Rude Fly Shop

[Woodinfliezz 0]

any one out there ever ran into a rude fly shop? im talking about the kind of guys who think they are just to damn spiffy to even acknowledge you when you walk into there store? or the folks who if you dont look the way they think you should look they wont answer your questions with more than a no or yes? the kind that treat your interest in there company or product as a burden on them or a bother? im just curious because i encountered this today at an outdoor expo and its bothering me and kind of pissing me off to be frank.

 

these types of "fly Fishermen" irritate the piss out of me. why open a fly fishing shop if your only goal in life is to act as if you are better than a customer who is simply asking about the services you provide? I may not be the guy whos going to drop 900 bucks on a helios or a sage one but dammit im still a fly fishermen and i believe in the fishermans code we are all in this sport because we love it poor or rich we do this because we love it and ill be damned if im going to let a fellow fishermen think im a snob or to good to go out of my way and have a conversation with them share some knowledge maybe swap some flies or what not.

 

my rod may only cost a fraction of what you sell your brand name stuff for but i will pull a fish out of any hole you put me in with my 100 dollar rod and a wooley bugger.

 

so to end my rant of frustration i say this IF YOUR IN THIS FOR MONEY OR TO LOOK KOOL AND BRAG ABOUT HOW MUCH YOUR ROD COSTS THEN PLEASE I BEG OF YOU GET OUT OF MY SPORT.

 

if this is the wrong area to post this let me know i will repost it in the lodge

 

 

 

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Many years ago I was in London and actually made a visit to Hardy with great anticipation since they were the top of the line..... I noted that as soon as I came into their premises that their employees disappeared.... it was pretty obvious that no one wanted to even speak with me. After wandering around the shop for a few minutes I left and never returned...

 

Can't say I was ever treated as rudely over here but there have been one or two places that never got a second look from me. I know a bit about the business since I've been a commercial tyer for a lot of years (started 1979) and have watched shops come and go since I worked at my first tackle shop in 1972.... The fly fishing "business" is a very hard one to succeed in when you're treating your customers badly....

 

Tight lines

Bob LeMay

(954) 435-5666

[fly~by~night 0]

YES! i know exactly how you feel. we have one here in MO. acts just like he is the fly fishing GOD. Everything you know is WRONG...pfft. I asked a question about trout in the area...his reply..." i have a book coming out soon..you should buy it". haven't been back since.

 

Best fly shop i have been to has been Reddings fly shop ( its by bennet springs north of springfeild ), one of the nicest guys you could meet. Respectful of his customers...and just has one "classic" and NICE fly shop.

[switch10 0]

This sport does have some elitist pricks, and that probably won't change any time soon. I wouldn't worry about it too much though, If they treat everyone as poorly as they treated you, they won't be in business long.

 

Our local shop treats everyone fairly, which is probably why they are doing so well. The spin-casting family of 4 buying power bait gets treated just as friendly as the guy spending $3,000 on a new rod, waders, etc.

 

While some of my friends that are employed there complain to me about answering the same questions from different customers 100 times per day, they still politely answer the questions, and they will even rig up the customers rod for free if they need help.

[utyer 0]

Your right, not way to treat a customer. It doesn't matter WHAT you came in for, YOU are the one with the MONEY to spend. One thing I learned in more than 25 years working in several tackle and fly shops is that the REPEAT customer is your BEST customer. I also learned that a novice is a BETTER customer than most. If you treat a person properly, and answer their questions, they will come back any time they have a new question. Most of the time, they will buy something. Very few customers will actually buy a $1000 fly rod, or $500 reel, but a beginner needs EVERYTHING (rod, reel, line, leader, flies, clippers, vest, waders) and most importantly, guidance. In fact a novice will usually buy MORE from a shop than most.

 

I knew a couple of wholesale reps who were of the "old school." They sold dozens and dozens of different lines, and all of them were inexpensive items, and they sold mostly terminal tackle items. Once they were asked why they had no rods or reels in their vast assortment of items. Their response was that an angler only needs a new rod or reel every once in a great while, but they lose tackle EVERY time they go out. They would always leave our shop with a substantial order. We sold flies, leaders, all the other stuff anglers would need over and over again, while expensive rods and reels sat in the storeroom year after year.

