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June 2024 by Hudson Wiren
Knowledgeable fellow, gave us directions and advice for all over the area. The bad reviews seem to be the result of people not following clear directions he has posted all over the shop.
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January 2024 by Gabe Ensley
USE THE TWEEZERS!!!!!!
This is a great shop for outdoor enthusiasts. The knife selection is amazing, every time I visit I walk out with a new knife.
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January 2024 by Denizcan Billor
My favorite store in Winthrop. Dude man is the man. Great selection of flies and awesome service
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October 2023 by Aaron S.
Terrible service - don't shop here. I wanted to buy a knife and looked at a few. The owner seemed nice at first but then told me he would only let me look at one more because he had better things to do than show me knives. He became absolutely rude and absolutely cost himself a sale. Customer service is completely lost in this person.
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September 2023 by David Everson
The outdoorsman is a great place to get the camping, fishing, hunting and seasonal sports gear you might need. The owner, Lance Rider, is great to do business with. He went out of his way to to get something for me that was out of seasonal stock for me. He is a great guy to talk with in the store, very personable and knowledgeable. Thank you Lance!
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August 2023 by Lucy Clark
I don't usually leave bad reviews, but after several bad experiences at this shop, I have to warn any future fishermen who walk in here. Prepare yourself for any unwanted lecture and some shaming and scolding, regardless of what you do or say...and definitely don't take your kids in this shop. The shop is clean, organized, and has some really neat items in addition to fishing gear...unfortunately that is where the pleasant experience ends.Although he owns a shop that sells fishing gear and flies, he apparently highly dislikes fishing, fly fishermen, and people in general. Every time I have been in the store, completely minding my own business and respectfully looking through the fly options, he starts rudely quizzing me. I have heard him snap and loudly scold other customers for opening the fly cases and not using his tweezers, so I am always extremely cautious to touch NOTHING until I want to make purchase. I am typically asked in an unfriendly manner what I'm fishing for, what flies I use, where I have been fishing etc. They seem like normal questions from a friendly fishing store clerk....WRONG. He then goes on to tell you that you shouldn't be fishing for certain species "because they are stressed from too much fishing", accuses me of targeting endangered species by whatever flies I am choosing/looking for (even though I fish in Montana/on the coast/Idaho/Oregon etc), assumes you wont pinch barbs or follow regulations, and then tells you that you shouldn't be fishing this time of year with water flows or temps, etc. I have been in there every season, so I find it comical that he has advised me to not fish in every season of the year. He has been rude to my experienced fisherman husband and has also rudely yelled at my child (well behaved shy 8 year old who also regularly fishes) for touching just the packaging of something (nothing harmed/broken- nothing even removed from the shelf) to read the name of the product. She is now scared to go into that shop when we are in Winthrop. I want to support local. I have made my effort, but unfortunately he has lost my business and the business of all of my angler friends and family that used to shop there.
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August 2023 by Nate Brown
Knowledgeable guy with local fish advice. Listen up tourists, clearly cares for the local land, lakes, rivers and wildlife. Stop in and support local
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August 2023 by Lucy C.
