Welcome to Zoe Angling Group

We are dedicated to ethical supply chains. In short, that means...

Zoe Angling Group is a Benefit Corporation that is focused on innovative opportunities in the fishing market with the goal to create jobs for exploited individuals.

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Explore Our Brands

ZAG creates and assembles the top brands in the fishing industry. Our brands help anglers be the best they can be on and off the water. 

PIVIT Fishing innovates environmentally-friendly conventional gear optimized by the ZAG team.

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Stealth Hooks makes matte-black hooks for dry flies, streamers, and jigs. 

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Fair Flies creates ethically-sourced premium tying materials including 5D Brushes and Fly Fur.

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Wasatch Custom Angling Tools creates beautiful hand-made tying tools for everyone.

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FAIR FLIES CREATES ETHICALLY-SOURCED PREMIUM TYING MATERIALS INCLUDING 5D BRUSHES AND FLY FUR.

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PIVIT FISHING INNOVATES ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY CONVENTIONAL GEAR OPTIMIZED BY THE ZAG TEAM.

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WASATCH CUSTOM ANGLING TOOLS CREATES BEAUTIFUL HAND-MADE TYING TOOLS FOR EVERYONE.

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STEALTH HOOKS MAKES MATTE-BLACK HOOKS FOR DRY FLIES, STREAMERS, AND JIGS. 

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our story

Zoe Angling Group's Mission is to create sustainable and transformative employment for exploited individuals around the corner and around the world.

We have a heart for those that are suffering.

"A Full Life, One of Vitality"

- meaning of the word Zoe

Zoe Angling Group has been growing since 2014, beginning with the core values of employee empowerment, ethical transparency, and innovation. With environmentalism in mind, a clear understanding of the current work conditions overseas, and a deep love for fishing, Jeff began Zoe Angling Group as a way to impact people’s lives for the kingdom in 2014. Keep scrolling for the full story. 

november 14th, 2014

ZAG’s story begins in 2014 - in Jeff and Lori’s living room in Portland, Oregon. In 2014, Jeff had a conversation with a fly shop owner who relayed a dark truth about the fly tying industry overseas: often, women and children are trafficked to manufacture the flies that fisherman use on every trip. 

Jeff then began a fly tying company whose primary goal was to exclusively utilize fair labor practices, rather than exploiting commercial fly tiers overseas. This company was called Fair Flies, but later transitioned into Zoe Angling Group. At this point, Chris Allen, Co-Founder and Director of Partnerships and Digital, joined the efforts.

Fair Flies started out as a subscription box, but later transitioned to e-commerce, distributing flies that were manufactured in third world countries with partners that didn’t exploit their workers. But finding these factories was no easy task - which is why Jeff flew to Kaibera, Kenya. 

November 14th, 2014

ZAG’s story begins in 2014 - in Jeff and Lori’s living room in Portland, Oregon. In 2014, Jeff had a conversation with a fly shop owner who relayed a dark truth about the fly tying industry overseas: often, women and children are trafficked to manufacture the flies that fisherman use on every trip. 

Jeff then began a fly tying company whose primary goal was to exclusively utilize fair labor practices, rather than exploiting commercial fly tiers overseas. This company was called Fair Flies, but later transitioned into Zoe Angling Group. At this point, Chris Allen, Co-Founder and Director of Partnerships and Digital, joined the efforts.

Fair Flies started out as a subscription box, but later transitioned to e-commerce, distributing flies that were manufactured in third world countries with partners that didn’t exploit their workers. But finding these factories was no easy task - which is why Jeff flew to Kaibera, Kenya. 

In March of 2015, Jeff traveled solo to Kibera, Kenya to train the first group of fly tiers, bringing materials in duffel bags for supplies.

This tying group produced the first run of flies that were sold to customers in the United States.  

In 2016, Jeff was approached by a product strategist for Cabela’s about starting a tying team in Nepal. By August, Jeff and his family had packed up their home in Portland, Oregon and moved to Nepal to start training the first group of tiers in Pokhara. They stayed for three months, and then moved back to the U.S. to continue operations in the states.

In October, Jeff began a partnership with Purnaa, an ethical manufacturing company in Kathmandu. At first, they helped to warehouse materials to solve supply chain and customs problems, but this partnership ended up serving a much larger purpose for Zoe Angling Group as a whole.

The 5D Brush is invented.

In 2017, in collaboration with a customer, Jeff designed a new kind of fly tying material that resulted in a more efficient fly tying experience, for commercial tiers and hobbyists. This is what is now known as the Fair Flies 5D brush.

what makes it different?

  • Dimensional - each material is hand-picked and perfectly proportioned to work together seamlessly
  • Deeper - materials are selected for their ability to get in the water column
  • Dryer - these materials shed water quickly for easier casting and softer landing
  • Durable - synthetic fibers hold their color and 5D Brushes won’t unravel, giving you a fly that lasts
  • Doing Good - every 5D Brush is handmade by individuals that are at risk of exploitation. We provide living wages and excellent benefits to all our workers

what makes it different?

