VERY DISTURBING! Do you know where your tackle was made?

[Ron C]

Or your kid's toys? Or your shoes? Perhaps you should.

I recently learned that my passion for bass fishing has been funding a military that my son or his sons (and yours) will most likely have to fight against some day. I know that I will be reading the labels a lot more carefully from now on before I buy ANYTHING.

http://www.americandaily.com/article/6916

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/artic ... E_ID=25852

Ron C

PS: Normally I would say "Not Fishing Related", but this is VERY fishing related.

[mark poulson]

Ron,
I can't believe you're just now finding this out. I bought two Shimano rods, and they say made in China on the butt wrapper. Lots of the stuff in BPS and Cabela's is from China. In fact, if you look at their apparel lines, most of it is imported, if not from China, then from Thailand.
Kind of makes you think, like how American workers built the industries and invented the products that American companies then sent overseas to be produced. I keep hearing about cheaper goods from China making stuff more affordable for us here in the U.S. Well, it better, because all the good paying jobs that used to let us buy better stuff went overseas with the manufacturing of these products. I just wonder how long we'll be able to afford the "affordable" stuff, the way things are going.
Mark

[Ron C]

...I knew about the slave labor stuff, I just didn't realize that one out of every three dollars made from goods exported to the U.S. went directly to the Chinese military, and ultimately to terrorist organizations. I was also unaware of the control that China has over our stock market. We are toast, my friend (maybe not in our lifetime, but certainly in our kid's or their kid's).

Ron C

[mark poulson]

I hear you, Ron. It makes me mad when we elect people to lead us, and they wind up leading us down the garden path toward a sink hole. If we can see what's ahead, I know they can. Either they agree with what's going on, or they don't have the 'nads to try to do anything about it. I work for rich people, who make money off what's going on. You have to deal with the poor people who get left behind. I don't envy you your job. Maybe, instead of worrying about illegal immigration into this country, we ought to be worrying about "legal" immigration of our country's heart and soul, the opportunity to work hard and get ahead, to the rest of the world.
mark

[mark poulson]

Just another thought. When these people think about increasing their profits by exporting industries and jobs, I wish they'd remember what it does to the country and the jobless people they are leaving behind. There's a quote I once read that sticks in my head. It's kind of a guiding principle for me. It goes, "What profit a man that he gain the world, but lose his soul?".
Mark

[Ron C]

...that it was never my intention to make this a political thread, but the bottom line is that, as you have said, it is a political issue.

Unfortunately our previous president literally sold us down the river. In researching this in detail, his actions are the very definition of treason. And, as much as I strongly support our current president, he is laying very low on this issue in order to keep up foreign support for our efforts in the Middle East and our war against terrorism. As the two articles indicate, until our government makes some very significant changes, it is up to us, the consumer, to try to hold the line.

I cannot tell you how devastated I was when I saw that “Made in Chinaâ€

[Ray L.]

Check out a lot of pure fishing stuff...since they bought sevenstrand they closed the factory in long beach and everything is now going to be made in China....many other products they have are also made in China....it is not just an hourly wage thing, look at workmans comp. in Calif. Also no tax incentives for companies in this state. I hear that Graphite U.S.A. is also leaving this state.....Now I am sure they are not going to China but our state is loosing more money by companies leaving and none comming in. Go and look at some of your fishing line and see where it is made you might see china on it.Until our state governments figure out how to keep companies here in the good old U.S.A. this type of thing is going to go on and on and on.A lot of your tackle is not just made in China it is also made in Mexico look at some of your hard baits.Costs are to high in this country what with workmans comp. , insurance and some unions asking for more and more when there is no more to give because the consumer will not pay any higher price because the other lure manufacturer is getting his stuff from China or Mexico and charge less for his product.
I could go on and on ....I am very opinionated about this kind of subject since I own my own company but I am done for now....
Ray L.

