Angling Trade 2014-15 Winter Issue

INSIDE THE WINTER 2014-2015 ISSUEWhy Wild Fish Matter Most/What We Know About Retailers/What Retailers Need to Know About Customers/ A Book for a Country/Urgency in Utah... And More.

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ecember 2014

Departments6 EDITOR ’S COLUMN

It’s On Us Now, Folks. If anyone is really going to protect stream access rights in places like Utah, it will be us. As in, the entire industry. Working together. Let’s not just try to hang in there. Let’s commit to win this thing. By Kirk Deeter

8 CURRENTS The latest news, reviews, and other informational tidbits that affect the fly-fishing industry in North America and beyond.

30 BOOK REV IEW

It Takes a Country

Jim Klug’s new book Fly Fishing Belize is far more layered than one man’s adventures in a tropical paradise. We report from the launch party in Belize City, where guides, lodges, and others are literally changing

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38 B ACKC AST

Steelhead and Third Kind Encounters. By Geoff Mueller

Editor Kirk [email protected]

Managing Editor Tim [email protected]

Art DirectorTara [email protected]

Editor-at-LargeGeoff Mueller

Copy EditorsMabon Childs, Sarah Deeter

Contributing EditorsTom BieBen RomansSteven B. Schweitzer Photos unless noted by Tim Romano

Angling Trade is published four times a year by Angling Trade, LLC. Author and photographic submissions should be sent electronically to [email protected]. Angling Trade is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and/or photo submissions. We ask that contributors send formal queries in advance of submissions. For editorial guidelines and calendar, please contact the editor via E-mail.

Printed in the U.S.A.

Advertising Contact: Tim Romano Telephone: 303-495-3967

Fax: 303-495-2454 [email protected]

Mail Address:PO Box 17487Boulder, CO 80308

Street Address:3055 24th StreetBoulder, CO 80304

AnglingTrade.com

Features20 LET THE WILD RUMPUS START

*CVEJGTKGU�CPF�UVQEMGF�ƂUJ�CTG�ETKVKECN�VQ�UWRRQTVKPI�VJG�ƃ[�ƂUJKPI�KPFWUVT[��$WV�VJG�long-term viability of this business depends on our collective ability to bring back, and UWUVCKP��YKNF�ƂUJGTKGU��HTQO�VJG�UVGGNJGCF�coasts to native brook trout streams. By Geoff Mueller

26 WHAT WE ’VE LEARNED ABOUT OURSELVES

For the past few years, Angling Trade has been conducting informal polls as part of its monthly E-newsletter series. The answers from retailers throughout the country shed an interesting light on key issues… where we stand, and where we are going.

By Kirk Deeter

32 DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHO YOU’RE SELL ING TO?Understanding your consumers, and more importantly, knowing the paths they take that ultimately lead them to your cash register, are the keys to modern sales success. By Steve Schweitzer

B E L I Z E

Photography & Text by

Jim Klug

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If you want to stay in the loop with the latest

information related to the business of fly fishing

as it happens, be sure that your information is

up to date in the Angling Trade database.

It’s free. No hassles. Just information.

We simply want to be sure we have accurate info on who you are, where you are, and what you do in this industry.

Please help us so we can continue to help you.

Thank you.

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E D I TO R ’ S C O L U M N

/�i�yÞ�wÃ��}�LÕÃ��iÃÃ�V��Õ��ÌÞ�may be small, but we can pack a punch and get things done when we resolve to work together. If you wonder about the mouse that roars, ask Northern Dynasty how things are shaking out on the Pebble Mine these days. That’s not done by any stretch, but I’m pretty sure 10 years ago the mining companies had no idea what a V�>��Ì��v�>�}ÀÞ�yÞ�>�}�iÀÃ]�}��iÌÌ-ers, hunters, and natives could do.

Why don’t we do that when it comes to stream access, particularly in places like Utah?

I actually have a theory. There are two parts. Part one is the elephant in the room, in that some entities (and

we won’t name names) are fearful of angering Big Daddy who writes the checks. Big Daddy is all about V��ÃiÀÛ>Ì��>�`�}��`�wÃ��}]��i�just doesn’t want people traipsing through his river.

Part two is the pie-in-the sky situ-ation. No matter how you slice it, stream access is a highly compli-cated, nuanced deal, that must be addressed at the state level. I’m all for a federal declaration of angling independence that would grant me access to wade wherever I want. But that’s because I’m not Big Daddy.

Thing is, that’s never, ever, ever going to happen, because there’s no way to compensate those who “have” for what would be taken away from them to give to the “have-nots.” That would have to happen in America. That’s why nobody suggests solving the homeless problem by mandat-ing that every landowner with 100 acres or more dedicate a section of land for people to camp on. That’s why nobody is ever going to take away your guns (despite what some say), because the government won’t spend the billions it would take to buy those guns back.

We lose credibility when we only look at the big picture, and don’t strategi-cally address the details. We need to pick and choose our battles, and w}�Ì�}ÕiÀÀ��>�ÃÌÞ�i]�Ü�iÀi�Üi�Ì��we can win.

Utah is a place where we can win, if we get focused, and united, and resolved. Because in that case, we’re looking at shifting the paradigm away from what was. We can make an argument that the new rules would take away from the many and award the few.

As a baseline, let’s, as an industry, decide that we won’t tilt the lance

Let’s Stop Messing Around on Utah

at every windmill we encounter, but we won’t backpedal on access rights where they exist now. I live in Colo-rado. I knew the deal before I moved here. I’d rather we focus efforts on keeping Montana, and Utah, and other places with more enlightened stream access laws, the way they are, rather than wasting time on that issue in my own state.

Why? Because that’s ultimately good for the sport. As a whole. It’s good for the shop in Michigan to have an open access law in Montana, and vice versa.

I recently talked with Bryan Gregson about all of this, and I cannot help but admire the guy, because while he has moved out of Utah, and now trav-els the world shooting photos for Yel-low Dog, the man still cares enough Ì��Ài�>��i�}>}i`��Ì�i�1Ì>��w}�Ì°��/�>Ì½Ã�>�yÞ�wÃ��}��iÀ�]��Ì�>�«iÀÃ��who can cast far, or tie a special bug, or write an interesting story.

Now we’ve reached a phase where the Utah Stream Access Coalition and �Ì�iÀÃ�>Ài�}��}�Ì��Li�L�i`��ÕÌ�w�>�-cially by the real estate interests. The �i}>��w}�Ì��Ã�}��}�Ì��}iÌ�iÛi��Ài�expensive and ugly, or we’re going to get TKO’d.

They say they must raise $100,000 to ÃÌ>Þ��Ì�i�w}�Ì°��>Ã�]�Ü�Þ�`��½Ì�Üi�À>�Ãi�f£��>�`�Ü��Ì�i�w}�Ì¶��

Some businesses have done plenty of heavy lifting already. AFFTA has been engaged. Thank you. Some, even within Utah, have been AWOL. Please get with the program. If we can win this one, and there’s money left over, trust me, there will be plenty of access w}�ÌÃ�>�`��Ì�iÀ�Ì��}Ã�Ì��Ã��`ÕÃÌÀÞ�should advocate for in the future. 7i½��w�`�>�Ü>Þ�Ì��ÕÃi�Ì�>Ì�Ü>À�V�iÃÌ°�

-Kirk Deeter, Editor

7


ecember 2014

© Dan Leavens Photo

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C U R R E N T S

CURRENTS

News from the Fly-Fishing Industry

TU Puts Wild Steelhead at the Forefront with Far Bank Support

On Nov. 20, Trout Unlimited launched the Wild Steelhead Initiative, an ambitious and hopeful project to protect and restore wild steelhead >�`�Ì�i�wÃ��}��««�ÀÌÕ��Ì�iÃ�Ì�iÞ�provide throughout their native range in Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

The heart of the Initiative will be a new community, Wild Steelheaders United, which is being established to inform, organize and activate anglers (regardless of preferred gear type) to protect and recover wild steelhead. In short, Wild Steelheaders United is a home to anyone who believes in the V��µÕiÃÌ�Ì��«À�ÌiVÌ�Ì�iÃi�wÃ�°

The Initiative will focus on river systems that have high potential to ÃÕ««�ÀÌ�À�LÕÃÌ]�wÃ�>L�i�Ü��`�ÃÌii��i>`�populations, while accepting that properly managed steelhead hatcheries �>Þ�Li�>««À�«À�>Ìi�Ì��«À�Û�`i�wÃ��}�and harvest opportunity in rivers that no longer have the capacity to support wild steelhead. This effort will begin in the Western states and as it grows, expand eastward into the Great Lakes region as funding and resources permit.

The Initiative will address both habitat protection/restoration and steelhead policy and management so that all of

the “Hs” (habitat (including hydro), hatcheries, and harvest) are aligned so that wild steelhead can thrive.

Please join the Wild Steelheaders United at the newly launched website, wildsteelheaders.org.

Also please note that Far Bank has V��i��>Ã�Ì�i�wÀÃÌ��>��À��`ÕÃÌÀÞ�supporter of the Wild Steelhead ��Ì�>Ì�Ûi°��º-Ìii��i>`�wÃ��}��Ã��ÕÀ�heritage and a major part what we do here at Sage, Redington, and RIO and we are extremely proud to be a partner with Trout Unlimited and the Wild Steelhead Initiative,” the company said in a recent release.

More information will be coming soon. Stay tuned to tu.org, and their Facebook and Twitter pages to learn more about TU’s newest effort.

This is the next major push, the next cause, and the next catalyst for }>�Û>��â��}�Ì�i�yÞ��`ÕÃÌÀÞ�Li��`�>�common conservation goal. Please plan to be a part.