I don't usually leave bad reviews, but after several bad experiences at this shop, I feel I need to warn any future fishermen who walk in here. Prepare yourself for any aggressive lecture and some shaming and scolding, regardless of what you do or say...and definitely dont take your kids in this shop. The shop is clean, organized, and has some really neat items in addition to fishing gear...unfortunately that is where the pleasant experience ends. Although he owns a shop that sells fishing gear and flies, he apparently loathes fishing and flyfishermen. Every time I have been in the store, completely minding my own business and respectfully looking through the fly options, he starts rudely quizzing me. I have heard him snap and aggresively scold other customers for opening the fly cases and not using his tweezers, so I am always extremely cautious to touch NOTHING until I want to make purchase. I am typically asked in an unfriendly manner what I'm fishing for, what flies I use, where I have been fishing etc. They seem like normal questions from a friendly fishing store clerk....WRONG. He then goes on to tell you that you shouldn't be fishing for certain species "because they are stressed from too much fishing", accuses me of targeting endangered species by whatever flies I am choosing/looking for (even though I fish in Montana/on the coast/Idaho/Oregon etc), assumes you wont pinch barbs or follow regulations, and then tells you that you shouldn't be fishing this time of year with water flows or temps, etc. I have been in there every season, so I find it comical that he has advised me to not fish in every season of the year. He has been rude to my experienced fisherman husband and has also rudely and boldly scolded my child (well behaved shy 8 year old who also regularly fly fishes) for touching just the packaging of something (nothing harmed/broken- nothing even removed from the shelf) to read the name of the product. She is now scared to go into that shop when we are in Winthrop. I want to support local. I have made my effort, but unfortunately he has lost my business and the business of all of my angler friends and family that used to shop there.
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May 2023 by Mike S.
Great outdoor and fly fishing shop. The owner is very friendly and knowledgeable about local fishing opportunities and flies. Give ''em a try.
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October 2022 by Conner Wasson
Worst store in Winthrop don’t bother going here the service is absolutely down right terrible. The guy that runs it needs to retire he gives the whole town a bad name.
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August 2022 by Todd P.
My last visit to this store was this week. The proprietor (he has to be the owner - no one would employ this person) is grumpy and unpleasant and actually goes out of his way to be a j**** This time I was buying some streamers for fishing the Methow River. I use these to catch the large cutthroat trout and rainbows the Methow is famous for. And he is selling them of course. Does this stop him from being a weirdo? Of course not. He says to the whole shop "I guess you're targeting bull trout with those flies?" I already know this guys is not worth my time from my last visit. Last time my son touched a fly we were buying and he got all pissy. "Use the tweasers!" He makes you pick out flyfishing flies using tweasers..... He says: "You wouldn't believe the number of women who come in the store and paw through the flies getting all sorts of stuff on them." Actually, no I would not believe that. I have been in flyshops across the US and I have never heard of this "problem" and no one uses tweasers. But I digress. Back to the accusation that I am targeting bull trout with the FLIES HE IS SELLING: I say "sure." "Well they are federally protected you know." I have never caught a bull trout on streamers in the Methow. This was not even the end of it. He kept going. And going. I paid for my last purchase ever at this store. I fished and, you guessed it, caught cutthroats and rainbows with those flies. I would avoid this place at all costs.
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July 2022 by Linda Bustad
Nice to support local small business
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June 2022 by Scott Hieronymus
After spending 40 years in retail, I think I know the difference between someone who is having a bad day and someone who just really should find another line of work. I'm sure it is frustrating with people wandering through the store never buying anything, god forbid any of them have children, but you run a store in a tourist town (I have) and that's what you get. Deal with it or get out! Been in three times and every time the owner was either indifferent or blatantly rude. I made the mistake of touching a fly and like many reviewers here, got scolded. Use tweezers? How the hell does he tie his flies on? Been in dozens of fly shops and never had an issue touching flies. No flies for you!
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October 2021 by Christopher Counley
I went in just to browse. Lance was very knowledgeable and helpful with all the questions I had about binoculars. Ended up with a nice pair that has come in handy! We came in multiple times throughout our hunting trip and Lance was helpful to myself and a few of our friends. Highly recommend.
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October 2021 by Jake Watrous
AVOID! Wish I could give zero stars. My 5yo, who has been fly fishing for two years and tying for almost as long, and I went in to shop and the person running the shop repeatedly scolded my son for looking at, not touching or even opening the cases, the flies being sold. I tried explaining that my kid has his own tying vise and is an accomplished fly fisherman, but I was interrupted so the person could bark at my son to stop looking at the tying materials (which he was looking to purchase). Left without spending a dime and we will never set foot in there again.
