Yellow breaches fly shop!?!?

[foxtrapper1972]

pete- You won't find anything for $1.29 at that place. They probably don't sell candy anyway unless it's trendy vegan candy. You mean to say there is no profit in 700.00 rods and waders. HA!

 

[ryansheehan]

foxtrapper1972 wrote:
pete- You won't find anything for $1.29 at that place. They probably don't sell candy anyway unless it's trendy vegan candy. You mean to say there is no profit in 700.00 rods and waders. HA!

If people were purchasing $700 waders and rods from local fly shops more of them would still be around.

 

[padave]

My apologizes
I had no idea tco sponsored this site. Sorry for bringing up such a sore biased subject. Discussion closed for me. Looking forward to slapping a tco sticker on my Subaru.

Btw foxtrapper, good one.

 

[ryansheehan]

Nope, I am sorry that I have a a different opinion than you and therefore I am biased.

 

[Tony300wby]

Funny how some people can find fault with a fully stocked fly shop that sells quality products at the same prices as any other fly shop. I would love to have a shop like TCO closer to home.

Good luck, Tony

 

[allan_s]

some of you guys are ridiculous. 'It's the not the way it use to be' you're correct, it's better. Actually it is proven to be better since TCO is expanding in a time list of shops are closing, including the shop they took over.

So enjoy a fully stocked fly shop, that literally charges the same as any other shop and will be open. Boy that must stink to have a fully stocked fly shop open near you lol

 

[pcray1231]

Flies are $2. Maybe a big streamer costs more, but your typical nymph or dry is $2.

That's pretty average if they are high quality flies. My experience with TCO was always that the flies were pretty crappy. Too much flash, and they come apart too easily.

That said, all the other complaints I don't see. The selection of tying stuff is great. The FF equipment, clothes, etc. tends to lean towards the expensive brands, but they aren't priced any higher than those same brands anywhere else. Sales staff is knowledgable. They run a tight ship.

I'm speaking to the other TCO locations. Haven't been to the new one at YB yet.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Just my view so take it for what it is worth. NOT a "tight ship" in my experience.The reason I go to smaller shops is for the customer service....Found it lacking. I've had them not returning phone calls repeatedly and not honoring warranties (Reading shop). I've spent a fair amount (over $2000.00 easily) in that place over just the past few years. Will buy online or at Bass Pro or Cabelas or LL Bean in the future. Not that it really matters because the trend/gadget driven market will keep them in business. It's really all about image and merchandising (something the older small shops didn't do)...One more example of the triumph of style over content IMHO. Not my cup of tea.

 

[Troy]

pcray1231 wrote:

Flies are $2. Maybe a big streamer costs more, but your typical nymph or dry is $2.

That's pretty average if they are high quality flies. My experience with TCO was always that the flies were pretty crappy. Too much flash, and they come apart too easily.

Please let me know a local fly shop in PA that sells better flies for less the money? I'm not talking internet. I'm talking fly shop. $2 is average. Out west the average price of flies is even more in a lot of shops. Complaining of $2 flies is just ridiculous.

 

[salmonoid]

foxtrapper1972 wrote:
Just my view so take it for what it is worth. NOT a "tight ship" in my experience.The reason I go to smaller shops is for the customer service....Found it lacking. I've had them not returning phone calls repeatedly and not honoring warranties (Reading shop). I've spent a fair amount (over $2000.00 easily) in that place over just the past few years. Will buy online or at Bass Pro or Cabelas or LL Bean in the future. Not that it really matters because the trend/gadget driven market will keep them in business. It's really all about image and merchandising (something the older small shops didn't do)...One more example of the triumph of style over content IMHO. Not my cup of tea.

Have you visited the Boiling Springs store or do you just dislike change/TCO in general?

 

[REDNECK_FLYFISHER]

A fly shop with prices that are A little more expensive is better than No fly shop at all.

 

[bdfish]

Flyfisher's Paradise in State College. I drive right past the TCO to get to FP. Flies are $1.75 average. Not much cheaper, but still cheaper and IMO much better quality. TCO is pretty, the staff is nice and they have some nice clothes etc... but I prefer FP by far.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Been to State College and Reading TCO. And I certainly gave them a try. Bought plenty at both locations. It's all about follow through when it comes to customer service....not just lip service. So when in State College I now go to Flyfishers like I always did before or if downstream on Penns the guy at Penns Creek Angler is certainly knowledgeable and has what I need. Guy in Coburn gets a few bucks if I run out of tippet or floatant... "Fool me once..." you know the rest....To each his own.

 

[DGC]

On Wednesday (3/16) I made the trip from Chambersburg expressly to visit the shop. The tying area is phenomenal in scope, and I saw stuff in bags waiting to be stocked that wasn't already on display so product is still going up. I went in looking for ribbing wire and parachute post material in colors that are not all that common anywhere, including online. Both were there and at prices I thought were good enough. I didn't waste my time comparison shopping such a paltry purchase, but even if it cost a bit more on the ticket, I didn't pay shipping and, most important, I had a chance to see and fondle it first.

Very nice staff. Should add I don't know any of them. They offered to order anything I was looking for if they didn't have it.

They carry Regal and Renzetti vises--maybe others. The cam R. Traveler was $164.95. Not sure how that compares but seemed pretty standard.

I didn't look at wading gear, reels or rods since I have no interest at the moment.

With so many brick and mortar shops going down the tubes, I hope they can figure out a way to keep things going. If they can sell clothes and upscale items to pay the rent and provide a few jobs--and still sell tying stuff--I am all for it, and I appreciate the risk involved. You can't run a business catering to grizzled, jaded I-already-have-everything fly fishers and tiers unless you make your money elsewhere at the same time. Pretty much what Afish said above.

