The BEST Fly Shop

A few weeks ago I compiled a list of the top rated fly shops in each state. The list was just that: top rated, not best.

So what makes a fly shop the best? Maybe even better than another that is highly rated online? Admittedly, it is very subjective. Your preference might be dictated solely by proximity: either to your home or your home water. Your choice could be all about brand loyalty: whoever carries Company X is going to get your dollar. For a lot of fly fishers, preference and choice isn’t a luxury: you’ve got one fly shop, love it or leave it.

All that to say, there are some things that virtually every good fly shop has in common. Here are a few criteria that my favorite shops meet, and that I personally value as being necessary. Necessary for my loyalty, and necessary for keeping their doors open in a difficult market.

Check out my thoughts below, and feel free to leave yours in the comment section at the bottom:

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Podcast Ep. 40: Fly Fishing Accusations IV

40 episodes in, and I have a lot of questions, comments, and other feedback to interact with.

This podcast I  answer a question about fishing while backpacking, sing the praises of old fly rods, and address “Japanese shower climbing.” Briefly, but I address it.

It is a lot of fun to hear what readers/listeners are thinking when they interact with Casting Across, and these episodes allow me to take previous content to another level of specificity.

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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So You Tore Your Waders

I’m pretty careful of my fly rods and reels. Only a few pieces of gear have truly been damaged. I can’t say the same thing about waders, however. For whatever reason, I’m tough on waders and wading boots. Maybe I “fish hard,” or maybe I don’t look where I’m walking. Regardless, I’ve put holes in and torn through neoprene, Gore-Tex, and even vulcanized rubber.

Thankfully, all but the most colossal rips can be repaired. And virtually every repair can be made stream side. All you need is the right stuff, properly applied.

Since I’ve had a little bit of experience, including recently punching the hook of a thick-shanked saltwater streamer through my waist, I thought I’d share  my take on the what and how of wader repair. I have two product recommendations and four tips on actual repairs.

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Creative Ways to Fly Fish with 2 Flies

The “what” and “why” of using a dry/dropper rig are explained a few weeks into Fly Fishing 101. You cover more water, present to more fish, and maximize your catching potential.

But there have always been many more ways to tap into 2 fly systems than a Chernobyl Ant with a Copper John underneath it.

Here are four dropper rig ideas for all types of trout fishing. These incorporate streamers, dries, nymphs, and even mice. What they all have in common is this – the flies work in tandem. Fishing the flies together can create a whole greater than the sum of each individual fly’s parts.

Check out the four rigs, as well as a few notes on knots and storage, below:

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Podcast Ep. 39: Beyond Dry/Dropper – Creative 2 Fly Rigs

If you’re not fishing a dry/dropper, you’re missing  out on an excellent way to maximize your fish-catching potential.

But there are other “dropper” rigs that work really well in a variety of scenarios in which a dry fly trailed by a nymph just wouldn’t make sense. In this episode I talk about four ways you can utilize two flies to improve your fishing and your catching.

How many of these techniques have you tried?

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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Fly Fishing & the Escape From Reason

I consider myself an avid reader of fly fishing content. The scope of my interests ranges from literary classics to random posts on social media. For whatever reason, fly fishing writing has a unique penchant to transcend “I caught a fish” or “this is how I caught a fish” and wade deeply into “catching a fish made me stare into my own mortality and the very meaning of reality.”

If you read fly fishing content at all, you know that last phrase isn’t hyperbole. If anything, it is an example of subtlety within the genre.

The contemplative, quiet nature of fly fishing is tailor made for romance. Standing in the same water your quarry swims in, and the necessity to understand the rocks and the weather and the seasons draws one’s consciousness to the smallness of our existence within the… see? See how easy it is to slide from rote explanation to gushing loquaciousness?

That is fly fishing. But I have a concern.

My concern isn’t with the language and the syntax. Frankly, I am not even opposed to the poetic; be it truly heartfelt or blatantly verbose. Expressing what it is like to be outdoors, doing what you enjoy matters. It is wonderful if fly fishing is a significant part of your vocation or recreation. Blessed is the man who can fish often and still balance the rest of his life. I harbor no ill will toward anyone who fishes, catches fish, and shares their passion for the pursuit.

My concern is this: does fly fishing give meaning to your life, or does your life give meaning to fly fishing?  

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Rusty Flybox: Good & Bad Fly Shops

I’m going to keep a good thing going!

Last week was all about fly shops on Casting Across. It started with two companion pieces, each listing 25 of the top rated fly shop in each state. That was followed with a podcast episode where I asked, and answered, what makes the good fly shops good?

I’ll share links to all three of those articles below. But today I want to relay two experiences. Each happened at a fly shop. Both shops have a great gear selection, a solid social media presence, and, certainly not least of all, enough success to be in business in a difficult market.

Read about these contrasting fly shop visits here:

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Podcast Ep. 38: What Makes the Good Fly Shops Good?

Even today, brick and mortar fly shops are an integral part of fly fishing culture. Beyond supplying rods, reels, flies, and tying materials, they offer angling insight and legitimate community.

Although there are many factors that lead to fly shops succeeding or failing, there are certain things that most of the truly good shops have in common. And, in my opinion, the most important facets aren’t fishing gear.

What do you like in a fly shop?

Listen to the episode below, or on your favorite podcast app.

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The Top Rated Fly Shop in All 50 States, Part II

What is the  best fly shop  in your state?

This is a very subjective question. But in a day and age when online reviews actually have an impact on the success or failure of a business, we have something close to objective data to work with. I’ve looked at a few review aggregations, and compiled a list of  the top rated fly shop in all 50 states.

This doesn’t mean that the shops listed are, in fact, the best. More importantly, it isn’t a slight at other excellent fly shops that aren’t listed. Of course, there are some factors that propel the ratings of certain shops over others: being in a metropolitan area, offering guide services, and even catering to a demographic that is more willing to leave an online review. Still, these online reviews are a legitimate 21st century indicator of a place – and people – that anglers appreciate.

In  part II, I list the second 25 states: Montana – Wyoming. Is your favorite fly shop on the list?

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The Top Rated Fly Shop in All 50 States, Part I

What is the best fly shop in your state?

This is a very subjective question. But in a day and age when online reviews actually have an impact on the success or failure of a business, we have something close to objective data to work with. I’ve looked at a few review aggregations, and compiled a list of the top rated fly shop in all 50 states.

This doesn’t mean that the shops listed are, in fact, the best. More importantly, it isn’t a slight at other excellent fly shops that aren’t listed. Of course, there are some factors that propel the ratings of certain shops over others: being in a metropolitan area, offering guide services, and even catering to a demographic that is more willing to leave an online review. Still, these online reviews are a legitimate 21st century indicator of a place – and people – that anglers appreciate.

In part I, I list the first 25 states: Alabama – Missouri. Is your favorite fly shop on the list?

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