China accounts for over 70% of global fishing tackle production, having established industrial clusters centered in Weihai, Shandong (fishing rods), Ningbo/Cixi, Zhejiang (fishing reels), and Changzhou, Jiangsu (lures), with a complete industrial chain spanning from raw materials such as carbon fiber and stainless steel to finished products.

       According to data from GTM (Guomaotong), China's fishing tackle exports (HS: 9507) totaled $1.978 billion in 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 2.3%. Specifically, landing nets (HS: 95079000) accounted for $773 million, or 39.06% of total exports, down 4.59% year-on-year; fishing rods (HS: 95071000) reached $722 million, comprising 36.51% of total exports, up 8.97% year-on-year; fishing reels (HS: 95073000) totaled $368 million, representing 18.62% of total exports, up 5.40% year-on-year; and fish hooks (HS: 95072000) amounted to $115 million, accounting for 5.81% of total exports, up 2.94% year-on-year. Overall, the market demonstrates a trend of steady expansion.

       From the perspective of exporting provinces and cities, Shandong, Guangdong, and Zhejiang remain the primary export regions. Shandong ranks first, with fishing rods (HS: 95071000) as its main product, accounting for 56.47% of Shandong's total fishing tackle export value. Zhejiang Province mainly exports landing nets (HS: 95079000) and fishing reels (HS: 95073000), with these two categories representing 46.91% and 33.71% of Zhejiang's fishing tackle exports respectively. Guangdong Province ranks second, with a more evenly distributed product portfolio compared to Shandong and Zhejiang—fishing rods (HS: 95071000), landing nets (HS: 95079000), and fishing reels (HS: 95073000) account for 35.06%, 31.72%, and 29.91% of Guangdong's total fishing tackle export value respectively.

       Additionally, Xinjiang and Guangxi are also worth noting. Leveraging its geographical advantages, Xinjiang dominates in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, serving as an important node for land-based trade corridors. Furthermore, Jiangsu, Fujian, and Anhui have achieved key breakthroughs in countries such as the United States, Russia, and Brazil, though their overall scale and coverage still lag behind provinces like Shandong and Guangdong.

       From a market distribution perspective, Chinese fishing tackle exports have reached 150 countries and regions, with major markets including the United States, Japan, Poland, Russia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Vietnam, Australia, and France. Among these, the United States serves as the dominant market, accounting for 27.41% of total export value—a scale nearly three times that of Japan, the second-largest market—with a product structure skewed toward mid-to-high-end offerings.

       In terms of overall scale, the Asian market holds the largest share. Although Japan and South Korea represent only 9.17% and 3.28% of export value respectively, their average market prices are relatively high, at $8.57 and $1.84 per unit on average. Indonesia and Vietnam compete on volume. Additionally, the Indian and Philippine markets are also in growth phases.

       With the deepening advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative, countries along the route demonstrate vibrant market vitality, such as Russia, Kazakhstan, Poland, Indonesia, and Vietnam. These markets either possess geographical hub advantages or have large consumer populations, all containing strong growth momentum.

       As a major export province in China, Shandong's Weihai City is renowned as the "Fishing Tackle Capital of China." The city's fishing tackle exports account for 34.1% of China's total fishing tackle export value, with market coverage spanning the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia, demonstrating a trend of diversified development.

       Shandong's fishing tackle advantages are reflected in convenient port access, dense shipping routes, and industrial clustering effects. Weihai, Qingdao, Yantai, and other areas have gathered over a thousand fishing tackle enterprises, with densely distributed supporting enterprises and R&D sampling cycles 30% faster than the industry average.

       At the same time, challenges and opportunities coexist. Although Shandong's fishing tackle export market shows an overall trend of diversified development, the U.S. market accounts for as much as 30.74%, reflecting Shandong's deep dependence on the U.S. market. Secondly, high-end carbon fiber relies on imports, making it susceptible to fluctuations in export control policies. Additionally, brand recognition is insufficient, with OEM products occupying the majority of business volume and weak international premium pricing power for proprietary brands.

       Going forward, while closely monitoring trade policies, efforts should be strengthened to localize layouts in emerging markets—for example, establishing fishing tackle experience centers in Thailand and Malaysia, and developing salt-corrosion-resistant fishing rods adapted to mangrove fishing environments.

       Overall, China's fishing tackle industry needs to shift from "capacity export" to coordinated export of "technology + brand + service," leveraging industrial clustering advantages to build a global fishing tackle industry innovation hub, further strengthening risk resistance capabilities, and seizing high-end segments of the value chain.

       As China's first data company, Guomaotong provides import and export customs data for over 90 countries from 2010 to present. It can accurately analyze market distribution and transaction details of import and export enterprises online, and analyze transaction volumes, prices, and supply cycles. It offers reliable data for foreign trade enterprises and industry consulting firms.

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