What's the fastest growing part of the bass fishing industry?

i would guess the big swimbait industry, it has taken over by storm in last couple years or so.

A-rigs, seriously

Patch Pirates!

Expense!

Internet braggers with White Rods and Go Pros

premium price rods..!!!

Kayak fishing and trails.

Electronics and networking those devices.

Power poles,that they don't use.

Underspins

This is a correct statement. Maybe mix in a jersey with the company names of baits you pay for, which you wear on Tuesday (your only day off) while fun fishing.

Why everyone knows it is the fishing jersey mfg's. Cant catch a fish without one......LOL
On a more serious note I hope the boat mfg's get their turn at the top soon and I believe they will if oil stays low. After having to tough it through this economy they deserve it.

Bank repo business on new high dollar boats.

Didn't you use a sharpie and color a white rod black?

I agree with the Kayak statement, this market has blown up in the last few years.

As a good market study, you may research the iCAST list of new and upcoming products, this should give great insight into where the big players are headed.

Personally I think the "Bolt Ons" market for bass boats is really taking off more now than ever. From shallow water anchors to electronics, LED lights etc. Something that all of us can use and would be willing to purchase to make life on the water a little easier, or even cool, is a serious money making feat. Its a broad area with a ton of options, but this market is moving more than the others (ie. Rods, Crankbaits, etc.)

To list a few others:
BASS University
Cost effective options in Boating (Skeeters new ZX line of boats)
Collegiate Fishing
Tackle Storage (they are really coming out with some slick options for soft plastics etc)



P.S. I am sorry that you are still forced to read the rest of the comments others have posted here. I highly anticipate the day the wardens instantly remove nonsense like the above.

Cheers.

High end lodging. Lol.

Here to echo whats been said already Kayak fishing seems to be booming.

College and High School participation

Definitely plastic baits.

I would say the electronics side of things. I know they've gotten better exponentially withing the last couple of year but I'm sure there's still room to grow. There always is

The amount of advertising that`s around. Outrageous gear claims and more common "super-lures" - all that BS.

I second this statement, dont forget having your name on the back of that jersey also.

I'm guessing unemployeement.

hard to do when you can finance those things for 25 years..

Amen to that!!

Continued advancements in technology? Perhaps, where you can ultimately drop a boat in the water, press a button, and you get the lake map for that given moment in time, such as where the bait fish are located, or where there are beds with fish on them, or some virtual 3D environment where you can see underwater structure in suspended animation. Probably advancements in safety in radar detection when your running on plane with low visibility.

Content management, either for the marketing side of the angler, product and/or service, is huge and will continue to impact the industry. Those who can take content from almost anywhere and make something relevant out of it can add value to themselves and the entire industry. Those that do it well can leverage avenues for income that can help offset the expenses for something they love to do. One angler that comes to mind is Justin Rackley (Lake Fork Guy on YouTube). He has educational edited content on his YouTube channel and solid background in fisheries management, marketing, and philanthropy. I recently met some of rookies on the Bassmaster Elite pro-tour, and there is a reoccurring theme of financial sustainability - specific to content management and how their personal branding evolves in order to best represent their sponsors interests. If they can excel at it.. they might just be able to make a living.

In defense of the white rods, Carrot Stix or Wright & McGill rods are colorful...it's all marketing mixed with purpose.

kekuhaupiomoa
Very intelligent and insightful comment!!!
Welcome to the forum, looking forward to hearing more from you.
POP

High-school kids asking for freebies.

Need another tournament trail!

Amen to that. I rarely see anyone that has these over priced gadgets use them. Total waste of money for most.

We call them "Kris Kris" posers...

Tournament Entry Fees

+1, on these.

I'll add bankruptcy.

Swim baits...hard and soft

Specialty rods. A rod for every occasion.

I know thats right lol!!!!

You're right, but I don't know how fast it's growing anymore. I think it's reached its peak and will probably trail off. Technology as far as sensitivity, strength, and weight will continue to evolve.

I've been seeing lots of people on social media posting up huge swim baits and actually catching quality fish with them.

Kayak fishing hands down. A guy just won $16K in a kayak tournament in TN, next year the same event will boast a $20K cash prize. With the amount of quality trails in TX and around the country popping up, TV shows, sponsorships, It's hard to argue anything over the past few years has been hotter.

The tournament trail I've been fishing out of central TX has drawn 136, 146, and 79 anglers to the first three events (ladybird, Bastrop, Palestine)

http://kbfopen.com/2016-kbf-national-championship/

High school teams. It is growing at an amazing rate.

Everybody can have a GoPro and YouTube channel that they "star" in.

Thefts.

....and the use of idiotic names and expressions like, "he's a stick!" WTF?

I'd say knowledge is growing fast. There are a bunch of us that didn't know how to properly hold a fish or care for a fish. Lots of additives from Mt. Dew to Please Release Me are being used by most now.

I'd like to see a livewell system that has a cooling line run through it and it has a misting spray at the bow and stern for the anglers to cool off when that want to (fresh water of course).


Another thing is SUN protection from buffs to gloves so you don't have to put on sunscreen 5 times a day.

Fouzman
I hope you're just unsuccessfully trying to be funny with your statement that high school kids asking for freebies is the fastest growing part of bass fishing.
I'm gonna stand up for the kids and say that you are flat out wrong!
I've had the privalege of interacting with hundreds of teams from several different states at weigh ins and have not witnessed that at all. They are there for the competition first and foremost and are very respectable in their actions and the way they conduct themselves from what I've witnessed first hand.

To the original posted question.
I think high school fishing participation is the fastest growing part of bass fishing and is also the best thing to happen to bass fishing in the twenty five years that I've been fishing bass tournaments.

Not sure if the op is looking for a "serious" answer, but the answer -- depending on how you define "growing" -- is nothing is fast-growing maybe EXCEPT the college and HS scenes, but those are newer and really look like they are "growing" more than they are. Still, most everything in bassin' is healthy, which is good....

One aspect that is growing faster and part of the Bass fishing industry is more low water lake levels and the price of boat ramp fees sky rocketing. If they go much higher in the DFW area Obama is going to want to take credit for it.

spy baits

Definitely the high school fishing teams. It can be seen with the large corporations getting on board. I don't think Skeeter, Lews, Costa and the likes would jump in head first without seeing the importance.

from what I've seen, Power poles.

Youtube and other social media fishing videos. As quality waterproof video cameras have become more affordable and simple to operate, there will be more and more of this.

Have to agree with you here 1442, Fouz, don't rain on these boy's for a couple bad apples! I can think of about a few hundred things worse these boy's could be doing besides fishing.