While most are looking for new stuff at shows this time of year , Funny thing is that other than the new blanks , We (Smokey and I ) are doing all we can to make sure we can do it the same way we have been the last several years. We stocked up on the discontinued black Big Gamereels , looking to get some spectron , making jigs with Mustad hooks etc. Why change what works so well??

The only new thing I am looking forward to this year is trying the Mr Wigglys I bought last year.

I do wish someone would come out with a braid like the Cortland spectron used to be or even better if possible. The new Cortland spectron just isn't as good and its the only noticeable thing that has changed (unfortunately for the worse) in the way we've been doing things for a long time.

I am looking into some new rod blanks. I was very hot for a ziplex last year but getting the blanks proved difficult. I've been researching a new blank type that apparently is now winning all the casting world records etc. and don't break the bank in cost. I'm trying to see if they have models that will be good for Jigging the canal and models for beach and rock fishing in the open water. If it pans out , you'll be hearing about it.


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Saltheart




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02-14-2005 11:44 AM

I noticed the same thing with the Cortland Spectron as well and was equally displeased with it. Still use it though on a couple of rods.

Its still all I use but I would like better. Old stuff was perfect!

Mike,

I think fishing gear is no different from any other consumer product.

From a marketing perspective, manufacturers have to keep changing/evolving things year after year to boost or keep their gross margins where they are.

If you need any examples, just look at all the newfangled crap you see when you browse the your local market for personal care and household products, or even food.

If it's not a constant constant push for "perceived innovation, " then it's some means to producing it cheaper.

I share your frustration. From an end-user perspective, if it ain't broke, I would they wouldn't try to fix it.

I agree its happening everywhere Ben. That doesn't mean we can't struggle against it though.

When they discontinued the Black BG reels , we bought enough to keep us going 5 to 10 more years ahead.

One thing iI find amazing is that for a discontinued reel , people bought them like hotcakes when Abu announced they were going to stop making them. Anyway , its so hard to find equipment you like and that's reliable , its a shame when they discontinue it or change it by cheapening it. .

The other thing i find interesting is the huge gap that's developing in fishing gear right now. There's junky stuff at dirt cheap and there's outstanding stuff at astronomical prices. Not much in between. Kind of strange the way that's going.

The demographic of surf fishing is changing. When Van Staal proved that people would pay (at first) $300, then $400, then $600 for a spinning reel with a $50/year annual service requirement, other companies took notice. It showed that surfcasters aren't what for many years the tackle companies presumed them to be---guys who couldn't afford boats, and who went out there driving 20 year old Chevy pick-ups, with patched waders and guides electrial taped onto the rod.

There are now people with serious bucks surfcasting.

Need more proof? After almost 20 years of looking at the surf/party boat sector as the poverty class of the salt, Salt Water Sportsman is now running surf features again.

Originally posted by Saltheart
The other thing i find interesting is the huge gap that's developing in fishing gear right now. There's junky stuff at dirt cheap and there's outstanding stuff at astronomical prices. Not much in between. Kind of strange the way that's going.

I find it very frustrating.There's not much out there for us guys who are in the middle.

I'm not poor but I damn sure ain't rich.This off season I was able to aquire my first custom rod only because the shop was changing locales and they needed to dump inventory cheap.I put a 704 on it but I wouldn't mind putting one of those high end reels on it I just can't afford to spend $500-$800 on a reel.

We now have these companies like Okuma for example putting out what appears on the surface to be a great reel at a decent price.But they just haven't been around long enough to prove that their product is as good as it appears and feels initially.

Now if Shimano would give the Stradic a waterproof drag and seal the gear case and add a couple bigger sizes and offer that reel in the $200-$250 range they'd have my attention!;)

Originally posted by Saltheart
The other thing i find interesting is the huge gap that's developing in fishing gear right now. There's junky stuff at dirt cheap and there's outstanding stuff at astronomical prices. Not much in between. Kind of strange the way that's going.

Mike, what you've just said is quite interesting from a consumer perspective.

The market for gear is becoming increasingly bifurcated ... to a low-end or "value" segment vs. the high-end.

Nobody wants to play in the middle! I think there are several reasons.

1) At the low end, it's mass merchandisers like Wal-Mart/Target etc. that are squeezing certain manufacturers to provide even cheaper SKU's. Don't feel bad for folks like Zebco, though - they often make MORE dollar profits by selling to Walmart, as lower selling prices are offset by much higher volume as well as cost savings from more efficient distribution.

