A new apparel company is focused on providing quality products to anglers and giving back to the fishing community. Partners Al McCulloch, marketing and media specialist for Midwest Fish Tournaments, and Donny Wilson, a former graphic designer with B.A.S.S., have created EliteAnglr, a fishing brand that promotes the lifestyle of anglers who need comfortable and dependable clothing for a long day on the water.
“Our whole idea is when that alarm goes off at 4:30 in the morning and you put on that EliteAnglr clothing, you have a quality product that is comfortable and that you can stand behind our logo with confidence,” McCulloch said.
McCulloch believes they have created an EliteAnglr brand that “pops” and will be attractive to the growing youth movement and the adult market. “We want something that somebody from 10 years old to 70 years old would want to wear with pride,” he said.
EliteAnglr’s introductory line of apparel includes three types of ball caps, a beanie, two short-sleeve shirt designs, two long-sleeve shirt designs and two hoodie designs. “We will have some patterns that will change up the industry with different fabrics, sun protection (UV protection rating of 50) and water dispersion,” McCulloch said. “As we grow, we will be offering new fabrics and new lines that will key in on both the adult and youth side of angling. We are not going to cut any corners. We want to put a quality product out there that will be delivered in a timely manner.”
Promoting fishing and supporting charities are also major goals of the new company. “We want a brand that people will get behind,” McCulloch said. “It's a lifestyle with EliteAnglr: Be the best in all things you do, not just angling.”
The company’s donations to charities will depend on the location of most of its buyers.
“With our analytics, we are able to find out which region, areas or cities are doing a lot of the ordering and are our fan base,” McCulloch said. “So what we plan on doing is a portion of our sales will be given back to that local area.” McCulloch noted if the company generated $10,000 in sales from one city, then EliteAnglr would present a check for a percentage of those sales to a city official as a donation to a food pantry or other local charity.
EliteAnglr also plans on sponsoring conservation efforts by offering discounts on apparel for bass clubs or individual anglers who participate in conservation programs such as cleaning up waterways or promoting better fish care. McCulloch said the company will also emphasize educating bass clubs, smaller tournament circuits and charity tournament organizers about the protocol for handling and releasing fish during weigh-ins.
EliteAnglr can be found online at www.eliteanglr.com.
