Angling International Magazine - April 2010 - 27

WORLDTRADEEXCLUSIVE

Shimano andRapalalaunch newbrand p8

Essential reading forbuyers in the tackle trade

April 2010 Issue27

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EFTTATARGETSNON-MEMBERS

Anopen letter fromJean-ClaudeBelp59

Essential reading forbuyers in the tackle trade

April 2010 Issue27

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GLOBALBUSINESSEurope’s catfishingmarketHowBlackCatwill strengthenits hold on the sector p9

Newproducts fromaroundtheworldIncluding seat boxes fromPlastica Panaro p67

THELINEMARKETTODAY

TACKLE INDUSTRY EXCLUSIVE

Reaction fromChinaFish2010Did the20thanniversary showlive up to expectations? p18

ShimanoandRapala combine tocreatenew tackle concept p8

20PAGESOF ANALYSIS FEATURINGTHEWORLD’S TOPBRANDS Startsp25Includes •SUFIX •SHIMANO •CLIMAX•BALÁZS •PURE FISHING •EUROCORD•CORTLAND •VEGA •PLATYPUS

April2010 AnglingInternational 5

MAGAZINE CREDITS

APRIL 2010

I’vebeen involved in thefishing tackleindustry for longer than I care to rememberbutI’mhard-pressed to recall abusier–ormorerewarding–month than theone justgone.

An invitation toattendameetingbetweenRapalaandShimanoatwhichanentirelynewjoint-venture tackleconceptwas revealedwasnot justexcitingbutalsosomethingofanhonour–and Iamdelighted tobringyou thefull story in this issue.

Nosoonerhad I returned fromAmsterdamthan itwasoff toChinaFish. Yes itwascoldand,yes, the facilities left something tobedesired.But theBeijingshowstill hasacompellingattraction for theworldwide industryandeveryperson Ispoke to (and therewere lots)saidtheywouldbebacknextyear. A reportof theshowstartsonpage18,andyou’ll findmorefromBeijing innextmonth’s issue.

While inBeijing Iwas fortunateenoughtoenjoy thehospitalityof thehugeHengFengmanufacturingcompany–andagainhonoured tofind that Iwas thefirst journalisttovisit theirHangzhouheadquarters. Apartfrombeingdazzledby thesheerscaleofanoperation thatproduces tackle for topbrandsworldwide, Iwas intriguedby theviewsofPresidentBenYangonexclusivepartnershipsandpatentprotection. You’ll find theexclusiveinterviewonpage11.

Across theothersideof theworld,Randi

Swisher isanothermanwithbigplans.Randi,MarketingDirector for theAmericanFlyFishingTradeAssociation’snew International Fly TackleDealer show, talksabouthowheplans tomaketheeventattractive to retailers. It’s aboldplanwhichdeserves tosucceed.

Angling Internationalhasagrowing reputa-tion for thebigstories. If youwant toappear inourpagesdon’thesitate togivemecall. Anddon’t forget thismagazine is theofficialmediapartner forEFTTEXand is thebestplace foryourEFTTEXadvertising.

ContactCommercialDirectorLuciePetrickova todiscusshowwecanworkwithyou tomakeyourshowahugesuccess.

Mel [email protected]

• Publishing editor:MelBagnall; [email protected] +44(0)1733392977 • Editorial director:RobCarter; [email protected]• Art Director:KeelyDocherty-Lee; [email protected] • Designer:KateHooley; [email protected] • Database Manager:GrahamGoor; [email protected]• International Ambassador:Caroline Thomas; [email protected] +44 (0)7952555716 • Colour reproduction: ATGraphicsUKLtd, Peterborough, CambsUK• Printed by:WarnersMidlandsplc, Bourne, CambsUK • Subscription enquiries: [email protected]

Angling Internationalmagazine is publishedby TopCorner Editorial andDesignLimited. 4Milnyard Square, Bakewell Road, OrtonSouthgate, PeterboroughCambridgeshire, UnitedKingdom, PE26GX

• International Commercial Director: Lucie Petrickova; [email protected]; Tel. +447825999230; Fax+441225760249; Skype lpetrickova

•THANKS THIS ISSUE GO TO: Austin at China Fish, HelenaBasche,MickBell, LucyBowden, BrunoBroughton, AgnetaBrunell, FannyChamplon, Angela Coe, TonyConte, KenDoncaster,MorganEvans, EllenGeskus, GrahamGoor, KateHooley,Richard Lee, TomLegge, ChristinaMa, KrzysztofMarkiewicz, Anita Pandya, StevePartner,Margit Pochendorfer, LindaSaunders, Ktris Sloof, Sally Steel, SteveStones,Marta Szalkowska, JohnWalsh, Daniel Zaicek

No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher. The magazine assumes no responsibility for the safety of contributions, although all reasonable care will be taken.

MEMBER

Welcome,Bienvenue,BienvenidaWillkommen, Benvenuto...

Meet themakers of Angling International...

MEL BAGNALL,PUBLISHING EDITORMel’s vast experience in the anglingindustry includessix years as thepublisher of UKcompanyEmap’sanglingbusiness. Hebeganhiscareer onAngling Timeswherehewasreporter, featurewriter, subeditor andnewseditor, andwasalso assistanteditorofSeaAngler.Hehasworked inmagazines formore than36years.

ROB CARTER,EDITORIAL DIRECTORRobbeganhis careerwriting for andediting specialist consumermagazinesin theUK (includingMatch footballmagazine, Fore! golfmagazine andTrout Fisherman)before beingappointededitor-in-chief of Emap’scontractpublishingdepartment.He isa founder director of TopCorner, thepublishers of Angling International.

KEELY DOCHERTY-LEE,ART DIRECTORAs TopCorner’s art director and co-founder, Keelyhas15years’ designexperience, andaproven track recordofproducing successful ad campaigns,brochures anddirectmail. Shehasworkedwithmanyangling clients andtoday leads thedesign teamonAnglingInternational,managing theeditorialproduction of each issue.

ROBERT LANGFORD,EUROPE CORRESPONDENTEnglish-bornRobert Langford is basedinGermany,wherehehas forgedahuge reputation as aseaangler andjournalist. His articles,which aresyndicated throughout Europe, arereadbyup to500,000 readers. Healsoworks as afishingguide andnever leaveshomewithout hisBalenowaterproofs.

LUCIE PETRICKOVA,INTERNATIONALCOMMERCIAL DIRECTORLucie can call uponsevenyears’experienceof delivering commericalsolutions for angling clients. Czech-born, she is also familiarwith othereastern European languages. Call herto discussyour advertisingneedsand to findoutways topromoteyour products in themagazine.

AnglingInternational April20106

Selon l’avis des acteurs clés du secteur,il n’y a pas demarché plus concur-rentiel dans le marché global de lapêche que celui du fil. Les marquestraditionnelles ont vu arriver pleinde nouveaux venus de toutes parts:depuis les grandesmarques d’autresproduits aux marchés des niches pluspetites. C’est aussi unmarché qui s’estremarquablement maintenu pendantle récession. Mais quoi der nouveau?Commençant page 25, les principauxfabricants parlent franchement destendances de cemarché, les prob-lèmes qu’ils rencontrent actuellementet les attentes futures. Notre RapportSpécial inclus Shimano, Sufix, Climax,Eurocord, Cortland, Pure Fishing, Balazset d’autres. Il est essentiel que vous lelisiez même si votre implication dans cesecteur est minime. Plus loin on parledumarché du silure et samarque leaderBlack Cat (page 56) et vous aurez plusd’information sur les plans de sociétésparticipant à EFTTEX 2010 à Valencia(pages 59-66). Bonne lecture!

Segúnsusprotagonistas, no existe unmercadomáscompetitivo en la pescahoyqueel sector de las líneas. Susmarcastradicionales seunencon los reciénllegadosde los dosextremos: los grandes,lasmarcasestablecidasdeotros sectoresdeproductos, y empresasmáspequeñasconnichosdeproductosy servicios. Estambiénunsector que le ha idomuybiendurante la recesiónmundial. Pero, ¿quésigue?Comenzandoen lapágina 25,los principales fabricanteshablan confranquezaacercade las tendencias enelmercadode las líneas, los problemasactuales queenfrentany las perspecti-vasde futuro. Nuestro InformeEspecialcuenta conentrevistas conShimano,Sufix, Climax, Eurocord, Cortland, PureFishing, Balazsymás. Esuna lecturaesencial para cualquieraque tenga interés,inclusoelmáspequeñoenel sector. Enotros lugares, nosfijamosenelmercadoeuropeodel siluro y sumarca líder BlackCat (página 56) y tenemosmásnoticiasde los expositores quehacenplanesparaEFTTEX2010enValencia (página 59-66).Disfrute de la revista!

Wennman den Schlüsselfiguren derBranche glauben darf, gibt es heutekeinen härter umkämpftenMarkt alsden Angelschnur-Sektor. TraditionsreicheMarken finden sich zurzeit in der Ges-ellschaft von sowohl bereits etabliertenMarktneulingenmit Kerngeschäft inanderen Bereichen als auch kleinerenMitbewerbernmit Nischenprodukten undDienstleistungen. Erstaunlicherweise flo-rierte dieser Sektor während der globalenRezession. Aber was jetzt? Ab Seite 25erläutern führende Hersteller gegenwär-tige Schnurtrends, ihre aktuellen Prob-leme sowie ihre Zukunftsperspektiven.Unser Sonderbericht präsentiertInterviewsmit Shimano, Sufix, Climax,Eurocord, Cortland, Pure Fishing, Balazsund anderen. Wichtige Lektüre für jeden,auchwenn er nur geringfügiges Inter-esse an diesemBereich hat. Außerdembetrachtenwir die europäischeWels-Szene und die führendeMarke Black Cat(Seite 56) und es gibtmehr Nachrichtenvon Ausstellern und ihren Plänen für dieEFTTEX 2010 in Valencia (Seite 59-66).Viel Spaßmit unseremMagazin!

Secondo fonti autorevoli oggi nonesisteal-cunmercato così competitivo nell’ambitodella pesca comequello delle lenze. Aimarchi tradizionali si affiancanonominuovi: daun latomarchi di un certo calibroebenaffermati per altri settori di prodottoe, dall’altro, aziendepiù piccole conpro-dotti e servizi di nicchia. Stiamoparlandodi quel settore per cui le cose sonoandatealla stragrandenel periododi recessioneglobale. Ora, però, cosa ci aspetta?Apagina 25di questonumero i produttorileader parlano inmodo francodei trenddelmercato delle lenze, dei problemi attualiche stannoaffrontandoedelle prospettivefuture. Nel nostro Special Report potreteleggere le interviste fatte a Shimano, Sufix,Climax, Eurocord, Cortland, Pure Fishing,Balazs enonsolo; lettura essenzialeancheper coloro chehannoper questosettore un interesseminimo. Altrove inqueste paginepunteremo i riflettori sulmercato europeodel pescegatto e sul suomarchio leaderBlack Cat (pagina 56).Abbiamoanchemaggiori notizie dapartedegli espositori che si stannopreparandoall’EFTTEX2010diValencia(pagina 59-66).

Diesenmonat,Cemois,Estemes,Questomese...

8

SHIMANO&RAPALACOMBINETOCREATENEWTACKLECONCEPT


Global tackle giants Shimano and Rapala are set to launch Yasei, a new predatorfishing range for the European market. “It’s time to bring a new concept to theindustry and we have taken that step together,” Shimano’sGerard Bakkenestells Angling International Publishing EditorMel Bagnall.

I N S I G H T • A N A LY S I S • T R A D E N E W S

COMMUNIQUÉ

In one of the biggest stories to hit theangling industry in years, AnglingInternational can exclusively reveal thatindustry giants Shimano and Rapalahave joined forces to launch a new

fishing tackle concept for Europe.The exciting new series of specially-

designed products is aimed at predatoranglers right across Europe and is called Yasei– the Japanese word for ‘wild’.By harnessing their fantastic distribution

power, coupled with the quality that issynonymous with their brands, Shimano andRapala seem poised to make a huge impacton tackle sales in Europe with the newlaunch.Although the development and testing

phase has been a well-kept secret, AnglingInternational was privileged to be invited toa pre-launch meeting in Holland and canreveal that the range will be a total conceptencompassing a comprehensive range ofpredator tackle.It will include rods, lures, hooks, braid

and fluorocarbon and will comprise nicheproducts that would not otherwise be in theShimano/Rapala ranges. Labelling on eachYasei product in store will make it evidentthat it comes from the Shimano/Rapaladevelopment team.The two global brands have been working

on the new range for over a year but even theirsales teams were unaware until Shimano’sannual New Product Presentation at itsNunspeet headquarters in Holland in thesecond week in March.

++

==

Rapala and Shimano already work veryclosely together on European distribution andShimano’s Marketing Manager for Europe,Gerard Bakkenes, explained that it was anatural step for the alliance to become evenstronger.“Co-operation between the two companies

has become stronger and stronger in recenttimes and each company has its own strengthsand expertise that complement each other. Sothis collaboration became the obvious nextstep. We decided it was time to bring a newconcept to the industry and that we wouldtake that step together.“There will continue to be regular meetings

between Rapala and Shimano where we willshare best practice and talk about any areaswhere we may be able to co-operate still further.”The shared strategy behind Yasei is driven

by the attraction of a mid-market sector thatboth companies believe offers market sharethat currently they do not enjoy.“Rapala and Shimano are renowned for

their quality and are dominant at the top endof the market,” added Bakkenes. “But thereis a sector below that which has a very highvalue attached to it. Some companies are mak-ing a lot of money from it by reacting quicklyto market trends, but up until now we havenot even competed in that market sector.“Yasei will change all that. It is of the

highest quality and not an entry-level product,but with accessible price points. Anglers rightacross Europe are going to be very impressedby what they see and by how Yasei performs.”Confirming both companies’ intentions

to adopt a more responsive approach to themarket, their development teams have left nostone unturned in their quest for productsthat are not only a genuine improvement onwhat is already available but also meetcurrent consumer needs. Well-knownEuropean predator expert Willem Stolk anda hand-picked project team have been at theforefront of field testing.Stolk had just completed testing of the last

Yasei sample when he told Angling Inter-national: “Every product in the range is an

improvement on what is already availablein at least four or five ways. Some items wehave improved with as many as sevendifferent features. We have taken a reallydetailed approach to development followedby thorough testing and this will be thedifference between Yasei and other brands.This is very specialist fishing tackle and thatis why the smallest detail is important.“Predator fishing in Europe has changed

a lot in the last five years with the besttechniques being transferred from onecountry to another. It is now very specialistand the anglers want product on a high levelthat matches their passion. Yasei will crossterritorial boundaries because it is technique-specific and species-specific. Any productwe consider has to fit within this overallconcept.”Rapala’s Teemu Makela emphasised the

importance of educating the end user to theYasei sales strategy. “Educating the consumeris an essential part of the marketing plan,”he explained. “We want to share informationabout techniques with fishermen and thiswill drive the demand for Yasei. We willuse printed matter, media advertising, theworldwide web, instore videos and on-the-bank demonstrations to tell customers whatYasei is all about and how they can get thebest from it.“We will also take our sales reps on the

water so they fully understand what they areselling and can in turn educate theretailers. We will create the demandby educating the end user.”Following input from the

sales teams, Shimano andRapala hope to have producton the market by thebeginning of April.

Above: Shimano’sMarketingManager forEuropeGerardBakkenes.“Collaboration over anewtackle concept is a logicalstep in our co-operationwithRapala.”

“Yasei ishighqualitybutwithaccessiblepricepoints.Until nowwehavenotcompetedin thatmarketsector”

Worldindustryexclusive

Below: Predator expertWillemStolk has lead thedevelopment team. “Wehave takenadetailedapproach,” he says.


COMMUNIQUÉ

12

Increase in licencesales excites US trade


Fishing licencesales informationrevealed in theUS suggests oneof the biggest

percentage increases in morethan 30 years. Sales rose by4.7% in states that participatein the fishing licence salesindex recently released bythe American SportfishingAssociation (ASA) and theRecreational Boating &Fishing Foundation (RBFF).Florida, Minnesota, North

Carolina and Texas, four ofthe 12 participating states,are among the top ten stateswhere angling impacts on theeconomy. Eight of the statesrecorded higher sales fromJanuary through December2009 than the previous year.

“The index is a strong indicator of sales, though notan exact measure of all sales nationally,” observed ASAPresident and CEO Mike Nussman. “However, shouldthe 4.7% rise hold true nationwide, it would representone of the largest percentage increases in fishinglicence sales in over 30 years.”RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson added

that the Foundation’s Take Me Fishing direct mailmarketing programme and other initiatives designedto reach lapsed anglers contributed to the 2009 rise.

The new product brochure from top fly brandFulling Mill comes complete with an A2 posterfeaturing more than 150 new fly patterns for 2010,including salmon, pike, carp, saltwater, stillwater,nymphs and traditionals.Fulling Mill says patterns have been carefully

selected from submissions received from the world’stop fly-tyers and feature lots of innovative ideas. TheUK-based company points out that while there isa huge difference in commercially tied flies on themarket today, Fulling Mill “cannot be beaten forreliability, top quality and affordability.”The brochure also features an exciting new fly

fishing outfit comprising rod, reel, carrier, flyline,leader and a box of species-specific flies in aconvenient package.For more information call Fulling Mill at

+44 1293 778600 or email [email protected].

Frank Peterson’s RBFF hastargeted lapsed anglers.

FullingMill showcases150newflypatterns

our stores. We have provided free outdoors skillsclasses, including fishing, and run family summercamps. This kind of activity has brought new peoplethrough the doors.”Bass Pro Shops has also worked with other

organisations to encourage participation, includingpromoting the RBFF’s Angler’s Legacy campaign inmore than 50 Bass Pro retail locations, on its websitewww.basspro.com and at its annual Spring FishingClassic each February.The significance of the upturn is not lost on

specialist outdoor retailer, mail order and internetcompany Cabela’s. “We are certainly encouraged bythis increase in licence sales,” said Vice PresidentMerchandising for the company’s general outdoorscategory Scott Frnka. “We believe this signifies areturn to the water by both the avid angler and theentry level fisherman. Based on the licence data, weanticipate good things in 2010, coming off a solidyear in 2009.”

