Just reporting in from EFFTEX… at the RAI in Amsterdam….
MAP looking good (loving their luggage and they have sold loads of it) but Mike Robinson is dreading going back to work after McLeish joining Villa… also got my head around their quick release hooklength thing at the second time of asking as I first saw it in October.
Wychwood showing off some fine looking new specimen gear and good to see Mike Barnes (formerly CEMEX) looking happy and relaxed.
Roy Marlow doing what Roy Marlow does so well on the Murukyo stand.
Jim Burton of MatchBox looking healthy after his opp and is the English presence on the Old Ghost stand, a very big Chinese bait company that’s testing the European market.
Big news is a kind of merger between Shimano and Rapala…. bumped into Dynamite Baits Steve Cole – they have also been bought by Rapala who are obviously on the move.
Chatted with Mark Downes for the first time in ages – he’s very happy with how the Sensas pole range is going.
Also bumped into an old mate of mine from the US team – Jeff Kolodzinski who is on the Frabil stand. He’s going to try and beat his own official Guinness world record for the most fish caught in 24 hours in July – it’s all streamed live online and also several TV companies cover it. Jim is helping him out with a shiny new box.
Preston and Hardy also here as are Dinsmores… generally seems to be cautious but optimistic mood. Actually commuting heading back tnt…. .