TCO Fly Shop

What TCO Fly Shop does

TCO Fly Shop is a privately held specialty fly fishing retailer founded in 1996 by Tony Gehman, who continues to serve as Founder/Owner and President. The company is headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania and operates five physical retail locations across the state, with a primary venue in Boiling Springs that also hosts the annual Cumberland Valley Fly Fishing and Outdoor Festival. Its core merchandise spans the full fly fishing stack — rods, reels, lines, leaders and tippet, flies (1,750+ SKUs), fly boxes, waders, boots, vests, chest packs, nets, watercraft, and fly tying materials, hooks, tools, kits, and vises — supplemented by men's and women's apparel, outdoor and camp gear, books, sunglasses, luggage, and gift items, much of it sourced from premium third-party brands such as Simms, Patagonia, Sage, Lamson, RIO, Hatch, Fishpond, YETI, and Orvis.

The business operates a hybrid distribution model combining physical retail with a full e-commerce storefront at tcoflyfishing.com, plus phone ordering. Beyond product sales, TCO operates four additional revenue lines: TCO Guided Fishing (professional guide services), TCO Travel Concierge and a partnership with Slipstream Angling (worldwide fly fishing travel), an education program offering beginner, specialty, and fly tying classes, and the Second Cast Used Gear Marketplace for trade-ins and resale. It also maintains a content platform, The Hatch Learning Center, and a podcast (The Flycast Show), and runs a TCO Rewards loyalty program and gift cards. Strategic brand partnerships include co-branded exclusives with RIO Fly Lines (Patriot Project Fly Line) and limited editions with Hatch, plus featured destination partners such as Heavy Water Anglers Lodge.

Monetization is almost entirely transactional retail and e-commerce at standard pay-as-you-go pricing, with most products priced from $5 to $750+ and free shipping on orders over $150. The company cannot ship flies to Canada, indicating geographic restrictions even within its core market. There is no disclosed revenue, no institutional investment, no parent company, and no subsidiaries; TCO appears to be a founder-controlled, owner-operated specialty retailer competing in the Mid-Atlantic fly fishing niche against other independents and large national brands like Orvis.

Name

TCO Fly Shop

Legal name

TCO Fly Shop

Website

https://tcoflyfishing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TCO Fly Shop is a Pennsylvania-based, founder-owned specialty fly fishing retailer founded in 1996, operating five state retail stores and an e-commerce site. It sells fly fishing gear, apparel, and outdoor equipment, and offers guided trips, classes, travel, and a used gear marketplace to fly fishing enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Fishing Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (459110), Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Fly Fishing Specialty Retail (CRAMALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fishing & Tackle Retail (CRAMABAL), Boat & Personal Watercraft (PWC) Retail (CRAMAIAA)

Keywords

• Fly fishing equipment
• Fly tying supplies
• Guided fishing services
• Outdoor apparel retail
• Fishing retail store

Headquarters

HQ city

Reading

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Retail and e-commerce sales of fly fishing gear, equipment, apparel, and accessories. Includes both new and used gear through their Second Cast Used Gear Marketplace.
2. Guided Fishing Services: TCO Guided Fishing service offering guided fly fishing trips and experiences.
3. Education & Classes: Beginner, Specialty, and Fly Tying classes offered through their education programs.
4. Travel Services: Partnership with Slipstream Angling for worldwide travel opportunities and TCO Travel Concierge service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TCO Fly Shop is a specialty fly fishing retailer that sells fly rods, reels, lines, leaders, flies, waders, vests, fly tying supplies, men's and women's outdoor apparel, and camping gear through 5 Pennsylvania stores and a direct e-commerce site. It complements product sales with guided fly fishing trips, beginner and specialty classes, a used-gear trade-in marketplace, an educational content platform, and travel concierge services for fly fishing destinations.

