Clark Smyth took over Rock Creek Angler in the early 2000s and following the success of the business, Clark joined forces with Cole Burnham to become co-owners of the Fly Shop of the Bighorns and Angling Destination. The two ambitious individuals now cohesively run the three businesses and Clark noted that each of the separate entities has nearly 30 years of established success and is now maintained under the same roof.
Each of the businesses was founded in Wyoming and between them cater to all levels of fishing expertise by offering bait, fishing lessons, gear outfitting, guide services, and fishing lodge packages all over the globe. Clark stated that people come to the Fly Shop and the Angling businesses to book day trips from May through October while he and Cole continue to book and run global destination fishing trips. People come to the Fly Shop of the Bighorns for expertise and knowledge. Clark also noted that they are proud to be able to offer high-end flyfishing and tackle options for customers, something not always easy to find.
When complimented on the customer service from the employees in the Fly Shop, Clark humbly stated, “Thank you. We hire fun people. Fishing is supposed to be fun and we try to carry that over to the rest of the business, an example is the employees.” He added that every person that comes into the Fly Shop has a personal experience, finding the proper gear and information is important to success. That concept flows into hiring a fishing guide. When you hire a guide, you learn better fundamentals and tricks to lessen the learning curve.
The Fly Shop of the Bighorns offers easy items to pick up and go as well. Clark mentioned that they carry shirts, stickers, or Wyoming souvenirs as well as various styles of outdoor clothing. They had a great month of rain jacket sales last June – so you know they have those too!
