BigBendFishing.Net

The annual summary report from Southwick & Associates is just out. This firm does excellent trend and socio-economic analysis for the outdoor recreation community. Thought y'all might find this interesting:

FERNANDINA BEACH, FL. Sportsmen are spending millions of dollars on fishing equipment, but which brands are they buying? Southwick Associates surveyed more than 11,000 anglers in 2017 through their online AnglerSurvey consumer panel to identify the top brands in the market.

In 2017, some of sportfishing’s most frequently purchased brands include:
Top combo brand: Shakespeare
Top fishing line brand: Berkley
Top hard bait brand: Rapala
Top dough bait brand: Berkley
Top jig brand: Dirty Jigs
Top sinker brand: Bullet Weights
Top swivel brand: Eagle Claw
Top rig brand: Sea Striker
Top fly line brand: Scientific Angler (3M)
Top fly leaders brand: Rio
Top clothing brand: Columbia
Top hat brand: Columbia
Top landing net brand: Ego
Top tackle box brand: Plano
Top fishing knife brand: Rapala
Top cooler brand: Coleman
Top trolling motor brand: Minn Kota

A variety of key fishing products are examined in the Southwick Associates 2017 Fishing Participation and Equipment Purchases Report. This in-depth resource illustrates angler’s participation and shopping behaviors, including the percentage of sales occurring across different retail channels, brand purchased, price paid, and demographics for anglers buying specific products. Additional information tracked includes total days spent per activity, type of fishing, and targeted species.

Wow. I have almost none of those! I suck!

Grand total of three (3) here. Rapala lures, Minn Kota, and Bullet Weight.

1. Rapala is not my favorite hard bait brand, but I have some.
My favorite filet knife is a Dexter Russel
2. My Minn Kota is on speed dial switch #3 after the Minn Kota before that fried a mother board. (Quickly becoming my most expensive non-favorite brand).
3. My Bullet Weights are used for the few times I go freshwater fishing.

Who came up with this survey again?

I am interested to see how many members of this forum use these items.

Steve Stinson

They had top combo but not top rod or reel. I bet most on here don’t buy combos

Steve Stinson wrote:Grand total of three (3) here. Rapala lures, Minn Kota, and Bullet Weight.

1. Rapala is not my favorite hard bait brand, but I have some.
My favorite filet knife is a Dexter Russel


Steve Stinson

When Gander was closing I picked up a Marttiini stiff fillet knife and a Wusthof fillet that is very flexible. Hindsight, wish I'd have bought everyone they had, I think they were 75% off. Marttiini makes (or made) the good Rapala knives from Finland. But I too love the Dexter. My wife's favorite kitchen knife is a Dexter V-Lo we picked up at Smoky Mtn Knife store. Very light and balanced.

I use Captain Vincent Russo curved blade filet knife. Love it. I skin with an old Rapala I had from when I was a kid. The cheapo plastic handle one. I do have some Rapala lures (I still say Ruh-Pal-Uh - not the cool Rap-uh-luh) for freshwater. I have a Minn Kota salt TM. I do have some Columbia shirts too, mostly bought by my wife for me. I prefer the Under Armour, just refuse to pay full price.