Utah Stream Access Update

From the Utah Stream Access Coalition (USAC):

After just over four years of persistent effort, both stream access cases are CRRTQCEJKPI�ƂPCN�resolution at the district court level. A

third court hearing in the Provo (right-to-use) case is scheduled before Judge Derek Pullan on December 22, 2014. Depending on the outcome, a short trial before Judge Pullan could soon follow. The Weber (navigable-for-title) case is scheduled for a 4-day trial before Judge Keith Kelly the last week of January 2015, which should resolve all issues in that matter. Once resolved at the district court level, both cases will likely end up in front of the Utah Supreme Court.

If all goes according to plan, one or both of the district courts will issue VJGKT�ƂPCN�TWNKPIU�DGHQTG�VJG�GPF�QH�VJG�upcoming Legislative Session, giving GNGEVGF�QHƂEKCNU�UQOGVJKPI�VQ�VJKPM�about while both cases are appealed to the Utah Supreme Court.

USAC is immensely proud of the progress our pro bono legal counsel has OCFG�UKPEG�VJG�ƂTUV�ECUG�YCU�ƂNGF�KP�November of 2010.

For over four years they have done an outstanding job representing YOUR interests and defended YOUR rights, and they have done so without charging USAC a dime, because they believe that the public has every right to lawfully use the resource that it owns… the public waters of Utah.

It’s time to replenish the war chest. Even though USAC’s attorneys have been working free-of-charge, there are UVKNN�UKIPKƂECPV�NGICN�EQUVU�CUUQEKCVGF�with this process—fees for court recorders, transcriptions, depositions, GZRGTV�TGVCKPGTU��CPF�EQWTV�ƂNKPIU��USAC has been able to meet these legal costs by carefully managing its “war chest,” which was built from the generous and thoughtful donations of its members, and friends.

Looking forward, USAC will soon be facing the costs associated with two concurrent appeals to the Utah Supreme Court. This Holiday season, we’re asking you, those who believe in what we are doing, to show what this UVTGCO�CEEGUU�ƂIJV�OGCPU�VQ�[QW��[QWT�children, and to all future generations of (anglers).

Article XVII of the Utah Constitution states:

All existing rights to the use of any of the waters in this State for any useful �À�Li�iwV�>��«ÕÀ«�Ãi]�>Ài��iÀiLÞ�ÀiV�}��âi`�>�`�V��wÀ�i`°

continued on next page...

S c o t t F l y R o d C o m p a n y | 2 3 5 5 A i r P a r k Wa y, M o n t r o s e , C o l o r a d o 8 1 4 0 1 | 9 7 0 - 2 4 9 - 3 1 8 0 | s c o t t f l y r o d . c o m

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C U R R E N T S

said Al Perkinson, vice president of marketing for Costa, upon receiving only the second Lefty Kreh Sportsman �v�Ì�i�9i>À�ƂÜ>À`�vÀ��Ì�i��iwÃ��and Tarpon Trust (BTT). Perkinson accepted the prestigious honor at Ì�i�ÀiVi�Ì��ÌiÀ�>Ì��>��iwÃ��>�`�Tarpon Trust Symposium.

The BTT awards selection committee chose Perkinson because of his leadership, strategic direction and dedication towards Project Permit, the joint effort between Costa and BTT to Ì>}��Ài�Ì�>��È]äää�«iÀ��Ì��wÛi�Þi>ÀÃ�across Florida, Mexico, Belize and the Caribbean. The research generated from the catch-and-tag retrieval will help policy-makers and regulators reach informed decisions about protecting permit wÃ�iÀ�iÃ°�/�i�`>Ì>�Ü��>�Ã��i�«�Ì��shed light on questions such as: are Ì�i�«iÀ��Ì�Ì�>Ì�Ã«>Ü��>ÀÌ�wV�>��ÀiivÃ�off southwest Florida the same permit that inhabit the Florida Keys, or do they come from elsewhere; are the permit of Mexico a single large population, or are permit populations regional?

“Project Permit is very much a grassroots efforts, calling on anglers and guides to tag permit and retrieve tags for the BTT to analyze,” said Perkinson. “But we believed—and Üi�ÃÌ��Li��iÛip��L>V��}�wÃ�iÀ�iÃ�management procedures with true ÃV�i�Ì�wV�`>Ì>]�>�`��L��â��}�Ì�i�angling community to help protect Ì�i�wÃ�iÀ�iÃ�Üi��Ûi°»

This is only the second time the Lefty Kreh Sportsman of the Year Award, sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, has Lii��>�`i`��ÕÌ°�/�i�wÀÃÌ�>Ü>À`�was given to Bernard “Lefty” Kreh himself at the previous International BTT Symposium held in 2011. The recognition is awarded every three years to a person who has shown


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Books & DVDs

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In recognition of Article XVII USAC has set a fundraising goal of $17,000 by January 1, 2015. We want to exceed this goal and we can only do so with your help. We are asking each and every member to contribute $17 to help replenish our war chest in anticipation of our dual appeals to the Utah Supreme Court.

If you want your constitutional rights to use Utah’s rivers and streams restored, now is the time to give. Of course, we understand that Holiday budgets are tight, therefore we will gladly accept whatever you can contribute—$1, $5, or $10 will still help.

Go to www.utahstreamaccess.org and do the right thing.

People News

Costa’s Al Perkinson Accepts the Lefty Kreh Sportsman of the ;GCT�#YCTF�HTQO�$QPGƂUJ�CPF�Tarpon Trust

“We wanted to make a difference, and we wanted it to matter in the end,”

CALLING ALL GUIDES

APRIL 24-25MISSOULA, MONTANA

Come meet, greet, and get

tips on how to make the 2015

guide season rock. Events

conclude with Saturday’s

infamous Down the Hatch

Festival, open to the public.

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�ƂNOU��

cold beer, and good times.

For more details and to register online, visit orvis.com/OGR.

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C U R R E N T S

�i>ìÀÃ��«��Ì�i�wÃ��}��`ÕÃÌÀÞ�toward conservation, innovation, promotion, and conservation of L��iwÃ�]�Ì>À«��]�«iÀ��Ì]�>�`��Ì�iÀ�V�>ÃÌ>��}>�iwÃ�°

“Al has been instrumental in making Costa one of the top conservation ÃÕ««�ÀÌiÀÃ��Ì�i�wÃ��}��`ÕÃÌÀÞ]»�said Dr. Aaron Adams, director of operations for the BTT. “His vision and energy helped to get Project Permit started, and has been critical to keeping the program moving forward. Without Pro-ject Permit we would not have made the strides in permit conservation that we have so far.” For more information on Project Permit, visit www.projectpermit.com.

Umpqua Promotes Brian Schmidt to Fly Manager

Umpqua has announced that Brian Schmidt �>Ã�Ì>�i��ÛiÀ�Ì�i�yÞ�manager role for recently retired Bruce Olson. In his new role at Umpqua, Schmidt will continue to be responsible for assuring the quality of Umpqua y�iÃ]�Ã�ÕÀV��}�yÞ�ÌÞ��}��>ÌiÀ�>�Ã]�>�`�playing the key role in selecting the �iÜ�yÞ�«>ÌÌiÀ�Ã�Ì��Li��ÌÀ�`ÕVi`��Ì��1�«µÕ>½Ã�Û>ÃÌ��vviÀ��}��v�y�iÃ°��i�Ü��also head up Umpqua’s Signature Fly �iÃ�}�iÀ�,�Þ>�ÌÞ�*À�}À>�]�Ì�i�wÀÃÌ�program of its kind in the industry that ÀiV�}��âiÃ]�ÀiÜ>À`Ã�>�`�«À��ÌiÃ�yÞ�designers for their creativity.

“It’s an honor and privilege to work so closely with the most creative and ��Û>Ì�Ûi��`Ã��yÞ�ÌÞ��}�>�`�Ì��continue to focus on the traditions and ideals that Dennis Black founded this company upon,” said Schmidt.

-V��`Ì�LiV>�i�>�yÞ��Õ��i�>Ì�>��early age, cutting his teeth on the limestone creeks of southeastern Pennsylvania. After attending Penn State University with a focus on “the drag free drift,” Brian moved to the Front Range of Colorado in 2002 where he worked as a guide and managed the Fly Tying Department at Front Range Anglers. In 2006 Schmidt started working for Umpqua �>�`��}��iÜ�yÞ�ìÛi��«�i�Ì�>�`�quality control. Since that time he has created and introduced some of

Ì�i��ÃÌ��Û>Ì�Ûi�Ü>À��Ü>ÌiÀ�y�iÃ�iÛiÀ�Ãii��yÞ�wÃ��}��V�Õ`��}�Ì�i�Schmidterbug, Schmidterbait and SpookR, along with many other unique and effective trout patterns.

Barker Now Interim Head of OIA

The Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) board of directors recently announced that Steve Barker, founder and former owner of Eagle Creek, has been appointed as interim executive director for the organization, effective immediately. As interim executive director, Steve will provide a stable and consistent leadership presence for OIA staff while the board conducts a national search for a permanent OIA executive director.

“With deep roots in the outdoor industry and in-depth knowledge of OIA, Steve is the ideal candidate to lead the organization in this time of transition,” said Jennifer Mull, OIA board chair, on behalf of OIA’s board. “Steve’s role is to create a culture of collaboration with members and other key stakeholders and provide stable organizational leadership to allow the staff to continue positive momentum in ÃÕ««�ÀÌ��v�"�Ƃ½Ã�ìw�i`��ÃÃ��>�`�annual goals as stated in the board-approved strategic plan.”

With over 40 years in the outdoor industry, Steve’s passion for the products and work of OIA member


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C U R R E N T S

companies runs deep. Steve and his wife, Nona, founded Eagle Creek in 1975. The company was sold to VF Corporation in 2007. Steve served on the OIA board of directors for ten years, including two years as board chair from 2001 to 2003.

