Power-Pole brings top pros to Tampa headquarters

Power-Pole Shallow Water Anchors had a family reunion of sorts after JL Marine gathered some of the biggest names in the fishing industry to its headquarters in Tampa, Florida, for two days of product education, team building and, of course, some fishing.

The biannual Power-Pole Team Summit consisted of 30 of Power-Pole’s professional anglers, guides and brand ambassadors from across the country, including the Lane family, Scott and Roland Martin, Dean Rojas, Luke Clausen, Randy Howell, and more.

“They get to see the products, see the processes and then afterward they get to get to have some fun,” said Casey Carpenter, the Power-Pole pro staff manager who coordinated the event. “A lot of these guys don’t always understand how we approach things as a company, our brand, our people our training and it gives the a good perspective of how we operate here.”

Not only does the event give Power-Pole-sponsored anglers the opportunity to learn the latest about the latest products, the summit allows Power-Pole to get the advice of some of the best minds in fishing when developing new products in the future.

“We were able to put our new products in front of them and get their opinions and see what they think. They gave us lots of great information and we will be able to take that input and incorporate it into those products,” JL Marine vice president Robert Shamblin said.

“The feedback was massive because they were able to think of things that even our engineers weren’t able to think of themselves,” Carpenter said. “The anglers all bring their own unique skills and individuals styles which helps us make a more well-rounded product.”

Following the education and team building events, the attendees were treated to a private concert from the Tom Jackson Band, who unveiled the latest theme song for the Power-Pole Pro Team members.

And of course, no official Power-Pole event would be complete without a day of fishing. Anglers from all areas of expertise were paired up with local guides and Power-Pole employees to fish for the Florida inshore slam of snook, trout and redfish during the Team Pro Tournament. The team of Rojas, Geoff Page, Carpenter and Randy Howell ended up taking home the top title.

“To say it was competitive was an understatement,” Carpenter said. “The winner get those bragging rights for the next two years.”

Underlying the whole event is the sense of family that has surrounded the Power-Pole company since the beginning and making these anglers feel as though they are a valued part of that family.

“One of the things I hear a lot from these guys is that they love the culture of our company,” Shamblin said. “That never gets old hearing that.”

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