Originally posted by boriscleto The county I live in has 17 trout streams and it's own trout hatchery. There are another 33 trout streams within a 1 to 1 1/2 hour drive. But just 1 fly fishing store for a metro population between 500,000 to 750,000 (depending on which demographer you are asking). There is also a Bass Pro Shop and a Gander Mountain in the area, but I don't count them.
The biggest problem local fly shops have is the 8% sales tax. Most of the mail order shops are small enough that NY doesn't go after them.
That' sad. When I saw Liverpool, NY I wondered how that could be. I've never bought flies or materials by mail. I want to see them. Same for rods or reels, vintage and new. The only thing I've ever got online is a pair of waders, though back in the day I got a fair amount of gear from a catalog outfit in PA. I think we just have a word-of-mouth tradition here about where to fish and where to buy gear. The dealers all fish with us.
Funny how cameras are different.
Our sales tax is 7.625%. If I could buy a car online w/o sales tax I would - but the car dealers have to collect sales tax by the address where you live.