Jason Sealock has more than 20 years as a communicator and leader in the fishing industry. However he has always worked for someone else. Now this man who helped build other powerhouse companies, is focused on his own company, helping manufacturers and consumers of fishing products. (Photo courtesy Jason Sealock)
Jason Sealock, From Industry Insider to Entrepreneur
by Richard Simms
It is rare to cross paths with people in the fishing industry who know something, or a lot, about everything. But I found such a man recently.
Jason Sealock was my assigned “guide for a day” at the 2024 AGLOW outdoor writers conference on Kentucky Lake. I knew the name, but not the man, so I read up on Sealock before our fishing trip. I read, at that time, that he was the Senior Advisor for the powerhouse fishing media outlet, Wired2fish. With 1.9 million social media followers, millions of website visitors and video views surpassing 110,000,000 annually, Sealock helped that company become a force to be reckoned with.
When I stepped aboard his boat, however, I first learned that Sealock can also catch fish!
Eyeballing his Garmin LiveScope screen, Sealock, pointed and said, “The brush pile is about 20 feet that way.”
I dropped a jig exactly where he said, let it fall to a 10-count and began a slow retrieve. I hadn’t turned the reel handle five cranks when I felt the tell-tale “Thump,” and quickly brought an 11-inch Kentucky Lake crappie to the boat.
In between catching fish, I also learned that, is often the case, the Internet lies. After five years as Editor-in-Chief for FLW Outdoors Magazines and then 15 years helping lead Wired2fish, Sealock recently decided it was time to branch out on his own.
A LEAP OF FAITH
“I loved my time at Wired2fish,” said Sealock. “It was fun. I kind of got in on the ground floor and we were fortunate to build the brand during a time when social media was growing. The algorithms were good and they sent a lot of traffic to us. But after 15 years I just decided I wanted to do my own thing. The timing just seemed right so I took the leap of faith.”
In April he formed his own company and “Current Fish” was born.
With vast connections in the industry, Sealock is now helping companies create marketing plans and develop social media strategies. Then he provides the written content and photography to achieve the goals. Even though he is a start-up company, he admits he is picky about who he works with – currently only about a half-dozen clients.
“I’m able to be real choosy,” he said. “I’m only working with the brands that I already love their products and I felt they had the potential to grow.”
THE SEARCH FOR AFFORDABLE PRODUCTS
Sealock said he sees a trend in the fishing industry toward companies that can provide quality products at affordable prices. He thinks the days are coming to an end when lots of people are willing to spend $500 or even $1,000 for quality fishing rods, reels or other products for anglers.
One of his clients is a sunglasses company called “Island Optics.” Sunglasses are especially important on the water and fishermen often pride themselves, or even brag, about owning polarized sunglasses from a well-known company that charges up to $300 for a pair.
“Island Optics is really focused on building sunglasses that people can afford,” said Sealock. “They’ve only been in business for a year but their family is 5th generation optometrists and eyecare specialists. They’ve been doing eyecare for more than 100 years and they’re very passionate about making sunglasses for the angling community now. They want to make super high-quality sunglasses but they’re going to cost under $100.”
Another of Sealock’s clients is perhaps more well-known, but he is convinced they haven’t reached their full potential.
“Leland Lures, the makers of Crappie Magnet and Trout Magnet lures, are experts at crappie fishing and trout fishing,” said Sealock. “They’re a faith-based company and make a great product that’s really affordable – and they’ve been doing it for a long time. But I still feel like they haven’t reached the masses yet.”
Another client is a company called “Handing Fishing.”
Sealock said, “They’re focused on making really good fishing tackle at a price point that works for everybody. I enjoy working with some of the newer companies like that.”
NEWS FOR CONSUMERS
Sealock is also sharing his vast know-how with consumers through his Current Fish Newsletter. I am building an ad free experience for the reader where we can be honest about the very best things that work from season to season and situation to situation.”
Sealock loves to pursue panfish (crappie, bluegill and shellcrackers). One of his projects is developing a month-by-month chronology of how to find and catch those species year-round.
“We all go catch bluegill in the spring in May, but where do they go in June,” said Sealock. “Where do they go in July? Where do they go in August – I’m following them month-to-month-to-month and documenting each month so I can say, ‘In December, this is where you should go look for bluegill. This is what they’re doing and this is why. For instance, we’ve learned that redear (shellcrackers) like to suspend on brush in August. But why? I am working with biologists who help me fill in those kinds of gaps and we’re sharing it with readers.”
Back on the water Sealock was working patiently with Mary Beth Long, VP of Communications for the American Sportfishing Association, but a novice crappie angler. I quit fishing to sit and watch from the back of the boat as Sealock patiently helped Long on how and where to cast – and then worked to help her detect the often very subtle strike from a crappie. It was clear to me that whether he is on the water, fishing rod in hand, or behind a computer screen with mouse in hand, Jason Sealock LOVES to help people learn more about catching fish.
Capt. Richard Simms is the Editor of CrappieNOW magazine as well as owner of Scenic City Fishing Charters. He is a former game warden for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency before becoming a photographer and PR guy for TWRA. That lead to a 30-year career as a broadcast journalist and freelance outdoor writer. You can follow Capt. Simms on Facebook.
