Angling Trade Magazine September 2008 by Angling Trade LLC

the buzz on the flyfishing biz

速

TRADE

Inside

The GOOD Issue

The Rest of Denver, Redux/Tying into Sales/ A Good Company/Art in the Fly Shop, Part II/ Six for the Salt/The Dream Fly Shop September2008AnglingTrade.com

the buzz on the flyfishing biz

CONTENTS

TRADE

Features

Departments

Editor

Kirk Deeter kirk@anglingtrade.com Managing Editor

22 The Rest of Denver, Redux An insider’s guide to what really happens on the Mile High scene, for those of you traveling this way. By Will Rice

6 Editor’s Column The “Good” Issue Tough market, tough economy, sure. But at its core, flyfishing is still all good. Very good.

An insider’s look at how selling fly tying resources can give your business a boost, with how-to examples on spinning up profit. By Brett Wedeking

Editor-at-Large

Charlie Meyers charlie@anglingtrade.com

8 Currents

Art Director

The latest product, people, company and issues news from the flyfishing industry, plus a condensed guide to FFR Expo 2008 in Denver.

Tara Brouwer tara@brouwerdesign.com brouwerdesign.com

32 Recommended Reading

28 Tying into Sales

Tim Romano tim@anglingtrade.com

Trash Fish, A Life by Greg Keeler. An AT first, a flyfishing memoir. But this one is so poignantly well-written, we simply could not resist. By Kirk Deeter

Copy Editors

Mabon Childs, Sarah Warner Contributing Editors

Tom Bie Ben Romans Andrew Steketee Greg Thomas Contributors

Monte Burke, Joe Cermele, Will Rice, Brett Wedeking, Bob White Photos unless noted by Tim Romano

44 Short Feature

34 A Good Company

Hatch Outdoors crosses the golf-toflyfishing demographic by stamping out quality products. See how one company is driving it down the middle into that flyfishing headwind. By Greg Thomas

Six for the Salt Hot products that offer some legitimate potential on the saltwater side. By Joe Cermele

Photography: John Torok

Angling Trade is published four times a year by Angling Trade, LLC. Author and photographic submissions should be sent electronically to editor@anglingtrade.com. Angling Trade is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and/or photo submissions. We ask that contributors send formal queries in advance of submissions. For editorial guidelines and calendar, please contact the editor via E-mail. Printed in the U.S.A.

48 Essay

38 Art in the Fly Shop, Part II

How tuning in with the aesthetic aspect of flyfishing can make your business better. By Bob White

By Monte Burke

52 Backcast “Free is Good” By Charlie Meyers

Mail Address: PO Box 17487 Boulder, CO 80308 Street Address: 3055 24th Street Boulder, CO 80304 AnglingTrade.com

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

The Dream Fly Shop Just read it.

Advertising Contact: Tim Romano Telephone: 303-495-3967 Fax: 303-495-2454 tim@anglingtrade.com

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EDITOR’S COLUMN

Welcome to the “Good” Issue of

Not that this will be any better executed than previous issues (or that the others were bad)...

I just didn’t feel like calling this a “Show” issue. It no doubt coincides with the FFR Expo in Denver. But I want this issue to transcend the audience that will be in the Mile High City in midSeptember. A few days ago, an industry insider friend explained that he wasn’t looking forward to being at the Expo. Sure, he was excited to reconnect with friends and check out new products, but he wasn’t looking forward to the vibe. Tough economy. Tough market. “We’ve been wringing our hands and bitching about things for years… what’s going to change?” he asked. Made me sad.

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

So I went out and fished on it the next day. I caught a bunch of trout on dries, and ultimately felt the same genuine energy I experienced when this crazy obsession first hooked me, 30 years ago. (It still usually happens that way.) I started recollecting on “good” experiences since the 2007 FFR Expo: A benefit for St. Jude’s Hospital involving a number of my personal flyfishing heroes. A trip to Argentina with a dear friend and mentor. A visit to the Bahamas to see Bonefish & Tarpon Unlimited working to preserve and enhance that important fishery. Spending time on the water with a friend who is beating down some serious health challenges. Evening hatches on the home rivers in Colorado with my young son. A long, long trail of letters and Emails from teenaged kids who read the Field & Stream Fly Talk blog, describing for me how flyfishing is already changing their young lives... That all made me think: Despite $4 for a gallon of gas, despite the money crunches, despite the threatened natural resources, despite the fences and access issues—basically all the shit that rains down from time to time… it’s still all good. Very good. This sport of flyfishing is the most beautiful endeavor one could ever hope to embrace. That’s not saying we should ignore the challenges or issues. But the core, the essence, the reason, the passion, and the pursuit, are as eminently beautiful now as ever they have been. 6

I see good things. I see “This is Fly,” for example, which is energizing and giving voice to an Internet generation and culture this sport desperately needs to thrive. I see Orvis, one of the “old” standard bearers in flyfishing, introduce a “Helios” rod that redefines what it feels like to cast flies. I see two young guys who call themselves “Felt Soul” produce an epic video on Alaska’s Bristol Bay that I’d pay to watch 500 times. Related to that, I see a grassroots effort supported by Sage, and Redington, and Rio, and Patagonia, and more groups than I can list here, that demands anglers stand up and oppose a mine that threatens one of the best wild salmon fisheries in the world. I see youth recruited into this sport, thanks to Scientific Anglers and G.Loomis. I see Simms carrying the torch for protecting rivers against invasive threats. I see BossTin scrapping to offer logical lead-free alternatives that confront a pending environmental hailstorm. I see the innovative edge with companies like Kaenon Polarized and Hatch Outdoors embracing flyfishing. I see Ross celebrating a 35-year anniversary. From this seat, I see all of it. And it’s mostly very good. More good than we sometimes give ourselves credit for. I see vigilance. I see passion. I see art. I see innovation. I see honesty. And yes, I see a positive future. Maybe that’s what I want to see. I know that’s what I believe. Because the essence is still there, and will be there, long after this conversation, this “Show,” these products, these companies, and this magazine are long gone. Trust me on that. As such, I made the call to anoint this the “Good” issue of Angling Trade. Every story you’ll read in here has a positive slant. It isn’t propaganda, to be sure. But it’s time to “accentuate the positive,” in my mind. This magazine has dealt with—and will certainly continue to deal with—the heavy issues. But this is the place and time to take stock in all that’s good with this sport, this market, and all of the people who work therein. We are ultimately on the same team, and share the same passions and most worthy ideals. I thank you all, sincerely, for what has been a very good, transformative year for Angling Trade magazine, and I wish you all nothing but good in the months and years ahead. at - Kirk Deeter, Editor

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Quick Guide

about Colorado headquarters operations). Summary of the latest industry survey (copies to be distributed).

to the 2008 Fly Fishing Retailer World Trade Expo: Denver, Colorado 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Dates & Times Sunday, September 14, 2008 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday, September 15, 2008 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 16, 2008 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Location Colorado Convention Center 700 14th Street, Denver

Appointments/ Exhibitor Hours Exhibitors scheduling meetings with buyers or media prior to and after the show closes are allowed in the building during the following hours: Sunday, September 14, 2008 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday, September 15, 2008 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 16, 2008 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The hall will be cleared at 7:00 p.m. Sunday and Monday, NO EXCEPTIONS. (For all pre-show appointments, an exhibitor must meet the individual/group at Main Registration and escort them to the exhibitor’s booth.)

Events & Seminars Schedule AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

Sunday, September 14 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Industry Breakfast (Rooms 400 – 404) Hot breakfast provided by AFFTA and Fly Fishing Retailer. Updates from the AFFTA (meet new AFFTA president Gary Berlin, learn more 8

Using the Industry Survey Results (Room 406) Leisure Trends Group recently completed the sixth study of the flyfishing retail marketplace. This study establishes the size of the flyfishing industry for the 2007 retail season and provides detailed information on major categories of flyfishing products. Jim Spring, founder and president of Leisure Trends Group, Inc., will review the findings and identify key elements that will help retailers, outfitters and consumers better understand the buying trends and retail environment in the flyfishing marketplace. 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Industry Party (Bubba Gump Shrimp Company) Come to a night of networking, friends and fun at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., across from the Convention Center. Free beer, appetizers, tunes, good times and games. Open to all Fly Fishing Retailer 2008 attendees. Your official badge is your entrance ticket.

Monday, September 15 8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Show Me the Money: Bringing the Retired Person into Your Shop (Room 405) Returning again this year, David Phares will outline how to communicate with local community colleges and retirement communities to reach the retirees who are looking for more to do in their active lives. High energy and still committed to the adage that “Free is Good,”

Phares will keep you both informed and entertained with the quizzes and giveaways he has become known for at past expos. This session is limited to 50 individuals, so come early. 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Behavioral Styles and Coaching for Effective Retail Management (Room 407) Jonathon Hodge, executive vice president of The Real Learning Company, will lead two sessions that will give attendees tools that may be applied immediately. 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. ANS Spread Prevention – A Call to Action! (Room 501) Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) are invading fisheries and causing significant ecological damage. Anglers and other outdoors enthusiasts are inadvertently spreading ANS throughout our waterways. Bob Wiltshire from the Center for Aquatic Nuisance Species and Dave Kumlien, executive director of the Whirling Disease Foundation, copresent this seminar which includes an overview of the problem and threats, an update on actions resource managers and manufacturers are taking to help stop the spread, and practical advice for all individuals to become better stewards of our aquatic resources.

Tuesday, September 16 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Employee Retention (Room 405) The second of Jonathon Hodge’s two seminars takes a fresh look at issues and provides practical solutions to real life business problems. *Source: www.flyfishingretailer.com continued on next page...

