ORIGINAL: salmotrutta

I didn't know they were the ones who did that deal. Nice people. The flies- that's crap too.

 
Salmotrutta,
Find the truth out yourself.  Do not listen to JLH, he has just proven that he fabricates information.  It makes it kind of hard to believe his first statement about TCO trying to buy FFP out, when his next few statements were outright lies.  Also just an FYI, JLH works for FFP so we know where his allegiances are. 
 
Thanks,
Pat

Also it is TRUE that TCO tried to buy Fly-Fishersparadise.

ORIGINAL: fishinpitt

I never said TCO trying to buy FFP wasn't true.  I just said it is hard to believe him when he made up the other stuff.  I gave specific examples of them tying there own flies.  Also go there and look at the prices, they are not a dollar a fly. 

 
Nope....Because I am loyal customer to the FFP and I wouldn't even waste my time going in to check it. Also I heard their flies are actually made in Hong Kong from what I heard not from JLH from somebody else.

ORIGINAL: blacknosedace

jlh42581, this is sort of off topic now but i just read your phrase on the bottom.

"The flies used for so discriminating a fish as the trout should, first of all, have the appearance of life."

did you by chance get that from a fly tying book. i have been reading one that preaches "the appearance of life".

I got that from a website, I forget exactly where it came from. I believe the author on the site did quote a book.

ORIGINAL: fishinpitt

ORIGINAL: jlh42581

Regardless of the TCO Donny Beaver thing, what you cant deny is that after they approached FFP wanting them to sell the shop to TCO and FFP told them to sh*t and slide that they moved right within a mile of the FFP shop. Thats enough for me to tell them they can bite me.

TCO is quickly becoming the walmart of fly fishing. Guess if you want your flies from Hong Kong you can buy them from TCO. If you prefer to keep your friends in the commerical tying, tell them to take a hike on that one too. Sure you can buy a fly from them for a dollar, its not tied in America, I can promise you that much.

Everyone talks about our economy, our housing market... little stuff like the outsourcing of fly tying adds up. Thats money leaving the country no matter how you slice it.

JLH,
I cannot comment on TCO trying to buy out FFP.  This is the first I've heard of that.  However, saying that TCOs flies are tied in Hong Kong or anywhere else outside the country is a lie.  That statement shows how little you know about TCO.  I watch them tie a lot of their flies.  At TCO State College there is a large selection of the truform flies that were designed and invented by the shop manager, Paul Weamer.  Also there flies are not a dollar,haha they are actually quite expensive, more on the range of 2 dollars a fly.  I normally do not buy flies so that does not concern me.  I just wanted to stop another rumor from being spread.  But I will give you the benefit of the doubt, maybe the other TCO shops buy there flies from Hong Kong.  I will not speculate on the other shops though.  Got any proof :-)

-Pat

Im not saying they dont tie a few of their own patterns in the shop, every shop does that to save face regardless of where the bins full of flies come from. I can bet you theyre not filling those bins. Do they even have the materials to fill their fly selections? From what I see through their window looks like nothing but gear to me. I lived in an appt directly behind their new location and I know the size of that shop, its not very big. Have you ever heard the employees say "I gotta tie 28 dozen flies in the next week?" . Every time you walk into FFP doug,bob,dave ... someone is tying flies, if not all three. I dont tie commercially for the paradise but I know who the tiers are, theres not a single fly bought over sea's.

The thing that really got me about TCO was their blatent disregard for a shop who has such a loyal following. They could have put that shop in Milesburg, Bellefonte and had just as much business if not more then they do. Why on earth would you put a shop that close to another if you arent trying to push them out? Another Walmart coming your way! Wheres the next shop to popup? BFC? Penns?

Wheres Drake with his story about TCO SC... chime in here sucker man!

thedrake,
It's nice to see someone who can back up what they say.  Currently I shop at both FFP and TCO State College, but the majority of my shopping is done at TCO State College.  The guys have bent over backwards to help me anyway.  As a customer of both shops, TCO State College's customer service is better than FFP's.  Let me give a few examples...
 
I went in last week to purchase some of the braided loops that attach your fly line to leader and they were out of them.  The store manager told me to bring my fly reel in and proceeded to attaching a monafilament loop with a nail knot onto my fly line.
 
I went in another time to pick up some ideas for some large heavy weighted nymphs to use on the yough river.  The manager brought out one of his old fly boxes and gave me around a dozen heavily weighted stone fly nymphs that he had from when he used to guide on the Delaware River.
 
I'm sure if I knew the guys at FFP better they would probably help me out like that too. 
 
That is troubling to hear about big fishing creek.  That is one of my favorite streams to fish.  Its only about 10 minutes from my house.  Next time I am at TCO I will ask them about that.
 
