Orvis stepping up: Seeks donations of used gear for #harvey rescuers #Harveyprops

In yet another example of the outdoor community stepping up, The Orvis Company's San Antonio store has been quietly outfitting hurricane Harvey flood rescuers with waders and rain gear.  However, due to the shear volume of people involved, they have tapped out their supply.  Phillip Monahan writes:

The magnitude of the flooding in southern Texas and Lousiana has shocked the nation, but we are also heartened by the bravery and dedication of both first-responders and private citizens who are working diligently to help those in need. With so much water on the ground, the need for raingear, waders, and wading boots is far outstripping availability. Our San Antonio store has been outfitting as many people as possible, but the need is greater than we can supply.
So we are asking anyone who has extra rain jacket or pair of waders and boots to ship them to:

Orvis San Antonio
ATTN: Landon Rowlett
Park North Shopping Center
7427 San Pedro Ave., Suite 104
San Antonio, TX 78216
All items will be distributed to rescue personnel in affected areas.

Orvis is also inviting customers to join them in making donations to several charities.  More information is available via this link.

If you know of outdoor industry companies, large or small, doing something nice for people impacted by hurricane Harvey and it's aftermath, let us know in the comments!

Provisions for next week's fishing

 

Picked up a couple of items for next week's fishing trip with Paisley, Zugbug, and Shep.

 

For the Christmas List: Orvis 1954 Airstream Flying Cloud

It looks like the Orvis PR Department has finally decided to sell off their weekend retreat. Orvis is acutioning off a fully restored 1954 Airstream Flying cloud. Current bid is $76,000.

From the auction listing:
An American icon restored to its former glory. Originally used as a hunting and fishing lodge near Goose Lake, Oregon, this one-of-a-kind classic has been meticulously restored by Timeless Travel Trailers, the premiere custom travel-trailer builder in North America. Procured specifically for Orvis, this trailer was transported to the company's facility in Denver, Colorado, for a complete artisan rebuild. No detail was overlooked during the ground-up customization, resulting in a trailer that is in better-than-new condition.

The gleaming hand-polished exterior is only the first hint that this trailer is truly special. Inside, the warm and cozy Orvis-inspired cabin is appointed with natural hickory wood, aged oak flooring, copper sheet, and genuine leather. Brand-new running gear has been installed below including a new axle, brakes, suspension, wheels, tires, and coupler. All of the systems have been upgraded to meet or exceed current industry standards. Provisions have been made for adding air conditioning. This trailer is road ready and fully prepared for your next fishing, hunting, or cross-country expedition. For more information and photos, visit Orvis Timeless Airstream

If you win the auction, we call dibs on the top bunk.

Sneaking into Orvis

Not your typical class A office space but class A none-the-less

Well we didn't exactly sneak. While almost every other member of the fly fishing industry (including our own correspondent Hilary) was busy at the IFTD show in Denver, Colorado drinking free beer checking out the newest gear and gadgets, we (the Editorial Trophy Wife and I) took it upon ourselves to do some hard core journalism and managed to gain access to the inner sanctum of one of the outdoor industry's largest players, Orvis. Our visit, courtesy of Orvis' Sr. Manager of Communications, Conservation, and Social Media, James Hathaway, confirmed a lot of what we already suspected about the company and also yielded a few revelations.

Located in Sunderland, Vermont and situated in a location that you would be hard pressed to find even with the aid of the most up to date navigation system, The Orvis Company's corporate office sits on a wooded mountainside. Upon entry into the unmarked lobby and signing the registry noting our US citizenship, we were issued our name tags and greeted by our host. James gave us the following tour of their offices. Note that before we could enter any area, James was required by corporate policy to go fifty paces ahead of us crying out "Blogger on the hall" so as to give the employees time to shape up.


One of our first stops on the tour was Perk Perkins' office. James would not let me take his picture sitting behind Mr. Perkins desk but he did let me hold the giant fly tied for the Orvis Giant Fly Sale Video by the legendary Tom Rosenbauer.


Our next stop was the Orvis commissary. Due to the remoteness of their offices, the company provides dining facilities. The employees do not eat for free nor does the menu consist entirely of venison and roast pheasant. In a definitive nod to conservation, no wild brook trout were on the menu the day of our visit.