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Book Signings Stackpole Books will have authors of some of its hot titles signing in Booth 840:

Sunday, September 14 3:00 p.m. A. K. Best (FLY TYING WITH A. K. - Patterns & Problem Solving with New Materials & Techniques)

4:00 p.m. Charlie Craven (CHARLIE CRAVEN’S BASIC FLY TYING - Modern Techniques for Flies that Catch Fish) 5:00 p.m. Bruce Ducker (HOME POOL - Stories of Fly Fishing and Lesser Passions)

Monday, September 15 10:00 a.m. Ed Jaworowski (ESSENTIAL SALTWATER FLIES)

11:00 a.m. Aaron Adams (FLY FISHERMAN’S GUIDE TO SALTWATER PREY How to Match Coastal Prey Fish and Invertebrates with the Fly Patterns that Imitate Them) 1:00 p.m. Charlie Craven (CHARLIE CRAVEN’S BASIC FLY TYING - Modern Techniques for Flies that Catch Fish) 2:00 p.m. Bruce Ducker (HOME POOL - Stories of Fly Fishing and Lesser Passions) 3:00 p.m. Lefty Kreh (CASTING WITH LEFTY KREH) 4:00 p.m. A. K. Best (FLY TYING WITH A. K. - Patterns & Problem Solving with New Materials & Techniques) 5:00 p.m. Jack Ohman (AN INCONVENIENT TROUT)

Tuesday, September 16 10:00 a.m. Lefty Kreh (CASTING WITH LEFTY KREH) 11:00 a.m. Jack Ohman (AN INCONVENIENT TROUT)

OTHER DO NOT MISS EVENTS AROUND FFR

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

Be sure to check out the “Orvis/ Angling Trade Helios Challenge.” The show’s casting competition allows all FFR attendees to compete for a conservation cause of their choice. The competition features distance and accuracy elements, with $5,000 being awarded to environmental causes. Women’s and Men’s division winners will receive a beautiful cup, and $2,500 to be donated to the environmental cause of his or her choice. Preliminaries will be held on Sunday and Monday, with the finals on Tuesday at noon. 10

According to Hutch Hutchinson, host of the Orvis/Angling Trade Helios Challenge: “We’ll have an assortment of casting challenges and obstacles to simulate natural conditions and increase the challenge element. This unique event isn’t just a great time, it also gives industry conservation efforts a significant boost of exposure.” Orvis will highlight the Helios rods, the world’s lightest and best casting fly rods, during the competition, and will post daily results in its booth (#624). Also be sure to take in the 3rd Annual Drake Flyfishing Video Awards. Now considered by many to be the premier “after hours” highlight of FFR, the program will be held Sunday night at 8:00 at a new location—Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, 26th and Welton, in Denver. (You can take the D Train from the convention center for $1.75.) This place is a REAL Bar, so, says Drake publisher Tom Bie, attendees no longer will have to wait for the ample New Belgium beer to be served in Dixie cups by people who usually work weddings. There will be awards for Best Humor, Best Story, Best Conservation Piece, Best Fishing, and Best Overall Film. Best Film winner gets $1,000.

continued on next page... 11

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

You’ll also want to take in the premier of “Drift,” a movie shot on 16mm film and mastered in High Definition, featuring locations from Belize, to Andros, to Kashmir, India, to the Rocky Mountain West and the Pacific Northwest. Five segments of the film will premier on September 15 at FFR. Run time is approximately 65 minutes. Produced by Confluence Films, executive producer is Jim Klug, writer/ narrator is Tom Bie, and director/

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cinematographer is Chris Patterson. Given the collective talent on the project and its format, this is sure to be unlike anything ever produced on flyfishing, and a must-stop for attendees. For information, see www.confluencefilms.tv.

sports

tools

MANY SAY, “we have the best.” ONE must be right. All we ask is: COMPARE, THEN DECIDE. Clip n’ Knot

The Product Buzz As you might imagine, the public relations blitz is heating up as manufacturers prepare to launch new product lines at FFR. In general, we do not see 2008-2009 being as hot a new product year as last year (Helios, Sharkskin, etc.); however, there will be some good news to tune into. Sage is replacing its TCR rod with a new model, and introducing six specialty reels; G.Loomis has crafted a Czech nymph-specific rod series; Orvis has introduced more models of its ZG Helios line, and is launching a new wader design, as examples of just a few highlights.

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

Stay tuned for the next issue of Angling Trade where we report the real skinny on the products that seem most impressive, and most destined to influence some retail pop in the coming season. Retracing Needle • Sharpest Edges Stainless Steel • Made in USA See our entire line at www.sportstoolsusa.com sportstools@yahoo.com 1-800-827-7662 In Montana (406) 633-9444

Here are some other highlights on products we’ve gotten the buzz on in recent weeks: The Monomaster Waste Line Holder from Grasshopper Outdoors is a nifty solution to the major issue of line pollution. Simply take discarded

tippet and leader material, and roll it into the collection slot of the small device that clips onto any vest or pack. When you clean it out at days end, you get a clear picture of just how much junk can be left behind in the river. This product makes sense for any responsible angler. $11.95; grasshopperproducts.com. Beyond Coastal sunscreen literally saved my hide on a recent trip to the Bahamas, after I had forgotten my flats clothing (don’t ask) and was forced to wade long days in a white t-shirt and shorts. Slathering up with SPF 30 kept me from getting burned… at all. And the stuff worked well for other friends of mine who are prone to sunscreen breakout issues. I’m taking this to Bolivia for 14 days in the jungle. Prices/ sizes vary, up to 4-oz. containers for $14.99; beyondcoastal.com. - KD Simms Fishing Products

is tackling ANS by integrating a new Vibram sole on its boots, flats and river sandals. With this first and only fishing-specific Vibram sole on the market, Simms continues its leadership role in the fight against aquatic invasive species. Without doubt, felt soles

have been implicated in the spread of aquatic invasive species like whirling disease and didymo, and these ecofriendly boots promise to be one of the biggest tools anglers can use in preventing the spread of invasive species. Simms has worked long and hard with Vibram to produce this fishing-specific Vibram sole. In extensive field testing, Simms’ new sole has shown to have all the performance attributes of felt, only the soles have the environmental benefits (they don’t soak and hold water and they dry quickly) of rubber. The boots are scheduled for production later in 2008 (like November). And yes, Simms will still produce felt-soled boots for next year, but these new Vibram soles will be found on a wide array of boots and wading shoes. Retail varies by model; simmsfishing.com. Korkers is also working on new boot and will have samples by September. St. Croix is reintroducing its Imperial fly rods after a three-year market hiatus.

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of reels to deliver many of the best features of its popular Opti and Evotec G3 lines, at lower cost to consumers. It starts with the same large-arbor technology Loop pioneered more than 20 years ago. The signature Power Matrix Drag System helps slow down that monster catch, while a V-groove spool makes orderly and even line retrieval virtually effortless. Lightweight and durable, the Multi—like all Loop products—is designed to perform in tough conditions. Available in three sizes, retail varies; looptackle.com. Glacier Glove is adding to its line the new patent-pending 710GY, a glove made of water resistant windproof breathable fleece, with a polyurethane thumb and index finger, and 2mm neoprene palm.

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Winston will introduce new models of their popular Boron II-MX and Boron IIx rod series. Both will feature continued on next page...

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AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

Rod Fly Building Tying Components Materials If you haven’t seen our completely revised and expanded catalog, call or e-mail to order your FREE copy today.

Ross • Orvis • Outcast • Winston

Seeker • Pacific Bay • Flex Coat

The rods will retail for $150 to $200, and will come with cases and lifetime warranties. Also note that St. Croix has built a new state-of-the art manufacturing facility in Fresnilla, Mexica, to help it compete with other offshore manufacturers.

Along that pricepoint-driven line of thinking, Loop Tackle Design has launched the Loop Multi family

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AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

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Boron II technology providing a combination of accuracy, power and very lightweight feel. The Boron II-MX rods are designed for maximum power and distance. Intended for use in tough conditions, they are built to handle wind, big water, sinking lines and large weighted flies. They will be available in a variety of line weights and two-handed models. The Boron IIx two-handed rods are made with second-generation boron/graphite composite. Winston claims they are the lightest spey rods in the world by as much as 50% yet offer extraordinary power, responsiveness and accuracy; retail varies by model; winstonrods.com. Here’s an interesting twist on old waders: Recycled Waders’ mission is to repurpose as many pairs of damaged breathable waders as possible. The ultimate goal is to reduce the vol-

ume of useable material collecting in landfills while creating functional and cool products for fishermen and nonanglers alike. Recycled Waders turns them into everything from baseball hats and wallets to fanny packs and creels. Check out recycledwaders.com. Princeton Tec has a new series of four handheld lights. The new Amp Series handheld lights are jacked-up on burntime and feature the revolutionary Rebel LEDs that are touted as the lightest and brightest LEDs available on the market today. We’re also high on the relatively new Fuel headlamp model; princetontec.com. Last season, Smith Optics introduced Interlock Technology. Now the company has launched Interlock Spoiler and Interlock Prophet sunglass mod-

els, which feature TLT Optics, whose precise thinning of lens material guarantees optical precision by evenly focusing light into the eye through the X, Y, and Z axes. Using 8 base Carbonic lenses this new Interlock duo offers maximum peripheral coverage and impact protection while protecting the user’s eyes from 100% of UV A/B/C light. Smith also has introduced a variety of new line targeting the female market—the Audry, the Prize, the Shoreline. Other new designs include the Witness, the Don, the Mogul and the Riverside. Check them all out at booth 501; smithoptics.com.

Ross Reels USA has partnered with Realtree Camo on an exclusive fly reel series. Through a licensing agreement with Realtree Outdoors Ross will be offering a very limited number of CLA reels that have been anodized and then coated with a photographic quality REALTREE APG HD camouflage finish. Each reel will be custom engraved with a limited edition number. In past years, these special series have only been offered in one reel size, this time, Ross is offering a full series of REALTREE APG HD camouflage finish CLA reels on a first-come, first-served basis; Angling Trade:angling trade 10/26/07 rossreels.com.

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The People Buzz

Anthony, he’s a die-hard fly angler, formerly of USA Hockey in Colorado Springs. Jack Dennis has announced he has severed promotional affiliation with Thomas & Thomas. Jack still endorses Abel Reels, Frontiers Travel, Umpqua Feather Merchants, Clackacraft, Simms Fishing Products, Cortland Line Company and Super Fly of Canada.

