Most Interesting Bob.

Seriously this is a fascinating insight into the commercial side of angling sponsorship.

Regarding **** Walker, Bob is almost right. I do believe he received something for his work with Hardys in the 70s for his design of the Richard Walker "Superlight" and Farnborough Fly rods.

I find that people who catch a big fish and then phone the company that supplied bait/tackle etc for some sort of back hander in payment for mentioning the brand, as hard to take.

Do people like this have no shame?

Personally I have also done quite a bit of writing, most of it in another country, yet I have never received a penny from any tackle company in my life for mentioning the make of the tackle I have used.

I have owned tackle from many sources.

Daiwa, Drennan, Harrisons, Shimano, Greys, Fox, MAP, DAM, ABU, Hardy, Sage, Loomis, Scott, Pflueger, Penn, Maver, Snowbee, Airflo, 3M, Cortland, Fenwick and a few others besides.

Anyone beat that for a record.

Well said, Bob.

I have no problems with sponsorwhip per se - I've benefited from it myself - but I smile when watching the speed and frequency with which some sponsored anglers switch their "allegiance" from one company to another.

But then, if enough tackle/bait-buying punters are daft enough to be fooled by it....

I would hope that most anglers can see through the 'bs' but my worry is that many don't and are being led astray.

I Cannot agree more with the comments so far, in particular when it influences folks new to to the sport and having spoken to Bob in the past on this subject, a recent look through a "Commercial fishing magazine/paper" it is apparent that some folks play musical chairs, in relation to bait/tackle companies and that the new folks cannot differentiate and many don't and they are being led astray.

"I have owned tackle from many sources.
Daiwa, Drennan, Harrisons, Shimano, Greys, Fox, MAP, DAM, ABU, Hardy, Sage, Loomis, Scott, Pflueger, Penn, Maver, Snowbee, Airflo, 3M, Cortland, Fenwick and a few others besides.
Anyone beat that for a record."

Give it a while Ron, Peter Jacobs has to see your list yet. )

Very true though, Bob. I noticed that you didn't even mention your sponsor, Daiwa, much. About 6 times - )

I'm just against that blatant advertising that you point out, "the so-and-so line falling off the whats-a-name reel along the length of your whatchamacalled rod." About time Editors consigned it to the bin.

Walker did, quite often, mention products by name, good stuff that he'd found that was worth recommending. I doubt that he ever got any free samples though unless someone was being extremely hopeful.

I agree in principle with most of what you've said Bob.

I must be the only bloke in the UK that did'nt realise you were sponsored by Daiwa. Doesn't matter one iota to me, I wouldn't take your's or any other angler's reccomendations on any product as gospel anyway. The reams of nearly new kit that litters the darker reaches of my tackle cupboards bares testimony to that. I like to try things out for myself.

I use several Daiwa rods through personal choice. I originally kicked off with a couple of the Whiskar Kevlar carp rods and such was the quality, and longevity of these two rods (I'm still using them.)that they influenced my choice of new rods from that day on. In most cases I'd buy and reccomend Daiwa rods in front of any others. Only once have I been disappointed by their range, I gave away a Daiwa Sweepfire lure rod last year. Crap!

On the writing front I agree mostly with your sentiments, however I would extend one caveat. There seems to be a growing trend towards lambasting writers for lack of originality nowadays. I think there's sometimes a vitally important point being missed here. Take an article about Paternoster rigs for piking as an example. Furnish one of the mags with such an article and the howls of derision will likely follow in the following months 'Letters' page, along the lines of, 'Nothing new there' 'Lack of originality' etc.

Well of course us old hacks have probably seen enough words written about paternoster rigs to equal the word count for 'War and Peace'. However surely the very 'raison d'etre' of angling mags is to inform? There are always going to be newcomers coming into the sport that will be seeking out basic instructive writing of this kind. Bamboozling them with cleverly written articles pertaining to obscure, and sometimes wholly imaginitive, nuances that have been discovered following a lifetime of angling isn't likely to help them much is it?

Just my thoughts.

Regards Chris

My comment WAS aimed at Peter Jeff. I'm itching to see his reply.