This is a look inside one of Orvis' many sample rooms. Orvis maintains one of everything they carry on the premises with the idea being that if a customer calls up about a problem with a specific item, someone can walk down the hall and take a look first hand. Orvis also contacts any person leaving a rating of three out of five stars or less on their website's review system to try and resolve any issues. Since most of the fly fishing gear was out of the building and on display at the IFTD show, we were spared the mandatory pat down and moved on to the next part of the tour.


This is not the shotgun testing room (or so they told us).




We are posting these two photos for all who dream about escaping the corporate world and working in the fly fishing industry. This is fly fishing legend, Tom Rosenbauer's, cubicle. Also note that even fly fishing legends must complete the proper HR forms if they want to take a day off fishing.

For comparison here is Hathaway's cubicle. Note that the PR guy's cube is just as nice as the fly fishing legends. Just sayin'...


Our host, James, elicited this type of response in many of the departments we visited. These HR employees didn't like the fact that he questioned Rosenbauer's fishing absence request being denied.


The maintenance department gets the award for most "Orvislike" decor.


The Orvis Podcast Studio gets the award for least "Orvislike" decor. However, we checked the labels on the moving blankets on the wall and they were knitted from 100% Tibetan alpaca wool.


Now for one of the revelations we promised. We walked in on Hathaway working on something in the podcast studio that at the time of this writing, no one outside of the Orvis Company has seen (except for FlyFishMagazine.com's readers).


A little surreptitious use of the zoom feature on our camera reveals a new website in the works. OrvisNews.com, described as a news / uberblog site, should be launching in a few weeks. It will focus on stories rather than specific products and will feature content about fly fishing, dogs, hunting, and travel all in a central location and fulling integrated with social media. Orvis has always been one of the first to adopt new media trends and this site promises to keep them at the front of the pack.


This is less of a revelation but we also managed to get our hands on a 9 weight example of Orvis' newest fly rod, the Access. The Access is a $350 -$450 price point version of Orvis' highly popular Helios fly rod. It uses much of the same carbon fiber technology and upon casting, although a bit heavier, feels a lot like its pricier cousin. Think of it like driving a Porsche on Volkswagen money.


Hathaway explaining some of the features of the new product line. I am thinking "that sure is a big reel for wild brook trout."


Hathaway and I discussing how this product can even make my casting style look good.

Rumor has it that if you pull the fly rod from this stone in Manchester, VT you will be crowned the next Lefty Kreh.

With that we ended our inside look at the Orvis corporate offices. Thanks to James Hathaway and all the Orvis employees who we managed to distract from their day to day hard work (including the President of the company in that important meeting, sorry James).

Contrary to our own popular belief, Orvis employees do not spend their days lounging by the corporate casting pond (they do have one) trying out all of the gear. They work hard, sit in cubicles, write copy, provide customer service and sell product. They make catalogs, run retail stores, manage dealer relationships, do podcasts and probably compile TPS reports. The company has donated ten million dollars over the last ten years to conservation related causes. That fact alone puts them pretty high up on our list.

Stay tuned for more from our visit to the Manchester, VT area including inside looks at the Orvis Flagship store, Orvis Outlet, and the American Museum of Fly Fishing.

Orvis Podcast: Still Water Fly Fishing and Iphone Apps

Check out Orvis' Podcast page. In their latest offering Tom Rosenbauer talks about fly fishing still waters. I'll be listing through the headphones while fishing the FlyFishMagazine.com corporate swamp. Also check out the pod from July 9th where they announce an upcoming Iphone app. No word as to if the button marked "Call Tom to ask which fly to use" actually works...

Orivs Giant Fly Sale Viral Video

Orvis goes viral video on us and shows what happens when fly fishing legend Tom Rosenbauer doesn't quite get the memo. No word yet on what the price will be for that fly he ties for his boss...

Proj. Healing Waters Two Fly Raises $110k for Wounded Warriors

PROJECT HEALING WATERS EVENT SETS RECORD FOR CONTRIBUTIONS,SMILES

SYRIA, VA -- The Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Inc. 2-Fly Tournament (www.phw2fly.blogspot.com) is billed as a competition where those who catch the most feisty rainbow trout win trophies. Yet, SPC. Billy Herrell, who finished way back in the event was all smiles as he made his way around Rose River Farm (www.roseriverfarm.com) where the benefit was held May 2, to raise money to help soldiers and veterans injured during service to their country.

“I caught trout on the fly rod and I had a lot of fun. Who could ask for more?” said Herrell, who must get around with the aid of a walker due to severe back injuries he received while serving in Iraq. Herrell is stationed at the Warriors in Transition Unit at Fort Eustis.

