EFFTEX AWARDS

By Ed Herbst

Tom Lewin, Dean Riphagen, Mike McKeown and other staff members at Frontier Fly Fishing in Johannesburg

http://www.frontierflyfishing.co.za/

were understandably elated when the Sage One fly rod was chosen as the best  fly rod on show at the annual European Fishing Tackle Trade Exhibition (EFTTEX) in Amsterdam recently. This was the 30 th anniversary exhibition and I have posted some background information from the EFFTA website below.

The winning reel was the Vosseler Tryst and what was interesting was that a split cane rod was nominated as one of the best rods on show.

With Tom Moran – considered by many to be the best in the world right now – a contention that will no doubt be hotly disputed by many split cane enthusiasts – now assisting Hardy in re-producing classics  like the CCde France – the interest in these rods has never been higher.

http://www.hardyfishing.com/en-gb/news-and-events/news/uncategorised/hardy-greys-ltd-invest-in-the-future-of-cane-rod-manufacture/

EFTTA was established in London in 1981, as an international, independent association to serve the European fishing tackle trade by campaigning to promote sportfishing, environmental issues and international business. EFTTA is registered as an official lobbying association in Brussels.

EFTTA's objective is to promote the interests of the European fishing tackle trade and to make it more effective in the international market place. To this end, close relations have been established with the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) and the Japanese Fishing Tackle Manufacturers Association (JAFTMA). EFTTA has negotiated agreements with these associations for reciprocal exhibiting rights so members can break into world-wide markets.

In 1982 the first European Fishing Tackle Trade Exhibition (EFTTEX) was initiated by EFTTA. This has developed over the years into the premier trade show for the industry. EFTTEX attracts some of the most well-known names in the industry and is also a place to meet new and emerging companies within the trade. The location of EFTTEX changes annually and previous host countries include Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK.

Below are some links to these interesting products

Reels

http://www.angling-international.com/efttex-awards/best-new-fly-reel/vosseler-tryst/

http://www.angling-international.com/efttex-awards/best-new-fly-reel/

Rods

http://www.angling-international.com/efttex-awards/best-new-fly-rod/sage-one/

http://www.angling-international.com/efttex-awards/best-new-fly-rod/zierhut-bamboo-fly-rods/

http://www.rudiheger.eu/New-Products-2011/Zierhut-Fly-Rods::3305.html

I first realised how important the EFFTEX exhibition was for fly fishers when Jiri Klima visited South Africa in May 2007 for a series of clinics.

He fished the Holsloot with me on Ernst and Anchen Stoberg’s farm, Dwarsberg which is about 90 minutes by car from Cape Town.

http://www.trouthaven.co.za/

He was fishing an eight foot, two piece fly rod which was the first 2-weight that I ever thought I would be comfortable fishing into a downstream wind.

The blank – the MF802 - was made by Harvest Tackle in Taiwan

http://www.harvest-tackle.com.tw/mayfly.htm

and Jiri had become interested when it won the EFFTEX  award when the exhibition was held in Poland in 2005 (it had won the same award when the EFFTEX exhibition was held in London the previous year.)

He had the blank built to his own specifications and the picture shows him fishing with it on  the Smalblaar stream about an hour’s drive from Cape Town. The picture was taken during a spate and while he was giving a clinic at the nearby motel.

The best angling products compete for the EFFTEX award and the Sage One looks as though it will cement the company’s reputation as a producer of outstanding fly rods.