Best $ value shopping for fly fishing products?

[Rodney D.]

About 20 years ago when my wife and I were newlyweds and money was much tighter, I had just started getting into flyfishing and all my gear was garage sale and hand-me-downs. My wife wanted to get me a new "better quality" flyrod for Christmas. A friend told her about your shop and she went in to look for a rod. She has no fishing knowledge (other than being a great wife and listening to my stories) so she would have probably bought anything they wanted to sell her at almost any price but the staff directed her to the "sale priced" rods and she walked out with a great Lamiglas 1000 series 6 weight rod that was on close-out for under $100.00. She loves to shop and she said the people in Kienes' shop were super nice and treated her great...earning a customer for life. Kiene's prices are competitive and thier service is fantastic, that's why you are still open. Thanks for having a great store.

[Darian]

When I consider making a high end or lesser value purchase of anything (other than houses or auto's), I almost always buy when the item I'm interested in is on sale and don't consider the amount of sales tax in making that purchase. By the time I make the purchase, I've already done my homework. Now I want to eyeball the item and, where possible, try it out.

That being said, I've been contributing a portion of my retirement benefits to Kiene's shop so that Bill/Marilyn will have a good retirement of their own.

[wineslob]

I'm a bad person to ask the original question. I'm still using the Sage seconds blank "kit" I bought at Bills probably 20 years ago. Same with the Columbia vest I have. Eventhough it looks like CRAP and is falling apart, I'm going to sew it back up, because, like most fly "stuff" I cannot afford it anymore.
I can't fathom spending 200+ $$ on reels, rods ect.....ya I know that's the "reality" now, but I don't like it.
My last reel was/is a Fenwick that was $75 on sale, the reason I bought it, and I had to think about that for awhile. I'm glad I did buy it, it's been the best reel I've owned so far.