Fish Tales Fly Shop Ltd

What Fish Tales Fly Shop Ltd does

Fish Tales Fly Shop Ltd is a privately held, independent fly fishing retail and guiding business founded in 1997 and headquartered at #626, 12100 Macleod Trail SE in Calgary, Alberta. The company is co-owned by David Blair and Nancy Storwick and operates a physical retail storefront alongside a Shopify-powered e-commerce store offering fly rods, reels, lines, leaders, waders, boots, flies (including locally tied patterns), fly tying materials, apparel, sunglasses, and educational books. Its technology stack is standard e-commerce with no proprietary platform, API, or third-party integrations disclosed.

The company's business model spans four revenue streams: (1) retail product sales of fly fishing gear, apparel, flies, and tying materials through physical and online channels with free Canadian shipping on orders over $200; (2) Bow River guided float trips at $800/day + GST per guide for 1-2 anglers, utilizing a team of four named guides including Terry Johnson with 29 seasons of experience; (3) hosted international destination travel packages to Cuba, Belize, Brazil (Amazon peacock bass), Christmas Island, and South Africa, priced between $2,895 and $6,500 USD per person depending on destination and accommodations, with group caps of up to 12 anglers; and (4) educational courses including Level One introductory fly fishing courses, private and group casting lessons, Level Two fly tying courses, and monthly After Hours seminars.

Fish Tales serves recreational fly fishing enthusiasts ranging from beginners taking first lessons to experienced anglers seeking trophy trout on the Bow River or international saltwater and tropical freshwater destinations. Customer segments are hybrid across personas (fly fishing enthusiasts), use cases (guided trip customers), and skill levels (beginner/developing anglers). Distribution is primarily Canadian-domestic via retail and Shopify, with international reach limited to hosted trips. As of April 2025, US shipping was temporarily suspended due to tariff impacts. The company has 14 team members including owners, four dedicated Bow River guides, and shop staff, with no external institutional investment, parent company, or subsidiary relationships.

Name

Fish Tales Fly Shop Ltd

Legal name

Fish Tales Fly Shop Ltd

Website

https://fishtalesflyshop.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fish Tales Fly Shop Ltd is a Calgary-based, privately held fly fishing retailer and guiding service founded in 1997, selling fly fishing gear, flies, apparel, and tying materials via a Shopify store and physical storefront, while offering Bow River guided trips, hosted international destination travel, and fly fishing courses and workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fly Fishing Retail & Guiding Services

NAICS

Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459), Fishing (1141)

SIC

Retail-Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores (5940)

akta.pro primary industry

Fly Fishing Specialty Retail (CRAMALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fishing Charters & Angling Experiences (Deep Sea, Sportfishing, Fly Fishing) (THAJAJAC), Lures, Flies & Terminal Tackle Specialty Retail (CRAMALAJ), Freshwater Fishing Specialty Retail (CRAMALAB), Saltwater & Offshore Fishing Specialty Retail (CRAMALAC)

Keywords

• Fly fishing gear
• Guided fly fishing
• Fly tying supplies
• Outdoor apparel retail
• Fly fishing instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Fly fishing gear, flies, apparel, sunglasses, books, fly tying materials, waders, boots, rods, reels, accessories sold through physical store and online shop
2. Guided Fishing Trips: Bow River guided float trips at $800/day + GST. Includes 1-2 anglers per guide, deli-style lunch, full day on water, equipment if necessary. Booking via 50% deposit.
3. Hosted Travel Destinations: International fly fishing trips to Cuba, Belize, Brazil (Amazon), Christmas Island, South Africa. Package pricing including accommodation, guided fishing, meals, transfers.
4. Courses and Instruction: Fly fishing courses including Level One introductory courses, fly casting lessons (private and group), Level Two fly tying courses, After Hours seminars

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fish Tales Fly Shop is a Calgary-based fly fishing retailer and guiding service operating since 1997. The company sells fly fishing gear, flies, fly tying materials, apparel, sunglasses, and books through a physical storefront and Shopify-powered e-commerce store. It also offers full-day guided float trips on the Bow River, hosted international fly fishing travel packages to destinations including Cuba, Belize, Brazil, Christmas Island, and South Africa, and educational fly fishing and fly tying courses.

Product overview

Fish Tales Fly Shop is a single-brand fly fishing retail and guiding service business based in Calgary, Alberta. The company operates a unified offering that combines an extensive retail e-commerce store selling fly fishing equipment, flies, fly tying materials, apparel, and books with complementary service offerings including guided Bow River float trips and international hosted destination travel packages, plus educational fly fishing and fly tying courses and workshops. All products and services are offered under the Fish Tales brand through a Shopify-powered online store and a physical retail location.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fly Fishing Gear & Equipment Core retail category encompassing fly rods, reels, fly lines, leaders, tippet, waders, boots, accessories, and specialty gear for freshwater and saltwater fly fishing.
• Flies Extensive selection of artificial flies including dry flies, nymphs, streamers, stillwater flies, saltwater flies, salmon and steelhead flies, and species-specific patterns for trout, pike, musky, bonefish, permit, and tarpon.
• Fly Tying Materials & Tools Complete range of fly tying supplies including hooks, beads, eyes, chenille, brushes, dubbing, feathers, flash, tinsel, thread, adhesives, vices, scissors, bobbins, hackle pliers, and whip finishers.
• Apparel & Sunglasses Men's, women's, and kids' outdoor apparel including UPF sun protection clothing, footwear, hats, and polarized sunglasses from brands such as Patagonia, Simms, Grundéns, Rep Your Water, Royal Robbins, and Yakoda.
• Books & Educational Materials Fly fishing and fly tying books including beginner guides, advanced technique manuals, pattern books, and titles by local authors.
• Bow River Guided Fly Fishing Trips Full-day guided float trips on the Bow River with professional guides. Includes loaner waders/boots, deli-style lunch, and 1-2 anglers per guide. Guide rate $800/day + GST.
• Hosted Destination Travel Hosted international fly fishing trips to destinations including Cuba, Belize, Christmas Island, Brazilian Amazon, and South Africa. Includes guided fishing, accommodations, meals, and airport transfers.
• Fly Fishing Courses & Workshops Educational offerings including casting instruction (private and group lessons), Level One introductory fly fishing courses, and Level Two fly tying courses taught by experienced instructors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 30 years in business as Calgary's premier fly shop

