Brick and mortar flyshops

[flywatersmallie]

I'm lucky.... There is a sporting goods shop with a serviceable selection of gear and tying supplies less than 5 miles from my house and, what I would consider my "home shop" is maybe 20 miles down the road. I can get there in 25 minutes and my job takes me right past it once a week. Much to my wife's chagrin.

My home shop might be the best in the midwest. I have been to a number of them. These guys have a national following, a reputable staff and a great selection of everything you might need. I support them any time I can.

http://www.tightlinesflyshop.com/

[JohnScott]

... and friends.

In Missoula there are three shops in town, each with their own variety of fly tying materials. Among the three of them, and throwing in Wholesale Sports as another source, I can get anything I need for tying the flies I use around here. Going on down the Bitterroot Valley, there are several more shops with fly tying supplies.

But the nice thing is - when your vise jaws adjustment screw breaks before you have enough ties for your outing this coming Wednesday and the repair kit from Renzetti won't arrive until Friday, you can run into town and pick up ...



... a loaner.**

You can say what you want about internet sources, and saving a dollar or two here and there and now and then, but you can't hardly say enough about brick and mortar places that will loan you a brand new Regal for a couple days so you can get out and catch some fishies in the middle of the winter.

John

**From the Grizzly Hackle in Missoula. Thanks, guys.

[ScottP]

In Missoula there are three shops in town

John,

Did Missoulian Angler close down? I thought you had 4 shops - Kingfisher, Grizzly Hackle, Kesel's and Missoulian. It's been years since I was in there but I remember they had a good selection of locally "harvested" partridge skins. Nice loaner vise; btw, are those bunny tracks in the background?

Regards,
Scott

[JohnScott]

Scott -

Kesel's closed last spring. Missoulian Angler moved and downsized noticeably, including their fly tying materials section.

This morning we had six partridge skins out back, still on the birds. Thought about harvesting one but ....

The tracks are deer tracks, from last night. We've had a doe and her twins fawns hanging out quite close by recently.

John

[NewTyer 1]

I have South River Fly Shop in Waynesboro, VA about 10 miles from me. Pretty nice shop and very familiar with the rivers and streams here locally so, that's a plus next is Murry's Fly Shop maybe 25 mi, Albermarle Anglers at 45mi. So I'm pretty lucky here and they are all knowledgable of their perspective areas.

[ScottP]

John,

Glad you were able to resist temptation to collect some soft hackle, sorry to hear about Kesel's. NewTyer, have you ever stopped at Mossy Creek Flyfishing in Harrisonburg? Harry Murray is an institution; got to take one of his fishing classes years ago then spend a little time on stream with him. Heck of a nice guy.

Regards,
Scott

[tigfly]

I still prefer to shop at my local shop. Although here in NE Oh we are fortunate to have at least three really well stocked flyshops and one or two other smaller shops in our area. That is a lot of shops for an area that relies primarily on stocked steelhead for a seasonal coldwater fishery and very limited other opportunities for trout in the immediate area. We generally have to travel at least two hours for any decent trout fishing and most of us travel much farther than that for the majority of our trout fishing. For those of you who don't live near a flyshop, where did you purchase your stuff before the internet if you've been flyfishing that long?

[NewTyer 1]

ScottP; yes I have been to Murrys, He gave me a list of all the patterns he fishes around VA corresponding to area. He is an awesome guy to talk to and won't thumb down at you even if you are a beginner with 100 questions.

[DG]

Tig, I had close access to flyshops when I lived in Bozeman, and accumulated much of my stock there. Before that, Dad and I would find a shop every couple months and buy what we thought we needed. But I am not one of those people who needs to visit a shop every couple days just to fill in a gap in my stock or get something to tie a new fly (or to borrow a vise). I have enough stuff to tie THOUSANDS of the flies that I actually use, thousands more of about anything I could imagine wanting to use, and my stocks get refilled once or twice a year, unless I find a good deal on something when I stop by somewhere, or see it in the bargain bin (two spools of .015 lead-free wire for $3 Saturday after two hours in Cabelas with a buddy).

There is little that I use that I need to handle before I buy it. One package of dubbing or one spool of thread is not going to change much from one purchase to the next. Brand Q hooks are the same regardless of where you buy them. Hackle or hair, yes, I like to see before I buy, but I don't use much any more.

[Dave E]

For those of you who don't live near a flyshop, where did you purchase your stuff before the internet if you've been flyfishing that long?

At different points in life, I was my local Fly Shop - I was also one of my favorite customers too. Then I retired from it all and moved to a place on the west slope, beyond the last commute.....no long lines of cars between me and the fish, no fly shops nearby either. I've spent enough time in shops.

Dave