The new Fulling Mill brochureincludes an A2 fly poster.

Information from the 12-state index, which isrepresentative of recreational fishing in the US, ismonitored by research company Southwick Associ-ates, which revealed that sales increased at a fasterrate in the first quarter of 2009 than in the second.Increases of 20% or more were common in the firstquarter. However, larger volume sales occurred in thesecond quarter – the peak period for licence salesnationally – and had the greatest effect on 2009figures. Although growth slowed slightly in thesecond half of the year, sales were still up for themajority of states in the index.“The typical angler spends $176 a year on fishing

tackle alone and contributes over $40 annually toconservation via licence dollars and excise taxes,”added Nussman. “When the index moves by justa tenth of a point, 40,000 anglers have entered orquit sportfishing. Even a small uptick in the indexrepresents a big change in participation.”So is the increase a good measure of likely trading

trends? “Yes, it is,” said Manager of Communicationsfor Bass Pro Shops Larry Whiteley. “Even in thesetough economic times people are finding outdoorsactivities are not expensive. It really doesn’t cost thatmuch to get out there.“We have been pleased with sales this past year

and we are happy going into this year too. We didn’tpull back because of the economy and have beenvery aggressive and pro-active in driving people into

ASA CEO Mike Nussman:deighted with the news.

L:7 in

L:10in

WHO'S HOOKED.

6/10/08 1:13:30 PM

Promotional material from theTake Me Fishing campaign.

UK’s Bait-Tech setsout expansion plans

Bait-Tech is planningto build on its rapidrecent expansionby sealing newdistribution deals

in a number of key continentalmarkets during 2010. Launchedin 2006, the UK-based companyhas already gained a footholdin Benelux, Germany and Italy,and now owner Pete Clappertonis keen to keep the momentum

going by signing agreements with distributors in France,Poland and the former Eastern Bloc countries.Allied with increased marketing spend and new spon-

sorship deals with leading European anglers, Clapperton– who has more than 25 years’ experience in the tackleindustry, having previously headed up Van Den Eyndedistribution giant European Groundbaits – is remarkablyconfident.“Right from the start the response to our products

has been phenomenal. We saw a gap in the marketbecause VDE was never recognised as a carp brand– there seemed to be a big hole in the market for carp-orientated groundbaits. I was at a show in Amsterdamin late 2008 when I decided that we needed to be boldand expand into Europe. We picked up two distributorsstraight away, Arca covering Benelux and Sanger coveringGermany, followed shortly afterwards by Milo Columbocovering Italy. Things have flown ever since,” he toldAngling International.“I’ve even had two guys drive over from Latvia to our

warehouse recently, and had another couple of guyscome over from the Czech Republic. It’s been crazy! I’vealso had enquiries from people wanting to distribute ourproducts in Russia, Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria.”Bait-Tech has recently added four new groundbaits to

its growing stable of more than 50 products, which alsoincludes particles, pellets, boilies, liquid flavourings,bait and particle soaks and oils. Clapperton is sure thecompany’s latest additions will find particular favourwith anglers on the Continent.“We’ve developed a number of groundbaits with the

wider European market in mind. These include Mantra,which is a sticky mix ideal for the deeper, faster-flowingGerman and Dutch waters; Omen, which is an out-and-out bream groundbait; Entice, which is a meaty blenddesigned for singling out the bigger fish; and Cult, whichis a lake groundbait designed mainly for carp,” he said.So which markets in particular does he think the

company needs to break into in order to make sureBait-Tech’s growth remains on a steep upward curve?“After the UK, our most important markets are the

Benelux, Italy and Germany, but I’d like to think wecan add France to that list this year. As soon as we get adistributor, I think we’ll take off, but it’ll probably be atough nut to crack because of the dominance of Sensas.That said, I have total faith in our products. I’d also liketo build our brand in Poland, Russia and of course theother main Eastern Bloc countries such as Hungary andthe Czech Republic.”As well as signing distribution deals, extra resources

will be ploughed into marketing Bait-Tech’s products toforeign consumers. It’s an area Clapperton readily admitshis company are still learning about.“Obviously, we’re quite new to marketing our p

roducts to the European market. We’re still formulatingour strategy and studying the market, looking for the bestopportunities, but we’re getting an increasing amountof coverage in the continental magazines, and one ofthe next steps would be to sponsor an angler in eachcountry. There may well be testing times ahead, but I’mcompletely fearless regarding our expansion – ourproducts are that good,” he said.

Supremely confident:owner Peter Clapperton.

PICTURECOURTESYOF IYCF


COMMUNIQUÉBait-Tech’s new rangeof baitsfor theEuropeanmarket.


COMMUNIQUÉ

16

ThefivereasonstobeatICAST


W ith ICAST 2010now little morethan threemonths away,the American

Sportfishing Association – the show’sorganising body – is remindingpotential exhibitors of at least fivegood reasons for attending the world’slargest sportfishing trade show.The New Product Showcase is

ICAST’s flagship feature and again willbe very high profile before and duringthe show in Las Vegas between July14th and 16th. The Showcase growsin size and prestige each year andwith awards in 17 categories, plus anoverall Best of Show award, is a greatopportunity for exhibitors to debuttheir latest innovative products on theworld sportfishing stage and to receivewidespread media coverage.Almost 2,400 visitors attended

ICAST in 2009, and figures like thatmean exhibiting in Vegas will enablecompanies to reach more buyers inthree days than they could see ina whole year. And according to theICAST 2009 exhibitor survey, 88%were satisfied with the quality of buy-ers who attended the show.ICAST has established a reputation

as the place to jumpstart a new busi-ness. The show floor and surroundinghotels represent a myriad of network-ing opportunities where partnerships

UglyDucklingchanges

are forged and deals done. To attendthe show is to be part of the industry.Media attendance at ICAST has

doubled in the past five years as TV,radio, online media, magazines andnewspapers have switched on to thesignificance of the huge show not onlyto the sportfishing and boating in-dustries but also to the US economy.More than 500 outdoor media repre-sentatives are expected through thedoors of the Las Vegas ConventionCenter, so exhibitors looking formedia coverage of their products willnever get a better chance.The ICAST Buyers’ Guide is a

unique resource used by buyers bothat the show and throughout the yearfor information and guidance on theirproduct purchases. The Guide isproduced in both print and onlineversions and the fact that since Junelast year almost 5,000 unique visitorshave searched the online Buyers’Guide is testimony to its usefulness.Also, more than 5000 Guides aredistributed during the show.Information about how to exhibit at

ICAST 2010 is available atwww.icastfishing.org or call+1 703 519 9691.

Major changes are being plannedat Ugly Duckling, the Serbian luremanufacturer. While full details arenot yet available, Angling Internationalunderstands that the search is on foran investor to help take the companyto the next level.Ugly Duckling, known for its samba

and balsa wood wobblers, has splitwith Swan Lures. It is revitalising itsproduct range and looking to increasedistribution across Europe. It is alsoupdating its website.To help accelerate the new strategy,

the company hopes to “join forces”

with an investment partner who canbring connections to new markets andcustomers. The Ugly Duckling namewill be retained under any restructure,but the addition of the new partner’sname remains a possibility.“We have three interested parties

and we hope there will be more,” saida company spokesperson. “It is im-portant to find the right company tocomplement our knowledge, manufac-turing expertise and trademark.”Ugly Duckling can be contacted at

+381 32 373 692 or at the [email protected]


COMMUNIQUÉ

??

ChinaFishfinallyfeels the recessionbite asnumbersdrop

A s China Fish 2010 predictablyfell victim to an economicenvironment that dissuaded aproportion of pre-registeredvisitors from attending, China

Fish President Li Jiang responded to thewidely held view among customers that fewerbuyers attended the show.“According to our interviews with exhibi-

tors 72% of companies said there were fewerbuyers visiting their booths and 61% ofcompanies told us that visitors withpurchasing plans were 30-60% down onlast year,” he told Angling international.“So maybe this proves the economic crisisis finally exerting its impact on China.“In 2009 the economy did not influence

overseas buyers so severely as governmentsput in place measures to rescue the marketsand there were great orders at China Fish.However, this year, when the rescue measureshave stopped and stocks are harder to sell,big orders are more rare.“Also, the speed at which the show has

developed is beyond our expectation, with509 exhibiting companies this year, a 21% in-crease. So maybe the proportion of exhibitorsto visitors is out of balance. As a result manyexhibitors complain that the orders they tookare less than last year. So for next year we willtry to control the scale of the show.”

The quality of the booths was noticeablymore modern this year and very differentfrom the earlier generations of the show.And the new products on show are graduallyimproving in quality.The many people spoken to by Angling

International at the show underlined the factthat China Fish still holds a prominent placein the industry and is seen as akey show at which to do business.While there was some dissatis-faction, mainly to do with thelocation, every company AnglingInternational spoke to expressedits intention to return to the eventnext year.Mr Li Jiang also commented on

the high volume of new business atthe show, saying: “Despite fishingtackle exports falling by 20% in2009 compared to the previousyear, overseas markets are now re-quiring more high quality products,demonstrating that the impact ofthe economic crisis in 2008 on theChinese industry is not as severe asexpected.“Another reason is that perhaps

order amounts placed by overseasbuyers is less than before, so Chi-nese manufacturers have to exhibit

at more showsto grow their business,”he added.“Chinese companies

have realised that exportis not merely survival butare searching a broaderplatform to promotetheir brands. Theyconsider China Fish areliable platform and thisis why we achieved 21%new exhibitors.”* More from China Fishin next month’s AnglingInternational.

Left: the special boothcelebrating the20-yearhistory of China Fish.

CHINA FISH BEST PRODUCT SHOWCASE AWARDS

VENUEHEAVILYCRITICISEDChina Fish is considering amove backto last year’s location following exhibi-tor complaints about the new JiuhuaInternational Exhibition Centre thathosted this year’s event.While exhibitors that Angling

International spoke to underlined thecontinuing importance of China Fishto their trading plans and the industryin general, theywere also unanimousin their criticism of both the exhibitionhall and the neighbouring hotelaccommodation.A final decision has yet to bemade,

but the organisers have taken onboard complaints about the remote-ness of the venue, inadequate hotel

facilities, the lack ofshuttlebus transportinto the city, the ab-sence of carpeting onmuch of the showfloor,cables that presentedsafety hazards andvery low temperaturesthroughout the show.Far fromhiding from the

facts, however, China Fishorganisers have taken thecomplaints on board andin a show of honesty havepublished no-punches-pulledcomments from exhibitors ontheir pressmaterial.

RodWeihai CRONY Fishing Tackle Co., LtdReel Paladin China Co., LtdLureBotao Sports LtdBaitHubei Old Ghost Bait Co., LtdLineWeihai Sensa Company LimitedFloatWeihai Enjie Fishing Tackle Co., LtdBag LongYuan Tourist Goods Co., LtdNetHangzhouHongjian Fishing Tackle Co., LtdElectronics Yachting Electronic Co., LtdClothes Fuzhou RiversunyWaterproof Garments&BagMfg., LtdFly Fishing ProductWeihai Mingyang Fishing Tackle Co., LtdTackle AccessoryGuangzhou Liangyue Lighting Lamps Co., LtdFishing Accessory AFB Bti-sports Yangzhou Guotai Co., LtdOutdoor Equipment Arcadia Camp&Outdoor Products Co., Ltd

Major international companies swelled theexhibitor numbersand improved thequality of the stands, but visitor numbersweredisappointing. However, thoseexhibitors spoken tobyAngling International still promised to return in2011.


COMMUNIQUÉ

20 AnglingInternational April2010

Jim Burton, Managing DirectorMatchbox Tackle “It’s our second yearhere and we are reasonably happy withthe show. Our seatboxes are a specialistproduct so we expect only a certainpercentage of visitors to be interested,but we had some genuine enquiries.Opening up the Chinese domesticmarket is very significant for me – it’s

definitely going to happen. I am happywith the venue as an exhibitor but Iwouldn’t be as a visitor and if I was theorganiser I would be concerned aboutthe reaction if it were held here again.Service and location have been issues.”

Zahidd Iqbal, Manager SonixFishing Tools “Many customers havecontacted us and new ones have beenattracted by the quality we offer. Wewould come back if this interest turnsinto orders, but the venue is not good.The carpeting is poor and the boothsshould make clear the country of origin.”

Ulrike Krome, Managing DirectorOckert GmbH “China Fish fallsbetween EFTTEX shows and so the

HOWWASCHINAFISHFORYOU?THE TRADE’S VIEW

timing is good. There are people whocome to China Fish that don’t go toEFTTEX so there is an opportunity tosee different customers. There are cus-tomers from New Zealand, Australia,North Africa, Egypt and and suchplaces that you wouldn’t necessarilysee at EFTTEX. We have tested it thisyear, which hasn’t cost a lot, and wouldcertainly consider coming again.”

Matt Wilson, Account Manager OEMand commercial markets, EagleClaw “It’s the first time we have had abooth at China Fish. The Asian marketis very attractive to us and this is a test.We ship hooks into Taiwan and dis-tribute from there. Our Trokar hooksare on fire at the moment – they’re thesharpest hooks around.”

Xia Ning, General Manager YaskaFishing Tackle “We have been com-

ing for 18 years,it is an importantshow for us. Wehave seen plentyof customers andare happy with thelevel of business wehave done.”

Lucas van der Geest, MarketingManager Holly Kudos “This is ourfirst time at China Fish and we arehappy with the attention and with thenew customers we have seen. Atten-tion is not an order of course but wehave a good feeling from the show. Wehad high expectations and they havebeen met. We will do it again nextyear. We are focused mainly on theEuropean market right now but if carpfishing should take off in China – and

there are signs that it may – then wewould want to be at the forefront.”

Brandon Hwang, Managing DirectorAquaz “China Fish itself is improv-ing. It is better organised and thereare more overseas visitors. That isimportant for us because we do nottarget the domestic market, which isnot ready for high quality products.But the location is not good. We arehere for business for sure, but it is toofar out from the city. Next year I hopeit moves to another location.”

Mark Zhang, General ManagerHemingway Export and Import “Wehave seen signals that we are comingout of the economic crisis. Ordershave been fewer but better quality.We have seen our stable customersand also some new customers. It isexpedient to have the venue and thehotel close together but the location isnot convenient for many people. Thetemperatures are low.”

Wang Qian Gang, Director WeihaiHanhigh “There are not as manyvisitors as 2009 but last year theywere just dropping cards and this yearthey are coming on to the stand andhaving a proper business discussion.So we are making good connectionsthat we will follow up after the show.The location is too far out from thecity, although everyone is together andnetworking, which is good.”

Shareo, Foreign Trade managerLianqiu “This is our fourth year atChina Fish and it is an important showfor us. If we don’t exhibit here we maylose customers. However, we don’twant to come to this location again andwould prefer to be closer to the city.”

China Fish is all about sales, with the emphasis on the quality of the buyers. Buthowmuch business did it really generate for its exhibitors this year?


COMMUNIQUÉ

22

ACE signs with YarisSports in Germany


A dvanced CarpEquipment(ACE) hassigned up YarisSports BV as

its exclusive distributor forthe German market. The dealsees the rapidly expandingUK company teaming upwith Henk Bruins, one of theindustry’s best known figures,thereby completing the picturefor ACE and its European

ACE Director Max Cottis:“We had been overdue ingetting a proper footholdin Germany.”

The deal couldn’t have come a moment too soon– we had been overdue in getting a proper footholdin Germany.“We’re now in every major European market. The

biggest for us are probably Italy, France, Russia,Belgium, Holland and Scandinavia. Obviously, youcan now add Germany to that list, and of course theUK. We were quite late breaking into the UK lastyear, but now have 130 accounts – a figure I’mplanning to double in 2010.Henk Bruins commented: “I was very impressed

with the ACE range when I first saw it. I knew thatwith their background, any product coming fromSteve and Max would be of a high pedigree.“We will be visiting all our existing accounts over

the coming weeks to show and explain all these newproducts. However, if any dealers wish to get onboard earlier then they can contact our offices andwe’ll make arrangements to visit them sooner.”For further details, contact Yaris Sports BV on+31 485561177 or [email protected]

distribution network, with Germany being the lastmain market that the company was seeking to securerepresentation in.Max Cottis, Director of ACE, told Angling Inter-

national: “Henk is one of the most respected men inthe business so to have him representing us isfantastic. Germany is one of the largest Europeanmarkets so we were keen to get some mainstreamrepresentation as we had only been servicing ahandful of shops directly until he came on board.“The response has been instant. He held his first

show in a tackle shop recently and sold most of thestock. The enquiries have been flowing in ever since.

The Bologna Fishing Show has easilyeclipsed its attendance target. At least50,000 visitors descended on the stun-ning northern Italian city for the event,with some reports putting attendanceat more than double the 30,000 thathad been anticipated.The show, one of Europe’s best

known sports fishing events, tookplace during 12-15 February at theBolognafiera Showground venue.Organised on behalf of the Italian

Federation of Sport Fishing Equip-ment Manufacturers and Professionals(FIPO), this year saw Italy’s main div-ing event, Eudi Show/DivEx, broughtunder the same roof as the organiserssought to capitalise on synergiesbetween the fishing and diving marketsand create additional value for visitors.Just over 100 exhibitors attended

the show, and trade was reported asbeing ‘brisk’, despite the recession.Céline Boutin, International BusinessManager for French line company Pow-erline, said: “Bologne was a very goodand interesting show. There was snowon Friday and it was feared it wouldaffect the attendance but it was verybusy and Saturday morning was crazy,

with some queues lasting 30 minutes!”Antonio Artico, Managing Director

of Artico, a company which has beenattending the show since its inception,was also impressed with this year’sproceedings. His firm has been manu-facturing rods since 1988 and acts asthe exclusive Italian distributor forSasame Shout! and @rigato lures, add-ing Powerline to its portfolio this year.He told Angling International:

“Despite the financial crisis, theBologna show was a great success forour company – in fact it was probablythe best since it began four years ago.“For Italian fishing tackle companies

and manufacturers, Bologna isdefinitely the most important datein the calendar – it’s the best placeto showcase all the new productswhich are due to be introduced inthe 2010/2011 season. This yearour surfcasting rods and boat fishingrods proved particularly popular, andour new range of river trout fishingrods manufactured with the same100% pre-preg carbon they use in thebodywork of Ferrari Formula One carsalso caused quite a stir! Bologna wasbrilliant – I can’t wait for next year.”

