# fishinggear.guide

Site grounding for agents without the fishinggear.guide repository: its seven charter files, unchanged except that headings sit two levels lower and every term id the pinned version defines, in the frontmatter blocks too, is followed by its label from the pinned version. The YAML blocks are therefore for reading, not parsing; the repo files are the source.

- Domain: fishinggear.guide
- Pins: editorial-charter@1.3.1, portfolio-icp@1.0.0
- Repo: 240e8a1b8f41028dabb6a51cd0709b78ebb6db5c (committed 2026-10-03T16:18:06-07:00)
- Built 2026-10-05T03:25:29+00:00
- Pages: https://taxonomy.tfw.bz/sites/fishinggear.guide/

## BRAND.md

Version 1.0.1 · status draft · sha256 8a56c55ba17f1b93083c12bbfcf8af636188d4c8f2697d69dec15ae2abbfe571

```yaml
charter: 1
version: 1.0.1
profile: editorial-charter@1.3.1
domain: fishinggear.guide
status: draft
reviewed_by: ""
archetype: charter:brand-archetype-everyman (everyman)
secondary_archetype: charter:brand-archetype-sage (sage)
claims:
  - id: c1
    text: Thomas Prommer founded fishinggear.guide in 2026 and is its publisher.
    basis: charter:claim-basis-documented (documented)
    source: about.manifest.json (entity.founder, foundingDate)
  - id: c2
    text: Each guide links to manufacturer sources with access dates.
    basis: charter:claim-basis-documented (documented)
    source: about.manifest.json (copy.summary150); briefs/site.md (specs from manufacturers)
```

### BRAND

#### Name and entity
Fishing Gear Guide (fishinggear.guide), a guide to rods, reels, line, lures and setups by species and technique, published by Thomas Prommer. Entity home: https://fishinggear.guide/en/about/ (`about.manifest.json`). Contact comms@flywheel.bz.

#### Promise
We help you match rods, reels, line and lures to the fish you target, with manufacturer specs you can check, so you buy once.

#### Personality
The everyman, with a sage streak: the person behind the tackle counter who tells you what to buy, what to skip and why. It is plain, calm and practical, and it recommends the simpler option when that is the right call and never claims testing it has not done. Source: VOICE.md sections 1 and 6, PRODUCT.md.

#### Visual pointers
Locked "Fly Box" direction: see `DESIGN.md` and `design/tokens.json`. A warm workbench with an aluminium box, dark foam and restrained orange detail.

#### Do / Don't
Do: lead with the answer and tie every gear choice to a species or technique.
Do: link each spec to the manufacturer page, with an access date.
Do: add a "skip this if" line to every gear page.
Don't: claim "we tested" or invent authors, testers or credentials.
Don't: publish ranked top-10 lists without stated criteria, or fishing puns in headlines.

## VOICE.md

Version 1.0.1 · status draft · sha256 6ca524e01215123bb692ca4e21ad9fd09a3c9c0044574239b8f63a9ffece1b39

```yaml
charter: 1
version: 1.0.1
profile: editorial-charter@1.3.1
domain: fishinggear.guide
status: draft
reviewed_by: ""
register: charter:voice-register-practitioner (practitioner)
person: charter:voice-person-second (second person)
languages: [en, de, es, fr, pl, pt, sv]
addresses: [species-angler]
essence: "The person behind the tackle counter who tells you what to buy and what to skip, and why."
```

<!-- ASSUMED DEFAULT, 2026-09-17: recommended voice option 'a. Tackle shop counter' from ~/reports/site-strategy/fishinggear.guide.json, pending Tom's review in ~/reports/site-decisions/index.html. If Tom picks another voice this file is replaced. -->

### VOICE: fishinggear.guide (Tackle shop counter)

> Loaded by /humanizer (Step 0) and the content publishing gate (drafting Step 1 + humanizer Step 3). If absent, both fall back to generic mode.

#### 1. Identity & Register
- Voice owner / who speaks: fishinggear.guide editorial, second person to the reader
- Register: practitioner
- Language/locale: en (US spelling, imperial first with metric in brackets)
- One-line essence: The person behind the tackle counter who tells you what to buy and what to skip, and why.

