Kayak anglers, especially those connected to the sport's thriving social media scene, have likely heard that the veteran design house, YakAttack, has recently extended their reach into the lifestyle apparel market. Armed with a passionate connection to his customer base, and a desire to further serve them, YakAttack founder, Luther Cifers, has set out to move beyond the world of innovative boat rigging. We recently caught up with Luther, and sat down to talk about his newest project, one that is authoritatively dubbed, Because We Fish.

Regarding the etiology of the label, Luther stated, "Fishing is special. The actual elements of different variations of the sport - the friends, the variety, the gear, and the quest itself. We started using "because we fish" to market the YakAttack brand, and the more we thought about it the more we realized that we were constricting the meaning of the phrase by confining it to one specific brand of gear in one specific aspect of fishing. Once that became clear, the rest just unfolded naturally. Another factor was an introspective analysis of what makes us unique. As much as it's the products, it's something more – the fact that we 'get it' in a different way than most. The best way to serve your customers is to find the thing you're really good at and then do it. We're doing it."

The brand is currently promoting itself to kayak-based anglers, but it seems clear that the plan is to indeed move beyond the demographic. "Every kind of fishing has its elements that are unique to it – the "Normal Rockwell" moments, the techniques, the unique challenges, etc. Our plan is to capture and promote the fishing lifestyle. Within this broad spectrum will be the more specific elements (e.g. kayak fishing, surf fishing, bass fishing, pier fishing, river fishing, bow fishing, big game, offshore, flats - you name it)."

It is not hard to imagine that a mechanical engineer - even one so intrinsically tied to his user base - would have a rather difficult time entering into the world of fashion. It seems, though, that the challenge has been met with confidence and forethought. Behind Luther is a diverse team that stems from many of the aforementioned angling disciplines. Stated Luther, "Much as with product design, I'm a self-described 'every man' with really good tools and software and an industry full of friends. I have surrounded myself with like-minded people in this venture. As genuine members of the fishing community, and with experiences with many kinds of fishing over the years, I think our group can tap into, and touch on, the lifestyle elements in a uniquely effective way. It's easy to design successful products - mechanically or socially based - when you have the same perspective and responses as your customers. We also get an inordinate amount of feedback and interact with the community in a genuine way that's actually (not rhetorically) motivated by something other than business. You can't learn that and can't emulate it – at least not for long. You either have it or you don't. I think we have it."

As with the established rigging brand, the Because We Fish label will be deeply rooted in an ethos dedicated to American labor and products. In the apparel world, this adherence to credo often dictates that the label be relegated to boutique pricing and customer demographics. When faced with this issue, Luther replied, "We are planning on all USA made apparel. As you mentioned, that will mean we're not the cheapest in town. We've made that decision many times and will do the same here. As with the YakAttack line, we will add value in every way we can, by choosing the right material, the right styles, by creating excellent artwork, and by simply offering customers an excellent product, excellent selection, and excellent service."

The interest and excitement surrounding Because We Fish has been high. A hash tag-focused media campaigns well underway, and fans of the YakAttack brand are anxiously a waiting the first season's release. To stay on top of the news surrounding Because We Fish, follow them on Facebook.