Video

Moldy Chum apparently never sleeps. That’s the only explanation I can find for his blog’s never ending stream of odd and unusual finds.

This time, Moldy struck the motherlode of fly fishing industry “journalism” and since I’m feeling a little hostile from my own lack of sleep, it’s time for a Trout Underground rant.

The omniscient Moldy uncovered a chunk of videos by Fish & Fly Magazine from the Denver Retailer show. You’d think these would be interesting, but (welcome to the fly fishing media) they’re mostly just nauseating.

Begin the Flaying

For starters, the interviewers displayed all the reserve of small children seeking candy, but then, what did you expect in an industry where the magazines seem wholly committed to kissing ass?

I’d tell you to avoid these video clips at all costs, but frankly, it’s easier to look away from a five-car pileup. Why?

You haven’t lived until you’ve seen an interviewer almost wet himself in his efforts to kiss the Sage honcho’s ass.

And when Winston’s Sam Drukman made a point of telling viewers that boron costs 10x more than carbon fiber, it lead me to wonder why their low-tech WT rods – made from a decades-old IM6 graphite – cost the same as Winston’s “high-tech” Boron models.

Gosh, I wonder.

And if you don’t cringe when Simms’ president casually mentions their new $700+ wader allows you to relieve yourself in the middle of the river, you haven’t envisioned seeing an angler doing exactly that one run upstream from where you’re fishing.

It’s a great day for fly fishing journalism

The Gierach video could have been the star of the bunch, but Tom Pero couldn’t stop fawning long enough to ask a single intelligent question. Still, it’s worth viewing, if only for Gierach’s refusal to bask in the glow of his own press – the man seems amused at the attention he receives.

Kudos also to Patagonia’s Bill Klyn, who rose above the fray by discussing the environmental aspects of manufacturing outdoor products instead of endlessly repeating the marketing’s department’s product bullets. Good on ya.

You can’t blame the manufacturers for taking advantage of Free Marketing Service Disguised as Editorial Content an interview. But you can blame most of them for doing it so poorly.

It’s a Learning Experience. What Have We Learned?

First, marketing in the fly fishing industry is largely stone age.

Second, fly fishing media probably don’t have your best interests at heart.

And third, there’s a fine line between technological advance and marketing ho-ha, and many of the latest products crossed that line some time ago.

We also learned it’s time for the Trout Underground to gather up his low-tech bamboo/glass fly rods and go fishing before he starts writing biting e-mails to everyone who’s wronged him over the years.

I’ll let you know how it goes. See you at the Prozac counter, Tom Chandler.
[tags]fly fishing, retailer, fish & fly, fly rod, simms, sage, winston, rant[/tags]