Tackle And Guns April 2015

Tributes paid to publisher David Hall p03

Industry leaders look to angling’s future p07

How knives can give you the cutting edge p28

APRIL 2015

BRITAIN’S ONLY MONTHLY SHOOTING & FISHING TRADE PUBLICATION

TACKLE

& GUNS

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BRITAIN’S ONLY MONTHLY SHOOTING & FISHING TRADE PUBLICATION

APRIL 2015

Want to reach EVERYONE in the trade, EVERY month? To get your message out there Contact: Caroline Mandaracas Tel: 07738 457110 [email protected] www.tandgmagazine.com

David Hall 1943 to 2015

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ributes have been pouring into the DHP offices since the announcement of the death of the company chairman David Hall. David passed away in his sleep early on Tuesday, March 3rd, at University Hospital, Coventry, after a long battle against cancer. “Although he’d not been to work for more than a year, and he spent much of that time in bed, the news of his death still came as a shock,”said DHP managing director Sean O’Driscoll. “Obviously, during the course of his illness, I had regular meetings with David. Alongside fellow director Roger Mortimer our fortnightly board meetings took place in his bedroom. We last saw him a couple of weeks before he died and even then we had no idea that the end was close. “He was taken to hospital at the end of February because he’d fallen and the doctors

wanted time to assess his overall health. As in previous times, all of us were expecting him to come out, then we could all get back to the ‘norm’. “During his time in hospital I was in constant contact with his wife, Cherry, and there really was no hint that there was any deterioration in his wellbeing. So when I received the call I was shocked.” The news of David’s passing quickly spread through the trade and there have been some lovely telephone calls and messages to the DHP offices. One of the first messages actually came from China, and industry stalwart Max Cottis: “I’m away in Beijing and only heard the news of David’s passing yesterday. I would just like to express my most sincere condolences to Cherry and all the DHP family in this saddest of times. “Having known David for 30 years this year, it has left me feeling somewhat numb, knowing that I, along with the angling world, have lost one of its most colourful and influential characters, someone the likes of whom I know the angling trade will never have the privilege of knowing again. “Rest in peace David.” Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust, also passed on his sympathies and wrote: “David has played a huge and important role in promoting and campaigning for angling over many decades and we would be very happy to honour his many achievements with a tribute on our website or to contribute

to whatever you may be organising yourselves. “We would be pleased to help remember him in any other way you think would be appropriate.” A moving tribute was received from Mick Sullivan, of Mick’s Tackle in Hythe, who wrote: “I only met David once, at a tackle show, and I was in awe of his knowledge of the trade and its many characters, some of whom are sadly departed. He showed great interest in me and my ambitions as the new proprietor of a tackle shop, and gave me some fantastic advice, some of which I still aspire to. “I know David took real interest in not just people in the tackle and gun trades but from all walks of life, such as the late, great Fred Dibnah. I’m from an engineering background so Fred was a person of great interest to me. I’m sure that David would have been a close friend of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, should he have been alive in the 20th century! “I will, and have, missed David’s words in Tackle & Guns – so much truth, humour and good advice about our trade!” Ex-Shimano UK boss Craig Brew also made contact: “I’ve just heard the news about David. He was such a character and has done so much to promote the sport over the years. It’s a huge loss to his family, to DHP and to the sport as a whole.” It’s clear from all the feedback that David’s contribution to angling cannot be measured. “Reading some of the comments on social media, particularly on the Match Fishing and Pole Fishing Facebook pages, it’s evident that many people got into the sport because of David,” added Sean. “They were inspired by his magazines, his words and his actions and I doubt if there has been any other person who has done so much for the sport. His influence really is immeasurable.” Fellow publishers were also quick to pay their respects. ➲ Continued on page 6. www.tandgmagazine.com

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COMMENT

John Hunter

Who cares if angling fails?

I

was privileged to be among those attending the innovative Angling Trades Association (ATA) conference aimed at providing a spark into our ailing fishing industry. As one of the speakers – given the task of detailing some of the factors currently affecting our trade and everyone’s business – I was looking forward to a large audience and a huge amount of feedback. Sure I got the feedback, and some superb ideas were put forward from those manufacturers, retailers, fishery owners, coaches and members of the media who bothered to make their way to Barston Lakes in Solihull. But, alarmingly, as always, the turnout was less than impressive. I could have pretty much given you a list beforehand of those who care enough about the future of our industry to have put in the miles to have a full and frank discussion about how to get more people fishing and increase our business. This was a landmark event – with invitations sent out to hundreds of key players – to open up real debate on what’s wrong with our trade as well as coming up with some radical reforms to get people back on the banks. I spoke to a couple of people who didn’t turn up and was told: “It’ll be the same old people and nothing will actually get done…” Well it WAS the same old people – by and large – because

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they’re the ones who actually care about whether our industry survives or not. They’re the ones prepared to put in the time and effort to meet with colleagues and thrash out the ideas that will ultimately benefit us all. We could all carry on regardless, bury our heads in the sand and hope that it all goes away. But, if we do that, the ONLY things that will definitely go away are our businesses. The ideas put forward were great and will certainly give the ATA much food for thought. I’m genuinely optimistic for the future after that meeting – it was a terrific start to identifying the issues and working out how to deal with them But it is just that – a start. Many of the big-name players were missing and they now need to engage and become involved in what happens next so that we can ALL take this forward. This industry will only grow if everyone gets involved. Don’t leave it to a few… And if you do hang back… don’t go complaining that the ideas put forward aren’t the right ones. If you want your say – and you really care about the sport you want to continue earning your living from – then get involved and make sure that you’re at the next meeting. If we don’t stand side by side now we will most certainly all fall together.

John Hunter

Caroline Mandaracas

Editor

Business Development Manager

Tel: 01327 315412 Mob: 07990 542958 E: [email protected]

Tel: 01245 607231 Mob: 07738 457110 E: [email protected]

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS

APRIL 2015

BRITAIN’S ONLY MONTHLY SHOOTING & FISHING TRADE PUBLICATION NEWS IN BRIEF 07 Landmark event for angling’s future 08 Mobile tackle-shop franchise is unveiled 10 AYA marks centenary with special shotgun 12 Ex Formula One boss swaps tyres for tackle 14 Rod Hutchinson brand set for big presence 16 Why BUFF neckwear is going to everyone’s head 18 Letter – Chris Leibbrandt looks at the future of angling

REGULARS 24 Retailer Survey 44 Secret Shopper 46 Products In Focus 66 Parting Shot, by Sean O’Driscoll

FEATURES 22 Leeda’s iceTackle trade show 26 Flying The Flag – Fusion Carp 28 On The Market – knives 30 On The Market – game fishing 36 Premier Floats’ trade-website launch 38 Taska expands ahead of schedule 40 The CLA Game Fair’s Chris Ogborne on angling 42 Flying The Flag – HOE Game Farms 58 Prologic carp-care solutions 62 AirForceOne airgun gear from Range Right www.tandgmagazine.com

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NEWS POINT OF CONTACT Useful numbers for your business

Gun Trade Association (GTA) Tel: 01684 291868 Fax: 01684 291864 [email protected] www.guntradeassociation.co.uk

Angling Trades Association (ATA) Tel: 0333 577 9970 www.anglingtradesassociation.com

British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) Tel: 01244 573000 Fax: 01244 573001 [email protected] www.basc.org.uk

Angling Trust Tel: 0844 7700616 Fax: 0115 981 9039 [email protected] www.anglingtrust.net

Countryside Alliance Tel: 0207 840 9200 Fax: 0207 793 8484 [email protected] www.countryside-alliance.org

Salmon & Trout Association Tel: 0207 283 5838 Fax: 0207 626 5137 [email protected] www.salmon-trout.org

Crimestoppers Tel: 0800 555 111 www.crimestoppers-uk.org

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Tributes pour in from industry for David Hall ➲ Continued from page 3 Patrick Hortom, managing director of sport at Bauer Media, wrote: “In the very little time that I’ve been in the angling business, his reputation, influence and contribution have all loomed large,”while Steve Fitzpatrick, editor in chief of Bauer’s angling titles, said: “On behalf of all the Bauer Angling team, please accept our deepest sympathy for your loss.” Wes Stanton at Blaze Publishing expressed his thoughts: “Just a short note to send my condolences to all of you at DHP, and in particular those who worked closely with David and his family. “We may have been running businesses that competed but it’s times like this that remind me that life is very short and that human physicality is so much more frail than the spirit.” Tim Knight, editor of Angler’s Mail, summed up what many people have said: “David was helpful and a total gentleman

at all times to me and to Angler’s Mail staff, present and past. And, of course, he’ll forever be widely admired as a pioneer in the angling business.”

A FEW OTHER TRIBUTES… Richard Sanderson – ex-Hardy & Greys and Shimano/Normark “David was a one-off.The angling world will certainly miss a charismatic and strong personality. It’s a sad day for the UK fishing industry.” Jackie Croot – Croots “David was a truly wonderful character and he will be sadly missed by all of us who have been lucky enough to meet him. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this very sad time. God bless.” Ole Bjerke – ex-Mustad “This is very sad news indeed. I had the pleasure of working with David as a board member of the Angling Trades Association when he was chairman; he was a mover and a shaker. May he rest in peace.”

Gary Caulfield – ex-Penn (UK) “I’m so sorry to read this. I will remember David as one the industry’s real standout characters, and it is all the poorer for his passing. “Our condolences to Cherry and family, from the Caulfields.” Richard Banbury – Orvis “Sincere condolences. David demonstrated that with hard work, belief in yourself and a bit of good fortune you could achieve your dreams. “He was a great role model for the generation of today.” Richard Taylor – Svendsen UK “I am very sorry to hear the sad news that David has passed away. My thoughts are with you and everyone at DHP. “David will be greatly missed by an industry that he has been such a big influence in for such a long time.”

Premier launch for brochure and website Top float manufacturer Premier has unveiled its 2015 catalogue to coincide with the launch of its dedicated trade website. The family firm says that this is its biggest and best brochure to date, featuring its comprehensive selection of floats covering everything from pellet wagglers, Woody’s stick floats and Locslide leger floats to pike accessories, swingtips and quivertips. There’s also a good range of other accessories, including float adaptors, snap tackles and traces, rolling swivels and anti-dive discs. Dealers can simply make their selections from the vast array of products featured in the catalogue and then order by phone, fax, e-mail or via the new business-tobusiness website, where they can even order individual floats if required. Premier has been making floats for more than 40 years and is capable of producing up to five million a year at its custom-built factory in Cambridgeshire. With strong quality control this allows it to produce the best possible floats while maintaining good stock levels, offering efficient service and fast delivery and, at the same time, ensuring a high margin (typically a double-up) for retailers. Every dealer should have received their copy of the catalogue, mailed out with the March and April editions of Tackle & Guns, but, for those who still

require a copy or who wish to order, call Premier on 01354 741330 or visit the new website at www.premierfloatsb2b.co.uk.

www.tandgmagazine.com

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NEWS

Landmark event to secure fishing’s future Industry leaders, including major manufacturers, key dealers, fishery owners, coaches and the media, are planning for angling’s future after a ground-breaking meeting. Key players highlighted a range of initiatives to rejuvenate our sport, get more people fishing and plough money back in to encourage grassroots coaching and get more fishermen buying tackle. Organised by the Angling Trades Association (ATA), the landmark venture brought together major stakeholders to discuss the issues affecting the fishing trade, how to increase participation, how to ensure that those learning do so in a safe environment and how we can create a more sustainable sector. The conference looked at ways of removing barriers to fishing, such as changing the way the licensing system works in England and Wales, introducing more family tickets at fisheries, improving facilities and access, and tackle banks to enable people to learn at low cost. Suggestions included more children’s fishing pools; improving fishing coverage on television; closer relationships between fisheries, shops and coaches; getting venues and coaching listed on MumsNet and similar websites; promoting mobile,‘baitless’fishing such as dropshotting and light rock fishing (LRF); and even a ‘tackle tax’to boost funds at grassroots level.

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ATA CEO Dr Bruno Broughton explained: “Really this conference is not so much about facing the future as it is about ‘shaping the future’of our sport. “There are a lot of issues out there but this is a terrific opportunity to make our businesses more profitable and make angling, as a whole, stronger.” John Hunter, Tackle & Guns’ editor in chief, outlined many of the factors affecting the trade, including a 40 per cent fall in junior licences over the last decade and a rise in concessionary ones for older people, and challenged the trade to work together to find ways to tackle or meet the needs of the changing demographics of angling. He also outlined the differences that technology has made, from the rise of the internet and eBay to better but cheaper production methods, but was buoyed by the fact that key players had turned out to plan for the future. He said: “It’s a little like a selfhelp group meeting – being here means that we recognise there are problems, and now that we’ve admitted this then we’re on the road to solving them, or at least making a solid start.” ATA chair Naidre Werner said that 15,000 people went through the National Fishing Month programme in 2014, a further 6,000 through Take A Friend Fishing, another 1,000 via Get Hooked On Fishing and countless

more courtesy of the media, retailers and fisheries partnering with coaches to put on events throughout the year to get people fishing, often for the first time. The key, though, is retaining those participants. Angling Trust coaching development manager Ben Snook also looked at the importance of safeguarding procedures during every coaching session to ensure that they’re safe places for young people to go fishing, and recommended partnering with a licensed coach. Environment professional Dr Stuart McLanaghan outlined his vision for how tackle companies could work towards a more sustainable industry and improve their ‘green’credentials. Afterwards, Naidre said: “While the number of those attending was relatively small, there were some very valid, big ideas that came out of the discussion sessions, for which I’m grateful. Bruno and I will collate the notes into a report that will be circulated to everyone who attended, and the ATA board will discuss a number of potential routes of delivery at our next executive meeting. “This has to be the start of something to ensure the future for angling – both as a sport and a business – and I’m genuinely excited by the enthusiasm and vision shown by those attending.”

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NEWS

Old Ghost-backed Will Raison with anglers who won a day out.