“OIA plays a critical role in supporting outdoor industry companies to thrive and grow,” said Barker. “The industry is in the midst of unprecedented change with shifting business models, changing consumer behavior and the need for adaptable and sustainable supply chains. OIA is well positioned to collaborate with members and provide them with tools and guidance, so they can operate successfully in a constantly evolving marketplace.”

OIA’s Boulder and Washington D.C. staff will continue to support the organizational mission to ensure the growth and success of the outdoor industry. OIA staff is focused on the following strategic areas to help members keep pace with the changing business landscape:

U��ÃÕ�iÀ��v�Ì�i��ÕÌÕÀi�«À�Û�`iÃ�greater understanding of the emerging outdoor consumer and how that consumer will impact our business models

U�,iVÀi>Ì��v�Ì�i��ÕÌÕÀi��vviÀÃ�greater understanding of how V��ÃÕ�iÀÃ�>Ài�`iw��}�ÀiVÀi>Ì��and increased advocacy efforts for recreation infrastructure and access

U�ÕÃ��iÃÃ��v�Ì�i��ÕÌÕÀi�v�VÕÃiÃ��ensuring supply chain resilience, protecting brand reputations, reducing exposure and improving product quality

The outdoor industry employs more than 6 million people in the U.S., contributing more than $640 billion in consumer spending to the economy.

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Fishpond, Inc. has added several new members to its sales team, including Jamie Lyle and #NGZ�4COKTG\�covering four western states, and 4WDGP�$TGKVMTGWV\��5VÅRJCPG�2GNEJCV�and $QD�/E-GP\KG in Canada.

Jamie and Alex run Outdoor Specialty Products and represent Sage, Redington, >�`�,�"��>``�Ì��Ì��wÃ�«��`��Ì�i�yÞ�wÃ��}�Ã«>Vi�v�À�>��v�À��>]�ƂÀ�â��>]�Hawaii and Nevada.

“We know the quality of the people Li��`�wÃ�«��`�>�`�Ì�i�À�V��Ì�i�Ì�Ì��design innovation, quality product, reliable supply, and resource stewardship, so we are excited to be working with such an innovative and authentic brand,” said Lyle.

Ruben Breitkreutz will represent wÃ�«��`��À�Ì�Ã��Õ�L�>]�Ƃ�LiÀÌ>]�Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. Agence Pelchat, lead by Stéphane, with help from �À�Ã��i}iÀ]�Ü��>�>}i�wÃ�«��`�v�À�Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. Bob McKenzie will Ài«ÀiÃi�Ì�wÃ�«��`��"�Ì>À��°

2TGUVKP�,QKPU�4GFKPIVQP�CU�$TCPF�Manager

Redington announced the hire of Josh Prestin as Redington brand manager.

Prestin comes to Redington from >Li�>½Ã�Ü�iÀi��i�Ü>Ã�Ì�i�yÞ�wÃ��}�category specialist since 2010. Josh also taught journalism and writing at the university level and freelanced for numerous outdoor and literary publications.

“One of my main initiatives at Redington is to foster a brand voice and presence that speaks to the hard-core angler without alienating the newcomer,” says Josh. “This means bringing a renewed focus on Redington’s relationship with specialty retailers and an emphasis on how our innovative products lead the industry in both performance and value.”

COMPANY NEWS%CDGNCoU�1RGPU�5VQTGU�KP�8KTIKPKC�CPF�Ottawa, Canada

Cabela’s Incorporated announced plans to open stores in two new markets: Gainesville, Va., and Ottawa, Canada. Gainesville: Cabela’s anticipates a spring 2017 opening for the 79,000-square-foot store. It will be located at the intersection of Linton-Hall Road and Lee Highway and will be adjacent the Virginia Gateway Center, a 1.3 million-square-foot shopping center featuring national retail, restaurant and hotel brands. Peterson Companies Inc. is the developer.

Gainesville is now Cabela’s third announced location in Virginia, joining the 82,000-square-foot Bristol store scheduled to open in fall 2015, and the 97,500-square-foot Short Pump location


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expected to open in spring 2016. Cabela’s expects to employ approximately 190 full-time and part-time employees at the store, most of whom will come from Gainesville and the surrounding area.

“The fact that Cabela’s is bringing three new stores to Virginia speaks volumes to the outdoor opportunities and lifestyle in the state, as well as Virginians’ passion for the Cabela’s brand,” said Tommy ��iÀ]�>Li�>½Ã�V��iv�iÝiVÕÌ�Ûi��vwViÀ°�“The Gainesville store also will be a great location for our customers in Maryland and West Virginia.”

The store will be built in Cabela’s new-format layout, designed to surround customers in an outdoor-like experience with a large mountain replica, museum-quality wildlife displays and an aquarium. In addition to thousands of quality outdoor products, the store will include an indoor archery range and archery tech room, Gun Library, Bargain Cave, deli and fudge shop.

Also, it will include a full-service boat shop and a comprehensive selection of Cabela’s Wildlife and Land Management products, including tractors, attachments and implements. Additionally, the store’s staff will host educational seminars and demonstrations throughout the year offering tips and insight on outdoor products and activities.

Ottawa: Construction is scheduled to begin in 2015, and Cabela’s plans to open the store in the spring of 2016. The 70,000-square-foot store will be located near the intersection of Palladium Drive and Highway 417. It will anchor the newly planned Kanata West Centre, which is being developed by Taggart Realty Management.

The store will be Cabela’s second location in Ontario, joining the 70,000-square-foot Barrie location opened in July. Cabela’s expects to hire approximately 175 full-time and part-time employees, most of whom will come from Ottawa and the surrounding area.

C U R R E N T S

Cabela’s Canada was established in 2007 with a store and headquarters for Canadian operations in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 2010, Cabela’s Canada opened its current corporate headquarters and call center in Winnipeg.

Currently, Cabela’s operates 64 stores across North America and has announced plans to open an additional 19 stores over the next two years.

2QPQK�4KXGT�4[CDCIC�%COR�#FFU�0GY�.WZWT[�%CDKP�#EEQOOQFCVKQPU

Over the past decade, the Ponoi River on Russia’s Kola Peninsula has evolved from a relatively unknown and remote waterway to being recognized as one of the greatest Atlantic salmon rivers in the world. The 2014 season was one of the most productive ever with 8,850+ Atlantic salmon caught and released. Frontiers International Travel recently announced that Ryabaga Camp on the Ponoi has upgraded its well-equipped tent camp with a collection of comfortable single-occupancy cabins for Ì�i�Óä£x�Ãi>Ã��°�/��Ã�iÝV�ÕÃ�Ûi�wÃ��}�adventure just became even more deluxe. Contact Frontiers at 1-800-245-1950 to learn more about the Ponoi River and Ryabaga Camp or visit http://www.frontierstravel.com/ponoiriver.

“Anglers will appreciate hand-crafted queen-size beds with comfortable

mattresses, duvets and over-sized Finnish down pillows,” said Frontiers co-owner Mollie Fitzgerald. “The cabins include raised platform decks, en-suite bathrooms, and superb views. They are equipped with Wi-Fi and the generator runs 24/7.”

Located above the Arctic Circle, Ì�i�*��y�ÜÃ�ÜiÃÌ�Ì��i>ÃÌ�v�À�{ää�kilometers before entering the Barents Sea. The watershed runs pristine through largely uninhabited wilderness and is accessible only by helicopter. There is no mining, deforestation, dams, netting, poaching or other encroachment by man, thus the enormous runs of salmon return in much the same numbers they have for thousands of years.


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C U R R E N T S

Umpqua Launches Tongass Waterproof Packs

Umpqua Feather Merchants (Umpqua) �Ã�iÝÌi�`��}��ÌÃ�Ài>V��Ì��Ì�i�yÞ�wÃ��}�packs, bags and vests market with the introduction of its new Tongass line of waterproof packs and bags. The product line up includes the Tongass 650 Waist Pack (SRP $169.99), the Tongass 1100 Backpack (SRP $229.99), the Tongass 5500 Gear Bag (SRP $169.99) and four sizes of Tongass Dry Bags (2L, 10L, 20L and 35L – SRPs $24.99 to $54.99). These products are due in stores by December 2014.

The Tongass 650 Waist Pack and the 1100 Backpack have comfortable, fully-

padded back panels and waist belts with water bottle holders and large pockets that serve as a backup rod carrier, allowing the angler to have a second fully rigged rod out of the way and at the ready. The roomy Tongass 5500 Gear Bag has fully-padded shoulder straps that can Velcro together to create a single handle/strap, as well as a mouth extension on the dual-banded roll-top to provide extra water resistance. And the dry bags feature oval-Ã�>«i`�L>ÃiÃ�Ì��>��Ü�v�À�i>ÃÞ�ÃÌÕvw�}�and prevent rolling.

All Tongass products are constructed with welded 420D polyurethane (PU) nylon waterproof fabric and a thermo polyurethane (TPU) coating on their interiors. The roll top closures are dual-banded and the Tongass 650 Waist Pack features alternate “no-clip” roll-top functionality. All zippers are weather proof, giving the user greater control over the risk of exposure while allowing ease of access to any contents.

Patagonia Asks if You Know Where Your Down Comes From

/�iÀi½Ã�>�Û�`i��iÛiÀÞ�ÀiÌ>��iÀ��yÞ�wÃ��}�should check out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7quQcr4H68

/�i�w��Ü>Ã�`À>Ü��>�`�>��>Ìi`�LÞ�artist Geoff McFetridge and is set to Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper.”

All Patagonia down products now contain only 100% Traceable Down. All of the down in all of their products can be traced back to birds that were never force fed, never live plucked, and they don’t allow blended down, period. Patagonia 100% Traceable Down provides the highest assurance of animal welfare in the apparel industry.

Look deeper look into this story at http://www.patagonia.com/traceabledown.

