Paul Arden | Monday, 24 October 2016
A few people asked me last week how it was possible to bring our a rod of significantly higher quality that the Sage X but at the same US price. After all, our blank is more expensive, our fittings more expensive and our build more expensive. In short they cost a lot more to produce! The simple answer is that we predominantly sell direct. It's true that we sell through a few select shops (friends) but then everyone works on smaller margins.
In case you missed it, here is the comparison between the Sexyloops Hot Torpedo series and the Sage X in the Hot Torpedo Owners' Club.
It's been a great summer in Europe catching up with very many friends, including, of course, TZ who zipped down on his motorbike to come fishing in Bosnia with Ashly and I. Always fantastic to catch up with Thomas, and Ashly got a great fly tying lesson as well! Thanks Thomas! (Thomas is available on Skype to give fly tying classes). In fact all round it's been a superb European trip, my truck has done 7500 miles now, and in only three months! It has a few minor running issues, such as a leaky fuel pipe causing it to stall, at generally the most inconvenient times, and the tyres need replacing and the alignment straightened, but apart from that it really is a first class truck. It's excellent off road too. Oh and there's a fan belt problem, making it sound like a dying pig but with only two weeks to go, these small running issues can be fixed on my next European trip.
I'm not really sure when that is going to be. I would love to put another year into the Jungle in Malaysia, and will almost certainly fish there for nine months starting next month. But then, most likely, I need another trip, either to Sweden and Bosnia for the summer, or else the USA, or possibly both. 2018 will definitely see me back in Europe for the World Championships in Fly Casting with Fly Fishing Tackle, which is to be held in England - I'm looking forward to this and have set myself the goal to be competitive in the Double Handed Dildo as well.
For the next two weeks however I need to work. The Hot Torpedo Owner's Club needs work, I need to organise for the jungle (we're heading straight into the Wet Season and I have a cunning plan for Ashly to become a fishing guide so we have access to the protected area in Belum), we need new equipment and possibly a second boat, there are flies to be tied and of course this is a very busy time for us with the shop (new aluminium tubes arriving from the USA this week and two new rods coming out very shortly).
Last week was a really great week for sales - the best week of the season (don't ask me why!) - but all the sales went to Europe so that needs my attention too.
Busy times and life is on the up and up. I'm still fishing of course - this is important because I'm in a competition with Bernd to fish more days than he - and so I've been fishing for Asp and Chub. The Chub are taking dry flies in the middle of the day and so that keeps me out of mischief and keeps me slightly ahead of Bernd I feel.
Have a fantastic fishy week!
Cheers,
Paul
Good discussion on "The Stop" on the Board!
