I think both your arguments have merit.
Flyfishing's more fun (at least for me it is) because the concept is
simpler, the gear is a lot cooler, it's more environmentally
responsible, and I meet more interesting people.
Unfortunately, on any given stretch of river or lake, I'm also toting
around at least a thousand bucks' worth of gear. That kinda tends to
be a barrier to entry for a lot of folks who might otherwise be
interested in trying flyfishing out but don't have that kind of money
to invest in a 'hobby'. (I'm different - I'm an addict, so I have no
other choice!)
Fact is, most other fishermen and probably a good deal of the general
public as well, perceive us flyfishers as elitists and snobs. And
perhaps rightly so.
Does the gear cost too much? Absolutely. Do I absolutely need the
latest and greatest Sage rod at a cost of perhaps double the one I
bought just a few years ago? Certainly not. The fish don't give a
damn. But we're conditioned to think so because we read the ads, the
magazine reviews, and as shop owners, listen to the sales reps' pitch
a little less critically than perhaps we should.
But the economics of the flyfishing industry can't be simplified so
easily. Most fly shops are probably more a labor of love than a money
printing scheme. The same holds true for the manufacturers, I
suspect. It costs what it costs 'cause they're all trying to make a
buck or two more than minimum wage and have some fun in the process.
BTW, this elitist/expensive argument isn't unique to flyfishing.
Check out the bicycle industry. Good luck finding high-end gear like
Campagnolo or Shimano at a discount. Then turn around and look what
the Lance Armstrong's of the world use. The same gear.
If anyone read this far, thanks for putting up with my rant.
Kent Lufkin
>Please let me counter your response, and I'm not looking for the last line.
>Fly fishing shops, like a Nordstrom store, offer higher ticket items along
>with customer service...overheadis more per/sq ft. The higher ticket items
>do not, normally produce big numbers of sales. Sage will not allow Sage
>Rods in KMart, or even a bigger sports retail outlet for fear they will be
>discounted. I would not want my Sage Rods to be discounted. They would
>lose lots of proud ownership from me, personally. It takes a qualified
>salesman to sell those type of higher priced ticket items and thus the
>higher overhead. I used to get customers stopping into Eddie Bauer and
>asking me about SA fly lines. I'd tell them that they were not nearly as
>good as Cortlands 444 fly lines. I knewthey just wanted to take up my time
>and find out what line they needed and then they'd head down to Outdoor
>Emporium and buy their SA lines for about what I paid for them. When the SA
>guy came into the store and asked my why I didn't sell any SA lines, I told
>him precisely why. He knew our Cortland sales were huge, but they did not
>let the 444 lines be discounted. In the end, Eddie Bauer got out of fly
>fishing/hardware because there was not enough markup in the products as it
>was.
>One of the things I've had to grapple with is the snob appeal criticism you
>hearaboutfly fishermen. This is what, I personally, am now satisfied with.
>I fly fish, in part, and it becomes a bigger part every year I get older, is
>the fact I do not enjoy being around the person on mimimum wage, that
>wouldn't spend more than a few bucks for his gear. This guy is a low wage
>earner more than likely because his social skills are lacking and they are
>often displayed on the water! I enjoy lure fishing for steelhead, but I do
>not participate much anymore because of the type of "sportsman" it attracts.
>That's just what I've come to experience. When you discount the products
>like all the other discount stores, I also think you discount the human side
>of it also. Hard to have someone be environmentally responsible, and
>acquire the whole package necessary to be a good fly fisherman when he, or
>she, is irresponsible at lifes other matters. In my selfish way, higher
>priced goods and itineraries are a way of keeping these people off the
>water's that I fish. I will drink beer in their bars, however!
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Sent: Saturday, January 06, 2001 10:09 AM
>Subject: Re: sportsmans/flyfishing shows
>
>
> > I agree with you on many of your points, Jere but the one thing I will
> > counter with is this. The sport of fly fishing suffers from elitism and
> > price gouging based on image. The mom and pop fly shop will always get my
> > business over a mass distributor. At the same time, the image oriented
>shops
> > that cater to the SUV driving, latte' sipping, couldn't save their butt
>out
> > in the wilderness if they had too but would look great when they died from
> > exposure crowd will never get my business (Sorry if I offended anyone.
>Not a
> > personal attack just a generalization. I like latte's! Really, I do.
> > hehe.). I think the trade shows offered the consumer a way to off set the
> > outrageous prices on some gear that tends to be dominated by the upscale
> > shops. Yes, you can counter that the high prices were caused by the shows
> > but to that I say fly fishing gear that is only available at the quality
>fly
> > shops continues to rise in price (especially rods) while the gear that is
> > available on a more mass appeal (like float tubes) have come down
> > significantly.
> >
> > We all like great service and appreciate the small shops. My favorite
>shop
> > owner in Spokane sold his store a few years ago and have been unhappy with
> > the selection of shops here since. It isn't that the gear selection is
>less.
> > It actually is more. However, gone are his cups of coffee on a rainy
>day,
> > the reading couch in the corner with all the latest mags and videos to
>watch
> > and the individual customer attention. In its place is a shop full of
>gear
> > but lackluster customer service. I find myself shopping online more and
> > buying what I can at the likes of the White Elephant stores.
> >
> > There is no simple solution to the issue but I think the point we were
>trying
> > to make is that going to these shows to play with all the gadgets, buying
>a
> > few new toys (at a discount so we can justify it to the spouse!) and
>seeing
> > some great presentations made it a fun day and really didn't do that much
> > damage. Much of what I often bought was additional things I typically
>would
> > not have thought about getting or more of an impulse buy. The fly shops
> > still got all of my regular business. Going to a show just to see 200
> > fishing guides, the latest, greatest Ronco gadget and some presentations
>just
> > lacks something.
> >
> > I hope you are settled in your new home in the Idaho Falls area and are
> > enjoying the great fishing in that region.
> >
> > Mike
> > Spangle, WA
> >
> >
> >
