Tackle

Lures
Bass Pro – www.basspro.com - This company’s roots were in, as its name suggests, freshwater Bass fishing.  But the organisation’s quickly spread to encompass all tackle requirements – freshwater, fly and saltwater.  You may well have visited its huge stores in Islamorada, in the Florida Keys, or Dania Beach, where the IGFA’s headquarters is also sited.  There’re also several other stores.

It does offer a comprehensive range of lures through an excellent on-line ordering service.

Black Bart Lures - www.blackbartlures.com - Based in Florida the company’s founder – Bart Miller – is if nothing a colourful and somewhat controversial character!  However he does offer an excellent range of offshore trolling lures through an on-line ordering service.
 
Harris Angling – www.harrisangling.co.uk - A UK-based company focusing on lures, plus associated rods and reels.  They offer an effective on-line ordering service for a comprehensive range of lures primarily targeting Pike, Nile Perch, Bass and a range of overseas species.

Legend Lures – www.legendlures - Roddy Hays’ web site offering a range of customised offshore trolling lures which have an international following.  Apart from the lures there’s an excellent write-up on how to deploy them.   Overall though the site is well worth visiting - one of my favourites!

Reels
Abel Reels – www.Abelreels.com - One of an elite group of manufacturers who produce quality fly reels, from the smallest Trout to 5” ‘offshore beasts’ to tackle Marlin and oversized Tuna.  The drags are silky smooth.  They’re machined from aluminium bar stock and anodised in a range of colours.  All this, of course, comes at a price!  They can be purchased either in the ‘States, or from a number of UK stockists including Sportsfish – www.sportfish.co.uk.

Penn Reels – www.pennreels.com - Since the 50s the workhorse of saltwater reels – initially the star drag Senators followed by several incarnations of the gold anodised, lever drag International series.  Many of these are offered as two speed models, and used by charter skippers and individual anglers alike.

More recently Penn have also positioned themselves in the spin and fly reel markets.

Shimano Reels – www.shimano.com - Adjudged against Penn a late comer to the marketplace.  But its flagship Tiagra trolling range, all two speed models with a superb drag system, has a growing global following. 

They also manufacture an excellent range of spin and baitcasting reels.

Rods
Cape Fear – www.capefearrodcompany.com - Cape Fear Rod Company manufactures fishing rods with their new, patented Hextek™ technology,a manufacturing process in which the rod is constructed of six T-shaped graphite elements that when joined together, create a hexagonal rod with three interior I-beams.
They offer a comprehensive range of trolling, standup, spin and fly rods which can be purchased through retailers like Melton Tacckle – www.meltontackle.com in the ‘States or xxxxxxxx in the UK.