Old Ghost spooks the opposition Bait supplier Old Ghost says that it’s enjoying a buoyant time in the UK, as anglers and shops alike embrace its products. While the UK market is a tough one to crack, Old Ghost believes that claims of ‘magic’ baits simply don’t wash with anglers who demand the best ingredients, which let the fish decide what they prefer. The current range of baits has helped many match anglers to post great results, with pleasure anglers reporting personal bests. John Watson of Old Ghost UK said that the firm is pleased with how retailers here have embraced the products and is delighted that anglers are enjoying success too. John said: “The brand is growing, with more retailers coming on board all the time. We don’t force minimum orders on retailers – we prefer to let them take exactly what they want, what they think will sell. “All anglers are different and venues are different all across the UK, so you have to give retailers what they want. We’re a growing bait manufacturer that likes to support our retailers and customers so that they too can grow with us.” Once again Old Ghost is sponsoring the UK Angling Championship, to be aired later in the year on Sky Sports, along with short ‘How To…’ videos via social media with top anglers, as well as featuring them in key magazines. ❱❱ Contact Old Ghost on 0121 5726878 or e-mail info@ oldghostbait.co.uk

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Mobile tackle-shop franchise launched The UK’s first and only mobile fishing-tackle and bait franchise, Mildenhall-based Tackle Trailer, has been unveiled. The new concept, which is to be operated by former outreach worker and keen carp angler Mark Buckle, was set to be rolled out at the Henham Park Game and Country Fair in March. Based in Bury St Edmunds, Mark will be responsible for developing his own exclusive sales territory and for recruiting and supporting new franchisees throughout East Anglia. Mark said: “I’d been in my current job for a little over five years and I was ready for a change. When the opportunity came up to run my own business, working in a sport that’s brought me so much pleasure, it was a no-brainer. “I’ve already lined up several venues (we call them ‘tackle stops’) for the new store. And now I can’t wait to get started.” Established in 2011, the Tackle Trailer team has spent more than three years refining its business model and now plans to recruit a further 18 franchisees over the next two years. Managing director Steve Calder explained: “We set out to fill the

gap created by so many High Street store closures – by offering the convenience, personal service and local knowledge you’d expect from a traditional store with the kinds of prices you’d usually associate only with an online business. “We have the backing of several major wholesalers and other key suppliers, enabling our franchisees to carry a range of competitively priced tackle, fresh and frozen bait – and to benefit from the sale of other top-brand kit via our e-commerce store.” But Tackle Trailer director Carol Aykin warned those interested in the concept: “Our franchisees don’t need either retail or sales experience, but they do have to have a genuine passion for the

sport, share our high service standards and to be able to get along with people. “There are lots of early starts, it’s quite hard work and, let’s be honest, we aren’t going to become millionaires any time soon.This is, after all, a lifestyle business. “But for the right applicants we offer a genuine opportunity to make a good living in what is a great industry.” ❱❱ For more details, visit www. tackletrailer.com/franchise

MAP plots Jamie’s signing Jamie Hughes, the northwest angling star who scooped the 2013 Fish ‘O’ Mania title, has signed a sponsorship deal with MAP. The 31-year-old commercialfishery angler is joining to help the brand advance its tackle range and brand position. A full-time angling coach, Jamie is a magazine regular and has been competing at the highest level domestically in recent seasons. Pat MacInnes, Leeda’s marketing manager, said: “As an angling coach he’s in a prime

position to not only showcase our products to a range of anglers, but give us his insight into how MAP can be shaped for the future.” Jamie added: “My decision to join the team was made extremely easy by the outstanding quality of each of its products. It’s a company at the top when it comes to commercial fishing tackle and I’m looking forward to being involved in continuing with the innovative product design that MAP has become known for.”

www.tandgmagazine.com

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NEWS

Andy steps up to editor role on fly fishing title

Andy Taylor is the new editor of Total FlyFisher magazine.

Total FlyFisher magazine has announced the appointment of Andy Taylor as the title’s new editor. As a contributor to the publication for the past five years and a regular member of the England fly fishing team,

readers of the title will already know Andy. As if that wasn’t enough, with a professional background in fishery management and as a lecturer in fishery and countryside management at Further Education level, he is uniquely qualified for the position. “We’re delighted to welcome Andy on board,” said Roger Mortimer, operations director at David Hall Publishing – the company that publishes Total FlyFisher. “We were sad to see Steve Cullen leave, but he suggested Andy as a potential replacement and we’re delighted that it’s worked out that way. “Andy has fly fishing in his blood, he’s fished for England in the loch-style and bank teams, is a qualified game

Airgun economics don’t add up Plans to license airguns in Scotland simply don’t add up in economic terms. That’s according to the Scottish Parliament’s own Finance Committee, which has admitted that the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill will only impact adversely on legitimate users and not target criminals. When questioning civil servants on the financial elements of the proposed air-weapon licence, committee convenor Kenneth Gibson MSP said: “Okay, a law-abiding citizen will grudgingly apply for that but the folk whom you are most worried about will just not bother paying £85 to get a gun licensed, will they? Surely all that you will do is impact adversely on shooting clubs and their members?” The committee also discussed why no compensation would be offered for surrendered guns, the cost of the proposed licence and the cost of any subsequent appeals from those denied a licence. Dr Colin Shedden, director of BASC (the British Association for Shooting and Conservation) Scotland, which has been calling on the Scottish Government to drop the proposed licence for 500,000 airguns, said: “Most of the pertinent points raised at the Finance Committee meeting earlier this month arose from BASC’s written submission on the fiscal effects of this bill. “We remain deeply concerned that this flawed legislation will only affect those who already act within the law. Those intent on mischief or criminal acts will be unlikely to approach Police Scotland for a licence and then pay for it, a point underlined by the committee convenor.” Alan Balfour, chairman of BASC’s Scottish Committee, added: “Airgun licensing is one of the most important issues in shooting in Scotland. Existing certificate holders cannot understand why they will need to get a new licence and there must be tens of thousands of airgun shooters deeply concerned at the prospect of licensing being introduced.”

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angling instructor and has fished extensively across the UK. I’ve been working with Andy during the handover and I’m certain he’ll ensure that the title remains the most authoritative in the sector – he’s a perfect fit for the role.” Commenting on his new position, Andy said: “When Steve Cullen first asked me to write for the magazine five years ago it was a dream come true; now to become the editor is unbelievable and the pinnacle of a career that I’ve made out of this great sport. “Steve will be a hard act to follow but I intend to continue to produce what I believe is the best fly fishing magazine out there.” ❱❱ Andy can be contacted at [email protected]

Deerhunter celebrates catalogue It’s been a busy few months for Danish clothing and hunting brand Deerhunter. Not only is it celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2015 but it has unveiled a new hunting clothing set – Muflon – to mark the occasion. At the same time it has released a new catalogue too. The Muflon set is one of the highlights of the latest brochure, which the firm says contains top-quality products designed by real hunters, the team behind the Deerhunter name. In addition the publication contains some great value-formoney offers. These include the new Heat Mesh set in camou and Deerhunter’s just-launched reversible Attack jacket and waistcoat. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s also launching its website and a variety of short films featuring exciting hunting experiences.

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NEWS

Promote shooting to your MP You can get shooting onto the agenda for your political candidates in the run-up to the General Election via a section on the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) website. BASC has set up a unique and interactive General Election area on its site – www.basc.org.uk – which identifies the user’s constituency and candidates so that they can be e-mailed and told about the benefits of shooting sports and seek their commitment in advance of May 7th. A BASC spokesman said: “We need as many people as possible to use the site to get the best information we can on MPs’ attitudes to shooting in the next parliament.”

Z-Man lured into UK with distributor Lure Lounge Wholesale has been appointed UK and Ireland distributor for Z-Man. Z-Man joins this young, upcoming distribution business, which is already representing Duel,TT Lures and Kali Kunnan. Owner Martin Ferrett said: “Z-Man is the home of the Original ChatterBait and a complete line of the most durable innovative softbaits on the market. “Z-Man’s line of ElaZtech softbaits is second to none when it comes to fish-catching action and durability. With baits for freshwater and saltwater, there’s not a fishery out there that Z-Man doesn’t have a bait for. We’re excited to be able to bring this product to the UK and Europe.” ❱❱ For more details regarding the Z-Man range, e-mail [email protected].

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AYA marks centenary with new gun via ASI In conjunction with its exclusive UK distributor ASI and managing director Edward King, AYA (Aguirre y Aranzabal, SA) has unveiled its new model to celebrate a century of gunmaking history. This special sidelock shotgun – the Centenary – distils the knowledge and skill of master gunmakers over the last 100 years and combines it with modern manufacturing techniques and the most up-to-date materials in today’s gunmaking world. The Centenary will be a limited edition, restricted to 300 units worldwide and embodying exceptional characteristics: selected walnut stocks of the finest quality, stunning bold scroll engraving and a level of fit and finish of the highest order. It was launched at the recent British Shooting Show, where Edward was joined by Alex Aranzabal, great-nephew of the founder of AYA, and sales manager Bela Abellán. The name of AYA is synonymous with quality gunmaking and this milestone will perpetuate its drive to remain the benchmark in this sector.

It is unique in that it carries out the majority of manufacturing processes in-house. AYA sells nearly 90 per cent of its production to overseas markets such as the UK, USA and the Benelux countries, and its end users are high-networth individuals. With a strong emphasis on the luxury market, AYA is also a member of the Circulo Fortuny (the Spanish association of luxury brands). Under the direction of Alex, the company has been developing new products that are set for launch at the IWA event in Germany, the world’s biggest international shooting and hunting show. Using the 100-year anniversary as a springboard, AYA is involved in a number of projects, which will ensure its dominant position in the long term. Since 1915, more than 600,000 guns of varying types and models have left the AYA factory. The target now is to continue innovating and developing new products for its expanding client base.

Reuben Heaton hoping for big event Following on from recent trade shows across the UK, Reuben Heaton was set to show and demonstrate the Trokar hooks range at The Big One tackle show at the end of March. Alongside the firm’s scales and weighing accessories, the full range of these ultra-hi-tech hooks was due to be available to see along with the new jerkbait

and lure products from Reuben Heaton’s RH brand. Reuben Heaton, RH and Eagle Claw products can be accessed via agents including Martin Ford (north and Midlands) on tradinconnexion@ aol.com; Adrian Dyer (east) [email protected]; Martin Howlett (southwest) martin@mhowlett365@

orangehome.co.uk; Paul Norris (Essex area) weedyriver@hotmail. com; David Waite (London and southeast) davewaite@btinternet. com Customers in Northern and Southern Ireland, Scotland and the Borders region should contact the company direct on [email protected] or call 01455 293000.

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10/03/2015 14:28

NEWS DANISH QUALITY SINCE 1958

Get the full Diana range from SMK Shooting supplier Sportsmarketing is reminding dealers that they can buy the entire Diana range of air rifles, pistols and pellets direct from them. With spring in the air, now is the time for retailers to ensure that they have these items on their shelves. Diana’s pre-charged P1000 has enjoyed excellent reviews and the brand is well known for its crafted wood stocks, T06 metal triggers with automatic safety and sturdy German construction. Meanwhile, the Panther 31 synthetic offers a fresh and powerful design allied to top performance.

Diana offers a variety of spring break-barrel actions, some with side-cocking systems or underlever actions and all with Diana precision barrels. There’s also a mid-power selection with T05 metal triggers, as featured on the new Eleven rifle and popular Panther 21, which come in a selection of stocks. The LP8 magnum pistol is high powered with an integrated top rail for scope or red dot while Diana’s pellet range offers a selection of shapes and calibres. ❱❱ To find out more, contact Sportsmarketing on 01206 795333 or e-mail [email protected]

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Some of the Diana airguns (from the top): the P21, P1000 and 430 Stutzen.

Dealers offered free social-media training Firearm and ammunition wholesaler Edgar Brothers is running a number of free, day-long training courses for its trade accounts, to help them capitalise on the benefits of social media. Run by an industry-leading expert in social-media marketing, the courses will enable Edgar Brothers’ retailers to learn about the advantages and pitfalls of this area, understand how to maximise their social-media effectiveness and connect more meaningfully with their customers and the wider shooting community. Each course will run from 10am to 3pm and can

accommodate 15 people. Overnight accommodation can be arranged for candidates if required. The course content includes best practice, what to say on a day-to-day basis, campaigns and competitions, finding the right target audience, building engagement, using Facebook effectively and much more. Lisa Riley, director of Edgar Brothers’ Shooting Sports and Outdoor Divisions, said: “Identifying and understanding the benefits of social media, and integrating it with your shop, advertising, shows, or however you choose to connect with your customer, has never been more relevant,

or, for some, more scary. “Our business is fairly niche; stakeholders love talking about all things shooting, so our audience is highly targetable – perfect for social media. “Social media in all its forms can’t be ignored. Edgar Brothers isn’t ignoring it either, and wants to work with likeminded retailers to build the biggest shooting community. “Socially savvy or not, this is a great opportunity to bring yourselves up to speed.” ❱❱ The courses will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested dealers should contact chloe.edgar@ edgarbrothers.com

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E-MAIL: [email protected] p010-011_T&G_04_news+Ocean.indd 2

10/03/2015 14:28

NEWS

Rok-Max gears up for Formula One help Bait maker set for a winner with new range Bait supplier Skretting has set about unveiling its latest product range with a launch at the recent Carpin’ On event, the first time it has been at the show. The range has been expanded to include a high-quality selection of base mixes and pellets for a variety of applications, as well as Skretting-branded accessories. To ensure further impact the company also ran a competition each day to win bundles of Skretting products. Resident blogger and fishing expert Tommy Flower was also on hand to explain how best to use each of the products and demonstrate how they work.

Formula One Grand Prix legend Ross Brawn OBE is bringing his high-octane business and organisational skills to game fishing, helping to expand Rok-Max. Ross, who has worked with everyone from Benetton and Ferrari to Honda, Mercedes and his own Brawn F1 team, has linked up with Allan Shephard and Duncan Goldsmith, new co-owners of the specialist online big-game tackle retailer. Founded 22 years ago by Paul and Pat Bowers, Rok-Max is a key website for big-game fishermen in the UK, but, with many loyal overseas customers, the new owners want to turn it into a global brand. Allan, until recently marketing/brands manager for Reading-based Sportfish, explained: “Our goal is to maintain and build upon the great Rok-Max reputation and provide sportfishermen with the best-quality and value-for-money equipment available and back it with the finest possible aftersales service out there. “Ross has always been a keen fisherman, often sneaking in a fishing trip during his travels abroad. “Since retiring from Formula One, he’s been looking for business interests that match his personal interests. We’ve been

friends and fishing buddies for a long time so it was a good fit; Ross will help with strategy, finance and capitalising the business properly – he is used to running teams with as many as 1,000 employees and budgets of £200 million so he’s not going to be intimidated by scale!” Allan and Duncan are adding significantly to the big-game range by branching into saltwater fly fishing, popper fishing and jigging, UK boat fishing, fishing clothing and accessories. One of their aims is to stock the ultimate selection of gear for the shark fisherman.The range already includes Sage fly rods as well as world-famous multiplier and fixed-spool reels from Avet and Van Staal. Allan added: “Customers that we’ve spoken to are adventure anglers willing to travel in search of exciting fishing experiences, but there’s also huge interest in UK shark fishing as well as emerging tuna fishing here. People are travelling to fish in greater numbers than ever before and we have strategic alliances with key fishing travel companies. Supporting the destination angler is one of our key objectives.” ❱❱ To find out more, visit www.rokmax.com

❱❱ To find out more about the range, visit www.skretting.co.uk

Gamebore all fired up Premium competition-cartridge manufacturer Gamebore has been revealed as the official cartridge sponsor for the Beretta World Championship 2015. The Hull-based manufacturer will be supplying its White Gold cartridges as prizes for winners in the event, from July 3rd to 5th at West Midlands Shooting Ground. David Scott, Gamebore’s business development manager, said: “This event has always had a special place in the calendar with shooters of all levels and the new venue is a superb ground. We hope this is the start of a long association and look forward to meeting people there.”

