Gift Ideas for the Fly Fisher

Friends always ask me (knowing I work out of a fly shop) if I was crazy busy on Black Friday. Not particularly. Just the usual. It is more the big box outlets and electronics stores who have customers stampeding through the double front doors at 4am the day after Thanksgiving. Trampling the elderly. Throwing elbows like Shaq under the net. Not necessarily fly shops, though. The holiday shoppers out there with a flyfisherman on their gift list usually wait until the last week to hit up the fly shop. In most cases waiting for the last minute is not a problem…the guys at the local shop can line you up with what you need. Every fly shop in the country has set aside the typical gift ideas at a few different price points. Rocky Mountain Anglers, for example, has a few things perfect for beginners—a 4wt rod and reel combo ($140) a waist pack fully loaded with nippers, floatant, hemostats and water bottles ($80) or an intro to fly fishing book ($22). Those on the list who want to get into fly fishing, or who have just recently gotten hooked, can be the easiest to shop for…and the most fun. There is a ton of gear and trinkets that they need, if they know it yet, or not. But, it is the seasoned fly fisher that you know that can be the most difficult. They are opinionated and fussy. Particular…they will try to say. Whatever. With these guys, the best avenue is usually just a gift card. But, if you want to add a little something on the side “in the stocking” so-to-speak…stick with the essentials. Everyone goes through leader and tippet. Be safe and get 9ft 5x leaders and only spools of 5x tippet. A bottle of dry fly floatant is also a safe bet. And flies are, too. Stick with dry flies (some dudes only fish dries, all dudes sometimes fish dries) in the most common sizes…#16 and #14. There…that was painful and boring to write, but I did it…

Call the shop (303-447-2400) or stop in!