HugecrowdsatBologna

Wright andMcGill,maker of Eagle Clawfishing tackle, has appointedPro Tacklesas its exclusivedistributor for its Trokarhookbrand for Italy, France, Spain, PortugalandCroatia. Based inBologna, Pro Tackles

hassuccessfully established its ownMolixluresworldwide and this is believed tobeafactor inWright andMcGill’s decision.

Trokarwere the subject of a high-pro-file launchat last year’s ICAST showand

Eagle Clawbelieves that the surgicallysharpenedhooksare themost effectiveever designed. In announcing the alliance,Eagle Clawsaid that the twocompany’sproduct ranges complementedeach

other, offering thehighest standard at theforefront of innovation. Pro Tackles ownerPaulo Vannini invitedenquiries to+39051887919 (phone),+390516903961(fax) or [email protected].

ITALY’SPROTACKLESTODISTRIBUTETROKARHOOKS INEUROPE



COMMUNIQUÉ

Randi Swisher:We’ll repay thefaith of theflyfishing industry

FFR was generally regardedas having endured a toughfew years. What will beessentially different aboutIFTD that will make it thesuccess the industry wantsit to be?Randi Swisher: First, theindustry trade show is nowowned and produced bythe fly fishing industry. For

the first time in history, AFFTA is in a position topromote and sustain the growth of fly fishing in asignificant way. For too long, the primary focus forthe show has been just on manufacturers sellingproducts. Not enough focus was placed on helpingretailers find ways to improve their business andincrease their bottom line. Over the past two months,we have moved quickly to put into place the compo-nents necessary to bring the industry together.

So, what will IFTD do to attract sufficient numbersof retailers?The biggest incentive for a retailer to attend isfinancially driven. The show will offer profit-drivenprogrammes focusing on increasing sales, reducingcosts and attracting new business. At this year’s IFTDshow, we will re-introduce the Passport Program,which provides the retailer with early-bird offers,special ‘hot buys’, limited product introductions andother incentives that will only be available to retailparticipants at the show. Other programmes beingdeveloped will drive sales and profitability directly tothe retailer. Our primary focus is to bring incentivesto help them grow their business.In addition, we have created a couple of new

features, including the ‘Small Business Area’ wherea small business can exhibit for $350. Often theseunique products and services help retailersdistinguish their shop from other dealers or big boxretailers. Another new feature is the ‘Better BusinessSection’. This will include general business groups forretailers including insurance, merchandising, retailsoftware, business consulting, inventory managementsoftware, store fixtures and so on.We have reduced costs for the retailer to attend the

show by providing a $99 per night room rate. In addition,we will be offering a special promotion to new AFFTA

members that will provide even more savings. Thedetails of this programme will be available soon.

Immediate response to the show was very positive.Is this momentum being carried through withexhibitors booking?The response from the fly fishing industry has beenextremely supportive. I have personally spoken withapproximately 80 per cent of last year’s exhibitorsand have been pleased by their overwhelmingsupport and plans to exhibit at IFTD.

Both Outdoor Retailer and ICAST have courted the flyfishing industry. How much of an obstacle could thisbe to IFTD achieving its objectives?It certainly makes good business sense for OutdoorRetailer and ICAST to invite the fly fishing industryto their events. Fly fishing exhibitors would onlyenhance their outdoor sports and general tackleoffering. But rather than be diluted in a large, moregeneral show, the fly fishing industry is very focusedon producing and supporting its own trade show,which specifically enhances the growth of the flyfishing industry.

What is your message to exhibitors and visitors stillsitting on the fence?Anyone that relies on the fly fishing industry for aliving should participate. Whether you are a manu-facturer, retailer, sales rep, guide, lodge or media, theIFTD should be an integral part of your planningand future success. Based on the results of surveysfrom AFFTA members, we are making a strongcommitment to incorporate many of the suggestionsreceived. By reducing the price to exhibit this year, weare attracting more exhibitors. In the same manner,we hope that attendees will respond by participating.The success of the show is based on a partnership.

How do you think the industry will react to thereduced exhibitor rates?By passing along some savings to our members and

exhibitors we are making it easier and more affordableto participate in these challenging economic times.In the past, it has been financially difficult for a smallbusiness to exhibit at the show. That is why we arefeaturing the ‘Small Business Area’ I mentioned.Often smaller businesses do not have representationfrom a sales rep but now will be able to promote andsell their products and services directly to the retailer.

There have been four different propositions for flyshows in recent months. Do you think there is a riskof confusion?During the time in which AFFTA was making thedecision to produce its own trade show, I thinkthere was some confusion. However, since then, wehave clearly sent the message that AFFTA is movingforward with IFTD in September.

Nielsen has said the “fly fishing industry cannotsustain a stand-alone event in the market place”.What is your reaction to this?I respect their opinion but I am confident we willprovide a new energised trade show. The responsewe’ve received so far from manufacturers, retailers,

sales reps, media and fly fishing enthusiasts indicateswe will be able to sustain our own trade show.

The former FFR show was sometimes criticised forthe lack of advertising to attract visitors. Is thissomething that IFTD will remedy?We are starting an aggressive marketing campaignthat will outline the benefits of the show. We are inthe process of designing an IFTD website, whichwill provide detailed information to attendees andexhibitors. You will start to see full-page ads in tradepublications. One of our main strategies is a directemail campaign that will target manufacturers, retail-ers, sales reps, media, guides and lodges. In addition,we will continue to communicate with the fly fishingindustry through our monthly AFFTA Connectsletter. It will be more intensive closer to the show.

In his first major interview since taking on the role of Show Director for the newInternational Fly Tackle Dealer Show, Randi Swisher explains how the show willbetter serve the fly fishing industry. “We’ll help retailers,” he says.

Randi Swisher: confidentof success inDenver.

“We’ll provideanewenergised tradeshow.The responsewe’ve receivedso far frommanufacturers, retailersandsales repssayswewill beable tosustain it”


26 Shimano American Corporation28Western Filamant29 Vega30 Sufix32 Platypus34 Pure Fishing34Hi-Seas35 Eurocord36 Cortland37Monofil-Technik38 Climax41 FirstDart42Balsax43 Powerline43 Anka Tackle44 StrikeWire46 Central Sarana Pancing46 Shimano Europe

Local styles and trends requiringspecies-specific products areamong the key factors drivingthe future of the fishing linesector. An exclusive analysis by

Angling International involving a comprehen-sive series of interviews with almost 20 linemanufacturers around the world, reveals thatniche targeting will be critical to growth overthe next five years.It has also become clear that in an increas-

ingly fragmented market occupied by moreproducts than ever before, companies arehaving to modify their strategies.“Times have changed and the industry

needs to change too,” said Timo Vernooij,General Manager of Dutch fishing line manu-facturer Eurocord. “The old way has goneand today it is vital to be more in tune withmarket trends. Even lines of two or threeyears ago were completely different to today.”He is not alone. Céline Boutin, Interna-

tional Business Manager for Powerline inFrance, underlined the need for designed-for-purpose products, adding: “We have noticeda real change in the last two years. The mar-ket is splitting into many different technicalcategories for different types of fishing.”And Gerard Bakkenes, Marketing Manager

for Shimano Europe, echoed the thoughtsof many when he told Angling International:“We are focusing on lines with greaterspecialisation to match different demands.”The impact of changing consumer needs

is also clearly visible in a significant swingtowards the manufacture of braid. LarsOllberg, Director of Sufix Fishing Lines andAccessories, confirmed that the demand forbraided lines has increased, while FirstDart’sSimon Henton has identified a significantshift away from nylon monofilament and

IN THIS SECTION

The lines sector is an increasingly fragmentedmarketDevelopment isbeingdrivenby local trendsandstylesSpecies-specific and technique-specific lines are in greater demandConsumers are looking for features other than breaking strengthThemost successfulmanufacturers respond quickly to changing consumer needsThere is a significant shift towards braided linesTop level technology still in thehandsofmajor playersInnovation is being achieved largely through improved processes and techniquesCost is not necessarily a barrier to sales

KEYFINDINGSFROMOUR INTERVIEWS

towards braid in some key markets. StewartMcPherson, CEO of Platypus, revealed thathis company’s sales of braid “have increaseddramatically over the past few years.”Faced with this fiercely customer-driven

environment, the industry remains confidentthat there is still considerable scope for inno-vation. And it is largely unified that advance-ment will come through more sophisticatedmanufacturing processes and techniques,rather than revolutionary raw materials.“There is still a long way to go in quality

and innovation,” stressed Dave Pfeiffer,President of Shimano American Corporation.And Christian Rademann, International

Sales Manager for Climax fly products,revealed that not a single product in therange has been left untouched as the brandstrives to deliver “something special and ofreal value” to a more discerning consumer.Cost, say many manufacturers, is not the

key issue for consumers, despite the slowereconomy. “Our customers are not onlylooking for price,” said Rivai Susanto, ownerof Central Sarana Pancing, while Powerlineconfirmed that even the most expensive linesare proving popular.

Introducing our most comprehensive ever analysis of the globallines market including its current trends, its future direction andthe thoughts and opinions of the key players in the sector in 2010.

I N S I G H T • A N A LY S I S • N E W P R O D U C T S

2010LINEThe linesmarket today

Angling InternationalPublishing EditorMel Bagnall

ShimanoUS: There’s moreto come from PowerPro

Pleased with progress:Shimano AmericanCorporation PresidentDave Pfeiffer.

A year of investment in existingPowerPro products has broughtdividends for its new owner.Now there will be more focuson product development, says

President Dave Pfeiffer. Shimano AmericanCorporation grabbed the attention of theworld fishing line market when it acquiredInnovative Textiles Inc, the makers of Power-Pro braided line, in early 2009. The acquisi-tion of the top manufacturing facility, coupledwith Shimano’s reputation and resources, wasan exciting combination and Shimano Presi-dent Dave Pfeiffer subsequently predicted“serious growth” in the line sector. He out-lined his plans to market what was essentiallya US brand to the international market.A year on, Angling International has

spoken to Pfeiffer again for an update on post-acquisition progress, the scale of Shimano’s

ambition in the international line sector andhis thoughts on product development.“It is one thing to say we are serious, but

it is better to look at what is going on in themarket,” said Pfeiffer. “When you look at ityou can see that we are very serious and veryaggressive with PowerPro globally andin each local market. Action speaks andeveryone can see the strong attention beinggiven to the brand in the US, Europe and inAsia. Our aim is to grow our line salesin Europe and in Asia and to find othermarkets globally.“PowerPro was doing well in the European

markets before we produced it, but we havebrought a stronger impetus to promotionand distribution.“Even before we purchased PowerPro we

were naturally close to the fishing linemarket through our other products. You

can’t make reels without considering theimplications for lines so we have been on thispath for some time.“Proportionately speaking, we are making a

very strong investment into our line business.Team Shimano globally is very excited by ourplans. We are fortunate to have grown ourbusiness over the last year and we are lookingto continue that growth in the future.”Although PowerPro was originally

developed for the saltwater market, it wasvery quickly adapted for freshwater applica-tions and Shimano has broadened its appealby bringing available strengths down to 5lbwith even lighter lines on the way.The company believes there are

opportunities for developing the product forvarious different uses that have yet to be seenand it will continue to explore these. “Themarket will certainly be seeing someinnovation from us,” affirmed Pfeiffer.On a broader industry level, does Shimano

see significant scope for the discernibleadvancement of fishing lines? “There has

been a steady state of change and constantprogression, with people exploring moreways to use braided fishing lines,” he con-tinued. “There is a still a long way to go inquality and innovation. Some things willhappen quickly and some will take moretime, although I think the market is movingtowards braid and I don’t see too manydramatic changes in the advancement ofmonofil.”Will innovation be achieved through

materials or process? “We think both,” saysPfeiffer. “Materials will improve and we willfind different and better ways to work withthem for the benefit of the consumer.”Shimano has no further acquisitions on its

radar right now but remains open toopportunities. “We are not acquisitionminded per se,” concludes Pfeiffer, “but weare interested in what fits strategically.”

Contact tel +1 970 242 3002or websiteswww.shimano.com andwww.powerpro.com


“PowerProwasdoingwell inEurope,butwehavebroughtastronger impetus todistribution”

Growing brand: “Everyone cansee the strong attention weare giving PowerPro,” saysDave Pfeiffer.


2010LINE



2010LINE

Western Filament sees itsvolumes grow despitethe US recession

Changing buying patternsbrought about by a weakeconomy have not erodedthe confidence of US fishingline manufacturer Western

Filament. Indeed, the Colorado companybelieves the line market is a good place tobe right now.“Most distributors and dealers are reluctant

to carry too much inventory due to thehigh carrying costs and market uncertainty,”says President Rex Nelson. “However, ourvolume had continued to grow and we areseeing muchmore interest in USmanu-factured goods.“The most noticeable trend lately

is the reluctance of the consumer topurchase large ticket items like newboats, electronics and high-pricedreels. We have however seen that con-sumers still want to reward themselvesand splurge on smaller ticket items suchas rods, inexpensive reels, lures and line.For us, being a supplier of lines has certainlybeen advantageous in a slower economy.”Western Filament continues to enjoy

success with its TUF Line XP series ofproducts and its introduction of TUF LineDuraCast has proved a big hit with spinning

reel anglers, breed-ing confidencethat this line willcontinue to grow

and dominate the company’s line sales overthe next three to five years.“Duracast was a huge breakthrough for us

and is proof positive that there is still roomfor continued improvement and growth inbraided lines. You will definitely see futuredevelopments from us in respect of this typeof processing,” affirmed Nelson.

The company has also seen great suc-cess with its new TUF Line Indicator– a colour metered braid “done prop-erly” – and it plans to expand thisseries, along with leader materials fortoothy fish. A new extremely strongleader material incorporating braidedstainless steel around a Spectra fibrecore is being introduced under the

TUF Leader name.“We are constantly looking for process

and product improvements for our exist-ing products as well as the development of

new products. Our in-house engineeringdepartment works closely with research anddevelopment to offer innovative fishing lines.At any given time we have more than 12potential new product lines in process at ourGrand Junction facility.“Most existing materials have been

exploited to their full potential and there arenot too many new ones on the market, so wesee the majority of the advancements comingthrough improved manufacturing processes.We use state-of-the-art equipment to ensurethat every possible avenue is explored withrespect to product development.”Western Filament has worked extensively

with Spectra fibre since its inception in 1987and works closely with makers Honeywellas it continues to introduce stronger, lighter,high modulus fibres.Contact: [email protected] and+1 970 241 8780

“Consumersarestill keen

tobuysmallerticket items”

RexNelson: “Being a linesupplier hasbeenanadvantage in a slowereconomy.”


Vega is focusing on qualityas it bids to increase its linebusiness in the next twoyears. The Portuguese tacklecompany is present in anumber of sectors includinglures, seat boxes, rods andreels, but has identified lineas a market where it canachieve significant growth –provided it meets the needsof increasingly well-informed

and discerning consumers around the world.Says Export and Product Manager Paulo Soares:

“Currently our lines business represents around 7%of Vega’s total business but our aim is to increasethat to 12% during the next couple of years. To dothat we have launched a complete new range oflines harnessing the latest developments.“We have developed a new Dyneema braided line,

Akada Braided, specifically for spinning in fresh andsaltwater. And we are into fluorocarbon-coated lines,which give the best of both worlds. You get thenear-invisibility and superior abrasion-resistance offluorocarbon and the higher strength and smooth-ness of nylon. Our Akada FC and Potenza SC haveboth got that.” Akada FC is manufactured from highquality PVDF raw materials while Potenza SC isproduced using an exclusive extruding process.The key is to deliver exactly what anglers need,

says Soares, which makes line such an excitingsector today. “Consumer demands are increasingevery day,” he adds. “Information is easy to findand people are aware of the latest developments.Fishermen are coming to realise that line is themost important part of the set-up so their demandsare increasing. That’s why it’s right to be at thetop end of the market.”Contact: [email protected] and+35 12 19 61 7455/6

Vegaseekinggrowthatthetopendofthemarket

Ambitious growthplans:Paulo Soares

Strong line-up: Vegahas launched a completenewrangebasedon the latest technology.

“Anglersare realising thatline is themost importantpartof theset-upso theirdemandsare increasing”


InthepastyouhavetalkedaboutSufixchallengingexistingpractices.Couldyoubea littlemorespecific?Our marketing approach hasbeen to promote lines thatare species-specific and fish-ing style-specific. We are aninternational company with awide range of products, butwe differ to many other com-panies in that we localise our

products. We don’t force our distribution units to sella particular product if it clearly doesn’t fit the market.Instead, the worldwide Rapala distribution networkexamines and finds the most suitable Sufix lines fromand then builds the sales and marketing strategybased on local fishing habits and species.

How does that benefit consumers?The benefits to the consumers are evident. We canoffer highly sophisticated products made in control-led environments with precision tools and equipment– and still at affordable prices. We can localise theproducts in a competitive way, so that they are greatvalue on all continents. Also, we have localised manyof the product packages to make it easier for ourcustomers to find the right products for their use.Good examples of this strategy are the Sufix carpfishing lines in Europe. We believe we are prettymuch a market leader in these. Other examples areour ice fishing lines and saltwater lines, which aredifficult to match in price and quality.

Lars Ollberg: “Our strategyis based on local habits.”

Sufix: “Meeting the needsof local anglers is the key”

What changes have you observed in theglobal fishing line markets?One trend that has continued is theincreased number of fishing linebrands. They seem to mushroomeverywhere. I think distributorsand dealers need to pay attentionto how they build customer loyalty.With global brands such as Sufix,customers will get reliable servicefrom a trustworthy company. We’vebeen here since 1936 and we are stillgoing to be here tomorrow.

Do you see significant changes inconsumer trends and demands and, ifso, how is Sufix reacting to these?Well, I think the trend is towards fishing-specific or fish-specific lines. We have foreseenthis trend for a while, not only with fishing linesbut with our other products too. You can see theproof in the increase of business in the various leadersand hook links. Within the fishing line market, thedemand for braided lines seems to have increased.We have increased both our nylon and fluorocarbonmonofilament sales nicely, whereas our braided linesales have developed much more dramatically.

