Merwin: Pink Gear for Serious Fisherwomen?
SHARE

So how about all the pink gear and clothing designed for female anglers? Right up front, I think it’s idiotic. None of the women anglers I know–including Mrs. Merwin–would be caught dead wearing this stuff. They like good gear and clothing just as much as men do, but would of course prefer that a fishing shirt, say, be tailored in women’s sizes. And definitely not garish pink. Pink clothing or ribbons or accessories are sometimes promoted to enhance breast-cancer awareness, which is certainly a worthy cause. But pink marketing has gone far beyond that as various manufacturers try to tap the buying power of female anglers.

So there are pink rods, pink fishing boots, pink gear bags, and on and on. It’s just silly. And I think marketers are being just plain condescending to women in general and thereby hurting–rather than helping–their sales goals.

This is enough of an issue that Southwick Associates, which does the monthly online Angler Survey to inform both anglers and the fishing industry about attitudes and buying trends, has included some “pink” questions in the September version. By all means check that out, but first tell me: Would the lady in your life wear a bright pink fishing vest or desire a bright-pink fishing rod?