Ed Nicholson, founder, president and chief executive officer for Project Healing Waters, said, “The tournament aspect of the 2-fly is really a pretense to get us all together to have fun and raise money to provide, fly fishing training and outings for even more service members recovering from wounds or injuries.”

If smiles and donations were the goal, the 2-fly was a tremendous success. Everyone who participated caught fish and the event raised more than $110,000, a new record for the 2-Fly, which is in its fourth year.

Thirty two-man teams participated in the fly fishing contest and 15 of those teams paired an active-duty service member or veteran with a more experienced fly angler. Ten teams with corporate sponsors competed in a Pro/Vet category and 20 teams competed in an open category.

The winners of the Pro/et category were:Army Specialist Caleb Huss, of Woodbridge, Va., and guide Eric Stroup, from Spruce Creek, Pa. Army Sergeant First Class Jose Ortiz, of Ft. Belvoir and guide Chris Murphy of Warrenton, Va. Marine Sergeant (ret.) Sean Locker, of Dahlgren, Va., and guide William Heresniak, of Manassas, Va. The largest fish award went to LCPL (ret.) John Gilroy of Salisbury, N.C.

In the open category only two trophies were awarded. The winners were: Jason Baker and Chris Smith, both of Charlotte, N.C. The largest fish award went to Garretson Carter of Alexandria, Va. The event was sponsored by The Orvis Company, Temple Fork Outfitters, Rose River Farm, Dominion, and numerous other companies that donated fishing gear, gift certificates and other items for a raffle.

Project Healing Waters Fly fishing, Inc. (www.projecthealingwaters.org) is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and veterans through fly fishing and fly tying education and outings. Project Healing Waters was founded in 2005 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and is a registered 501c3, non-profit organization. PHWFFI currently has 86 programs in 70 Veteran’s hospitals and 16 military facilities. The organization’s programs operate in 37 states, Canada and U.S. military facilities in Germany with the assistance of Trout Unlimited Chapters, the Federation of Fly Fishers and independent fly fishing clubs.

Orvis finds Podcast Success

This week an article on the Times Argus Newspaper's website gives insight in to success that Orvis has found through their Fly Fishing Guide Podcast hosted by Tom Rosenbauer. The podcast continues to grow in popularity and bring them more customers and even though Orvis products are rarely ever mentioned in it.

"It's really good customer interaction. Business-wise, I feel like I have such a great handle on what our customers are looking for and what they're thinking about," Rosenbauer said. However, Rosenbauer said the podcasts feature very little marketing. He rarely mentions Orvis products and keeps the shows educational rather than promotional.

The article also has a quote from Rosenbauer which does a good job of summing up fly fishers in general:

"When you get into fly-fishing, you get to be a real sicko and you want it all the time. You want to think about it, talk about it, look around at Web sites when your boss isn't looking so they really love a little dose of fly-fishing when they're on their commute, when they're on the train in the morning or driving to their jobs,"

The podcasts can be found on the Internet at www.orvis.com/podcast or at the iTunes Web site at itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/orvis-fly-fishing-guide-podcast/id278930814.

Found in the suburban wild

I found this Orvis Outlet in Lahaska, PA but without a single item of fishing gear to be found. I suppressed my disappointment long enough to inquire as to why and was told that they weren't allowed to carry gear since there was a local Orvis fly shop near by. They did however have a large assortment of clothing and home items at reduced prices. I regret not picking up a tiny working model Medieval Catapult that was on the mark down table.

Found in the Urban Wild: Orvis Sighting

Sighted on Google Street View and rumored to be Orvis' PR Guru, James Hathaway unleashing his inner Easy Rider in Manchester VT. Since we are using him for blog post fodder we should probably include a link to the excellent Orvis Fly Fishing Guide Podcast.

Orvis Photo Contest: Fame & Fortune for Pics

Submit your best fly fishing photos to the Orvis Fly Fishing Photo Contest for a shot at a Helios fly rod outfit or a $1000 Orvis gift card. In addition to the loot, your shot will grace the cover of a future Orvis fly fishing catalog, the angling equivalent of being on the cover of The Rolling Stone. Send your best stuff because I fully intend to "buy five copies for my Mother" if my submission gets picked.

