By GEORGE LISET, Writing on the Fly

    In 2020, shopping for gifts for the flyfisher in your family will be much different for both shoppers and retailers.

Both shoppers and retailers have taken quite a hit. Many shoppers have had their jobs and salaries affected by the pandemic, and many small business owners have had to temporarily or permanently close their businesses. With this in mind, I have some suggestions to help shoppers stretch their dollars and help those small business owners who own fly fishing shops.

    I am usually a utilitarian shopper. I know what I want and I get in and out of a store rather quickly. However, this is not the case in a fly fishing shop. If they provide free coffee and conversation it’s all over. Just bring me snacks and a sleeping bag. I love everything flyfishing and will look through everything to find a deal. I don’t think I am the only flyfisher that feels this way, so I have a few suggestions.

    Your flyfisher probably has a favorite fly fishing shop or local sporting goods store they like to frequent to purchase needed supplies and equipment. If they don’t, you can Google fly shops online. Here on the Seacoast I have five small businesses within thirty minutes of me that offer a great selection of fly fishing supplies and equipment. When my family asks me what I would like for Christmas, I reply gift cards. They are like money and are the gift that keeps on giving. Gift cards help the small business and they extend Christmas for the flyfisher.

    As I mentioned, I have five fly shops nearby. I haunt them on a regular basis, usually with my gift cards in tow. I am also a patient shopper and know that the best time to get a deal, especially on a fly rod or reel, is after the first of the year or when the new equipment comes out in the fall, when the retailers are reducing the price on the old stock.

    Just recently my patience paid off again. I stopped at a local establishment with a gift card in hand and found a 10’, 4 weight Douglas fly rod for $169. The original price was $459. I absolutely love the rod, which I have made my new nymphing rod, But I really like that I saved $300. And that I was also able to use my gift card.

    Another idea is to give the flyfisher in your life a gift certificate for their fishing license. A fishing license is the best deal going. A resident license is $45. This allows you to fish 365 days a year. Look at it this way. A day pass to Six Flags is $60, and a day pass to Disney is $150. So I would say a fishing license is the deal of the day.

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    I just read that there will be no big Flyfishing Show down in Marlborough, Mass., this year. The show was a wonderful way to get your winter fly fishing fix and catch up with friends and all things fly fishing. I’ll probably just sit in front of the fire and watch YouTube videos on flyfishing and read more books. I just picked up George Daniels book Dynamic Nymphing and will report back in a future article.

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    In my last article I had some great feedback about Three Rivers Stocking Association and my friends at Sumner Brook Fish Farm. Jesse Prunier wanted me to mention that not all the fish cost $20. Sumner Brook has different prices for different fish. The 12”-14” fish are still $6.50, while the big three pound fish are $20. They are worth every penny.

You can stop and visit them on your way to North Conway. Sumner Brook is right on Route 16 in Ossipee