[Kelly Ripa]

It was the Bill Clinton's New World Order my friends that did "us" in. The idea is that since no one else was going to be able to catch up with us they would have to drag us down to a different level. Remember that the Chinese have instituted a birth control system which means " Yes Ron" in your childs lifetime we will get bought up faster than most thought possible. All those single child parents are going to have a load of disposable capital to spend on just one child. We can only pray for some sort of Social stigma to take them down but that will definitely not happen any time to soon. Do you think the Japanese are nervous about all the friends they made in there own back yard during their manifest destiny push 60 years ago. Anyone here ever read about the Rape of Nanking? They had Nazi officials asking them to back off a bit. American press is too worried about scum like Micheal Jackson and drilling for oil in the Artic to even look at big pictures. Think we will be taking our weapons into space? There are some big heavy thinkers in our military establishment that know we still have the high ground in some areas. America's youth are living in a dream world. I don't know of any kid sitting in school right now that isn't going to be an instant millionaire...Right...They all think that to be the next American Idol is the most important thing in the world... I say you better start the singing lessons now if you are going to kick butt and take names. Santa Barbara City college offers something like 60 classes for the arts and has NO Vocational Training. I work with 1500 really nice people here at Raytheon and One in Fifty has a bit of technical expertise. It will be interesting to watch this next greatest generation get slapped around...

Now for the disclaimer: The opions just expressed are those of the author and are not representational of this site. I in no way am implying any type of ethnicity bias in the above statements. When I say Chinese/Japanese I mean their governments.

[anglerformerlyknownas CJ]

I don't know about you guys, but my jigs are made in Orange, CA my spinnerbaits are made in Tracy, CA my swimbaits are made in Bishop, CA my plastics are made in Newbury Park, CA - Page, AZ - Scottsdale, AZ - and La Habra, CA most of my rods were made in Orange, CA or Woodland, WA and all my reels, and most of my hard baits were made in Japan. Hooks, sinkers, line all as well.

Of course I have sold many China made products over the years, but most manufacturers that use Chinese labor are knock-off artists trying to steal original designs and market them to a large audience by using cheap labor to keep their costs low. They don't pay for design work when stealing an idea, and they don't need precision manufacturing done by experts. They just need a cheap way to get items produced. These are the kinds of manufacturers you see in the Marts and chains, not so much at the Pro Shops.

Keep your tackle dollars local for both the manufacturers and retailers who support the sport(and bank their livelyhood) on original products and actual customer appreciation.

Soap Box Dismount!

[Ron C]

You hit the nail right on the head Chris. It CAN be done and it has to start with us. Even if it's only toys for our kids (especially at Christmas time) and sporting goods and for us. Don't think for one second that "I'm just one person and I won't make a difference". Collectively we can make a HUGE difference.

During my research, I found several Chinese website that displayed their "goods" for sale. Most (if not all) of these items are obvious knock offs, primarily of U.S. and Japanese made products (especially Lucky Craft baits).

I did not want to come across as trying to suggest boycotting Chinese made products to anyone. I just wanted to share with you that we are paying for weapons which may be used against our most precious property - Our kids and grandkids.

Ron C

Rods - Orange, CA
Reels - Japan
Line - Spirit Lake, IA & Japan
Plastic baits - Newbury Park, CA, Page, AZ, Scottsdale, AZ, Bogart, GA
Jigs - Reseda, CA
Pork - Denair, CA
Hooks - Japan
Sinkers - North Edwards, CA & Japan
Spinnerbaits, Buzzbaits, Dartheads - Tracy, CA
Swimbaits - Brookings, OR (soon to be Mesquite, NV) and Bishop, CA
Crankbaits - Hood River, OR
Jerkbaits - Japan
Boat - Flipping, AR
Motor - Fondulac, WI
Trolling Motor - Mankato, MN
Electronics - Tulsa, OK (& Mexico - but they won't bomb us)
Batteries - Santa Fe Springs, CA
Battery charger - Peoria, AZ
Sunglasses - Japan
and 1 Shimano rod - China (I found out too late).