Angling Trade is most pleased to announce the birth of Samuel Benjamin Romans (9 pounds) on July 9, 2008. He is the son of AT editor Ben Romans and his wife Heather. (We’re going to put Ben back to work in November.) By the way, check out www.generationwild.com where Ben is editing a website for Field & Stream focused on teaching younger generations the attributes of the outdoors. Also, AT regular Will Rice, who brings you the “Rest of Denver,” got married in July to wife Sara Ann. He assures us that won’t slow down one of our best writers/anglers on the Denver and/or fishing scene for the foreseeable future. Anthony Bartkowski has joined ESPN as the director of communications for BASS/ESPN Outdoors. For those of you who don’t know

Bob Clouser has joined Temple Fork’s advisory staff, adding to TFO’s roster which includes the venerable Lefty Kreh, who by the way has caught 86 different species on Clouser’s fly pattern. Since introducing the famed Clouser Deep Minnow in 1984, Bob has contributed much to flyfishing. He has been involved in everything from rod design to tying vises and materials refinements, from books and videos to hosting flyfishing schools and clinics. Far Bank Enterprises, Inc., the parent company of Sage Manufacturing, Redington and RIO Products, recently announced new roles for both president Bruce Kirscner and vice president Travis Campbell. Kirschner, a founding shareholder of Sage and current president of Far Bank, moves up to become

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chief executive officer of Far Bank where he will concentrate on the execution of the organization’s long-term strategic vision. “Far Bank has grown into a multibranded group of companies with the objective to profitably grow both organically and through additional acquisitions,” said Kirschner. In his role as CEO, he will focus on the company’s continuing evolution from a “branded house” to a “house of brands” built around the flyfishing lifestyle. In promoting Travis Campbell to president of Far Bank, Kirschner noted that Travis “will have dayto-day operating responsibility for all three brands of the company.” Campbell originally joined Sage as its director of business development in 2001, and was instrumental in the purchases of both Redington and RIO. Added Kirschner: “Travis has run both the Redington and RIO businesses so this is a natural evolution and he is clearly ready for this responsibility. Most notably he is a passionate angler, and embodies the values that we believe are essential to our longterm success.” Members of the Junior America Cup Flyfishing Team will use engraved #1 Abel Creek reels, courtesy of the precision tackle manufacturer. The international flyfishing competition is scheduled for Sept. 8-12 at Frisco, Colo. Competitors will fish assigned “beats” along the Arkansas, Blue and Colorado rivers and Ten Mile Creek, all near Frisco. Teams from Japan, Ireland, Australia and Hungary are expected to compete against Team USA. The anglers will fish during five 3-hour sessions over three days in accordance with international flyfishing competition rules.

Industry Buzz Rio Products Enters Distribution Agreement with C & F Design

A Big Catch with Fall Order Pre-Season Discounts Fall Orders Provide Maximum Discounts On Spring Shipments

RIO Products of Idaho Falls, Idaho, signed an agreement with C & F Design of Japan to be the exclusive distributor for C & F products in the United States and Canada. Effective in May, RIO has begun distributing C & F’s fly boxes, fly tying equipment, and accessories. In 2009, RIO will also distribute a select assortment of C & F Designs’ bags and accessories, called “Outrange.”

Fish Print Eyeglass Retainers

Hell’s Bay and Gordon Boatworks Merge Hell’s Bay Boatworks is bringing back veteran fishing boat builder Tom Gordon, plus two of its classic and popular shallow-water performance skiffs with those currently produced by Gordon Boatworks, in a merger of the two companies. All of Gordon Boatworks models and intellectual property will be moving from its Oak Hill, Fla., location with Tom Gordon, to the Hell’s Bay facility in Titusville. No purchase price was disclosed.

continued on next page...

Fish Print Belts

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The Brand Fly Fishers Ask For Eyewear Retainers Belts Lanyards Key Rings Optical Accessories 1.800.443.8620

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AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

Hell’s Bay Boatworks’ President Chris Peterson, who two years ago bought the decade-old company and has been rebuilding its proud heritage, made the announcement. “We’re very excited about joining together these two shallow-water fishing industry leaders,” said Peterson. “Gordon Boatworks has a loyal following among anglers, boaters and guides around the world.” Gordon has been in the fiberglass industry since 1989 and began his career in the shallow water skiff market with Hell’s Bay in 1999.” For more information see hellsbayboatworks.com.

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AFFTA Relocates to Louisville, Colorado American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) chair Alan Gnann reported that the trade organization has officially relocated headquarters to Louisville, Colorado, under new AFFTA president Gary Berlin. Mischa Jones has also remained with the organization. Stay tuned to the next issue of Angling Trade for a feature on “The New AFFTA,” as well as reports from FFR. AFFTA also recently completed a new partnership with the International Sportsmen’s Expositions (ISE) to coordinate two major flyfishing consumer events, one at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, January 22- 25, and the other in San Mateo, California.

The Fly Fishing Show & FFF Team Up to Introduce a New Generation of Fly Fishers to the Sport

The Fly Fishing Show is proud to announce the formal partnership of the Federation of Fly Fishers (FFF) and the show to introduce more people to our sport. “We hope to continue, as we have since the first days of the show, to work with FFF, an organization that truly cares about the future of flyfishing,” said Chuck Furimsky, the show’s director.

“FFF has always been a part of every show because of dedicated regional members volunteering their love and knowledge of our sport to newcomers. Now with this partnership, the global support of FFF that has active members in over 23 countries, is a positive step to promoting flyfishing to everyone,” added Furimsky. Plans are being finalized to present an “Introduction to Fly Fishing” area staffed by men, women and youth members of FFF. “The federation is extremely happy to be associated with The Fly Fishing Show and its eight shows across the country in 2009,” stated R.P. “Van” VanGytenbeek. “Through these venues the FFF and its members will be able to reach new tyers and fly caster and cultivate and advance the art, science and sport of flyfishing.”

Voice: The best sport deserves the best writing. For going on 30 years, Fly Rod & Reel magazine has been fly-fishing’s voice of entertaining, educational, instructive and tell-it-like-it-is writing. Our 50,000-plus paid subscribers expect it. We deliver with John Gierach, Ted Leeson, Chico Fernandez, Ted Williams, Seth Norman, Buzz Bryson, Darrel Martin, A.K. Best, James Prosek and many other engaging voices—plus the annual Robert Traver Fly-Fishing Writing Award. All complemented by stunning photography.

For advertising information, call 800-766-1670, ex 447 www.flyrodreel.com

AEG Media Announces Plans of a Licensing Program for the 2009 Fly Fishing Film Tour

The Fly Fishing Film Tour is a nation-wide film event that showcases the best in new fly fishing media. In 2008, AEG toured to over 45 cities and showed seven films to audiences in excess of 700 people. Throughout the 2008 tour, requests were made from individuals wanting to host the show in their own town, but many of the shows were unable to be completed because of the tight travel schedule already set in place by AEG. However, with the help of TU and FFF, cities that weren’t originally on the schedule were added and shown to excited crowds. For the 2009 Fly Fishing Film Tour, AEG Media will be offering a hosted licensing package for those who want to bring the show to their community. Hosts will pay a nominal licensing fee to show the films and AEG will provide a turn-key package that will allow anyone to provide the show. The licensing program is a way for retailers, clubs, or individuals to raise funds for their efforts and also provide a great night of entertainment, which is sure to the talked about all year. This model has been successful in a number of other marketplaces and AEG feels confident that it will fit well in the flyfishing market too. Applications will be accepted beginning at FFR. A list of cities will be published listing AEG hosted events, and all other cities will be opened

up to hosted shows at this time. The hosted shows will be offered in a first- come, first-served style, so those interested are encouraged to reserve their city as early as possible.

Quote-worthy

For more information about the licensing program, contact Thad Robison, thad@aegmedia.com.

-Tom Brokaw

“If fishing is like religion, then flyfishing is high church.”

CURRENTS

Environment World Trout Funding Surpasses Quarter of a Million Dollar Mark Patagonia announced its World Trout initiative has generated over $333,000 since its inception in 2005. World Trout was founded by Patagonia owner Yvon Chouinard and author/ artist James Prosek, who believed that immediate, hands-on action through grassroots groups can begin to address multiple threats facing our native trout species. Educating the public about these groups’ efforts and raising money to support their activities was the goal. As a result, original artwork by such renowned artists as James Prosek, Tim Borski and Alan James Robinson, has been used to create unique t-shirts, with $5 from the sales of each t-shirt set aside to fund these groups. Patagonia’s website brought awareness of each group’s effort, and summarized each season how those funds had been used.

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

“We cannot depend on the government to address threats facing our fish populations. So we look to specific groups actively and passionately working to protect their fisheries, providing them with funds to get things done” commented Patagonia owner Yvon Chouinard. “We are committed to World Trout, and have made this a long term initiative for our company.” Because of increasing requests for support and the significant amount of dollars being raised, Patagonia is creating additional funding opportunities for both fresh and saltwater grassroots groups working to protect threatened fish. Beginning in August, interested groups can go to the Patagonia website (www.patagonia.com/flyfishing) to apply for funding through a special online grant process. 20

“Seeing the hands-on success of these groups, plus the global support from all our customers buying t-shirts and recommending worthy organizations, Patagonia wanted to provide an avenue for additional funding. This new World Trout Grants Program allows us to hear directly from grassroots organizations worldwide, allowing us to react to emergency situations and alternative funding strategies,” stated Bill Klyn, fish marketing manager.

The Utah bombshell might provide impetus for legislative or legal actions in neighboring states, where public anglers feel an increasing pinch for access to the more desirable locations. - CM Note: Be sure to check out the next issue of Angling Trade—the “Access” Issue—and feel free to contact editor@anglingtrade.com with your commentary and/or story leads in this respect. at

Might Utah Access Ruling Set Precedent? In what promises to be the stimulus for an expanded debate across the Rocky Mountain West, the Utah Supreme Court on July 18 decreed full public access to the state’s rivers and streams. The ruling applies to any surface water where legal access can be gained. By unanimous decision, the court affirmed public ownership of the state’s moving waters. It further declared that without the right to touch the stream bottom, the public cannot effectively enjoy its right to recreate on these waters. The court stipulated that users must behave “reasonably,” “cause no unnecessary injury to the landowner” and “engage only in lawful recreational activity”—a decree that suggests further legal interpretation while placing a greater law enforcement burden upon the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Utah thus joins Montana and Idaho among Rocky Mountain states that allow such access. Others generally abide by various dictums that permit floating, but allow only incidental contact with the stream bed. Considering the economics and emotions involved in such matters, Utah landowners are expected to mount a legislative challenge that could limit or revoke this easement granted by the court.

Coming Soon to Your Shop?

The “Undercover Angler” Congratulations to the fly shop at the Pere Marquette River Lodge! U/C angler was there in August to find an exceptionally honest and friendly reception from associate Katie Ferner. Having fished that region for the past 20-some years, U/C angler knew what hot days and low water meant before asking the questions (slow fishing… some hopper action… mouse opportunities at night). Within five minutes we had the straight scoop, and a most cordial conversation that made this homecoming of sorts feel right. Good job Katie. at

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The Rest of Denver 2008 Written by Will Rice

Since you only have a few days in town, get surgical with your aprèsshow activities.

