Tag: angling trade

Rugged Eddie Bauer Man

August 23, 2011 / Kirk Werner / 7 Comments

As I pack the last of the things for my trip to Montana and Idaho, hoping that I remember the critical items before getting there, I wanted to leave my 8 loyal followers with one last, worthless post. If for some reason I don’t return, I want to be remembered for having left you all with a blog entry that is so unworthy of your time that it’s not even deserving of a “Weekly Drivel®” designation (and thus is appropriately filed away under the category of “Pointless Wastes of Your Time”). I should probably have deleted this before ever publishing it, but hey–a guy needs traffic for his Google Analytics, right? That, and I like to keep the SPAMMERS employed.

Eddie Bauer, the rugged man

Eddie Bauer wasn’t always just a clothing retailer. Seriously. My first fly rod was made by Eddie Bauer, back in the days when you could actually buy outdoor recreation gear at the one Eddie Bauer store in Seattle. Back in the mid 70’s I had a backpacking tent made by Eddie Bauer, and down jackets and sleeping bags filled with Premium Eddie Bauer Goose Down were the shit–the seriously good stuff (which I never had because I was allergic to down). You see, Eddie Bauer (the man) was an avid outdoorsman, and the company reflected that passion. I won’t go into detail about him here because I don’t know much about him other than what is provided on several websites. Suffice it to say Eddie Bauer was serious about his love of the outdoors: he was an avid hunter and fisherman and it would appear that he was a fly fisherman as well because he sold trout flies and made fly rods. He also sold tennis racquets and badminton shuttlecocks. Hey, he wasn’t perfect – nobody is. At least he didn’t sell golf equipment. While an article int he latest Angling Trade talks about the similarities between golf and fly fishing that provide potential new ventures for the fly fishing industry, I prefer not to recommend hybridization. But I digress.

In the many decades that have passed since Eddie Bauer (the man) sold his company, Eddie Bauer (the company) has wandered farther from its roots and has become synonymous with clothing. While a far cry from the outdoor industry that gave rise to the success of the brand, the company is holding onto the proud, rugged history of Eddie Bauer as evidenced by its ~~summer catalog~~ Summer Resource Book. Gracing the pages inside you’ll find Rugged Eddie Bauer Man. And he is just that: rugged.

Here he can be seen climbing the mast of a sailing vessel, holding on with one hand while he looks down with contempt toward his undisciplined crew. Clearly he is a man of few words, and even less humor.

And why shouldn’t he be? Afterall, there is nothing funny about carrying a large cargo net and a gasoline can, and getting your new shirt covered with grease and grime. It’s serious work. It calls for a serious man. A rugged man.

Here, Rugged Eddie Bauer Man can be seen looking at a thick rope. He appears lost in thought, as if deeply troubled. If he were to speak, one could imagine the few words, “Who the hell tied this knot?”

But lest one should think that Rugged Eddie Bauer Man is all work and no play, we see him here–embarking on a recreational endeavor. His face still wears the stern expresson of a humorless man, but he does seem a bit more relaxed.

But no matter what he’s doing, Rugged Eddie Bauer Man does it with serious conviction. Maybe serious is the only way he can be. And we wouldn’t want it any other way, would we?

We can only assume that like Eddie Bauer, Rugged Eddie Bauer Man is also a fly fisherman. And a seriously good golfer, too.

The rugged Eddie Bauer Man

You have my apologies for this blog entry.

I’m appointing myself Ambassador

December 21, 2010 / Kirk Werner / 16 Comments

The December 2010 issue of Angling Trade touches on a topic of great importance to those involved with the business side of fly fishing: attracting new participants to the sport. Editor Kirk Deeter talks of some ways people in the industry can grow the sport, and suggests 7 things that must happen in order for this to be successful. I won’t go into detail with the 7 things here (if you want to read all about it, sign up to receive your free subscription (it’s quite good, and an interesting point of view to get a take on the world of fly fishing: from the inside out). But Deeter has some good ideas that include: ensuring the success of next year’s IFTD in New Orleans; aligning the fly fishing world more closely with the American Sportfishing Association and putting the “fishing” back into fly fishing; reconnecting the fly fishing world with the Outdoor Industry Association; doing away with the perception that fly fishing is a difficult endeavor with a learning curve that’s too steep for beginners; increasing on school-based programs such as TU’s Trout in the Classroom and Fly Fishing in Schools Program (which I am embarrassed to admit I wasn’t even aware of until Deeter’s mention of it, which means it’s clearly not promoted enough); reaching out to the bass nation; encouraging fly fishing retailers to talk with one another.

On the last page of the issue, contributor Tom Bie goes on to suggest some other ways that the fly fishing industry might effectively grow the sport. For those who don’t know, Bie is the editor of The Drake magazine, which is regarded by many to be one of if not the coolest of the print magazines serving the fly fishing world. At any rate, Bie voices doubt that reliance on a professional organization or trade group will result in what is needed to really attract new folks to the sport of fly fishing. Instead, Bie says this:

“Also, adding to Kirk’s (Deeter, not Werner, FYI) list in his editor’s letter, there is one thing I’d like to see happen: Since fly fishing has 10,000 freelance writers, all of whom have apparently written a book, I’d like to see these authors start focusing their flyfishing pitches toward some non-flyfishing publications. I’m not suggesting writers stop sending queries to Kirk Deeter, Frank Amato, Joe Healy, Andrew Steketee, Ross Purnell, Steve Probasco, Steve Walburn, Tom Bie or any other flyfishing editor. I’m just requesting that you also query some general interest magazines to see if we can place a few flyfishing stories in front of people not in the choir…let’s bombard them with some flyfishing destinations and see what happens. And if you really love the taste of rejection, send something to Mens Journal or Outside or Esquire. True, they’re a lot harder to get a story in, but if you can pull if off, a half million people will see it. And that would be cool.”

Lately I’ve been struggling with what I want to be when I grow up, but Bie’s words have motivated me. It’s like he was talking directly to me because ironically I’m one of those writers he mentioned–you know, one of the 10,000 who has apparently written a book (actually three). At first I wondered how he could possibly know who I am, and then I remembered that way back in October 2009 I sent him an email inquiry about possibly submitting some work for The Drake. I never heard back. 😉

Well, since I know the taste of rejection (it’s similar in flavor to that of skunk, which is something I’m all too familiar with), I’ve decided to take Bie’s advice and hit up some outdoor magazines that are not flyfishing related. Surely I can demystify the notion that fly fishing is a difficult sport that’s too challenging for beginners. If someone like me can learn to fly fish, anyone with the intelligence of a Labrador Retriever and the dexterity of a gorilla can learn it. Maybe it is The Unaccomplished Angler who becomes the ultimate ambassador of fly fishing to the outside world: someone who is a nobody in the fly fishing world–just a regular, Budweiser and BBQ’d ribs kinda guy. My mantra will be, of course, that thankfully there’s more to fly fishing than catching fish.

So fair warning to you editors of outdoor-related, non-fly fishing magazines: The Unaccomplished Ambassador of Fly Angling will be knocking on your door. Please be gentle with your rejections.