#### 2. Audience
- Primary audience: intermediate
- Reader's job-to-be-done: choose the right rod, reel, line or lure for a species and technique without buying twice
- Assume they know: how to cast a spinning reel and tie one knot. Always explain: power vs action, line ratings, lure weight ranges, and why a spec matters on the water

#### 3. Tone Axes
- Formal ──●──── Casual
- Authority ─●───── Peer
- Serious ──●──── Playful
- Concise ─●───── Expansive
- Default editorial_track: factual

#### 4. Person, POV & Cadence
- Person: second person (you); no first person
- Sentence rhythm: medium declarative sentences, one idea each; a short sentence to land the recommendation
- Paragraph length: 2 to 4 sentences
- Structural tics to keep: lead with the answer; a 'skip this if' line on every gear page; spec tables sourced to the manufacturer
- Structural tics to avoid: ranked top-10 lists with no criteria; hype adjectives; hedging every sentence

#### 5. Lexicon
- Preferred terms: rod power, rod action, line class (lb test), lure weight, drag, backlash, species names in lowercase (bass, walleye)
- Banned phrases (beyond humanizer's generic list): "game-changer", "must-have", "top-notch", "reel in the savings", fishing puns in headlines, "tight lines" sign-offs
- Capitalization & spelling rules: Brand casing as the manufacturer writes it (St. Croix, Shimano, PENN). 'lb test' not 'lbs test'. Fluorocarbon one word.
- Domain-jargon level: moderate: use the terms, define each once in a clause

#### 6. E-E-A-T / Experience Claims
- Authentic experience this voice can claim: none yet. No "we tested", "in our experience" or invented authors, testers or credentials. Claims rest on cited manufacturer specs and authorities until a real byline exists.
- Named author + bio source: added later by a human (TBD). Do not invent one.
- Quantified credential for bios: TBD by the named author. Leave empty rather than inventing.
- Citation posture: Specs link to the manufacturer page. Licence and regulation claims cite the government agency of that market (US state wildlife agency, not an aggregator).
- Original-data hooks this voice owns: line capacity calculator and fly rod weight chart outputs; spec comparison tables compiled from manufacturer pages
- "What I got wrong" angle: name the common beginner mistake per product type (too heavy a rod for the lure, mono on a baitcaster for a first-timer) as a plain warning, not a confession

#### 7. Gold-Standard Examples
- Example A (proposal sample, /en/fishing-reels/baitcaster-reel/; replace with a published paragraph once live): "A baitcaster holds the spool on top of the rod and lets your thumb control it, which gives you more accuracy and more cranking power with heavier lures. The trade-off is the backlash: if the spool turns faster than the line leaves it, you get a bird's nest. Set the spool tension so the lure falls slowly when you release it, and set the brake high for your first trips. If most of your lures weigh under a quarter ounce, a spinning reel will serve you better for now."
  - Why on-voice: answer first, the trade-off stated, a concrete setting, and a skip-this line
- Example B (proposal sample, /en/fishing-line/mono-vs-fluorocarbon-vs-braid/): "Braid has almost no stretch, so you feel light bites and set the hook fast, but it is highly visible in clear water. Fluorocarbon sinks and is harder for fish to see, which is why it is the usual leader material. Mono floats, stretches and forgives mistakes, so it is still the easiest line for a first spinning reel."
  - Why on-voice: three options, one differentiating fact each, ends on who should pick what

#### 8. Anti-References
- affiliate listicle tone ("10 BEST fishing rods of 2026!!")
- forum bravado and brand tribalism
- generic AI gear copy that repeats the product title

#### 9. Other languages
Voice is authored in English. Translations (DeepL, then native review) keep the same tone axes, with these register rules:
- de: Sie is the safe default for a gear guide, but angling media in German is warm and practical. Use du only if Tom picks the peer voice (option b). Metric units first. Licences: Fischereischein rules are set per Bundesland, cite the state authority.
- es: tu, direct and friendly. Metric units. Spain and Latin America differ on species and licences, say which market.
- fr: vous in guides. Metric units. Carte de peche context, cite the federation or ministry for rules.
- pl: ty-form imperatives (wybierz, sprawdz) as common in Polish how-to content, never Pan/Pani. Metric. PZW permit context cited to PZW.
- pt: voce (Brazil-neutral) unless the page targets Portugal. Metric.
- sv: du, always. Plain and short. Fiskekort rules cited to the county or Havs- och vattenmyndigheten.

## STRATEGY.md

Version 1.0.2 · status draft · sha256 dd2cb9053cce44bd557987e2f07d54e1cb4947474f15542021993bc02c2a5777

```yaml
charter: 1
version: 1.0.2
profile: editorial-charter@1.3.1
domain: fishinggear.guide
status: draft
reviewed_by: ""
mission_shape: charter:mission-shape-serve-x-to-achieve-y (serve X to achieve Y)
horizon: charter:horizon-12m (12 months)
positioning:
  primary: charter:positioning-axis-authority-depth (authority depth)
  secondary: [charter:positioning-axis-price-position (price position)]
audiences:
  - kind: charter:audience-kind-consumer (consumer)
    name: Species-focused anglers
    segment: species-angler
    job_to_be_done: Match reel, line, lure and rod to a species and technique when upgrading from a starter setup.
profile_required: true
```

### STRATEGY

#### Mission
We help freshwater anglers who target a species match rods, reels, line and lures to their technique, so they upgrade once instead of buying twice.