4+1�1HHGTU�/QTG�5MCIKV�2TQFWEVU

RIO Products has added the Skagit Max Long, the Skagit Max Short VersiTip, and the Skagit Max Long VersiTip to the arsenals

of spey anglers. All additions utilize RIO’s ConnectCore technology with ultra-low stretch cores for the best in casting and angling performance.

The Skagit Max Long is an extended -�>}�Ì��i>`�`iÃ�}�i`�Ì��V>ÃÌ��>À}i�y�iÃ�and the heaviest sink tips with ease. The head is between 27ft and 30ft in length (depending on the size) and ideal for Spey rods of 13’ 6” and longer. Available from 500 grains up to 750 grains, these heads retail for $54.95 and include both a front and back welded loop as well as the Easy ID system to quickly identify the head weight.

Containing a 20-foot Skagit head, the Skagit Max Short VersiTip is ideal for Spey and Switch rods of 12 feet and less and is available in sizes between 400 and 525 grains. The Skagit Max Long VersiTip is available with a 27 to 29 foot head length in 525 grains through 650 grains. Both Skagit VersiTip options include the relevant Skagit Max shooting head along with a balanced set of tips to V�ÛiÀ�V�>�}��}�wÃ��}�V��`�Ì��Ã°�In addition, an appropriately sized ConnectCore shooting line is included, to present anglers with a single package that has everything a spey angler needs to get on the water. Both VersiTip product offerings retail for $159.95 at any RIO dealer.

Find

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FEATURE

Written by By Geoff Mueller

$Q�LQLWLDWLYH�IRU�WKH�VDNH�RI�WKH�VOHHSOHVVWhy Wild Matters

and John McMillan wrote this in their impassioned follow-up, May the Rivers Never Sleep: “The question is [today], will Northwest rivers continue to remain awake with perpetual life; or will their encounters with modern humanity

A River Never Sleeps was published in 1946. In it, Roderick Haig-Brown penned this about the abundant wild steelhead of his January wanderings: “The name almost certainly gave me a mental picture of a fish whose back was a polished

blue-grey like steel and whose

strength was all that steel implies.

One could do a lot worse

than that.”

More than six decades later, father

and son conservationist duo Bill

An angler releases a wild steelhead on a tributary of the Nass River. Photo Roy Tanami


increasingly narrow the life they support with resulting sleep?”

Much has changed between Haig-Brown’s era and contemporary times. Human populations have ballooned. Pavement encroaches upon and, in some instances, smothers the pristine. More anglers, savvier in their technique, better equipped for the task, increase efforts with every new season. And those fish, the brilliant and wild, become more valuable the harder they are to reach. Their growing scarcity sets them on a path toward sacred status.

Nowhere is this truer than with the case for wild steelhead up and down the Pacific coast. Seventy percent of former strongholds in Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and California have been put under federal protection in recent years, while opportunities to catch wild steelhead have spiraled. Threats to native stocks, in no particular order, include hydro development, habitat degradation, harvest, and hatcheries. And, as driven home in Shane Anderson’s excellent film Wild Reverence, they are all symptoms of a greater problem: Humans.

As members of the elite race, we’ve managed to mismanage a beloved species to the brink. And steelhead’s saving grace, according to those in the science community, will rely upon us recognizing the wrong turns and rectifying them.

“There are all these potential problems and there are all these potential solutions,” says John McMillan. “And there is this huge base of anglers who are concerned,

but who are also lacking some important information.” Anglers equipped with the latest science, speaking as a collective voice, he adds, will be a powerful force for preserving wild fish moving forward.

McMillan, who’s worked as a NOAA fisheries biologist across Olympic Peninsula steelhead vestiges for years, this fall snagged the science and conservation directorship title for TU’s new Wild Steelhead Initiative (WSI). Its goal, in a nutshell, is to steer management strategies toward positive results on select steelhead rivers via grassroots efforts. “Without a coherent strategy and sustained action by the people who care most about this iconic fish,” TU says in its WSI manifesto, “factors such as possible future ESA listings and potential overcrowding onto already limited resources could take our wild steelhead fisheries [in the Lower 48 and Alaska] beyond the tipping point.”

TU hopes to piggyback on successes achieved in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region—the anti-mining effort that’s driven anglers, in addition to people from all walks of life, toward one simple, clear conclusion: that despite the potential for short-term gain, there are certain bastions of wild that must be protected for the sake of our mutual self-respect as a race.

Wild steelhead conservation also fits neatly into that sentiment. But the cause is more complex, especially from biological, ecological, and political standpoints. The

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FEATURE

overarching hatchery factor, for

instance, continues to be divisive,

pitting anglers favoring a catch-

and-kill-kill-kill model against wild

fish proponents brandishing science

that says hatcheries aren’t helping.

It doesn’t have to be, McMillan

says. “There are entrenched views

on either side of the debate. Our

goal is to find the common ground

and move forward—for the sake

of the fish, as well as the future of

the sport.”

Deep-seated arguments won’t

be resolved easily but there are

points, McMillan adds, that can

be agreed upon now. Namely, we

want fisheries to remain open.

In addition, we want the ability

to fish for healthy and dynamic

populations of wild steelhead today

and, more importantly, tomorrow.

Achieving “fishable levels” of

wild fish involves improving

and implementing frameworks

that bolster annual escapement

goals on a river-to-river basis. It

means identifying wild steelhead

strongholds and working to protect

them. It’ll include closing hatcheries

on specific rivers, maintaining

others, and it’ll ultimately require a

strategic shift in how these fisheries

are managed by federal, state, and

tribal entities.

The evolution, according to TU’s

VP of Western Conservation, Rob

Masonis, begins with a seamless

coupling of habitat work and fish

management practices. “We see it

as a virtuous cycle,” he says. “As

long as we’re taking care of the

habitats that sustain wild and native

fish, which in turn provide fishing

opportunity, then more people will

care about maintaining the quality

of those habitats into the future.”

This is a key consideration. Yes,

those with decision-making power

must be advocates for habitat. And

certainly, wild fish will prosper from

management practices aligned with

that ideology. At the same time, so

will fishing prospects. What’s good

for wild fish is good for anglers,

after all. And what’s good for

anglers is good business.

Travis Campbell, president and CEO

at Far Bank Enterprises, agrees.

Campbell began talks with TU brass

earlier this year and has since added

Far Bank to the list of Wild Steelhead

Initiative supporters. Maintaining

wÃ�>L�i��iÛi�Ã��v�ÃÌii��i>`�>�`�

prompting a paradigm shift in

wÃ�iÀ�iÃ��>�>}i�i�Ì��Ã�>�Ü�ÀÌ�Þ�

challenge, he says.

“When it comes down to it, we’re a

resource-dependent business. If we

`��½Ì��>Ûi�«�>ViÃ�v�À�«i�«�i�Ì��wÃ��

and ways in which people can access

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LÕÞ�yÞ�wÃ��}�iµÕ�«�i�Ì]»��i�Ã>ÞÃ°�

“If the people whose livelihoods

`i«i�`��Ì�iÃi�wÃ�]�«i�«�i��i�ÕÃ]�

aren’t engaged, then why should a

lay consumer or angler be either?”

For businesses like Far Bank and

co-initiative supporter Costa Del

Mar, advocating for wild fish makes

sense on both economic and

recreational levels. But there are

risks involved, too.

John McMillan resting near one of his secret spots on the OP.


23


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2015

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F3T PREMIERES provide outstanding brand building and fundraising opportunities.Visit www.FlyFilmTour.com/Host-a-Show for more info on how you can host a show in your town!

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FEATURE“My biggest concern is we launch

this thing and get pigeon holed as

‘fly guys’ looking to kill hatcheries,

or us trying to monopolize rivers for

ourselves,” Campbell says. “It’s such

a complex issue, I worry we might

get caught in the weeds rather than

the big picture.”

That macro-viewpoint encompasses

ecosystem-level change and not

just PR value and pats on the

back, he adds. With Bristol Bay,

the “enemy” is obvious. Here, on

the other hand, success hinges on

bringing apologists, antagonists,

friends, foes and all people who

value wild fish into the fold. “It’s a

game of not being focused on the

techniques we use to pursue these

fish and more the fact that we all

share a reverence for where the

places exist and why this species is

so incredible—regardless of how

we go at it.”

While TU prepares to set the stage

for strategic management upheaval

and companies like Far Bank get

fired up on the next en masse

conservation effort, there are, of

course, embattled veterans who’ve

been leading this fight for decades.

In Washington State, these

hardworking acronyms include

Wild Fish Conservancy (WFC),

Native Fish Society (NFS), Wild

Steelhead Coalition (WSC), and

more. TU’s initiative, says WSC

board chair Jonathan Stumpf, has

been well received. The fact TU is

a national-level juggernaut makes

it a potentially powerful ally. Also,

many of these grassroots orgs have

worked with John McMillan in the

past, someone Stumpf considers

an “ideal choice” for WSI’s science

voice.

“We absolutely welcome them

[TU] into the game. You look at

the plethora of issues surrounding

wild steelhead right now and it’s far

more consuming than any single

organization can conquer on its

own,” Stumpf says. “We need to

continue this synergistic effort if

we want to prevail and reverse

these trends.”

While TU can identify river

systems ideal for wild steelhead

management, moving the process

forward depends on the collective

might of anglers and industry

stakeholders pushing the agenda

through the right political channels.

“We’ll do our best to help shape

that process and educate and

motivate anglers to participate,”

McMillan says. “And this is key: The

management of steelhead should

ÀiyiVÌ�Ì�i��«��Ã��v�Ì�i�«i�«�i�

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For rivers to remain sleepless, the

wild to maintain its vitality, we all

must stay awake to the issues at

hand. We can’t do this alone.

Fly Fishing is NOT part of the showIT IS THE SHOW!