 

I have been in a lot of fly shops big and small all across the country, and if they treat me right, I usually make some small purchase (even if I don't need it.) I have been in one or two where I didn't make a purchase, and they will never know why, and when I went back, they were not there, and I do know why.

 

In this day of mass merchants, big box stores, and on-line retailers, a "fly shop" (or any other specialty store,) does have something these other stores don't. They have (or should have,) local knowledge, and expertise to offer. Friendly, honest, and helpful advise and service is (or should be,) their products. You can't get service or help in a big box store. You can SOMETIMES do a LITTLE better in the mass merchant sporting goods retailers, but don't count on it. When I want information, and advise, I go to the little guys (if I can find one,) and if they don't offer THAT, then they are more than useless.

[ditz2 0]

There is a flyshop that is an hour away that I do get to on occasion. They have always treated me well though I have never bought one of their rods or reels. I have bought fly lines and quite a bit of tying materials. I do get irritated when they follow me into the tying materials room. It is because they are worried about shoplifting I am sure and I do understand that but it is irritating none the less.

[flytire 0]

i personally don't find it rude if a fly shop worker doesnt immediately drop everything he is doing and run right over and kiss my ass or follow me around as if i'm gong to steal a pack of dubbing or beads. i prefer to shop around the shop without someone following me around like a shadow. that happened in a famous fly shop in west yellowstone and i will never go back in there to spend my disposable money.

 

sometimes a shoppers attitude or preconceived notion of the fly shop and the people that work there may have something to do with their dissatisfaction. if you've heard from others that they are pieces of shit then why go there?

 

for the most part i have encountered good workers in fly shops ive been in throughout the USA

[Woodinfliezz 0]

i personally don't find it rude if a fly shop worker doesnt immediately drop everything he is doing and run right over and kiss my ass or follow me around as if i'm gong to steal a pack of dubbing or beads. i prefer to shop around the shop without someone following me around like a shadow. that happened in a famous fly shop in west yellowstone and i will never go back in there to spend my disposable money.

 

sometimes a shoppers attitude or preconceived notion of the fly shop and the people that work there may have something to do with their dissatisfaction. if you've heard from others that they are pieces of shit then why go there?

 

for the most part i have encountered good workers in fly shops ive been in throughout the USA

 

 

this experience was at an outdoor expo and another time in there shop im not saying i want them up my ass and stalking me through there store but in every business i have ever worked for that involved customers you always greeted the customer and made them welcome a welcome customer is a return customer 9/10. and i have not heard any negative things about this shop my buddy told me about it he told me in a neutral way. he had some sculpin heads and i asked where he got them from he told me at such n such shop and so i went to go have a look see for my self.

 

so in a shorter answer to your question i didnt have prior knowledge of this store prior to me visiting except that they existed and had materials. another thing i noticed while at the expo this shop treated multiple novice and interested people the same way i was treated. lets just say they blew a shot at being able to get there name out there and get people interested in there sport

[troutguy 0]

Jesse Brown's in Charlotte is the epitome of the rich fish fishing snob that gives the sport a bad name . They were so bad last time I ventured in that my wife said I should buy stuff on line or catalogs and pay shipping. They had covered the MSRP with their own higher price. Very condescending if you don't buy the best.

 

One of the stores in Roscoe used to be rude that way. My friend and I felt we intruded upon them when we went in. Have never felt that way in any but those two.

 

Went into a general store fishing store in Wisdom, MT. The lady told us where to camp and catch Grayling. What was the best flies and most importantly the best blueberry jam.

 

I fly fish, Lord knows I am not against spending money. There is a way to tell a customer to buy more expensive and it is in the customers best interest. Years ago my waders were so leaky I could not fish. I was typically an inexpensive Hodgeman customer. Went into Davidson River in Brevard and the young guy told me not to buy cheaper waders. Talked me into Patagonia waders for like $300. Yikes! However I am still wearing them almost ten years later and I fish hard. I find DRO a friendly store.