#### Positioning
Authority depth first: commercial results belong to large retailers and review sites, and the site cannot show first-hand testing yet, so it wins on explanation and manufacturer specs instead of "best of" claims. Price position second: "skip this if" advice and plain trade-offs keep readers from spending on gear they do not need. We concede speed of answer and any hands-on review authority until a real byline exists.

#### Audiences
Species-focused anglers: people who already fish, own a starter combo, and now target a species such as bass, walleye or catfish. A new technique, a tournament habit or a season opener triggers the upgrade. They can cast a spinning reel and tie a knot; power versus action, line ratings and lure weight ranges need explaining. Source: `briefs/strategy.md` (ICP b, an assumed default pending review), PRODUCT.md, VOICE.md section 2. First-rod beginners and fly and wading anglers were the alternatives not chosen.

#### Competitors
Large retailers such as Bass Pro Shops and Tackle Warehouse, established gear review sites, and YouTube technique videos. Affiliate listicles that rank products without criteria. Source: briefs/strategy.md, VOICE.md section 8.

#### What we will not do
No claims of personal testing, no invented authors, no ranked lists without criteria, no fishing video games. No affiliate links and no advertising. Sources: PRODUCT.md, briefs/site.md, briefs/strategy.md.

#### Bets for the horizon
1. Get the reel, line and lure clusters indexed in seven languages (moves pages_indexed).
2. Win component queries such as baitcaster reel and braided fishing line with specs-first explainers (moves gsc_clicks).
3. Make the line capacity calculator and fly rod weight chart the pages anglers return to (moves content_engaged).

## AUDIENCE.md

Version 1.1.1 · status draft · sha256 4f98278c1ac9cdd373350c9fbe013bf63829b7481117bb46b3d24b90230cd1d0

```yaml
charter: 1
version: 1.1.1
profile: editorial-charter@1.3.1
domain: fishinggear.guide
status: draft
reviewed_by: ""
segments:
  - slug: species-angler
    name: Species-focused anglers
    kind: charter:audience-kind-consumer (consumer)
    archetype: icp:gear-buyer-enthusiast (Gear-buying enthusiast)
    priority: charter:segment-priority-primary (primary)
    job_to_be_done: Match reel, line, lure and rod to a species and technique when upgrading from a starter setup.
    funnel_stages: [charter:funnel-stage-awareness (awareness), charter:funnel-stage-consideration (consideration), charter:funnel-stage-decision (decision)]
    languages: [en]
    regions: [US]
    pains:
      - Specs do not say which technique they fit.
      - Baitcaster backlash.
      - Conflicting advice on line choice.
    channels: [charter:channel-organic-search (organic search), charter:channel-social-video (social video), charter:channel-community (community)]
    evidence:
      default: {basis: charter:evidence-basis-researched (researched), source: "briefs/strategy.md (ICP b, species angler); briefs/keywords.json; PRODUCT.md (purpose and audience)", as_of: 2026-10-03}
```

### AUDIENCE

#### Species-focused anglers
Freshwater anglers who already fish and now target a species, mainly bass, walleye or catfish. They are upgrading from a starter combo to technique-specific gear and buy several components per technique. They search Google, watch YouTube technique videos and read bass forums. No size figure is recorded: the brief's search volumes come from planning data that nobody has read from a named system in this run. Source: briefs/strategy.md, PRODUCT.md.

#### Excluded audiences
Not written for: players looking for fishing video games, readers who want a brand-tribal ranking, and buyers looking for a retailer's deal page. Source: briefs/site.md, STRATEGY.md section What we will not do.

