They answered every question that I had and didn't even get flustered with me asking so many questions. Everything that I ordered has been spot on! When I wanted the wrong product they ask why did I want that. They often would recommend something else (.usually cheaper, they are not in it sell something), because I made a mistake or a stupid request. They never made me feel like a fool, only encouraged me as I was learning fly fishing. They truly love fly fishing. read more

My nephew and I took a two day fly fishing course from Brian at Briarwood sporting club. Brian is a walking encyclopedia of fly fishing. We learned a lot. But practice practice, practice. If you want to start up fly fishing, this is a place to go. I highly recommend MRO. read more

Great fly shop. Lots of gear. Lots of tying supplies. Great service. Didn't expect that in Columbus.

Have ordered several times and watch videos at least twice a week. Online selection is great. Flies have always been delivered pretty quickly and in good shape. Quality of the flies have always been very good. Pricing is inline with most other places I think. I consider myself an intermediate fly fisherman been at it for six or seven years now and always want to learn more and the vids have taught me a lot particularly when starting out, on your own. I hope to make it out to the store sometime and check things out. Thanks again for all the info you guys share. read more

Brian has taught me a lot about fly fishing via his YouTube videos and I feel compelled to buy something from him to repay him. In about a week, I went from knowing nothing about it to feeling pretty comfortable. A great ambassador for the sport. Thanks, Brian! By the way, where is the entomology classes on nymphs and stuff? read more

Just spent two hours at the store and it was worth every minute. Came in looking to buy some gear for an up coming trip. (Newer to fly fishing) Ryan let me take every sec. of his time to explain and answer every question I had. Pros and cons to the cheapest to the most expensive. What would be best for what I was looking for and what would not break the bank. If you are looking for intelligent honest people that are not going to try to sell you the most expensive brand to make a buck off you stop by. I will definitely be getting all my fly needs from them from here on out. You don't get service like this anymore. Hats off to you Madriver Outfitters!! Thank you again Ryan. -Allan read more

Brian's educational video series on YouTube is AWESOME!! I have some basic knowledge and skills. Brian has provided excellent knowledge to grow in the sport with a good foundation knowledge to start out and grow on. Thanks Man! read more

This store is a two and a half hour drive for me but wouldn't go anywhere else and is well worth the drive. You simply can't get this level of professionalism knowledge and a pure love for the sport many places. Was greeted by Pat Kelly and he went above and beyond to help me get set up with exactly what I needed and was extremely informative. Can't wait to book a trip with these folks and learn from some of the best. read more

Great videos on YouTube! Very informative and funny. Fast shipping on everything I buy online. Love doing business with this fly shop!

I cannot put into words how useful the educational content this store provides has been for me. I had never been fly fishing in my life, yet I was able to form a functional knowledge of the sport through Brian's YouTube instruction. As a result, I have already placed an order through the store, and the business has gained a life-long customer. Thank you! read more

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I have been watching their informational and educational videos on YouTube for a few months to help learn the sport. Very knowledgeable and engaging. Almost like learning from your dad. I hope they continue their educational series. Because of this I decided to give their online ordering a try and it was fantastic for the new angler. Every item has their own personal description as if the expert were walking you thru the shop. Free-shipping and everything was packaged very well to prevent any kind of damage. Arrived within three days or ordering. I will continue you use them and will hopefully have the chance to stop by the store when I have the opportunity. Keep up the good work! read more

Fly-fishing isn't really my scene. But if it was, Mad River would be where I'd head for supplies in Columbus. They have a great selection of rods, reels and fly-tying supplies. They carry plenty of clothes for your trek as well. The coolest part of the store is that they teach fishing classes for the uninitiated. Fishing trips are hosted here too. My dad was a fly-fisherman, and if I ever want to follow in his footsteps, I'll head here. Of course, its appeal is limited, but If you're looking for an alternative to Gander Mountain and such superstores, this is the place for you. read more

Mad River Outfitters - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I have been flyfishing now for a year and the folks at MRO have been phenomenal at helping me get off to a good start. The educational classes and guiding options can really bring you up to speed and get your bearings a lot faster than you could on your own. Every time I stop in the staff is helpful and knowledgeable. The shop itself has all the gear I've needed so far, and plenty of things to consider in the future. I would highly recommend them. read more

This place is great. They shipped my very first fly fishing outfit to my home in a matter of 3 days and their videos helped me get started. The phone service and store experience is impeccable where they truly care about setting you up for success. My only complaint is that many flies are out of stock. Regardless, I will go out of my way to buy locally here when I can to keep this gem in Columbus. read more

If you know someone, especially a guy, who loves outdoor activities like fishing and hunting, this would be a good place to take them or get a gift for them. Outdoor apparel is mostly Patagonia and Colombia brands and includes jackets, vests, pants, sweaters and hats. The apparel can be casual or dressy and outdoor themed. As said, they also sell hats: canvas hats so they can pretend they're Panama Jack down to fedoras like Indiana Jones wears. Luggage is another thing and is also outdoor themed. Pretty much everything is outdoor themed - even the china and décor. Interestingly, Dominica Rum could found various places in the store for sale. By the way, the apparel is on the expensive side just so you know. But, apparel isn't the only thing they have. They also have the real thing: fishing rods and hunting decoy making supplies. At least I think the stuff is for making hunting decoys. They had all sorts of funny thread and creepy animal hides like the skin from a rabbit's head and bird feathers and embalmed birds. Besides the hunting kits, they also had books and magazines. read more