Product overview

TCO Fly Shop is a specialty fly fishing retail business operating 5 locations in Pennsylvania. The company offers a comprehensive product portfolio centered around fly fishing equipment and apparel, including core products like fly rods, reels, lines, flies, fly boxes, waders, vests, nets, and fly tying supplies (materials, hooks, tools, kits, vises). The business also provides outdoor gear (camp kitchen equipment from GETI and YETI, coolers, water bottles, lighting, sleeping bags), men's and women's clothing from brands like Simms, Patagonia, Grundens, and Orvis, plus TCO-branded merchandise. Services include guided fishing trips, travel concierge, the Hatch Learning Center educational platform, used gear marketplace (Second Cast), and a rewards program. The company operates partnerships with major manufacturers including Sage, Lamson, RIO, Fishpond, and Hatch for exclusive and branded products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fly Rods Fly fishing rods sold for various conditions including freshwater, saltwater, and specialty applications, available through TCO's Pennsylvania stores and online.
• Fly Reels Fly fishing reels designed to hold fly line and provide drag systems for landing fish, sold across TCO's retail and online channels.
• Fly Lines Specialized fishing lines including weight-forward, double-taper, and shooting lines for different casting techniques, including co-branded lines with RIO.
• Flies Artificial flies including dry flies, nymphs, streamers, saltwater flies, and specialty patterns; TCO carries 1,750+ fly products including brands like Fulling Mill and Chocklett Factory.
• Waders & Boots Waterproof fishing waders and wading boots for accessing fishing waters safely.
• Vests & Chestpacks Fishing vests and chest packs with multiple pockets for carrying flies, tools, and accessories, from brands including Fishpond, Simms, Orvis, and Patagonia.
• Fly Boxes Storage containers for organizing and carrying artificial flies, available in foam, compartment, magnetic, and waterproof styles, including TCO's own private-label boxes.
• Fly Tying Materials, Hooks, Tools, Kits, and Vises Materials, hooks, tools, kits, and vises for tying artificial flies, including brands such as Renzetti, Regal, and Rambler Co., with vises ranging from $22 to $585.
• Men's Clothing Men's apparel including shirts, pants, jackets, hoodies, shorts, shoes, socks, hats, gloves, and layering underwear from brands like Simms, Patagonia, Grundens, Howler Brothers, Orvis, and Duck Camp.
• Women's Clothing Women's apparel including shirts, pants, jackets, shorts, skirts, dresses, shoes, socks, hats, gloves, and sweaters.
• Camp Kitchen, Coolers, and Water Bottles & Hydration Outdoor cooking equipment from GSI and YETI (stoves, cookware, french presses, food storage), YETI coolers and insulated bags (Hopper, Roadie, Daytrip lines), and insulated drinkware and water bottles from YETI, Fishpond, Puffin Drinkware, and Stio.
• Outdoor & Camping Gear Camping and outdoor equipment including camp furniture, lighting (Princeton Tec), hiking accessories, sleeping bags and pads (Big Agnes), and bug and sun protection.
• TCO Guided Fishing Service Professional guide services offering guided fly fishing trips and on-water experiences.
• Education & Classes Beginner, Specialty, and Fly Tying classes offered to customers learning fly fishing and fly tying skills.
• Second Cast Used Gear Marketplace Marketplace for buying and selling used fly fishing rods, reels, and vises, with customers able to trade in gear for store credit.
• Hatch Learning Center Educational platform with articles and videos to help customers improve their fly fishing skills.
• TCO Travel Concierge Free concierge service helping customers find the right gear for their fly fishing adventures.
• Slipstream Angling Travel TCO's partner service offering worldwide fly fishing travel opportunities through Slipstream Angling.
• TCO Gift Card Digital and physical gift cards available for purchase.
• TCO Rewards Program Loyalty rewards program for repeat customers.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Slipstream AnglingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSlipstream Angling is TCO's partner for worldwide travel opportunities, providing international fly fishing travel experiences to TCO customers. TCO offers Slipstream travel opportunities through their Guided Fishing & Travel section.
• RIO Fly LinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration between TCO Fly Shop and RIO Fly Lines resulted in the RIO - TCO Fly Shop Patriot Project Fly Line, a co-branded product. The Patriot Project Gold Fly Line is a standard RIO Gold fly line sold exclusively through TCO.
• Heavy Water Anglers LodgeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner destination under Guided Fishing & Travel section, offering fishing lodge experiences.
• Cumberland Valley Fly Fishing AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-host of the Cumberland Valley Fly Fishing & Outdoor Festival, an annual event held at TCO Boiling Springs & Children's Lake Park on Aug. 8-9.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Orvis: America's most iconic specialty fly fishing retailer with a similar multi-channel model (retail stores, e-commerce, guided trips, schools, travel) and overlapping product mix (rods, reels, apparel, waders). The closest category analogue and the namesake direct competitor.
• The Fly Shop (California): Long-established specialty fly shop operating retail + e-commerce plus guided trips, schools, and international travel—structurally the same hybrid model as TCO, just in the West Coast market.
• Trident Fly Fishing: Pure-play online specialty fly shop with extensive SKU depth and aggressive pricing, representing the digital-native competitive set that pressures TCO's e-commerce discovery and pricing power.
• AvidMax: Online-only specialty fly fishing retailer focusing on competitive pricing and large rod/reel/accessory assortments. Comparable direct competitor on the e-commerce side, particularly for the gear enthusiast segment TCO serves.
• Montana Fly Fishing Company: Specialty fly shop with hybrid retail/e-commerce plus guided trips and schools in the Mountain West market. Mirrors TCO's service-rich specialty retail model and serves an overlapping angler customer base from a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Bass Pro Shops: Mass-market outdoor and fishing superstore that operates retail + e-commerce at national scale and carries overlapping product categories (rods, reels, apparel, boats). A much larger incumbent that competes for the same fly fishing dollars without specializing.
• Cabela's: Iconic outdoor and fishing retailer (now under the Bass Pro umbrella) with broad inventory spanning fishing, hunting, and outdoor apparel. Sells overlapping fly fishing gear and competes with TCO on selection and pricing, but does not specialize in fly.
• Simms Fishing Products: Premium fly fishing apparel and gear manufacturer that TCO sells prominently. As a brand partner incumbent, Simms competes indirectly through its own direct-to-consumer channel and dictates much of TCO's waders and apparel assortment.
• Sage / Far Bank Enterprises: Premier fly rod manufacturer (Far Bank umbrella) that TCO retails with co-branded and exclusive SKU activity. Comparable as a category-defining fly fishing brand with both wholesale and direct-to-consumer sales overlapping TCO's fly rod assortment.
• Patagonia: Outdoor apparel brand that TCO carries across men's and women's categories. Operates its own powerful direct-to-consumer channel with deep content and education assets that compete for the same outdoor-apparel dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TCOFlyShop
• Facebookfacebook.com/tcoflyshop
• Instagraminstagram.com/tcoflyshop
• Xx.com/tcoflyfishing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tco-fly-shop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TCO Fly Shop