## MONETIZATION.md

Version 1.1.1 · status draft · sha256 c140034bf360289b8115c50eace6f7dab5d6afed23c81a1ede9588b296758243

```yaml
charter: 1
version: 1.1.1
profile: editorial-charter@1.3.1
domain: fishinggear.guide
status: draft
reviewed_by: ""
revenue_lines:
  - slug: own-printables-tools
    name: Own printables and tools
    type: charter:revenue-type-own-digital-product (own digital product)
    commission_model: charter:commission-model-unknown (unknown)
    placements: [charter:placement-type-tool-result (tool result)]
    segments: [species-angler]
    kpi_key: null
    status: charter:revenue-status-idea (idea)
    share_band: charter:revenue-share-band-marginal (marginal)
    start_trigger: Owner decides the site should earn at all, and picks a product that fits the no-affiliate, no-advertising rule in PRODUCT.md
    evidence:
      default: {basis: charter:evidence-basis-assumed (assumed), source: "briefs/strategy.md (monetization alternative c, own printables and tools); PRODUCT.md (no affiliate links, advertising)", as_of: 2026-10-03}
```

### MONETIZATION

#### Revenue model
The site earns nothing today and has no revenue decision. PRODUCT.md sets the rule: "No affiliate links, advertising or invented authors." That rule outranks the assumed default in `briefs/strategy.md` (specialist retailer affiliate links with Amazon as fallback), which is still marked pending review. The one line below is an idea taken from the brief's alternatives that the rule does not forbid. Nothing is live and no price or number is recorded.

#### Disclosure rules
If the owner ever lifts the rule, any affiliate link carries a clear disclosure next to the link, not only in the footer (FTC Endorsement Guides, 16 CFR 255). Pages never pose as hands-on reviews until real testing exists. Source: briefs/strategy.md, PRODUCT.md.

#### Not monetised
No affiliate links and no advertising, per PRODUCT.md. That removes the specialist retailer affiliate line (Tackle Warehouse, Bass Pro Shops), the Amazon Associates fallback, and display ads (brief alternative b). Also no sponsored rankings and no "top 10" pages without stated criteria. Source: PRODUCT.md, briefs/strategy.md.

#### Own printables and tools
An idea only, from alternative c in `briefs/strategy.md` ("own printables and tools"). It would build on the calculators and spec tables the site already plans. No product, price or format is chosen.

## KPI.md

Version 1.0.2 · status draft · sha256 1c6655caf6154c7cc61a3ed59e21dcbb23b2f4f45b33333f21cdf3b692d20fdb

```yaml
charter: 1
version: 1.0.2
profile: editorial-charter@1.3.1
domain: fishinggear.guide
status: draft
reviewed_by: ""
template: charter:kpi-template-editorial-traffic (editorial traffic)
template_override: ""
kpis:
  - {key: pageview_recorded, role: charter:kpi-role-primary (primary)}
  - {key: gsc_clicks, role: charter:kpi-role-secondary (secondary)}
  - {key: gsc_impressions, role: charter:kpi-role-secondary (secondary)}
  - {key: avg_position, role: charter:kpi-role-secondary (secondary)}
  - {key: content_engaged, role: charter:kpi-role-secondary (secondary)}
  - {key: newsletter_subscribed, role: charter:kpi-role-secondary (secondary)}
  - {key: affiliate_clicked, role: charter:kpi-role-secondary (secondary)}
  - {key: crawl_errors, role: charter:kpi-role-guardrail (guardrail)}
  - {key: pages_indexed, role: charter:kpi-role-guardrail (guardrail)}
catalog_sha: 4304fc97e9ac457725bdc25dcbb724c36257a707cbb3c237b69cd3e7ba04ac39
```

### KPI

#### Why these metrics
pageview_recorded is the primary: the site is not public yet and earns nothing, so reach comes first. gsc_clicks, gsc_impressions and avg_position show whether the component explainers win their queries against retailers. content_engaged shows whether anglers use the calculators and spec tables. newsletter_subscribed is kept from the template for a future list. affiliate_clicked stays from the template and should read zero, since PRODUCT.md rules out affiliate links. crawl_errors and pages_indexed are the guardrails for a seven-language page set.

#### Reading guide
Read the primary weekly against the `(site)` value target in kpi-mgmt once the owner sets one; none exists yet. Rising impressions with flat clicks point at titles and snippets. Fix a rise in crawl_errors or a drop in pages_indexed before reading anything else.

#### Review cadence
Quarterly, with the 12-month bets in STRATEGY.md.

## taxonomy/binding.yaml

Version 1.0.1 · status draft · sha256 74354c10132c36edc139f69080c384d7bea95bfd38bf1fbe28f7ff145813a333

```yaml
charter: 1
version: 1.0.1
profile: editorial-charter@1.3.1
domain: fishinggear.guide
status: draft
reviewed_by: ""
iab_content: ["iab:483"]
icp_profile: portfolio-icp@1.0.0
content_profile: null
languages: [en, de, es, fr, pl, pt, sv]
regions: [US, DE, ES, FR, PL, BR, SE]
```