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New catalogues released by Middy and 30Plus Retailers who don’t yet extensively stock the Middy and 30Plus brands are set to miss out on fast-selling, high-profit products this year The brands have continued to gain market share and the success and popularity of products like hi-viz elastic, Shotgun feeders and Robo Chairs has helped in cementing a strong reputation throughout Europe.

The Edition 15 product guides contain details of the high-quality new product launches for 2015. The new-format UK trade catalogue is so comprehensive and easy to use that it’s no longer necessary for retailers to crossreference with the product guides.

them or want to find out more about becoming a dealer, go to www.middytackle.com

❱❱ All three catalogues will be with existing Middy/30Plus accounts now but if you need

www.tandgmagazine.com

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10/03/2015 14:31

NEWS

Fly fair reels ’em in with record sales for many Fly fishing firms and visitors alike enjoyed a hugely successful British Fly Fair, after organisers moved the show to a pre-season date in February. The venture, held at the Staffordshire County Showground, was sponsored by some top firms, including Veniard, Turrall and Right Angle Fishing, and is said to be the largest pure fly fishing show in the UK. With an attendance of just fewer than 2,000 visitors, the weekend was deemed to be a great success by those on the 70-plus trade stands, with many recording record sales. The numerous theatre presentations were standing room only for many of the demonstrators, such as Marc Petitjean and John Tyzack. Casting demonstrations run by AAPGAI were similarly well attended. As always, the centrepiece was the International Fly Tyers’ Row,

which featured more than 40 experts from 15 countries, with some travelling from as far afield as the USA to demonstrate. Organiser Steve Cooper said: “It’s great to see that changing the show date to a pre-season slot in February has been such a hit with both exhibitors and visitors

Introducing our new trade only website.

alike.The next step forward for the show is to increase the amount of quality tackle retailers exhibiting and to get some of the manufacturers to the event.” ❱❱ To find out more about next year’s show on February 13th and 14th, visit www.bffi.co.uk

Spomb clarification Spomb has asked Tackle & Guns to point out that the licensing agreement with Fox International reported in last month’s issue relates only to the Impact spod, developed between the two firms. To be clear, Spomb will continue to make and sell its patented Spomb bait dispensers. On behalf of Spomb Ltd, Spomb Fishing Ltd and B G Houghton, the firm owns lots of intellectual property around the world, with patents granted, registered trademarks and community design. Spomb has given Fox a sole licence to make and sell the new Fox Impact spod. Spomb is not part of the licensing agreement. T&G is happy to clarify this point.

48

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10/03/2015 14:31

NEWS

Holt’s man gets on his bike for charity Roland Elworthy, the senior valuer at Holt’s, the leading gun auctioneer, is taking to the saddle for a 100-mile sponsored cycle ride in August. He will be tackling the Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100 on Sunday, August 2nd, to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. Roland is a keen supporter of the charity, having witnessed its work first-hand when his mother and a close friend were receiving treatment for cancer. The event celebrates the legacy for cycling created by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and aims to become the largest fundraising cycling event in the world. It will start in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London and follows 100 miles of closed, traffic-free roads through central and west London and the rolling Surrey countryside before finishing on The Mall. Roland, a keen cyclist, describes himself as “fat, 50 and badly behaved,” and will tackle the ride on his hand-built Italian Bottecchia Emme 2 racer and acknowledges that it’ll be tough. He said: “My doctor has assured me that, even though I currently resemble a corpulent porpoise, there is a lithe and sinewy cyclist ready to burst out! “Any sponsorship you can give to such a worthy charity as Macmillan Cancer Support will help me up those steep Surrey hills and across the finishing line.Thank you so much for your support.” ❱❱ To sponsor Roland, visit www. justgiving.com/Roland-Elworthy6/

Holt’s Roland Elworthy hits the road for charity in August.

14

Rod Hutchinson to hit hard with media plan The rejuvenated Rod Hutchinson brand is on the march once more, planning a major media campaign with the signing of John Hannent’s Aitch2 firm. The brand, which has returned to the market with its 30-yearproven Rod Hutchinson baits and ingredients, plus bivvies, bedchairs, sleeping systems and Dream Maker rods, has tasked John with producing a suite of hard-hitting DPS (double-page spread) advertisements plus ongoing media, communications and dealer support. John, no stranger to big fish himself, enthused: “Rod Hutchinson’s already going places. The opportunity to develop the brand, deliver it and build a dialogue with the audience is what we’re all about. “With Hutchinson, the brand values are already there, experienced anglers know the score and up-and-coming anglers can’t fail to benefit from the gear; it’s a ‘win-win’ offering.”

Pete Chandler, the man behind the brand’s reinvigoration and the adoption of the original Hutchinson baits and ingredients into its armoury, added: “I’ve wanted to work with John for years; his branding and communication work for Korda, CARPology, Solar, Shimano and many others in the sector has been market changing.There was no other person I wanted to complete the ‘dream team’ of my sales force,

the logistics, Max Cottis on tackle design and development and now John on branding, dealer support and getting the message out there.” The double-page ads are hitting the magazines imminently, while a significant upgrading in socialmedia activity is being promised, alongside dealer support, an area where the guys at Rod Hutchinson are keen to develop dealership sales with a co-ordinated and tailored service to get the gear flying.

Better communication at CLA Game Fair Visitors and exhibitors at this year’s CLA Game Fair will benefit from enhanced communications, meaning that they can use mobile phones, tablets and payment terminals more effectively. Mobile-communication coverage and services will be enhanced during the event at Harewood House in Yorkshire from Friday, July 31st, to Sunday, August 2nd, thanks to a £130,000 investment in technology, which will fund 12 free Wi-Fi hotspots. The funding has been provided by the CLA as well as sponsorship from interested exhibitors. The organiser and technology partner 123 Hire is also installing a broadcasting network dedicated exclusively to the transmission and processing of credit-card and debit-card transactions. The 123VIP network, which will be supported by

six broadcast masts providing coverage of the whole showground, will enable exhibitors to benefit from a congestion-free payment system. Game Fair director Tony Wall said: “We’re aware of the problems that visitors have experienced with mobile-network coverage at countryside events and this investment will create one of the UK’s best-ever show experiences for smartphone and tablet users. “It will not only mean that they can stay in touch with family and friends during the event but that they can make use of social media and enjoy an enhanced CLA Game Fair experience.” Exhibitor liaison officer Robert Sears added: “Mobile-network congestion has previously meant frustration for those using card-payment machines but the 123VIP private network will ensure they can process card payments quickly and efficiently.”

www.tandgmagazine.com

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10/03/2015 14:32

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10/03/2015 13:25

NEWS

Les Webber takes on academy role Les Webber MBE, founder of award-winning Angling Projects and stalwart supporter of recruiting young people into angling, has become the patron of the Kevin Green Angling Academy (KGAA). The KGAA was officially launched last August, initially providing a number of National Fishing Month events and then going on to create an education and training programme. It works with people with disabilities, including ex-forces personnel suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder, adults with learning disabilities, social-inclusion projects for disadvantaged youngsters, youth offenders and children who have been excluded from school. The academy was set up in the name of Kevin Green, editor of Improve Your Coarse Fishing magazine before his untimely death at the age of 40. KGAA chairman Martin Roessler said: “The charity and its education programme have been set up in honour of Kevin’s love of our sport. At every point we aim to put Kevin’s beliefs into action by promoting angling in a positive, inclusive manner through education, thereby providing angling opportunities for everyone.” Les added: “It’s an honour and a privilege to become the first patron of the KGAA. Kevin visited Angling Projects on several occasions and was an inspiration to everyone who met him. I wish the new academy every success now and in its future endeavours.” Les has also donated a large amount of tackle to the KGAA on behalf of Angling Projects.

KGAA chairman Martin Roessler and Les Webber OBE (right)

16

BUFF goes to your head with hat launch Well-known neckwear manufacturer BUFF has expanded its product range, moving into hats, with the aim of becoming the world’s leading accessory brand. It’s also including a large collection of lifestyle accessories as part of a 160-model offering to cover the entire range of market needs, from the most lifestyle design to the top-performance hat. The brand’s 20 years of experience designing neck accessories has given BUFF the know-how required to confidently take on the launch of this new line, with the highest quality guaranteed. The same materials that the brand has researched and developed for its neck accessories have been used for the new collection and, since the company’s production is mostly carried out at its headquarters near Barcelona, it can monitor the entire production process

from start to finish. BUFF says that innovation and design are key to the success of this new product line and it has used new technologies such as ‘ultrasonic’, a technique that enables seamless welding to increase comfort in performance products, and the ‘laser cut’, which precisely cuts and punctures fabric for enhanced breathability and comfort. Some models also incorporate reflective elements to ensure

visibility in low-light conditions, but design and comfort remain the main foundations on which BUFF develops its products. The use of fleece, windbreaker fabric and pure Merino wool add warmth and wind protection for a significant number of models in the collection. The hat collection has been designed to blend perfectly with the brand’s collection of neck accessories, allowing wearers to mix and match.

Taska teams up with retailer and fishery Terminal-tackle and carp-gear specialist Taska has joined forces with local store Total Fishing Tackle to sponsor nearby venue Berners Hall Fishery. The aim is to provide Essex with its own premier day-ticket fishery, available to anyone, with easy access for all and year-round fishing. The fishery is known for its spacious banks, which provide the opportunity to angle for some of the best and most sought-after carp in the county. Set in countryside on the outskirts of Fyfield, Ongar, it boasts three different lakes for carp and catfish hunters, including a 24-acre reservoir. All the lakes can only be fished by pre-booking, ensuring guaranteed swims for those interested. The fishery has been stocked with more than 600

hand-selected carp, ranging from doubles to a large head of 20lb and 30lb carp, as well as 15 catfish, all from some of the UK’s best-known fish suppliers.

www.tandgmagazine.com

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10/03/2015 14:32

Distributed by John Rothery (Wholesale) Co. Ltd.

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LETTER

It’s time to wake up and plan for the future... I woke up the other morning and read Simon Pomeroy’s article bemoaning the state of UK angling (Tackle & Guns, February 2015), and interesting reading it was too. It’s difficult to disagree with, but what I really wanted to see were a few solutions. Angling has been on a slow slide to oblivion for a long time, attributable to a number of things. My view is that the necessity to work and how that impinges on our leisure time is one of the main culprits. Parents no longer have time to take their children fishing – grandparents do, but a lot of them seem to be busier retired than when they were working! Then there’s social change to take into account, including the increase in one-parent or dysfunctional families that don’t create the time to go fishing with the children. We have the modern trend of media hysteria (for example, a windy day in winter is now the result of a weather bomb), and parents are terrified of their children walking to school, let alone of them going fishing on their own. Angling needs to work on being less genderoriented and more acceptable for parents and grandparents with a particular emphasis on women and children. We seem to have a need for more and more media-driven consumption of money and products; in short we live in a throwaway society. Then there’s the longer and longer hours of working to replace products that don’t need replacing; we’re all guilty of it. What’s the first thing that any salesman is asked as he walks in a tackle shop? The

18

answer: “What’s new?” There used to be a massive market for whipping thread, rod guides and handles in any high street tackle shop; this is no longer the case. Of course, cheaper and cheaper tackle helps beginners get into the sport, but it also doesn’t reinforce something that we don’t celebrate in angling, and that is longevity. Once an angler, always an angler. So what is going in the right direction? Lure and fly fishing, or ‘baitless’ fishing as I call it. It’s a very simple concept, fishing without the need for all that nasty, slimy and smelly bait: worms, maggots, fish, cheese paste and so on. In short we have the rise and rise of lure fishing in all of its various guises: fly fishing, jerkbaiting, dropshotting, softplastics, spinning and general lure fishing. There’s no need for a lot of tackle; just a box of lures, a rod, reel, landing net and unhooking

kit and off you go. It’s flexible, mobile and active – perfect for the shortening attention span of the western world’s offspring. Simon is right; we need to look to our cousins across the pond at how they set up their angling. The biggest difference is that the American public understands that you have to put something back, so the tackle tax is seen as a massive benefit, and not a burden. But in the UK it simply wouldn’t be tolerated.The average angler already thinks that they’re harshly treated. Putting the prices up, for whatever good reason, would slow sales and make the sales and finance directors quake. And who would administer the collected taxes? Well not the trade or the Angling Trades Association, as it hasn’t been able to agree on a tackle tax, either voluntary or statutory, for as long as I’ve been in the industry. And not anglers, because we all have our own opinions. How about

the Government? Well that’s another non-starter; there’s just no guarantee of ring-fencing the funding. Well we already have the body to do the business – the Angling Trust, the unified body that, given the funding and will of the angling community, can do great work. And yet… attention needs to be directed to researching angling’s segmentation, defining a communication and sales strategy and engaging various target audiences. While customer retention is a very admirable policy, my observation is that this means preaching to the choir and not selling to the unconverted. What we don’t have are the simple communications that tell us what it’s doing, with whom it’s doing it and, more importantly, why. If I spend my £25 a year, how many fish are you going to put in my waters for that money? The message needs to be more specific and, in the view of most anglers, relevant to them. Most of us will never fish for salmon, grayling or sea trout, and it takes some real effort to care about eels. If I were a carp angler and I joined the Angling Trust, how many carp would £25 get me? If I were a pike angler, would I have livebaiting protected? If I were a river angler, would my river be protected against water turbines or barrages? If I were a teenager, where is my nearest, decent free fishing? In short, answering the biggest question there is. What’s in it for me?

Chris Leibbrandt Charismatic Marketing

www.tandgmagazine.com

p018_T&G_04_Letter.indd 1

10/03/2015 14:33

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Made in Birmingham, England

09/03/2015 13:07

Bygone days Each month Tackle & Guns reflects on what was happening in the trade 35 years ago. We look back at April 1980…

❱❱ Gamebore Cartridge Company became the appointed exclusive UK agent for Armitalia shotguns. Pictured are Armitalia’s Sandro Lucchini (left), Gamebore’s Jeff Dales (centre), and his son Stephen. ❱❱ Wholesaler John Rothery bemoaned the number of dealers at a hunting and fishing show in Milan, saying: “Can someone tell me why my aeroplane was halffull of retailers, half of whom can’t pay their bills? They have no expertise in money matters and all they’re going to do is bring the British trade into disrepute!”

of clothing, footwear and accessories. Its fun advertising, with drawings of ‘funny little men’ and fun comments about the firm, encouraged much talk in the trade. ❱❱ A bumper edition of T&G heralded the Shooting Sports Trust Show, which promised the biggest selection of guns shown in the UK outside London. It was staged at Bingley Hall in Birmingham and boasted 17 major exhibitors.

