Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

or however that dang word is written! : ) Use this forum to discuss those things that are related to, directly, or indirectly, fly fishing, i.e., tackle, catalogs, single malt scotch, cigar preferences, pipes, camera gear, etc. This is sort of an off topic area but one related to bamboo and fly fishing.

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bearbutt
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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#81

Post by bearbutt »

DrLogik wrote:
01/11/22 21:26
Fran Betters' Adirondack Sports Shop in Wilmington, New York.
Totally agree--Fran was special. Where'd the picture come from, and when was it taken?

bb

adrien schnee
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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#82

Post by adrien schnee »

PYochim wrote:
01/12/22 10:02
adrien schnee wrote:
01/12/22 09:49
Paul, as updated yesterday, the building has sold, but they are apparently still looking for people to take over the name and websites. Just in case you want to come out of retirement!
Adrien, thanks for the update. I can guarantee you that I will not come out of retirement. My fastest way to a million dollars in the fly fishing business would be to start out with two million dollars. Not my bag.

Paul, I was of course kidding about coming out of retirement! Selling tackle is a tough way to make a living now, and few I know would want to get into it. I’m certain your career as a physician has ensured that you don’t need to flog fly gear at this stage In your life.

I’m glad they were able to sell the building and hope a buyer does come around to take over the other aspects of the business.

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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#83

Post by mlarocco »

Locally, not a traditional 'fly shop' but a hybrid Fly Shop mail order rod building supplier 'Anglers Workshop' in Woodland WA. In house they supplied flies, fly rods and reels, waders etc... but some forum members may have benefited from their mail order rod building buisiness. Woodland Washington was/is a fishing industry hot spot, home to G Loomis, Lamiglas, Edge and Tallon Rods. Down the road in Vancouver Tim Rajeff's (Steve's brother) Echo Rods. I benefited from many visits and they had an extensive list of local 'regulars' (Portland included). They were having problems competing with Mud Hole and sold out to a buyer in the mid west. Technically they still exist under different management.

http://www.anglersworkshop.com/About-Us

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spruce grouse
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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#84

Post by spruce grouse »

The Fisherman’s Edge in Catonsville, MD (just over the Baltimore line). It was more saltwater and warm water and a hole-in-the-wall half the size of my first floor, but it had character - like if you looked in the right bin you’d find the secrets of fly fishing. And Joe was/still is a great fly tyer.
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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#85

Post by DrLogik »

Bearbutt,

Hahaha, I stole it off the InterWeb. I have a number of photographs of the shop, inside and outside, and of Fran but unless I spend half a day digging I won't find them. I found that photo in about 3 minutes. Looking at it, it looks like it's the mid/late 1990's judging by the age of the cars. When I was there 20 years ago it looked the same and when I was there back in probably 2008 it looked the same.

Yeah, Fran was cool. The last time I was there and as the last customer who was in there left, he told me, "You know, if you want to find trophy fish, go to the [shall remain nameless]" All's I'll say is you park across from a field next to a woodland area. Hike in through the woods about half a mile and you'll come to a slight bend in the river.

As the sun dropped down to the horizon the big fish started feeding on top and I landed some really nice ones. I went back to his shop the next day and said thank you! Fran looked at me and just smiled.

That's Fran.

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bearbutt
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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#86

Post by bearbutt »

DrLogik wrote:
01/12/22 12:37

Hahaha, I stole it off the InterWeb.
Well, I don't think it will be funny to the person you "stole" it from--maybe cite your source with a link? The image is probably copyright-protected too, but by providing a link and citation, you'd be doing the right thing on many levels.

As for your photos of Fran and his shop, please do dig them out, I'd love to see them--and I'm sure others would too.

Now, about that slight bend in the river.....

Cheers,
bb

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DrLogik
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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#87

Post by DrLogik »

Bearbutt,

Good point. Source sited. It's now "Borrowed" from the InterWeb with sources and link. Good article on Fran on that link also.

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bearbutt
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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#88

Post by bearbutt »

That's all cool now--thanks--would still like to see your Fran pics!

Another shop picture--this one of Zak Kyes inside Dan's Tackle in Chicago in 2012. Dan Pieczonka is sitting down, enjoying himself--as he often did. The shop was on the second floor of his home, and he never had to go far to open up for the day. On this day the shop was a lot cleaner than it normally was--I always thought of it as the successor to Jim Deren's Angler's Roost. Sadly, Dan died in 2016, and the house was later razed. Here's an obit for Dan:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/6/24/ ... dead-at-72

Image

Cheers,
bb

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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#89

Post by Caneghost »

A hearty plus one for the Fisherman's Edge and Joe Bruce! I took his basic fly tying course which started me on the way to three decades of thread and hackles and memories! Bought the components there and took his class to build my one and only fly rod - a 6'6" 3 weight Loomis IM-6 that Ed Shenk had recommended to me for fishing the Letort. That little rod rests in my rod rack now, but it has a lot of big brown trout to it's credit.