Which categories do you think will bring you mostsuccess going forward?Braid sales will keep on growing. We have the widestrange available in the market and customers aroundthe world will find the right line from the Sufix range.The other trend is in saltwater jigging. Here again,Sufix has the widest selection in the market. We havebeen a forerunner in this sector for a long time, andcustomers loyal to Sufix will keep on spreading theword. The launch of our Sufix Performance Fuse hasbeen a phenomenal success in all markets. We antici-pated a high demand, and we have been able to sup-ply the products in a timely manner. We are sure thatsales of this product will keep on increasing. For nextyear, we will add the multi-colour metered version ofthe Fuse for saltwater jigging and trolling applications.

How important are existing products?They are very important. Fishing lines tend to beitems that consumers are quite loyal to. SufixMatrix Pro, Sufix Performance Braid, Sufix XL Strong

– customers come back to these products year afteryear, and they will continue to do so.

Fishing line quality has improved tremendously inrecent years. Do you think there is still scope forfurther advances and genuine innovation?You are quite correct on this. The strengths anduser-friendliness have increased and we can now saythat the braided lines are as strong as needed. I don’tthink you need lines that are much stronger lines. Bythat I mean tensile strength over diameter. Currentlyyou can get such high strength from a hair-thin linethat anything more in regular fishing can start erodingthe joy of your fishing day. We are introducing someinteresting new items though. We intend to launchnew products that truly improve the experience of thefishing day. We will launch a new braided line thatwill be the ‘talk of the town’ and which adds value tothe properties that fishermen most appreciate. Also,we will rework our carp fishing selection so that thelines are easier to choose, easier to use and easier tostore. Our new offering in saltwater lines will alsoimprove the fishing experience. So all in all, the 2011range will see a lot of improvements that strengthenSufix’s image as a high quality manufacturer andinnovator in the line sector.

Contact [email protected] and www.sufix.com

Species-specific lines are the difference, says Lars Ollberg,Director of Fishing Lines and Accessories at Sufix.

Global reach: Sufix is present in allkey territories around the world– with products to match.


2010LINE



2010LINE

Involvement in other manufacturingindustries has proven a big advantagefor fishing line company Platypus. TheAustralian manufacturer also makesproducts such as weed trimmer line

for the garden and lawn care sectors andfibres for the mining, construction andfiltration industries.“Working across such a varied prod-

uct mix often leads to innovative ideas toenhance our fishing lines and has beenresponsible for new product,” said CEOStewart McPherson.“Some of our longer term projects involve

plant-based plastics. Oil will become increas-ingly scarce and expensive so we need tomove away from unsustainable raw materials.We are already using plastics derived from

plants rather than oil in specialised industrialfibres for filtration and mining.”In the meantime, the company is keenly

monitoring changes in both the structure ofthe market place and in consumer demands.“We are seeing significant consolidation

of fishing line brands being absorbed bylarger tackle companies, many of which areusing their size and product range to floodthe market with cheap product to force outdedicated line manufacturers,” explainedMcPherson.“Increasingly, we are seeing cheaper braids

often using Dyneema yarns mixed withcheaper polyester yarn which will decreasethe price but also strength and performance.”However, these potential obstacles have

not slowed the company’s pursuit of in-novation and value. Platypus Lo-Stretch,developed as a monofilament alternative tobraid, is selling well. But while monofilamentremains a solid performer in an economicenvironment that has made anglers morecost-aware, the growth in braid has been“stand-out” and new braids are under devel-opment for release in 2010-11, including anIGFA-rated product.“We actually have more control over the

research and development of monofilamentthan we do braid, which relies on DSM orHoneywell to improve the raw fibre whichis then braided, coated and so on. Around95 per cent of the properties of the finishedbraid are out of the hands of the braider. Thatsaid, we are always looking for new fibres,raw materials, machinery, finishes and so onfor all our products,” added McPherson.As Platypus continues to expand into new

markets, it is particularly interested to hearfrom distributors in most EU regions and inthe US. Enquiries to +61 07 3881 1522 [email protected]

Platypus stays ahead ofits rivals with ideas fromoutside the tackle industry

“Workingacrosssuchavariedproductmixoften leads to innova-tive ideas toenhanceourfishing lines”

Belowand left:monofilament remainsa strongperformer but Platypus is seeing ‘standout’ sales inbraid andwill be developinganumber of newbraidsfor release in thenext year.



2010LINE

Anew line acad-emy set up toeducate its salesteams, retailersand the con-

sumer is a key factor in PureFishing’s plans to grow itsfishing lines business andensure it maintains a competi-tive edge. The academy willprovide vital support forthe company’s Product Test

Centre, where specialist development teams per linecategory are totally focused on producing the bestproducts available.“We are able to test our products against those of

competitors and to work on strengths and weak-nesses so we can outperform them,” explained SeniorProduct Manager Jan Van De Bovenkamp. “We havea complete team only doing testing and creating salesarguments for our sales people. I don’t think there isanother one like it anywhere.“But we have not stopped there. Pure Fishing has

such a huge range of lines and there is a story behindevery one, so it is not easy to sell to the retailer. Thatis why we have worked for months to set up ourunique line academy. The purpose is to educate notonly our sales teams but also retailers, consumers andthe media, on every topic they need to know about,including the benefits and features of each line, howlines behave in water and what product is best suitedfor different fishing styles.“How many anglers really know which lines take

Pure Fishing puts line atthe centre of growth plans

Educating the sales force:Senior Product ManagerJan Van De Bovenkamp.

on water and how that affects thebreaking strength? And how many areaware of which line to choose for agiven situation?”The academy information is all con-

tained in a set of documents which willexplain issues like these and by doingso will strengthen Pure Fishing’s posi-tion in the market. Van De Bovenkampwas also travelling to Pure Fishing’sSpirit Lake headquarters in April toshoot a movie about the academy.Van De Bovenkamp believes fishing

lines will become a bigger part of PureFishing’s business, with the rapiddevelopment of new raw materials and

fibres, new weaving technology and a big focus onthe improvement of current products creatingopportunities for the future.The company manufactures monofilament, fluoro-

carbon and superline (braided and fused) in its ownplant and is continually looking for niche productsto expand the range, as well as investigating new linecategories currently not on the market.“For sure there is a big potential to gain market

share and we will attack every opportunity to do so.Pure Fishing will bring breakthrough technology – we

have done it many times in the past and we will do itagain,” he continued. “We are always looking to goto the next level on everything. For example we arenow workng on packaging that contains a sunblocker.And we have a 0.037mm line with a linear strength ofmore than a kilo. That’s breakthrough technology.”Pure Fishing has seen a rapid growth in its

Superline sales and some natural growth in mono.“Fluorocarbon is a different story. It is a relatively newcategory and still considered as a leader and hooklinkmaterial,” added Van De Bovenkamp.“We created the first truly fishable and manageable

mainline out of 100% PVDF Fluorocarbon. Competi-tors have tried to do this with mixed product but thattakes away the strength.”Contact [email protected]

ProsuccessprovesQuattro’svalueThe second place achieved by Jeff Kriet in the 2010Bassmaster Classic was the cause for much celebra-tion by Hi-Seas, the US line manufacturer. For Krietwas using the company’s new four-colour camouflageQuattro 100% Fluorocarbon and Hi-Seas original100% Fluorocarbon lines.“These lines paved my way to a second placed

finish,” said Kriet, a member of the Hi-Seas team.“The biggest part of competing against the highestcalibre anglers is having confidence in your tools andI know I have the best line available.”Hi-Seas released the new camouflage Quattro

in September 2009 and it has since produced topfinishes for anglers around the world. It is sure to beamong the range of products showcased by Hi-Seaswhen it exhibits at EFTTEX in Spain in June.

“We are very excited to be exhibiting in Valencia.It’s a great opportunity to expose our products towhat is a new and growing market for us,” said EventManager and Marketing Co-ordinator, Yvette Rod-riguez. “As a wire/line manufacturer in the US, we aretrying to grow distribution in European markets andEFTTEX plays an important role for us in doing that.“One of our newest products, Quattro 100%

Fluorocarbon, has been very successful since itsdebut last year and we’re very anxious to see thereception in Spain.“With our advertising in Angling International and

our presence at the EFTTEX trade show we expect asuccessful outcome.”Contact tel +1 800 824 9473 or email Yvette@

americanfishingwire.com and www.hiseas.net

“There ispotential togainmarketshareandwewillattackeveryopportunity”

Just someof Pure Fishing’s“huge rangeof lines”.


Eurocord’sTimoVernooij:‘Betterserviceisthekey’High-tech fishing line manufacturerEurocord believes more emphasis ona customer-driven strategy will createadditional demand for its products.General Manager Timo Vernooij insiststhere are three keys factors to keepingexisting customers happy and attract-ing new ones: getting closer to themarket and its needs; improved qualityat cheaper prices; and speedier, morefrequent deliveries.“The old way was to look at the

possibilities in the factory and manu-facture products accordingly,” Vernooijtold Angling International. “But todayit is vital to be in tune with the trendsin the market. To do that you needto be much closer to the consumerthrough your wholesaler and workwith him to create particular lines forparticular purposes.“The wholesaler wants to be unique

and to have an edge over his competi-tors. So they ask for special productsand sometimes for exclusivity. We needto be in a position to meet their needs.The most noticeable current trend isfor different coloured braids. Red andyellow are becoming very popular.”After 40 years’ experience with

braid, the Dutch OEM company haswitnessed many advantages in linetechnology (thanks to its own researchand development department), butstill sees scope for further advances.“The quality of our lines has got

better and better and we won’t stopimproving them,” added Vernooij.“Even lines of two to three years agowere completely different to today.The braiding process itself is unlikelyto change but coating and stretchingtechniques develop every year. For

instance, from September last year wehave been able to offer a special coat-ing that dramatically reduces castingnoise. And we are now testing newlines containing other materials and arein the early stages of a process for col-ouring each strand of braid to producea multi-coloured line.“We are also focused on optimis-

ing production processes to make ourlines less expensive. This is importantif we are to create good margins for thewholesaler and to grow our share.”As a further customer benefit,

Eurocord has reinvented its workingpractices to guarantee short deliverytimes through the whole year. Knowingthat wholesalers are not in a positionat the start of the year to foresee whatproducts are going to sell the best,Eurocord manufactures large stocksof popular braids that can then befinished with the required colour,diameter or coating in a short time andthen shipped to the customer.And it doesn’t stop there. The com-

pany has its own packaging depart-ment, a service it offers to customers atcompetitive rates.Vernooij joined Eurocord on January

1st after 15 years in development, salesand marketing functions and confessesthat he still getting to know the linemarket. He has already been impressedby the knowledge, experience andstrong work ethic in the company butfeels there is potential to improve thecommunication of Eurocord’s qualityand innovation.For further information contact

Sales Manager Ben Pellenbrink on+31 13 4675878 or [email protected] and www.eurocord.eu

“Wholesalersask for special products.Weneed tobeable tomeet theirneeds”

GeneralManager TimoVernooijat Eurocord’s base inHolland.


2010LINE

Does Cortland see changes in consumertrends and demands and, if so, how is itreacting to these?Brian Ward: There has certainly been ageneral trend away from double taper (DT)lines into weight forward (WF) lines forsome years now. Certain pockets continue todemand DTs but generally WF lines havebecome the standard. We are also seeingtrends in shooting head systems, switchlines, Spey lines and other innovativeapproaches to line design coming from a va-

Cortland: “We’reworkingwith new cores and newpolymers all the time...”

riety of locations around the world. It is greatto see fly fishers experimenting with designsin real world fishing situations and feedingthat input back to us at Cortland.

The recent appointment of new distributorssuggests an intention to further increaseyour trading in Europe. Will this be a keyfocus for 2010 and beyond and will Cortlanddevelop more lines specifically for Europeanfishing styles?Yes. We will be focusing on strengtheningour distribution around the world butespecially in Europe. Part of that strategy willbe the development of new lines specificto the relevant markets. This is where thegrassroots input from dedicated fly fishers intheir locales will help us to develop what theregional market needs or wants. Of course,

BrianWard, the President of Cortland Line explains how productdevelopment keeps the company at the forefront of the fly line sector.

Cortland makes more than fly lines. We area major manufacturer of braided lines andmonofilament as well, so you will also seefurther development in these areas that arealso targeted towards specific markets andunique uses.

Which fly fishing categories have been mostsuccessful for Cortland lines in the past yearand which do you think will be most success-ful going forward?Certainly our fly lines have been the topperformers for the company, but we have alsoseen strong growth in rods and fly fishingoutfits. In support of those items we havealso had a great deal of growth in relatedaccessories including leaders and tippet.Going forward, we see continued growthin fly lines as well as outfits that are moretargeted to regions and specific to theirparticular demands. I also think that our newdevelopments in materials resulting in highertech leaders and tippet will result in signifi-cant growth for that terminal category.

Will Cortland be expanding into newcategories in the future?Cortland will continue its expansion into thebraided line categories and continue to pushthe envelope in fly line design and core andcoating technology.As the only manufacturer in the world that

makes the entire fly line from core throughcoating, we have more to offer in the way ofdevelopment than our competitors. We willconcentrate on developing those distinctivecompetencies.

“Grassroots input fromdedicatedflyfishers in

their localeswill helpus todevelopwhat the regional

marketneedsorwants”AnglingInternational April201036


Monofil-Technik acknowl-edges the importance ofnew ideas and improvedquality in its productline, but it is the rapid

fulfilment of distributor orders that is thesecret behind its success, says the Germancompany.“Our key asset is our very fast reaction

time to deliver products demanded by ourexclusive distributors,” said Export SalesManager Dirk Sowietzki. “Our partners reallyappreciate this and the way we work closelytogether.”Monofil-Technik is famous for its Platil

brand, but fishing line is just one of themany products manufactured as a result of

The quality of fly lines has improvedtremendously in recent years. Do youbelieve there is still scope for further ad-vances and genuine innovation?We certainly see further scope for innova-tion. We are working with new cores andpolymers all the time that show tremendouspromise. In fact, we are currently testingseveral new floating lines that we feel willconsiderably advance the technology behindfly line development and the resultantbenefit to the fly fisher. Our goal is alwaysto enhance the fishing experience throughtechnology and product development.These new approaches use a combinationof all-new technologies as well as ablend of new and existing technologies.Again, the goal is to make the fishingexperience as positive and rewarding aspossible. If we can enhance a product withimprovements, we will do so. If it can bedone with brand new technology then wewill also take that approach. We are on anever-ending quest of continuous productimprovement.

How will Cortland excite consumers with itsnew products in 2010 and continue to stayahead of its competitors?Cortland has been leading innovation in flyline development for almost 100 years. Ournewest products will reflect the wealth ofknowledge and experience that has goneinto creative innovation during all thoseyears. As a 100% employee-owned firm,we are dedicated to bringing the highestquality products to our customers andhelping them to enjoy the sport of fly fishingto its maximum level of enjoyment. Everyline that goes out of our plant has theowner’s name on it and those owner/em-ployees are proud of what they produce fortoday’s fly fisher.Contact tel +1 607 756 2851 or [email protected] and websitewww.cortlandline.com

Fast deliveries giveGermans the edge

the company’s expertise in the extrusion ofmonofilament. It also produces tennis racketstrings, brushes and cutting lines for gardenequipment. Cross-over technology has beenan important factor in its ascension.But the company has its feet firmly on the

ground when it comes to future prospectsfor the fishing line sector and is cynical aboutclaims of serious growth. “Often we do notbelieve claims about growth. When youget the opportunity to talk very openly andhonestly with people about our trade, mostof them are glad just to maintain their marketshare right now – and they are having to workharder to do so,” said Sowietzki.Sowietzki also believes that line sales have

suffered because a lot of product is predict-able and that, under pressure from consumerslooking for something new, many manufactur-ers are making only cosmetic changes.“After years of unbelievable labelling,

the producers are very slowly coming tounderstand that long-term sales are basedon quality, excellent service and truth,” hecontinued. “Unfortunately, some in thetrade still use illegal behaviour. When youread the publicity from some line-mak-ers you quickly recognise a lot of it ismisleading.”

Monofil-Technik is so committed toeducating consumers and retailers thatit has produced a leaflet called ‘Whatanglers need to know about lines.’ Thisexplains, among other things, the linkbetween diameter and breaking strength,

how to tell between good and not-so-goodline and differences in raw materials. It evenlists label data which cannot be trusted.Platil remains the company’s biggest seller,

while recent improvements to the characteris-tics of PVDF/fluorocarbon have also been verywell received in the market.Contact tel +49 2242 927614 or email

[email protected] and websitewww.monofil-technik.de

“Ourkeyasset isourvery fastreaction time.Ourpartnersreallyappreciate this”

“Our fly lines are ourtopperformers,” saysBrianWard.

38


2010LINE

1. PE+ Jet shooting line (above)The explosion in the popularity of shootingheads hasmade quality shooting linemoreimportant than ever. Climax PE representsthe next generation of shooting lines andincorporates a host of features to win over theconsumer. The ‘super small’ diameter is com-plemented by a buoyant PE coating that is tentimesmore abrasion-resistant than conven-tional PVC coatings. This glass-smooth jacketshoots out like a gun, punching the shootinghead further than conventional running lines– a fact confirmed under rigorous testing bycasting professionals. The low stretch improveshook-setting and reduces drift.

2. Double-hand shooterThese new double-hand shooting heads infloating and density-compensated Sink II/SinkIV are designed purely for best performance inEuropean ‘underhand’ style casting. They fea-ture a high volume rear taper to build asmuchcasting energy as possible. Themaximumload capacity is individually balancedwith thelength and front taper to transform energy intoa powerful but precise underhand cast.

3. Climax 98 tippetThe Climax 98 Freshwater tippet is the result ofmore than three years of research and testingwhere it compared favourably with 23 competi-tor products. This brand new, slick, abrasion-resistant copolymer retains up to 98% knotstrength and has a 30%maximumelasticity toabsorb shock.

