Women Fly Fishers
- This topic has 22 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated Nov 17, 2006 at 4:22 am by
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Hi All!
I am going to be opening a fly shop this coming spring for the ranch I work for. I am working on my pre-season orders right now and I need some major help with the womens stuff. Women often get the short end of the stick in fly shops and I want to try and give them a fair shake in mine. So women, what would you like to see in a fly shop? I have got some input from my wife, but I am looking for any and all opinions.
Moosedog
I think what my wife would like out of a flyshop would be a requirement that I have to have a permission slip signed by her in advance before I’m allowed to make major purchases.
bd
Moosedog,
First off, I think it’s great that you’re thinking about what women who flyfish really want instead of just stocking the standard Orvis-type country woman clothing and knick knacks that you see in the women’s sections of a lot of flyfishing shops.
For a more serious reply than my last one:
They used to say in the marketing classes I’ve taken that “painting a brand pink” is the fastest way to kill it.
To link something that Brian and Zach said, and with all due respect to Joan Wulff, I think that Winston should drop the Joan from the Joan Wulff rods–I do think it disourages more men from casting them; and, they are wonderful rods.
As for everything else why not stock both–merchandise that appeals to women who fish and women who accompany their so’s on fishing trips? Avoid stereotypic colors for the technical gear (waders, vests/packs, jackets, etc), but do stock “tropics” colored clothing for travelling, wearing around lodges, and on boats.
I would think that the most important thing would be to approach the women who visit your shop the same as you would the men, then steer or guide them accordingly.
Good luck with the new business.
Bryan
Thanks all for the good advice so far! Keep it coming!!! Lauren it is nice to hear from you on the post. My wife couldn’t agree with you more about the pink and purple. She is a huge fan on earth tones when it comes to outdoor clothing.
I will definitely look into the TFO rods Zach. I got my first chance to cast one about a month ago and was impressed.
As far as waders go I am sticking with Simms and Cloudveil. Lauren, have you tried out either one of these? If so which did you find nicer for a women?
BD my shop is only for the members of the ranch I work at. A very wealthy cliental. How do you think that will affect my marketing?I have a real challenge when it comes to filling this shop with goodies since I will only be selling to our members. I don’t want to be stuck with a bunch of stuff to carry over until the next year. That said I want the shop to always look full. My hope is to hold some kind of internet sell at the end of each season to get rid of remaining merchandise. Hell, maybe I will offer it to the members of this post first.
Ok, keep the good advice coming!
Moosedog
Nothing more than a simple service/acknowledgement suggestion but one that comes from experience and consultation:)-
Just a curious note: I guided two ladies last week that have a lot of fun with their flyfishing. I introduced the one to the sport and she has excelled. The other is quite a good bass tournament angler that has, in addition, also taken up flyfishing. She is a very serious angler but also enjoys having fun and to her that means pink. They both work with Casting for Recovery as instructors and mentioned the new CFR pink rod outfit to me. They plan to buy one as their next rod purchase.
Lesson: Go for the average, but don’t rule anything in or out in sales. Let your customers dictate. Who knows, you might wind up with a lot of CFR gals in your lodge and you might be wearing pink next year too Moosedog
Since my knowledge of women fly fishers is limited to Cindy Garrison, I would suggest you carry very tight short shorts and halter tops.
Just so I’m perfectly clear, I don’t have a problem with pink and purple, per se. I just wouldn’t want a rod (or other piece of technical gear) that singled me out just because I’m a woman (and a rod or whatever that is pink only for pink’s sake seems to do that). I wear all kinds of bright clothing, and I have a girly-pink hat from a shop on the Florida panhandle that I love. The CFR stuff is very admirable, and since the pink is for a reason in this case that isn’t just because the rodmakers wanted to market it to women, I can get behind that too. I think women anglers just want respect from male anglers, ultimately (and no pandering, singling out, etc.).
Moosedog,
I haven’t had a chance to try the Cloudveil women’s waders. I fish in women’s Simms, and I really like them a lot (though we’re looking into getting me a new pair and aren’t necessarily sticking with Simms). Cloudveil is making some great stuff for women, too. So, I guess I can’t give you an either/or opinion here. I’d love to hear what you’ve heard from women who’ve tried both, though.
Dunfly,
I, too, find it very curious (and off-putting) to see so many skantily clad women in flyfishing ads and photography. I know that I couldn’t accomplish much in waders (or not) and a bikini. I definitely have a hard time believing that the women pictured with the big fish and in little clothing had much to do with landing the fish in question. Glad to hear that at least one flyfishing man finds it suspect too. It’s not that I don’t get what the photographers and marketing teams are trying to do. It just seems that pictures like these help solidify flyfishing’s position as firmly a “guys’ sport,” and I don’t particularly like that.
Just my two cents.
Lauren
Thanks for the feed back Lauren. If I were you I would stick with Simms if you have been happy with the ones you own right now. Their customer service is sooooo much better than Cloudveils. Plus Simms is made in the great state of Montana so it has to be good!
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