PEETZ Outdoors Ltd is not closing this coming fall after all

I lost a Peetz stainless reel (and rod, flasher, lure and a big coho or Chinook!) in Barkley Sound last weekend. I called Peetz this morning to see if I might get a replacement. They are under new ownership and will start manufacturing new reels in October. Nice to see someone is keeping this iconic name alive.
 
porcupine said:
PEETZ Outdoors Ltd is closing this coming fall. Their iconic reels, rods and tackle will no longer be available, so if you want to own any new PEETZ, best get it while it is still available. Much of their stock will be going to Harbour Chandler in Nanaimo. PEETZ's phone # is 250-383-5342.
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Both my grandfathers fished Peetz reels -- and one of them put his woodworking skills to creating a copy -- I assume because the body had cracked under heavy use. He used steel line and quick release window sash weights before downriggers came along. There must be a few of them scattered on the bottom of Saanich Inlet.
 
Ross Clarkson said:
I lost a Peetz stainless reel (and rod, flasher, lure and a big coho or Chinook!) in Barkley Sound last weekend. I called Peetz this morning to see if I might get a replacement. They are under new ownership and will start manufacturing new reels in October. Nice to see someone is keeping this iconic name alive.
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Hopefully the Duncanby lodge practice of giving one to a guest that releases a tyee can continue now.
 
Ross Clarkson said:
I lost a Peetz stainless reel (and rod, flasher, lure and a big coho or Chinook!) in Barkley Sound last weekend. I called Peetz this morning to see if I might get a replacement. They are under new ownership and will start manufacturing new reels in October. Nice to see someone is keeping this iconic name alive.
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It’s awesome news that this iconic company (coming up on its 100 year anniversary) will actually still be producing BC made rods, reels and tackle. 👍
 
We'll see. People like the  idea of a Peetz reel, they're iconic and historic, sound great, look wonderful all polished up for a wall display, etc. But who actually buys them and fishes them? All the talk in here about salmon reels is CNC stuff like Islander and its competitors.
 
sly_karma said:
We'll see. People like the  idea of a Peetz reel, they're iconic and historic, sound great, look wonderful all polished up for a wall display, etc. But who actually buys them and fishes them? All the talk in here about salmon reels is CNC stuff like Islander and its competitors.
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Me, for one vote. Never bought a new one but have several restored with new drag.
 
sly_karma said:
We'll see. People like the  idea of a Peetz reel, they're iconic and historic, sound great, look wonderful all polished up for a wall display, etc. But who actually buys them and fishes them? All the talk in here about salmon reels is CNC stuff like Islander and its competitors.
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Fair, it doesn't seem as hard to make a good CNC reel as it used to. No reason Peetz can't do it too and keep its heritage line going. I know they did the stainless, but if you want to find fish/make money you go where everyone else is.
 
kaelc said:
Fair, it doesn't seem as hard to make a good CNC reel as it used to. No reason Peetz can't do it too and keep its heritage line going. I know they did the stainless, but if you want to find fish/make money you go where everyone else is.
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The former owners I used to work with. We all worked in solar industry in high tech. All of the products we designed and built were with cnc processes, and lean manufacturing. Seeing this place it isn't the type of business where that lean model would work. They actually made a lot of changes already on marketing end when they owned it. Changes to moving to laser etching of some of the reels instead of hand carving are examples.

If Art Aylsworth had stayed on years ago it would have really grown but really it was too small of company for him. Same with Marc. I was actually surprised when they bought it.

Put Covid and the recent fishing restrictions and it wasn't surprising too see them struggling.

At this point it really needs a new owner now too develop a different market beyond saltwater fishing locally.

Wish them best of luck.
 
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The local VI market isn’t worth their focus. It’s very small and people are cheap. Most want a deal or to buy used or just won’t spend the $ required for high end or mid range reels. The future in scale is online. To the global market. Just look what Abel has done. They don’t **** around. They build a good product and charge highly for it. They appeal to people who spend big, travel the world to fish and don’t care about spending a grand or two plus on a cool looking functional reel. Just one man’s view. And btw my best buddy worked at Peetz all thru high school in the early 70’s spinning lathes and pouring weights. He was a relative of Ivan. It was a great product at that time. They gotta take it now to the next level now. The brand has recognition locally. Maybe that’ll open some doors elsewhere. I’d hate to see it fail.
 
Yeah, nah. The market outside BC for single action trolling reels is tiny. Folks from outside the region always asking why we using "fly reels" for salmon. A wooden reel knuckle buster is niche beyond niche. I love em, but I can't see the business case.
 
pescador said:
The local VI market isn’t worth their focus. It’s very small and people are cheap. Most want a deal or to buy used or just won’t spend the $ required for high end or mid range reels. The future in scale is online. To the global market. Just look what Abel has done. They don’t **** around. They build a good product and charge highly for it. They appeal to people who spend big, travel the world to fish and don’t care about spending a grand or two plus on a cool looking functional reel. Just one man’s view. And btw my best buddy worked at Peetz all thru high school in the early 70’s spinning lathes and pouring weights. He was a relative of Ivan. It was a great product at that time. They gotta take it now to the next level now. The brand has recognition locally. Maybe that’ll open some doors elsewhere. I’d hate to see it fail.
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Interesting the personalized customization able offers on the able website, looks like just in time manufacturing. The collaborations are important too I bet. Love the move Peetz did with Jason Hunt, but once again small market. The need is to scale it to US artists who love to fish.

Agreed local market sucks, due to shrinkage in fishing days and changing demographics. I’m amazed how the local lure makers survive but the truth is it’s more of a lifestyle income rather than a business. With the increased costs of employees every year, and then add a wcb rate increase from an injured employees or worse a wrongful dismissal lawsuit you can’t be making things by hand and selling only or primarily to salmon fisherman.

Tons of respect for the former owners. No way I could have made the business work, I’m not smart enough and don’t work hard enough and don’t have deep enough pockets to compete in the global tackle game.

Love their lures too, would love to fish them. Hope they keep making them.
 
Just heard the “official news report” from the horses mouth that Robert Van Pelt from PNT is the new owner of Peetz. Those of you who know RVP know that he is a passionate and innovative gear guy who loves traditional salmon gear made in BC. Really looking forward to seeing how he can continue producing some of the Peetz classics (that in my mind are really functional pieces of art) while adding in new products and styling up stuff like he always does. Nothing but good stuff ahead Robert👍
 
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