4. Climax FluorocarbonAn incredibly soft tippet that outperformsthe elasticity and knot strength of standardfluorocarbon by up to 30%. The high-density,abrasion-resistantmaterial sinks faster thanmono and is almost impossible for fish to see.

5. PE+ Blue CoreThis hard, clear floating tropic line has a bluemono core to help track it over sandy flats. Anaturally buoyant blend of polyethylene andadvanced copolymers, it has an ultra-smoothcoating and an aggressive taper that ismadetomaximise the casting potential of this radicalnewmaterial.

Climax, the well-known flyfishing brand, has revolution-ised its range and is poisedto launch new products intoEurope and North and South

America. Recognising that technology, tackleand methods have changed dramatically inrecent years – and that the market is occu-pied by many more products – the Germancompany has spent two years on the researchand development of new ideas to excite thelines market.And now it is ready to reveal a brand new

collection that features an elaborate range ofWF fly lines (X-ACT, Unlimited and Pike),shooting heads for single and double-handedfishing, and additional products for tropicalsaltwater fishing.Tippets, tapered leaders and backing retain

the brand’s heritage in the field while, saysClimax, using Climax 98 material hasenabled the company to set a new bench-mark in monofilament technology.“Not a single product in the old range

has been left untouched,” explainedInternational Sales Manager

Christian Rademann.“In fact this is not so

Climax range getsradical shake-up

much a relaunch as a reinvention.”Aware of the challenge presented by a

crowded market, Climax has established afour-point strategy for success:1. Every product must deliver outstandingquality and performance.2. Every product must deliver somethingspecial and of real value to the consumer.3.The range must include genuinelyinnovative products.4. The brand has to clearly address acustomer base that Climax feels is notcurrently served.Innovation is present in large arbor tippet

spools with a Click Twist mechanism and awater-absorbent tippet retainer made fromextra-soft neoprene that provides protec-tion from UV rays and shows the line sizeon the spool. Even the packaging has beenredesigned as Climax plans to make themaximum impact with the new range.Rademann highlighted five particular

products for Angling International that he be-lieves offer something really new (see panel).

Any interest frompotential distributorsis welcome. Telephone+49 894083-0Fax +49 894083-20Webwww.ockert.net

)

“Notasingleproductin theold rangehasbeen leftuntouched.This isa reinvention!”

Five you should stock

Thenew-lookClimax rangeis the result of twoyears ofintense testing.



WHATSETS TUF-LINEDURACAST APART1. Ultra-round tri-axial constructionTuf-Line DuraCast ismanufacturedwith a unique bi-componentpatent pending process. The coating is applied from the insideout, ensuring complete saturation and long-wearing durability.Where normal braid coatingswear through, flake off or leaveannoying residues, DuraCastmaintains its texture, colourationand body for the life of the line.

2. Unequaled abrasion resistanceDuraCast’s revolutionarymanufacturing process goes farbeyond handling. Its coating process catapults DuraCast to themost abrasion-resistant superline ever. In accelerated fibre tometal abrasion tests, DuraCast offeredmore than double theabrasion resistance of its nearest competitor andmore than 12times the abrasion resistance of some national brands.


2010LINE

‘Superior casting’ Americanbraid comes to the UKUK spinning enthusiasts are able to take

advantage of one of the best lines inthe sector thanks to a distributiondeal between US manufacturerWestern Filament and UK company

Snowbee. Tuf-Line DuraCast, voted the Best NewBraided Line at EFTTEX 2009 in Budapest, isrenowned for its unequaled abrasion resistance to giveexceptional distance with virtually no rod guide noise.Its perfectly round cross-section and subtle bodyeliminate wind knots and tip wraps, the two greatestperformance challenges braids have on spinning reels.It is available in 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 24 and 30-poundtests and 125, 300 and 2,500-yard spools. UK retailerscan contact Snowbee direct for more information.Simon Kidd on +44 1752 334933, Fax +44 1752334934 or email [email protected]

Snowbee (UK) Ltd T: +44 (0)1752 334933 F: +44 (0)1752 334934 E: [email protected]

Now exclusive distributor for the UK andselected European markets.

Superior quality braidforBIGfish!

Tuf-Line XP Superior ‘spectra’ braid for main line Tuf-Line Duracast Supersmooth for spinning Tuf-leader Armoured for toothy predators

Contact us for more information:

www.snowbee.co.uk Tackle for the real world

B

EST NEW

BR

AIDED LI

NEWINNER


FirstDart has developed arange of braids to put itselfin prime position to faceincreased competition in theglobal lines market. The spe-cialist line company has seena shift towards braided linesand away from nylon mono-filaments and has reacted ac-cordingly while still retainingits capacity to manufacturehigh quantities of mono. This

market expertise, together with FirstDart’s technicalskills, allows it to compete with newcomers to theline market. Says FirstDart Group Marketing ManagerSimon Henton: “In recent years there has been aproliferation of brands. More and more companieshave entered the line market using the strength oftheir brand that they have developed in other product

sectors. This widening of the productoffering has lead to more choice forthe retailer and consumer.”Adds Henton: “In some key markets

there has been a significant shift to usingbraided lines and away from nylon monofila-ment. Additionally, fluorocarbon monos havegained a strong following for some applications.FirstDart has actively developed a range of braidsolutions for all sectors plus a fluorocarbonprogramme.”But what of nylon mono? “Nylon mono is by far

the largest selling sector of the market, and our in-house machinery and technology department allowsus to stay at the forefront of this sector. Our range offour different mono line qualities makes us uniqueamongst our peers,” he says.As a specialist line company, FirstDart is among

those searching for the next big advancement in the

FirstDart: Braidis growing fast

sector. Henton’s assessment of the situation isintriguing – the impetus could easy come fromoutside angling. “The next significant steps are likelyto be driven by developments in materials and yarnsoutside the fishing sector,” he concludes. “Nylonwasn’t invented by fishermen primarily and neitherwas Dyneema. Besides materials, there are alwayssmall steps and improvements that can be madethrough better processing techniques.”Contact: [email protected] +44 7836 243741

SimonHenton: “Wehavearangeof braid solutions.”


2010LINE

Balsax was founded 30 years ago as amaker of balsa floats, but today the Polishcompany is equally well-known for itsextensive range of fishing lines. FounderEdward Labowicz is proud of the fact

that all his products are sourced in Europe andmanufactured in Poland and that the Balsaxreputation for quality has spread worldwide.With numerous trademarks now registered

worldwide, Balsax talked to Angling Internationalabout a selection of its top-selling lines.

Wild Carp is especially designed to adapt easily tothe most difficult conditions and toughest locations,with high knot strength and increased resistance toUV. Low memory characteristics make it soft andsupple to use and the black and blue colour choicesblend naturally with most environments.High resistance to stress and impact is the key

feature of Vector, a line perfectly suited to playingand controlling strong fish because of its exceptionalstretch qualities when compared to other lines in itscategory. Its versatility in a wide variety of conditionsmakes it very popular.

Husky is what it sounds – a durable, robust prod-uct with high resistance to abrasion and the elements,plus great knot strength. An ideal line for the anglerwho uses different methods in varied locations.The highly-visible Previa Max is a specialist, shock-

proof line that ticks all the boxes for the saltwaterfisherman. Its essential feature is its power, proven

Balsax top sellersprove their worth

under rigorous testing. The optimum stretch qualitiesof Previa Max prove invaluable when playing thoselarge marine specimens that test line to the limit.Described as the most modern monofilament avail-

able, Beluga is in great demand by predator anglerswho swear by its knot strength and the abrasion-proofouter coating. Says Balsax: “It’s the only solution forviolent behaviour!”

Iguana is another line for tough fighting, toothyquarries. Combining strength with elasticity, it hasbeen developed to meet the strict criteria laid downby predator specialists. Similar qualities can be found

in the new molecular structure of Tarantula, whichacts as a shock absorber to deal with the unexpectedcharging and jerking of hooked fish.The contrasting yellow and black co-polymer used

inMandra is the brainchild of the company’sprofessional consultant anglers and imitates thecamouflaged colouring of the salamander. Mandra’shigh visibility coupled with unbelievable strengthallows control and presentation you could onlydream about, says Balsax.Contact tel +74 867 5200/4486or email [email protected] and website www.balsax.com

“Beluga is ingreatdemandbypredatoranglerswhoswearby itsknotstrength”



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Changingconsumer needsare driving thedevelopment ofnew products attop French linemanufacturerSTB Powerline.InternationalBusinessManagerCéline Boutin

could not reveal the exciting productsthat Powerline has in the pipeline for“confidential reasons” but told AnglingInternational: “We have noticed a realchange in the market over the past twoyears. It is splitting into many differenttechnical categories for adapting todifferent kinds of fishing.“Consumers are more and more

looking for high technology and forhigh quality products produced usingthe latest processes. It varies accordingto country, but generally speakingconsumers are more and moredemanding.”Powerline has also found that higher

cost is not necessarily a barrier tosuccess, with even the most expensivelines proving popular if they meet con-sumer need. “Fishermen understandthat quality will last longer and willmeet their expectations,” added Boutin.Powerline, which has recently

launched the Jigpower range of leadheads and soft lures and is the exclusivedistributor in France of Shout products,is constantly looking at new linecategories to “dynamise” the market.So, despite the significant strides madeby the sector in recent years, is it stillconfident there is scope for furtheradvances?“Definitely. Technology is always

improving and we are confident for thefuture,” asserted Boutin. “Don’t worry,we are far from reaching the limit in thedevelopment of fishing lines. Wait andsee. I’d say most innovation will comefrom new materials, but there will alsobe new treatments of existing materialsand improvements in processes.”Contact: [email protected] and+33 2 4136 36 66

Powerline: Anglers will payfor quality in this sector

CélineBoutin: “Weareconfident for the future.”

AnkaTackle: Consumersare demanding better lines

Singaporeancompany AnkaTackle Cor-poration haswitnessed con-siderable changein line manufac-turing processes,including theemergence ofnumerous new

brands offering an ever growing varietyof products during that time, and inparticular the growth in popularity ofbraided lines.“So it’s hardly surprising that com-

petition is greater than ever and profitsare thinning,” says Group GeneralManager, Doris Toh. “This continuousstriving for growth has added pressureon existing suppliers. However, the in-creasing movement towards sustainablefishing, with more people practicingcatch and release, will hopefully sustainthe demand for fishing lines.“It is the responsibility of manufac-

turers to help shape the experience offishing among anglers and to get more

young people into the sport. This isessential if the market is to enjoyrealistic growth.”By maintaining close working

relationships with its business partnersaround the world, Anka is able toremain close to consumer trends andto produce products accordingly.“The advent of online communica-

tion means that consumers have neverbeen better informed about the proper-ties of materials and the technologyused in making lines,” added Doris.“They are able to make very informeddecisions when making purchases andso the demand for better lines at com-petitive prices is ever on the increase.“Line makers offering the smoothest

lines with the thinnest diameter-to-strength ratios will have the upperhand in gaining market share. Byinvesting in our own research anddevelopment we are confident wecan continue to partner global playerswithin the monofilament and braidedline sectors.”For more details [email protected]

Dorsi Toh: “Wecanpartner global players.”



2010LINE

By line manufacturing standards,Strike Wire is a relatively smallcompany, a fact that Leif Collin,Managing Director of Strike Pro/CWC, sees as an advantage rather

than a disadvantage in the marketplace.“Since we are a smaller company with a very

good development team we can adjust andmodify products very quickly in line with newtrends and demands,” he explains. “And thatis very important in the market nowadays.”Strike Pro is the leading distributor of preda-

tor tackle in Scandinavia with a reputationfor high-quality, specialised products. Thepromise is to match that quality on StrikeWire products. Strike Wire, a product for thepredator sector, was introduced last year andis already making a significant impact with itsExtreme and Red Strike brands.Extreme is a tough, tight weave superbraid

for all kinds of fishing from big game to verticaljigging. Red Strike is a high-visibility braid thatCWC believes delivers the ultimatepresentation for trout fishing, coarsefishing and vertical jigging.Strike Wire’s entry into the market was

prompted by the fact that the company’spersonnel – all fishermen – wanted a linethey could trust and which met theirstandards in all conditions. So they madeone themselves!Intriguingly, advertising for the brands,

which can be seen every month in AnglingInternational, states, “The best is just thebeginning.”

Strike Pro: StrikeWire isjust the beginning for us

Asked about this, Collin said: “The wordssay it all. We will be introducing more linesin the future and will be releasing some newitems during the EFTTEX show in June. StrikeWire has been received very well and we areexpanding into new markets all the time.”And will this be in the predator sector? Not

exclusively, says Collin. “We will be developingnew products for different sectors and will alsodevelop items for specialist fishing, as well asmore general products.“There is certainly room for creating new

types of fishing line using the new braiding andcoating technologies available. The possibilityof mixing different materials will help improvethe usage of braided lines in the future.”For more information please [email protected] or visit the Strike Wirewebsite at www.strikewire.eu

“There is roomforlinesusing thenewbraiding technologiesthatareavailable”

Left: Leif Collin,MDofStrikePro/CWC, thepar-ent companyof StrikeWire. The line rangewasinspiredbydaysoutfishing.


2010LINE

Shimano Europe, manufactur-er of the Technium, Antaresand Tiagra brands, is callingfor an international standardfor line specification and per-formance that is accepted byall manufacturers and brands.Shimano is committed to theEFTTA lines standard andsubmits its products to theAssociation’s rigorous linetesting scheme, which insists

that all claims made on packaging and labelling arestrictly accurate.But, says Gerard Bakkenes, Senior Marketing Man-

ager Shimano Europe, the reality in the market placeis that many claims are false and this is demotivatingfor those companies working to correct specifications.“It is ironic – and something of a joke – that our

own high standards of production should be oneof our biggest problems,” explained Bakkenes. “Wedeclare the features of our lines completely honestly.But this approach conflicts with what is happen-ing elsewhere in the market, where most producersdeclare completely unrealistic features. A standardaccepted by all players is badly needed.”Shimano has taken great strides in recent years with

Fishing lines account for 50% of businessat Central Sarana Pancing (CSP), but theIndonesian tackle manufacturer knowsthat it must concentrate on added valueif it is to continue to satisfy the needs

of ever more discerning customers. Owner RivaiSusanto told Angling International he sees furthergrowth in braided and monofilament lines, and alsoin hook-lengths, but that fluorocarbon is limited dueto its use in specific applications.The company’s braided products have gained in

popularity as they have replaced certain monofila-ment usages, particularly where low stretch and smalldiameter are the key criteria. But even among themore popular lines, CSP has recognised changes incustomer requirements.“Our customers are looking for products with

solutions rather than only looking for price,” Rivai ex-plained. “They tell us what they want and we make itfor them. The result is value-added product. A goodexample is coated lines, of which we produce a wide

Central SaranaPancingownerRivai Susanto (far left)with histeamat China Fish in February. “Our customers tell uswhattheywant andwemake it for them.”

Central Sarana Pancingincreases customer options

range. Our customers can offer the end user a betterfunction and a product that is different to others.”The same principle is applied to hook-lengths.

Aware that carp anglers are very demanding whenit comes to quality, CSP produces different specificgravities, a variation of coatings (soft, medium, hard)and different looks (such as camo weeds). It alsoworks with different materials.Rivai believes that the continued improvement

of fishing lines is limited in terms of strength, butthat the future will see further development of linesproduced specifically for certain types of fishing.“Each niche really demands different specificationsand characteristics. The next innovation could beeco-friendly products,” he added.Contact: +62 21 5961265

“Ourcustomerswantspecificsolutions. Theyaren’t just lookingatprice”

ShimanoEuroperepeatscall forenforceablelinetestsits monofilament brands Technium, Antares andTiagra. Technium is recognised by many anglers asfilling the gap between low stretch braids and highstretch mono lines, its 12% stretch making it a realfavourite. So the company is particularly excited bythe launch of Technium Invisitec, a line with highhook-setting efficiency and great castability.Bakkenes says future product development will be

driven by local trends and styles. “Consumers havemoved more towards braided lines over monofila-ment,” he continued. “Also, we now see that fluoro-carbon as a main line is gaining more popularity forcertain techniques. Consumers are not just interestedin breaking strength but are looking for castabilityand abrasion resistance. Trends vary by country soShimano is focusing on lines with a higher level ofspecialisation to match different techniques.”Shimano believes that technology has reached a

point where there will not be huge changes in break-ing strength. The areas it is studying more carefullyinclude memory (or lack of it) for better casting. Theuse of extrusion techniques in the latest Techniumlines have made it possible to combine differentfeatures such as castablility and low-stretch.

In the future it aims to examine the possibil-ity of developing multi-layer extrusion lines inthe mid-price category, thus making some ofthe great Technium features available to evenbudget-conscious fishermen. As for the market’sstructure over the next few years, Bakkenesconcluded: “The market is extremely fragmented.Even small companies can have their own private

brand. However, access to top-level technology isstill in the hands of the major players.” Contact+31 341 27 2233 or [email protected]

GerardBakkenes: “Weneeda commonstandard.”



S P E C I A L F E A T U R E

W ith almost 30 years’ experiencein fishing lines and fishingrods manufacture, and withOEM and ODM customers inmore than 30 countries,

Anka Tackle Corporation is rightfully proud ofthe prominent position it has established in theindustry. But the Singapore company is certainlynot resting on its laurels.Aware of increased competition in the market,

more demanding consumers and a tighteningeconomy, Anka is working even harder to provideits broad customer base with new product ideas andunrivalled service.Anka operates from four wholly-owned factories

within the Malaysian states of Johor and Penang,where it focuses on rod building, monofilament lineextrusion, synthetic fibre braiding and injection diecast processes.From here, the company’s products find their

way to satisfied customers in Europe, Asia Pacific,Africa, Australia and South and North America. Andit plans to expand its customer base still further in2010, with particular emphasis on establish newpartners in the US.“We have our own unique growth model which

concentrates on the synergies within our manu-facturing capabilities,” explained Group General

TheOEM line specialist is intent on growing its worldwide customerbase from its Malaysian factories with particular emphasis on the USmarket, says General ManagerDoris Toh.

