THE MAN BEHIND THE PRODUCTS: MICHAEL MILFORD II

Raised on freshwater fishing, Mike Milford's life was changed when, at a relatively young age, he was exposed to offshore fishing. "I was intrigued by the bait," recalls Mike. "The fact that the bait we were using in saltwater was the size of the fish I was used to catching in freshwater just amazed me."

The sport of deep-sea angling would become one of Mike's great passions, and he continues to pursue it with excitement and intensity. It came as no surprise to many when Mike decided to pursue the offshore industry in terms of an career. He has since become the C.E.O. and owner of Play Action Products. In the short time since Mike has become C.E.O. of the company, sales have tripled and he has personally introduced ten new products to the industry.

"We build products that are made of the finest quality," said Milford. "Play Action is proven to place tournament anglers into top positions."

With an emphasis on cutting-edge marketing, Mike plans to let the world know that his offshore fishing products are number one. Already, Play Action's Model B-100 Snap-On Rod Belt is the top-selling belt in the world because of its signature rotating gimbal and ease to put on. Play Action enjoys global recognition with professional sportfishing operations all over the globe, from as far north as Iceland to as far south as New Zealand, and everywhere in between. The company even custom-builds products for professional captains everywhere.

"You can already find our products in very remote places," says Mike. "Anywhere the ocean is touching the land, Play Action is there. Serious fishermen know that our products are top-notch."

Mike is embracing the challenge of expanding on this notoriety with the professionals; he hopes to in turn make his products more widely-known to average fishermen. Although it can be said that Mike is already living a dream by owning a successful fishing-related business, he also has the ingenuity and creativity to make the rest of his offshore fishing dreams come true.