Dear Baby Boomers; Dear Generation X,
We need to talk.
If you attended the ASA Sportfishing Summit in October, or read Ken Duke’s column last week, then you’ve received a dump truck full of information about Generation Y lately. Yes, I’m talking about millennials.
You’ve learned that millennials are selfish (they invented the “selfie” after all), that they’re “five to seven years younger” in mentality than actual age, and that they’re a snooty bunch of spenders who won’t buy anything without reading a 5-star review on Amazon. They’re the simultaneous scourge and future of the fishing industry.
But I’m here to tell you that some of what you’ve learned is wrong, or at least, disputable. What gives me the authority to do so? No offense to Mr. Duke or ASA guest speaker Cam Marston, but I am a millennial. So, in a naturally insubordinate way, I went to other millennials inside of the fishing industry to gauge their reactions to the statistics of our generation.
Brian Latimer is a 32 year-old FLW Pro who happens to be the cover man for Ken Duke’s column last week; he’s also sponsored by the millennial-led fishing app startup Fatsack Outdoors. In under a year Fatsack has left a wake in the industry by attracting over $375,000 in investment en route to an increased valuation. Its founder, Nick Rubio, just turned 26 years old.
Latimer was surprised to learn that his generation is behind Boomers and Xers in development. (A 2014 White House report say only 30 percent of those ages 20-34 are married.)
He says young anglers are hitting the water on their own and with more firepower than they were even a decade ago. “Kids own boats probably three to five years earlier than I did when I was in school,” he texts. “They compete at a higher level than I did as a teenager, and are really just better anglers in general. Look at college and high school fishing. Those kids are driving $70,000 rigs—not all of them, but a considerable amount. The future of fishing is rich, and I don’t mean in money, I mean in talent and desire.”
The fishin magician was back at it again.. this time he reveals his favorite musky location, the YMCA pool! For more secret hot spots stop by Thousand Lakes tomorrow between 4-7. We hope to see you there! Posted by Thousand Lakes Sporting Goods on Thursday, February 5, 2015
Grant Prokop is the 26 year-old co-owner of Thousand Lakes Sporting Goods in Cohasset, Minnesota. Did you watch his video clip above? He’s a tackle shop owner. He’s also a millennial. So what does Mr. Prokop deduce about his generation’s shopping habits?
“I’m one of those guys that wants to touch and feel and try it on. I want to be able to pick that rod up and bend it. A guy or gal can come into my shop, do those things and find it online at a cheaper price and order it up, but a lot of the time, they don’t realize the shipping cost that goes with it. I still have a huge amount of the younger crowd that are buying from me. A lot of them will pull up their phone and ask to price match it. As long as I’m not losing money, I’m fine with it. The nature of our products…rods and reels and tackle make it difficult to buy it online. People want to touch it.”
Prokop also says that shopping habits aren’t the only thing he’s observed about his own generation. “I’m starting to see more and more younger people thanking veterans,” he elaborates. “I don’t know whether that’s because it has become cool or not, but I’ve noticed them doing that.”
Bassmaster Elite Series Pro Jordan Lee was born in 1991. He just recorded a Top 10 finish in Bassmaster’s Angler of the Year Standings, and at 24, he’s one of the youngest professional anglers fishing the top tier of national bass circuits. Lee has 17,000 followers on Instagram, which means he knows a thing or two about selfies. But does he think selfies are really … selfish?
“Social media gives the fans more of a behind the scenes look at our road trips and tournaments,” Lee says. “I know when I was in high school, there was no Instagram, so I couldn’t get those day-to-day updates from the guys I liked to follow. I had to read Bassmaster Magazine every month to keep up.”
I do miss these feisty girls!! She swam under my trolling motor in the middle of St.Clair and got thumped! #smallies #thick #dropshot A photo posted by Jordan Lee (@jleefishing) on
“I think that social media helps aid you in building your brand. It also helps promote sponsors and connect with people that you wouldn’t be able to connect with in any other way.”
Back in Minnesota, Prokop agrees: “Social media is a big tool that you have to use to connect with the younger crowd. If they like your social media posts, they’ll come to your store. Every kid that’s a millennial is in that bowl.”
So it seems that Lee, at least, thinks the hallmark of the “me” generation is misunderstood: it’s not about him, it’s about sponsors and fans and experiences. Prokop thinks it’s a tool to drive foot traffic. And I tend to think both are right.
Generation Y is many things: we are a giving generation—84 percent of us chose to give to charity last year. We are a generation of explorers— 78 percent of us place more value on experiences than ownership. We are the fusion between telephone books and iPhones, glued together in the presses of the Great Recession. And we are the future of fishing, at least for a while.
If you were afraid of millennials before this week, rest easy. Sometimes, the stats don’t tell the whole story, but now that you’ve heard from the people behind Generation Y, I hope the future is looking pretty bright.
Oh, one last thing… we didn’t invent this:
Discover more from Fishing Tackle Retailer - The Business Magazine of the Sportfishing Industry
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