Behold angling oligarchs, industry big wigs, fly tyers and rod tryer-outers: Here is the only down-and-dirty guide to get it done in Denver you will need for these three days. Once again, back by popular demand, Angling Trade would like to present you some of the Mile High City’s lesser known culinary gems and cool hangouts. We understand that you only have a few precious off hours to spend away from the Ultimate Angling Octagon—why waste your time stumbling around the other tourists reading window menus?

quiet? Shelby’s is a no-frills watering hole just on the fringe of downtown. Shelby’s is a bar’s bar—an oasis to

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

Lose the SPF fishing shirt and leave the zip-off pants in your travel bag. Don’t be afraid to take a cab ride in pursuit of a few favorite local hot spots. And venture down the culinary road less traveled…

Food and Drink Shelby’s Bar & Grill 519 18th St. (303) 295-9597 Sick of jawing all day with folks you really don’t know? Looking for a cold beer, good burger, and some peace and 22

some. Throw in a small outside seating deck to get some fresh air… this is your place to kick back and relax. You order: the Patty Melt. L’Asie Fusion Bistro 603 E. 6th Ave. (303) 318-0102

OK, we understand that this place might seem a little bit like your grandmother’s house on the outside… and yes it is a 10 minute cab ride from downtown. Get over it and get inside for one of the widest arrays of food from the Pacific Rim— from classic Chinese dishes to French Vietnamese. If you’re looking for a variety of Asian flavor your efforts to get here will not go unrewarded. Did we mention two-for-one drinks all day… everyday? You order: Combination Pho noodle soup bowl and a Green Breeze on the rocks.

Bonus Track: If you’re willing to roll the dice (i.e. you’ll never know what kind of crowd you’ll find) check out Don’s Mixed Drinks just two blocks east down the street. Steuben’s 523 E. 17th Ave. (303) 830-1001 Take off the studded demo wading boots and put on your walking shoes for a quick stroll into the Uptown Neighborhood. Steuben’s is a local hang out

You order: Maine Lobster Roll and Fries. Sonoda’s Sushi 1620 Market St. (303) 595-9500 Denver sushi? What? A little known fact: good ‘ol D-town is one of this fine

Buckhorn Exchange 1000 Osage St. (303) 534-9505

You order: the Lava Roll (if not on the menu, ask for it by name)

sider access by our new light rail station. Hop on the train at 16th and Stout and hop off at 10th and Osage. The light rail runs about every 15 minutes. If you’re looking to get a taste of the old West and feel ol’ timey, the Buckhorn should be your first destination in D-town.

Sushi Sasa 2401 15th St., #80 (303) 433-7272 Sushi Sasa is the new fish on the block and is setting the “gold card” standard here in town. Granted, it is a little bit on the pricey side and you might even need to make a reservation. T-shirt and flip flops? Not so much. If you like sushi and you’re really looking to impress the boss man or sell that new client give the Sasa a try. You order: the Diablo Roll.

The Buckhorn is a Denver historic landmark—circa 1893—for you old guys looking to reminisce about the good-ol’-days. We usually steer clear of establishments with an excess of big game head mounts hanging about; however, after a recent visit, we figured why not? You’re in Denver! Plus con-

You order: Elk, two quail and the Buckhorn’s signature cocktail, the Jackalope. Uptown Tavern 538 E. 17th Ave. (303) 861-3037 This is the second year in a row that the Uptown has made this list. The main reason: If you’re looking for a continued on next page... 23

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

where you can get some old school American favorites. Macaroni and Cheese? Check. Fried Chicken? Check. Chicago Dog? Check. Memphis Baby Back BBQ Ribs with coleslaw, baked beans and Texas toast? Check, check, check.

country’s largest importers of fresh fish. We have a cornucopia of great sushi places in town and it was tough to choose just one… so we chose two. The first is Sonoda’s, located just off the 16th Street Mall in Lower Downtown. This fish is fresh, the miso soup is top notch, and the atmosphere is laid back. T-shirt and flip flops? No problem. You’ll find all your standard favorites here and probably a few new ones as well.

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local crowd of late evening imbibers on a Sunday, Monday or Tuesday night, chances are extremely good that you’ll find them here. You order: Long Island Iced Tea—easy on the ice. Appaloosa Grill 535 16th St. (at Welton) (720) 932-1700 The Appaloosa is another second year showing here for the “Rest of Denver.” Reason being: live music every night. Plus—the food is great and you can’t beat the friendly staff. The AG is in the heart of downtown so if you’re looking for a sure bet that is close to the show—bingo. You order: Martini of your choice (up). La Fiesta Restaurant 2340 Champa St. (303) 292-2800 Good grief—we cannot believe we’re putting this place on the list! We might get shot by the locals for doing so. If we show up to La Fiesta on our next visit and find a line at the door… If you can steal out for an hour at lunch and make it to this top secret Mexican food mecca you might have a different outlook on life. We’ve heard La Fiesta described as “the Center of the Green Chile Universe.” We’ll say no more. Let’s keep this between us, huh? You order: the Green Chile Soft Taco Plate—two beef, one chicken… or one beef, two chicken.

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

(Please note: open for lunch only.) Nallen’s Irish Pub 1429 Market St. (303) 572-0667 Nallen’s is the real deal if you’re looking for the perfect Guinness pour or a Jameson on the rocks. Sorry, no food here—just drink. You order: an Irish Car Bomb. 24

Peters Chinese Café (Delivery) 2609 E. 12th Ave. (303) 377-3218 Looking for room service but the chicken strips and fries on the hotel menu aren’t blowing your skirt up? Peters is hands down one of the best take out/ delivery Chinese joints in town. They have all your classic favorites from beef and broccoli to BBQ ribs. Let your fingers do the walking.

Our sincere recommendation, before this classic slice of Americana becomes too “revived” and polished, hop in a cab and head east from Downtown. Food hop, bar hop, people watch… enjoy the ‘Fax for the ‘Fax. Be the ‘Fax. Do it while you can.

You order: the Sesame Chicken.

Mezcal 3230 E. Colfax Ave. (303) 322-5219

Peaks Lounge— Hyatt Regency Hotel 650 15th St. (303) 436-1234

Belly up to the bar and feast your eyes on the wide selection of tequila and cerveza. Don’t miss the curbside seating—Colfax critter viewing at its finest.

We know that you’re working but, come on, this is a vacation! The season is almost over! You might even have the company plastic burning a hole in your pocket. Live a little! First stop: Peaks Lounge. Not staying as a guest of the Hyatt? No problem—just walk into the joint like you own the place—Al Pacino style. Head straight for the elevator banks and take a car to the 27th floor. Enjoy the best view of the Denver’s skyline and Rocky Mountains that any bar has to offer.

You order: a pint of Tecate and shot of Corralejo Reposado.

You order: extra dirty Ketel One martini—rocks, extra olives.

Just the ‘Fax

Bonus Track: Looking to play some foosball or shoot some stick? Try the Goosetown Tavern right next door or the Atomic Cowboy across the street. Sengers 3014 E. Colfax Ave. (303) 355-0823

It is no secret that over the past 10 years Colfax Avenue (AKA the ‘Fax) has seen a revival. Some call it urban renewal; others call it the end of an era. Make no mistake the times they are a changin’. Hipsters, hookers, hillbillies, brawlers, scammers, drunkards, cowboys, dealers, you name it… Colfax had it… and probably still has it. What was once a seedy and sometimes dangerous street is slowly but surely losing its rough edges… giving way to a kinder, gentler ‘Fax.

Sengers has one of the coolest outdoor patios tucked away and on the rooftop—you’d never know it looking from curbside. Big screen TV, cool breezes, and always a lively late night clientele. You order: a Red Stripe and the Mac and Cheese with white Vermont cheddar. RockBar 3015 E. Colfax Ave. (303) 322-4444

“Rockbar [rok-bahr] - noun: a drinking place in which to rock.”

Hold onto to your hat—this place is not for the faint of heart. If you’re looking to see a bit of Denver’s underground scene after 11:00 PM—quite literally—walk down the stairs and into the basement of this seedy looking hotel in the heart of East Colfax. Don’t be intimidated if you find Iron Maiden blasting through the club’s boomin’ system… yes, we said Iron Maiden. Check your pacemaker at the door. Every time we’ve been to the RockBar… it has Rocked. You order: a can of PBR. Cheeky Monk Belgian Beer Café 534 E. Colfax Ave. (303) 861-0347 Thirty-six beers to choose from, many on draft—Angling Trade editors are pretty sure that you’ll recognize less than half and be able to pronounce less than that. You order: the Flemish Beef Stew and a Delirium Tremens. Sancho’s Broken Arrow 741 E. Colfax Ave. (303) 832-5288

Yes, there are quite a few resident hippies you’ll see just about every night… Yes… you might smell the subtle hint of patchouli as you walk through the continued on next page...

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

What questions do you have about Sancho’s that we here at Angling Trade can’t answer? Try to stump us.

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door… Yes… it is situated right next to a big porn shop. Yes, if you’re looking for a great time any night of the week you will find it snugly situated right here on the corner of Colfax and Clarkson St. Yes… the sign outside says “a Thinking Place,” but we call it “a Drinking Place.” You order: a Red Hook ESB.

Gentlemen’s Clubs: What Happens in Denver… Stays in Denver Shotgun Willie’s 490 S. Colorado Blvd. After last year’s “Rest of Denver” article was published this author was scolded about a single, apparently flagrant, factual error. It went like this: “Shotgun’s isn’t in Denver, dude… Shotgun’s is in Glendale… Duh.”

