The Offseason
It’s a good feeling to hit the off-button here in Baltimore for a bit. In years past we have arbitrarily used Thanksgiving as a cutoff and we stuck to that this year (and hopefully will in future years) despite warm temperatures. It’s time to just fish for fun for a bit. For those newer to the sport, the fishing doesn’t randomly shut off after Thanksgiving, but with dipping temperatures and a busy past few months it’s just good to take a break. It allows us to get back to some of the things we haven’t been able to do so well. Writing blogs for example…
We have a long list of things we hoped we would get to do more of this year, but between 2020 being the way it is and just generally being busy with clients, we cut ourselves some slack. Our social media slowed down, we rarely wrote blogs, we didn’t really pursue partnerships and we didn’t think as critically about how to grow the business in a just and equitable way as we should have. That last point is something we are taking seriously in the offseason, particularly as it pertains to gatekeeping and welcoming a diverse audience to our sport. We’ve taken some steps to address this over the winter and look forward to collaborating with other likeminded businesses . We’ll be addressing that whole process in a future blog.
We did have some big wins this year. We had a great shoutout in Baltimore Magazine and an unexpected spot in The Baltimore Business Journal. Thanks to Lydia and Carley for those profiles, they were a big help!
Our new fish dog, Beni “Beef” was added to the roster. He’s not so good at the stealth part yet but we’re working on it.
We’ve had awesome client feedback all year (you can review us on google now) and are looking to simplify some things in the offseason. With so many new people coming to us for instruction we want to streamline the process of getting you setup. That means more clarity around trip selection, a curriculum for learning some of the basics and an easy way for you to get the gear you need. We’re not sure what that looks like exactly yet but we’ll be updating you as we go. Basically, we want you to be able to fish on your own as quickly as possible, so we’re evaluating the best way to get you there. (Review this blog we wrote if you’re looking for first steps).
Another thing we’ll be working on in the coming months is figuring out a better way to offer group outings. We’ve had a ton of interest in corporate events and staff outings, and while we have the inventory to support it we don’t necessarily have the experienced staff to swing it. That’s something we’re looking to change so that we can continue to expand the diversity of trips we offer.
Overall our winter break is going to be about improving our processes, elevating our customer experience and setting a vision for creating meaningful, lasting change in our sport and culture. We had an incredible time this year with the best clients we could ask for so we’re looking forward to March when we can get back on the water with you. In the meantime we’re going to keep getting better and striving to make Fishercat even more fun and efficient so that you can love rivers as much as we do.
****For clients booking spring trips and inquiring about the best dates….if a date is on our site it’s because we trust the fishing. However, keep in mind what months you enjoy being outdoors. If you hate cold, dreary weather then maybe booking a date in May versus a day in March is the move for you (do it while dates are available). We don’t offer crappy fly fishing experiences, but the weather is the weather so book accordingly!********
We’ll be updating this space more often in the coming weeks, but as always feel free to reach out to Info@fishercat.co with any burning questions!
Nick