I was stocking up on tying thread the other day at the local fly shop. It seemed kinda expensive, almost three times the price of the local big box, but we’d had so much good advice from Julie at the shop that I didn’t mind–thought of it as a ‘tip’ for her! Then I noticed something…the thread spools at her local shop contained 200 yards. The ones at the big box contained only 50 yards, on the same size spool. DUH! It was actually cheaper at the local shop. I suggested that she put some signs up pointing that out, I’d never noticed.
Then neighbor Ken and I started yakking about some other issues with bad materials at the big box-- Deer and elk hair that was so brittle you couldn’t tie it on tight enough to stick, much less spin, without severing it–gave it to my dog and replaced it at the local shop with some good stuff. So-called ‘soft wet fly’ hackle that was so stiff you couldn’t fold it with an iron, steam and starch…Ken’s dog got that one to play with.
We’re getting a new Cabela’s here soon, I’m curious about what the quality of their tying materials will be…better than our current big box I hope. I’ve actually always liked Cabela’s, but I got to wonder what Brad and Tyler Befus think about their last name being mispelled in the new Caebla’s fly fishing catalog…
What materials I have bought from them have been expensive and not of the best quality. In looking at their new catalog and on line they have increased their prices a lot. That is just my personnel oppion
Since I don’t have a local fly shop, every time I go on a fishing trip I make sure I buy something at the local shop there. Most of my materials and supplies come from on-line stores. I have found that craft stores offer a large selection of materials that I can’t find other places at reasonable prices. I never buy fishing supplies at big box stores. They get too much of my business in other departments for me to buy their second rate supplies. They have their place, but not for sporting goods. IMO.
You may be in luck.
The local store here in K.C.M.O is a pretty good store.
Being an advanced beginner I dont know too much about quality of materials.
I do know that the guys at the fly shop are all tyers and hand out pretty good advice (works for me).
Also they will take back anything that I am not satisfied with (except materials attached to a hook A.K.A flies that
I have attempted to tie). :?
Store policy = Satisfaction Guaranteed
(have your receipt)
We are getting a new Pro Bass here too.
Both stores within 1/2 hour of my house.
I agree. The Hamburg, Pa. store has good supplies at reasonable prices. Their customer service is to notch too. I still, and always will, visit the local fly shops but the big box stores have filled a niche that has been open for years.
We are getting a new Cabela’s here in Washington also. Thank God it is being built about a 100 miles south and on the other side of Seattle from me. I may visit once just to see it but I really have no use for the big mega outdoor stores or big box stores. Give me a local mom and pop business - I don’t care if they cost me a few bucks more.
I fully agree with Kerry on this one. Even if the locally owned shop was more $ and a step down in quality, I’d still probably buy from them. About the only thing that could steer me from local to big box is friendliness and customer service.
From what I understand, that new Cabela’s is going into Lacey, right near Sportsman’s Warehouse. I can see the battle of the big boxe now. I’ll still be shopping at the local fly shop.
I agree that Cabela’s can be a good thing. When they opened the one here in Utah, they did some scouting for the Managers of the Fly Fishing. They got a couple of names you might have heard before, Lance Egan and Ryan Barnes (both been in the FF news for quit a while). Top notch advise there.
I love Wapsi product (a lot of stuff you just can’t find anywhere else), but an individual cannot buy this stuff on line, so I welcome ANY store that can and does carry it.
Problem with Cabela’s moving into your state, you now have state sales taxes (at least those states that have them)plus the shipping if you order from the catalog so, no, the savings isn’t there anymore.
I go to Sportsmen’s Warehouse more than any and order a lot of specialty stuff from Marriot.
Where is your local shop? I used to stop in at a shop in Olympia when down your way on business, but it closed a year or two ago. I have been looking for another local shop to visit when in your area.
Got to agree with perch. Our KC,MO Cabelas is a fine store. All the guys are flyfishiers and tyers. OK, so they’re horrific enablers, too, but …
We’ve got a few really good flyshops in our close by area, and they get most of my business, although I don’t feel they’re priced substantially higher.
Unfortunately, Bass Pro opens this Wednesday, all of about 10 minutes from my house. This does not bode well. Unless, they stock only what they have in the other stores, and I’ll be right on my way to my local home grown fly shop!!
Hey, perch! When you coming down? dpenrod? McManus? buzz? (who am I leaving out?)
The guy who started Streamside Anglers in Tumwater opened a shop on Olympia’s west side called Fishy Business. Not strictly a fly shop, he carries a lot of fly tying and fly fishing stuff. Great guys working in the shop, prices are good. What he doesn’t have, he will get for us.
I also just found out that The Morning Hatch in Tacoma is closing it’s doors. VEE and I are headed up there today to pick up a few things (Gudebrode 10/0 thread for VEE) and wish the crew well. Nice guys, but just can’t compete with the on-line sales and stay in business. At least that’s the story I heard.
This is response to Danbob’s laments about the lack of quality he found in the “big box” stores.
While I have shopped several of the larger retail chains I have found some products well worth the price BUT I have also found some products that a nothing but pure unaldultrated horse crap. Two examples which I would like to rant about are (l) A fly reel bought a a chain store called Big 5. The reel was made by Crystal River and fell apart shortly after use. The second was a net sold by Sportsman’s warehouse that was also made by Crystal River. It broke shortly after landing a decent fish.
Crystal River product are made in China, which is no surprise.
I quess what I am trying to say is let the buyer beware and if the brand name is Crystal River be flat scared of buying.
I won’t make the call between any of the stores. what bothers me is when a guy, trying to save money, buys an off-brand product and has it fail. Now he is out the cost but will need to buy the better one, actually costing him much more in the long run. For instance. A cheap wading staff, say for $28. It breaks and now he is without one until he spends much more for a better one. He may even be out the money spent on the cheap one. Sometimes going cheap might be the way to go, other times, I can’t afford to.
Don’t give me too much credit. It actually happened to a guy I know. I do not know, though, if he got his money back from the first one. Probably did, but that wasn’t the point.
I just multi task it. Bought a big guide net that I use also to get across rivers. Beat it up, you bet, but so darn well made it can take it. Cheap! no not this one.
I just spent $300 at Sportman’s Warehouse today, that’s the big box I was complaining about for tying supplies–but I bought all my tying supplies at the local fly store later. Sportsman’s WH was great today for thermal underwear, winter gloves and hats, an avalanche shovel, new flashlight and new headlamp…
The good thing about the place was that I had a choice in all categories – expensive US-made name brands, or cheap Chinese stuff. I got some of each. I know my new Gerber shovel will never break whilst shoveling out the snowmobile when I get mired, neither will the Maglite let me down in the dark. But the Chinese gloves fit great and were a great price, so did the hat, the new tarps were only a few bucks…you get the picture.
I trust the US-made stuff when it could be a matter of life and death – or at least life and great discomfort!