After a recent journalistic field trip and fact checking mission said author has this retort: “Whoops—point taken, touché, duly noted.” Regardless… Shotgun’s is staying on the list and the title of the article isn’t changing. Plus, what’s a trip to Denver if you don’t take a scenic cab ride to Glendale? You order: two hundred bucks cash from the friendly automated teller machine to the right of the door once you enter. La Boheme Gentlemen’s Cabaret 1443 Stout St. Not a lot has changed in the gentleman’s club scene since the ’07 show— the good stuff is still good and the bad stuff… well. We’re keeping La Boheme on the list because you can

Publication: Angling Trade Creative Due: 8/15/08

hit it with a rock from the convention center. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go here. You order: uh… a lap dance? Diamond Cabaret & Steakhouse 1222 Glenarm Place (303) 571-4242 Most people forget about the “steakhouse” part of this club’s moniker. We here at Angling Trade believe that these subtle details should not be overlooked. We would also like to make a special point to mention the Diamond’s 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, $7, all-you-can-eat prime rib buffet. If you can come up with a better reason to play ‘trade-show-boothhooky’ for a few hours—we’re all ears. You order: a stack of $1 bills prior to your arrival ... and, duh, the prime rib. at

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But how do you leverage tying into sales? Many anglers today never take up tying and get by just fine. With the quality and “bin appeal” of most fly shops, many fishermen do not see the need to tie. I’ve heard plenty of excuses: “I don’t have time,” or “ I can’t see to tie my fly on my tippet, let alone tie the actual fly.”

Tying into

SALES Written by Brett Wedeking

Believe it or not, more people are tying now than ever before. In fact, there are some indications that anglers turn more to tying flies when economic times are tough. Whether that’s because they think they’re saving money by not buying flies, or they like to associate with flyfishing at home when tight budgets keep them off the river, it’s hard to pin down. In any case, we do know that some anglers tie for practicality and some because they just love it. The fly shop that wraps into this sector can turn big business, keystone or better margins and, for some, even gain a reputation as a “destination” shop just for material selection. Tying can sustain your business and help pay the bills when high end rods are not flying off the shelves. With current dismal consumer confidence and rising gas prices some anglers are not traveling far to do their fishing or just not fishing much at all. This is obviously having a negative effect on some shops, but the flipside opportunity is selling more tying supplies. Steve Fournier of tying tool manufacturer Dr. Slick explains: “When the economy starts to cool we start to see an upturn in fly tying because people still want to stay in the sport.” He’s seen this trend though several economic cycles. “If you can’t fish as much, whatever the reasons, you’re not just going to give it up, so tying is the next best thing.”

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

Anglers at the Bench Can Mean Money in Your Account From the Jock Scott to the Pick-Yer-Pocket, the art— and practicality—of tying flies has always played a central role in this sport. Flyfishing, after all, would never happen without tying. Like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, jelly (in our case, casting) takes all the glory but the sandwich would never stick together without the peanut butter (tying). Right? Sure… 28

The fly shop can be the catalyst for not only serving the needs and interests of die-hard fly tying aficionados, but also would-be newcomers to the tying bench. The industry can benefit from legions of new tyers that but it’s up to the shops to pique the customers’ interest. So how can you make tying stand out to the customer, to get new tyers on board and keep old ones coming back for more? The single best answer and most important way to get new people into tying is instruction. Most tying vendors and shop managers that have been around a while will agree the best way to sell more fly tying products are classes and demos. Jack Moore, owner of Fish Hunter Enterprises says: “Classes are the most important thing, especially getting young people into classes too.” Moore puts

that conviction into practice by donating tying materials and tools to schools every year. Chris Clark at Spirit River Inc. echoes the same sentiments: “The more you get fly tying out there, the more people are going to want to do it. More seminars are going to bring more people in.” It’s a tactic that is relatively easy to facilitate. Show people how to tie simple patterns. Shops in college towns especially have the opportunity to tap the youth pool. Work with the school to find a club, or even make tying a class activity (it’s art after all). Shops interested in selling a wider range of tying materials should be hosting a wider variety of classes and seminars. Every shop should be teaching introductory classes but expanding the lineup can mean keeping tiers in the game, and in your shop, rather than heading somewhere else (like the Internet). In the Seattle area we have a wide variety of fisheries so we offer classes for steelhead, saltwater and lake tying, as well as intermediate trout tying. We all know fly anglers like free stuff. Offering free hour-long seminars or informal tying roundtables are a quick and easy way to sell more materials too. Bring in local guest tiers to whip up some of their own patterns. If you can plan what’s on the menu in advance you can make sure to be stocked up on those materials used in the demo. Keeping the walls of your tying section appearing full is another important factor. Many tyers I talk to like to wade into the continued on next page...

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is the key to keeping inventory management in tune. If you don’t get it, make a point to have your next hire be someone who does.

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

Watching magazine tying articles can be an easy way to increase sales. When a hot, new pattern is published in a magazine, tyers come to the shop to find the materials to tie it. Anticipate their demands. They will be impressed if you already know what their looking for and have it stocked. They will come back for more. materials; they like to root around and find things. It seems odd but walls that look almost overloaded, even cluttered, appeal to tiers. Along

Granted, the dark side to this, however, is stocking every possible thing in the Hareline catalog and watching half the items collect

the same lines, shops should try to keep a full arsenal of materials available. This especially goes for basics like pheasant tail, black marabou, #12 dry fly hooks, etc. Do not give your customers a reason to try the craft store or Sportsman’s Warehouse. Of your basic materials and whatever local favorites you sell, make sure you don’t run out. Find out what vendors carry the best quality products and have the best customer service and order from them. Most vendors are very willing to send out samples of new products for demos and classes. Keep your walls full of the stuff that sells and make sure you have a backup if your main vendor is out of stock.

dust on the shelf. Each shop has to manage their inventory based on their fisheries and tier demands. The amount you are educated on tying, hot patterns, and what’s working in the water around you

Unfortunately, there is another issue that often frustrates tyers and shops alike. The availability of natural materials, feathers and fur, is inherently unpredictable. Currently, the quality and availability of several kinds of basic tying feathers is sad to say the least. Chinese saddle hackle is shorter now and fewer colors are available, good Golden Pheasant skins are getting harder to find. If you want a Jungle Cock cape you’re going to pay about $200, if you can find a good one. So why are we having such a hard time with materials these days? A chunk of the problem stems from bird flu issues. Our government has severely restricted bird imports. Demand is huge and vendors are having a difficult time keeping up. After all you can’t just manufacture more birds. But before you fear the feather apocalypse will put the kibosh on your tying sales, consider A) that supply and demand will eventually cycle into balance, and B) the popularity—and effectiveness—of synthetic materials has never been greater. In fact, synthetics now comprise the majority of tying materials. Innovative products are introduced every year and they stimulate creativity and business. Some modern patterns like the Club Sandwich are 100% synthetic.

“There’s been a bit of a shift in fly tying,” sayd Fournier. “You’re facing a brand new world of synthetics versus 10 years ago.” New products from companies like Dr. Slick, tungsten carbide and razor scissors for example, are designed specifically for synthetics. Any good tyer knows that there is usually a substitute for natural materials. Educate your customers about materials, substitutes and experimentation. If the thing they want isn’t available, or you’re just out of stock, find something that will work and give them the confidence to tie with it. Break out a vise and bobbin and show them if you have to. They will appreciate it and remember your expertise and willingness to share. The bottom line is tying can and should be a profitable and integral part of every shop, especially now. No matter where the economy goes, anglers often can’t shake their addiction to the sport. Everyone has to have a vice (or should that be vise?). Shops have the tools to get customers excited to tie and keep them coming back for more. When this relationship works successfully, shops make money and customers are happy.

Six things shops can do to increase fly tying sales: 1. Classes, classes, classes 2. Fly of the week with recipe displayed at front counter

3. Website fly gallery with recipes 4. Free weekend tying seminars/ roundtables with guest tiers

5. Have a full selection of materials on the shelf

6. Maintain an active bench in the shop

RECOMMENDED READING

all that. But what I didn’t really expect, and what I love most about this book, is the mosaic flow of ideas in its pages. Keeler walks us through life elements— from childhood to love and marriages, from the Peace Corps, to hippie hair and academia, to the realities of Montana community—with raw honesty, and not a scant scent or sour aftertaste of lecture or flat conjecture lingers in any of it.

Reviewed by Kirk Deeter SPORTS/MEMOIR

K E E L E R

U.S. $14.95

Montana fisherman Greg Keeler tells a whale of a tale in his satirical memoir about growing up on the water.

A fantastically satirical memoir, Trash Fish tells a great whirlpool of a story—the girls and then the women, the Peace Corps, the teaching jobs, the marriage and children, and, of course, the rod and reel, the lure and the catch. Trash Fish reveals not just the life of the author but also many truths about passion, relationships, and the ﬂaws of human nature. As he moves from boyhood into his adult years, Greg Keeler’s ichthyosaurian ﬁnds himself having to acknowledge that he can’t escape down the river bend, and that in order to experience true love, he must accept the complexities within himself and within the people on land around him. “Greg Keeler has written an original, soul-baring, funny, sad, sweet, profane memoir.” —VALERIE HEMINGWAY, author of Running with the Bulls

TRASH FISH

or a boy, an obsession with fish can be a handy way to escape the trials of growing up. That’s especially true for Greg Keeler, whose failings and foibles persist in marking the difference between himself and those around him— his academic parents, his genius brother, his motley friends. Time and again, he returns to the fish, who cast him a lifeline of their own.

A noted poet, playwright, musician, songwriter, artist, and ﬁsherman, GREG KEELER is a professor of English at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, where he lives with his wife.

COUNTERPOINT www.counterpointpress.com Distributed by Publishers Group West

I once swore we’d never recommend flyfishing memoirs in Angling Trade. I’m now caught in a lie. It’s Greg Keeler’s damn fault.