❱❱ Former coarse angling World Champion Ian Heaps (right) lent his name to a new range of pole tackle and loose hooks from C J Field (Polynet) in Macclesfield. ❱❱ Seen at Shakespeare’s London showroom, where the firm was unveiling its Sigma tackle and line, are (from left to right) Barry Jackson, Ray Baker, John Hennes,Trevor Beaumont, Don Smith and Ian Browne. ❱❱ Robin ChapmanCampbell opened his unique tackle and gun business, which handled massive quantities

p020_T&G_04_Bygone Days+Veniard+BABlades.indd 1

16/03/2015 13:30

Business matters A monthly roundup of what’s going on in the world of small businesses.

Your Most

Competitive

Supplier

Pension-duty reminder The Pensions Regulator is writing to more than a million small and micro business owners with auto-enrolment staging dates between May 2016 and August 2017 to remind them of when their new workplace duties begin. Reminders will include vital information such as the date from which the law applies and how they can nominate a contact with The Regulator. Recent research from The Pensions Regulator found that the majority of small and micro business employers agree that auto-enrolment for employee pension schemes is a ‘good idea’; 86 per cent of small and three-quarters (75 per cent) of micro business employers believe that workplace pensions are important for the financial security of their workforce. Around five million UK workers are now automatically enrolled into a pension scheme but, while it’s automatic for staff, it’s not automatic for employers, who must plan and prepare for the steps they need to take in order to comply with the law and avoid any financial penalties. Last year almost one in five employers were late to auto-enrol, completing their applications either very close to their staging date or after the deadline had passed, so faced fines of up to £10,000 per day.

More tax investigations HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has seen what it calls ‘tremendous value’ from tax investigations and will invest more over the coming year. HMRC looks set to increase spend on tax investigations after the department secured an additional £5.9 billion from businesses last year. James Bullock, a tax expert at Pinsent Masons, said: “The kind of returns that HMRC is getting on its increased investments into tax investigations would be seen as mouth-watering by the average privatesector business. “Securing £5.9 billion in extra tax from investigations into large businesses for expenditure on compliance staff of just £61 million means that the Chancellor is getting tremendous value from these teams.” The extra VAT take from small firms in the last year hit record numbers, rising 10 per cent to an unprecedented £3.6 billion.

Late payment costs jobs A new report from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has found that the culture of late payment among businesses inhibits the ability of small organisations to take on more employees. Charlotte Chung, ACCA’s senior policy adviser on small and medium enterprise (SME) issues, said: “Micro businesses and other small enterprises are less likely to increase headcount when faced with late payment. “Compared with large corporates, we found that the effect of late payment on small businesses that want to expand was significantly greater, by 54 per cent and 47 per cent respectively.” The report found that businesses with fewer than 50 employees are typically twice as likely as large corporates to report problems with late payment.

WHOLESALE Fishing Tackle Import : Export : Wholesale Since 1955

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p021_T&G_04_Bus Matters+Kiddy.indd 1

10/03/2015 14:36

FEATURE

iceTackle is a warming prospect The iceTackle show from Leeda may have changed the way tackle firms run trade and roadshows, as hundreds of retailers can testify.

L

eeda’s innovative venture at Arena MK in Milton Keynes over three days promised a landmark event, allowing retailers to see the latest products from its extensive portfolio of brands. Many dealers took advantage of free hotel accommodation and hospitality to meet the team behind Leeda, Wychwood, MAP and other brands. Running alongside the impressive iceBike event – staged by Leeda’s parent company Madison – not only were there

22

dedicated areas showcasing each brand and covering every sector from carp and game to match fishing and general coarse angling, but there were countless show-only offers and even useful business seminars. During the event, Wychwood unveiled its latest range of carp furniture, bivvies and brollies, plus you could take a few sneak peaks at items currently in development. Meanwhile, under the watchful gaze of Steve Cullen, Wychwood’s game fishing presence looks set to expand as it moves into an exciting

new year with many products on the horizon. MAP’s Parabolix Black Edition luggage range showed off an update for 2015 with a ‘stealth’ colour scheme of black and reflective silver to avoid mimicking the low-key look of the TKS 901 pole and separate it from its midpriced DUAL range. For dealers seeking budgetpriced tackle there was Leeda’s Volare fly brand, while Rogue is the firm’s latest foray into the specimen/carp market with ultrakeen pricing, a focused product

line-up and top-notch design. Steve Wyton at Droitwich Angling Centre said: “This event is going to set a benchmark standard that others in this trade will want to achieve. It was well organised, well presented and the hospitality was outstanding. “The tackle was displayed well and experienced staff were on hand to talk you through the myriad new and established products on display. I felt a few ‘must-have’products were missing but this is the first of many and it will only get better.”

www.tandgmagazine.com

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10/03/2015 14:37

• GREAT MARGINS FOR RETAILERS • GOOD STOCK • WELL ADVERTISED • LESS THAN 1% RETURNS

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09/03/2015 14:43

RETAILER SURVEY Sponsored by

RETAILER SURVEY Tackle Shops 50% Down

Is footfall up or down on last month?

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Another month has gone by and there’s been more changing fortunes for those running tackle shops, luckily mostly on the positive side. Despite a really good response from dealers this month, when counting had finished we found that they’re split firmly down the middle – exactly 50/50 – between footfall, overall monthly sales and yearly profit being better or worse than last time.

Countryclothing sales in tackle shops?

43% Down

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Is your profit up or down on this time last year?

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If you sell tackle via your website, are your tackle internet sales up or down on last month?

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If you sell tackle by mail order, are your tackle mail-order sales up or down on last month?

Are you expecting next month’s tackle sales to be up or down?

This is in contrast with last month when significant numbers (71, 65 and 53 per cent respectively) said that those numbers were down. That same pattern has been repeated for mail-order tackle sellers, again split half and half (from 83 per cent down last month), while 57 per cent of those internet retailing shifted more positvely (a noticeable rise from 36 per cent last time).

Country-clothing sales in tackle stores via mail order or the internet are buoyant right now (92 and 94 per cent respectively reporting brisk business, a major change from just a quarter of positives last month). Last time around half of all dealers were expecting a better month to come – many more than that (an impressive 88 per cent) believe the arrival of spring will get the tills ringing nicely.

If you sell country clothing by mail order, are your country-clothing sales up or down on last month?

If you sell country clothing via your website, are your country-clothing internet sales up or down on last month?

Are you expecting next month's country-clothing sales to be up or down?

92% up 8% down

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www.tandgmagazine.com

p022-023_T&G_04_Retailer Survey.indd 1

10/03/2015 14:37

RETAILER SURVEY Sponsored by

WIN AN ALAN PAINE SHIRT!

Alan Paine Country Collection is proud to sponsor the Tackle & Guns Retailer Survey

As a thank you for taking part, we’ve drawn the name of one retailer from last month’s respondents to win a superb Alan Paine gent’s pure-cotton Ilkley shirt. Congratulations to Cadbury Angling based in Bristol. The shirt is on its way…

Stylish countrywear for men and women, from hard-wearing tweeds to wax cotton and waterproofs. Contact our sales team on 01623 522573 for more details.

Gun Shops 61% Down

Is footfall up or down on last month?

39% Down

31% Down

39% Up

Is your profit up or down on this time last year?

15% Down

61% Up

25% Down

69% Up

75% Up

If you sell shooting equipment via your website, are your internet sales up or down on last month?

23% Down

85% Up

77% Up

Are your overall sales up or down on last month?

If you sell shooting equipment by mail order, are your mail-order sales up or down on last month?

Are you expecting next month's shooting-equipment sales to be up or down?

We had another strange set of results from gun shops this issue. While 61 per cent of shops who replied noted a downturn in buyers through the door (compared with 44 per cent last time), the same percentage said that overall sales were up (although this is a reduction from 68 per cent last month). Annual profits, however, were better than last year

for 69 per cent of those replying (compared with 77 per cent last month). A significant number of mail-order and internet shooting-gear traders (85 per cent and 75 per cent) have seen brisk business, too, over the past month, up from 66 and 64 per cent. A staggering 92 per cent of mail-order countryclothing sellers (compared with 50 per cent last time)

felt that sales were down on the previous month, while it’s ‘as you were‘ for internet clothing retailers compared with last issue (84 per cent down again). Just over two-thirds of those who replied felt that country-clothing sales would continue to struggle next month. However, the overall picture appeared brighter for just over three-quarters of dealers (compared with half last month).

Countryclothing sales in gun shops?

If you sell country clothing by mail order, are your country-clothing sales up or down on last month?

If you sell country clothing via your website, are your country-clothing internet sales up or down on last month?

Are you expecting next month's countryclothing sales to be up or down?

8% up 92% down

16% up 84% down

36% up 64% down

www.tandgmagazine.com

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10/03/2015 14:38

FLYING THE FLAG

Flying The Flag An increase in portable technology means that many anglers are now taking power-hungry smartphones, tablets, televisions, DVD players and much more to the bank to while away the hours between bites.

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ith the increase in use of these devices, the demand for a portable power source, which is lightweight, simple to use and has adequate capability to recharge such items, not once, but several times, is what has seen Fusion Carp enter the market, making a big impact very quickly. It’s the brainchild of Stephen Woolcombe, a longtime carp angler who, like many others, found himself unable to recharge phones and other items when on the bank, so set out to research the sector and find out what was available to prolong battery life. He told Tackle & Guns: “After becoming disillusioned with what was then available on the market, and with some encouragement from elsewhere in the trade, I decided to start Fusion Carp with the sole aim of providing lightweight, highly durable power solutions on the bank for the everyday and long-stay angler. “So far, sales have been impressive with almost 3,000 orders but, as demand continues to rise and further developments are made, Fusion Carp is definitely destined for even bigger things.This coming year will see us at trade shows across the UK and possibly further afield as the power packs continue to attract interest.”

Powered up There are several products available to provide power on the bank, ranging from the popular MkII power unit through to the Elite series MkIII, which is the very latest addition to the catalogue. All units are both splashproof and shockproof, have an intelligent charging system, which means that they can't cause

damage to either the charging unit or device while charging, and can operate in temperatures as low as zero degrees Celsius... which is ideal for winter sessions! Output is provided by USB connections or cigar/cigarette connectors, with the option of solar panels to offer even more power.The USB voltage range is input 12vdc, and output 5v/1a, so all portable devices can be charged easily. In addition to a range of charging products, Fusion Carp has also recognised a genuine concern among many anglers about the rising tide of on-thebank tackle theft. With this in mind, it’s in the final stages of developing an integrated sensor system, which will detect unwanted visitors to the area and issue a warning to the sleeping angler, which is sure to be popular. Clever lighting systems are also provided and the issue of blundering around in the dark trying to find the light is removed by programming the system to switch on automatically when slaved to individual bite alarms, audio or movement sensors. There are lots more ideas still to come from Fusion Carp, with constantly updated products, which evolve as fast as ‘smart’ devices change, and new technology on the bank will be catered for by an increased range of easily portable charging options. So can you afford to be in the dark when all around you see the light?

Fusion Carp Contact: Stephen Woolcombe T: 07825 411726 W: www.fusioncarp.co.uk

26 www.tandgmagazine.com

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13/03/2015 13:19

BECOME A TRADE MEMBER OF BASC TODAY

WELCOME TO OUR COUNTRY The Rutland Collection

As the largest, strongest and oldest shooting organisation in the UK we have been passionately defending shooting and conserving wildlife habitats since 1908. BASC trade membership is great value for money. It enables you to play your part in the future of our sport and provides access to an unrivalled range of benefits. We also offer you preferential packages from key suppliers to help your business:

Get your business online for only £220 + VAT with our exclusive web offer to BASC trade members from Almond

Specialist business insurance for BASC trade members from Bluefin

Trade members enjoy significant savings on parcel deliveries with BASC and Parcelforce Worldwide (including section 1 & 2 items)

Trade members receive 10% discount on the most comprehensive software for gun dealers

When you join BASC as a trade member we will send you details of this and the other preferential packages that ALL BASC trade members have access to.

Join today – online at Sales enquiries +44 (0) 1623 522573 [email protected] p027_T&G_04_Alan+BASC.indd 1

www.basc.org.uk 08454 680 362

or call our membership team Monday to Friday

05/03/2015 14:04

Onthemarket…

ON THE MARKET

Knives

Knives should no longer be thought of as just add-ons to your range; if you select the right brands you’ll find that they become a very real reason for customers to visit your shop.

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hether your customers are fishermen, shooters or just outdoor enthusiasts, alongside their usual hardware of rods, reels, guns or ammo, the overwhelming majority will also be carrying knives. Anglers will be using them for filleting fish, cutting lines, helping prepare meals or even clearing space in a swim, as well as for myriad other tasks. Hunters will use them to clear foliage and branches, gut, skin or clean their kill, prepare it in the field or even for making running repairs to a hide or similar. And, with the rise in interest in bushcraft and survival pastimes, there are more reasons than ever for your customers to be taking knives with them when they head out. Knives are no longer just useful accessories for those venturing out into the field or onto the bank; they’ve become indispensable parts of their kit. There are others who will simply collect knives.These products may never even get used but the knife collector could be a real boon to your business. So it pays to find out a little about the subject matter, which knives are used for which applications and what the major EKA is a famous Scandinavian brand.

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brands are – this is a sector where few people skimp on quality because a sharp and durable blade will serve your customers well in many areas.

Under control The first key piece of knowledge that you’ll need as a knife retailer is to understand the law in the UK. In general the laws about buying and carrying a knife depend on the type of knife, your age and your circumstances. Currently it’s illegal to sell a knife of any kind (including cutlery and kitchen knives) to anyone under 18 so the first thing you have to ask a prospective purchaser is their age and, if necessary, to prove it. It’s also illegal to carry a knife in public without good reason – unless it possesses a folding blade 2in long (7.62 cm) or less, such as a Swiss Army knife. Examples of good reasons to carry a knife in public may include: taking knives that you use at work to and from that place (this can mean going hunting, shooting or fishing providing that you intend to use them for that purpose), using them in a film,TV or historical re-enactment or for religious purposes. A court will decide if you’ve demonstrated a good reason to Sharpeners are great alongside your knives.

carry a knife – without a good reason an adult can face up to four years in prison and a £5,000 fine. There’s also a list of banned knives, including ‘flick’ knives, lock knives, butterfly knives and disguised blades. A full list is available at www.gov.uk/find-outif-i-can-buy-or-carry-a-knife. It’s also good practice to ensure that all knives are in lockable cabinets, but it’s just as important to ensure that potential customers are able to view them through the glass and that you (or a staff member) can demonstrate their relevant attributes.

Supply chain Finding a good supplier and strong brands is also crucial – you can quickly acquire a strong reputation for being a knowledgeable knife retailer, with the resultant increase in footfall or sales. Many of your usual wholesalers, such as John Rothery Wholesale, Range Right, Viking Arms, Edgar Brothers, Whitby & Co, Armex and more, sell a good selection of these products, with some very well-known brands attached to them. John Rothery has famous names such as Victorinox, Kershaw and Opinel in its catalogue, while Viking Arms can offer you products from Italian maker Fox and Real Avid.