I doubt if Walker got many free samples in his life, except perhaps from Hardy for whom he was a consultant. I know he used his prize Mitchell 300 clawed bail arm reel almost up to his death.

But Walker never did need free samples. During the last 20 years of his life, his Lawnmower company did extremely well and he died a fairly wealthy man.

We do have a tendency to run down much of the modern writing in the weeklies and monthly mags because we have seen it all before. There are a lot of beginners out there so perhaps we should criticize less.

Bob,

I am so glade at last some one well known like yourself has had the courage to say all this. I have myself tried on many forums, only to be slated by well known names and their public supporters for speaking out on this very subject.. I work in the industry of advertising myself and I am embarrassed by the way the angling media, so called names sell their products.
The worst case that just had me cringing was good old Cash from Gardner tackle, I don?t think he could have squeezed in another mention into his Show us your tackle in Course Fisherman some issues ago. Plus he just loves to have a pop at all the other manufactures on Forums. I don?t see too many new ideas coming out of the Gardner stable, just copies of stuff that?s already out there. I have given up reading his articles, they are just one big sell.
Any other industry would be laughed of the shelf, but some how we just let the angling media get away with it, time and time again. I don?t know about you, but you can walk into a tackle shop any day and see on the shelves were the larger manufactures have just copied each others products. It?s just a trade war and we let them get away with it. Unfortunately I have just taken my first stand against all this instead of buying a new rucksack from a tackle shop because my Fox fell to bits after only a year. Admittedly I do abuse it. I have bought an army one over the internet instead. The quality is far superior to tackle manufactures and my fishing buddy who has had the same model for well over four years still looks and performs like new apart from a few mud stains. I am sad that I have had to resort to this, but I will be damed if I just follow like a sheep.

A hero at last, well done Bob.

Phil

Great point Chris. If only original material was published there wouldn';t be much to read!

I think it's fair for writers to mention tackle if they explain why they chose that particular product, or how it solves a particular problem. That's informative and potentially useful to the reader.

Heheheh

Who IS this Bob Roberts bloke anyway ???

;-)

'...am so glade..'

Blatant product placement there CFU, I take it you're an air freshener rep eh??

Maybe he needs to advertise himself more .....

Well said Bob, I dare you to put it forward to CF and a few other mags to see if they will publish it!

That'll brighten up the letters column later this summer, and I for one WILL take out a one year subscription to the mag that publishes it.

One more thing Bob, dont forget to tell us your christmas card count this year compared to last!

Oh and 1 more thing Bob, can you ask the IT people at daiwa to sort out the web site!

When you click for the bigger picture of the mission overnighter oval brolly, you get the enlarged pic of a multiplier reel.

Also I CANNOT, for the life of me, find a pic of the mission overnighter WITH the overwrap attached anywhere, (pref with a bedchair in also) if I can see a pic, and it looks ok, I will buy 1.

Rant over!

Superb display of an almost 'political' type strategy here, of course in my own humble opinion! The old lion bares his teeth, the young 'Wannabees', best you all fall into line......

Kind regards,
Dave

Eddie
You will probably see one set up at the show in Birmingham

Eddie,

I shall email the guys in Scotland when they return to work after Easter. Failing that I'll take one myself the following weekend when I squeeze in a quick catfish session bfore departing for warmer climes where you can fish water that moves and email it to you...

As for publishing in a magazine, methinks it would meet with a little resistance. Should anyone want to print it they only have to ask. I fear the nearest you'll get is a passing mention in Graham's CF column.

Cheers for that Bob, thats most appreciated mate! I'll pm you so you have my msn!

Am away with the laaaaaaaaaaaaads next weekend Ed, but looks like Bob will come up with the goods anyway mate!

Cheers

EC

Bob ,great article ,got to agree %100 .
I stopped buying mag`s a couple of year`s ago,sick of the adverts and most of the crap that the writer`s where putting out .
I am more likely to take advice from the bloke`s on F/M ,at least it is honest advice.

Isn't it amazing how many people don't buy AT or the magazines any more because of teh advatorial?

Maybe all the writers should be sacked and they'll sell more copies!