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

You see, the thing with flyfishinginvolved memoirs is that most of them aren’t very good, even when they’re written by pretty decent writers. The devil is usually in the thematic details: The author might think it’s interesting to explain how the stonefly hatch on Rock Creek keyed salvation from a strained relationship with his closetnympho third-cousin Lucille and subsequently helped him solve some of the more complex riddles of the universe… but all that seldom floats my boat. Also realize that the bar set by the English professor who spins a classy memoir from a lifetime flyfishing… well, let’s just say it’s pretty flippin’ high. Writers like Ted Leeson and James Babb can now dabble in the Norman Macleanosphere. Not many others can. 32

G R E G

LIFE K E E L E R

COUNTERPOINT

LIFE

“For all its sadness, nihilism, and ﬂirtations with despair, this trash ﬁsh of a book, down in its bottom-feeding depths, turns out to be a hell of a love story.” —DAVID JAMES DUNCAN, author of The River Why

“Greg Keeler is funny, insightful, and refreshingly unpretentious—the real deal.” —KATHLEEN TYAU, author of A Little Too Much Is Enough

TRASH FISH

But along comes Greg Keeler with this inviting collection he calls Trash Fish: A Life. Keeler has a semi-cult following already (myself included). He is a professor of English at Montana State University in Bozeman as well as an essayist, poet, musician (“Troutball”) and die-hard angler. He fishes with duct tape flies, carries gear in a second-hand purse he calls a “death bag,” shamelessly chases whities and suckers as a matter of principle, and along the way, happens to crank out some of the most polished and poignant pieces written on the sport. I’ll admit I was I bit hesitant to wade into his memoir Trash Fish at first, if only because I wanted it to be that good. I had such high hopes, I would have been crestfallen if it were just merely extraordinary. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed. Keeler’s writing is lyrical and technically brilliant. He’s laugh-out-loud funny. He’s also sharply satirical. I expected

This book reads like a bag of peanut M&Ms eats. You can pop the short-form chapters down one or two at a time, or you can stuff yourself with the whole bag, and either way you do it, it tastes good. Guilty pleasure? Sure. But you’ll be a better, at least happier, person for having done it. I think this is an era-defining work in flyfishing. I think this is the type of book that this sport needs. I hope like hell there are anglers out there who actually still read and think, rather than only look at the pictures and surf websites, because this book is perfect for them. I hope people who read this review buy Keeler’s book and sell it to other people, en masse. I expect it will turn some heads to be sure. I don’t, however, expect Robert Redford to buy the rights and start production of a film anytime soon. After all, Keeler’s chapter on his own A River Runs Through It connection is appropriately titled: “A Gerbil Runs Through It.” Add to that chapters like “Our Lady of Jackass Flats,” “The Bull-Waif,” “Stink Meat,” and “Lee Harvey Keeler,” and you get the picture that this book is a little saucier than most vanilla flyfishing fables. But neither is it Steve Martin’s Cruel Shoes in waders… it is, simply, an artifact, with fishing as a common thread, woven in a way that represents the very best of contemporary flyfishing culture. It is, on final analysis, one of the very best flyfishing books, memoir or otherwise, I have ever read. at

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A GOOD Company:

Hatch Outdoors Proves A Vision Can Become Reality

John Torok won’t say he had an epiphany. But one day, on an hour-long lunch break from his demanding job as president of a San Diego printing company, he walked out the door with designs, literally, for a new life. Written by Greg Thomas

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

At the time, Torok, co-owner of Hatch Outdoors, Inc., which produces high-end fly reels for a variety of fishing applications, knew only the print business. He’d started in the industry when he was 15, gained a printing degree from Northern Arizona University in his twenties, and, at 35, stood at the helm of a Consolidated Graphics franchise – the largest sheet-fed printer in the U.S. His accounts included Upper Deck trading cards, Panasonic and Sony. Despite those successes, he didn’t resemble someone poised to make a significant impact on the flyfishing marketplace. During that fortuitous lunch break he walked down the street and into the offices of Western CNC, a machine shop in Vista, California that engineers and manufactures a variety of products ranging from jet engines and gas turbines to ventilators and golf putters. Torok asked for the owner, Danny Ashcraft, and was told he was on vacation in Montana – flyfishing. Torok, a dedicated angler with drawings for a sophisticated fly reel tucked in his pocket, couldn’t have been more pleased. Three days later they met in Vista and after a single day of collaboration Hatch Outdoors Inc., was born, a 50–50 partnership between the two men, with Ashcraft handling the machining and Torok juggling the busi34

ness end. Three months later Torok was out of the print industry and fully dedicated to creating what he believes to be the most electric line of flyfishing reels on the planet. Today, just four years after creating their first product, the 5-Plus, Hatch reels are considered to be some of the best reels in the industry, an assertion backed by the company’s’ fast growing list of dealers. In 2005 Hatch held 16 dealers. In 2006 they’d secured 70 dealers. Today they hold 120 dealers in 11 countries, including recent deals

with representatives in Japan, Norway and Australia. In the first five months of 2008 Hatch surpassed sales from all of last year and, according to Torok, sales are “progressing at a nice clip.” So, how in four years did Torok morph from the manager of a print company – and a non-player in the minds of flyfishing insiders – to a major presence in the flyfishing reels category? “I’d always had issues with my fly reels so I just started tinkering a little and made some drawings,” Torok said recently from the confines of his second story office in Vista, lodged in the same building as Western CNC. “At some point I said: ‘Man, this could work.’ But the biggest thing was meeting Danny. I had whacky ideas and draw-

ings and Danny had the mind to tell me what was possible and economical and what wasn’t.” According to Torok, teaming with Ashcraft, who machines putters for some of the world’s best golfers including Tiger Woods, was his biggest break. He calls that arrangement almost pure luck and said: “If you wanted to start a reel company on your own in the U.S. these days you couldn’t do it. To do all the R&D and to purchase the machinery and to do the tooling would set you back at least a decade from profit. Danny had the shop and the equipment. All we had to do was sit down and build the reel.” In addition, Torok wasn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves and pound the pavement. Armed with Hatch’s first product, the 5-Plus, Torok took to the road for a grassroots, 33-day, circuitous western sales tour. He spoke with representatives from every shop he found and made inroads. During that trip, however, and later that fall at the Fly Fishing Retailer Expo in Denver, Co., he discovered a glitch in Hatch’s marketing plan – dealers demanded a line of reels to cover all flyfishing applications. Armed only with the 5-Plus and pushed to the back corner of the show floor, that first crack at Fly Fishing Retailer was an eye opener. It wasn’t, however, a knockout punch. More like a mere jab to the chin. “The whole idea of starting a reel company without knowing anyone in the business wasn’t intimidating to (Danny and I) because we didn’t know any better,” Torok recalled. “All we saw sitting on the shelves of fly shops were the same reels we could have bought ten years earlier. We said: ‘There has to be new technology.’ We knew we could design a really cool flyfishing reel in different styles that appealed to two generations of fly fishers. We figured, if this is the reel we wanted to fish, other people would want it, too.”

To build something revolutionary, Torok and Ashcraft focused on the drags of conventional reels and they’ll tell you today that their systems, which incorporate a fully sealed stacked-disk clutch that requires no maintenance, more resembles that of a conventional reel than a traditional fly reel. In addition, by utilizing a one-piece machining process, the Hatch team added strength, durability and zero lateral flex to their reels while eliminating corrosion points, the bane of saltwater anglers. “It was a tough sell early on,” Torok recalls. “When I showed up at the shops and at Retailer people were like, ‘Not another reel company.’ I had to convince them,” Torok added, “that there’s value in something non-traditional that works better than what’s out there.” Torok was raised in a hard-working blue-collar San Diego family, with a father in sales and a mother dedicated to educating children, a 25-year veteran at Head Start. The parents taught their sons, John and Steve, who works for Emerald Publications, a solid work ethic, a can-do attitude, and respect for hard-earned money. That upbringing spawned a subtle fear of failure, something that Torok uses to his advantage. “I have a drive to be successful and a fear of failure,” Torok acknowledged. “I don’t want to say that failure is scary because everybody fails in some ways, but I wanted to make it all work and that fear pushed me. “Trying to sell something new is always difficult and you have to pay your dues,” Torok added. “If you believe in your product and you have features that are better than what you find on the competition you just put your nose to the grindstone and go for it. I heard ‘no’ a lot of times

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on that first sales trip, but ‘no’ won’t deter me. The truth is, selling reels is ten times easier than the printing business. ‘No’ was the most polite thing I heard in printing. You don’t have that kind of competition or attitude on the flyfishing side.” Torok and Ashcroft, who share a taste for Mexican beer—any Mexican beer, just Mexican beer, please—now have a complete line of reels accommodating three-weight through 16-weight, a sailfish, shark and marlin model—and a fine spey reel to boot—being released at Fly Fishing Retailer ’08. With such rapid success, Torok toyed with the idea of creating additional product lines under the same brand. Subsequently, he’s shied away from the idea and decided that Hatch is a dedicated domestic reel company and will continue to be so. “We looked at the flyfishing industry and identified some market segments we’d like to get into,” Torok acknowledged. “But, we wondered if we could honestly make

some of those products better. Once you jump into apparel you are still in charge, but someone else is running the ship overseas. “We do have a couple special products coming out, but mostly we’re focused on reels and next year we’ll release some of the coolest ones you’ve ever seen,” Torok promised. “We’ve contracted with several artists to engrave solid sided reels and they’ll always be made in the U.S.” While many start-up companies send their message through major advertising campaigns, Torok decided to remain grassroots, preferring to earn a reputation mostly by wordof-mouth instead of buying into a flashy ad program. Hatch advertises in Tight Lines, this magazine, and Drake Northwest Southwest and Eastern Fly Fishing, but its major advertising tool is its catalogue, which ties together hard-core product information with stories from the field. In Patagonia-esque fashion, the Hatch catalogue serves as a sales tool and a

vehicle for brand identity. Last year that catalogue was 24 pages; this year it contains 32 pages. While Torok identifies Hatch’s early success with hard work and that fear of failure, industry insiders see it as something else, bordering on a small miracle. And they say the future is wide open for Torok and Ashcraft and the Hatch brand. Jim Bartschi, the former president of Scott fly rods who now consults with various flyfishing category leaders while continuing a presence with the well-known rod company, said Hatch’s success is noteworthy.

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“Launching a product in the flyfishing arena is highly risky,” Bartschi noted, “and it’s prone to failure even if you have a really great product. Several things tipped the scales in (Torok’s) favor. “First, John did something really different and produced an excellent product. I mean, machining a reel out of a single block is pretty badass. “Also, John worked really hard on the network side,” Bartschi added. “He traveled the country extensively and still does. Personal relationships and strategic relationships are really important in this industry. He visited me early on and we’ve recommended his product to many people, including some of our distributors. Success like that catches momentum. “What John has done is pretty remarkable,” Bartschi concluded. “You can have a good product and understand the necessity of networking and still fail. John overcame that and I think he has a lot of opportunity ahead of him. I think the (Hatch) brand is in its infancy. Even in the reel space there’s lots of time for that brand to gain more recognition and popularity.” at

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Artwork in Your Fly Shop Mike Lawson of Henry’s Fork Anglers has cultivated relationships with a number of local artists and pays attention to what the area art galleries are displaying. In addition to doing all of the above, Corinne Elliot, who manages Jack Dennis’ Wyoming Gallery, in Jackson, also pays attention to which artists are in the art magazines and showing at local art fairs. Local or Nationally Known Artists? Some shops see value in offering the artwork of local painters. They recognize that sportsmen who travel often appreciate collecting a memento that was produced in the area where they fished. Written by Bob White

Part Two—You’ve decided to sell artwork, now how do you make it work?

