I thought you might be interested in seeing this letter from Jim Rawcliffe of 'Tails Up',it is his comments on 'Buying British ?'.

This is an extract from 'Tackle & Guns' recent issue.....I hope I'm not infringing any copyright, it's part of a letter Jim sent them.

I can't help feeling I have to agree with the sentiments of this letter. This piece is sure to evoke some responses....

"I have never understood the copying thing when the copies are inferior! But then I come from a background where I was taught respect and appreciation not simply greed! Jumping on the bandwagon seems to be the thing to do these days. If there's a fast buck to be made there is always a queue of would-bes.

So you can see my feelings towards cheaply made, inferior products and poor imports are fairly hostile. Although the punter initially feels he has made a good deal, his thoughts soon change when he realises that he has to buy another one when that product fails soon after. The stories we hear on a daily basis about cheap gear failing you wouldn't believe.

Apart form anything else, it's so short-sighted. Anglers don't seem to realise that they are doing their fellow countrymen out of a job. This nation has always pulled together in the face of adversity. And now we're giving away our own jobs to Chinese, Indians and Eastern Europeans. Not that I have any racist or indeen trade restrictive views. Far from it, there are some superb foreign imports around but they do say charity begins at home and as a result my frist thoughts are for my fellow countrymen. How long will it be till they themselves are replaced by a foreign import? What about the countless corner shops that have closed as a result of not being able to compete with the so-called discount mechants who are often selling inferior quality foreign imports? These discount stores that are responsible for the decline in corner shops will also, ultimately, be responsible for the death of fishing itself. Why? Because if the youngster who would be the next generation of angler can't buy maggots, hooks or the occasioal float at his street corner shop, he can't go fishing."

Await your replies !!!

Chris 'Essex Man' Woodrow

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Most of the top tackle manufacturers import
their tackle from the far east.
I use shimano rods and reels. Shimano are a
Japanese company and their goods have never let me down.
Most top poles are made on the continent.
I use one made by an Italian company.
It has never let me down.
It is cheaper for these companies to make
their goods abroad.
I have never come across fake fishing gear
but I only buy tackle from tackle shops.

Agree with you RUDD.

If the British tackle trade continue too rip anglers off then people will go elsewhere.

Chris

Please do not tell me they put something back, they put nothing back, it is greed.

As for the piece saying we are doing our fellow countrymen out of a job, rubbish, they are doing themselves out of a job by being greedy. Then when they see us go to a cheaper supplier they blame us, also rubbish.

Just my twopence worth.

------------------
Chris Shaw

[This message has been edited by Chris Shaw (edited 08 February 2001).]

The days of inferior copies seem, largely, to have gone. But the days of British tackle, with a few notable exceptions, being the 'best' has long since gone. I buy very little from my local shop, apart from traded in goods, because they rarely have what I want, the US does and so do UK specialist suppliers like Harris Angling. It has nothing to do with quality, just availability. The local tackle shop doesn't rip me off, they are governed by what they are charged. But I would like to know why a Shimano, Diawa, ABU et al rod or reel is so much cheaper in the US? Why is so much tackle from these dealers available in the States but not in the UK? Its down to the wholesalers, not the retailers.

Chris,
People are all different, some buy british others buy cheapest whilst yet others buy best. It's the same with fishing tackle as it is with cars, electrical appliances etc. Now it just so happens my car is british but it's only because I have done well with them before.

Most fishing tackle is made abroad anyway, and only some of the (relatively) smaller companies are british. Most of them charge exorbitant prices and are just in it for making the most money.

The most important thing is if british goods are of superior quality at competive prices then they will get a good share of the market. At the moment that isn't the case and until it is a lot of people won't buy british.

Rob.

Sorry mate, I'm in agreement with the others,
I lure fish. British lures, (except the custom made baits), are with one or two exceptions just poor imitations.
All reasonable baits are French,Scanndie, Usa,Aus,
Japanese but G.B I think not. And try some of the british braid efforts.
We are trying to catch up but that makes us the copiers. How it got like this
I have no idea.
Having said that, Like in Hi-fi, or Formula one racing, we have marvelous cottage industries. As for hinting that forign mainstream tackle is c##p, that is like saying that Sony or Audi is junk.-Don't hold water anymore.


[This message has been edited by Danny H (edited 08 February 2001).]

What I have thought about British fishing tackle and accessories can be put in one sentence,
"Extremely well made but overpriced"
Keith

If two products are similar in quality and price, but one is British, I will buy the British one. I like to think I am doing my bit for a Brit worker. Daiwa produce a lot of thier quality rods in the UK but import the cheap stuff, I have some of thier rods and have found them to be V.good.

Having said that, I also have Shimano and ABU gear amongst others, just depends who makes the best of what I want.

The tackle trade in this country must not rely on wrapping itself in the Union Jack and saying 'British is best', that one ceased to hold water years ago, witness the UK Car and Motorcycle industries.

As for discount stores, yes I will use them. I would be a mug not to, when the saving on a rod can be substantial. Some of these discount stores are also tackle shops, whose owners have wised up, for example Bennets or Fishermans Friend.

Warehouse operations may be a diferent matter, but who has never used Argos for example?, should tackle shops be a special case?.

Cheers, Adrian

Why can I buy a Mitchell 300 reel that is made in France cheaper at a retail price in the US than I can in the UK at a trade price?
I have no problem paying for quality,in fact I would rather do so as I have found that in the long run this is the most economical any way.But quite often when looking at a lot of tackle from certain firms all I see is a name and no quality.I am lucky enough to occaisionaly recieve tackle to try out I also have various trade accounts with whole salers.Some gear I don't want even if it is for free!A lot of stuff I would not even pay the trade price for!Where does the problem really lay? the manufacturer?the wholesaler? the hard done dealer? NO none of these,just the soft in the head punters who feel that a £300 rod will catch them 3x more than a £100 one!I will leave it for now but will later post some amazing examples of "Tackle Price Blindness"!