After 15 minutes looking around, I nymphed the regs area for an hour with a nice wild brown and a plump stocker brown for my trouble.

Edit to add I am talking about Yellow Breeches in Boiling Springs, not the shop in State College, which I have never been to.

 

[PennKev]

TCO seems to be doing OK with their current business model. Better the the good ol fashioned hole in the wall shops that some of you want.

TCO is always well stocked, their prices are usually MSRP, their flies are actually not the highest priced, and they are open reliably, including Sundays.

They may be a little too slick (too pretty?) for some of you but as far as PA fly shops go they are just about the best. I know i can go into a TCO and get what I need. No BS about it being out of stock. No hard sales pitch to buy something different because the don't have what i want. No staff talking out of their butt.

TCO?

Yes please.

 

[McSneek]

foxtrapper1972 wrote:
It's really all about image and merchandising (something the older small shops didn't do).

yeah, right.

 

[pcray1231]

Please let me know a local fly shop in PA that sells better flies for less the money?

Fly fishers paradise. I'm not sure if they're $1.75 or $2.00, or it might vary, but they are FAR better quality. It ain't close. And that's just one example.

MOST local fly shops have superior quality flies for about the same price. Or you can go to a big box or online and order similar quality flies for cheaper. What TCO basically has is mass produced cheap quality flies for premium prices.

That's really my only gripe, though. As was said, they have knowledgable staff, a nice selection of stuff, well stocked, good locations, are reliably open, do their share of good deeds, etc.

And I get it. All those local shops have always said they can't make money selling flies. They simply have them to get you in the door and want to make their money on other equipment. Well, most of them are going out of business. And it's our fault. Sure, we stop into the local shop for a few flies we're missing, maybe a spool of tippet and a wheel of shot. Stuff they don't make much on. And then we hit up the owner for some advice. But when it comes time to order a new pair of waders, well, you know, we can get it a few bucks cheaper at the Cabelas, thanks to Cabela's bucks, or a 10% off deal they're doing now, etc.

I may rant on TCO for actually having the gall to make money on flies. But they're still around. And opening new locations rather than shutting down old ones. And if you rephrase the question, and ask whether I'd rather have no local shop at all or a TCO, the answer is pretty simple, really.

 

[Troy]

bdfish wrote:
Flyfisher's Paradise in State College. I drive right past the TCO to get to FP. Flies are $1.75 average. Not much cheaper, but still cheaper and IMO much better quality. TCO is pretty, the staff is nice and they have some nice clothes etc... but I prefer FP by far.

I sure as hell am not going to go out of my way to save a quarter on a fly. I would have to buy 100 flies to save $25. $1.75 is a nice deal for a fly, but not a game changer. Bottom line is $2 is an average price for a fly across the Untied States. Like I mentioned before, $2 is actually cheap compared to some stores I have been into out west.

I'm all for supporting the little guy, but guess what? TCO was once the little guy. You can't blame Tony, the owner, for being a good businessman and growing his company over the 25 years he has been in business. It is not big ugly corporate America like some of you paint TCO out to be. It is a little guy who struck it big.

The other little fly shops across PA did not change with the times and they no longer are in operation. Now, ask yourself. Who has the better fly shop? TCO, who is still in business and expanding, or the little guy who has no business at all anymore. I know where my money would go if I was investing. Nostalgia doesn't get you too far in this day and age.

 

[pcray1231]

I sure as hell am not going to go out of my way to save a quarter on a fly. I would have to buy 100 flies to save $25. $1.75 is a nice deal for a fly, but not a game changer. Bottom line is $2 is an average price for a fly across the Untied States. Like I mentioned before, $2 is actually cheap compared to some stores I have been into out west.

And that's what I'm saying. $2.00 is an average price, you're right. For a GOOD fly. One that's tied well with some head cement used in a reasonable approximation of local hatches.

A FFP fly will cost a similar amount of money as a TCO fly. But it won't tear apart on the first fish I catch with it. You're missing the quality end of it. You can get GOOD flies for the same price or cheap flies cheaper, but what TCO carries are cheap flies priced like good ones.

Anyway, you'll find a lot of us "anti-TCO" types to be FFP fans. We didn't appreciate the SC location conveniently locating itself just down the street from a long established well loved shop in FFP, right between rt 322 and FFP's front door. I still don't appreciate that. And I am still an FFP fan.

But I'll also admit that TCO is a rare success in a dying industry, and it's an an industry I don't wanna see die. And they do a lot of things which are good. I can admit that. Even if they aren't my #1 shop, they aren't a bad shop either. In the case of the YB location, it shut down. I might have liked the old shop better. But I like TCO better than an empty building. So....

 

[franklin]

foxtrapper1972 wrote:
Been to State College and Reading TCO. And I certainly gave them a try. Bought plenty at both locations. It's all about follow through when it comes to customer service....not just lip service. So when in State College I now go to Flyfishers like I always did before or if downstream on Penns the guy at Penns Creek Angler is certainly knowledgeable and has what I need. Guy in Coburn gets a few bucks if I run out of tippet or floatant... "Fool me once..." you know the rest....To each his own.

Unfortunately it looks like Bruce at Pens Creek Angler is not in the fly shop business anymore. I think the problem was he started up just as the recession took hold.

A few years ago I broke a rod while in central Pa and went in to FFP to find a replacement. Steve gave me a handful rod rods and told me to try em out on the front lawn. I like that type of old school business. So I get a lot of my fly tying supplies from them. I will buy some things at TCO SC because George Daniel has given me some instruction and also makes presentations for TU.

I know a lot of guys like Jonas up in Coburn but he seemed to have an attitude the first time I went in there (right when he first opened) and I never got past that. So I rarely give him any business.