TrackFly January Sales Data - Dollars Up, Units Down

•    Total dollars: +5%

•    Total units: -3%

•    ASP: +8%+

When revenue rises, but units fall, it’s difficult to call it true growth. Anglers aren’t buying more product; they’re paying more for it.

Higher average selling prices began surfacing in Q4 as brands adjusted MSRPs in response to 2025 tariff pressures and supply-chain costs. That pricing reset is now clearly embedded in the market and is likely to persist through much of 2026. The challenge: higher price tags don’t automatically translate to healthier margins. Increased input costs mean many brands and retailers aren’t necessarily improving per-unit profitability.

At the same time, consumer costs are rising. That makes sell-through, not just shipments, the defining metric this year.

Context Matters

Fly fishing continues to show resilience compared to other outdoor verticals. Broader outdoor sales were flat to slightly down in 2025, with units notably soft. Cycling struggled in both dollars and units. Even run specialty reportedly saw flat-to-down unit performance.

Within fly fishing, Flies remain the clearest signal of participation. The category posted consistent growth through 2025 and was up again in January. Sell-through on consumables, flies, leader-tippet, accessories, and tools suggests anglers are still getting on the water.

That aligns with the old industry truism: when the economy is strong, people go fishing — and when it’s weak, they still go fishing.

The 2026 Opportunity

Participation appears stable. The question for 2026 is whether higher-dollar equipment can keep pace. What’s within our control:

•    Delivering genuinely compelling new products.

•    Ensuring availability on core, high-velocity SKUs.

•    Maintaining strong retail execution and customer service.

•    Protecting brand–dealer relationships to prevent costly stockouts.

•    What’s not within our control:

•    Weather and runoff conditions.

•    Broader economic headwinds.

•    Additional tariff exposure.

If pricing pressure continues, inventory discipline and channel visibility will matter more than ever. Dealers should not be out of stock on a brand’s most important core products, particularly in a year when unit demand may be selective.

The data suggests anglers are still fishing. The brands and retailers that win in 2026 will be the ones who keep them equipped, consistently, intelligently, and without friction.