Things I Really Like: Orvis Helios Fly Rod

I have decided to dub this week, "Things I Really Like Week" here at FlyfishMagazine.com. As the name suggests, my posts this week will be all about fly fishing related gear (and other things) that I really like. By way of disclosure, most of this we purchased on our own. Some, like the subject today, were most excellent Birthday gifts from the Editorial Trophy Wife. Some of these things came in the form of schwag. Trust me when I say that an item's inclusion in "Things I like Week" has nothing to do with origins and everything to do with performance.

My Orvis Helios 9' 5 Wt fly rod is probably is hands down the most versatile fly rod that I own. I have used it to cast everything from size 22 midges to the three inch long dragon fly over a dropper that you see me casting in the picture above. It is light as a feather which means you can cast it all day without wearing your arms out. It has caught everything from bluegill and bass to trout. It came close to catching a massive carp once but the tippet failed me. It has bluelined, brownlined, and just about any other kind of "line" I could get it near.

My own casting issues aside, this rod casts like a dream and I have found that it really excels when trying to punch the fly into tight spaces under the cover of bushes or between boulders on a mountain stream. Owning a high end fly rod is something that I thought (almost swore) I would never do. However, since I got the chance to put the Helios through it's paces, I have found it difficult to pick up any of my other rods. The Helios has quickly become my go to rod for 5 weight quarry.

We all have our favorite things and as the title "Things I Really Like" implies, these are a few of mine. Feel free to share your own in the comments section. More of mine will be posted as "Things I Really Like Week" continues.

Orvis Podcast: Rosenbauer on Casting Mistakes

Couple "too much wrist and not enough forearm" with "too many false casts" and you are bound to flub your shot at the fish of a lifetime. In his latest Orvis Fly Fishing Podcast, all around fly fishing guru, Tom Rosenbauer talks about five common casting mistakes and gives some excellent advice about how to avoid them. Oh yeah, it's OK to watch your back cast. Really it is. Tom said so.

Orvis' Fly Fishing Reports and Conditions Website

As a fly fisher, blogger, and person who uses the intertubes for most of my news and information, I have always thought that it would be great to offer fishing reports via the web. To that end, I even set up a section of FlyfishMagazine.com for said reports. I thought for certain that shops and guides would love a chance to post their reports and even sweetened the pot by giving them full blown ad space in exchange for their efforts. However, try as I might it never really took off.

It always went the same way. I'd meet someone in "the biz" give them a card and let them know that they could post reports on my site complete with their contact info and even a sales pitch if they so desired. Most thought it was great (save one shop owner who looked at me as If I were crazy and then told me he was out of strike indicators), posted one or two reports, then were never heard from again. I am sure they just forgot it, got fired from the shop they worked at (this actually happened), or just had more pressing matters at hand than recording their day on paper for me. Nobody wants to read last week's fishing report so things never really took off. I often considered that, to make such a site work, it would have to be handled by a major industry player with a ready made relationship to hundreds of fly shops across the country.

Enter Orvis into the mix with a full featured report section for their website. Their current click able map shows reports available from more than 30 states nationwide with many of the states having reports from several rivers within their boarders.

A quick click on The Old North State reveals reports for three of our favored rivers. From there click on the Davidson River and you get a report from David Hise of Caster's Fly Shop, dated 7-06-2009 that tells us not only how good the fishing is, but also water conditions, weather forecast, hatches, must have flies (click to buy), and even the recommended tippet size to use. A click on our all too soon to be stomping grounds of New Jersey and Pennsylvania reveals plenty of information that gives the traveling fly fisher a head start when visiting an area (or in my case relocating).

One thing that I found to be of interest was that aside from the URL for the site, there is very little that brands it as an Orivs offering. While you can find the Orvis name, if you look closely, and you can navigate to the page from the Orvis website, it is not at all evident unless you click a link or read some fine print.

Overall the Orvis fly fishing reports and conditions site does a great job of providing reasonably up to date content about many fisheries across the country. Be sure to check it out for yourself.

Fly Fishing Reports & Conditions for United States, Canada and Mexico

Orvis to Open South Charlotte Location

The Charlotte Business Journal is reporting on plans to open a 7500 square foot Orvis retail store at Phillips Place located in Charlotte North Carolina's exclusive South Park area. According to the article, the fly fishing / furniture / clothing and gift store is slated to be open by Christmas. For more information contact The Orvis Company.

