Angling Trade recently conducted an informal phone and email poll with 10 top executives from leading fly fishing brands, and we asked them what their “optimism level” was for the coming business year. Seven said they were as optimistic as they ever had been, and expect a strong sales year in 2018. Two were guardedly optimistic, but admitted that they worried about natural factors like flood and fire, lack of snow/water, so they were more reserved in their opinions. One thought we’ be pretty flat next year, but added that this past year was good, so maintaining is “a good thing.”
Factors that lead to this optimism included the hope that with the market soaring, disposable income among many in the fly demographic will increase, and that could prompt more travel, and more gear buys. Many also noted that they see increased focus on the women demographic really starting to take a strong foothold, and the number of female angling aficionados will grow stronger. See this recent NY Times piece by John Clarke…
So what’s your take on all of this? Please let us know by answering this week’s Angling Trade E-Survey.
