Good comment Mike. I don't think you are nuts as I feel much the same way.
BAERT SIMMONS
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Sunday, January 07, 2001 7:28 PM
Subject: Re: sportsmans/flyfishing shows
>Richard, even though I am 33 I guess I am a throw back to the old days of
fly
>fishing. My Dad and his buddies started fly fishing right after their
return
>from WWII and they influenced me greatly. Those men were more about
>character and the love of the outdoors then image and I guess that is what
I
>dislike about many of todays fishing shops. I certainly recognize a need
for
>them but still dislike a great number of them because too many of them
focus
>on selling an image vs. the passion that I hold for the sport.
>
>In case you hadn't guessed, I am from a small town. I value personal
>relationships and the quality of the individual far more then how a person
>dresses or what kind of reel the have attached to their rod. The shop I
was
>talking about valued a lot of that too. People came to that store for the
>friendship and service. I would venture to say that almost every one of us
>who every came in to BS bought far more then we would have had we been just
>passing through some other shop. The owner had a good business and chose
to
>get out to try out some other ventures. There may be more to it but that
is
>that mans business, not mine. The new owner is a nice enough guy but he
>lacks the ability to make his customers feel valued and at home.
>
>I guess all of this has more to do with the changing of the sport then
>anything else. Years ago a chap had to actively seek out equipment and be
a
>good enough guy to find somebody to mentor him about how to throw a line
and
>entice a fish into taking a clump of hair and yarn. Today all the person
has
>to do is have enough money and time to invest in lessons and gear. I am
glad
>to see the sport grow but it has become quite commercialized. Obviously
any
>businessman is in business to make money. Being the nicest guy in the fly
>shop business doesn't mean anything if you go out of business. However
much
>of it has become superficial to me. In general I seek out the mom and pop
>stores and avoid the glitzy places that want everyone to look like an Orvis
>model. In my own twisted world that makes perfect sense. To many of you,
it
>won't and you will think I am nuts. That's okay too. My wife thinks I am
>nuts so a few more won't make that big of difference.
>
>I guess to put an end to all of this stuff, I will say that if I ever ask
any
>of you to go fishing with me, that is one of the biggest compliments I can
>give out. I value the quality of the man far more then the value of his
gear.
> I don't like getting caught up in politics (and wish this thread would
>die:-) and am perfectly content to seek out the quiet waters in the
>mountains, off the beaten path. There is nothing more rewarding in life
that
>I wish to pass onto other human beings then the passion and love I have for
>the outdoors and fly fishing. I guess it doesn't matter how we get there
or
>where we buy our stuff. As long as we find it rewarding, that is what
counts.
>
>Mike
>
>