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

Since the last issue of Angling Trade, and my article about selling artwork in fly shops, I’ve talked with numerous fly shop owners who’ve decided to do just that. “How do we get started?” they asked. Vaughn Cochran, who owns Black Fly Outfitter in Jacksonville, Florida, is an artist and gallery owner of worldwide renown. He agreed, along with many, to share his own insights on the business of selling artwork. Here are some thoughts, ideas and suggestions: 38

Finding Artists and Artwork Savvy fly shop owners who sell artwork aggressively seek out artists whose work they feel will resonate with their customers. Most use the Internet and pay attention to flyfishing and other sporting publications to find talent. Dick Greene of Bud Lilly’s Trout Shop in West Yellowstone, Montana, looks at the artwork he sees at various flyfishing shows and responds to artists who send him samples of their work for review.

Others recognize that a certain degree of credibility is gained by displaying the work of nationallyknown artists. Most agree that a combination of local and nationally-recognized talent is the best balance. Sandy Moret of Florida Keys Outfitters, in Islamorada, Florida, has a lot of experience selling artwork and prefers a balanced mix of local and national talent. In the end, all concur that the strength and salability of the image is the most important factor, regardless of where it’s produced. Choosing Artwork That Sells Most shop owners I talked with agreed that choosing images that will connect with their customers

is perhaps the most difficult aspect of selling artwork, and the term, “guesswork” came up more than once. Dave Goff feels that the more he knows about his customers, the less guessing he’ll have to do when he decides what images to place in the Sweetwater Fly Shop, in Livingston, Montana. Terry Ring, of Silver Creek Outfitters, in Sun Valley, Idaho, agrees. “Understanding the taste level of your clientele is critical. Buy for them and avoid buying for yourself,” he suggests. Jack Dennis concurs: “Each shop owner needs to assess his clients and offer them the type of paintings or prints that they can afford.” He adds that another important aspect of the artwork is that it must be professional in nature. “The more professional the paintings, the better image the shop projects.” Flyfishing Themes Only? Mike Lawson recognizes that many of his clients will also be drawn to hunting scenes and other outdoor images, so he carries a limited number of these. Vaughn Cochran agrees emphatically about a wide range of images and themes. “Yes, I think it’s important to offer lots of choices. Especially in the beginning, to determine what your customers are looking for. Never show [only] what you personally like.”

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AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

Christal Schwartzer, of Dan Bailey’s Fly Shop, in Livingston, Montana, says that her customers are generally in a hurry to go fishing, and whatever artwork this shop sells must immediately capture her customers’ attention. She won’t consider artwork that is not in a flyfishing theme.

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While there are differing opinions about what sells best, it is widely agreed that regional scenes with native species capturing some aspect of adventure on local waters are the strongest sellers. Prints or Originals Every shop owner I interviewed for this article offers some original artwork in addition to limited-edition prints even though it is understood that, because of the cost, the sale of original work will be slower than limited-edition prints. Vaughn Cochran summed it up by saying: “It’s important to offer both originals and prints. [Otherwise] it’s like showing a perspective rod purchaser only inexpensive rods.”

Purchase vs. Consignment

shops that successfully sell artwork purchase limited edition prints There are several ways to acquire outright, and consign the more an inventory of prints and original expensive original pieces. paintings for your fly shop. Artwork can be purchased at wholesale, like “I believe that a shop opens the any other piece of merchandise, or door for problems if they take on too much consignment inventory. The last thing a shop needs is a dispute over ‘lost merchandise’,” says Sandy Moret.

the artist can consign it. It may seem financially attractive to consign all of the artwork you’d like to hang in your shop, but it can become burdensome, and a bookkeeping nightmare. Most

The sales commission that a shop owner asks for consigned artwork varies. Some shop owners are very happy with a 20% commission, others ask for up to 40%. Vaughn Cochran adds: “Originals are sold at a split, with 20 to 40% going to the shop. A legitimate gallery with a track continued on next page...

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record, client list, and aggressive promotional programs usually will command from 40 to 50%.” Business Arrangements If you choose to display and sell consigned artwork, then it’s in

everyone’s best interest to have a formal consignment agreement.

Consignment Agreements Should:

I asked some shop owners and managers if they’d share their agreements with me, and while they vary in small degrees, they all seem to clearly address many of the same issues.

• State the responsibilities of the shop or gallery. For example, “the shop or gallery agrees to diligently market the artist’s product, and display the work in a professional and tasteful manner so as to enhance the presentation. The shop agrees agree to insure the artist’s property against fire and theft.” • State the responsibilities of the artist. For example, “The artist has delivered the artwork to the shop and authorizes the shop to sell the product at the suggested price below.” • Include the amount the shop or gallery will retain as a commission, and the terms of payment. • Document what artwork the shop has received. The title of each painting, and in the case of limited edition prints, a record of the print number. • Record the dates that the artwork was received, returned, or sold. • List the suggested price of the artwork, and if sold, the sales price. • Clearly state who is responsible for paying for packaging and shipping, as this can become expensive with framed artwork. Other issues that might be addressed in the formal agreement include exclusivity, the right of the shop to negotiate any discount, and the right of the artist to recall a piece of artwork if he or she finds a buyer independently of the shop. Note: I hope that this has been helpful. If there are any questions I might answer, or if you’d like me to Email you a sample consignment agreement, please don’t hesitate to contact me at Bob@whitefishstudio.com at

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Worth Your Salt Written by Joe Cermele

choose his gear based solely on function—not price. This was rare and it got me thinking.

New innovations in saltwater rods and reels keeps your shop selling to vets, rookies, and everyone in between.

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

I was scratching my head for two reasons. One, I had no idea Shakespeare made 12-weight Ugly Stick fly rods. Two, I couldn’t figure out why my guide Clifford—who worked for a very prestigious lodge in Costa Rica— was handing me one. But I didn’t scratch too long, because it was hard to look away from the 100-plus-pound tarpon rolling around us. “I don’t use nothing but Ugly Sticks,” he said in a thick Spanish accent. “You know why? ’Cause sabalo can’t break them.” Of course, the rod was matched with an Abel reel, because, according to Clifford, sabalo can’t break those either. Here we had a bizarre marriage of fly gear. One piece the typical saltwater fly nut wouldn’t dream of using, and another he dreams of owning. What Clifford did was 44

There is plenty of quality, inexpensive fly tackle on the market for the rookie looking to break his trout habit. But I’ve noticed that saltwater fly shops sometimes have a knack for pushing top-shelf gear without having much in the “beginner department.” For a long time, it might be fair to say that quality meant costly. That’s no longer the case. Likewise, technology is driving the high-end higher. So in the name of Ugly Sticks matched with Abels, I offer a look at a few of the latest rods and reels that will keep your shop’s rep up with the seasoned vets and have those just getting started in the salt landing big fish for less coin. Stick Picks Scoff if you want at the St. Croix Triumph series. Others already have, because I guess they think if it’s not expensive, it’s just no good. That’s wrong. A nine-foot, twopiece nine-weight Triumph carries an MSRP of $100. I’ve seen loads of this model on the jetties and inshore boats along the Jersey Coast. There’s a simple reason for that and it’s not just price. Anglers associate Triumph with St. Croix’s upstanding reputation. But what the saltwater market has

that the freshwater market lacks is the angler who just likes to have a fly rod handy on the boat for certain situations. You won’t find many guys wading a river with a fly rod and spinning gear. It’s this group, along with those looking for their first outfit, that purchase a Triumph. But ask a user where they bought the rod and the common answer is, “off the Internet.” That’s because finding a shop that has nineweight Triumphs in stock regularly isn’t always easy. Although their components are more modest in comparison to other rods, they’re constructed from the same SCII graphite as St. Croix’s Reign series, and they aren’t modest in power for fighting stripers and false albacore. I know because I keep one handy on my boat. On the opposite end of spectrum is the Orvis ZG Helios. To create what are touted as the lightest fly rods ever made, Orvis ditched standard epoxy resin and replaced it with thermoplastic, then used carbon fiber scrim where once there was fiberglass. The result is a family of rods ranging from six- to 10-weight that caters to all saltwater applications from bones to bluefin with incredible reach

and extreme backbone. Helios rods start at $700, but I’ve yet to find a fly fisherman who didn’t feel they were worth every penny. The most recent editions to the Helios saltwater lineup have been the nine-foot, seven-weight and nine-and-a-half-foot, six-weight. Reel Genius With a long career in aerospace machining, Jack Charlton decided it was time to apply his knowledge of building missile components to fishing reels. What began as scribbles on napkins in the early ’90s eventually turned into the Mako fly reel. You want to impress every angler that walks into the shop? Put a Mako in the window. Last January at the Somerset (New Jersey) Fly Fishing Show, one dealer had a Mako on display, and the crowds at the booth acted like they were getting a glimpse at the Holy Grail. Perhaps they were, considering Charlton developed the reel with a carbon drag—the same carbon in the braking systems of Indy cars and B-1 bombers—and a Type III anodizing. Type III is an expensive process according to Charlton, but it penetrates the aluminum while also building

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a thick layer on the surface to create a rock-hard, virtually indestructible outer shell. Owning a Mako will set consumers back at least $700, and at max, $1,700 for a 14-weight.

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While not the reel for newbies, the Mako is arguably at the top of food chain for the serious saltwater fly fisher, but at $150 the Lamson Konic released for 2008 has already been proving itself a fish-kicker thanks to its sealed drag system. Though the Konic may not be Type III anodized, it’s finished with a process that turns the aluminum surface into aluminum oxide to create what Lamson has dubbed “Hard Alox.” According to the company, this technique stresses strength and durability over flashy color and gloss produced by regular Type I anodizing. This is an important sales point to those shopping for their first saltwater outfit, as the problem with slapping any reel on a rod is more often its ability to withstand the saltwater environment than actually handling fish. After all, the game did start with Pflueger Medalists.