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WINSTON-SALEM, NC FEBRUARY 6 & 7

LYNNWOOD, WA FEBRUARY 14 & 15

PLEASANTON, CA FEBRUARY 20, 21 & 22

LANCASTER, PA FEBRUARY 28 & MARCH 1

DENVER, CO JANUARY 9, 10 & 11

MARLBOROUGH, MA JANUARY 16, 17 & 18

SOMERSET, NJ JANUARY 23, 24 & 25

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FEATURE

Written by Kirk Deeter

:H�DVNHG�À\�WDFNOH�GHDOHUV�KRZ�WKH\�IHHO�DERXW�FHUWDLQ�issues, and their candid answers now paint a very interesting picture of where this industry stands.

Survey Says…

For the past few years, Angling Trade has been asking its retailer-readers some pretty pointed questions, and to your great credit, many of you have answered with candor (sometimes, we got well over 100 responses, which isn’t bad, considering that the number of dealers in this country is in the hundreds, total).

So we recently took time to look

through some of the key questions

and where the answers netted out,

and in doing so, came up with a

pretty interesting look at where

things stand now in this business,

and where they’re headed. Follow

along, and see if you agree:

Does your shop intend to drop any product lines you have carried for the past few years as you point VQYCTF�VJG��UCNGU�UGCUQP!

U�9iÃ]�>�`�Ì�>Ì½Ã�>�`i«>ÀÌÕÀi�vÀ��

what we have done recently. (51%,

45 Votes)

27


ecember 2014

FEAT

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U�9iÃ]�Üi�Ü��`À�«�ViÀÌ>��«À�`ÕVÌ�lines, but that’s something we normally do from year to year. (19%, 17 Votes)

U�7i�Ü��ÃÌ�V��Ü�Ì��Ì�i�Ã>�i�product lines we have carried for the past few years. (19%, 17 Votes)

U�7i�ÃÌ��>Ûi�½Ì�ìV�ì`�ÞiÌ°�££¯]�9 Votes)

The takeaway: Many dealers are still searching for the right mix, and have perhaps grown frustrated enough, or tired enough, with certain manufacturer relationships to make changes. The change dynamic is more profound now than it has been. Is this attitude bred from confidence or desperation, maybe both? In any regard, the “we’re going to do business the way we always have” notion is dying… or is already dead.

Please estimate what percentage of your total business involves or revolves around products that are either designed specifically for, or can be applied to, fly fishing for trout. In other words, how much FQ�VTQWV�OCVVGT!

U�nä�«iÀVi�Ì��À��Ài�ÈÇ¯]�nä�6�ÌiÃ®

U�Èä�«iÀVi�Ì��À��Ài�Ó{¯]�Ón�6�ÌiÃ®

U�{ä�«iÀVi�Ì��À��iÃÃ�È¯]�Ç�6�ÌiÃ®

U�Óä�«iÀVi�Ì��À��iÃÃ�Î¯]�{�6�ÌiÃ®

U��>Ûi��ì>�ä¯]�ä�6�ÌiÃ®

The takeaway: The fly-fishing world, for better or worse, clearly spins on an axis of trout fishing. Unless you operate in a clear-cut saltwater environment, you have a vested interest in the natural resources that

make trout fishing better. Without trout, this industry doesn’t exist.

+U�ECTR�ƃ[�ƂUJKPI�TGCNN[�C�XKCDNG�UCNGU�RNCVHQTO�HQT�[QWT�ƃ[�UJQR�QT�PQV!

U��Ãii�Ã��i]�LÕÌ��Ì��ÕV�]�Ã>�iÃ�benefit, and I think the potential is limited (49%, 31 Votes)

U��Ãii��Õ}i�«�Ìi�Ì�>�]�>�`�>��already selling carp products to the benefit of my bottom line (37%, 23 Votes)

U��ÕÃÌ�`��½Ì��Üo�Ì�i��ÕÀÞ��Ã�ÃÌ��out (11%, 7 Votes)

U��Ì��Ì½Ã�>�Ì�Ì>��v>`Æ��Ì��V>À«�are trash fish, and I want no part of it (3%, 2 Votes)

The takeaway: Carp and other warmwater species are factors worth considering. That probably depends a lot on where you are located. It isn’t a cure-all, but retailers who ignore this potential completely do so at their own risk.

Help us understand just how FGFKECVGF�VJG�CXGTCIG�ƃ[�ƂUJKPI�consumer in America really is. In your estimation, how many times (a few hours or more) per year does your average customer actually get on the water to IQ�ƂUJKPI!

U�£ä�Óä�Ì��iÃ�>�Þi>À�{ä¯]�{£�6�ÌiÃ®

U��iÃÃ�Ì�>��£ä�Ì��iÃ�>�Þi>À�ÎÎ¯]�Î{�Votes)

U�Óä�Îä�Ì��iÃ�>�Þi>À�£{¯]�£{�6�ÌiÃ®

U��Ài�Ì�>��Îä�Ì��iÃ�>�Þi>À�£ä¯]�10 Votes)

U��>Ûi��ì>�Î¯]�Î�6�ÌiÃ®

The takeaway: We cater to a world of amateurs. Almost 75 percent of our customer base fishes fewer than 20 times a year, counting a few hours at a time. They sit on their toilets more in a given year than they actually fish. (Which is exactly why Charlie Meyers and I wrote The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing.) Seriously, we need to be tuned into means of satisfying the thirst for knowledge, and connection to the sport, in ways that transcend actual time on the water.

Which best describes your typical YCNM�KP��PQP�HN[�CPINGT�EQPUWOGT!

U��ÕÃÌ�«>ÃÃ��}�Ì�À�Õ}�o�Ã��««��}�the area and other stores, and happens to pop in. (34%, 11 Votes)

U�Ƃ��ÕÌ`��À�>v�V��>`��iÀ]�camper, etc.), interested in fly fishing. (31%, 10 Votes)

In any regard, the “we’re going to do business the way we always have” notion is dying… or is already dead.

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FEATUREU��iV��Þi>�°��½��Ãi��}��Ài�

product in this niche, even to non-

competitive anglers, and I think it’s

a good way to expand the sport.

(22%, 32 Votes)

U��Ì½Ã��Ì��Þ�VÕ«��v�Ìi>]�LÕÌ��½��

willing to give it a try, and I see

some potential. (15%, 21 Votes)

U��>`�½Ì�Ài>��Þ�Ì��Õ}�Ì�>L�ÕÌ�

this. It doesn’t affect my business

thinking, one way or another. (4%,

6 Votes)

The takeaway: Yowza. Pretty

impassioned responses, one side

or the other. It isn’t yes or no, it’s

heck no, or heck yeah (with reason).

If you think you’re going to do

what Ray Scott did for (or to)

L>ÃÃ�wÃ��}�Ì�À�Õ}��V��«iÌ�Ì�Ûi�

tournaments, I’d take a really hard

look at these responses.

9JGTG�&Q�;QW�5VCPF�QP�(N[�4QF�9CTTCPVKGU!�&Q�[QW�VJKPM�VJKPIU�YKNN�EJCPIG�KP�VJG�PGCT�HWVWTG!

U� �Ì��}�Ü��V�>�}i�Î�¯]�

51 Votes)

U�-��i�V��«>�Þ��À�V��«>��iÃ®��

the industry will introduce specific

rod models that will be sold without

warranties. (28%, 37 Votes)

U�,�`Ã�Ü>ÀÀ>�Ì�iÃ�Ü��Li��vviÀi`�

as insurance policies that

consumers can opt to buy, or not.

(27%, 36 Votes)

U�,�`�Ü>ÀÀ>�Ì�iÃ�Ü��}��>Ü>Þ�

entirely within the next several

years. (6%, 7 Votes)

U�-��i��i�Ã��««��}�v�À�Ã��iÌ��}�

very specific for someone else.

(25%, 8 Votes)

U��>Ûi��`i>É�Ì�iÀ°��¯]�Î�6�ÌiÃ®

U��ÃÌ°�/�iÞ��ÕÃÌ��>««i�i`�Ì��v��`�

the store. (0%, 0 Votes)

The takeaway: Again, it apparently

depends on where your shop is

located. As much as we like to think

outdoor aficionados are seeking

out fly fishing, they aren’t that

aggressive. We need to do more to

bring tire-kickers and others of that

mindset into our stores.

9JCV�FKF�[QW�VJKPM�QH�+(6&��!

U��`°��v�Õ�`�Û>�Õi��Li��}�

there. Worth the effort. (42%, 28

Votes)

U��Ài>Ì°�iÃÌ��½Ûi�iÝ«iÀ�i�Vi`��

years. (33%, 22 Votes)

U��>�À°��Ì½Ã�>L�ÕÌ�>�LÀi>��iÛi��

endeavor for me. (15%, 10 Votes)

U� �Ì�Ü�ÀÌ��Þ�Ì��i°��½��`��i°�

(10%, 6 Votes)

The takeaway: Ah… the great

trade show debate. I have said it

before, and will say it once more:

the trade show’s value is ultimately

determined by what you choose

to put into it, or not. All in all, it

seems that those who do invest

in the trade show are finding it

worthwhile. It’s an asset that is

available, and it’s on the right track.

If it fits in your overall strategy, it

deserves consideration.

In terms of product focus, and the RTQFWEV�OKZ�HQT�YQOGP�VJCV�[QW�are able to sell right now, which DGUV�FGUETKDGU�[QWT�HGGNKPIU!��0QV�'PQWIJ��VQQ�/CP[��QT�LWUV�TKIJV!

