Before I get to that last statement, let's talk about the one concern on everyone's minds: the announcement that the Orvis store in Baton Rouge was on the hit list. It's set to permanently close on December 24th. If you get a chance, go by the store and thank Matt and John for all they've done for the local flyfishing community.
To say many of us are disappointed would be the understatement of the new millennium. The store opened in November, 2008, to much fanfare. It's been the hub of fly fishing activity in south-central Louisiana ever since. Orvis-BR has held numerous special events, from film festivals to guest speakers to "Conservation Days" and much more. Their Fly Fishing 101 and Fly Tying 101 classes have introduced a few hundred anglers to the sport and the art of tying.
There's a personal connection as well. My older son, Kevin, was one of the store's first fishing managers. During his short stint (8 months), he taught a couple dozen folks how to fly cast. Since him, the list of Managers and Fishing Managers includes a renown group of fly anglers, from Capt. Bailey Short to Ian Huang to Alex Beane and others.
It's going to be a tough loss for sure. While Bass Pro and Cabelas will still sell some fly fishing gear and fly tying material, there's no comparison when it comes to knowledge, customer service and quality of product.
Now to get to the other part of this post: the aftermath. As you might expect, social media blew up when the announcement was made. And as always, the Facebook fact checkers were missing in action.
First, Orvis cutting back stores is not "another sign" that fly fishing is on the decline. In fact, since 2010, fly fishing participation has grown on average of 2% per year. We now have the most fly anglers in America since surveys began in the 1970s. If the industry is in decline, it's not surprising. As I've said a hundred times - and I'll say a hundred times more: most of the folks running fly fishing companies - and individuals in the industry - aren't qualified to run a lemonade stand!
Second, many folks are buying into this nonsense that tariffs are the culprit for Orvis discontinuing most of their clothing line. Unless the clothes are made in China, tariffs haven't been that high - they certainly haven't devastated the rest of the apparel industry. Besides, margins in apparel are so high in most cases that the impact is minor. Perhaps the reason is that the 1950s called Orvis and wanted their clothing back. Really. When was the last time you walked into an Orvis store and said, "Wow, that looks so fashionable - and so affordable!".
Anywho, Kevin says Orvis is making a huge mistake getting out of the clothing line instead of renovating and expanding the line. "Clothes have a life cycle... fly rods with lifetime warranties don't.". We shall see.
In the meantime, No Wake Outfitters in Metairie and Pack & Paddle in Lafayette will remain the alternatives for fly anglers eager for a customer-focused experience.