Manager Doris Toh. “By doingthis we are able to maintainprogressive growth throughinnovation and constantimprovement.“Our continuous study of

world market trends makes itpossible for us to align withrapidly changing consumertastes. In addition, our in-house testing laboratoriesare equipped with the latest

technology to carry out extensive product tests andmaterials analysis to help our customers with theirproduct development.”Anka’s move into braided lines is in line with

its strategy to be at the forefront of growing sectorsin the industry. Its high performance braids utilisewidely regarded international brands of fibres andare produced via a variety of braiding sequences and

compositions for different styles of fishing.Similarly, its wide portfolio of monofilaments

target specific consumer needs, with a lean in-housebusiness model allowing cost savings to be passedon to customers.Employing Japanese and Korean technologies,

filament extruding capabilities range from 0.15mm to6mm incorporating a whole host of features encom-passing different compounds, resin formulations andcolours and suppleness – all introduced in line withcustomer requirements.Fluorocarbon, single polymer and co-polymer lines

are available in unlimited colour variations by bothspin dye and bath dye processes and can be suppliedin bulk spools, coiled or hank lines.“Our efforts have gained worldwide recognition for

our OEM nylon and braided lines and we are nowone of the global leaders in the manufacture and sup-ply of line to international markets,” continued Doris.“We spent several years doing research before setting

Doris Toh: “Credibility iskey in this business.”

ANKATACKLEEXTENDSITSREACHAROUNDTHEWORLD

COMPANIESYOUNEEDTOKNOWABOUT...

“Ourcontinuousstudyofworldmarkettrendsmakesitpossibleforustoalignwithchangingconsumertastes”


WHICH NET COMPANY IS TARGETING EFTTEX? See p62

up our braided line manufacturing plant because wewanted to ensure success. That is now paying off.We have not exhausted the use of materials, nor hasthe manufacturing process reached saturation, so thepotential is still great in terms of innovation.“While braided line usage is on the increase, nylon

still has valuable properties for some types of fishingand we believe that current monofilament develop-ment has not reached its limits. We plan to uncovermore of its capabilities.”Anka is also active in looking at and learning from

advances in technology in other industries. It sees,for example, a correlation in the aerodynamics of golfclubs and fishing rods and believes that applicationsbased on these learnings can make a positivedifference to its products in the future.“We have to consider working with others outside

of our own industry to achieve these lofty goals.The sky is the limit when it comes to innovation,”assured Doris.To ensure that pricing and quality remain competi-

tive, Anka has established worldwide partnerships

with its suppliers to develop raw materials andbelieves this will be a vital factor in achieving acompetitive edge. Looking ahead, Anka aims toproduce more products for what it describes asthe ‘middle tier market’, a gap that it has identifiedbetween big name, premium brands and low pricedtackle, often from new entrants. Taking a selective,cautious approach, the company is targetingsustainable business and year-on-year growth.“It is important we maintain our high level of

credibility in the industry. The trust that our partnersand customers have in us is something we mustnever take for granted. We will continue to grow butwe will need to manage our scale and guarantee astable production environment for our customers.”

?Want to talk toAnkaTackle?Here’s how tofind them...Tel:+6596631998 Email:[email protected]: www.ankatackle.com

“Wearealeader inthesupplyofbothmonofilamentandbraidedlinesto internationalmarkets”Anka Tackle serves customers in Europe, Asia Pacific,Australia andNorth andSouth America

Right and far left: linemanufacture is carried

out for customers in fourwholly-owned factories.

Anka Tackle Corporation is known not just forits fishing lines, but also for its comprehensiverange of fishing rods, which shares equalprominence in the company’s growth plan.It began building rods in Penang 29 years

ago and has continually developed in-housetechnology to the point where it now believes itproduces some of the best rods in theworld.All rods to emerge from Anka’s factories are

subject to a stringent quality control system toensure they consistentlymeet with customers’satisfaction. Anka rods are the choice ofmanyprofessional anglers and have been used in thesetting of IGFA records.The company also recently added an injec-

tion die casting plant and now has an annualproduction capability for 400,000kg of leadsinkers. Entry into other categories is alsounder consideration for the future.

TheAnka rodbusiness


BALÁZSFILAMENTTECHNOLOGIESTHEOEMGIANTTHATISSTILLEXPANDING

R eliability, quality control and fastdelivery. They are essential factors forsuccess in the angling trade, and no-where more so than in the vast OEMsupply sector. If part or all of your

future business prosperity depends heavily upona product supplier matching exact specificationswithin an agreed timeframe, it’s a great comfort tobe dealing with experienced professionals.In the competitive and fast-moving world of

fishing lines, Balázs Filament Technologies alreadyfulfils that role to numerous OEM customers, bigand small. Besides its own brands, BFT suppliesmonofilaments on bulk spools and creates multipleOEM products. Owing to the hard work of the lasttwo decades, the Hungarian manufacturer has

No job is too big or small for HungarianOEMspecialists BFT. Every client is treated with thesame high level of service, ProductionManagerMiklos Balázs tells Angling International.

become a major player in the European sportfishingline business. And right now, as the new decadebegins, it is ready and able to do business with morepotential clients seeking unrivalled service and peaceof mind amid uncertain economic times.Founded 30 years ago to service the car tyre indus-

try, Lajos Balázs Snr’s fledgling firm enjoyed dynamicgrowth from the very beginning. By the end of the1980s he had become one of Hungary’s major sup-pliers in the vehicle tyre sector. Then, as the 1990sarrived, he branched out into developing monofila-ments. Within five years this new venture had grownso strongly that it was moved into a new independentcompany – Balázs Filament Technologies.The ensuing years have been all about expansion.

Besides the manufacturing of ever-more advanced

monofilaments, BFT alsobegan making its own spools,built its own winding facilitiesand formed its own packagingdepartment. Of course, expan-sion demands new marketsto supply. As well as makingsteady inroads through Europe,BFT reached out beyond itshome continent to find successin New Zealand, Africa andNorth America.Nowadays, Balázs Filament

Technologies is jointly ownedby the Balázs brothers, Miklosand Lajos. They direct thecompany and decide strategyin tandem, though both havediffering day-to-day roles withMiklos dealing mostly withproduction and developement

while Lajos takes care of financial and marketingissues. In his role as Production Manager, MiklosBalázs has a clear vision of how future expansion canbring growth both to BFT and its growing number ofOEM partners.

ProductionManagerMiklosBalázs

HeadofmarketingLajosBalázs


Size of order and confidentialityof source are twomoremajor fac-tors for companies seeking OEMbusiness arrangements. In bothcases, Balázs Filament Technolo-gies is the ideal partner. “There isnominimumorder. We havemanypartners who have only aminormarket share but want to havetheir unique appearance, to owntheir own brand,” explainsMiklosBalázs. “Naturally, smaller series

of orders incur slightly higher costsper unit.“In case of OEMproducts,

most companieswish to keep itconfidential where they buy theirlines from. It is in their interests.Of course, we comply and keeptheir names totally confidential,”he adds.As staunch supporters of EFTTA

and EFTTEX, BFT took great prideand pleasure from the fact that last

year’s number one European tackleshowwas staged in their homecountry’s capital, Budapest, for thefirst time. “For the past 15 yearsthese exhibitions have played amajor role in our company’s busi-ness encounters. So did last year’sEFTTEX in Budapest. It was a greatopportunity tomeet our partnersand build up new connections, andalso to show our beautiful capitalto our clients,” addsMiklos.

“Manypartnershave justasmallmarket share”

“Wepayextraattention todeveloping lines thatfit theparticular climate, thewatersand the typesoffish”



WHAT NEXT FOR BLACK CAT IN EUROPE? See p56

“Presently our manufacturing facility is 2000square metres and we have purchased an additional1500 square metres of land for further expansion.We are planning technological developments and toexpand our plant this year. This will either be throughadding a new building on the empty lot, or by addingan extra storey to our present building,” he revealed.With an additional office and storage facility

established in the USA over the past two years,Miklos underlined BFT’s emphasis on creatingspecialised products for different territories when hespoke of its Carbotex Ice line launch in the US in theJanuary issue of Angling International.“BFT is a leader in specialised line types. New

product launches are usually timed to coincide withEFTTEX, but we made an exception with CarbotexIce,” he confirmed. “Our company has always triedto satisfy all requirements of our clientele. Obviouslyone needs a different line type in the harsh northernwaters than in Africa. Carbotex Ice has been a successfor this reason. We pay extra attention to develop-ing lines with different parameters fitting best to theclimate, the waters and the types of fish to catch.”

“Mostcompaniesexpectconfidentialitywith respecttowhere theybuy their lines.Ofcourse,wecomplyandapplymaximumconfidentialityatall times”

?Want to talk toBalázs?Here’s how tofind them...Tel:+36 49 540 864 Fax: +36 49 540 865Email: [email protected] Web: www.bfteurope.com

HOWBFTHASGROWNCOMPANY FACTS

The key figuresTo date85% of BFT’s production is exported around theworld8% of all sportfishing lines in EuropearemanufacturedbyBFTBFT’smonofilament production capacity is20 million spoolsper yearBFT offersmore than400 different colours of lines

The six steps to the perfect OEM productBFTwill help you decide on the technical parametersYou then choose your coloursDecide on diameters, lengths and spool typesChoose packaging (individual or connected)Create the design (BFT’s in-house teamoffer this service in1-2 days)Youwill receive delivery of packaged lines in four weeks

Why choose us – by BFTExceptional flexibility –we realise our clients’ every ideaOne-stop production service via professional design team,monofil production, spool production, winding and packagingOrders delivered in four weeks instead of fourmonths!Possibility of one season’s order to be shipped in steps,allowing smaller/spread financing

Above: bulk spool fromBFT.Right: theproduction teamatworkat the companyHQ inHungary.

12345

6



Flying Fishermanlooksto South Americaand beyond

Twenty-fiveyears after firsttargeting theguides andboat skippers

of the Florida Keys with itssunglasses, Flying Fishermannow sells in 45 countriesworldwide. The companyfrom Islamorada has basedits success on two things: a

deep understanding of anglers’ needs; and, thanksto founder Patric Sheldon’s background in the TVand film industry, a powerful knowledge of thetechnology behind polarising lenses.The boat users of Florida are perhaps the most

discerning anglers on the planet. Nowhere in gamefishing is the sun brighter and the visual elementmore crucial. Yet this tight-knit community soonwarmed to the advantages of Flying Fisherman’s

The Florida-based eyewear company is set to add tothe 45 countries it already reaches thanks to agrowing product range, its Vice-PresidentLinda Sheldon tells Angling International.

purpose-built eyewear for anglers. They appreciatedthe different options created for different styles andsituations and gave the company the confidence toexplore territories further afield.Flying Fisherman specialises in eyewear for anglers,

creating polarising sunglasses to exacting standards.Polarising lenses work by removing ‘glare’ – horizon-tal reflections from the water’s surface – and allowingonly vertical light through to the angler’s eyes.“Flying Fisherman sunglasses provide maximum

protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays,” saysVice-President Linda Sheldon, who this month spoketo Angling International about the company’s newproduct ranges and its plans to add new distributorsto its worldwide list.

Angling International: Is Flying Fisherman concen-trating on the US market, the export market or both?LindaSheldon:Both! We now export to more than 45countries and we are looking to grow our export business.

Which territoriesareyouseekingnewbusiness in?In the US we’re trying to enhance distribution inthe Mid West and Western states and expect growthfor both regions in 2010 and 2011. Overseas, weare seeking new business and distributors in severalcountries. South America is our prime target, withdistributor opportunities open for Brazil, Peru,Paraguay and Uruguay.

LindaSheldon: “Weoffermaximumprotection.”


Flying Fisherman’s design teamhasmarkedthe company’s 25th anniversary by creatingthe strong-yet-light XLT range. Featuring avirtually indestructible titanium frame andRhinoLens™ combination, the XLTweighs in atan amazingly light 0.5 ounces.The frames are so flexible that the temples

can be tied in a knot without risk of dam-age; while the polycarbonate RhinoLens™lenses are shatterproof. They feature FlyingFisherman’s unique AcuTint™ lens colouringsystem for optimumglare elimination and

high-definition contrast without distortingnatural colours. The result is sharper opticsand an enhanced ability to spot fish.The XLT’s eight-base lenses are a generous

65mm for extended peripheral coverage. Tem-ple tips are drilled to accommodate a floatinglanyard; and amicro-fibre lens cloth plus hardcase are also included at a suggested US retailprice of $89.95. Frame and lens colours in-clude gunmetal/smokewith silvermirror, darkcopper/amber with silvermirror and gunmetalvermillionwith silvermirror.

XLT–25thANNIVERSARYSPECIALS


WHY BE A MEMBER OF EFTTA? See p59

What about Europe and the rest of the world?In Europe, we are looking to add distributors inFrance, Ukraine, Romania, Netherlands, Belgium,Hungary, Portugal and Iceland. A new Australiandistributor is very optimistic about the future ofFlying Fisherman in that market, and a distributor inthe Seychelles is soon to come on line.

Are you seeking agents and distributors or aiming toestablish direct sales deals?We’re a distributor and wholesaler-based organisationwith agents throughout the USA and Europe. How-ever, we welcome dealer direct sales in markets wherewe don’t yet have distributors. Dealers can check ourwebsite for distributors in their country. If there arenone please contact us for direct sales.

What new releases do you expect to excite themarket?As ICAST and EFTTEX approach, we have numerousnew products in the pipeline for 2010 through to2011. We are adding a new category of bi-focal mag-nifier styles with our AcuTint polarised lens system,along with several other new sunglasses models.

And beyond sunglasses?Our series of embroidered camo caps will be ex-panded with new designs and visors, all featuring oursignature removable sweatband. These will include afree extra sweatband so anglers can ‘keep one on ice’for hot days. Another new product category slated tobe introduced is a series of head/neck coverings forUV protection. We call it the Sun Bandit, and it willfeature a variety of original game fish designs.

Safety is a big factor for anglers when selectingfishing eyewear. How are your products tested toensure they meet the necessary standards?The overall standards for ‘safety eyewear’ are verydifferent from the standards for polarised sunglassesfor general use. However, Flying Fisherman uses onlyANSI Standard materials in production to ensure topsafety for general purpose use. Flying Fisherman sun-

glasses provide maximum protection from harmfulUVA and UVB rays, and meet or exceed ANSI andCE standards for general purpose eyewear.

Materials are key, surely?Yes, our entry level lens material is triacetate, adurable plastic composite that is impact-resistant.The Flying Fisherman RhinoLens is a polycar-bonate composite that’s shatterproof and virtuallyindestructible, offering outstanding protection in aworld of flying hooks, lures and so on. Our Ground& Polished glass lens models are, of course, glass.While any glass lens can break, these are highlyshatter-resistant. You can find numerous testimoni-als via the link on our website. They verify incidentswhere the quality of Flying Fisherman lenses saveda customer’s eyesight, including a reporter from theNew York Post that was photographing the 9/11tragedy when one of the Twin Towers collapsed.He said his eyes were saved because of the FlyingFisherman glasses he was wearing at the time.

?Want to talk to FlyingFisherman?Here’s how tofind them...Tel:+1 305 852 8989 or +1 800 335 9347 Fax: +1 305 853 0100Email: [email protected] Web: www.flyingfisherman.com

Flying Fisherman’s big-sellingMag-nummodel is now available with threenewmirrored lens treatmentswhichlaughed in the face of some of themost rigorous field testing ever seenin the notoriously tough saltwaterenvironment off the Florida coast.Testmethods included attaching

prototypes to bow rails of charterboats in Islamorada, Florida for up tofourmonths. Results indicated thenewly improved lens coatingwas fourtimesmore durable than almost allcomparative products.With unbeatable coverage through

extra wide temples to eliminate sideglare, plus extremely durable yetlightweight TR90 Grilamid frames,theMagnum range’s newmodels

include black frameswith silver or bluemirror over smoke lenses and tortoiseframeswith greenmirror over amberlenses.Non-mirrored options are black

frameswith smoke or vermillionlenses, or crystal rust frameswithamber lenses. The suggested US retailis $69.95.In addition to providing 100% cover-

age fromharmful UVA and UVB rays,the polarised PC RhinoLens™ deliversvirtually indestructible polycarbonateprotection alongwith perfect opticalquality. Meanwhile, the AcuTint™ lenscolouring system’s select blend ofpigment works to cut glare andenhance contrast without distortingnatural colours.

MirroredMagnumsaresodurable

“SouthAmerica isaprime target.Wehavedistributoropportunitiesopen forBrazil,

Peru,ParaguayandUruguay”


Photo printing onits seat boxes putsSmisdom in front


Smisdom Plastics, the Belgian companybehind the GO4FISH brand, is target-ing the European market with a newinnovation in seat boxes: exclusivephoto printing. The move follows the

success of the company’s Fix2 modular systemand Fishing Control System (FCS), which allowanglers to combine individual pieces to createtheir own perfect seat box.The company offers a standard range of prints

on its seat boxes but can also create individualdesigns on request. All the printing is donedigitally in the company’s factory in Belgium.It is expecting interest from recreational anglersacross Europe with extra sales from competitionanglers keen to stand out from the crowd.The photo printing service gives the company

clear distinction in a market flooded with lessexpensive products manufactured outsideEurope. Knowing it is virtually impossible to

compete on price, Smisdom seeksto differentiate itself in two ways:with its innovative ideas and itsspeed of service.Says Managing Director Geert

Smisdom: “Being a Europeanmanufacturer, it’s very difficult todistinguish ourselves from all the

cheap imported products in the fishing market. So we needto be very innovative. Good quality products with a reason-able price strategy are the keys to success for any Europeanmanufacturer.“That’s the thinking behind our seat boxes and now the

photo printing service,” he adds. “So many imported prod-ucts are often manufactured in the same Eastern factories.They are customised a little, but at the end they look verysimilar to each other when they are lined up in the shops.“There isn’t any added value on these products and that

often makes it difficult for wholesalers to be successful orto make worthwhile profits on their boxes. That‘s where wewant to be different. This new concept brings somethingunique to the market. By combining this new idea with thehigh quality standards for which we are known, we believewe can stimulate demand in the shops. The possibilities arewithout limits.”Smisdom is already strong in Belgium, Luxembourg and

the Netherlands. Its targets now are the UK along withHungary, Poland, Romania, Scandinavia and the Czech

Republic.“Our products are 100 per cent made inBelgium,” adds Geert Smisdom. “We wantto offer partners exclusive products, goodquality, short delivery terms and novolume conditions.”