U��ÃÌ��Ì��Ì�iÀi½Ã��ÕV��À��v�À�more, and we’ve barely tapped the potential of this demographic. We’re behind the times. (55%, 42 Votes)

U�/�i��ÃÌ��«�ÀÌ>�Ì�Ì��}Ã�v�À��Þ�women customers are waders and clothing. Solve those things, and nothing else matters. (24%, 18 Votes)

U��Ì��Ì�i��Ý��v�«À�`ÕVÌÃ�v�À�women anglers has gotten much better, and I am starting to see profit as a result. I like where things are. (11%, 8 Votes)

U��Ì��Ì�i�«�Ìi�Ì�>��Ã��Ìi`]�and I don’t see the value of spending much more time or effort developing women-targeted fly-fishing products—rods, reels, waders, or clothing. (10%, 8 Votes)

The takeaway: Manufacturers must do a better job. Collectively, they may be trending in the right direction, but they are nowhere near where retailers feel they can or should be. Then again, retailers have room to understand the options that are out there, and how to effectively sell them. This is still a major challenge… and opportunity.

Does Competitive Fly Fishing Sell 2TQFWEV!

U��iV��°��Ì½Ã�>�Ã�>��]�}��V��niche that runs counter to my fly-fishing philosophy, and I want no part of it. (59%, 84 Votes)

29


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FEAT

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The takeaway: We didn’t ask what

you thought of warranties; we asked

what you thought would happen.

Most of you think they’re a fact of

life, and here to stay. That said,

there is interest (maybe hope) that

alternatives will hit the market

sometime soon. Only after the

waters are sufficiently tested will this

issue come into clearer focus. Who

is really going to assume the risks,

and take the lead?

Politically speaking, what best FGUETKDGU�[QWT�XQVKPI�TCVKQPCNG!��What factors dictate how you XQVG�CPF�YJ[!�

U��Ü�À��>��`ÕÃÌÀÞ�Ì�>Ì��Ã�

dependent upon natural resources,

and I vote to protect those

resources and the right for the

public to use them. (40%, 41 Votes)

U��Ü�À��Ã�>��LÕÃ��iÃÃ]�>�`��

am mostly concerned about things

like taxes, the deficit, and other

economic issues. (39%, 40 Votes)

U�"Ì�iÀ��ÃÃÕiÃ��>Ûi��Ài��v�Õi�Vi�

over my vote than the two

mentioned above. (21%, 21 Votes)

The takeaway: We are green at

heart, and we are small business

operators, in equal proportion. As a

result, we comprise a very interesting

political demographic, one that

transcends political boundaries.

We care about money, and we care

>L�ÕÌ�wÃ��}°��Ì�i�i�`]�Üi��ii`�

politicians who understand how the

two can be connected.

Which best describes your feelings on conventional fishing tackle, specifically as it relates to [QWT�DWUKPGUU!

U�Ƃ��v�Ã��}��Ã�}��`�v�Ã��}°�7i�

integrate conventional tackle into

our mix and think fly fishing can

benefit by reaching into that market.

(58%, 21 Votes)

U��Þ�v�Ã��}��Ã��ÌÃ��Ü��`i>�]�>�`��ÌÃ�

traditions should remain distinct and

separate. A fly shop should be a fly

shop with reason. (36%, 13 Votes)

U��ÃÌ��ÕÃÌ�Li�V��Û��Vi`�Ì��Ãii�any tangible sales potential through crossover. (6%, 2 Votes)

The takeaway: Again, probably depends a lot on where you are, and what waters your customers fish. Maybe it’s time for the conventional tackle world to reach further in our direction and show us some love.

We’re getting reports that many in the fly-fishing business have had a good summer sales season. (A lot of that has to do with good water levels in many, but unfortunately not all, areas of the country). So please help us

WPFGTUVCPF�LWUV�JQY�pDCPPGTq� this season was… How do [QW�TCVG�VJG�UWOOGT�QH��DWUKPGUU�YKUG!

U��Ì�Ü>Ã�Ì�i�LiÃÌ�ÃÕ��iÀ�Ã>�iÃ�

season we’ve ever had. (46%, 19

Votes)

U��Ì�Ü>Ã�}��`]�LÕÌ��>Ûi��>`�LiÌÌiÀ°�

(34%, 14 Votes)

U�"ÕÀ�LÕÃ��iÃÃ�Ü>Ã�`�Ü��Ì��Ã�

summer compared to others.

(10%, 4 Votes)

U��Ì�Ü>Ã�>ÛiÀ>}io��Ì�}Ài>Ì]�LÕÌ�

not bad. (7%, 3 Votes)

U��>Ûi�½Ì�v�}ÕÀi`��Ì��ÕÌ�ÞiÌ°�Î¯]�£�

Votes)

The takeaway: A smaller sample

than normal, but maybe that was

because people were too busy

making money to answer survey

questions. This industry can be, and

should be, looking up. For many

(who are still left), the economic

doldrums are over. Yet again, it

depends on where you are, but

where the water is good, the fishing

is good. And where the fishing is

good, the business is good. Let’s

all hope for good water in 2015

and beyond.

Manufacturers must do a better job. Collectively, they may be trending in the right direction, but they are nowhere near where retailers feel they can or should be. Then again, retailers have room to understand the options that are out there, and how to effectively sell them. This is still a major challenge… and opportunity.

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R E C O M M E N D E D R E A D I N G

Drake serves up a strong introduction to kick things off—but in the end, it’s a very soulful book.

Maybe you had to be there to fully understand, but when I see guides and lodge owners from throughout the country, from Ambergris Caye in the north to Punta Gorda in the south, and the Turneffe Atoll offshore--all reveling in the fact that this project, which they all played a part in over the past few years, had come to fruition, I couldn’t shake the sense of community. Knowing that they organized a meeting of guides, and are talking about a national guide asso-ciation, which this book, in part, served as catalyst to create, gave me some strong hope for the future.

This is, and shoud be, what more books ��yÞ�wÃ��}]�>�`�«�>ViÃ]�>�`�«i�«�i]�should really be about, I thought.

Sometimes it takes more than a village. Sometimes, it takes a whole country. But when it comes together, the results can be magical.

/��Ã�L��Ã�Ì�i��ÃÌ�ìw��Ì�Ûi]��ÃÌ�>�-luring (visually, and in prose) work that’s iÛiÀ�Lii��`��i��yÞ�wÃ��}��i��âi°��That, in and of itself, is reason to respect the work, and recommend it to anyone who has any connection to, or even >Ã«�ÀiÃ�Ì��V��iVÌ�Ü�Ì�]�Ì�i�yÞ�wÃ��}�treasures this country holds.

But more importantly for me, it was `��i�v�À�Ì�i�À�}�Ì�Ài>Ã��Ã°��Þ�wÃ��}�contributes roughly $60 million to the Belizean economy every year, and it is a sustainable business model, with little or no impact on the natural resources. In fact, the more this grows, the better it will get. There should be more places in the world like this.

And there should be more books like this. Whether or not you have any direct ÛiÃÌi`��ÌiÀiÃÌ��i��âi�>�`�Ì�i�wÃ�-ing there, if you feel at all connected to Ì�i�Ã�Õ��v�yÞ�wÃ��}]�Ì��Ã��Ã�>�L��Þ�Õ�should enjoy, and encourage many oth-ers to as well.

-Reviewed by Kirk Deeter

Having written a few books, I often get asked by would-be authors about the “rationale” factor... how much can they expect to make, and what can they hope to accomplish by pouring them-selves into a project of that magnitude?

My answer is always the same: You have to look at any book—especially a yÞ�wÃ��}�L��p>Ã�>��i>�Ã�Ì��>��i�`]�and not an end unto itself. Unless your last name is Gierach, or McGuane, or maybe Santella, who has a hard-earned franchise rolling with his “50 Places” concept, you’re not going to make a full-time job out of any one idea. But if you’re smart, you might parlay that into a career. And if you’re really good, you might, in the end, actually make a dif-viÀi�Vi��>�Ü>Þ�Ì�>Ì��>Ã��>ÃÌ��}�À>��w-cations for something, or someone, or some place, you truly love. For some, that’s more than enough. For others, well, it’s sound advice that makes them keep their day jobs.

I have to say, when Jim Klug sent me his latest work, Fly Fishing Belize, while I was immediately struck by its beauty ��]��Ì½Ã�ìw��Ìi�Þ�>��iÀ®]�>�`�iÛi��found myself thumbing through pages and gobbling up some words (Klug undersells himself as a writer, even with Ài}>À`�Ì��Ã��i��v�Ì�i�w��«À��iVÌÃ��i½Ã�been involved with, and I’ve told him as much)... well, I couldn’t help but ask myself, “Why did he do this?”

I ran some numbers in my head. Be-lize is a small place, a tiny little slice of Central America. Sure, it’s relatively close to the USA, but how many people Ài>��Þ�}��Ì�iÀi�Ì��wÃ��Õ�`Ài`Ã]��>ÞLi�a few thousand a year)? Even if he con-verted 50 percent of those, even if Klug promoted his book through the Yellow Dog travel machine, he’s just not looking at something that any sensible New York publisher would leap out of his or her seat to buy the rights to. It just didn’t add up.

Is it a vanity project? Goodness knows, there are plenty of those (maybe too �>�Þ®]�iÃ«iV�>��Þ��yÞ�wÃ��}°��º >�°°°»�I thought, as I poured through more «>}iÃ]�ºÌ�iÀi½Ã�ìw��Ìi�Þ�Ã��iÌ��}�i�Ãi�to this.”

/��}��Ã]��Õ}��Û�Ìi`��i�Ì��Ì�i��vwV�>��book “launch” in Belize in November. And because I think the snow and sleet around my Colorado home that time of year absolutely sucks, and because I jump at almost any reason I can rational-ize to my wife in order to embark upon a ÌÀ�«�Ì��Ì�i�y>ÌÃ]��Üi�Ì°

And what I saw there opened my eyes even more to my own “means to an end” mantra than I was able to imag-ine before.

It became clear to me within hours of landing in Belize that this book wasn’t about one man’s journey through a yÞ�wÃ��}�-�>�}À��>]�>Ã��ÕV��>Ã��Ì�Ü>Ã�about a culture, and a mission, and a crusade to unite and make something (some place) even more wonderful than it already is.