Combo Punch… Fight the Lack of Togetherness Take a look at the reviews of Bass Pro Shop’s Gold Cup fly combos. They’re pretty darn good. If the big guys are recognizing the potential for quality saltwater combos under $400, so should you. True, there are a couple package deals out there for entry level saltwater outfits, but nothing says “professional shop” like a combo specially put together for salt newcomers by experienced employees. Shaving a few bucks off a combo will pay off later when the customer is ready to upgrade. at

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But an equal amount of my education came from the local flyshop, Silver Creek Outfitters, at the time still a small store on Main and Fifth (it has since moved into larger quarters across the street). I was a shop rat. On countless mornings, I would be loitering shyly outside the shop when Terry Ring, its owner, showed up, bleary-eyed and fumbling around in his pockets for the keys to the front door. While inside, I rarely asked many questions. I didn’t want to become bothersome. Rather, I usually mimicked what I did on the water: I observed. I listened. I soaked in everything I could. Flyshops are dream portals, filled with objects containing potential energy ready to be made kinetic. Those gleaming flyrods on the rack are just begging to be cast. Those flies piled in those little containers are itching to be drifted over the nose of a fish. That advice, whether solicited or merely overheard, burns to be put to use on the water.

Dream Shop Written by Monte Burke

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

For three summers during college I lived in Ketchum, Idaho, working in the deli department of a fancy grocery store. I was forced to wear a Dilbert-esque short-sleeved shirt, a maroon clip-on tie and an apron as I served brie and sprout sandwiches to the well-off, while barely making enough money to feed myself. But I cared not. My sustenance came from other sources: Silver Creek in the mornings and the Big Wood at night. I was early on in the throes of what eventually became a full-blown addiction to the flyfishing. I learned something new with every passing minute of those summers. Much of that schooling took place on the water. The Big Wood was a patient and forgiving teacher. Silver Creek, on the other hand, was like racing in the Indy 500 with only a learner’s permit. Still, I learned that way, too. 48

Every shop I’ve ever visited has a distinct personality. Silver Creek Outfitters gives off a well-organized and professional vibe. You can feel a certain frontier feistiness at Dan Bailey’s in Livingston. And I’ve always smiled at the good-hearted crustiness of Catskill Flies in Roscoe. I love flyshops. I feel very comfortable in them. Picking a favorite is purely a subjective exercise, like naming one’s favorite river. Further folly would be to try to find a perfect shop. Flyshops are like humans: imperfect and surprising in so many beautiful ways. But if I was asked to come up with the characteristics of a “dream flyshop,” here’s what I would include: The Staff • It starts with the people who work there, the single most important facet of a flyshop. They should obviously be nice and friendly (not always easy with certain clientele). But more importantly, they should be knowledgeable of the local water and conditions. I always know I’m in the right place when I hear a staff member start a sentence with: “When I was on the river last night…” • All flyshop employees have to be honest about the conditions. If the fishing is tough, tell it like it is. That said, being upbeat is crucial. Customers have to leave a flyshop with at least a glimmer of hope. Enthusiasm, confidence and positive thinking are half the battle when fishing, especially when some customers have traveled from far away to spend money and vacation time.

• There’s another tightrope to walk for the flyshop staff: they should be generous with river knowledge, but also discreet. It’s OK—even mandatory—to hold back their own hard-won secrets. But customers should be led to good water. If the anglers turn out to be serious about flyfishing the given water, they’ll eventually find their own secrets and be happy that they did. Disingenuousness is bad. On a flyshop near New York’s Salmon River, I was once told in a conspiratorial whisper to fish a certain spot “because no one else will be there.” When I arrived, 10 guys were already in the pool, flailing away. I asked one guy coming off the river how he found out about the spot. “That damn guy in the shop,” he said. • Never, ever take advantage of newbies. Sure, these walking goldmines come in with their overeager smiles and bulging wallets, but selling people stuff they do not need is bad karma. We all find our-

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selves on the other side of this equation at some point in our lives (think: car and home repairs) and know the gut-turning feeling of getting fleeced. • There should be a shop dog, preferably one that’s old and lazy and congenial. It’s even okay if the pooch lets

from a shop job when he used the shop owner’s dog as a source of flytying material. Probably not a good idea. The Stuff • Coffee. Doesn’t have to be gourmet. Just clean the pot every day.

• The shop should have a few good rods and waders and nets. And some clothes, but not too many. This is a flyshop, not Macy’s. Catskill Flies in Roscoe has this down pat. The centerpiece of the store is the huge fly cabinet. The few items of clothing are stashed in the corners. • A few little doodads are useful. Sunscreen, bug dope, bottles of water and Power Bars. • The store should have some good books: how-to, literary, local and some used books.

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

out a room-clearing toot every once in a while. A good dog puts everyone in a better mood. Word of warning: Tim Borski once told me that he was fired

• The shop should have a really cool logo and hat. Golfers are known for picking up shirts and hats as mementos when • The fly selection should be solid, but they play Shinnecock or Pebble Beach. not overwhelming. And there should nev- Fishermen should be able to do the er be a shortage of the “hot” fly. There’s same. I still wear my Silver Creek Outfitnothing worse than being told that a ters hat I bought in 1994. size-12 Brown Drake Cripple is the fly, The Extras then gazing into that little compartment to find that the only one left looks like • Open early. Seven a.m. seems like a a piece of bellybutton lint. Yellowstone reasonable hour. Angler and Dan Bailey’s always seem to • The shop should have a solid website, have the right flies at the right time. without too many distracting bells-and• There should be a flytying bench with whistles. Brief fishing reports are great. materials ready to go. It adds a certain I would avoid “message boards.” They air, like a mellow jazz band at brunch. seem like an unnecessary hassle. • A great shop should have a hang out • The shop should have a catalogue area, just a few chairs and maybe a that’s mailed once a year, before the worn-out couch. A place to shoot the holidays. And it should be addressed to bull. When I was a young fly shop rat, I my wife. hovered near places like this, ostensibly looking over flies, but really eavesdrop- • A few classes, especially during the long winter hours. The old Cold Spring ping, picking up valuable information Anglers shop in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, from the gaggle of greybeards. Hell, I still do this. There was a brief moment had flytying classes with the legendary Ed Shenk. That was cool. a few years ago when Border Water Outfitters in Hancock, New York, had So where would my dream flyshop this vibe, before it moved locations. The be located? I’d place it in some small young and the old hashed out fishing mountain town, exactly 20 minutes and life theories. Waiting out thunderfrom Silver Creek, the Madison, storms was never more fun. the main stem of the Delaware, the Miramichi, Cape Cod and the Florida • The tippet material has to be fresh. Keys. A guy can dream, right? at Same with the leaders.

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Free is good.

Perhaps the oldest—certainly the dearest—tenet of retail is that one never gives for free something that can be sold. It’s a principle born in some ancient Mesopotamian market, since bolstered by centuries of practice and plain common sense.

AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

But wait! Do we hear a dissent? Here, standing on stage at a 2006 colloquium during the Denver Fly Fishing Retailer World Expo is one Dave Phares. A Gilbert, Ariz., municipal judge, since retired, Phares has gained a measure of notoriety both for thumping the heads of scofflaws and for giving things away. Those who attend his continuing series of seminars know he spices his tutorials by dispensing free fly gear. Really good fly gear: rods, reels, kick boats, travel bags, lots of smaller stuff. At this particular event, several dozen fishy folk have jiggled appointments and, gasp, forsaken lunch just to be there. A large meeting room is almost packed. Fly Tackle Dealer Show seminars are almost never packed. 52

Phares’ topic is apropos to his method: how to create shop traffic, hence profit, by bestowing certain things without charge. It is a titillating subject, one geared to attract a certain amount of attention at a time of static customer numbers. But a look at the roster of attendees tells a different story. Only a small percentage represents actual fly shops, come to learn. The vast majority is here just for the free stuff. Fast forward a year to 2007. Word has gotten out. With a completely different subject, the room now is completely jammed; latecomers have to scuffle for a seat. People whose closets already groan with gear scribble notes furiously so they can correctly answer questions and get the stuff. Having purchased rapt attention with free gear, Phares then dispenses the wisdom of it all. • Free stuff doesn’t have to be high-dollar items. Give someone a pair of cheap hemostats. The first thing they’ll do is lose them and come back to buy an expensive pair. • The real trick to free stuff is to get it free to begin with, either from your suppliers or outside sources. “Make friends with a nurse. They throw hemostats away by the box full. Get someone to save them for you.” Once you’ve loaded your class with beginners attracted by the goodies, you’re ready to convert them to competent anglers and loyal customers: Sell the sport, not the products. Once you’ve hooked them, purchases will follow. • Sell them on you as a person, a friend and a resource. Students should not see you as a salesman. • Make it fun, with low stress. • Don’t take yourself seriously. You don’t have to be the greatest fisherman on the planet to impress them. Use great teachers, not great fly fishermen. • Use every trick to make the sport enjoyable, rewarding and affordable. “When you do, the shop will sell product, not just now but for the life of the new fly fisher.” No one is likely to quarrel with Phares’ strategy for drawing a crowd and keeping it happy. The sticking point comes with getting the free stuff in the first place.

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BACKCAST

Thus the shop attracted customers it otherwise never would have seen. “Free was good. These people now have become fly fishermen.”

“It’s like pulling teeth,” Michael Mosely, president of the Blue Fly Café shop in Boise, Idaho, says of getting contributions from vendors. “Everyone is hitting on them and it’s not the way we’re going to go.” Jennifer Roe, owner of the Roe Outfitters and FlyWay Shop in

Klamath Falls, Ore., is similarly disinclined to give away gear. Free lessons are quite another matter. “We’ve tried it both ways in approaching beginner anglers. When we offered lessons at low prices, there wasn’t much response. When we did them for free, we got quite a few.”

At his Angler’s Covey shop in Colorado Springs, Dave Leinweber has taken the concept a step further with something he calls “learning dollars.” His notion is to credit 10 percent of a customer’s merchandise purchases to an account that buys them casting lessons, flytying classes, even fishing trips. “I’m investing in my customers, helping them get better, keeping them involved,” he says of an arrangement that has its own software program. Leinweber, clever devil, also knows these folks have to pass through his shop en route to the casting ponds out back. Nobody who’s all fired up for a free lesson can walk past aisles of slick displays without buying something. However it’s done, the concept of building traffic with the lure of something for free clearly has merit, as Phares continues to demonstrate. You’ll find him and his assistant Karen Shaw Lafferty holding court at more seminars at the 2008 Expo. As they have in past years, they’ll shamelessly give stuff away to attendees who pay attention and provide the right answers.

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AnglingTrade.com / September 2008

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