Joe was always happy to share fishing information, help you with some tying technique, etc. A fine gentleman!
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mcflyfish
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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#90

Post by mcflyfish »

Folks...I also was a Saturday morning regular at Joe's (Fisherman's Edge). I would routinely take my lab puppy up there and let her run around with the folks...she became a regular 'shop dog' on Saturday's. There was a good crowd and we enjoyed swapping stories...especially in the winter months.

As I remember....Joe closed the retail shop shortly after the Bass Pro Shop opened at nearby Arundel Mills. The same thing happened to our only local fly shop here in Savannah in 2004.

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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#91

Post by Fats62 »

Fly Rod Shop in Stowe Vermont, I visit it frequently!!

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mcflyfish
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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#92

Post by mcflyfish »

I understand that Dette Flies relocated to a larger location in Livingston Manor but the attached picture is my fishing partner (Booman2) handing Mary Dette a twenty for flies she had tied for him in 1985. This was the front office/fly shop in the front of the house where the Dettes lived.
Image

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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#93

Post by Booman2 »

Wow! My arm will be famous in the Dette shop photo. I looked around and found a photo of Winnie tying at her vise, same one for 57 years. They were great people and had a super angling library in the living room.

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Brian K. Shaffer
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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#94

Post by Brian K. Shaffer »

Great Britain - London 1957 -

Image
photo found over at the glass forum - fit perfect here too
" There's no such thing as a fly fisherman wholly satisfied with his casting performance. " ~ Jim Green (1971)
" Just once I wish a trout would wink at me. " ~ Brian Shaffer

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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#95

Post by moucheur2003 »

Fats62 wrote:
01/13/22 14:56
Fly Rod Shop in Stowe Vermont, I visit it frequently!!
So do I. It's not bygone! Although the days are gone when it was also the manufacturer of Payne and Diamondback rods and REC components. I still have a Diamondback Carbonite rod that I bought from Bill Alley in those days.

https://www.flyrodshop.com/

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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#96

Post by DrLogik »

Brian Shaffer's post reminded me when I was in London many years ago and visited Hardy's on Pall Mall. It's also gone. Wow, what a cool shop. Way out of my price range at the time but Farlow's I think was just down the street and a lot more affordable.

Walking into Hardy's you sensed you were not in just another fly fishing shop. It was THE fly fishing shop. All of the bamboo rods on display, Hardy reels new and old in the glass cases, all of the gear and clothing, the place had that fly fishing gear smell. The smell of oilcloth, reel lube and just old town London.

The gentleman behind the counter knew I wasn't going to buy anything but waited on me anyway. He was gracious and asked me what I was looking for. As soon as I said something there was the immediate, "Ah, you're a Yank". Yes I replied. He was kind and helpful. Old school. A great memory. I took a bunch of photos of the store inside and out but they are buried somewhere in my thousands of negatives.

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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#97

Post by ibookje »

Isn’t it kinda sad that that kind of shops don’t exist anymore?

We don’t have much of a fly shop history here in The Netherlands but there is one fly shop that used to be in Amsterdam near the train station.

It was a long trip by train for a young lad but the tackle shop with a (by then) considerable fly fishing section was like a candy store. There I saw the real Orvis fly rods behind glass. No way I could afford them.

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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#98

Post by billems »

The old Bob Mitchells' Fly Shop in Lake Elmo Minnesota was like my "Home Away From..etc." Lake Elmo was between St. Paul, and near the Wisconsin border, where I would jump off to my favorite streams there. The shop was run by a retired couple, Bob and Jean Mitchell, and they were the most welcoming people you'd ever want to meet. I like to keep their prices down, and hawked fairly pedestrian gear, though they fell hard for the Lightline Sages when they arrived. I remember buying my first classy Sage Lightline, and Bob and Gene trying to talk me out of it, as they knew my financial straits owing the being a jazz musician. But I had recently won a fellowship, so it was a big day for moi. Jean kind of became my mother, as mine had long been deceased. Once when I was about to play a big gig, I had an anxiety attack and called Jean, who reassured me, and all turned out well. They sold the shop around 2000, moved to Bozeman prior to both going to their reward. I will never forget them.

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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#99

Post by billems »

I hate those shops with the arrogant youngsters who never fished a fly in their lives that didn't have a bead attached to it. "Why fish with dries; don't you want to catch fish?" I tell them I'm not of the "bobbered and beadheaded tribe."

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Re: Flyshops Bygone - And Still Missed

#100

Post by billems »

billems wrote:
01/18/22 13:11
I hate those shops with the arrogant youngsters who never fished a fly in their lives that didn't have a bead attached to it. "Why fish with dries; don't you want to catch fish?" I tell them I'm not of the "bobbered and beadheaded tribe." Nowadays, a purist is a nymph fisherman with a 10-foot rod.

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