Cumbria-based Whitby & Co provides products from many knife brands, including Leatherman, Wenger, Opinel, Buck and Helle – indeed it says that it supplies around three-quarters of its trade customers with products from one or more of these. While the Leatherman name is synonymous with multi-tools, most offer a fully featured knife blade, which is a key aspect, while Wenger is probably best known for its iconic Swiss Army knives. Range Right has been doing a roaring trade with its Bear Grylls collection, inspired and backed by the legendary adventurer and made by Gerber. Armex has access to the Walther brand and Elite Force products, while GMK offers Böker. But Edgar Brothers is also worth talking to – not only does it stock popular names like Spyderco, Benchmade, Blackhawk, Accusharp and CZ, but boss Derek Edgar is a keen collector and extremely knowledgeable on the subject.

US brand Buck is a favourite of many.

www.tandgmagazine.com

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10/03/2015 14:41

ON THE MARKET

Specialist approach One of the fastest-growing suppliers across Europe is Casstrom, with owner David Cassini Bäckstrom boasting a great understanding of the international knife market, especially throughout Scandinavia. David revealed: “We stock mainly Scandinavian brands like EKA, as well as some lines of our own branded products. All of the brands we supply offer high quality with a good price/quality mix. We see that this has been a key success factor for us, and we continue to build a stronger position using this approach “While the shops stocking our mid-range to high-end knives do really well and continue to grow knife sales, I also see a tendency for many gun shops asking for knives in the lower price bracket. “My belief is, however, that everyone benefits from focusing on mid-range to high-end knives in the gun industry.The customer involved in country pursuits will be more satisfied with a highquality product, the shop will often spend a similar amount of time selling a knife at £80 as one selling at £20, thus making more money, and gun shops in general avoid attracting the ‘wrong type’ of knife buyer, who will invariably go for lower-priced products.” BA Blades first appeared as

BearArm back in 2003 and quickly became one of the largest replica-weaponry suppliers in the UK. But its exclusive UK distribution deal with Cold Steel and another US manufacturer, OKC, has seen it at several Tackle & Guns Trade Shows and other events, offering a strong range. This is one of the growing number of suppliers that also offers sharpening tools, in this case, from Lansky. Knife – and indeed hook – sharpeners represent terrific additions to stockists’ shelves and constitute great addon sales, whether as impulse or retailerrecommended purchases.

www.tandgmagazine.com

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10/03/2015 14:41

Onthemarket…

ON THE MARKET

Game Fishing P

roduct innovation is absolutely the key factor in persuading your customers to upgrade their gear this year and, fortunately, this is available across a whole range of products. Here are some of the key concepts and products to look out for…

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The hotly contested game fishing market has seen both the established players and younger start-ups really upping their games with massive advances in both materials and design.

No grey areas Greys has introduced two innovative new cassette reels for 2015, which share the same spool design but which differ in the construction of the body. The GTS 700 combines a CNC-machined body with a cast-aluminium spool carrier, to provide reduced weight, increased strength and a stylish tri-spoke design. The GTS 500 uses an all-cast construction but the same spools as the more expensive model, allowing anglers to mix and match their reels or upgrade in the future without the need to buy lots of new spools. The GR50 single-handed and doublehanded rods

were well received last year and for 2015 Greys has added three Switch rods to this family that will find favour with salmon anglers fishing smaller rivers as well as sea trout devotees. Hardy’s exclusive carbon nanotechnology Sintrix has been incorporated into its Artisan rods, made in its Alnwick factory.The blanks have progressive, smooth actions suited to a wide range of casting styles. Featuring titanium cradle and snake guides and a UK-made reel seat, these rods incorporate the best components from around the world for a luxurious finish. Offering excellent value for money, Hardy’s Shadow singlehanded rods bring the famous marque to a whole new audience. There’s a fast-recovering middleto-tip action blank that has been refined for each model to provide optimum performance. Quality fittings are used throughout for a true Hardy experience.

www.tandgmagazine.com

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10/03/2015 14:42

ON THE MARKET

Most of the major brands have launched some terrific products for the 2015 season.

Game for success Daiwa has reignited its fly fishing offerings recently with the NewEra SLR salmon and trout rods. Designed in conjunction with consultant Hywell Morgan and built in Scotland, the rods use X45 Bias carbon technology with two sheets of carbon cloth orientated at 45 degrees, which is said to transmit the energy around the blank, resisting twisting and resulting in better energy transfer. Daiwa has also incorporated its V-joint system, which effectively provides a constant taper to each section and eliminates the thicker diameter normally seen at each joint. Alongside these rods comes an innovative NewEra reel that is striking in both its design and manufacture. It combines the best aspects of a machined-aluminium reel that’s fitted with machinedaluminium spools rather than the usual moulded-plastic spool. This provides the benefits of an all-aluminium design with the advantages of a quick-change spool system.

Design and performance Creating a synergy between CNC-machined reel bodies and cast spools is at the centre of Lamson’s introductions. The Remix is made from 6061 bar-stock aluminium, providing maximum frame rigidity, and is

fitted with American-made drag components. The spools are then pressure cast to provide a smoother radius shape to the internal angles, not only improving performance but making for a great design. Taking the fully cast route, the Lamson Liquid is a stylish reel assembled in Idaho alongside the company’s other higher-priced models and also features a madein-the-USA drag system.

providing truer tracking of the rod tip by incorporating an Advanced Modulus Positioning System (AMPS) that sees carbon fibres placed precisely throughout the blank. The result is a medium-fast action range of rods that are said to be ultra-responsive and superlight. Saltwater anglers will be pleased to see Sage’s Salt range. Covering lines from a diminutive 5-wt up

Wychwood’s upgraded version of its best-selling Truefly rod has benefited from tuning by Charles Jardine. Lamson also offers anodised colour sleeves that can be fitted over the existing cassettes, giving these reels a dash of colour. The Accel single-handed and double-handed rods are the latest additions to the product line-up at Sage. Incorporating a number of new developments in blank design, the Accel models incorporate Generation 5 technology, which adds a graphite hoop core and axial fibres to the blank for a lighter, more sensitive rod. Sage’s Konnetic technology is also featured in this range,

True to form Launched midway through last year, Wychwood’s upgraded version of its best-selling Truefly rod has benefited from tuning by Charles Jardine and is said to now offer a slimmer, faster and lighter blank than the original version. One thing that hasn’t changed is the sub-£100 price point, which is sure to see these superbly designed rods fly off the shelves. For once it’s not clothing or footwear that take centre stage in the spring 2015 new product collection from Simms. Instead it’s the new Dry Creek bags that stand out as must-stock products. Of particular interest will be its boat bags, available in medium and large sizes, which are said to offer bone-dry storage, thanks to their radio-frequency welded

to a massive 16-wt, there’s a rod to tackle just about every fish that swims in our oceans. With a component package to match the rigours of saltwater fishing, this is one of the most comprehensive rod collections available for this growing market sector. For anglers who prefer a fullframe reel, the Domain is sure to find favour. Fully machined from aluminium and featuring a onerevolution SCS drag system, this offers the best of both modern and traditional reel design, especially for the double-handed rod angler. www.tandgmagazine.com

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10/03/2015 14:42

ON THE MARKET

Wychwood’s Truefly rods have been selling steadily and have been given an update.

TPU-coated material. The magnetised ‘Catch & Release’ buckles represent another great idea, especially when fishing in cold or wet conditions. Dry Creek duffle bags with waterproof zips, backpacks, hip packs and roll-top bags are also available to complete the collection. Simms has also added a new gear bag and tackle bag to its well-crafted Headwaters luggage range, with its stand-out orange, grey and black livery, along with several waterproof ‘tech’ pouches, ideal for smartphones. Alongside its summer-weight clothing, it has even upgraded many wading boots for 2015, including the well-known Rivertek Boa, Freestone and Vapor models. Patagonia is another with

a large collection of clothing coming on-stream. Highlights for the game angler include the River Salt jacket built from four-layer waterproof/breathable H2No wader fabric to produce a super-tough jacket for the angler looking for maximum durability. The fully vented hood is said to stay in place even during strong winds and when used in boats, making it ideal for the UK reservoir angler. The long-standing SST jacket has also been updated and now features Patagonia’s performancestandard three-layer H2No double RipStop nylon outer. A huge amount of angler-friendly detailing has gone into this jacket, such as the waterproof chest fly box pockets, StretchCoat lie-flat cuffs and anatomically curved elbows for unrestricted casting.

Lightweight yet powerful, Orvis’ Recon rods can punch out smaller flies with ease but boast crispness on the strike, with versatility being this range’s middle name.

A wealth of choice It would take an entire magazine to cover the new kit from brands like Scierra, Shakespeare, Snowbee and others. Suffice it to say, you should look out for Scierra’s redesigned ANT rods built on advanced nanotechnology blanks developed in cooperation with New Zealand’s Composite Developments Ltd. Offering fast action, power and line speed, these are stable and progressive casting tools. For those on a budget, the Scierra EDP fly reel is durable,

From rods and reels to clothing and accessories, innovation is key in game fishing.

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functional and an ideal allrounder, for trout, grayling, salmon or predators. Shakespeare has developed its Oracle Switch floating fly line to cater for those who fish overhead and doubled-handed Speycasting styles with Switch rods for both salmon and sea trout. Snowbee’s popular Geo nanotechnology range has been enhanced further with the addition of a small river or brook rod plus two longer, lighter models perfectly designed for the growing advocates of Czech and European-style nymphing. There are further additions from Snowbee in its Prestige rod collection and its Geo salmon and saltwater reels.

Guided by launches Guideline’s LXi T-Pack travel rods come in either five-piece or six-piece configurations for the travelling salmon or sea trout angler. The LXi range is also now available in a Switch version for the angler who likes the added flexibility of being able to change from a single-handed to doublehanded configuration. Keeping your gear dry and safe is a major concern for both bank and boat anglers, and Guideline has addressed this with its large roller, duffel bag, gear bag and reel bag. Made from a tough and weather-resistant TPE fabric, these really look the part in their dark grey with orange trimming. Game fishing product development still leads where other disciplines follow. From the latest cutting-edge materials to superior design, and new fishing concepts gathering wider appeal, the market is as fast changing and dynamic as ever.

www.tandgmagazine.com

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10/03/2015 14:42

Be properly dressed... and ready for anything this coming season

Brand-new clothing, l hi fl fly rods, d lilines and d accessories to boost reliability and sales in 2015 For full details contact: Snowbee (UK) Ltd, Drakes Court, Langage Business Park, Plymouth, Devon PL7 5JY

Tel: 01752 334933 E-mail: [email protected] www.snowbee.co.uk

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16/03/2015 13:31

OCTOBER 11-12, 2015 • STONELEIGH PARK, WARWICKSHIRE CV8 2LZ

WHY YOU SHOULD BE THERE: • ATTENDED BY THE TOP RETAILERS IN THE FISHING, SHOOTING AND COUNTRY-CLOTHING SECTORS • SHOWCASE YOUR BRAND AND PRODUCTS TO THE INDUSTRY’S MAIN PLAYERS • BOOK EARLY FOR MAXIMUM COVERAGE IN TACKLE & GUNS AND ON THE SHOW WEBSITE • INCLUSION IN THE OFFICIAL SHOW GUIDE • INTERNATIONAL AGENTS AND BUYERS TARGETED THROUGH SISTER TITLES –

&

• FREE WI-FI FOR EVERYONE

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16/03/2015 09:37

TANDGSHOW.COM CONTACT: SEAN O’DRISCOLL T: 01327 315407 M: 07788 922976 E: [email protected]

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16/03/2015 09:38

FEATURE

Premier service for your float orders A radical new way for shops to buy floats has been unveiled by top supplier Premier. Its dedicated trade-only website now means a shop can order just what they want – even a single item if required.

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ntil now, stocking floats meant ordering trade packs from either a rep or direct from the supplier – but what if you could place your order exactly when you want to and get only what you need? Well Premier Floats has come up with the answer to your prayers, launching a dedicated trade-only website that not only promises great service and prompt delivery but the option to buy any quantity required – even one single float if applicable! Tackle & Guns tracked down Premier Floats founder Ray Sladden’s son, Mick, who now heads up the Cambridgeshire family firm, to find out what it’s all about and how dealers can benefit from this innovative approach. Premier Floats has always been a key supplier to the trade. What has changed? Mick Sladden Quite simply, we’ve made it easier than ever for a tackle retailer to be able to stock a quality product with a low outlay. There are no gimmicks or ‘tie-ins’ attached to it; it’s as simple as buying smaller quantities and still being

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able to make money from them. We’re still a strong supplier of British-made fishing floats and our products cover most styles of float fishing, including pike, carp and, of course, good-old running -line fishing. We still offer one of the most comprehensive ranges available in the UK market and they’re still widely available from many of the larger wholesalers, as well as direct from our factory. We’ve always had a good reputation for supplying orders on time and that definitely hasn’t changed. What prompted you to launch a dedicated trade-only website? It’s clear that many retailers are still struggling with footfall, or at least confidence that footfall will rise. We find that this, in turn, affects their confidence to maintain stocks. It’s a ‘catch-22’ situation. When customers enter the shop there has to be stock there to sell them, but why stock products when there’s no guarantee of how many customers are coming through the door? This B2B website offers a solution for Premier products at least. The website also offers

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10/03/2015 14:43

FEATURE

complete flexibility for placing orders via the internet using all of the modern devices we’ve all become accustomed to using. What can it offer retailers who sign up? Our understanding is that you’re offering to supply single items. Why? Firstly I want to make it clear that retailers do not have to sign up to use the service at all. When using the website there’s an opportunity to create an account that will serve to make it simpler for them the next time around. However, a retailer is more than welcome to use the service as a guest as often as required for as long as they wish. Your understanding is correct, the website has been set up purely to enable the retailers to buy our products singly. The idea is not entirely new. One or two of our distributors already take trade packs of some of our products and decant them to offer them singly. We have simply opened this concept up to cover our entire range. As to why, well we have recognised that when it comes to restocking float products it can be a hindrance having to buy minimum numbers, for example in trade packs. While this may suit many dealers it doesn’t suit them all – some would prefer to be able to buy one or two of an item, allowing them to buy a larger range of floats in smaller quantities. It’s a great way for a dealer to make his/her money go further and enable them to buy a wider range for the same amount of money spent. Naturally, for those who still wish to buy in trade packs, our trade catalogue covers that too.

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Why do you feel it important for a retailer to have floats in stock?

MS

We’re huge believers in the principle of upselling. Allow me to elaborate… If an angler wants to buy a float, and if it’s in stock, the retailer may then be able to suggest other related products that the angler may wish to consider – say, adaptors, float rubbers and anything else that may well suit the angler’s plans for his/her session. If the float isn’t available then I would suggest it’s highly unlikely that any upselling would happen. How can a dealer be sure that the public won’t be using the site to buy their floats more cheaply? To enter the site the retailer must enter a password that’s only being published here in T&G and in our trade catalogue, which, incidentally, all coarse tackle retailers should have received in this month’s issue of T&G. For the record the password is ‘tradeonly’.

