Excellent answer

On 3/20/2020 Superdave 336 asked Mitch (PICO) a question on the guest forum. His question was whether all PICO products were made in the USA. This is a question many of us have as we try to wean ourselves away from dependence upon countries which really do not have our best interest at heart (most of the world).
Mitch's answer:
"Hey Dave. Glad you asked!
Unfortunately, no, they are not. Its just the plain truth that we live in a global supply chain, and its really hurting tight now.
For instance.... The pico perch is moulded right here in NW Arkansas. However the plastic resin its made from, comes from Taiwan.
The Hardware they are put together with, comes out of Vermont, from metal stock shipped in from china.
The Hooks, well they are mustad..... Made from German Wire stock, formed in China, and distributed from the Dominican Republic.
Even the packaging is from California, from plastic resin out of Aisia.

We do every bit as much of it here, in the U.S.A. as we can. And will always work toward an effective, efficient way to do more. But this is just the reality of this business in this day and time!

hope that helps... Great question, and glad you asked!"

I appreciate these two men broaching the question at all, much more getting the answer we got. If you are like me you would want to buy all American if possible. Evidently that is just not the reality we live with today. I am a customer of PICO, but have been critical when I opened the last shipment and saw CHINA on the box. I believe we can all understand that reaction in light of what they did concerning the coronovirus. However, as sportsmen we owe those American based companies supplying our needs our support as they wade through this maze. For my part being overly critical of PICO, I apologize. Now if you will just do something about those front hooks on the cranks ;-)
Respectfully submitted,
USMA65

That is an excellent answer, thanks for posting this USMA65.
Guess the supply chain is even more complicated than I would have envisioned.


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Yeah, the fact is, everything is made everywhere. Hopefully at least, we get more made here in the future. At least our website is 100% made in America with all American Members, a couple Canadians too, which is cool, aye. And that's because Crappie ain't no where else, Only USA and Canada. :biggrin

When talking to sales you seldom get the rest of the story. Mitch had done his homework and gave an honest answer. Very little of the products we use
today are 100 percent American made even though they are advertised as such. Also we seldom get honest answers from sales. Not that they are trying
to deceive us, they just don't know or care. Way to go Pico.

Yes, we live in a complicated and interdependent world. The rapid pace of the pandemic demonstrated our interconnectivity. Changing will not be easy to do. However, as has been said many times on CDC, we need to continue to support the companies and organizations that support us.

I seriously appreciate each and every one you, as well as your patronage over these past couple of years. Its been exciting huh!

If I had a magic wand I would certainly make a bait that the best suitable hooks for would not connect on.

As it stands today, with your support over these few years, we are now at a production level where we can actually ask a hook company to make a hook specifically for our own lure.

This has been going on for several months. I have already personally rejected two sample sets sent to me. Sorry. But if I won't use them, sure ain't gonna ask you to. This will be an ongoing effort, I assure you, and hopefully the 2021 season will have custom hooks made only for Pico cranbaits! How cool would that be! You guys are all part of the process too, so take some pride in that!

As for that supply chain? I would dare say, its more broken than is being reported by a long shot. I deal with it daily. It's a mess, with many variables, one being "just in time delivery" that we all rely on daily. Our country, sadly, over several decades and administrations, has regulated, mitigated, legislated and taxed American business to what we have today.

And as I personally hang my head to pray for our country, I realize that I'm holding a cup of coffee, and looking at the rubber soles on my tennis shoes. Im looking foward to some iced tea later! 3 things we import, that I really don't want to give up........ ever!

Yall have a good memorial weekend, and please remember the lives that we sacrificed to make this country great. And if you find a moment, give a little nod above for my grandson, Who deployed last week.

Thank you vets, for your service
Thank you fishermen, for your business
Thank you crappie.com for the opportunity to bring us all together

Mitch Glenn
And staff
Pico lures

Sent from my SM-G973U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Much respect Mitch, thanks for honesty!

Mitch is a good scout

Only problem with Mitch is our conversations take place much too early in the day normally. Recently we were texting at 2:30 AM then got Just Steve into the mix.

If you guys had any idea how much Mitch grieved over having to stop hand-painting all PICO INTs in his shop until all hours of the night. I urged him to look into off-shore to be able to keep up with his competitors who have been off-shore for years. He was selling a custom, hand-painted lure for $5.99 when the bass guys were paying $25 for a hand-painted lure than was nowhere as effective. Give him time to get the hook issue solved and for now keep an eye on your hooks like I have for 40+ years while using every crankbait known to man and some that weren't.

St Croix and G Loomis build great rods in the US. It can be done, if there is a market for them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

St Croix and G Loomis build great rods in the US. It can be done, if there is a market for them.