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mavungana FlyFishingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with South Africa's Mavungana FlyFishing for tiger fish trips on Pongola Reservoir (Lake Jozini) within Pongola Game Reserve. This operator has been a staple on the South African fly fishing scene for many years.
• Rocky Point Permit CampcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Belize destination partnership with Rocky Point Permit Camp on North Ambergris Caye. DIY fishing destination offering permit, bonefish, tarpon, and other species fishing. Fish Tales organizes group trips and provides customer referrals.
• Lagoon View Resort (Christmas Island)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Partnership with Lagoon View Resort through Skinny Waters for Christmas Island fly fishing trips. Resort offers bonefish, Giant Trevally, and other saltwater species fishing.
• Bucket List Fly FishingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with Bucket List Fly Fishing for organized group trips to remote Amazon fisheries (Xeriuini River and Rio Novo). Fish Tales has hosted multiple group trips with this operator for peacock bass fishing experiences. Rob & Karim at Bucket List negotiated exclusive camp access for the fishing area.
• Set Fly Fishing (Argentina)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Referral and coordination partnership with Set Fly Fishing in Argentina. Fish Tales has hosted several trips and coordinated un-hosted trips with this outfitter for dorado and trout fishing in Argentina.
• Casa Particulars (Cuba)minorOthersLocal accommodation partnerships with Casa Zulyeda Y Vinola, B&B El Varadero, and Villa Rio Mar in Playa Larga, Cuba. Post-Covid approach to support local Cuban economy and enhance guest experience.
• Nikwazi Lake LodgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Africa accommodation and fishing partnership on Pongola Reservoir. Spacious ensuite lakeside thatched chalets with swimming pool and game viewing deck. Part of Mavungana FlyFishing network.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blue Quill Angler: Colorado fly shop offering retail, guided fly fishing trips, and educational courses with a similar multi-channel brick-and-mortar plus e-commerce model serving a regional trout fishery.
• The Fly Shop: Long-established Redding, California fly fishing retailer with a brick-and-mortar shop, e-commerce store, guided trips on the Sacramento River, and international hosted destination travel. Most direct analog to Fish Tales' hybrid retail-plus-guiding model.
• Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures: Boutique fly fishing travel agency that books and hosts international trips to bonefish, permit, tarpon, peacock bass, and tigerfish destinations. Directly comparable to Fish Tales' hosted international travel arm and a likely competitor for hosted trip bookings.
• Trouts Fly Fishing: Denver, Colorado fly shop combining retail, education/courses, and guided trips with an active content marketing presence. Closely comparable to Fish Tales in combining a regional specialty retail storefront with structured instruction and guiding.
• The Bozeman Angler: Bozeman, Montana fly shop combining retail, guided trips on regional rivers, and hosted travel. Comparable in scale and product/service mix to Fish Tales' Calgary operations on a premier North American trout river.
• Grizzly Hackle Fly Fishing: Montana fly shop with retail, guided float trips, fly tying materials, and courses. Operates a similar regional specialty retail + guided services model targeting trophy trout.

Broad incumbents

• Patagonia: Major outdoor apparel and wading brand carried by Fish Tales, with deep involvement in fly fishing through ambassador programs, wader testing events, and conservation. Comparable as a broader outdoor incumbent intersecting the fly fishing category rather than as a direct retail competitor.
• Orvis: Long-established national fly fishing retailer and brand with retail stores, e-commerce, guided trips, hosted travel, and own-brand gear. Overlaps Fish Tales across retail, guiding, and hosted destinations but at much greater scale and with private-label product lines.

Regional players

• Mangrove Outfitters: Florida Keys-based fly shop specializing in saltwater fly fishing (tarpon, permit, bonefish) with retail, guides, and hosted travel. Comparable product mix and saltwater focus, but operates in a different North American geography from Fish Tales' Calgary/Alberta base.

Others

• The New FlyFisher: Canadian fly fishing media outlet that has profiled Fish Tales and reviewed the shop. Functions as a content and media peer/ecosystem partner rather than a direct retail competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fishtalesflyshop1140?si=MyRzQn2DZkmfx50w
• Facebookfacebook.com/fishtalesflyshop
• Instagraminstagram.com/fishtalesflyshop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fish-tales-fly-shop-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Fish Tales Fly Shop Ltd