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That doesn’t seem very cost effective. Have prices risen to take account of that? Cost effective to whom? We think it’s a very cost-effective way for the tackle retailer to buy their floats. It really is as simple as buying exactly what’s required in the quantity required, whether it be a single float of a particular design or multiples of it. The prices of our products haven’t risen to account for the website service, as such. When

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a retailer buys products in trade packs they’d be quite right to expect a lower price and this is reflected in the prices on the website for singly purchased floats. I don’t think that this will be a surprise to anyone. Do the retailers still make a good markup on the products? Yes, they do. Let me put it in simple terms. If the retailer sells at the RRP then they will be returning an 80 per cent mark-up. Now that isn’t bad by anyone’s standards and is easily comparable with the margins they’d be expecting when purchasing in bulk from many wholesalers.

MS

Premier Floats has always enjoyed a strong reputation for its products. Have you had to change any of the materials or techniques to achieve the right margin or price? Emphatically, no! There has been no reduction in the time taken, or indeed the quality of any of the materials we use. We constantly strive to become more efficient in our production techniques and the way we buy materials. This can only ever, ultimately, be a huge advantage to any of our customers.

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No matter the number of floats you want, Premier can help.

A comparison of our pricing over the past five or six years will clearly show that we have held many of our prices over that period. Order fulfilment takes time. If I place an order on a Monday morning, how long will I have to wait for delivery? We guarantee to despatch an order within 48 hours and, so, if we were to stick to the letter of what we promise, then you would expect delivery to take place by Thursday. This is, of course, the longest you should expect to wait. We have a very experienced order-picking and packing team and, in all likelihood, an order placed on Monday morning would be despatched the same day, making Wednesday the expected delivery day, subject to the carrier doing their bit right!

MS

Premier Floats E: [email protected] W: www.premierfloatsb2b.co.uk

www.tandgmagazine.com

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10/03/2015 14:43

FEATURE

Taska reveals expansion years ahead of plan Despite only launching in 2012, carp brand Taska has shown enormous growth and has now expanded into a new headquarters, some three years ahead of schedule.

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aska has been one of the huge success stories of carp fishing over the last few years, with its tackle brand enjoying unprecedented growth, thanks to its market understanding, innovation and quality products. Such has been its momentum that now, three years earlier than originally planned, it has moved into a modern office capable of holding 25 staff. As if that isn’t indicative enough of its push forward, the Essex-based company has a

second building that’s currently being converted into a showroom and photography studio. This bold move will allow key dealers and European distributors to attend on-site meetings and be able to see the Taska product range in full. Marketing manager Kristian Bell says: “Quite simply, the rapid growth that we’ve experienced since our launch three years ago has forced our hand somewhat sooner than planned, so we’ve embarked on our expansion plan now. “We believe that you get out what you put in, so, from our

point of view, the continual investment that the management team has put back into the company has been a major force in the Taska brand’s success and this looks set to be maintained still further with the move to bigger and better premises where we can welcome retailers to see at first hand the innovative carp tackle that we make.”

Getting the message out Taska’s growth has not just been in bricks and mortar or sales; it has also expanded its marketing and media team with two additions.

Tom ‘Bovver’ Morrison, a keen young carp angler, has started with the firm as a full-time media editor to support Kristian. Tom will be primarily looking after UK publishing houses, generating in-house editorials and assisting on film shoots. Meanwhile, Harry Law also joins as a part-time media assistant while he’s finishing his media courses at college. Taska will be sponsoring Harry through university if he wishes to go down this route in a couple of years. Kristian reveals: “We really are developing our young anglers into employees and supporting them with their education, as this is very important to their progression.”

Taska T: 01245 231919 E: [email protected] W: www.taskacarp.com

Tom Morrison is fulltime media editor.

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Harry Law is helping out while at college.

www.tandgmagazine.com

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10/03/2015 14:44

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05/03/2015 14:04

INTERVIEW

CLA Game Fair tackles fishing head on With big plans for angling this year, Chris Ogborne, the CLA Game Fair’s head of fishing, explains what’s in store for exhibitors and visitors alike.

T Chris is upbeat about angling at this year’s CLA Game Fair.

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he CLA Game Fair is heading north this year to the spectacular setting of Harewood House near Harrogate and Leeds. The date is changing, too, reverting to the more traditional end-of-July slot that will bring relief to many in the angling trade as it no longer conflicts with the big American ICAST trade show. Running from July 31st to August 2nd also means that

it fits conveniently into the main school-holiday time and so will be a lot more accessible for youngsters, and, with major changes to the fishing village, who better to explain it all than the man behind the plan… Chris Ogborne. So what are the big changes that the angling trade and visitors can look forward to for this year? In response to substantial feedback

CO

from both trade and visitors, we’re totally revamping the Fishing Village. It will no longer be one long run of stands but rather it will be become a proper ‘village’, with every exhibitor facing into the central features. The huge Casting Pool will take centre stage, along with a giant lure tank, so that all game fishing disciplines can be showcased. Tuition, competitions and demo programmes have all been

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INTERVIEW

overhauled and there’ll be much more focus on getting youngsters and newcomers into the sport. We all see youngsters as lifeblood for the future, so how are you looking to attract them? It’s no secret that this is a major commitment for me and, with the support of the CLA Game Fair team, we’re making a huge investment this year. Everyone aged 16 and under will again benefit from FREE entry when accompanied by an adult. There will be a netted area immediately in front of the Fishing Village where youngsters can come and try ‘real time’ fishing and hopefully actually catch their first fish at the show. We’re also supporting the brilliant National Fishing Month initiative, and expanding on the hugely popular Fly Tying Experience that was so successful in 2014 when more than 150 young people tied their very first fly. I also think that the lure tank will be a spectacular addition because people can come and look at fish close up, as well as seeing how lures and baits actually work in the water.

CO

Of course you’ve got the new Kayak Experience, which is sure to be a magnet for youngsters. Absolutely! Kayaking is one of the fastestgrowing sports and we’ll be giving it maximum prominence. Fishing kayaks, surf, sport and leisure – they’ll all be there. We’ll also have a wetsuit changing area so everyone can genuinely have a go and take a kayak out on the water. We’ll even have the RNLI on hand for safety advice, and not just for kayaking but for all watersports.

CO

Will all the traditional elements still be there? Above all, the unique Game Fair atmosphere will still be the same, but we have to move with the times. Some elements of the Fishing Village were well past their sell-by date and these have had to change. We’ll still have the ever-

popular tuition areas and the Hardy & Greys Casting Clinic, and there’ll still be a rod-testing area where visitors can try out any rod or outfit of their choice. But some elements will change, especially competitions. We’ll still run a scaled-down competition area but we’ve had to lose the Spey casting and saltwater fly events. These had been in decline for some time and were massively expensive to run. It just isn’t practical or fair to use up our budget on things that appeal to only a select few, when we can use that money far more effectively on elements that have a wider appeal. And we hear that the House of Fishing has also been changed? The House of Fishing had lost its appeal and in many people’s eyes it had lost its way! It was simply too stuffy and way too formal! In its place we’ll have a thriving Advice Centre, where visitors can come and meet angling superstars, receive tips and advice, find out where and how to go fishing and so much more. With help and support from the Angling Trust we’ll be making this feature totally approachable – anglers of all ages, all disciplines and all levels of ability can come and receive meaningful and usable help.

You can expect more angling demos during the show.

Big-name anglers have always been a feature of the Game Fair.

CO

What else will visitors be able to do in the Advice Centre? The whole thing will have an informal feel to it. There’ll be help with knots and rigs, a baitcasting pool, and areas for both beginners and experts. Above all, I hope it will be an area where we take the myth and mystique out of fishing – it’s a great sport

CO

CO

There’ll be plenty of gear to see and buy at the Fishing Village.

and we want to show just how easy it is to get into it, how inexpensive it can be, and how friendly fisherfolk are! We’ll have a host of big names there – members of Team England will be demonstrating what tackle they use and answering queries; there’ll be loads of hands-on things to do. Chiefly, there’ll be an informal atmosphere and visitors will receive one-to-one advice – something that rarely happens at a big show. The Casting Pool was a major innovation last year with some great demos – will this be continued? We’re not just continuing with the Casting Pool, we’re expanding it. The grandstand demos were always a bit elitist and people felt that they couldn’t really get near enough to the demonstrators. So this year all demos will take place on the Casting Pool, right in the heart of the Fishing Village. Topclass demonstrators who are household names – angling royalty if you like – will be showing off their skills and interacting with the audience as never before. Importantly, the emphasis is on fun as well as instruction and

CO

every skill level will be catered for. I’d defy any visitor not to be able to take away tips that will genuinely improve their fishing. Presumably you’ll have all the latest tackle on show? I’ve always said that the CLA Game Fair is the ultimate fishing-tackle shop, a unique chance for visitors to see, sample and test the very latest equipment, and this year is no exception. Big names in manufacturing and retailing are already signed up and all will be keen to talk to visitors. You can try before you buy and, as well as every conceivable item of fishing kit and clothing, this also applies to kayaks and wetsuits this year!

CO

CLA Game Fair W: www.gamefair.co.uk

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FLYING THE FLAG

Flying The Flag With hundreds of shoots offering driven game – pheasant, partridge or others – it all has to come from somewhere, but where? Tackle & Guns talked to Heart of England Farms…

H

eart of England Farms is one of the leading breeding hatcheries, rearing and supplying game birds throughout the UK. Originally established in 1983 by Ole Gronning, the business has grown rapidly from humble beginnings on rented land in Warwickshire to the burgeoning business now based on Claverdon farmland from where a large variety of game birds are now supplied. As expected, the whole process is monitored throughout, with animal welfare at the heart of everything to ensure that fit, healthy birds are delivered on time, every time.

Getting the bird It all starts at the hatchery, which has been completely redesigned over the last decade, with state-ofthe-art Petersime incubators and hatchers. Each machine is computer controlled to maintain perfect temperature, turning, ventilation and humidity, removing any

guesswork from the incubation process and ensuring that chicks are hatched on time. Prior to hatching, all eggs are subjected to an intense cleaning and sanitising regime via a fourstage system, which retains the shell cuticle to protect the embryo. The hatchery can process more than 150,000 eggs per week, so can supply customer demand for large orders while fulfilling weekly requirements for chicks to be reared on to poults. Once hatched, the day-old chicks are kept in specially controlled buildings, where the latest technology provides a constantly supervised environment where the chicks receive everything required during the early stages. After three weeks the birds are moved on to the rearing fields where A-frame rearing pens are used to prevent the worst of the weather getting in but allow enough fresh air to circulate and ‘harden’ the birds during the next few weeks. At the correct stage of development, 3mm growers’

pellets form a staple part of the birds’ diet and bell drinkers are used to acclimatise them to drinking from open water supplies. Once well feathered and prepared for release, the poults are checked by a specialist bird veterinarian before transfer to four-wheel-drive vehicles for overnight delivery; by using fourwheel-drives, Heart of England birds can be in their new homes quickly and easily, even if these are off the beaten track!

Knowledge and choice Customers can buy not only the Old English pheasant breed, but Polish, Kansas and Kansas crosses, in addition to red-legged and grey partridges and even mallards, which are taken from a smaller breeder flock to ensure sustainability. Director Judy Johnson explained: “At Heart of England Farms, our long-term policy of overwintering a large breeding flock in addition to the hatchery and rearing programme creates work for dedicated staff who bring

years of experience and knowledge to the business; this is essential for maintaining bird health and welfare, which is at the centre of what we do. “Transparency is also important to us. We are proud of our birds and visitors are welcome to see our methods and visit our farm by arrangement to find out more. “We believe that our concerns for environmental conditions, breeding, hatching and rearing in line with natural cycles, while offering optimum sustainability for future business, puts us at the forefront of bird rearing in the UK.” As part of those future plans, two new American breeds will be available during the forthcoming season to add to the popular ones already on offer.

Heart of England Farms T: 01926 843460 W: www.heartofenglandfarms.com

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13/03/2015 13:36

SECRET SHOPPER

Secret Shopper T&G’ss special agent identifies the best and worst of customer service… T&G

Star

Address: 401 Selby Road, Leeds,West Yorkshire LS15 7AY T: 01132 640295 Date visited: January 8th, 2015

First impressions?

Address: 69-73 Coatsworth Road, Gateshead,Tyne & Wear NE8 1QL T: 01914 775950 Date visited: January 20th, 2015

10/10

A huge double-fronted unit with massive signage and plenty of trade badges left me in no doubt that I’d found the right place. There was plenty of car parking out front with easy access off the main road.

Step inside?

10/10

Outside the weather was bitterly cold; within Eric’s it was decidedly warm and welcoming with two staff on duty, both of whom spoke as I entered and asked if they could help.

Stay clean?

8/10

Both staff were unpacking deliveries and rearranging shelves at some speed, but, inevitably, there were odd bits of tape and other packaging fodder in the area. As a whole, the shop was clean enough, though.

Show it off?

10/10

There were some pretty impressive displays... top brand names lined the walls and shelves, baits were well arranged and easy to see, promotional boards and other displays were all clearly marked, but there were odd gaps visible where products had obviously been sold. A quick turnaround of stock is the obvious excuse but it just looked a little underdressed in odd places.

Help me?

9/10

The young chap nearest the door, despite being busy with deliveries, was also quite happy to chat and discuss all things fishy. When I needed to find something, he was immediately able to lay his hands on it and show me an alternative... just in case.

Know your stuff?

10/10

Eric’s has a superb reputation, much of it based on its online presence, but in the store it’s just as good, if not better. Both members of staff knew exactly what was on the market, what was selling and, more importantly, what it took to encourage sales by providing detailed stock information.

Pushy or pleasing?

10/10

A very relaxed atmosphere without any sales pressure made me want to stay longer. I asked about many products and their options and was simply given good, solid advice.

Do I need this?

10/10

Honestly, the team at Eric’s was great; I asked about several reels and could have spent an awful lot of money, but was offered a comprehensive range of alternatives that could have saved me money, or gained me an extra product. Nothing unnecessary was suggested.

Family friendly?

10/10

Some great link sales and link offers, discounted products and price-beater promises combined with lots of space, car parking and good access make this a winner.

Frasers Angling & Outdoors

Eric’s Angling Centre Ltd

Shop

First impressions?

Step inside?

9/10

I expected to be guided towards Willows Lake, which Eric’s owns, and wasn’t disappointed, but possibly expected a little more in terms of dayticket and club waters.

9/6100 44

A justly deserved high score, reflecting excellent service, plenty of choice and great product knowledge.

10/10

I’ve seen Dr Who and I’m aware of the TARDIS having far more room within… but this was something special! The shop was absolutely huge inside, with rooms off and separate areas aplenty all packed with tackle and bait, and I was greeted quickly by staff who held the door open as I entered.

Stay clean?

9/10

Although it was packed with product, the shop was still tidy and grime free, although I did pick up a few areas where a quick once-over with a cloth would have lifted dust, but there was nothing to cause concern.

Show it off?

8/10

The sheer amount of tackle made it difficult to show it off to its best effect, although the shop was organised well and had an unbelievable amount of choice.

Help me?