Sure, this book eloquently captures the “what is” and Klug follows a very clean �ÕÌ��i��}i�}À>«�Þ]�>�`�wÃ�iÀ�iÃ�ÃV�-ence (with the help of Dr. Aaron Adams �v�Ì�i��iwÃ��E�/>À«��/ÀÕÃÌ®]�>�`��Ü�Ì��wÃ�]�>�`�Ü�>Ì�Þ�Õ½��w�`��i��âi°��The maps are actually engaging and interesting; the photography is stunning. There’s grit, and wit—Tom Bie of The

Book Review: Fly Fishing Belize, $;�,+/�-.7)

B E L I Z E

Photography & Text by

Jim Klug

31


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FEATURE

Written by Steven B. Schweitzer

Know Your Customer’s Buying Journey�7KH�.H\�WR�8QGHUVWDQGLQJ�:KR�:H�6HOO�7R�

33


ecember 2014

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We are all consumers, all the time. We are always consuming something or planning a future consumption, or enjoying the memory of a past consumption. There really isn’t a point in time that we are not being a consumer.

If we as retailers are consumers too, Ü�Þ��Ã��Ì�Ã��`�vwVÕ�Ì�v�À�ÕÃ�Ì��Ì��i�a consumer? It’s simple: retailers often get caught in the trap of selling “stuff” and not selling to the customer’s needs.

Think about this: the actual purchase event is the only consumer activity that is entirely visible to you. You are most often not privy to the rest of the purchasing journey—from recognizing a need to buy something, through Ì�i�ÀiÃi>ÀV�]�>�`�w�>��Þ�Ì�i�«À�ViÃÃ�of deciding to buy. The only way to know how your customers buy is to understand their buying journey. Let’s iÝ«��Ài��Ü�VÕÃÌ��iÀÃ�w�`]�ÀiÃi>ÀV�]�V��«>Ài]�Ãi�iVÌ�>�`�Õ�Ì��>Ìi�Þ�ÀiyiVÌ�about you and the products and services they buy. I’ll also highlight areas where you as a retailer can insert yourself in the buying journey sooner, Ã��Þ�Õ��>Ûi�>��««�ÀÌÕ��ÌÞ�Ì��yÕi�Vi�consumer’s research and choices.

The Consumer’s Buying Journey

1. Identifying a Need to Purchase

2. Searching for Information

3. Evaluate alternatives and making w�>��Ãi�iVÌ��

4. Select retailer and make purchase

5. Making post-purchase evaluations

��6JG�%QPUWOGT�+FGPVKƂGU�C�0GGF�to Purchase

All purchases start with a problem. /�i�V��ÃÕ�iÀ��`i�Ì�wiÃ�>�«À�L�i��and wants to buy a product or service

to solve it. Those are the most direct and oftentimes self-selling situations. Simple examples are: A customer wÃ�i`�>�À�ÛiÀ�Ì��À�Ã��}�wÃ��>��>À�Õ�`�him but didn’t connect. Your shop help recommends smaller tippet, the customer buys some 6X and 7X tippet… problem solved. Or, an out-of-town customer comes into your Ã��«°��-�i�>Ã�Ã�v�À��i�«��wÃ��}�>�local river and you suggest a guided trip to make the most of the day… problem solved.

However, sometimes a need for a product or service isn’t known until someone else talks about it. Social media is the king of suggestive selling. Someone buys a new-fangled yÞ�wÃ��}�}>`}iÌ��À�Ì>�iÃ�>�ÌÀ�«�Ì��a relatively unknown destination and posts a picture on Facebook or Snapchat, maybe blogs about it or even Tweets a snippet or two. The next thing you know, a few followers are thinking to themselves, “Hey, I’ve been wondering about what my next adventure will be [the problem �Ã��`i�Ì�wi`R�>�`�Ì��Ã�Ã�Õ�`Ã��i�Ì�i�thing to do [research begins].”

4GVCKNGT�#EVKQP�+VGO�s�Read what consumers are saying and where they are saying it. Consumers most often use these online channels to discuss their problems and how they are solved.

Listed in popularity order: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+, Tumblr, Instagram, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Snapchat, YouTube, Vimeo.

Not all social media channels are right for your business. Consider the product or service you are offering and the >Û>��>L�i��Õ�>��>�`�w�>�V�>��ÀiÃ�ÕÀViÃ�at your disposal. Social media may be free, but it does take an investment of time. Be excellent with one or two channels rather than mediocre at a handful. Social media takes an

investment of your time over a sustained period in order to achieve results.

��6JG�EQPUWOGT�UGCTEJGU�HQT�information, and

��'XCNWCVGU�CNVGTPCVKXGU�CPF�OCMG�ƂPCN�FGEKUKQPU

Know this term and what it means: ZMOT. It’s the Zero Moment of Truth, where the consumer goes online to conduct research, learn about alternatives, read reviews, look for coupons and discounts for a product or service, all before ever calling or going to a store. It’s a Google term, based upon their landmark research in this huge shift in consumer buying behavior. Who better than Google to know about consumer behavior? With their google-bytes worth of consumer behavior data, it’s simply amazing that this type of research and in-depth analysis is freely available.

According to Google, the average consumer uses over 10 sources of information to make a purchasing decision today, compared to an iÃÌ��>Ìi`�wÛi�Ã�ÕÀViÃ��Óä£ä°��/�`>Þ]�when a consumer learns about a «À�`ÕVÌ��À�ÃiÀÛ�Vi]�Ì�i�À�wÀÃÌ��ÃÌ��VÌ��Ã�to search online to learn more about it. “If you are not visible online when people are doing their homework, Ì�iÞ½��w�`��Ì�iÀÃ�Ì�>Ì�>Ài»]�ÃÌ>ÌiÃ��Lecinski, Managing Director at Google, and author of Winning The Zero

Moment of Truth.

Here are some more recent statistics from ZMOT that should convince you to re-evaluate and boost your online position in front of the customer at research time:

U�Çä¯��v�>��Ƃ�iÀ�V>�Ã��>Ì��i�product reviews before making a purchase

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FEATUREthe right content to help consumers make buying decisions.

��5GNGEV�C�4GVCKNGT�CPF�/CMG�C�Purchase

Word-of-mouth (WOM) is the most ��«�ÀÌ>�Ì�Ã>�iÃ�Ì��>�yÞ�Ã��«�V�Õ�`�have… nothing new here. But what is being said and where it’s being said about your shop, products and services, is at the core of the message. WOM advertising travels 24/7/365 through the channels mentioned in step #1, oftentimes without your knowledge and certainly without your review and approval. So, it is in your best interest to ensure your 7"��Ã�>VVÕÀ>Ìi�>�`�ÀiyiVÌ�Ûi��v�your shop, even if you don’t write it or say it. Same is true with your website presence. WOM and your website then, become the one-two punch that ��ÃÌ��i�Þ�Ü��yÕi�Vi�>�V��ÃÕ�iÀ�to buy from you. Jim Lecinski puts it

U�Ç�¯��v�V��ÃÕ�iÀÃ��Ü�ÕÃi�>�smartphone to help with shopping (see the previous AT issue article Do Mobile Devices Hurt In-Store Sales?)

U�Ƃ�}Ài>Ì�`i>��v�ÀiÃi>ÀV��>««i�Ã�4-6 months before a purchase, but shoppers will visit only 2-3 days before w�>��«ÕÀV�>Ãi�Li��Ü®°

4GVCKNGT�#EVKQP�+VGO�– Read all about ZMOT via Google’s free ebook “Winning at the Zero Moment of Truth”.

YYY�\GTQOQOGPVQHVTWVJ�EQOWant to learn more? Read Google’s ZMOT Handbook – Ways to Win Shoppers at the Zero Moment of Truth. http://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/research-studies/2012-zmot-handbook.html. An entire year’s worth of articles in AT could discuss the concepts within. Google’s research reveals that there are key tactics to show up in the right place, how to show up more often, and show up with

best in Winning the Zero Moment of Truth, “Consumers arrive 24/7 ready to engage. They’re anybody’s to win or lose.”

4GVCKNGT�#EVKQP�+VGO – Take this quick 7-point assessment of your website’s impact, social media messaging and consumers’ overall voice of your shop.

Circle the appropriate response to highlight areas of success and areas where more work is needed so that you are more likely considered as the shop where the consumer makes a purchase.

Simply put, you should do everything possible to give the consumer relevant information along the purchasing journey to positively evaluate and select you as their point-of-purchase.


©20

14 S

T. CR

OIX

RODS

Exactly how hard is it to come to work each morning and surround yourself with fishing rods? Could be worse, that's for sure. Which might go a long way in explaining why over the last 65 years, St. Croix hasemerged as America's largest manufacturer of premium-quality fishingrods. Our position has been earned by a very unique set of variables.

� St. Croix is family owned and managed.� St. Croix has a strong heritage of USA manufacturing.� St. Croix, with our two state-of-the-art rod factories,

controls every aspect of the rod making process.

From conception to inspection – through unmatched customer service –the focus remains the same: To build THE BEST RODS ON EARTH.

