Upper Valley Outfitters is the only dedicated fly fishing store you're likely to find anywhere in the Upper Valley, an area where the waters are big and plentiful but the fishing shops seem suspiciously scarce. Apparently most people in the Upper Valley are making their hooks out of old straight pins.
Staff at UVO are extremely knowledgeable and helpful, and their fly selection is awesome. Hand tied flies here are affordable compared to other fly shops I'm used to, and they conveniently keep a bunch of proven local patterns that are in season right near the register so you can run in, get what you need for that afternoon, and run out. UVO staff will help you find local waters to fish in and help you figure out times of day to fish them. Be careful of the Connecticut and White Rivers rising on hot summer afternoons when they have to generate more hydroelectric power, as the pool you waded into might suddenly become too deep to wade out of! Also, when you get to the area and find out the felt-soled wading boots you brought from home are illegal here, this is where you'll need to go to remedy the situation.
There is an excellent supply of fly tying materials available at UVO, and they deal in Hardy, St. Croix, and a number of other top-name rods and reels. If I lived in the Upper Valley, I'd probably hang out in this place once a week or so.
The only thing I don't like about UVO is that they don't sell Vermont fishing licenses even though they're so close to the VT border. The way the state makes them available to vendors is apparently more trouble than it's worth, which is why it's so hard to find anywhere to get a license on the Vermont side of the Upper Valley. None of this, of course, is UVO's fault.
So, if you're planning a fishing getaway in the Upper Valley, make sure to know where this place is and how to get here beforehand, because this resource is invaluable and necessary. I even caught fish on the flies they sold me here, which means they're not just selling pretty trinkets that only people like. Happy fishing! read more
