Dr. Slick Co
In this Manufacturer Spotlight we’ll hear from Stephen Fournier, owner of Dr. Slick Co, about the history and progression of Dr. Slick and how Stephen has seen the fly fishing industry change over the the past 30+ years. We’ll also hear from Stephen about what he’s most excited for with Confluence 2023.
Who are you and what is your role at Dr. Slick?
Stephen: I joined Dr. Slick Company in 1997 after 4 years with Thomas & Thomas Fly Rod Co. and a few stops at some retail fly shops. I have been involved in the fly fishing industry in manufacturing, sales, retail, guiding, and distribution since 1988. I was hired at Dr. Slick as General Manager/Head of Sales and chief widget maker in 1997. I have owned the company since 2009 and we are based in Belgrade, Montana. Got called an “OG” the other day, made me laugh.
How did you find yourself working in the fly fishing industry?
Stephen: The company was founded by Dr. Ken High, MD, in Dillon, MT in the late 1980’s. He was very unhappy with the quality of the fly tying and streamside instruments he was using in fly fishing and fly tying. Being a surgeon, he was used to very high quality, well designed tools for specific tasks in the surgical suites, but there was nothing like this for fly tying and angling (I think we all remember those days!). Our first efforts were to take existing medical tools and modify them to the needed tasks (scissors for fly tying and clamps for streamside use). This was met with reasonable success, but it became clear after much trial and error that most of the items would need to be designed from the ground up for the needs of the tyer and angler. Since those initial efforts, each item is designed from scratch. We can control the die/molds, metal used, type of jaw structure, hardness, finish etc.
Most of the items are manufactured overseas and then they arrive at our shop as whole units or pieces. We handle each item up to 6 times from arrival to departure. All units are tested to ensure they meet our requirements for the task. Each scissor has the blades and tips examined and cut tested to ensure sharpness. If there are problems, we can sharpen the blades and/or refine the blades/tips to get them even and sharp. Each clamp is opened and closed and put under a stress test to ensure smooth operation, if problems exist with the ratchets being too hard or loose, we fix that with hands or hammers! Each bobbin is threaded and tested. The list of what we do goes on and on, but the point is that tyers and anglers have come to expect this level of effort from us to achieve the final product. In the end we are dedicated to the highest quality and the most consistent product we can deliver. It is one of the reasons we put our products in bags rather than zip tied to cardboard for display. We want you to handle and feel the item.
Dr. Slick Co runs with 5 employees, with market growth having averaged double digits over the past 20 years.
Where does the company name come from?
Stephen: The name Dr. Slick comes from the founder Dr. High’s proclivity for soaking his fly lines in silicone before steelhead fishing. This made for some legendary casts!
What tasks do you handle at Dr. Slick?
Stephen: I wear many hats at Dr. Slick and have done so since 1997. I design all products, run the sales and marketing department, and oversee all the reps. I fill a few orders daily and work on 700-1000 scissors per week. A short day is 10 hours, and I enjoy every minute of it. I would much rather be testing clamps or making bobbins versus sitting at a desk. Like any good company, I am fortunate to have great people around me.
What are the biggest challenges for Dr. Slick?
Stephen: Our biggest challenge day to day is maintaining the expected level of quality on the finished product. Most of our items are hand finished so we do not have the luxury of CNC or machined processes. We must constantly change our inspection and correction processes on items to adapt to the small inconsistencies/variances. That being said, we have seen just about everything, so we adopt the corrective measures and move on. After 30+ years, we have lots of different techniques to mollify most issues on any item. Other issues that can cause headaches are sourcing raw stainless steel and brass, supply line distances, and global politics and policies are always fun!
How do you come up with new products?
Stephen: We pride ourselves in innovating and creating new products to fill a need in the tying and angling world. I fish and tie a lot so I see many needs based on my experiences. I’ll take that knowledge and work on improving one of our existing tools or invent a new item from scratch to fill the need. I also keep a note book of every comment/complaint I receive and use that to improve existing items or help in development of a new item. I call it the “you should “and “have you thought about” depository. If I see lots of similar comments, then I’ll research the item further to determine marketability. Over the past 20+ years I’ve designed close to 70 items and I’m always working on the next thing. We currently have 15 items in the R&D pipeline. There are also constant improvements to existing products. We have a few patents for our efforts.
Dr. Slick has been around for over 30 years, what is the secret behind success?
Stephen: We are lucky to have a very dedicated following among the tying and angling community. I attribute that to our dedication to quality, consistency, and innovation. Tyers like to know when their favorite scissor wears out after 10 years that the replacement will be just like their retired favorite. Same for the angler, when a clamp is lost or retired, they want that same item they had and have it perform the same way. Plus I think most people are aware of the efforts we put into each product and they appreciate that aspect of Dr. Slick and we are a fun bunch of people to be around!
How has the fly fishing industry changed over the past 34 years?