 

Most stores have to be people friendly. I have read fly fishing is a dying sport. Not as many are taking up the sport as other generations did.

 

Interesting article. http://www.ldnews.com/outdoors/ci_20042439

[tidewaterfly 0]

Because people have all types of personalities, it's not always easy to know how to approach a new customer. Folks in shops also never know to what degree of experience you may have. If they make the mistake of assuming anything about me by my appearance, well, that's their first mistake, and strike 1 if they won't treat me like a customer because of it!

 

I don't know many folks who like being watched as if they're intending to steal something! I know I don't, however I usually give benefit of doubt the first time I go into any establishment if I'm not greeted or approached right away. I also like to browse around & see what's there. I don't need to have someone looking over my shoulder. However, since they don't know me & also need to protect their business, I don't get offended if I'm watched! It's impossible to tell what a persons true intentions are, so I don't blame them!

 

But, when it's time to talk, or I need help & go to seek it, I expect to be treated in a friendly manner. If not, strike 2! If they won't acknowledge me even being there, strike 3, I'm out of there! As yet, I've not had that happen in a fly shop, but have in other types of retail shops! Their loss, not mine!

 

At one time there was a fly shop here, and the owner eventually would rub folks the wrong way with his attitude. I bought tying materials there a few times, being that it was the only place anywhere nearby that sold such materials. The last time I was there, I was looking for hackle to tie bass & saltwater flies. The owner attempted to sell me dry fly capes. I knew the difference & told him that's not what I needed & that I didn't do a lot of trout fishing. The final straw was when he told me if I didn't fish for trout, I had no business with a fly rod! He didn't stay in business all that long!

 

In my limited travels, I've been in several other shops over the years, and for the most part, have been treated just fine.

 

When I was tying flies commercially, I didn't have a shop, but did do some shows each year. I always looked forward to & enjoyed talking to folks, especially those just getting started in the sport. Any business is in it to make money. But, treating customers or potential customers poorly is not a good approach for improving your bottom line!

[Peterjay 0]

I guess everybody who's been fishing for a while has encountered snotty fly shop personnel somewhere along the line. The trouble is that it takes a different set of skills to work in retail than it does to tie a fly or throw a line, and you need some of both to deal with the fishing public. I don't want anyone hovering over me either, but to deliberately ignore a potential customer is not only a stupid business practice, it's extremely rude. It doesn't cost anything to say hello and gently offer help if it's needed. The non-customer-related chores can (and should) wait. The person coming in the door is the one who pays the bills, and the way fly shops are becoming an endangered species in a lot of areas, I'd say quite a few bills aren't getting paid. Rude service probably isn't the overriding factor, but it sure as hell doesn't help when your profit margin is already thin.

 

FWIW - years ago, I ran the sporting goods section of a department store, and the best part of the job was chatting up customers. I not only got to meet some really nice people, I also picked up tons of information on what was running, what was taking fish, etc., etc. Selling fishing-related products should be a labor of love for anyone who cares about the sport, and if questions get repetitive, that's part of retail work. There are plenty of alternatives for people who can't handle dealing with the public.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I was in one that was rude as all hell to the point my friend who was looking at a sage rod left when he asked the price of the rod the employee stated "rods in your price range are on the back wall" my friend is a surgeon has no bills as his house is paid for car and trucks are paid for and he is also a native american that gets a check from the cherokee nation every month that he calls his play money but because we were both hippies they thought we were broke we ended up down the road at a great shop that got their bills paid for a few months by my buddy he ended up buying 2 sage rods with tibor reels all lined with high dollar line guess the saying goes never judge a book by its cover

[Bugsy 0]

The fish stinks from the head!