News: Orvis Announces Outfitter of the Year

May 28, 2009 09:28 ET

Orvis Names Two Rivers Emporium of Pinedale, Wyoming as 2008 Orvis Endorsed Outfitter of the Year

MANCHESTER, VT--(Marketwire - May 28, 2009) - At their annual Endorsed Operations Rendezvous in Bozeman, Montana, the Orvis Company announced Two Rivers Emporium of Pinedale, Wyoming as the Orvis Endorsed Outfitter of the Year for 2008. Two Rivers offers float, wade and pack trips into some of the best fly fishing waters in the West, including the legendary Green River.

"A good outfitter needs to provide an outstanding experience on the streams, rivers and lakes they take their clients fishing, but also manage their retail stores in order to provide the best experience and customer service in an industry that has only become more demanding," said Dave Perkins, Vice Chairman of The Orvis Company. "Two Rivers Emporium not only excels in those areas, but pushes to improve the entire industry through their professionalism and on-going development of high education accreditation in the area of hospitality management and an emphasis in fly fishing. They are an inspiration and leader in this industry."

One customer recently said, "The first time I tried fly fishing, I was hopeless and guessed that I'd never get it. With all the help I received from the shop and guides, I learned the basics and now look upon fly fishing as a new and exciting part of my outdoor life."

For twenty years the Orvis Company has been recognizing excellence in fly fishing lodges, fly fishing outfitters, and fly fishing guides through its Endorsed Lodges Outfitters and Guides program. Each endorsed operation has its own character, but all share the same high standards: great service, great fishing and an experienced, professional staff. These standards of excellence are continually reviewed by the Orvis staff and evaluated by visiting guests in post-visit critiques sent directly to The Orvis Company. Orvis endorsed operations cater to ability levels from beginner to expert.

Founded in 1856, and the recognized world leader in fly fishing gear, Orvis operates a chain of retail stores in the U.S. and England, runs a world class fly fishing vacations service, and numerous fly fishing schools around the country. Orvis donates five percent of pre-tax profits each year to conservation efforts. You can read more about Orvis on their website at www.orvis.com.

In addition Orvis also announced the following awards:
Jim Hickey of Bozeman, Montana Named Orvis Endorsed Freshwater Fly Fishing Guide of the Year for 2008

Paul Nelson's Farm of Gettysburg, South Dakota Named as Orvis Endorsed Wingshooting Lodge of the Year

Capt. Steve Horowitz of Miami, Florida Named Orvis Endorsed Saltwater Fly Fishing Guide of the Year for 2008

Fisheads of the San Juan River of Bloomfield, New Mexico Named as Orvis Endorsed Guide Service of the Year

Spotted Bear Ranch of Whitefish, Montana Named Orvis Expedition of the Year

Hubbard's Yellowstone Lodge of Paradise Valley, Montana Named Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing Lodge of the Year for 2008

Orvis Charlotte Warehouse Sale - March 13th - 15th

The Orvis Warehouse Sale is in Charlotte, NC this weekend at the Metrolina Trade Show Expo. Typically this show is a fly fishing bargain hunter's paradise deals at up to 75% off. The Charlotte sale has an excellent selection of waders, rods, and bin after bin packed with terminal tackle and fly tying material. They also have major quantities of non fishing related outdoorsy type merchandise.

Parking and admission are free. Follow this link for directions. Look for the FlyfishMagazine staff to be on hand and up to our elbows in gear.

Listening to the Orvis Podcast

In this edition, Tom Rosenbauer gives tips that will up your odds of catching instead of just casting. Fishing multi-fly rigs. Via the Orvis Website.

Cold in Carolina

As if the past two weeks couldn't get more interesting, today I called the gas company to come by and replace a plug on a regulator outside my house. They did and in the process turned off the gas as part of the repair. Rather than call me on my cell they decided to leave a hang tag on my door saying to call them when I got home and they would come out and turn it on. I called and they said someone would be out tonight. Well its 10 PM on one of the colder nights of the year and we have no gas heat, or hot water. A second call to their office informs me that I am calling after hours and ends with a mechanical "Goodbye." Orvis spokesangler Tom Rosenbauer has some tips for those of us left out in the cold.

Orvis Podcast: Rosenbauer on Getting Small

Orvis has just released a new Podcast and this time acclaimed angler Tom Rosenbauer, expands on his winter fly fishing theme with some excellent information about fishing with midges. He gives some great tips and at the same time challenges us to put aside our excuses and catch more fish on these tiny flies. He also reveals why many anglers are addicted to small flies.

Listen to Orvis' latest offering via their website.