The short version: some links on this site earn me a commission. It costs you nothing extra, and it does not influence what I recommend.
The longer version follows, because you’re entitled to know exactly how a site you’re taking advice from makes its money.
Affiliate links
The Catfish Compass participates in affiliate programs. When I link to a product — a hook, a rod, a bag of bait — that link may be an affiliate link. If you click it and buy something, the retailer pays me a small percentage of the sale. The price you pay is exactly the same as it would be without the link.
Amazon Associates
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
The Catfish Compass is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Other programs
I also participate, or intend to participate, in affiliate programs run by fishing tackle manufacturers and outdoor retailers. Commission rates vary between programs. Where a specific relationship is relevant to a recommendation, it’s noted in the post itself.
How this affects what I recommend
It doesn’t, and here’s the specific commitment:
- I don’t rank products by commission rate. The gear that pays the most is not the gear that gets recommended most.
- I recommend inexpensive gear when inexpensive gear is the right answer. A one-cent bead prevents a broken knot. That’s in the rigging guide despite being worth nothing to me.
- I say when you don’t need to buy something. Plenty of catfishing problems are solved by changing a leader length, not by buying a product.
- I don’t fabricate hands-on testing. If I haven’t used a product, the post says what the recommendation is actually based on. See the about page for the full policy.
Disclosure placement
Every post containing affiliate links carries a disclosure at the top of the article, above the first link, where you’ll see it before you click anything. That’s the standard the Federal Trade Commission asks for, and it’s the right one — a disclosure buried in a footer isn’t a disclosure.
Advertising
This site may also display advertising served by third-party ad networks. Those ads are marked as advertising and are separate from the editorial content. Ad networks use cookies to serve relevant ads; see the privacy policy for details on what that involves and how to opt out.
Questions
If anything here is unclear, or you want to know what a specific recommendation is based on, ask me through the contact page. I’ll tell you.