  • Dimensional - each material is hand-picked and perfectly proportioned to work together seamlessly
  • Deeper - materials are selected for their ability to get in the water column
  • Dryer - these materials shed water quickly for easier casting and softer landing
  • Durable - synthetic fibers hold their color and 5D Brushes won’t unravel, giving you a fly that lasts
  • Doing Good - every 5D Brush is handmade by individuals that are at risk of exploitation. We provide living wages and excellent benefits to all our workers

ethical manufacturing

At this point, Fair Flies had added the 5D brushes to the ecommerce store, and utilized their relationship with Purnaa to manufacture this new product. Because it was so easy to make, it expanded efforts in Nepal and gave even more women jobs and eliminated the long training process needed to tie flies. 

ethical manufacturing

At this point, Fair Flies had added the 5D brushes to the ecommerce store, and utilized their relationship with Purnaa to manufacture this new product. Because it was so easy to make, it expanded efforts in Nepal and gave even more women jobs and eliminated the long training process needed to tie flies. 

2018: the year we added fly fur

In August of 2018, the Fair Flies ecommerce website also began to carry Fly Fur, adding a new product to the Fair Flies line. Jeff spent some time with the manufacturers, designing the characteristics of each fiber to radically improve the performance of mediocre craft fur currently available to tiers.

(This year, Jeff was also working on developing the Trailer Jig.)

2018: the year we added fly fur.

In August of 2018, the Fair Flies ecommerce website also began to carry Fly Fur, adding a new product to the Fair Flies line. Jeff spent some time with the manufacturers, designing the characteristics of each fiber to radically improve the performance of mediocre craft fur currently available to tiers.

2018: the year we added fly fur.

In August of 2018, the Fair Flies ecommerce website also began to carry Fly Fur, adding a new product to the Fair Flies line. Jeff spent some time with the manufacturers, designing the characteristics of each fiber to radically improve the performance of mediocre craft fur currently available to tiers.

(This year, Jeff was also working on developing the Trailer Jig.)

2019

In March 2019, Fair Flies acquired Wasatch Tools, a premier fly tying tools company that offered collector-level quality products for enthusiastic hobbyists and commercial tiers, using resin-stabilized wood and gold plated tooling parts.

Not only did the company work on upgrading the quality of the tools, it was the first time that Wasatch had hit the market publicly in the form of e-commerce.

At this point in 2019, Fair Flies was still the flagship brand, though the site carried other brands. It was a full-fledged fly fishing retail store.

The site carried brands like Lagurtun, Stealth, Fly Fishing Collaborative, and Black’s flies. But all of these products were sold and marketed towards fly fishers, but there was a larger market opportunity with the Trailer Jig, a technology that Jeff had been developing for over a year. It was time to re-organize.  

2019

In March 2019, Fair Flies acquired Wasatch Tools, a premier fly tying tools company that offered collector-level quality products for enthusiastic hobbyists and commercial tiers, using resin-stabilized wood and gold plated tooling parts.

Not only did the company work on upgrading the quality of the tools, it was the first time that Wasatch had hit the market publicly in the form of e-commerce.

At this point in 2019, Fair Flies was still the flagship brand, though the site carried other brands. It was a full-fledged fly fishing retail store.

The site carried brands like Lagurtun, Stealth, Fly Fishing Collaborative, and Black’s flies. But all of these products were sold and marketed towards fly fishers, but there was a larger market opportunity with the Trailer Jig, a technology that Jeff had been developing for over a year. It was time to re-organize.  

At this point in 2019, Fair Flies was still the flagship brand, though the site carried other brands. It was a full-fledged fly fishing retail store.

The site carried brands like Lagurtun, Stealth, Fly Fishing Collaborative, and Black’s flies. But all of these products were sold and marketed towards fly fishers, but there was a larger market opportunity with the Trailer Jig, a technology that Jeff had been developing for over a year. It was time to re-organize.  

2020

In November of 2020, the Coffey family moved across the country to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the company and Jeff’s family currently reside. Not only did the city offer more in terms of fishing, the move allowed strategic partnerships located in the southeast portion of the United States to develop more naturally. The company moved into the Business Development Center in the heart of downtown Chattanooga and began to rebuild a team. In March, Fair Flies, LLC officially became Zoe Angling Group, LLC.

2021

In 2021, the formal brand name “PIVIT” was conceived for the Trailer Jig. 

This brand includes the patent-pending HDPE coated non-lead jig head and trailing hook design, eliminating lead pollution and increasing longevity of jig use. These lures are manufactured in humanitarian conditions in India, furthering the original mission and mindset of the company to improve lives with living wage jobs using high-quality products, especially targeting vulnerable populations.

2020

In November of 2020, the Coffey family moved across the country to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the company and Jeff’s family currently reside. Not only did the city offer more in terms of fishing, the move allowed strategic partnerships located in the southeast portion of the United States to develop more naturally. The company moved into the Business Development Center in the heart of downtown Chattanooga and began to rebuild a team. In March, Fair Flies, LLC officially became Zoe Angling Group, LLC.

