Which side do you come down on

[Northantslad]

Linked a bit to the other thread and without wishing to take that off topic......

The cynic or may be even the realist might think, top anglers are paid to promote the company's gear they are signed up to, so when they say ' i can honestly say this (insert here) is the best i have used' you think yea yea you are paid to say that.

Is a balance of the argument, that the top anglers have that much pulling power, they actually can chose to work for the company/s that do actually produce the best kit and they wouldn't risk their name, reputation or not catching as well with not so good kit?

The cloudy bit comes i suppose when they do that much fishing, that the subtle differences between say one elastic or another within or across manufacturers, that gives a selling point, may not be that critical to the intended audience who may be your once a week average club angler, but its advertising and it works. It got me converted again.

Looking to go beyond the 'you can give a good angler bad kit' and vice versa debate, more that personally i come down on the less cynical viewpoint overall, but apply a pinch of salt sometimes; some recent thoughts i had on watching some of the recent offerings:

Des talking about bait boosters 'been catching loads since i have been using this'- you probably have Des, but you could catch in a puddle, so not for me.
Elastics, best thing i have done recently is go back to hollo elastics personally- so agree with what is said on that one.

The most recent QnA is a good watch where Des talks about his early preston days and was spotted using not the preston seat box and the telling off he got for doing so and how the top anglers name any kit in their box not made by their sponsoring company as contraband.
In that QnA, he confirms what i thought and overall i think he in this case is genuinely honest when he is countering the 'you are paid to say that' point. He could i think have the pick of any of the popular companies, so his current choice must to a degree produce kit that enhances his fishing, and therefore is genuinely good kit.

In the tackle and bait consultancy aspect of the role, i suppose it is a match well made, the company has the means to produce and the anglers ability and knowledge ensures it is produced right for the job.

 

[ukzero1]

There's one angler in particular that I know very well, he's been with a major tackle company for years. Does he sit on that company';s tackle box? No (except in video's he's done). He doesn't use that company's elastics in his poles either.
Regarding the box, he says theyre not comfortable enough over a space of time and the elastics are rubbish against what he uses. He's still with that company.

 

[commieboy257]

there's one Youtube 'advert' I came across with Nick Speed that made me nauseous. He seems like a nice chap but how much this bait company is paying him I don't know because he's virtually groaning with pleasure when he lifts the cover of a 'surprise' bucket of groundbait options he has to use for a 'challenge'.
Sickening.
and do you think Steve Ringer uses Ringer baits because thy're free or because they're any good ?

 

[chefster]

Personally I think if you listen to the likes of Des Shipp, Callum Dicks, Jamie Hughes, about tackle choices you won’t go far wrong anyway...They’re not just given an item of tackle to”push” on customers, they have input in design, field testing and final manufacturing ...Des and Callum and some others have been with their sponsors a long time, so their belief must say something...At the end of the day, any big items I buy I try first, I always use my own brain to Decide what to buy, I take no notice of reviews or what people say on here..I’d certainly never post a “which pole should I buy” post, !! I’m perfectly capable of going and trying things, and making a decision, based on how the product feels for me

 

[Cobweb]

As a pleasure angler, before buying either a decent rod or reel, I tend to read independent reviews (a diminishing source) and try and watch a video of the rod in action. I generally ignore the expert's commentary except for hard info about c/w, distances and ring/reel compatibility with braid/shock leaders etc.

I tend to order on line these days as my mobility restricts me from travelling to a tackle shop that has a good selection of rods which I can "have a feel" of

Most recently Nick Speed's extensive and sleep inducing gushing over the new Shimano X Aero range of rods, almost put me off thinking about buying one. The exception was the X7 range precision feeder, which sounds like a technology driven (At twice the price and then some) upgrade to Browning's Hyperdrome feeder which I may be looking to buy soon dosh permitting.

 

[chefster]

As a pleasure angler, before buying either a decent rod or reel, I tend to read independent reviews (a diminishing source) and try and watch a video of the rod in action. I generally ignore the expert's commentary except for hard info about c/w, distances and ring/reel compatibility with braid/shock leaders etc.

I tend to order on line these days as my mobility restricts me from travelling to a tackle shop that has a good selection of rods which I can "have a feel" of

Most recently Nick Speed's extensive and sleep inducing gushing over the new Shimano X Aero range of rods, almost put me off thinking about buying one. The exception was the X7 range precision feeder, which sounds like a technology driven (At twice the price and then some) upgrade to Browning's Hyperdrome feeder which I may be looking to buy soon dosh permitting.