I ordered a pair of waders and the item shipped very quickly and was exactly as ordered. The staff is very responsive to questions and returns emails right away. Check out their Youtube channel for lots of great information on flyfishing and gear! read more

On Tuesday I was googling a specific Patagonia snap-t pull over at an efficient price and on the 2nd page was Mad River Outfitters. I was startled by the amazing prices to later learn in their about me on their website that they price match their items! I was so impressed I ended up buying 3 Patagonia snap-t's and they had sizes for me and my girl friend. The next day I sent them an email in regards to the order just to follow up and no less than 10 minutes later they responded. Remarkable costumer service! And the shipping was very fast, just in time for the weekend! Look forward to buying from here again very soon. read more

Mad River Outfitters has just about everything you need to arm yourself before your next fly fishing adventure. Be it on a local trout stream, chasing steelhead, or venturing out to a tropical flat. I have been ordering my fly tying material from them for years now. Even before I lived in Ohio. In the shop they carry a large variety of tying materials and an assortment of pre tied flies. They carry a nice selection of rods and if it is not in stock they will order it for you. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and will make sure you have what you need. Now that I live in the Columbus area they are my go to shop for all my fly fishing neeed's read more

Exceptional customer service. Ordered a jacket online without hesitation because of their very detailed ordering info FAQ. Once the order was placed, they posted a note to my account that the jacket was ready and would be shipped soon. Got it in a couple of days. I have no doubt that if there were an issue with the order, they'd take care of it satisfactoraly. read more

Great place for fishing gear and outdoors technical clothing! The crew at MRO are always helpful.

I have been thinking about trying fly fishing for a while and found their video instructional series on YouTube. The videos are very well done and teach you all the steps from beginner to pro. I really liked the things I heard in the videos, their knowledge level and their customer service policy. After much research I decided to give them a try. I called the shop and got the owner on the phone and he is fantastic. We had a wonderful conversation and he walked me through all I would need to get started and steered me away from things I would not need. I placed the order for the "starter" package he and I put together and got a shipping/tracking notice almost immediately. The owner took the time to clearly explain everything and committed to put some notes on the equipment in the box so I could review again. I would certainly do business with them again, so much better than the big box fishing stores. It was refreshing to do business with someone so passionate about his business and so determined to do the right thing for the customer. read more

Apparently this store is geared towards the burgeoning population of fishermen in the city of Columbus. Didn't even know they existed, but apparently someone somewhere is spending enough money here to keep it in business as long as I can remember. I myself am not an angler or any other sportsmen of the like, but the sign outside boasting goods from Patagonia lured me inside last winter when I was in need of a new fleece jacket. After about five minutes, it became very clear that i was in the wrong place. It's not that the apparel they had for sale here was not intended for the uses I had in mind (like wearing it around town to keep warm), but there simply was not that much of it. The selection of jackets and such is worse than anything I've ever seen in the men's clearance section of Macy's. If you've ever sifted through rack upon rack of over-sized Southpole and Nautical in colors that won't be stylish for another 10 years, if ever, you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you're looking to be "outfitted" as the sign may say, I'd bite the bullet and head to Dick's instead. read more

Never been to store. Hope it is better than their web order service. They sent items or poor quality and defective, and made me mail everything back to them before they would fix it. No offer to reimburse me for the trouble or expense. read more

Most of the Yelp reviews here seem to be from people who are not fly fishing folk. I have to concede it's not the cheapest place to get clothes or fishing gear. But as a real, hard core fly shop and guide service, this shop totally rocks. I've visited fly shops from West Yellowstone, Montana to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and from Nova Scotia to Arkansas. I've booked guides in most of those places, too. None were better than Mad River. Brian and his staff are super knowledgeable on everything from which reel you need for Steelheading on Lake Erie tributaries to what flies the browns are biting on this week over on the Clear Fork of the Mohican. They have a great selection of fly rods, reels, flies, and all the other gadgets and gizmos that us trout bums love to acquire and carry around in multiple pocketed vests and jackets. It is all quality gear, and once you get over the hump of learning to cast consistently, accurately and well, that quality starts to really matter. Other places in or near Columbus will sell you fly gear, but this shop has been here for many, many years, and there is a reason why. read more

Great spot if you are into -- or want to learn about -- fly fishing. Helpful recommendations for gear, fishing techniques or locations. Stand behind their merchandise. Local owner and guides. read more

If you are a fly fisherman, or interested in learning about fly fishing, these guys will take excellent care of you. All the gear and knowledge you need is right here at Mad River Outfitters. I took and on-stream day seminar on the Mad River taught by the shop owner nearly 20 years ago and am still hooked. read more

Awesome place, gearing up for a trip and needed some boots. They didn't have my size but next day shipped them to me at no extra cost. Great patience in helping to get the sizing right. Highly recommended. read more