Innovative products and fast delivery are enabling theBelgian manufacturer to face down its competitors.


?Want to talk toSmisdom?Here’s how tofind them...Tel:+3211683409 Fax:+3211671113Email: [email protected]:www.smisdomplastics.be orwww.fix2.com

Printedphotos on the company’s seatboxes can “stimulate demand in theshops,” saysMDGeert Smisdom.



BLACKCATSETTOEXTENDDOMINANCEINCATFISHSECTOR

For the vast majority of European fresh-water anglers, carp has long been thehardest-battling species they were likelyto encounter. But advances in tackletechnology, the sharing of information

amongst fans, plus the growth of guided catfish

angling holidays have helped increase the popularityof the Wels catfish over the past decade.Having launched its Black Cat range into the

catfish sector just four years ago, Zebco Europe hasachieved European market leadership in the rods,luggage, floats and accessories categories in lightning-

fast time. Now Zebco Europe islooking to build upon Black Cat’sphenomenal growth in three keyEuropean territories – Germany,France and Italy – to cement its placeas the number one brand in the sector.It is also looking for enquiries fromeastern Europe, Hungary and Spain.Says Zebco Europe’s Marketing

and PR Manager Frerk Petersen of thebrand’s growth: “Black Cat started as

a product family within Rhino which is one of oursix brands alongside Browning, Quantum, Zebco,Fin-Nor and Van Staal.“With its established reputation for extremely

strong and durable fishing tackle, Rhino was thelogical choice for developing products for catfishanglers. In fact, many catfish fishermen had alreadybeen using Rhino DF rods, mainly the Rhino DFBig Fish models (below).”DF stands for durafibre, a material which Zebco

has exclusively in Europe. It is extremely strong andmakes rods virtually unbreakable without makingthem heavy and soft. “This is why we can give alifetime warranty on the blank of any Rhino DF rod,”adds Petersen.Identifying a growth sector is one thing. Gaining

the necessary in-depth expertise and harnessing this

Five years of rapid growth has put Black Cat into a lead position in Europe’s keycatfishing markets. Now plans are in place to strengthen its hold on the sector.

Left: Expert catfishangler StefanSeusshasbeen instrumental inBlack Cat’s growthasheadof theproduct development team.

Five steps to successThe crucial factors in the Black Cat success story12345

Launchingas the sector began to growHaving the rightmanonboard in StefanSeussHavingaccess to great rodbuildingmaterialHavingaperfect brandnameDevelopingapowerful and recognisable logo



WHAT ARE THE GROWING TRENDS IN THE LINE MARKET? See p25

to the tackle design,production and salesprocess is quite another.Petersen admits Zebco

Europe’s Black Cat venture would have lackedsuch instant momentum without the services of atrue giant of the catfish angling world… an anglerwho hit the headlines in 2006 with the capture ofcolossal catfish scaling 102.8kg and 97.4kg in asingle night.“We were in the lucky situation to already have

on board the German angler Stefan Seuss, one of thebest known and most successful catfish fishermen ofthis era. We tasked Stefan, who has been a consult-ant of ours for ten years, to design a range for catfishanglers. He only agreed to accept if every productunder the Rhino Black Cat label would be tested andapproved by himself,” revealed Petersen.“Initially we were not too happy about this

proposal as procedures like this can make thingscomplicated. But we put our faith in Stefan, and dur-ing test tours no fewer than 150 catfish were landedincluding three over 90 kilos. So this faithhas completely paid off.

“We started out with a comprehensive range of16 pages within our master catalogue. This rangeproved so successful and was sold out most of thetime, so we had to add more items each year.“The product family became better known and

thus stronger, so today rather than a sub-brand, itis almost a brand on its own. We don’t say RhinoBlack Cat, often we just call it Black Cat. Ourcatalogue for catfish products has grown to 28 pagesalready with more than 200 SKUs, and this is notthe end yet.”With Seuss still head of Black Cat product

development, his passion for catching Wels catfishand helping others do likewise remains as strong asever… to Zebco Europe’s mutual advantage.

5OF THEHOTTESTBLACKCATPRODUCTSNEWFOR2010

“Stefan is actually a qualified teacher but nolonger works as that,” continued Petersen. “Insteadhe is working for us, for an angling shop, plus doinga lot of guided fishing tours.”Seuss has built up a Black Cat consultancy team,

with Benjamin Gründer, Peter Merkel and MarkusEule assisting him in Germany, Xavier Vella, RegisFakoury and Lionel Luketa in France, and ThomasBula in Switzerland. “Stefan’s network of contactsensures he stays right up to date with all theEuropean catfish news,” adds Petersen.Zebco’s new website dedicated to Black Cat is

due online. Visit www.team-black-cat.com. Retailerswishing to share in the Black Cat success story areurged to contact Zebco straight away.

?Want to talk to theBlackCat team?Here’s how tofind them...Tel:+49 41 82/29 43 0 Fax: +49 41 82/29 43 22 Email: [email protected]: www.zebco-europe.com www.team-black-cat.com

680 FDX reelThe ultimate catfish reel, the 680 FDXboasts an indestructible pure titaniumshaft, prodigious line capacity, big griphandle plus high-end fittings includingsix shielded stainless steel ball bear-ings and new carbon disc brakeswitha special lubricant ensuring jerk-freeaction even undermaximumpressure.

Stow It All Bag (bottom right)Enhances an already extensive lug-gage range in the distinctive Black Catblack/yellow livery. Mobile anglers willlove the performance and features ofthis 420D nylon, UV-coated, waterproof-based bag. Five transparent accessorystorage boxes are suppliedwithin.

Marker Buoy (top right)Easy to assemble and pack awaywith its own compact storage bag,this ultra-high visibility inflatable

takes the popular Buoy fishing tactic tonew levels of performance and simplic-ity. Anchor, line release and night lightholder points are all perfectly placed toensure unwanted floating debris can-not hinder a rig’s effectiveness.

Bank Camp (below)Formaximumprotection frommosquito bites during bank fishingsessions, this clear visionmesh brollycan be assembled in seconds. Anoptional overwrap is available to keepthe rain andwind at bay.

Passion rods (far right)Bringing serious catfishingwithin thebudget range of evermore anglers, thethree-strong Passion family (2.4m,2.8mand 3.2m) plus the 4.5mPassionTele rods are big on value and perform-ance. Features include braid-friendlyrings, trusted Rhino carbon compositeblanks plus ultra-secure reel fixings.


EEFTTEXFTTEXNEWSNEWS

Anopen letter from theCEOtoall non-EFTTAmembers

How would you react if yourcompany was made to stoptrading? If the business youhad built up, perhaps overmany years, was threatened

with such force that it would cease to exist?I am sure you would fight tooth and nailto save it, and spend whatever you couldafford to fend off the outside influences thatthreatened it. And if other companies thatyou relied on for trade were similarly at risk,surely you would not hesitate to join forceswith them to save your livelihoods?So why have you not joined EFTTA? For

more than 25 years EFTTA has been acting toprotect the interests of the trade in Europe.When the interests of the trade – and by thatI mean the interests of your company – havebeen threatened, EFTTA has reacted.I would not like to imagine the state of

the industry if EFTTA had never existed, andyet the threats are still there. In fact, they aregrowing more numerous, more powerful andmore determined.Thanks to the support of our current

membership we have financed a lobbyingoffice in the European Parliament. It hasworked to counter the pressure exerted bynational governments and powerful publicly-financed NGOs. You can see every month inthis magazine that we are very active in thisregard, but sometimes it is like being Davidagainst Goliath.Lobbying consumes time and energy. You

need to supply precise data and economic

statistics; and you need to hire expert andscientists to counter the arguments of youropponents, in angling’s case most of themheavily financed with European publicmoney. Our opponents have a big voiceand they are surfing on the extremist ‘GreenWave’, particularly at election time. It makesthem particularly dangerous.And yet we have taken on fights and

won. With the precious support of EFTTAmembers we fought a long battle to convincethe European Parliament to vote to adopt acontrol of Europe’s cormorant population.With our members’ support we have beenable to achieve modifications to Article 47 ofthe new Common Fishery Policy, exemptingsaltwater fishermen from quotas and licencerequirements.But we have succeeded not only on behalf

of our members; every company in Europehas benefited, including your own.So, I ask again, why have you not become

a member? Surely you can not believe it isright that a membership of 250 companiesis financing action that benefits all 2000companies across Europe – including yourown?

But if the interests of fair play do notmotivate you, think about this. We haveachieved so much with one full-time lobbyist,just imagine what we could achieve withextra resources. And it is certain that we needthem because the threats keep coming.Why have you not become a member

when your industry is threatened by the

trend towards micro power stations? They siton rivers producing so called ‘green power’yet without our vigilance they can end updestroying the river’s life and fragile ecology.Why have you not become a member

when there are powerful forces who want toban fishing altogether? They argue that fishfeel pain and that it is not fair to play withthem without killing them. It’s happened inSwitzerland, so where next?Why have you not become a member

when yet more threats, as yet unknown,could rear their heads and catch the industryoff-guard? When will it be too late for you?I know that EFTTA has your goodwill. But

goodwill is not enough. If we are to protectyour interests, we need resources, and forthat we need finance. To continue to protectyour business we need your membership.You need to understand that being a memberis not just about participating at EFTTEX, it isabout contributing to the future of the trade– and ultimately saving your own business.The more finance we have, the more

effective we will be. It’s as simple as that.EFTTA is an efficient, well-run Associationthat has proved itself over many years. Yourcontribution will be used wisely paying foran experienced second lobbyist, for access toimportant data, for the appointment ofcredible experts, for meeting MEPs andarguing our case. It will be a genuineinvestment to protect your business.Why have you not become a member? I

don’t think you have an answer.

P R O D U C T S • A D V I C E • I N T E R V I E W S

iMPORTANTNEWSFOREXHIBITORSBook now to advertisein the 2010 EFTTEXshow catalogue.

ZALT SET FORMORE SUCCESSHow the Swedish luremaker uses EFTTEX togrow its business.

CARP ZOOMTARGETS SPAINWhy Valencia is the perfectsetting for the Hungarianbaitmanufacturer.

8-PAGESPECIALSECTION

JEAN-CLAUDEBELEFTTACEO

If you missed this message last month, please read it today...



Zalt looking formore exportsL ast year was a tough

one financially for mosttackle manufacturers, butSwedish company Zaltbucked the trend and

posted substantial growth. Headedby Peter af Rolen and Bo Ollson,Zalt, the maker of some of the mostpopular and famous fishing lures inthe country, reported a 20 per centincrease in export sales during the last12 months. And with EFTTEX on thehorizon, Peter reckons that, incred-ibly, those figures could be betteredin 2010 as pre-orders start to roll in.“I have to say that our sales have

improved considerably since westarted exhibiting at EFTTEX backin 2005 at Warsaw,” Peter said. “Wehave been there every year since andthat’s helped us get into new marketsand expand the brand.“This year we have sourced seven

new big distributors to take Zalt intoRussia, the Ukraine, Romania, the

Czech Republic and the Baltic statesand that can only improve what havealready been impressive sales figuresso far.”Zalt will be unveiling several new

products for this year’s EFTTEXincluding rods and two new lures toadd to its already impressive portfolio.In the Zalt Z range, both lures canbe used as jerk or crank baits but aresmaller than many in Peter’s range, adecision taken due to the demands offoreign anglers.“In Sweden big lures are hugely

popular but elsewhere, we weregetting requests for smaller modelsthat could be used for smaller speciessuch and perch and trout,” Peterexplained. “We’ve also got plans for anew braid completely different to any-thing on the European market. Lastyear we thought it was going to betough but our figures were excellentand this year’s early figures suggest itwill be even better!”

MAKE CONTACT BEFORE EFTTEXTel+46 70 733 39 26Email [email protected] www.zalt.se

EFTTEXSTANDNUMBERJ20


Chinesenet expertstargetUKandAmerica


Following great success with its ReelCare products in North America,Ardent is now bringing this excitingproduct category to Europe – withEFTTEX 2010 in Valencia a key part

of its plans for international expansion. ArdentPresident Michael J Brooks told Angling Interna-tional: “We have scored a huge hit with retailersand anglers alike. Our success is based on twothings – quality products and high margins forour retailers.“Last year’s relatively poor sales of rods and

reels has not affected the Reel Care products. Ifanything, it has improved things. When anglersneed regular cleaning and maintenance to pro-tect their investment in their reels, it’s essentialthat retailers have the right products. Ardent’sunique Reel Care range is just that.”Now Brooks, encouraged by a tremendous

response at EFTTEX last year, is confident that

Ardent ready to build on hugeinterest in its Real Care range

the value of the range will be recognised inEuropean markets. He is certain that exhibitingin Valencia in June will generate considerableinterest once again.“We answer all the retailers’ requirements

for attractive price points, good margins andexcellent stock turn,” added Brooks. “Theprospect of add-on sales to every transactionis a compelling proposition and has given us aclear market lead.“These products are recession-proof, applica-

ble to any brand of reel and any country. Theyprovide high quality care and maintenance toprotect anglers’ investments.”

MAKE CONTACT BEFORE EFTTEXTel+1 314 878 7722 (USA) +44 1684 296695 (Europe)Email [email protected] (USA)[email protected] (Europe)


Chinese net manufacturerand exporter YaskaFishing Tackle returns toEFTTEX in June with itssights firmly set on meet-ing new distributors fromAmerica and the UK.Originally established

as Jianhua FishingTackle 30 years ago, Yaskaalready exports to morethan 20 countries includ-ing Australia, South Africa, Finland,Sweden, Malaysia and Singapore.Following a successful three days

as an exhibitor at last month’s ChinaFish show, General Manager Xia Ningis hopeful of continuing themomentum in Valencia.He told Angling International on

his return from Beijing: “Our interna-tional business is increasing

all the time, as is ourreputation with clientsall over the world. Yaska’shand-made, high qualityproducts combinedwith low prices andgood service are provingvery popular. EFTTEXwill be an opportunityto let more people knowwhat we do.”The company is

located in China’s Anhui district,where a long tradition of net weavinghas been enhanced by new technol-ogy. Its net range includes beautifullyhand-crafted hardwood and bamboolanding nets, as well as aluminiumversions. The nets feature a quickrelease removable elastic lanyard, softknotless micromesh and extra longhandles if required.

MAKE CONTACT BEFORE EFTTEXTel+86 565 7101666 Fax+86 565 7101555Email [email protected] www.yaskafishing.com

EFTTEXSTANDNUMBERC21

Above: theArdentReal Care rangeoffers enticing add-on sales forretailers everywhere.

Yaska’s XiaNing: “Our globalreputation is growing.”


Bait giantCarpZoomsets its sightsonSpain’s growingcarpmarket

“If you want to see totallynew ideas in the baits andaccessories markets – andto see prototypes of thenew products we haveplanned for the next twoto three years – then visitour stand at EFTTEX 2010in Valencia.”That’s the intriguing

promise being made byHungarian company Carp

Zoom to visitors at Europe’s top tackle show.Looking ahead to the annual gathering of the

world’s trade in Valencia this June, Carp ZoomManaging Director Fadil Salim has high hopes formore success for his business.He told Angling International: “EFTTEX is a good

chance to meet all our customers at one time in oneplace and to build our future product range in linewith their demands.

“Spain is a market where we would like to developour business. As carp fishing begins to enjoy rapidgrowth in the region, then it presents an opportunityfor us to find potential new partners.“I believe it will also be one of the most successful

EFTTEX shows for many other companies who havetargeted the same objectives as we have in Spain.”Ever-present at EFTTEX since 1999, Carp Zoom

plans to display all of its bait range as usual, but willshow for the first time the new Match Zoom brandspecially created for competition fishing by Germanchampion and national team member Stefan Posselt.Carp Zoom will also focus on a new accessories

programme launched this year, including MatchZoom products and a comprehensive carp rangeincorporating a PVA collection.

MAKE CONTACT BEFORE EFTTEXTel +36 34 312496 or 337142 Fax +36 34 510496Email [email protected] www.carpzoom.eu

EFTTEXSTANDNUMBERG23Above: thenewMatchZoombrandwill figureheavily on theCarp Zoomstand.

Fadil Salim: “Spain iswherewe’d like to develop.”


Koppers signsprosaheadofValencia showKoppers, the maker of Livetarget crankbaits, has signed Bassmaster Elite prosStephen Browning and Byron Velvickto sponsorship agreements. The dealwas completed on the eve of February’sBassmaster Classic in Birmingham,Alabama, putting the young brandright into the spotlight.Livetarget made its debut in 2008 in

the Midwest and Great Lakes regions,opening 100 dealers in its first year.Two years later the company has morethan 1,000 dealers in the US andCanada, plus distribution into Japanand nine other European countries.

Acknowledging the acceleration inhis company’s international growth,Koppers pro staff manager Victor Cooknevertheless underlined the importanceof the Bassmaster scene as the idealplatform for Livetarget’s pro staffcampaign.“Stephen and Byron are at the top

of their game and we’re positoned toshow the industry our intention toparticipate,” he said. Browning hadfour top ten finishes in 2009 whileVelvick, a well known Elite Seriesparticipant, hosts a weekly saltwatershow on ESPN2.