2021

In 2021, the formal brand name “PIVIT” was conceived for the Trailer Jig. 

This brand includes the patent-pending HDPE coated non-lead jig head and trailing hook design, eliminating lead pollution and increasing longevity of jig use. These lures are manufactured in humanitarian conditions in India, furthering the original mission and mindset of the company to improve lives with living wage jobs using high-quality products, especially targeting vulnerable populations.

2022

Stealth Acquisition

Zoe Angling Group (ZAG) is in the process of acquiring Stealth, an industry standard hook brand. This product line was added to Fair Flies 5D Brushes and Fly Fur, Wasatch Tools, and PIVIT. 

HoL Composites

In a conversation with a distributor, Jeff was asked to redevelop the traditional lure box. As Jeff began to solve the problems presented by the traditional fly box, he also created Zoe Angling Group’s fifth brand, Hol Composites. This brand focuses on storage solutions related to tackle and gear, covering everything from lightweight coolers to fly boxes. 

Meet our Team

Jeff Coffey

FOUNDER & CEO

Founder and visionary for Zoe, Fair Flies and Trailer Jigs. Winning many industry awards for innovation and design, Jeff brings the leadership to the team as CEO. Jeff has been in the industry for over 25 years as a guide, retailer, and shop owner. Jeff’s primary focuses beside leading the vision of the company are in marketing, B to B sales, and R&D. Jeff also has over a decade of leading four software startups and facilitating a sub committee in Washington DC, this is not his first rodeo.

Chris Allen

CO-FOUNDER & DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL 

Chris has an extensive background in customer service. He also brings project management and digital content expertise. With experience in large corporations, not-for-profit organizations, and startups he fulfills many roles and responsibilities. He excels in creating and managing strategic partnerships. Chris is passionate about the outdoors and protecting the wild ecosystems that are home to so many amazing species. 

ben paull

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER

Ben Paull has been working in the fly fishing industry for fourteen years, as a guide, videographer and manager of a startup, but it is only at ZAG that he feels a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment. Cutting edge products and an all star team allows him to make real change in the world, helping vulnerable people start a new chapter in their lives. It's a mission that he keeps in mind every day- more than just a nine to five. He is thrilled to be a part of the ZAG family.

Jonathan Campbell

VIDEOGRAPHER/PHOTOGRAPHER

Jonathan Campbell has a background in video and film production and his passion is helping people through visual storytelling. Prior to joining the team, he worked for a local credit union, an organization that is highly involved in serving and giving back to the community. Using his passion for videography, he is able to tell the story of how Zoe Angling Group is impacting the local and global community. 

Megan Zietlow

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Megan Zietlow is a graphic designer here at ZAG. Originally from Atlanta, GA she came to Chattanooga to get her Bachelor’s degree at Covenant College. She majored in Interdisciplinary Studies with concentrations in art, marketing, and psychology. She is excited to be using her passion for design at a company that values helping people and the environment. Additionally, she is so thankful to know that her work is part of something bigger - giving hope and employment to previously exploited individuals.

Jon Strauss

R&D

Jon Strauss has just under 25 years of management and engineering experience. He has a M.S. degree in chemical engineering from Kansas State and is CEO of ZAG partner, MORE SARL in Africa. Jon is at ZAG to “help and serve others.” His focus is on product development, specializing in composites.

Tyler McCune

WASATCH BRAND MANAGER

Tyler has developed his team working, management, and problem solving skills in a wide variety of professions, including a few startups. Over the last several years, his heart for serving others eventually brought him out of full time law enforcement and into Zoe Angling Group in order to serve a much larger community.

Pamela Schreiner

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Working with both corporations and non-profit organizations, Pamela is skilled in technical writing, policy development, benefits and compensation strategies, and people development, as well as event planning and coordination. Pamela holds the Society of Human Resource Managements Senior Certified Professional designation and is a graduate of Trinity International University. She is passionate about partnering to create jobs for exploitable and at-risk people, which is why ZAG is the perfect fit for her.

Lori Coffey

ACCOUNTING & OPERATIONS

Accounting & Operations
Lori Coffey is Jeff's wife and has been in administrative support from inception, coming alongside him to learn and do everything from bookkeeping, order fulfillment, product photography, and international business relations. She continues to provide bookkeeping and other team support even as she steps back from full time work to focus on homeschooling their daughter, Gracie.  

CHASE WILLIAMSON

INVENTORY & FULFILLMENT MANAGER

Chase has lived in Chattanooga since he was a teen and has worked retail inventory control for a decade. Chase came to work at ZAG because it lets him use his skill set in a more meaningful way that directly improves the lives of others.

Sam Hyman

MATERIAL DESIGNER & SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Sam has been exposed to the world of fishing since he was little and grew a love for it as he grew up. His experience grew with his time spent out west as a guide in Wyoming. Here, his eyes were opened to the value of service and the impact people can truly have with one another through testimony and community. He runs our social media and is a part of our creative team at ZAG.