10/10

There were very helpful staff who were friendly and keen to assist and spend time finding out exactly what I needed.

Know your stuff?

10/10

They were very knowledgeable behind the counter, knew all the product lines and what sold well. The gentleman even took pains to tell me why certain products were stocked for each sector of his market, so they had good market awareness, too, and stocked the shop accordingly.

Pushy or pleasing?

10/10

This was another shop where I spent more time chatting than buying. We had quite a discussion about the local scene and my purchases were almost an afterthought!

Do I need this?

10/10

I looked for suitable rod-and-reel combinations to get me fishing locally in tidal areas and was offered everything from budget (but usable) to high-end gear. Good advice was provided and each combination was catering for each situation in turn without undue expenditure.

Family friendly?

9/10

There was everything that a family of anglers could need and more! Starter kits, top-of-the-range equipment, bargain buckets, discounted items and deals saw all budgets considered and all anglers accommodated. It was a bit too tight to bring pushchairs in and not somewhere for uncontrolled toddlers perhaps, but a great shop for all.

What’s happening and where? What’s happening and where?

8/10

A massive frontage and reasonable window display didn’t prepare me for when I stepped into the shop. It looked clean enough from outside and was easy to find.

10/10

I love local tackle shops where the staff know all the secrets, and Frasers is just like that! The staff were happy to point me in the right direction for commercial fisheries, shore marks, boats, clubs and much more. I had to leave at some point, but I know the guy hadn’t finished telling me all!

9/4100

This was a great shop, packed to the rafters with tackle and bait of all shapes and sizes, and had great staff; what more can you ask for?

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SECRET SHOPPER

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First impressions?

9/10

This was easy to locate, with parking immediately outside, nice bright and bold signage and a reasonable window display.

Step inside?

10/10

I was welcomed into a nice, roomy shop with a wave from staff outside the back door dealing with a bait delivery. It looked good throughout.

Stay clean?

8/10

I did find a bit of dust on products, which indicated that they hadn’t moved for a while, and there was a little grime on shelving throughout and a small amount of mud traipsed in from outside, but it was by no means messy.

Show it off?

9/10

There was an excellent display of reels and peg boards were well filled, but odd gaps were left on shelves; this could have been improved. The counter was clean and presentable and products around the remainder of the shop were easy to see.

Help me?

10/10

The chap left in charge was very affable, keen to help and provided recommendations.

Know your stuff?

10/10

I asked about carp baits and he told me he wasn’t that confident to give advice, so suggested I ask elsewhere. It spoke volumes that he was so honest and boded well for the shop’s reputation. If I were asked if customer service was good, I’d have to admit that it was refreshingly honest, and not at all pushy.

Do I need this?

First impressions?

10/10

Part of a very tidy farm layout, this beautiful stone-built premises was set in lovely countryside. It was subtly signed on approach for obvious reasons.

Step inside?

9/10

The counter was directly opposite the entrance door and I was seen as soon as I walked in, but not spoken to or acknowledged until I approached the desk directly. The premises were surprisingly large and very well presented.

Stay clean?

10/10

It was immaculate throughout and I didn’t notice a single speck of dust or any murky glass.

Show it off?

10/10

There really were some exquisite guns on show, perfectly racked, well lit and correctly labelled with price and information. Glass cases gleamed and were packed, clothing was shown smartly on wall racks and free-standing spinners – everything just screamed quality.

Help me?

10/10

The gentleman at the counter was quite happy to step out onto the shop floor, show me some guns and explain a little about them, and was content to stand and discuss a number of potential purchases.

7/10

The chap in charge also admitted that many disciplines of angling just weren’t his area of expertise because he was returning to the sport after a long layoff. He was standing in for the owner who was a very knowledgeable angler; big-fish pictures around the shop seemed to confirm this! He was also honest enough to suggest that J T Rodgers concentrated on match fishing because a nearby store had the market in everything.

Pushy or pleasing?

Address: Ouston Bank Farm House, Birtley, Chester-le-Street, County Durham DH2 1BB T: 01914 100565 Date visited: January 8th, 2015

Bradford Stalker

J T Rodgers Fishing Tackle

Address: 12 Barwick Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS15 7QG T: 01132 641195 Date visited: January 8th, 2015

Know your stuff?

8/10

I didn’t get what I wanted here. I just felt that something was lacking a little and I gained an overview rather than product-specific information. I felt that on just a few aspects I wasn’t treated to encyclopaedic knowledge.

Pushy or pleasing?

6/10

When guns were discussed, and associated items considered, I suggested a budget. I thought them pushy here, especially as the resulting package suggested was well over my stated figure.

Do I need this?

4/10

My set budget included everything to provide an airgun package; after going in high, a dive bottle was then added, then a scope, bag and moderator... the cost continued to climb...

7/10

A few gaps in knowledge meant that perhaps I wasn’t offered as many alternatives as I could have had, or items which would have complemented my purchases were not mentioned, but his honesty was disarming and I purchased anyway!

Family friendly?

Family friendly?

What’s happening and where?

10/10

This shop caters for an established market of regulars who support the shop well. With that in mind, it has everything the customer needs, good parking and an easy atmosphere... very friendly.

What’s happening and where?

6/10

6/10

I made a point of looking for junior-sized clothing and found none, nor did I spot anything that might appeal to the lady, but there was a huge range of products to suit a variety of budgets and superb access.

7/10

I was given a leaflet for a local club, which clearly stated that it was indeed a club. I asked about joining and the gentleman informed me that he didn’t think it was a club, and could provide no further information. He did mention a couple of other worthy grounds and ranges but I left feeling a little confused.

I can only score on the day in question and, unfortunately, the chap in charge was a self-confessed novice who didn’t know that much about the local scene, but did suggest a few day-ticket waters, club cards and other venues.

8/6100

Despite his concerns about giving advice, the keeper was a genuinely nice chap who had a great manner and did encourage sales. This is a nice little shop serving the local market but with an eye on what’s ‘up the road’ at a much bigger place.

8/0100

This was an immaculate and hugely impressive shop but I received a disappointing response to my suggested budget.

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EXCLUSIVE

PRODUCTS

IN FOCUS

John Hunter Editor T: 01327 315412 M: 07990 542958 E: [email protected] W: www.tandgmagazine.com

What items should tackle dealers have on their shelves right now? Here are a few suggestions from some of the key players in the trade.

Richard Wheatley Deluxe Lanyard RRP: £24.99 This includes a combination of cross-lock snaps and quick connectors plus a quick-change deluxe tippet holder with flydrying pad and zinger. It's fully adjustable, with a supportive rubber-foam neckband for comfort and quick-release safety buckle.

Richard Wheatley T: 01460 55369 W: www.richardwheatley.com

Skretting

Snowbee

Fish Feeds RRP: Various

Stripping Basket RRP: £34.99

From one of the best-known suppliers in the business, this is a range of bait including pellets, a selection of flavoured fishmeals, booster oils and more. It comes in distinctive red packaging to stand out on your shelves and with enough great ingredients to attract strong interest from fish.

This hard-plastic stripping basket is great for keeping an angler's fly line clean and out of the way and is both lightweight and rigid so won’t weigh the user down or collapse in use. It comes with a waist belt and neck-support strap and includes eight well-spaced control turrets.

Skretting E: [email protected] W: www.skretting.co.uk

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Snowbee UK T: 01752 234933 E: [email protected] W: www.snowbee.co.uk

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The Best New Fishing Line They Will Never See! The blend of natural random colours in the Mimicry 3D pattern is perfectly designed to fuse the profile of the line into the surroundings, making it invisible to any target fish.

MIRAGE XP

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More at www.prologicfishing.com

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PRODUCTS

EXCLUSIVE

IN FOCUS Scierra X-TechWading Jacket RRP: £129.99 With a durable, high-abrasionresistant shell fabric that's waterproof and breathable, this boasts taped seams, two big chest pockets, handwarmer and internal pockets plus cut sleeves and articulated elbows for easy casting. It's available in five sizes, from S to XXL.

Stormsure Zip, Rip & Leak Repair Kit RRP: Call for details Fit a new zip to a bivvy or sleeping bag quickly and easily or repair a rip or tear. No sewing or tools are required. It's available in S, M and L sizes, with flexible repair adhesive and TUFF Tape patches.

Svendsen Sport T: 01827 59659 E: [email protected] W: www.svendsen-sport.com

Stormsure T: 03333 441500 W: www.stormsure.com Tronixpro T: 01903 732567 W: www.tronixpro.com

Z-Man Scented Jerk Shads RRP: £4.50 Not only do these have great actions but they're also tough, long-lasting soft lures. Made in the USA from 10x Tough ElaZtech, they're salt impregnated and scented for added attraction The split-tail design ensures plenty of wiggle, with the lures offered in a variety of colours and sizes. Lure Lounge T: 0844 874 7836 W: www.lurelounge.co.uk

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HTO Rockfish 2000 Reel RRP: £29.99 Ideal for light rock fishing or similar, this neat reel has a shallow alloy spool for use with either braid or nylon. Offering a 5.1:1 ratio, it also has a smooth drag, five ball bearings and a roller bearing.

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11/03/2015 09:15

EXCLUSIVE

PRODUCTS

IN FOCUS

Reuben Heaton Specimen Hunter Classic 60lb x 1oz Scales RRP: Call for details The scales that set the benchmark for all others in angling, these feature the same Specimen Hunter dial and LED pointer design of the originals, plus a certificate of authenticity and scales warranty. They're available in 60lb x 1oz capacity only.

Dinsmores Grippa-Styx: BBAnd No1 RRP: £1.99 (refill); £6.99 (dispenser) Extensions to the range, these are fully compliant with UK lead restrictions and made for the UK market. They're barrel shaped for a streamlined profile with a wide slot and special coating for easy application and removal. They're available in algae green and mud brown.

Reuben Heaton T: 01455 293000 E: [email protected] W: www.reubenheaton.com

Dinsmores T: 01922 456421 E: [email protected] W: www.dinsmores.co.uk

EKA Duo Combi Knife RRP: £59.95 This is a patented combi knife, with a filleting blade and gut opener combined in one handy tool. It has a Sandvik 12c27 stainless-steel filleting blade, while the gut-opener blade is nine centimetres long and makes the process faster, safer and easier. The blade can easily be changed over, the handle is made from soft-grip rubberised Proflex and it comes with a sturdy nylon sheath.

Rod Hutchinson Gourmet Range RRP: Various A massive new range of boilies, pop-ups, dips and more herald the continued return of the Rod Hutchinson brand, made using top ingredients to catch carp whatever the situation. The range is available in a variety of popular flavours, both sweet and fishy, plus its Secret Agent selection.

Casström T: 01628 330330 E: [email protected] W: www.casstrom.co.uk

50

Rod Hutchinson T: 01473 730246 E: [email protected] W: www.rodhutchinson.co.uk

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EXCLUSIVE

PRODUCTS

IN FOCUS

John Hunter Editor T: 01327 315412 M: 07990 542958 E: [email protected] W: www.tandgmagazine.com

What items should gun dealers have on their shelves right now? Here are a few suggestions from some of the key players in the trade.

Mossberg MVPVarmint Rifle RRP: £674.95 Available in .223 Rem and .308 Win, this rifle features 24in fluted medium bull barrels, a laminate bench-rest stock, spiral-fluted bolt and 10-round magazine. It comes in a matt-blue finish with Weaver-style scope bases, an ergonomic palm swell and the patented LBA trigger.

Tasco

York Guns T: 01904 487180 E: [email protected] W: www.yorkguns.com

Morakniv

World Class 3-9x40 Scope RRP £83

Pro S Knife RRP: £11.95

This 3-9x40 model has a SuperCon lens coating for the clearest, brightest images, among many other features. Available in a variety of reticle styles, this model also has the Tasco 30/30 reticle housed inside its waterproof, shockproof and fogproof body.

With budget in mind, this knife is ideal for hunting or fishing with its 2mm thick blade made from hardened steel for long-lasting sharpness. The ergonomic handle is made of TPE rubber to provide optimum grip friction and comes in a hard-plastic sheath with a belt-loop clip.

John Rothery (Wholesale) T: 023 9224 5350 E: [email protected] W: www.bisley-uk.com

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Tradewinds Outdoor T: 01795 534343 W: www.bushgear.co.uk

www.tandgmagazine.com

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NEW 2015-2016 CATALOGUE

OUT NOW CONTACT US NOW

AIRGUN SHOOTER

2014

BEST CO2/PNEUMATIC PISTOL AIRFORCEONE TROPHY

TO GET YOUR COPY RANGE RIGHT LTD 01423 881919 (North) 01825 760509 (South) [email protected] www.range-right.co.uk

PRODUCTS

EXCLUSIVE

IN FOCUS

Streamlight Siege Lantern RRP: £50; £35 (compact)

Scruffs Snuggle Pet Blanket RRP: £19.99 After a day in the field, this reversible, polyesterfilled blanket will keep your dog warm on the way home. Easy to clean, use the soft, plush side for colder days, or the cooler faux suede side when it’s warmer for comfort. It measures 110cm x 74cm and comes in chocolate, burgundy and navy.

This battery-powered lantern is compact and rugged, waterproof to one metre, engineered to float and resistant to battery corrosion. The moulded-rubber base provides stability on slippery or uneven surfaces, while springloaded D-rings mean that it can hang upright or inverted. Removing the cover also illuminates large areas. It’s available in standard and compact versions.

Viking Arms T: 01423 780810 E: [email protected] W: www.vikingarms.com

Scruffs T: 0161 702 5060 W: www.petslovescruffs.com

Hunter-Outdoor BriarTweed Jacket RRP: Call for details

Gamo Bear GryllsAdventure Survival Set RRP: Call for details Tying in with the famous adventurer, this kit includes an adult precision break-barrel air rifle in .177 (4.5mm) calibre with a specially designed synthetic stock inset with orange survival trim, accompanied by a 4x28 TV riflescope. It also includes 50 camou-patterned paper targets. BSA Guns UK T: 0121 772 8543 E: [email protected] W: www.bsaguns.co.uk

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In response to dealer requests for lower-cost products but with high-end features, such as a zipped security/wallet pocket and change fold, ticket or smartphone pocket and many others, comes the Briar jacket, still made with 50 per cent wool. Available in regular sizes in both his and her models from stock with no minimum order, these can be worn at any casual or sporting event.

Hunter-Outdoor T: 0121 555 8334 E: [email protected] W: www.rockall.info

www.tandgmagazine.com

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PRECISION OPTICS AND MOUNTS. YOURS FOR A SONG. Strict quality control without cutting FRUQHUV 7KDW·V KRZ ZH URFN DQG UROO 100% Lifetime Guarantee

SEEKING EXCLUSIVE UK DISTRIBUTION [email protected]

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(817) 783-6001

www.SunOpticsUSA.com

16/03/2015 11:47

PRODUCTS

EXCLUSIVE

IN FOCUS

Alan Paine Richmond Ladies’ Norfolk Jacket RRP: £269.99 Made with a pure-wool tweed water-repellent outer, this has two pockets with button-closure flaps, contrast-coloured cuff panels and a single back vent. There’s also a luxurious gold lining with floral panel detail. It’s available in sizes ranging from 8 to 20 and offered in five tweed colours.

