Mike,
Well-said!!! I have all-too-often cringed at the comments of "elitist"
flyfishers who talk as if the brand of rod, reel and line people choose to
toss into beautiful waters is some determining factor about their
character. Who really cares as long as those people choose to respect the
water and the fantastic creatures that inhabit and rely upon it?
I always buy the best gear I can afford THAT SUITS ME, and I buy it
locally; even if it means saving all my dimes and quarters for several
years! I've been enticed by the larger sports corporations, but nothing
beats the local fishing stores that can sell me quality products AND some
great fishing advice and stories!
I apologize as you would like to see this thread die :-) but what you have
contributed to this BB has affected me very strongly and I hope others as
well!
Vicki
> 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
