Ryan Riley
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I’m just wondering from Joel and any others, what it is that makes a fly shop so intimidating to a newbie.
What is it that is done wrong in so many instances.
MSSpeaking for myself, I think a big part of it is that there’s just so much “stuff” in a good fly shop. Kind of like information overload, especially when you don’t have a clue what 99.9% of it is even for yet (now I’m down to not knowing what about 85% of it is for). The first few visits always felt awkward, just browsing around aimlessly. Should’ve asked for help, but where’s the fun in that. 🙂
I don’t think that’s necessarily related to fly shops and fly fishing, though. I remember when I first started dabbling in photography. Walking into a real photography shop was about the same. I’d imagine nearly any business specializing in a hobby or sport would be intimidating to someone just starting out.
Just my $0.02.
Being a relative newcomer myself (to both flyfishing and this board), I’ll second the notion that a fly shop can be intimidating to a newby. After my first guided trip last Summer, I was very much overwhelmed when we got back to the shop, already addicted, and started looking at the pricing on the various combos that shop had.
I ended up visiting another fly shop on the way back home and found a deal on a Redington Crosswater outfit for a little under $100. I bought it not because of the guidance of that fly shop, it was more that the previous shop’s stuff started at several hundred bucks and I was amazed that I could get that one for such a “low” price. Since then, I’ve also picked up one of those Wal-Mart SA blister pack outfits that was being closed out for $20 to have as a backup and something to let any friend/family use, if needed. Ironically, I can cast that SA a whole lot better than the Crosswater.
After several months, and a lot of reading and research, I’m a whole lot more comfortable in a local fly shop these days. I’ve also since moved on to a Sage VT2 (thanks again, Joel!) and haven’t touched either the Redington or the SA since.