I personally see nothing wrong with putting a TCO down the street from FFP.  State College is the center of 4 or 5 of the best streams in Pennsylvania.  It is also one of the most populated areas in the center of the state.   It is a smart business decision to put a shop there and  I would do the same regardless of if there was another shop there previously.    I do not however condone them saying they are going to put FFP out of business.  I've never heard that rumor ...hopefully that is all it is.  It doesn't sound like something the guys I know would say.
 
-Pat

I think you fellas got the point.
 
A cousin of mine guides for SRC and is pictured on TCO's website.

Tony Gehman

yippy ka-yah...I die hard...
 
Remember the movie "Conspiracy Theory"? Sometime they get it right and there are no coincodences...the Black Helicopters are coming in.
 
I know too much, they are looking in my window, I see a size 10 streamer coming towards my head.
 
If you don't hear from me I'm dead...
 
 
 

Well as the "fly is turns my stomach"...I understand the Eric is now on his own and broken away from the Devil (Beaver) and the Showdow (TCO)...
 
He has a new web site and sent out an email that said he is no longer connected to any FLY SHOP...?
 
We will see...
 
As far as TCO and Private water...YES, The Hungry Trout on the Ausable in NY has Private water. TCO runs the Fly Shop, they advertise fishing on private water right behind the hotel, there might be some even bigger news from NY...?
 
 
 
 
 
 

troutface,
I really wish I did.  Instead I'm a software engineer and I stare at a computer all day :-) 
 
Just to get the record straight... I do not support in any way privatization of water for only the select few to fish.  I will fight Beaver to the end with the rest of you.  However, the guys I know at TCO State College, are great guys.  And I honestly do not believe that they are in anyway affiliated with Beaver.  As for the other TCO shops I have never been in any, you guys may be right. 
 
This is the second time I have went to bat for the guys at TCO State College, and they deserve it, they are great people and do not deserve to be bashed.  Paul told me he would never have taken the job with TCO if they were affiliated with Beaver.  I believe him, and I will continue to support TCO.  Maybe one day I will be in for a rude awakening. I doubt it though, I am usually pretty good at reading people.
 
-Pat

Things will unfold this season.
 
Lots of Guides, not many Clients, people are not spending money right now. Eric might not be getting the Guide Business he was promised?
 
Maybe the money being handed out in May will help the fly fishing businesses or will they use it for food, gas and insurance cost that keep going up?
 

FishinPitt,
 
Your quote: "I talk to the guys at TCO State College weekly and I have been assured by them numerous times that they are in no way affiliated with Donnie Beaver."
 
Before we get too far into what I don't want to be some type of personal thing (that is not my intention), I did not start a rumor, nor did I think that I needed to somehow completely validate my observations and conversations with people affiliated with the fly shop that I will refer to as: "The Fly Shop Formerly Known as Spruce Creek Fly Compay Before it Became TCO, Even If Everyone Says it Wasn't Affiliated With the SRC Before Bill and Eric Sold it, But Could Be Now, but No One Will Really Say, Even if it Goes Back to Its Original Name......" 
 
There, politically correct, and leaving EVERYONE an out in case I don't have my facts straight......
 
When Bill used to be in the shop, he had a very lengthy explanation that he gave to me and others, as well as posted online how he (that aforementioned shop) bought "guiding days" on SRC water.  What is that?  Does that mean they work together?  Does that mean one is the employee of another?  I couldn't tell you.  But it started there....  Was that a rumor....no, and if anyone has archived any of the articles that were posted on the shops old website, they might see that explanation themself.  (I didn't feel the need to keep a copy for myself)
 
Now, is that any more of a rumor than your quote?  I don't think so.  Both are based on either your or my interpretation of what we saw/heard/read. 
 
It just seems to me that everyone gets real tight lipped in the shop in Franklinville when anyone mentions being affiliated with SRC.  Sort of the "I neither confirm nor deny" thing. 
 
I think it all comes down to some people having an intense dislike for Donny Beaver, and the infamous SRC.  A dislike strong enough that they will not do business with any affiliates of his.  Anyone that might happen to work at one of those businesses has decisions to make....including who they would like to attract as potential customers.  I think there is more than meets the eye here with both organizations, because as much of a hot topic this has been the last couple years, I have yet to hear any PUBLIC statement that mentions they are not involved....which is what my original post was directed at.  (Even if I may have used a poor attempt at humor)
 
If you know different, please share.................
John
 
 
 

I see TCO lists spruce creek as a stream they guide on. Does anyone know where? I dont think its the Harpster water, it isnt the colerain clubs water, and if they are guiding on the Harvey public water they arent giving their clients much for their money. Could it be the SRC water? Does anyone know?

TCO has a booth at the Blair County Convention center.
 
 
Sure wish I would have taken a picture of who was in Spruce Creek Fly Co's booth last year.  Maybe he'll be ther tomorrow.    I'm there all weekend.