Decision Time - Year One

The impetus behind Orange Top Fishing was a desire to make a better tip-up flag for my own use on the ice. I wanted a flag that was highly visible in any sort of daylight conditions - and reflective for nighttime fishing. Creating a high-quality product was always front and center.

The process of choosing materials and design was lengthy. I explored a variety of materials and color options for the flags and reflective borders, and I experimented with a number of different flag shapes and designs. The prototype that ultimately became the Orange Top Fishing flag immediately stood out from the rest. Visibility was off the charts - day and night.

Once I saw the difference these flags made on the ice, I decided to explore options for selling them. If they made ice fishing more enjoyable for me, I suspected they could do the same for other likeminded people. That said, I went in with no business training and had more questions than answers. From the start, I saw the process as an adventure - one that may or may not work.

There were plenty of costs involved to start the business, including equipment and materials, purchasing a domain, starting a website, paying start-up costs, and more. To be honest, the expenses added up to be more than I had anticipated... but the ball was rolling all the same. Still, I knew I had to be realistic about the process. With that in mind, I decided to give it a go for one year, after which I would determine if my small business was sustainable.

January 15, 2026, will mark the one-year anniversary of Orange Top Fishing. Sales have been good, and I've received all sorts of positive feedback about the flags. Maybe the most rewarding of all is getting repeat customers - folks who started with a couple of flags and then bought more after seeing them on the ice.

Since January 2025, I've sold flags in 15 states. I've paid off all of my start-up costs, which is a huge relief. Plus, I’ve connected with lots of folks who love to fish as much as I do.

Time will tell where things go from here, but starting Orange Top Fishing has been a cool adventure, one that I would consider a success. With that, I made the decision last week to renew the Orange Top Fishing website for two more years. The adventure continues!

To the folks who have supported Orange Top Fishing in one way or another, THANK YOU! Every time you show off your new flags to a friend, provide feedback, send pics for us to post on our social media pages, or share our website... all of it makes a difference - and all of it means the world to me. Thanks for making this new adventure both fun and worthwhile!

Flags up,

Paul