Building the best angler team in fishing is not easy. Manufacturers know that pro anglers can indeed help the bottom line and give their products credibility. Putting together a "who's who" team from the angling community also takes money and those that do it best find ways of utilizing their pro staffs effectively and thoroughly. For years, Strike King Lure Company has been the company that others emulate and their success is based on two ingredients. Great pro staff combined with great cutting edge products.
Kevin VanDam, Denny Brauer, Mark Davis, Greg Hackney, George Cochran, Mark Menendez, James Niggemeyer, Mark Rose, Debra Hengst, Chad Brauer and Shaw Grigsby are at the top of their games and every fan of bass fishing knows them as both stellar performers but also credible people who believe in the products they use. When they talk about winning a tournament you know that a Strike King product will be included not just because they get paid by Strike King but because they use them. Their livelihoods depend on the best products and they all use Strike King.
Attending this years Strike King writers conference was way deeper than just getting a few video clips or stories. It was about learning about the Strike King family and just how important the angler and company relationship is. It runs very deep at Strike King. John Barns, Doug Minor, Alan Ranson, Crispin Powley and the guy behind the pro's Chris Brown live to make a better product. They work hard every day listening. The interchange of ideas and concepts is ongoing and no idea is a bad one. Not only do they talk about the products they have on the market now but are always searching for ways to make them better. E.F. Hutton has nothing on the Strike King leadership. When the pro's talk Strike King management listens and new products that help anglers catch more bass is the result.
We got to see first hand at this conference what makes Strike King successful. They wanted our input and they wanted each of us from the media to not only know about what was in store but also made us feel like family. I attend numerous writer conferences each year and without a doubt get more from this one event than most of the others. Its a combination business and fun and when you bring the fun into it its about fishing. Its like kids in a candy store not only for the press but for the Strike King family as well.
Chris Brown makes it go. He does the little things that makes the media want to talk about Strike King. This event is flawless and Chris makes sure we get everything we need both at the event and after. He follows up and makes sure that Strike King is kept on our respective radar's throughout the year. If the media needs something or a pro needs a bait he is the guy that makes that happen. He is driven by the right reasons and knows the importance of both his pro staff and the media. He makes it work.
The pro's are in a special class. Kevin VanDam, the best angler in the world, spends time talking about the little things, Denny Brauer the consumate pro keeps things lively and has forgotten more about a jig than most of us will ever know. He also is very versatile and those that think he only flips and ptiches find out differently at one of these events. Mark Davis is the best story teller in the business. Not only can he catch them but can spin a web about the stories on the road worth going to the trip itself. Mark Rose is a humble man of integrity and is a special guy both on and off of the water. He talks about giving back and the importance of family in the same breath while talking about a Sexy Spoon. James Niggemeyer is a up and comer and is also in a class by himself as a person. He isn't just a great angler but also someone that you are honored to call a friend. Greg Hackney loves this game. He is all about details and honesty is his middle name. He can not only tell you how but why and never leaves a detail out. Mark Menendez is a class act. He is honored to be on the Strike King team and it shows. He loves their products and gets fired up talking about them. Gentleman George, what can we say. He talks about hunting and fishing with the same passion and let us in on some shallow water tips that only a veteran would know. Spending just a few minutes with him talking fishing and he has a twinkle in his eye that only die-hards get. This is one special group and they genuinely care about Strike King. That is a difference maker from this writers standpoint.
In this day and age it is special to see an organization that is about people. Strike King Lure Company is that company and those of us who have had a chance to be around them know why. They care! Attending this event makes me want to buy Strike King products. Its not just about profit and bottomline its about people and I think that is important.
In tough economic times Strike King grows....I think that says it all.