MAKE CONTACT BEFORE EFTTEXTel+1 905 468 448Email [email protected] www.livetargetlures.com


EFTTEX 2010 is on target to havemore exhibitors than last year afterconfirmed bookings reached 211exhibitors, up from 203 at the samestage last year. EFTTA has acceptedbookings from companies in 36 differ-ent countries for the show in Valencia,Spain including 29 first-time exhibi-tors. With three months still to go,the current amount of floor space soldis 7,204 sqm, which represents a 4%increase on the 6,903 sqm sold at thisstage last year.Says EFTTEX Exhibition Manager,

Neena Tailor: “Bookings have beencoming in every day. Companies areonce again thinking very seriouslyabout increasing their presence withinthe industry. And as the number onetrade show in Europe, EFTTEX is thenatural choice.”She added: “This will be the first

time EFTTEX has been held in Spainand it’s proving a popular choice. Theshow will open up many exciting andinteresting opportunities thanks toSpain’s strong links, not only withinEurope but worldwide.”The increase in stand bookings

has been helped by the number ofexhibitors that pre-booked during EFT-TEX 2009 in Budapest. It is a benefitEFTTA offers to exhibitors at the showevery year, and is proving increasinglyattractive to businesses. A total of 144

companies pre-booked their stand forEFTTEX 2010 at the 2009 show. AtEFTTEX 2008, 112 companies bookedfor the 2009 show.More recently, members of the

EFTTEX management team havepromoted the show at trade shows inthe UK, France, Italy, Japan and China.These promotional efforts are clearlyhaving an effect in increasing standsales and generating interest. The nextstage of the marketing campaign willfocus on attracting buyers to Valenciain June. Promotional invitation passesin nine European languages are due tobe sent and handed out to over 2,500potential visitors. Online pre-registra-tion has also opened and the numberof pre-registered visitors is continuingto rise. EFTTA is receiving a lot ofinterest from Spanish retailers and hasbeen working on a targeted promo-tional campaign to further attractSpanish and Portuguese retailers.Demand is also high for the Business

Reception tickets at the UmbracleTerraza in the City of Arts in Valencia.It provides a tropical garden setting forthe dinner and reception. The venuealso turns into a nightclub at midnightand guests will be entitled to freeentry into the club if they want to stayand enjoy the evening. EFTTA is alsopleased to announce that World Cupfootball will be shown in the evening.

EFTTEX2010ontarget toincreaseexhibitornumbers


COMMUNIQUÉ

10

Ardent expands salesnetworkinUS tomeet increaseddemand


A rdent, the only manufacturerof freshwater fishing reels andaccessories that are made in theUSA, has expanded its salesstaff in the US to capitalise on

increased interest in its products.The Missouri-based company has seen a

significant increase in sales in spite of theeconomic recession, more than doubling thenumber of dealers stocking its reels and reelcare products. Now it has improved its salesnetwork by appointing new national andregional distributors, signing up some of theindustry’s most respected manufacturers’ repgroups and employing new sales managers.One of the most significant actions, says

Ardent, has been the hiring of Tim Golden

Ichthys retailboost

Ichthys, manufacturer of more than 600 different styles and sizes ofswivels, is making special packaging available to retailers to displayits products. The eye-catching displays come in three different sizesto accommodate 30, 60 or 120 packs and will, says Ichthys, drawmore attention to the products as well as making it easier for thecustomers to make their purchasing choices.The 20-year-old business has warehouses in its home country of

Slovakia, as well as in the United Kingdom, and is building a brandreputation all over Europe for quality and reliability.“We are now looking for partners in most European countries,”

explained International Sales Director Daniel Zaicek. “Our ultimategoal is to supply high quality products at reasonable prices toanglers all over the world who are looking for something special. Butfirst we are concentrating on Europe.“We are growing because we can respond to customer demands

and our conveniently located warehouses hold almost 90% ofproduct in stock, guaranteeing short lead times.”The Ichthys product portfolio is aimed primarily at freshwater

fishing, but the company is also able to produce saltwater swivelsif required. For more information call +421 911 558233, [email protected], skypedanielsan831102 or visit www.ichthys.eu.

Ardent has contracted with eight premiermanufacturers’ rep groups to cover theremaining geography of the United States. Ithas also added a number of distributors toits sales system that will be joining Big RockSports, which has carried the Ardent productline since 2007. Folsom Distributors, FarrisBrothers, Maurice Distributing, Sportsman’sSupply and Triple S are some of the nationaland regional distribution companies that willbe carrying the complete Ardent product line.Said Michael J. Brooks, President and CEO

of Ardent: “This greatly expanded sales sys-tem illustrates the tremendous sales growthand opportunities that customers are realisingwith the Ardent product line.”For information visit www.ardentreels.com

as Director of Sales, and Tom Cole and JakeTippee as Sales Representatives. Golden has16 years’ experience in the sporting goodsindustry and will be responsible for keydistributors in the United States and nationalretail chains including Big 5 and Dick’sSporting Goods.Cole will have sales responsibilities for

Florida, South Carolina and southern Geor-gia. Tippee will be responsible for Alabama,Mississippi, Tennessee and northern Georgia.

LatvianshowmakesreturnLatvia hosts its premier fishing show at theend of this month when Angling Riga oc-cupies the International Exhibition Centre onMarch 25 to 28. From diving and hunting,to cycling and health & fitness, the event isa ‘celebration of the outdoors’ and anglingwill play a big part with a full display of tackleand accessories, clothing and boats, as wellpractical demonstrations, expert advice andinformation.Angling is still very much in the growth

stage in Latvia, although the recession isexpected to take its toll on visitor numbersthis year, the 16th of the show’s existence,with the 2009 four-day attendance figure of

20,000 expected to fall by around 15%.Event organiser Kaspars Cimermanis said:

“Latvia is only a small country, with just over2.2 million people, but angling is becomingincreasingly popular with around one in tenpeople regularly going fishing.“Although no big brands will have their

own stands at the show, simply because nooverseas companies have applied, we willhave ten local distributors present who willbe selling all the latest products from themain European tackle manufacturers.”For details telephone + 371 670 6500

or log on to www.bvents.com/event/383520-angling-riga-2010.

The president of one of China’s biggestfishing tackle manufacturers and sup-plier to many of the world’s top brandshas warned that only those companiesable to adjust quickly to the changingdemands of the industry and pres-sures of the Chinese economy can lookforward to future growth.Speaking exclusively to Angling

International, Mr Ben Yang, Presidentof Heng Feng in the Hangzhou district,identified robust patent protection,genuine innovation and exclusivepartnerships as the keys to success intesting times ahead.And he revealed some key steps

taken by Heng Feng to ensure that itretains its prominent position as anOEM supplier in the market place.“The current industry in China is verydifferent to the past 15 years and itwill continue to change,” said Mr Yang.“Heng Feng has been producing fishing

tackle for leading global brands for 20 yearsand knowledge gained from experience isgoing to be more important than ever before.“Fast-growing costs of labour and materials

in China are a big problem we have to dealwith. Labour costs alone could increase by15% to 20% in the next two years. Copyingis another major issue and will only serve toforce prices down. In addition, the one-childrule, along with other socio-economic factors,is making the recruitment of good staff moreand more difficult.”However, Mr Yang pointed to the fact that

repeated reductions in VAT rates on exports,favoured by the government because of thebeneficial impact on employment, hasencouraged manufacturers to grow overseasbusiness. Against this economic backdrop,Heng Feng, which also incorporates hugecamping equipment and garden furniturebusinesses, has been proactive in introducingsignificant changes to its impressiveHangzhou operation. Mr Yang outlined hisplans to adjust to market and economictrends, ensuring his company continues tosatisfy existing customers and attract new ones.“We are putting even more emphasis on

the development of new products. Innova-tion and best quality at the right price hasnever been more important. Our strong posi-tion across several outdoor markets allowsus to buy essential, top quality materials likefabric, metal and plastic very competitively,enabling us to control prices to the customer.“The future is in strong brand partnerships

and making sure each partner’s productshave their own identity. Similar products justresult in price battles, so our strategy is tooffer more exclusivity to our customers.“At the same time we will continue to

invest more in patents and will vigorouslyprotect our ideas and products from copying.Our determination to safeguard our designsmakes the future of innovation at Heng Fengeven stronger.”In recognition of the tough trading

climate, Heng Feng introduced its newEconomy Range last year, a quantity-basedprogramme that is not profit-driven butwhich is intended to support customers.Heng Feng has also introduced new man-

agement practices that offer cost efficiencieswhich can then be passed on to customers.“We understand there are financial pressureson our customers and this is something wecannot ignore,” added Mr Yang.

HengFengPresidentMrBenYang (above right)wel-comesAngling InternationalEditorMel Bagnall, thefirstjournalist to be invited to thegiant company’s headquar-ters inHangzhou.

HengFeng’s UKProductDevelopmentManagerJohnWalsh.

“The future lies inensuring theproductsofallourpartnershave their own identity”

OEMgiantHengFengpromisesanewageofexclusivedesigns

April2010 Angling International 67

S U P P O R T I N G P R O D U C T I N N O VAT I O N W O R L D W I D E

you needproductsto knowabout

Each month the product editors at Angling

International select themost exciting new

tackle being brought to market. Tohelp you

decide on their appeal to your customers, we

will include insight from the manufacturers so

you can start doing business immediately.

High-strengthpliers for saltwater

BusinesscontactsTel:+39 0583 709036 Email: [email protected]:www.p-line-europe.com

2Feeder rods fromHardyperfectfor castinghugedistancesDuring extensive field testing in Ireland and the UK, casting distances of up to 130metres were achieved with the new 13ft Hardy Marksman Extreme feeder rod.What themakerssay: “This super high modulus rod boasts unique hollow carbonquivertips which are lighter than solid carbon or fibreglass versions. Theyalso highlight bites better and provide greater radial strength whenfishing over massive distances.”

10

BusinesscontactsTel:+44 1665 511507 Email:[email protected]:www.hardyfishing.com

productsto knowabout

pliers for saltwater

1

P-Line’s AdaroPlierscome in threecolours andwith acordurapouch.

P-Line Europe’s Adaro Pliers come complete witha cordura pouch and a heavy duty nylon lanyard.They are available in blue, gold and silver.What themakerssay: “Adaro Pliers are the ultimate valuefor the serious saltwater angler. They feature machine-cut aluminumhandles for reduced weight and the tungsten carbide cutters are builtspecifically for braided line. The jaws are made of a coated carbon steelfor strength and durability.”


you needproductsto knowabout

10The latest tackle box from category specialist Plastica Panaro features anergonomic seat to provide maximum comfort, plus four tackle boxes withadjustable compartments, a spinner bait box and roomy storage under the lid.What themakerssay: “Our new polypropylene box allows the angler to fishcomfortably wherever he may be, all the while being able to access the tacklebelow thanks to a handy two-flap opening.”

Seat boxofferingmaximumcomfortfromspecialists PlasticaPanaro

4

BusinesscontactsTel:+39 059 793 340 Email: [email protected]: www.plasticapanaro.it

EFTTEXaward-winning linenowavailable in shock leader versionParallelium’s Polyvilon Hybrid, a previous best new line winner at EFTTEX, hasbeen launched in a shock leader version. The parallel-wound 50m spools areavailable in strengths of 44lb, 55lb, 66lb, 81lb, 115lb, 160lb and 200lb.What themakerssay: “This new shock leader is produced using our double coreextrusion process 2CXP technology, which allows us to achieve greater accuracy indiameter and strength. Features include the ultimate in knot strength and abrasionresistance, coupled with virtual invisibility. It is also UV proof and silky smoothwith an extremely low memory.”

Businesscontacts:Fax:+33 478 448 637 Email: [email protected] Website:www.parallelium.com

5Sage considers its Xi3 the best saltwater rod series it has ever created. It comes infour pieces and in line weights from #6 to #16. The range is from 6wt to 16wtand MSRP from $695 to $775.What themakerssay: “Using a proprietary taper construction providing torqueand tension for superior tracking and energy efficiency, the Xi3 performs withtrue precision. Graphite hoop fibres generate more power in the butt section andincreased sensitivity in the tip. A Modulus Positioning System reduces weight andcreates an acute level of line feel when casting.”

Sage’s best ever saltwater rods

Eagle Claw considers Trokar to be the most effective hooks ever de-signed. Introduced at ICAST last year, the hooks are just now reachingdealers in the US and Europe. They are endorsed by top pros ShawGrigsby Jr., Brent Chapman, Gerald Swindle and Skeet Reese.What themakerssay: “Trokar hooks have increased carbon contentand reduced impurities for higher tensile strength. The stouter wirediameter will withstand aggressive hook sets and intense fights and forthe first time on a fish hook there is a black chrome plating processto resist wear and corrosion. But the real innovation came as a resultof collaborating with a company that makes surgical needles. Trokar’spatented surgically sharpened process means these hooks can be setwith half the effort of other hooks, turning more bites into hook-ups.”

Hookswith surgical sharpness

BusinessContactsTel:+1 720 941 8700 Email:[email protected]:www.lazertrokar.com

3

BusinesscontactsTel:+1 206 842 6608 Email: [email protected] Website:www.sageflyfish.com

6Below: the Xi3 offerspower in thebutt andincreasedsensitivity inthe tip.

These new Slip ‘N’ Zip neoprene waders are among the latestproducts available from Behr Angelsport’s extensive range.What themakerssay: “Our new neoprene waders are as easy to puton as your favourite jeans. You just slip your legs in and zip them up.There’s no more struggling and contorting with your old waders. Theyare ideal for adding or removing clothing and for a quick exit whennecessary. The patented, specially engineered zipper has proven 100%waterproof during extreme field tests around the world.”

Neoprenewaders that aresoeasy toput on

The new Fishtron Q7 indicator from Flajzar is designed to combine modernfunctionality with an original design. It is 87.6mm x 50mm x 21.2mm andcomes complete with protective case, battery and three-year guarantee.What themakerssay: “The unique visual indicator has multi LED diodes. It isresistant to rain and fog with rubber gaskets under all regulating elements.The microprocessor’s intelligent consumption control guarantees a longbattery life. Sensitivity, beep volume and sound can be adjusted and thewide choice of tones guarantees audibility even in rain and wind. It alsohas two connectors for the swinger and the external transmitter.”

Amulti-functionbite indicator

BusinesscontactsTel:+420 518 628 596 Fax:+420 518 324 088Email: [email protected] Website:www.fishtron.cz

Jigheads for better hooking rates

BusinesscontactsTel:+48 52 32 68016 Email:[email protected]:www.firmadragon.pl

BusinesscontactsFax: +49 6203 923 874 Email: [email protected]:www.behrfishing.de

10

9

7

Specialised tippets fromRioRio has launched two new types of tippet material. The IGFA tippet is sold on30-yard spools ranging between 2lb and 30lb breaking strengths. The AlloyHard Saltwater tippet comes in 30-yard spools between 6lb and 30lb, along with110-yard ‘guide’ spools of 12lb, 16lb and 20lb.What themakerssay: “The IGFA tippet is perfect for anglers targeting worldrecords and those looking for precision and reliability. Alloy Hard Saltwater isan ultra-hard material combining phenomenal abrasion resistance. It is idealfor casting large flies and casting in strong winds.”

BusinesscontactsTel:+1 208 524 7760 Email:[email protected]:www.rioproducts.com

Above: thenewSlip ‘N’ Zipwaders are aseasy toput onasyour favourite jeans, sayBehr.

8Polish company Dragon has focused on maximising hooking efficiency with itsrange of SPEED jigheads.What themakerssay: “Our goal was to eliminate the hook elasticity which reduceshooking rates. So we used forged, heavy-duty wire sharpened with UltraPointtechnology and covered with a poly-ceramic layer. The O’Shaughnessy shape alsoadds to the overall strength. It means all power is transferred from the angler’shand directly through the hook. SPEED jigheads use the modern system of twocone-shaped rings which secure the lure firmly and prevent it from sliding.”


PEOPLE

Swedish showmovesnorth togrowattendance

Keeton Eoffjoins Hobie

Fishing kayakmanufacturerHobie has ap-pointed KeetonEoff (left)as StrategicDevelopmentFishing Analystfor its fishing

department. Formerly Regional SalesManager with lure company SebileUSA, Eoff will now be responsible forrefining and prioritising marketingand sales goals for Hobie’s growingboats and accessories business. Theacquisition underlines the Californiancompany’s commitment to growing

the fishing arm of its business.Eoff has spent ten years in the fish-

ing and outdoor recreation industryand has a strong background in target-ed sales and innovative marketing. Hejoins Product Manager Vince Console,Sales Associate Morgan Promnitz andField Ambassador Jackie Smith in thecompany’s fishing team. “With theaddition of Keeton to our fishing-specific team and continued supportthoughout all levels of the company,we are well positioned to take Hobiefishing to the next level,” said HobiePresident Doug Skidmore.Eoff can be contacted on email at

keoff@hobiecat or +1 325 660 4575.

Organisers of Sportfiskemassan 2010,one of Sweden’s biggest sport fishingshows, which takes place betweenMay 7th and 9th, are hoping that aninspired choice of venue for this year’sevent will see record crowds comingthrough the doors.Launched in 2005, Sportfiskemas-

san is a consumer event organised bythe trade and this year the show hasbeen relocated to Sundsvall, a townfour hours north of Stockholm whichis widely considered one of the coun-try’s sport fishing ‘hubs’.Says show organiser Agneta Brunell:

“We’ve held the show in Stockholmthree times, once in Gothenburg andonce at a town in the south of Swe-den. This year we decided to take it toSundsvall, which is smack bang in themiddle of an area with a huge inter-est in sportfishing. Everybody we’vespoken to is excited that the show iscoming to town, especially the localfishing clubs!”More than 100 exhibitors will be in

attendance, including a host of majorretail and wholesale tackle companiessuch as Normark, Abu, Bios, Guide-line, Loop Tackle, Svendsen, FairpointOutdoor and CWC. Four fishing lakeshave been built for the show – two

of which will be used for fly flishingdemonstrations and tutorials and twofor baitfishing purposes where visitorscan try out new products. Other drawsinclude a ‘fishing school’ for children,presentations by fishing holiday com-panies and a stall from Swedish fishingmagazine Fiske Journalen, which willbe hosting a chat forum and showcas-ing a number of recent fishing expedi-tion films made by their team.Per Westerlund, President of the

Bios fly fishing company in Sweden,is adamant that the choice of venuefor Sportfiskemassan 2010 will be akey driver in its success. “The area ishugely popular with trout, sea troutand salmon fishermen. Quite simply,most Swedes go north to fish, henceour decision to take the show north.We’ll be exhibiting all our latest prod-ucts, including new rods, reels and alot of new lures, and have really highhopes for the show. It’s a major eventin our diary.”Opening times are 10am to 6pm

on Friday and Saturday, and 10am to4pm on Sunday. All visitors willreceive a free copy of Fiske För Alla.Log on to www.kistamassan.com/events/sportfiskemassan2010 or call+46 8 506 65043.

Angling International Magazine - April 2010 - 27

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Transcript of Angling International Magazine - April 2010 - 27