For a company less than a year old, WaveSpin Reels' winning its third and latest accolade feels like winning that ultimate title - especially against big-name companies in the fishing tackle industry.
The latest was Field & Stream Magazine's prestigious 2008 "BEST of the BEST" Award in the March issue in which the editors of the 112-year old publication said "Doug Hannon's WaveSpin Reels are a radical design at a time when innovation in spinning is hard to find."
Only two months before the modestly priced reels (the DH 3000 is $79.95), also got an honor from Outdoor Life Magazine when fishing editor Jerry Gibbs wrote that the reel represents "the first significant improvement in salt- and freshwater spinning-reel design in more than 50 years. What sets the WaveSpin apart from its competitors is that it's virtually impossible for the line to birdnest during a cast."
And in January, TackleTour.com presented the reel with its Innovation Award.
"When it comes to the recognition and accolades this reel has received, the word 'gratification' would be a serious understatement," Hannon said. "Beyond those, we have experienced volumes of comments, web postings, and phone calls all attesting to the fishing public's new love affair with this WaveSpin technology. Most rewarding is when someone says I have made it possible for them to enjoy fishing with their child or spouse, due to the trouble free functionality of this reel. We are bringing new people into fishing. I have come to realize in the end that WaveSpin represents an improvement that will never be improved upon, because it completely solves the problem."
Hannon, who one scribe has called the "Thomas Edison of fishing," holds 16 patents most in the outdoor arena including his weedless propeller, an advancement that effectively revolutionized the trolling motor industry. His innovations was one reason Outdoor Life honored Hannon as one of 25 people having the greatest positive influence on hunting and fishing.
His latest invention, the WaveSpin spinning reel is receiving high praise with its patented spool that makes loops irrelevant with either monofilament or braided lines.
Unlike the smooth lip on all other spinning reels, the WaveSpin reel features 16 smoothly rounded teeth - or waves -- on the spool lip which completely eliminate the eruption of a birdnest due a loop or loops that may have been retrieved onto the spool. During casting looped line lies harmlessly between the waves on the spool and simply unwinds on the next cast unnoticed and without creating tangles of any kind. Even if a loop lies on the spool instead of between the waves, the patented design still allows the line to cast freely.
Put to the test by Gibbs and some "pretty vile casters," he said Hannon's latest creation lived up to its claims.
Hannon's WaveSpin is marketed by XXX-Stream Tackle through a growing number of major sporting and fishing goods stores (Cabela's and Gander Mountain) along with direct sales on its website www.wavespinreel.com. For information on WaveSpin please contact Russ Riley, VP of Operations, at: 989-967-8426 or via e-mail at investrepo@hotmail.com