere to the 

concept of green ecological development while picking up fishing 

rods, colliding with and communicating with the depth of the 

sea, and integrate "ecological +" thinking into sea fishing. I also 

hope that every sea fishing enthusiast can become a volunteer for 

the promotion of green fishing, contribute to China's green sea 

fishing, and inject fresh vitality into competitive sea fishing. 

The 2022 China Sea Fishing Festival and China Sea Fishing 

Elite Invitational Tournament is hosted by the China Fishing 

Sports Association, the Hainan Provincial Department of 

Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports, and the People's 

Government of Lingshui Li Autonomous County. Co-organized 

by Beijing) Culture Co., Ltd., with strong support from China

Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China Diaojuli (Beijing) Sports Culture Co., Ltd., Hainan Agile Ling 

Shuiqingshuiwan Yacht Club Branch. Thanks to Beijing X7, COFCO Great Wall Sanggan Winery, Kuaishou Fishing 

and other brands for sponsoring and supporting this event.

FEATURE 

Marketing 

WHY YOU 

SHOULD BE 

AN ONLINE 

EXPERT 

In this day and age, most people turn to the internet for information or advice. 

So it makes sense to not only be visible but to be seen as an expert in your field. 

Consultant John Hunter explains how you can find own your niche… 

Imagine you want information on 

tackle, advice on a specific fishing 

technique or even tips on how to catch 

that next big fish. 

Where do you turn for that helpful data? 

The internet of course and, more often than 

not, good old Google. 

And if you are doing it then you can bet 

your bottom dollar your customers are too. 

So, while they are searching, wouldn’t it be 

great – and help boost your sales – if they 

came across you, your brand or your store? 

Even better – how about if they not only 

saw what you do but started reading about 

it and gleaning knowledge as a direct result? 

Now you have become the expert and, 

because they have gathered that information 

from you, they are more likely to trust your 

brand or retail outlet as something that 

knows what it’s talking about it. 

TALKING THE TALK 

Of course, this doesn’t just happen by 

accident. You need to engineer this scenario 

but it’s easier than you think and could keep 

you a step ahead of your competitors, unless 

they are reading this column too, of course! 

Step one – naturally enough – is to 

ensure you actually have a decent amount of 


knowledge of the topic in question. So if you 

are a competent lure angler, then read round 

the subject and stay up to date with the latest 

trends and product lines. 

If you’re into carp, then knowing the 

must-have or fashionable brands, favoured 

setups, winning baits and more are all useful 

pieces of information. 

If you know how to catch a certain species 

of fish and you or one of your team can offer 

examples of how you have done it, then that 

will stand you in good stead. 

CONTENT CREATION 

Now you can start demonstrating that 

knowledge. 

Write blog posts for your website and 

research how to use keywords to attract 

further attention, direct relevant traffic and 

potentially boost your ranking in search 

engines. 

Post your latest captures and a few hints 

or tips about how you achieved them on 

your social media feeds. Again, hashtags and 

keywords are crucial to reaching a larger 

audience as people will find you through 

them. 

But don’t make it hard sell – most of your 

readers are looking for help. But do drop in 

some suggested tackle or bait to make their 

choice easier. 

ANSWER THE QUESTION 

Get involved with forums, follow key social 

media groups and pages and monitor them 

for questions or relevant comments. 

Responding with a helpful answer from 

time to time will enhance your reputation 

as an expert to be trusted and, when they 

need to find the right gear, lure or bait, they 

will come looking for yours. 

Of course, it won’t happen overnight but, 

in time, you will start to see the fruits of 

your labours as you gain a wider audience 

and more potential customers, ultimately 

leading to more sales. 

• John Hunter is the director of 

HunterMedia, a global PR, marketing 

and events consultancy with more than 25 

years of tackle industry experience. 

Hunter Media 

john@hunter-media.co.uk 

wwwhuntermedia.co.uk

Advertise Here 

NORTH AMERICA BART MANGANIELLO T: +1 914 722 7601 E: bartalm@optonline.net 

REST of WORLD GUIDO KNEGT T: +39 347 503 6436 E: guido.knegt@dhpub.co.uk 

SPLIT RING PLIERS 

4 Sizes 

CLASSIFIEDS 

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The EASIEST... The FASTEST... The BESTEST... 

for changing hooks or spinner blades 

visit www.TexasTackle.com for demo video 

WHOLESALE ONLY 

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- pole floats 

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- bolognese 

...and much more 

shingoats.net@gmail.com 

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Inventory volume 

to support 

REAL wholesale 

Call us to open an account today! 