STC Trade Ad_8.375x10.875_STC Trade Ad 2/21/14 2:32 PM Page 1

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FEATURE��/CMKPI�2QUV�2WTEJCUG�'XCNWCVKQPUPost-purchase evaluations are impacted by many factors; that can be overwhelming. The simple task of writing a short review on a website or �>ViL��«�ÃÌ]��À�ìV�`��}��Ü�Ì��wÌ�>�smartly worded quip in 140 characters �À��iÃÃ�v�À�>�/ÜiiÌ��Ã�Ì�i�w�>��ÃÌi«��a long consumer journey that started with a problem. All along the way, the consumer is forming opinions and inventorying observations about a myriad of factors, such as:

o Age of consumer

o Level of social media involvement

o Level of involvement in the purchasing decision

o Motivation to purchase

o Loyalty to brand

o Loyalty to seller

o Price sensitivity

o Quality seeker

o How your store and staff affects purchasing

��U��Ƃ�L�i�Ì�V��`�Ì��Ã�>««i>��}�Ì��the senses)

��U��*�ÞÃ�V>��V��`�Ì��Ã��>Þ�ÕÌ]��`�À]�colors, decor)

��U��-�V�>��V��`�Ì��Ã�V��Ûi��i�Vi]�ÃÌ>vv�appearance and attitude)

��U��-Ì>vv��`]�ivv�ÀÌ]�>ÌÌ�ÌÕì]�knowledge

Getting consumers to spread the word and buy again is a challenge, but it is made easier if you have differentiated yourself and given it your all towards superior customer service.

4GVCKNGT�#EVKQP�+VGO – Evaluate Ü�>Ì��yÕi�ViÃ�Þ�ÕÀ�VÕÃÌ��iÀÃ�Ì��spread the word and become repeat loyal customers?

Evaluate these starter questions to form a simple strategy to get customers to spread the good word:

�� How do I get customers to write a good review about me? How do I get them to write it sooner than later, when the experience is (hopefully) most satisfying and fresh?

�� How do they stay in touch with businesses like mine? How can I replicate those methods?

�� What types of information and offers will make them come back? 7�>Ì�iÝV�ÌiÃ�Ì�i��Ì��LÕÞ��Ì�i�wÀÃÌ�place?

�� How do I keep them loyal?

It doesn’t have to be rocket science to answer the questions above, nor is there going to be any relevant article on the web that answers the questions for you. It’s simple: ask your customer the next time they come in. Make a point of asking a few questions listed above at the cash-wrap. You may be surprised at the responses you get.

Putting It All Into Action

Even at the expense of adding complexity to a simple customer journey process, there’s much more to V��Ã�ìÀ�>Ã�>�yÞ�Ã��«��Ü�iÀ°��Ã�ìÀ�Ì�iÃi�ÀiVi�Ì�ÌÀi�`Ã�>Ã��ì�Ì�wi`�LÞ�ƂVVi�ÌÕÀi]�>�`��Ü�Ì�iÞ��>Þ��yÕi�Vi�your consumer journey strategies:

U��ÃÕ�iÀÃ�>Ài�Ì>��}�>��Ài�communal outlook when considering a purchase – they are more aware of how their decisions may impact others around them.

U��ÃÕ�iÀÃ�>Ài�}�Û��}��Ài�>ÌÌi�Ì��to sustainability and the products they consume should support their beliefs. Over half (51%, according to Accenture research) of consumers today consider the environmental impact before purchase.

U��>��ÃÌ��ÃÕ�«Ì��\�Ƃ}>��]�according to Accenture research, 25%

of consumers consider renting or LÕÞ��}�ÕÃi`�iµÕ�«�i�Ì�>Ã�Ì�i�À�wÀÃÌ�option of choice. Secondary market growth can be a threat or an ally to your retail strategy – it all depends on how you embrace it.

BearingPoint sums up the consumer-buying journey with some essential takeaways. While we don’t have the room to explore each, the intent is to provide fuel for thought on how to apply the customer purchasing journey approach to your retail operations. BearingPoint’s key points to consider are:

U�*�>Vi��L��i�ÌiV��}Þ�>Ì�Ì�i��i>ÀÌ�of your strategy

U��Û��Ûi�Þ�ÕÀ�VÕÃÌ��iÀÃ��iÛiÀÞ�v>ViÌ�of your business

U�-Ì�«�Ãi��}�«À�`ÕVÌÃ�>�`�ÃÌ>ÀÌ�Ãi��}�solutions

U��>�i�Þ�ÕÀ�VÕÃÌ��iÀ�V��Ì>VÌ�«��ÌÃ�both relevant and economical

U�,i�Ü��VÕÃÌ��iÀ�ÌÀÕÃÌ�iÛiÀÞ�Ì��i�Þ�Õ�interact with them

U�/>�i�Ì��i�Ì��Õ�ìÀÃÌ>�`�Ü�>Ì��>�iÃ�your customer promote you or detract from you

U��Ûi��Õ«�Þ�ÕÀ�v>��V�ÕL

U��ÌÀ��Þ�ÕÀ�i�Ài«ÕÌ>Ì��

U�*�>��Ì��i�v�À�Ã�V�>��i`�>��ÌiÀ>VÌ��

So how do we know who we are selling to? You already know… it’s yourself as a consumer. Think like a consumer, be a consumer, walk in the shoes of your shop’s customers. If you were a customer of your shop, would you buy? Why or why not? Think through the points in this article to inventory where you can insert your shop more integrally into the consumer’s buying journey, and you just may stumble on a nugget or two to be a more successful retailer.

.05%New regulatory requirements are coming soon...

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2014

38

B AC K C A S T

STEELHEAD AND THIRD KIND ENCOUNTERS

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Written by Geoff Mueller

Ten thousand years from now, when extraterrestrials storm this barren dirtscape and unearth the rusting time capsule housing my steelhead score-card, despair will ensue.

After weighing the obvious—time invested versus steelhead brought to hand—it would be easy to see that earthlings, like myself, generally sucked at this prized facet of the sport. Of course, as the non-alien set knows, there’s far more to the steelhead’s evolving story than any out-of-touch space-traveler could comprehend. (Un-less, perhaps, they’d ever sat through the monotonous minutes of a depart-�i�Ì��v�wÃ��>�`�}>�i��iiÌ��}��>�galaxy far, far away.)

I mention the bureaucrats, here, not because I feel they stand in the way of progress. But more so for recogniz-ing their importance in moving the game forward.

��ÕÀ}i�Ì�Ì��iÃ]�wÃ�iÀ�iÃ��>�>}i-ment practices stretching from coastal

California to the northern reaches of Alaska will play an integral role in either extirpating wild steelhead wÃ�iÀ�iÃ°�"À]��Ì�i��Ì�iÀ��>�`]�fortifying them. The latter aided by bolstering habitats, blasting impedi-ments, reducing harvest, squashing pressure, and rethinking expensive, ineffectual hatcheries.

This is the “paradigm shift” we’re after and the imperatives Trout Un-limited and associates are pushing with an ambitious, all-or-nothing Wild Steelhead Initiative. And this is why, despite some questionable steelhead scorecards in the interim, there is a modicum of hope for the optimists, pragmatists, dreamers, and believers in the house.

This positivism—for progression in the hands of federal, state, and tribal stakeholders—starts with a chang-ing of the guard. The new batch of biologists entering the stream did not graduate during the 1940s and ’50s, when many of today’s strategies were developed. Perspective is evolving, championed by scientists willing to re-evaluate models in exchange for wild wÃ��ÃÕÃÌ>��>L��ÌÞ°

ƂVV�À`��}�Ì��7>Ã��}Ì��L>Ãi`�wÃ�-eries biologist John McMillan: “These ‘kids’ have a much more in-depth ��Ü�i`}i��v�wÃ��}i�iÌ�VÃ]�L��}Þ]�and ecology. And it means they’re more objective when it comes to how we implement hatcheries and their >vviVÌÃ��Ü��`�wÃ�°»

The right amount of diplomacy, simi-larly, will be key to resolving the great hatchery debate. The good news is �>�Þ��v��ÕÀ�LiÃÌ�Ü��`�ÃÌii��i>`�wÃ�iÀ-�iÃ��>Ûi��>ÌV�iÀ�iÃ]��À��Ìi`��yÕ-ence, to begin with. And of the rivers that do—on systems where wild steel-head stocks have been so pummeled their chances of ever rebounding are

slim, for instance—keep the hatchery. Rivers bearing dull stockers alongside vibrant wild populations, on the other hand, make the best candidates for the sledgehammering of antiquated infrastructure.

Common-sense economics also helps the steelhead cause. Maintaining and ÃÌ>vw�}��>ÌV�iÀ�iÃ�Ì�>Ì��>�Õv>VÌÕÀi�«i��iÌ�vi`�wÃ��>Ã�>�`�V��Ì��ÕiÃ�Ì��cost taxpayers a bundle. Billions. This works in favor of wild steelhead, which are comparatively cheap. In Washing-ton State, rising costs associated with hatcheries combined with shrinking Mitchell Act Funds have led to re-duced salmon and steelhead produc-tion at three lower Columbia River hatchery sites. This winter, moreover, we heard encouraging news from the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commis-sion (WFWC), indicating that the bu-reaucrats are in fact listening. WFCW is exploring regulations requiring steelhead anglers to bonk all hatch-ery steelhead caught on the Klickitat, Walla Walla, Snake, and Grand Ronde rivers. Angler input is encouraged in Ì�i�`iV�Ã��>��}�«À�ViÃÃ]�>�`�>�w-nal verdict will be rendered in January.

The proposed catch-and-kill rule, simi-lar to those already in place on other Columbia tribs, would help reduce the �i}>Ì�Ûi��«>VÌ��>ÌV�iÀÞ�wÃ��>Ûi��local populations of wild steelhead when both spawn en masse. And why not take your kill home and throw it on Ì�i�}À��¶��>ÌV�iÀÞ�wÃ��V>��Li�ÕÃivÕ��that way.

With all that’s on the plate this win-ter and beyond, we know this much: Change is near. And there are only two `�ÀiVÌ��Ã�v�À��Ì�Ì��y�Ü\�-Ìii��i>`�Ü��either slip through our grasp forever. A sad situation left for aliens, 10,000 years from now, to decipher. Or this paradigm shift will prevail. Sink or swim, so they say.

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Angling Trade 2014-15 Winter Issue

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Transcript of Angling Trade 2014-15 Winter Issue