New Rod

After hearing all the advantages of Sage rods I could not resist but to order myself the new Sage Vantage Rod and Reel Combo from bass pro. I've used Redington for a few years now and can't wait to use my new 8 wt. Should be just a few short weeks till its fishable for steelhead, and about a month till thaw and then pike season!

I was hoping you were gonna talk about the T & T whisper-lite rods. I was gonna cast one and maybe buy it sometime soon.

Congrats on the new purchase. I have a few sage rods and have always loved em. Only thing that would make it better would be if it had some mojo from a local fly shop. There are some good folks in PA getting their asses kicked by the big boxes. done on the soap box. Hope to see you out there when the water melts.

hey fish whisper hope you like your new combo
must hunt musky, that is the kind of attitude that have made it so hard on the shop owners. i go to my local shop once a week not just to get materials but to b.s. with the owner and other people in there. and there are minimum standard prices set by manufacturers so why not keep your money local.

ORIGINAL: musthuntmusky

sorry dude, I refuse to buy rods, reels, waders, wading shoes, or wading jackets from any local dealer, regardless of my relationship w. them. I do, however, purchase tippet and tying materials from fly shops.

you're basically buying your dealers annual renewal of simms waders...

simms wading jacket at shop: 100 smacks
same jacket on scierra trading post: 60 smacks w. free shipping w. email coupons.

My wife and kids come before my local dealer, sorry. that 40 dollars saved buys the wife and I dinner, and tips a college kid trying to get through college. This is America, you don't like it, you can get out... or, scrap the capitalism concept.

it's funny how shop owners win you over.. make you think you're important. If you don't buy from them, they treat you like dirt.

 
Back in the day when I worked retail for an outdoor shop, I had a guy come in and want pricing on the whole trolling package -- rigger board, electric riggers, speed inidcators, dual holders, cannon balls, etc.  He wanted so much stuff that it took almost an hour to figure out the price.  Because of the size of the prospective sale, he was given quite a deep discount.  I think the total was somewhere around $2500 -- $3000.  He says he will think about it.
 
Two weeks later he wheels into the parking lot, boat in tow, and it is completely rigged.  He asks me to come out and take a look, which I did.  He had most of the stuff rigged up right, but some things just weren't going to work.  I didn't say anything to him about what was wrong -- we would have installed it correctly had be bought the stuff at the shop.
 
He kind of gets this sheepish look on his face and says -- "Sorry, man.  Your price was just a little too high.  I ordered this from Bass Pro and even with shipping I saved $20."
 
I told him that was okay.  He had to do what he felt was right.
 
Seeing that I wasn't going to be miffed at him, he said, "So, can you give me some information on on where the lake trout are hitting?  You know, what speed, color of spoons, cowbells vs. dodgers, that kind of stuff?"
 
For a split second I thought about sending him to a section of the lake that was loaded with standing trees down about 40 feet and letting him hang it all in one big tangled mess, but the good angel on my shoulder just said, "You know, come on in, I have just the information you need."
 
He was delighted and skipped into the shop.  I pulled out a tablet and wrote some information on it and handed it to him.  Beaming, he said thanks and went out the door.  He was back in in about 30 seconds about as made as a wet hen.  "It says to call 1-800-Bass-Pro and ask for Johnny Morris.  What kind of information is that?"
 
I looked him right in the eye and said -- "$20 worth.  Have a nice day."
 
Beleive me, I really didn't care if that guy ever came back in and bought a $1.99 spoon.

haha great story... but it doesn't change my mind, as purchasing online is supporting another in the same competitive realm. Just be honest guys, you get a stiffy at the sound of your fly shop owners voice just because he's your local go to guy that occassionally gives you a few flies for free.

the more you buy, the more kicks you get.. dream on

I ORDER ONLINE BECAUSE IT CONSISTS OF THREE CLICKS

I ORDER ONLINE BECAUSE THEY ARE ONLINE FLY SHOPS AND THEY ARE JUST AS KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT A NYMPH AS ANY OTHER SHMUCK

I ORDER ONLINE BECAUSE I SAVE MONEY

I ORDER ONLINE BECAUSE I'M APATHETIC AND LOVE THE WEB

I ORDER ONLINE BECAUSE IT'S A 2 WAY STREET, I.E. FREE SHIPPING ON NEXT ORDER... ETC.

I ORDER ONLINE BECAUSE I'M THE MAN.



 

rapala,

coming from a family of entrepreneurs, I'm with ya... what these guys are failing to understand is, a good portion of the equipment I and others purchase on the web, is generated by small business owners themselves, just online; just as some of the rod builders here on this forum.

I don't know where walmart, bass pro, or cabelas came into the scenario, but you wouldn't catch me dead buying fly equipment from any of those major retailers.  (with the exception of those fairplay tapered leaders for 1.96)

I buy from fly shops, barring some crazy closeout deals, because I like to. I like the atmosphere, generally, and don't want to see the local fly shops disappear OR go strictly on-line. I purchase rods/reels infrequently enough that I pay more to buy it from a small store, and thats ok.

ORIGINAL: thedrake

"It says to call 1-800-Bass-Pro and ask for Johnny Morris. What kind of information is that?"


That's awesome, Shawn. Best post ever.

 
Can't be.  There was no sucker joke involved.

i prefer my rods custom built so that's really not an issue.  If the wading jacket I buy doesn't fit, it gets shipped back and replaced.  I still saved forty bucks and my wife and I ate good.

troutslammer,

I wish you would have read the entire thread before making yourself look dumb.

again... the majority of my internet purchases are from small business ventures, they were just smart enough, with this day in age, to have their business stretched beyond tangible means; e-commerce.

I mean... 2 posts up I said, I buy custom built rods... is that considered local business? I think so.

This debate will always be present.

I buy just about everything fly fishing wise from one local guy.  I have spent money on retail in there for a long time, prett much equals out to the same thing I was gonna pay online plus shipping. 

Now, I get a nice discount from him and in turn I give him a discount on rod building material.  The barter system can go a long way once you make friends with a shop owner so speaking in long run terms, it is the better route.

Of course I scout deals online, as mentioned above, but technically you are helping small business in turn.

If you fish, you have to buy your gear somewhere.  Whether local, big box, or wal mart its all personal preference.  Business is business, friendships can come from it or be lost from it, but whatever works for a particular person is what they should go with.

rock on i win.. u think I even have a wife? lol... geez.