We are an Australia owned family company with three generations of experience in the recreational fishing industry. We have seen many changes in recreational fishing since the 1940's. My Grandfather, Fred Glover, started a small home based fishing tackle business from a small garage.
He would load his old Holden with fishing supplies and visit the local tackle shops. Back then most of the tackle outlets were barber and fishing shops. Men would go and get their haircut and talk about fishing and buy fishing gear.
The fishing gear in the 40’s and 50’s were primitive comparison to today's variety of gear. They had; hooks, sinkers, swivels, catgut fishing line, wooden hand casters, cane surf rods and the latest Avery reel. Those were the days!
The average angler fished from the beach, bank, rocks or bridges. It was a rare bloke who owned a boat. My Grandfather was part of developing modern Angling in Australia. A true pioneer and promoter of the sport of fishing, unfortunately Fred passed away at the age of 50.
My Father, John Glover, followed my Grandfather into the recreational fishing industry and after my Grandfather's death he started his own company. John in the early days would catch fish in the morning to provide for the family and work in his wholesale fishing business after the early morning catch.
He became a good angler and represented NSW in the Australian titles. As his fishing skills developed his business also developed. His fishing knowledge ensured he gave the good oil to his customers and it was not long before his business was on the move.
He was also a pioneer for many fishing methods we take for granted today. He was one of the first importers to bring Squid jigs into the country and young John also introduced the Australian public to many of the worlds' best lures at the time; Rapala, Cotton Cordell. (During that time Aussie angler were mostly "blood and guts bait fisho's")
With his fishing knowledge and a hunger for innovation, his company grew fast. OPSM noticed this up-and-coming company and made my Father an offer he could not refuse at the time.
Some years later John decided to start a new Company with his son Trent Glover in 1990. We started in a small warehouse at Kirrawee and then moved to Caringbah. We set out to design better fishing tackle the average angler could afford and use. This Vision led to the birth of the Kokoda brand. Since 1990, Brett Glover entered the business and we have continued our ground breaking tackle innovations, just to name a couple of projects:
Our Innovations
Kingspin Spinner baits
Back in the late 1980’s we were puzzle why North American Spinnerbaits would not work on Aussie Bass. Our Angling sense told us the principle would work, but they just did not work.
So we reduced the size of the hook, worked the length and type of wire. Then changed the skirts and made sure the blades and quality ball-bearing spinners worked like clockwork and we also introduced Aussie colours. After these major changes the lure were dynamite on Bass and Cod
We are proud that our efforts started the spinner bait craze which helped many an angler win competition after competition. So if you catch a fish on spinner bait in Australia remember Kokoda Kingspins as the innovator of a new style of fishing in Australia.
Flash shad
At Kokoda, we were the pioneers of the plastic swim baits worldwide with the design of the Flash Shad. It so happened, Trent and Brett Glover were fishing with Duane Trouchet at Shady Camp in the Northern territory of Australia on a Barra fishing trip.
Trent, Duane and Brett were using rubber tails on Barra, back when mainly hard bodies were the fashion. We found the plastic tails were catching fish in places the hard body lures were not. However, the jig heads were not up to scratch. We played around with several ideas and designed a jig head enclosed around a soft plastic to make the lure look like a fish. Our efforts developed the Flash Shad. Since then many companies around the world have designed swim bait lures.
Many multinational companies have copied or adapted our design. I only wish we had a watertight patient but alas. So next time you use a swim bait soft plastic lure think of Kokoda paving the way for fishing success stories.
Of cause we have had many other innovations, to name a few: the Big Eye Buff. The Spurts and the "Bugger Chug" Our future looks bright and we have expanded our business into adventure clothing and fishing electronics and this move has been successful. We will continue to expand our business with innovative ideas. You can be assure we will not rest on our achievements but strive to invent and improve fishing products so anglers everywhere can get out and live the dream in the wilderness with a sense of confidence and ease.
