They come in all shapes and sizes: ancient dives, upscale stores, resort storefronts. They’re tucked into strip malls, they stand alone on prominent corners, and anchor main streets of rural towns. Filled with stoic guides, wild fish stories, tying vices and exotic furs and feathers, local fly shops are found across the country, from the desert to the mountains. In a world dominated by ecommerce and two-day shipping, independent fly shops are perhaps the last throwback to an era of brick-and-mortar dominance. And for good reason: local shops are the backbone of the fly-fishing community.
Many are surprised to learn that Arizona – ground zero for Saguaro cactus, dusty cattle ranches, and Scottsdale bachelorette parties – is actually filled with high-quality fisheries. From Colorado River tailwaters to high alpine lakes in the White Mountains and small creeks on the Mogollon Rim, Arizona boasts a wide selection of quality cold water. A handful of shops are scattered across the state to service the wide range of angling activities. The newest addition? Pheasant Tail Fly Fishing in Phoenix.
Walk in the door at Pheasant Tail and the first thing you’ll notice is the décor. An open floor plan is flanked by a striking trout mural, a wall of rods, and an organized selection of gear. Fly tying materials and tools? Check. Waders, boots, packs, and nets? Double check? A wall of casual and river-tested apparel? Yep. At the checkout, you’ll find a glass countertop that showcases a selection of reels.
In the middle of the store, anglers can find one of the shop’s strengths: a healthy fly selection. Several large and fully-stocked fly trays carry everything from size 24 chironomids to articulated streamers and saltwater crabs. The extensive collection is impressive for its scope, and is adequate to fully outfit an angler not only in Arizona, but across the West and into the ocean.
All great shops have a specialty. Some are primarily outfitters with a bit of gear mixed in. Others are located steps from a major river and cater specifically to that water. Pheasant Tail’s niche? Premium gear. They curate a mix of rods, reels, and accessories that are the top of the line in their respective categories. The likes of Hardy, Thomas&Thomas, Nature’s Spirit, and Filson line the various walls of the shop.
Alongside this impressive lineup? Colter Backcountry! As of last week, our Last Cast 2.0 packs can be found on the shelves at Pheasant Tail. We are thrilled to welcome Pheasant Tail to the Colter Backcountry family as our first retail partner, and think they are a perfect fit for selling our gear. As we expand to future retail locations, we look forward to highlighting local shops in this blog. Want to see Colter gear at your favorite fly shop? Let us know!
Many folks visit their local fly shop to stock up on specialty materials, flies, and supplies like leaders or tippet. But you should think about coming in for that next big-ticket purchase as well. It’s all too easy to order your next rod or net from Amazon or a big-box store. If you value the service your local shop provides and think local fly shops are worth having around (hint: we do!) then vote with your dollar and spend some time at your local independent retailer. If nothing else, you’ll probably have found your new favorite spot to hang.