From another post:

"Friendship, trust, respect, loyalty, etc...all reasons maybe to pay a premium price."

I am just curious, how much of a premium your local shop is worth to you? If you wanted a new rod that your local shop was selling for $600 and you found it online for $550, would you pay the extra $50 at your local shop? How about if you found it online for $500? or $400, or $300? At some point does your own fiscal situation override your sense of ideals?

I will admit that paying a premium is not worth that much to me any more. When I first started fly fishing I bought everything local because I relied on my local shop to give me advice on my purchases,set my rig up, and even give me advice on where to go and what flies to use. As a novice, I felt that ANY premium I paid was well worth the help and knowledge I got from my local shop. In fact when I purchased my first "real" (read: expensive) setup the shop owner even took me out back and gave me a free casting lesson that improved my casting more in a half hour than several months of struggling on my own.

I don't tie flies, so for the most part that's about all I still buy at my local shop anymore, save for the "gotta have it now" emergency purchases. I don't even buy tippett there-I just go to Wally World and buy mono where I can get a lifetime supply for the same price as a itty bitty roll of "tippett material". I always thought that was a scam! Sure I want my local guy to do well, but it's not my responsibility to put food on his table, and I gotta eat too. On items that are ~$50 or less (like lines for example) I'm willing to pay maybe a 40% premium to my local shop. On the big ticket items like rods and reels (and waders could fall into this one too) If I can find it for 10% less online, that's where my money is going.