Alan Paine T: 01623 522570 E: [email protected] W: www.alanpaine.co.uk

Remington Gun Slip RRP: £24.95 With the arrival of the Remington rifles, targets and cleaning products, it was only natural that a Remington gun slip would be produced to protect your rifle. This is fully padded and accommodates the scope while still on the rifle. It’s made of canvas and has an external zipped pocket, webbed handles and shoulder strap. Sportsmarketing T: 01206 795333 W: www.sportsmk.co.uk

Baleno Henry Jacket RRP £49.95

PAO 1 x 30 RedAnd Green Illuminated Dot Sight RRP: £35.99

Range Right T: 01423 881919 E: [email protected] W: www.range-right.co.uk

Rated for all firearms – air pistols/rifles, rimfire and centrefire – each sight comes with a quick-release, integrated 11mm/22mm mount base that also suits Weaver and Picatinny rails. Made of high-quality, aircraft-grade aluminium with a 40mm objective diameter, it’s shockproof, waterproof and fogproof. Nitrogen-purged, it also features protective caps.

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This stylish, zip-through, breathable fleece jacket features excellent-quality Sherpa fleece and toned leather trim. It can be worn independently or as part of an integrated layering system within the Baleno range. It’s available in grey, brown, green and navy and in sizes S to XXXL.

Baleno T: +32 51 740 800 E: [email protected] W: www.baleno.be

www.tandgmagazine.com

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Tactical Range Available now at all good gun retailers.

For more information or to enquire about becoming a stockist contact: BSA Guns (UK) Ltd, Armoury Road, Birmingham B11 2PP • t: 0121 772 8543 e: [email protected] Gamo® reserve the right to change the specifications, availability and price of any product at any time. All information correct at the time of print. All RRPs are inclusive of VAT. Please note in some cases product photographs may vary from actual product. © Gamo® 2012

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FEATURE

The logical solution to fish care Prologic product manager Enrico Parmeggiani is dedicated to fish safety and has introduced a series of great carp-care products… Commander Hammock This is essentially two products in one – with a fast-dry rubber-mesh body and detachable padded mat, which can also be used as a weigh sling. With floating foam on the mat arms, this measures 120cm x 90cm and has a knee mat and carry bag included.

See the YouTube video here ❱❱

T

he idea behind the range of fish-care gear has been to infuse the whole process of landing, documenting and releasing carp with innovations that protect the fish from harm and make a quick release possible. Now, for this year, additional fishcare products will be released under the Prologic product umbrella.They include nets, unhooking mats and slings and are mainly additions to the Commander and Firestarter ranges, which offer superb quality at extremely competitive prices.

RRP: £89.99

Commander Unhooking Mat Supplied with a compact transportation bag, this can be folded away into a tiny space, is extremely lightweight and totally fish friendly. It features an easy-to-wash outer fabric, safety side walls to help keep the fish over the mat and two pegging points (with pegs) to secure it on the ground. With 4cm padding, it weighs in at 2.1kg.

RRP: £59.99

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FEATURE

Hammock Well padded, this hammock has an outer pocket for carp sacks or other accessories, drainage holes, a full top-side cover with Velcro connection, telescopic adjustable legs and comes in a carry bag.

RRP: £69.99

Floating Sling This is a floating carp weigh sling and retainer in one – brilliant for holding fish while getting the mat and scales ready. Handy and practical, it’s made from rubber mesh and other fish-friendly materials!

RRP: £24.99

Firestarter Mat Made from fish-friendly materials and an easydry fabric, this has a knee mat and carry bag and measures 100cm x 50cm.

RRP: £39.99

Firestarter Net This offers top fish protection and durability, with fishfriendly mesh and a 180cm non-slip solid composite carbon handle and net arms plus a metallic spreader block.

RRP: £24.99

Multi-Length Net Thanks to this simple and reliable handle system, you can use this landing net at three different handle lengths. You just need to push each section into the bottom of the spreader block and it will be safely locked, then just pull it to release the section and increase the length. As with all Prologic landing nets, there’s a strong, fish-friendly mesh, while a waterproof transportation bag is included.

Landing Net With a 180cm full-carbon handle – one section for the 42in and two sections for the 32in model – this boasts carbon mesh arms with metallic connections, a stainless-steel spreader block and fish-friendly mesh.

RRP: £49.99

RRP: £59.99

Zigger Net If you have problems while fishing with long zig rigs when it comes to netting the fish, then this may be the answer. The handle is made from full HM24T carbon, in two sections of 180 and 120 centimetres each, so it can also be used as a standard landing net for normal situations. To extend the handle, just unscrew the butt cup at the bottom and connect the 120cm extension. Another unique feature is the 3K HM carbon spreader block, which makes it very stiff while significantly reducing the overall weight. To help with the netting process, Prologic has added two shaped EVA sleeves on the mesh arms so that, even when you’re fishing alone with long zig rigs, you’ll be able to net your carp with no problems.

RRP: £99.99 Check out the YouTube video at ❱❱

SVENDSEN SPORT Prologic/Svendsen Sport T: 01827 59659 E: [email protected] W: www.svendsen-sport.com

www.tandgmagazine.com

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BAIT

A

lot of things have changed in carping, but the ground rules remain the same. No matter how hard your fishing; how tough the terrain, how demanding the carp; you need to angle with confidence, and that’s what Rod Hutchinson brings you; through bait, through gear, though experience. The

HUTCHY FINISHED ADS.indd 2

ADDITIVES

confidence to catch no matter what the conditions. The confidence to enjoy your fishing. We continually build our gear around new technologies, new materials and our ideas and experience. We continue to produce the baits and additives that are, frankly, proven for longer and in more demand now than ever before,

DREAM MAKER RODS

SHELTERS

and we’ll continue to develop baits the only way, on the bank; through research, through trial and through error. We will do all this with no flannel, no bullshit, no compromise; and the experience of over 40 years at the front end of carping. While we may have been away, we haven’t changed.

03/03/2015 10:26

B

BEDCHAIRS & CHAIRS

SLEEPING BAGS

Have you seen the Cabrio Cookhouse? It’s Rod Hutchinson delivering what carp anglers want, before they even knew they wanted it.

SLEEP SLEEPSYSTEMS SYSTEMS

CONFIDENCE

DID YOU MISS ME?

The new Dream Maker Rods. “A lot of Rod for your money!”

FEATURE

Value and quality from Range Right The AirForceOne ProValue collection of air rifles, pistols and pellets now being offered by Harrogate supplier Range Right will delight retailers and shooters alike.

A

s buyers continue to hunt for great value in the products they choose, fastgrowing shooting distributor Range Right believes that its latest offerings tick all the boxes for discerning airgunners. In each category – air rifles, pistols and pellets – AirForceOne is seeking to establish a marketleading price point, while ensuring that each product is fully featured too, hence the name ProValue. For example, the Apex Predator is a premier-grade gas-ram, break-barrel air rifle in .177 and .22 calibres, with a precision rifled steel barrel, scope dovetail, German beech stock, manual safety,TRUGLO fibre-optic sights, rubber butt pad, chequered stock and gold trigger – all at the lowest price point in the category of £159.99. Gill Peters, Range Right’s managing director, says: “Seven years on from the banking crisis and the recession that followed, we’re still of the view that retailers and consumers alike are searching

62

for real value, so ProValue is a suite of products focusing on offering professional features and specifications, coupled with valuefor-money pricing.”

Professional approach The emphasis on professional features is fully realised in the innovative Tyson titanium bull pup rifle, available in .177, .22 and .25 calibres with multi-shot magazines. It’s designed for use with the high-capacity AirRam PCP pump and produces 150-plus shots per fill from its ultra-high strength 315cc titanium air tube, but weighs only 3.75kg. It also features a manual safety, rifled steel barrel, German beech stock, shrouded barrel, screwcut ½in UNF thread for the Hush Puppy silencer, two-stage adjustable trigger, full-length Weaver/Picatinny rail and cheekpiece protector All this comes in at an SRP of £999 – significantly below the prices of other European bull pups.

Gill adds: “All these products are manufactured in the same factory that produces the awardwinning Trophy CO2 pistol and reflect the very highest standards in materials and manufacturing. “To complement these airguns we’re introducing a new range of pellets. Available in .177 and .22 calibres and a choice of either domed or pointed heads, the Panthers are clean, consistent and ballistically efficient to achieve faster flight, greater accuracy and deeper penetration.

“The pellets are of above average weight at 16.9 grains in .22 domed and 9.2 grains in .177 domed variants – but the collection is topped off by the Heavy Metal model, the ultimate hunting pellet, weighing in at 21 grains.” AirForceOne air rifles, pistols and Panther pellets are made for the brand owner,The Shooting Party, and exclusively distributed in the UK by Range Right. All of these items should be available by May or June. The Trophy pistol – just part of the AF1 range.

Range Right T: 01423 881919 W: www.range-right.co.uk

www.tandgmagazine.com

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CLASSIFIEDS TACKLE & GUN MANUFACTURERS AND WHOLESALERS

100% QUALITY 100% MARK-UP STOCK THE FLIES EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT

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CALL CRAIG BARR

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07921335197

Wholesale tackle with regular updates and weekly specials.

[email protected] ES LV 4 VA201 EW R N FO

UK DISTRIBUTOR WANTED UK T: 0151 604 1788 M: 07768 406377 E: [email protected] FRANCE T: 0033 (0) 3277 45145 M: 0033 (0) 6500 74421 E: [email protected]

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TOMORROW’S TECHNOLOGY TODAY BY L J CAMMELL (MERSEYSIDE) LTD UK T: 0151 604 1788 M: 07768 406377 E: [email protected] FRANCE T: 0033 (0) 3277 45145 M: 0033 (0) 6500 74421 E: [email protected]

TO ADVERTISE

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[email protected]

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To advertise contact:

Caroline Mandaracas Mob: 07738 457110 E-mail: [email protected]

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CLASSIFIEDS

VACANCY

AGENT REQUIRED IN SCOTLAND Masterline are one of the leading fishing tackle manufacturers and wholesalers in the country with over 45 years’ experience in the industry. As manufacturer of the Jarvis Walker, Rovex, JW Young’s and Tsunami brands and exclusive UK distributor of the Cortland, Yo-zuri , Ryobi and Marttiini brands, we offer over 3000 products to our customers. We are now looking to expand our business in this territory and the position would suit a self-motivated person who is experienced in field sales within the tackle trade.

APPLICATION AND COVERING LETTER SHOULD BE SENT TO: Chris Summers - E-mail: [email protected] • Tel: 01684 299000 Masterline Walker Ltd, Severn Drive, Tewkesbury Business Park, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 8SF

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OPINION

Sean O’Driscoll

The lad did good

EDITORIAL Editor In Chief: John Hunter Tel: 01327 315412 Mobile: 07990 542958 E-mail: [email protected] Sub Editor: Dean Kirkman

I

t’s difficult to put into words the influence that David Hall had on our industries, particularly the fishing trade. Without David this very magazine might not have survived. Without his vision there would not have been a Tackle & Guns Show. Personally I’ve been touched by the number of people who have made contact, saying that without David they would never have got into fishing. How he inspired them through his words, written or spoken, and that they looked to him for guidance in their personal or business life. I first got together with David some 15 years ago, when my own business was struggling. At the time I recall writing to the managing directors of Emap and IPC, and David Hall, telling them that I’d had enough of the business and was leaving the industry. My portfolio of magazines (including Tackle & Guns) was going to be a thing of the past. My thoughts at the time were that any of these publishers could do something better than I could on my own with my titles. David made the call to me: “Let’s do lunch.” I was reluctant, because at the time David’s reputation within the industry was, let’s say, a little

bit tarnished – I think a drugsrelated lead story in the News Of The World a few years earlier didn’t help my thinking. But I had nothing to lose and the guys at Emap and IPC didn’t call. We had lunch, which continued into an early evening drinking session, which continued into an all-night bender. By the morning I’d sold the magazines for a pittance and was on his payroll. He always said that he actually wasn’t too bothered about the magazines, but he saw enough in me to let me run his company for him one day. I hated the first six months; any of you who have been your own boss and then gone and worked with someone else will understand this. Eventually we had a heart-to-

heart, cleared the air, decided what the ground rules were and then never really looked back. One of David’s greatest strengths was seeing the potential in people or a project and getting others to buy into it. We’ve had many successes over the years, coupled with a few failures, but David was brave, he was a risk taker. He also made things happen. Many people saw David as a very outgoing, confident, loud sort of person; certainly that was his ‘business persona’. It was his public perception, but actually he enjoyed nothing more than spending some peace and tranquillity at the end of the day where he would systematically dissect his day’s ‘performance’. He was constantly trying to improve, analysing how he reacted to certain situations, asking what he could have done better. He aspired to the great business leaders of the world – Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs and Richard Branson were particular favourites – and he had read many of their books. Right up until his death he was still learning. From day one he wanted to better himself; that is what drove him on.The lad from a council estate in Manchester did good.

ADVERTISING Business Development Manager: Caroline Mandaracas Tel: 01245 607231 Mobile: 07738 457110 E-mail: [email protected] Publisher: Sean O’Driscoll Tel: 01327 315407 Mobile: 07788 922976 E-mail: [email protected] Ad Production Manager: Paul Evans Tel: 01327 311999 Production Controller: Lea Terry Tel: 01327 315423

DESIGN Creative Director: Mark Grafton Head Designer: Fiona Brett Advert Design: Stephanie Horn Reprographics Manager: Derek Mooney Repro Assistant: Adam Mason

David Hall Publishing Ltd, 1 Whittle Close, Drayton Fields, Daventry, Northamptonshire NN11 8RQ Tel: +44 (0)1327 311999 Fax: +44 (0)1327 315430 Website: www.tandgmagazine.com www.facebook.com/tackleandguns Twitter: @tackleandguns

Statistics – Who gets this magazine? This month’s edition of Tackle & Guns has been sent out to a total of 5,343 people in the industry. This is broken down as follows: Retailers of both fishing and shooting 711 Agents and reps of both fishing and shooting – including clothing 94 Wholesalers and manufacturers of both fishing and shooting – including clothing 102 Retailers of fishing equipment only 1,619 Agents of fishing equipment only 187 Wholesalers and manufacturers of fishing 588 equipment only

66

Fisheries 265 Retailers of shooting equipment only 757 Agents of shooting equipment only 42 Wholesalers and manufacturers of shooting equipment only 307 Shooting grounds and clubs 290 Press, public relations and others 326 Firearm officers 55 Total circulation 5,343

DHP Ltd welcomes unsolicited manuscripts, news and ideas. However, we regret that we are unable to guarantee the return of any material submitted. All material used remains the copyright of DHP Ltd. Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or the staff of the magazine. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electrical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of DHP Ltd. All rights reserved.

www.tandgmagazine.com

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