2) The high-end is exploding due to the fact that people have demonstrated a willingness to dish out $600 - $700 on things like water proof spinning reels. :rolleyes: Obviously, you won't see these models at Wal-Mart. You'll see them in your brick and mortar tackle shop, or maybe a specialty sporting goods retailer. Keep in mind that the market (in units shipped) for high-end products is SMALL relative to the entire fishing market, so fixed costs (plant ane equipment, corporate overhead) are spread out over a smaller customer base. Companies have to spend marketing dollars (not just ads but also rebates/incentives for retailers) to get their message across. All this adds up on top of what you would pay a premium for a differentiated product.

3) It's a marketing axiom that it's dangerous to be in the middle. There are many "middle niche" consumer product categories out there that have been completely destroyed by players at the low and high end. Companies don't want to offer products positioned in the middle because they're worried about being squeezed from above AND below.

The hidden benefit to all of this is that the high-end gear may just be the only thing that keeps the brick and mortar shops in business. If they can't compete with the big-box stores the niche products that are unique to surfcasting will be very difficult to obtain.

-spence

Spence,

I don't see Wal-Mart as a threat to the brick and mortar tackle shops in the long run.

Commodity ittems like fishing line and leader and maybe some terminal tackle and generic lures will always be cheaper at Wal-Mart.

But you won't see Wal-Mart stock even certain Shimano, Daiwa, and Penn reels and rods and what not. It's just too many SKU's to deal with. Wal-Mart is fundamentally targeting the price conscious consumer in a bazillion consumer categories.

And while many Wal-Marts will get to tailor their SKU's to accommodate local tastes, they'll never be on par with the mom and pop tackle shop. Fishing equipment is hyper-regionalized, which reflects the customs and practices of the area you're in. Much of the good stuff is coming from low-volume mom-and-pop type outfits, who wouldn't even be on Wal-Mart's radar screen. When was the last time you saw Habs in a Wally-World?

If people really get into fishing, they will eventually upgrade their equipment over the course of time. For that you need a tackle shop.

I think there are other macro participation forces that tackle shops are more sensitive to. Namely, the overall economy, weather, and the state of the fisheries in question.

Originally posted by fishweewee
When was the last time you saw Habs in a Wally-World?
Exactly my point. Habs makes high-end plugs ;)

-spence

Salty, I put Sten 30# superbraid on my new Stradic 5000 last spring and I'm very impressed, I'd highly recommend it based on one year of use. It's going on any new reels this year for sure.

i have 30 stren super braid on an abu for jigging small stuff for cod and bass . sweet stuff.

GS , 30 LB for the canal??

GS,

How would you compare Stern Superbraid to PP?
(interested in your thoughts)

I had PP on a706z last year and had nothing but problems. Gave it to my fishing partner who put it on a conventional for use in the boat

The braids tend to work better on reels with tapered spools for some reason. They all seem to work fairly well on conventionals although certainly some better than others.

I have Cortland Spectron on all my conventionals and have had no problems at all. Caught a lot of big fish last year on the Calcuttas with 50# Spectron and never had a complaint

I also use Cortland Spectron on all my conventionals. 50 LB on the ABU 7000 size reels for the canal and 35 LB on my 6500 abu's and my Calcutta 400 for beaches. Best braid in my opinion but will not work at all on a spinner.

i agree there seems toi be a widenig gap in the tackle world.I too seem to be caught in the middle.I am also from the old skool of thought when it come to spending money on tackle.I make alot of my own things an basically are pretty cheap when it comes to spending large amounts of money on gear.I can however spend ten dollars fifty times.
I use kite string on my conventionals have been for yrs.80 lb an 50lb.its by far the most abrasion resistent.I was lookin at the stren.not sure which model for the canal.30 may be a little light.it looks nice but after some bad experiences with some braids I am reluctant to change.

Is it Hercules Kite string NIB? Where do you get it?

There used to be a kite store in town but they closed down.Hercules Hi-Tech is the stuff i got some spools U would like the fifty for the canal only comes in white.when the line hits the bridge wit a fish wit power pro it would break immediatly with the kite string i have see sawed on the girders an pillings quite a few times an still landed my quarry.I have a freind who found it in a search from a Kite store online.not much information on the spool it says "braided from spectra fiber"an spectra is a registerd trademark of allied signal inc. onthe back they mention U.S. Line as the manufacture.they sell it in feet u can get 300 or 1000 ft.

Yep , Hercules Kite string. people talked about it about 5 or 6 years ago then nothing. Always wanted to finsd some. I'll do a search on the internet. Supposed to be similar to spectron in that its really braided , not spun but its thinner. That's all the info I have.