Nick Speed is a brilliant angler and has been with Shimano many years, he has a lot of input into tackle design,and a lot of belief and faith in the tackle, why wouldn’t you listen to his opinion???‍

 

[Dave]

...he is also a genuine guy; if it wasn't up to the job he'd not say it was

 

[Paul Cresswell]

I don’t think there is a lot in performance terms with any top tackle so it comes down to personal preference, experience with certain brands. I think there are definitely top anglers who use tackle which is not as good as the best as they have to, that’s part of being sponsored, but we are talking fractions of a percentage. For example all the Prestons anglers wear the df30 waterproofs, almost all other sponsored anglers use HH, Jamie Hughes uses his spotted fin sponsorship to avoid Matrix Waterproofs, Andy May has MAP branded Halkon Hunt, Alan Scotthorne has Drennan branded HH.

I do hate an overly blatant plug, telling us what kit is used is fine and interesting. It’s sometimes more interesting when non sponsored anglers (or those with sponsors who don’t do everything) tell us what they use.

 

[Silverfisher]

For me I go off a combination of having a feel in the tackle shop and reviews of like minded anglers with a similar style of angling and preferences style of tackle wise to me whether they be famous or not

 

[Zerkalo]

I think we're quite lucky to have top tackle companies making the stuff they do, sure lots of stuff you could say is designed to catch the angler, but when I watch videos of top anglers talking about tackle as @chefster says they have also often had input in its design. I find a lot of the sponsored angler videos to be a good balance between pushing stuff and giving advice too. Though I do bear in mind the 'catch the angler' part when buying any tackle and combined with reviews on here I'm usually happy with what I've bought.

 

[mickthechippy]

Once when In a conversation with surely one of the best anglers of all time

Mr Ian Heaps no less

I asked him the question, Why Silstar ? (his sponsors at the hieght of his fame)

He replied, They paid the most

 

[chefster]

Once when In a conversation with surely one of
Mr Ian Heaps no less

I asked him the question, Why Silstar ? (his sponsors at the hieght of his fame)

He replied, They paid the most

With comments like that from supposed “heroes “ of the sport, it’s no wonder people have little or no faith in sponsored anglers opinions on tackle , any sponsored angler making comments like that should have their sponsorship taken away

 

[nickg]

I think there is definitely a law of diminishing returns around a lot of this stuff.

Does a fish in the pond know what brand your rod or reel or bite alarm is?

And truly without back to back blind tests can anyone say for sure whether method mix by vendor x y or z would or wouldn't have gotten you that extra bite.

I think common sense, in Liberal doses is required with much fishing tackle.

 

[chefster]

I think there is definitely a law of diminishing returns around a lot of this stuff.

Does a fish in the pond know what brand your rod or reel or bite alarm is?

And truly without back to back blind tests can anyone say for sure whether method mix by vendor x y or z would or wouldn't have gotten you that extra bite.

I think common sense, in Liberal doses is required with much fishing tackle.

As I posted earlier all comes down to using your own brain and making decisions to suit you ?

 

[emmaemma]

Sales and marketing has always been the same. It's no different to choosing a set of golf clubs, a packet of washing powder or a car. The choice is endless and you pays your money and takes your chance....all within budget of course....

 

[mickthechippy]

With comments like that from supposed “heroes “ of the sport, it’s no wonder people have little or no faith in sponsored anglers opinions on tackle , any sponsored angler making comments like that should have their sponsorship taken away

so give me your reasons that a sponsored angler uses the tackle hes sponsored to use

sponsorship is merely a company paying a person to use thier name in marketing rights

how many of the better known anglers have changed their sponsors from thier original backers to others

why would fishing be any different to any other products that well known people promote

 

[chefster]

Obviously most people are driven by money, but I would like to think there is product belief and loyalty involved, in the decisions they’ve taken to be in the position they are in ... ?‍Just my opinion

 

[Lee Richards]

Professional sports people who use equipment usually at some stage of their careers have active involvement in the R&D process.
If they move elsewhere then it can be down to the backers won't invest in the ideas or someone else down the line is willing to and pay more - no different to any other business.
Schumacher and Hamilton drove great cars that were developed to suit their needs and the same applies to the Ringers with their baits.

 

[emmaemma]

I can't say I buy any item of tackle because a sponsored angler uses it.

 

[mickthechippy]

Professional sports people who use equipment usually at some stage of their careers have active involvement in the R&D process.
If they move elsewhere then it can be down to the backers won't invest in the ideas or someone else down the line is willing to and pay more - no different to any other business.
Schumacher and Hamilton drove great cars that were developed to suit their needs and the same applies to the Ringers with their baits.

dont ringers own the bait company and a few of the associated products ?