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I guarantee something used in their products, whether they even know it or not, is made offshore! just sayin'

And Mitch ain't no "Good Scout", he's a "Good Gewber". Makes great baits. Keep some of his hand painted originals, they'll be worth a fortune some day. :cheers2

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Slab

I guarantee something used in their products, whether they even know it or not, is made offshore! just sayin'

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Agreed. Cork trees don’t grow in America.

The blanks, however, are rolled in the US, and the rods are assembled by American workers.

made in usa, built in usa , and assembled in usa..... 3 different meanings

Quote:

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

Agreed. Cork trees don’t grow in America.

The blanks, however, are rolled in the US, and the rods are assembled by American workers.

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Just hate to drag this part of the conversation on, but great that the blanks are rolled here. Where the resin come from, where the carbon fiber come from....and yep (like you said) cork not grown here. So see, it gets real complicated real fast. Not trying to pick on you at all DBD. But you a Gewber too you know! lol, oh and everyone knows, the word Gewber, is a term of endearment, made 100% in the USA, I guarantee. I think in fact it's from Mississippi, which is of course a good source for lots of gewbers. :Rofl

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Slab

I guarantee something used in their products, whether they even know it or not, is made offshore! just sayin'

And Mitch ain't no "Good Scout", he's a "Good Gewber". Makes great baits. Keep some of his hand painted originals, they'll be worth a fortune some day. :cheers2

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I sent you a PM (on a completely unrelated topic), but it says you "need to clear some space." I didn't think that could happen to you. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

I sent you a PM (on a completely unrelated topic), but it says you "need to clear some space." I didn't think that could happen to you. :)

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See, you are a gewber just like I said. It can't happen to me. I even tested with a different account, I'm still getting PMs no prob. I'm guessing it's your account that needs some cleaning up. doh :banghead

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Slab

See, you are a gewber just like I said. It can't happen to me. I even tested with a different account, I'm still getting PMs no prob. I'm guessing it's your account that needs some cleaning up. doh :banghead

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Just tried again. It specifically says “Slab has exceeded their stored private messages quota and cannot accept further messages until they clear some space.”

Just sent G a PM -- no problems.

:dono

Mitch, that is the most complete and honest answer to all parts of a product I have ever seen. Thank you for honesty and all you do for our sport. Love your cranks, by the way!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

St Croix and G Loomis build great rods in the US. It can be done, if there is a market for them.

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But where are the components made ? There is very few products really 100% made in USA . :twocents

Funny story: We went grocery shopping the other day when my wife ran into the grocery store while I waited in the truck. When she came out... I could tell she was excited when she said, "Wayne, you've got to come in here and look. There's a veteran and his son who have a table set up in the entrance way and are selling items... I'm sure, to help support themselves during this difficult time. Please come in with me and let's see if we can help out... by buying something from them". I didn't hesitate for one second to do as she asked me. After shaking their hands and exchanging some pleasantries... I told Karen to pick out some stuff from the handmade jewelry they were offering and I picked out two hats, one with a veteran type message and the other with a spiritual message on them. They were very appreciative of our support as we exchanged the money for the items that we purchased... when I noticed that inside of the hatbands on the both the hats was the almost deal breaking phrase, "Made in China". I looked at the veteran and said, "Honestly, if it wasn't for the bigger statement made by supporting a brother veteran... the phrase "made it China" would be a deal breaker for me -- such that would ordinarily cause me to abort the whole transaction... especially in light of China's latest behaviors. I'm done with China.

The disabled veteran looked confidently at me and said, "You can thank NAFTA/CAFTA... the absolute worst trade agreements ever put in ink... for many of things that trouble you... that will continue to trouble you; at least until complete and logical reformations are made, which honestly I doubt either one of us will ever live to see. I wanted more than anything to buy USA made products to sell, instead... but quite honestly... I couldn't afford to pay for USA made products and still resell my offerings for what I thought was a fair and reasonable price."

I shook his hand again and told him I loved and appreciated him... and what he'd done for our country... and we went our way with our purchases, me, shaking my head in total unbelief.

If this isn't the very definition of ironic... I've never seen it.

Ace Hardware CEO: Moving supply chain out of China is not '''quick fix'''

This article confirms that fishing isn't the only industry facing challenges. What I am more concerned with is the stranglehold CHINA has over our most greedy industry, the pharmaceutical industry. CHINA very boldly a few weeks ago threatened the USA with cessation of drug supply. For 38 years I wrote countless prescriptions. There were times when I thought the whole country was addicted to whatever. Today I am convinced I wasn't far off. The Chinese are not our friend, and we need never to forget that fact. I'll pay more for anything produced here, because I know it's production is building our country back to be what we once were.