(360) 681-2381 

Or email us at 

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visit our website 

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® 

COMING UP… 

MARCH 2023 ISSUE 

Ad Copy: Jan 27th, 2023 

Mailed: Feb 15th, 2023 

Special issue: Fly Fishing 

Spotlight: Rods 

Doing Business With: California 

APRIL 2023 ISSUE 

Ad Copy: Feb 24th, 2023 

Mailed: March 15th, 2023 

Special issue: Saltwater Fishing 

Spotlight: Lures 

Doing Business With: Denmark 

MAY 2023 ISSUE 

Ad Copy: March 24th, 2023 

Mailed: April 13th, 2023 

Special issue: Inshore Fishing 

Spotlight: Eyewear 

Doing Business With: Texas 

To submit news or editorial for 

any of these issues, contact: 

To advertise or discuss a marketing campaign in any of these editions, 

contact our business development team: 

EDITOR 

JOHN HUNTER 

T: + 44 (0)7990 542958 

E: john.hunter@dhpub.co.uk 

NORTH AMERICA 

BART MANGANIELLO 

T: +1 914 722 7601 

E: bartalm@optonline.net 

REST of WORLD 

GUIDO KNEGT 

T: +39 347 503 6436 

E: guido.knegt@dhpub.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL 

GET BACK TOGETHER 

AND CONNECT! 

If you want to do business in a great environment and showcase all your latest products 

then there’s nothing quite like the European Fishing Tackle Trade Exhibition (EFTTEX), which 

returns this summer. 

After almost four years, 

EFTTEX – the industry’s 

only European fishing tackle 

trade show – will be making a 

welcome return this June in the stunning 

location of Budapest, Hungary. 

The event – taking place at the 

HungExpo exhibition centre from June 

15th to 17th – is a vital connection point 

for everyone within the industry. 

It’s a great opportunity to get 

back together under one roof, giving 

manufacturers and brands the chance to 

meet and connect with old customers 

and meet potential new ones. 

Being together also means you can 

gather more knowledge and information 

about all the latest trends in the tackle 

industry while also learning from others. 

Exhibitor registration is now open 

and not only gives you access to early 

choice of space on the floorplan but all 

exhibitors will get additional support, 

including packing and logistics help, IT, 

marketing and app development help. 

Gain maximum exposure for your 

brand and your latest tackle and 


equipment through the 2023 Best 

New Product Showcase. Entrants 

can nominate up to 14 products to be 

included in the judging process, with 

prestigious awards up for grabs once 

more. 

Not only will the popular Gala Dinner 

be making a welcome return but it will 

be free for exhibitors. The organisers are 

The EFTTEX BNP judging team. 

promising a real party to celebrate this 

long-awaited reunion. 

REaCh OUT TO ThE WORLD 

In addition to the huge benefits of 

being able to meet in person once again, 

exhibitors will also benefit from costeffective 

marketing that will be available 

not just to fellow industry buyers but

EFTTEX 2023 

ADVERTORIAL 

to the tackle-buying public too, making 

EFTTEX not just a tackle exhibition 

but a vital marketing tool to help your 

brand and products reach more people 

than ever before. 

You could reach up to one million 

anglers across Europe not to mention 

sending out weekly messages to 

registered visitors, helping you reconnect 

and find new ways of doing 

business. 

In addition, exhibitors will also be able 

to take advantage of half-price meeting 

rooms, perfect for private gatherings 

with coffee and soft drinks available to 

ensure a relaxed and inviting business 

environment. 

EFTTEX 

www.efttex.com 

Why exhibit at EFTTEX 2023? 

1. Meet and connect with potential 

clients. 

2. Increase your brand awareness in 

the Best New Product Showcase 2023 

3. Gain more industry knowledge, 

close deals and learn from others. 

4. Join the free Gala Dinner and 

celebrate the EFTTEX reunion 

5. Benefit from cost-effective 

marketing 

6. First time exhibitor’s package is 

available (for European companies 

only) 

7. Free lunch voucher package, 

according to your booth’s size. 


43

Fishing Ferrari RIGEL is a reel with small dimensions and great 

power. Ultra-light and excellent for mounting on Bolognese 

and small spinning rods. It features an aluminum spool and 

an oversized bail arm. 

JUST TRY IT, IN GOOD SHOPS NOW! 

lineaeffe.it

Tackle Trade World - January 2023

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