 

For years, I was a regular customer at a western fly shop that was promoted as the world's largest,...or something grand like that. I started shopping there right after the owner had bought out a tiny shop and was in the first stages of growth. And grow it did. Big shop with huge selection. The owner was a good businessman and admittedly not so much of a fly fishing nut, but that was likely the reason for the shop's incredible growth of inventory and services. He knew he could hire fishing knowledge. I found him to be quite approachable and helpful during those initial years. I liked the staff and don't recall any elitist attitude directed at myself or others.

 

As the store grew, the owner had a small team of managers in addition to his office staff and retail staff. Probably ten years in, and well into the boom of the early '90s, another person was added to the staff as general manager. The retail staff was now larger to handle increased traffic, and the longtime staff members were only a few. There was a noticeable change in attitude in the store, and it was not for the better. It was only after I met "Mike" the GM that I understood the reason behind the attitude shift. Impersonal and aloof. A terribly poor fit to direct a specialty retail team in a high volume store. He may have known tackle, techniques and numbers, but he was completely lacking in people skills and apparently didn't understand or care that his example was a poor one for the staff.

 

I don't believe "Mike" was around more than a couple years, but he left his stain. The staff, including the successive mgrs, had largely been cultured away from the customer under his leadership, and I heard various comments from others about the shop's evolution in the following years. I can't say it personally bothered me. With the exception of questions with hatches and patterns at some destination shops, it's been a very long time since I needed genuine assistance at a fly shop. Even when I patronize this shop today, I just grab what I need and leave with little expectation of friendly exchange.

 

Fly shops are hardly alone in this regard. You'll see it in other activities that have fairly or unjustly gained an "elitist" title. Shop at enough camera, bike or golf shops, and I'm sure you'll encounter the same. However, in every instance, I still submit that the attitude trickles down from above.

 

Oh, and as someone that's been on both sides of the counter, you can be assured that the staff sees its share of unkind, intolerant and abusive customers. It's not pretty, but it's just how some folks feel they can treat others during this short walk we call life. Unfortunately, you may find them on either side of the counter,..or even in the back office in the plush chair. No excuses made for anyone.

[nick2011 0]

most fly fisherman I have run into are pretty nice but there is definatly a stigma that follows flyfisherman..I have heard of many people being treated poorly by fly fisherman because they think they are better than the common man, truth is there really isn't anyone out there that's better than anyone else just because they flyfish. it sucks that you had to experience that but it probably wont be the last time, just take your self and spend your money at a nicer friendlier shop..

[netabrookie 0]

I have had just the opposite of your problem at the closest fly shop to where I live. I used to take the trip over a couple mountains and always remembered what I was going after. After a few visits I had to start making a list of what I needed because we would talk about fly tying and the local creeks and rivers so much that I would forget a lot of stuff that I went after. The first couple of visits there was a little aggravating to me because they really kept an eye on me and followed me everywhere I looked, but I understood that they didn't know me and didn't want me walking out with half the shop in my pockets. I also confused them the first few visits because the first time they ever met me I was dressed fairly nice and the second time was on a hot day and I had fished two creeks on the way there and had on a worn out pair of khaki pants and a sleeveless t-shirt that was soaked with sweat. My last visit to the BIG chain store wasn't a great experience because one of the fellows there shadowed me so much that I could hardly look at the materials. After about ten or so minutes of this I finally said to him that if he was going to follow me around so much then maybe he wouldn't mind carrying my little shopping basket for me. He left me alone and went back behind the counter. I try to always be a nice guy, but I live my life by my favorite movie which is First Blood. I will never start something and always try to be good but if you draw the first blood then you might not like my reaction to that. Since I'm on a roll here, it wasn't a fly shop, but a little local hardware store years ago. I don't even remember what I was after now, but I was very patient and watched customers come and go as I stood by the counter and got ignored. I don't know if it was the pony tail I used to have or the way I was dressed but they acted like I wasn't even there. I finally went tilt and started yelling and swinging my arms and asking if they could see me. When you scream "am I invisible" in a little country hardware store it makes quite a scene. I didn't get what ever it was I was after but I would bet that they still remember me.