It’s that time of year–Christmas. It’s a time for Hope, Joy and Peace. And, also Giving! I’m in the type of business that needs everyone to Buy, Buy, Buy so we can Work, Eat and Sleep. I always struggle this time of year with the incessant commercialization of Christmas. Don’t get me wrong, I love to buy and give gifts. Yes, I like to receive them too. But, retailers displaying Christmas items in August, I think, is ridiculous. I’m so grateful that our business, despite being retail, is different. I believe we are selling more than just fly fishing stuff–we sell experiences, memories, and a lifetime of adventures.

Why Fly Fishing?

Ask anyone who fly fishes and they will each have a different answer as to why the fly fish. First of all, fish don’t live in ugly places. The places we go to fish are beautiful– high alpine lakes that almost touch the sky, bubbling streams meandering through forested mountains or rolling green hills, gin clear water with cobblestone beds and towering limestone walls, cool turquoise colored bays with warm white sandy beaches, the sunrises, the sunsets, the full moon nights. Even if I don’t catch a fish, I’m usually content with immersing myself in the mystical qualities of being outdoors. It’s more about the adventure of fishing rather than the catching.

Another reason we choose to fly fish is for the people we meet. Fly Fishing is exceptionally relationship based–from the fly shops we frequent, the stories we share, the trips we experience with our fishing partner, the newbies we share our passion with to asking questions about that secret location Mr. Smith fishes. The relationships formed from fly fishing typically weave into all areas of our life, including life outside of fly fishing. There is usually one common thread in a fly angler’s relationship–someone introduced them to it and they’ve been hooked ever since. My father shared fly fishing with me in the high mountainous streams of the Sierra-Nevadas when I was just a kid. I in turn have shared fly fishing with boyfriends and girlfriends. Now I share fly fishing with my kids and my kid’s friends. I hope the sharing continues.

This Christmas give the gift that keeps on giving–fly fishing!