Stephen: That is a massive question! I have seen a huge amount of change in 34 years. Some good and some bad.
Social media has broadened the appeal of the sport to all corners of the globe. On a more personal note, I’m excited to see renewed interest in fly tying (this started before Covid, but that certainly helped). It looked like fly tying might be a dying art form a few years back but social media, new materials, and a whole batch of really good young tyers has led to growth across the fly fishing landscape. On the angling side, saltwater fishing is on the upswing as well as pursuit of non-traditional species like carp. However, social media also brings out the worst in people. 20 years ago, we were told to keep the fish in the water, don’t handle etc., now every fish seems to be out of the water and being photographed for Instagram (I try to limit myself, but I am guilty as well…, got to get the content.) I do worry that tyers/anglers make product choices via companies’ follower numbers and not the quality and performance of the item. I am too old to understand that concept.
There is also more and younger participants. The current age of a typical fly angler is getting up there (read my age). It is critical to the industry that the younger generation gets involved. Maybe not all will stay, but enough will to keep the sport plugging along.
New materials are also a big positive. Whether it be new fabrics for clothing (sunscreen/bug repellent), synthetic tying materials (save the jungle cock), or carbon fiber, these have been game changes in the sport. At Dr. Slick we are experimenting with new metals, alloys, and resins that 5-10 years ago we could not have imagined using.
Industry consolidation and prices have changed for the worse. Whether it be retail outlets or the fly fishing companies themselves, there are less than half the numbers of both than there were 30 years ago. Take it from one the last free standing companies, this stifles competition, and to a certain extent limits innovation and drives prices up. It is causing companies to broaden out of their niches and try to be something other than their DNA. Think rod companies selling reels, reel makers selling rods, vice makers selling tools etc. I can tell you when I was in the fly rod side of the industry, a fully handmade rod from the U.S cost a whopping $325, today that rod is $1200 (and it is not a fully U.S. built rod). Conversely, Dr. Slick top selling scissor cost has risen by $6.00 since 1997. You cannot price people out of your products, especially new potential customers.
I would say that another negative change with the fly fishing industry is internet sales - I am not an idiot on this, I understand how people purchase products today. That being said, Dr. Slick is still a wholesale operation only. We are totally reliant on retail accounts (fly shops, box stores) for our business and we have no exposure to direct sales. I cannot for the life of me understand how a retail fly shop would buy from a fly fishing company that sells direct to customers via their webpage. Makes zero sense for the fly shop as your supplier is directly competing against you.
What are you most excited about attending Confluence 2023?
Stephen: It is the one time per year that we get to see our retailers, distributors, and reps in person. It is a great time to catch up, discuss the good and the bad from the previous year, introduce new products and drink bad IPA’s. I love Salt Lake City as the venue.
What issues have you witness the industry facing and how are you working to solve them?
Stephen: I addressed some above in the industry consolidation and internet sales. My guess is these are here to stay. Water access is the biggest issue I see. We have less access to water than we did 30 years ago. This industry lives and dies by water access. Whether it be the drying climate eliminating water, or the politics of access, if we lose much more of either, it will be dire for the industry. Dr. Slick’s answer is to get involved. Anytime you see water access issues come up in your state or local politics, write letters and attend meetings. Don’t be that person who says “that’s not my home water, so I am safe”, the powers that be will get your favorite river next.
What initiatives or products are you currently working on and excited about?
Stephen: Our big initiative for 2023-2024 is recyclable plastic packaging and products. We are looking to work with a number of firms (one came to us via AFFTA, Atlantic Packaging Group) to create a market for recycled plastic products. We all know the problem with single use, ocean or water bound plastic. The issue I see is that plastic isn’t going away, but avenues to recycle it over and over again are limited. We need to find methods and systems to treat plastic like a recyclable commodity (think aluminum, glass or steel) and continue to use it for generations of packaging and products. If we can get this idea up and running, it will immediately cut down on plastic waste. The fly fishing industry is overrun by plastic. I see a touch too much hypocrisy in that. Fly fishing companies will say “we are green” except all of their shirts come sealed in plastic, tippet material is plastic, and the cardboard tool cards are shipped in plastic. Let’s get behind this and find a way to reuse plastic from single use to multi- generations of use. I am confident we will have fully recycled and recyclable plastic in use by Confluence.
I am excited about the 7 new products and new series we are launching this year at Confluence. Always nerve wracking, like sending your kids out into the world, but I am confident they will be successful.
Do you still fish?
Stephen: Yes, I currently fish around 100 days per year. Before I got married and had kids, the number of days fishing was rather insane. I like the Upper Madison and Missouri Rivers. My favorite fish to target are Atlantic salmon, steelhead, bluefish, and big trout on dry flies. I would like to do more saltwater angling, but Dr. Slick comes first.
Many thanks and looking forward to Confluence 2023!
As we continue to follow along with these manufacturers, be sure you’re following along with Dr. Slick Co this year as they announce new products!