Dealer Days and Back Again

Returning home from Patagonia in early March our focus was Joel‘s recheck CT scan; seeing the tumors in the lungs still deemed as “slow growing” we were able to talk the oncology team into pushing the start of his oral chemo treatment out a couple more weeks so we could road trip our way to Montrose, Colorado for a much anticipated dealer event generously hosted by Mayfly Outdoors. Our plans to attend last year were foiled with the cancer diagnosis, so being able to participate this year was extra special, and the overall experience and road trip itself was an exciting, educational journey we are so pleased to have been a part of.

 

Who’s Mayfly Outdoors? The large conglomerate is top-notch and growing fast right here in the USA. Mayflyoutdoors.com will tell you~

 

“For over 50 years, Ross Reels has been driven by a simple promise: to build the finest fly reels in the world, backed by precision engineering, innovation, and a deep connection to the waters we fish. Born in the heart of the Rockies, every Ross reel is designed, machined, and assembled in Montrose, Colorado—just miles from the famed Gunnison River and Black Canyon.

 

From our first patent in 1974 to our modern-day lineup of award-winning reels, Ross has remained at the forefront of American reel craftsmanship. Our commitment to quality is rooted in the belief that your gear should never hold you back—and should last a lifetime.

 

Today, we’re proud to call Mayfly Outdoors our home. Nestled within our headquarters in Montrose, our facility houses a world-class machine shop, testing lab, and team of passionate anglers and engineers. It's more than a workplace—it's where Colorado rivers inspire design, and where innovation meets tradition.”

 

This description is all fine and good for someone reading a website title page, but let me tell you firsthand: every word above in their bio is true, and, frankly, with what we experienced at Dealer Days in March, it’s so much more than that. We saw up close and personal a company dedicated to their community, both inside and outside, through public relations, and passionate about conservation.

 

For all of my life, I have been so impressed, enamored by the skills, innovation, advancing craftsmanship, and downright creativity that elevate my favorite sport of fly fishing. Of course, reels have captivated me from a young age! These principles, along with a foundation to create a positive work environment and a living wage for fellow US resident workers, were evident throughout our week at Dealer Days 2026. Every level of workmanship, from beginning to end, showed employees who were genuinely excited and deeply skilled in their jobs and who translated their passions through authentic communication with us as guests. 

 

We greatly appreciate the teamwork at Mayfly and the collaborative efforts to help educate and unite fly shop owners throughout the country. Additionally, working with nonprofits and conservation-minded individuals who all offered assistance in sharing important resources with our shops to further enhance customers' experience meant a great deal to us personally, as that mission is so close to our hearts here at Royal Treatment. Open-forum discussion panels at Dealer Days were a fantastic idea and a wonderful opportunity to work together as a combined think tank on various hot topics in the industry.

 

I know that we can’t all change everything at once, but through encouragement and concerted effort, we can talk about raising the bar in areas that are near and dear to us and raise awareness through our passions, which can invoke change and positive development on a whole that can last for decades to come. We see this trend happening right before our eyes with everything at Mayfly in Montrose, Colorado, and abroad with the brilliant minds at Airflow; their dedication to top-quality innovation, research, and development because of the partnership with Mayfly, as well as up-cycling fly lines for maximum sustainability and controlled material development, truly sets them apart in the industry.

 

We are already looking forward to being back at our shop in West Linn, Oregon~@ Royal Treatment Fly Fishing~ to share much of the gained knowledge from our amazing Dealer Days experience with our customers. We are deeply thankful for building closer relationships with many others and for feeling inspired by so many new concepts that will benefit the industry as a whole, solely because of Mayfly’s hard work in organizing this year’s Dealer Days event.

 

Usually, we embark on our journeys aboard Griz, the fearless Toyota Tundra, equipped with our own mattress, linens, and kitchen. However, this year, we aimed to expedite our travels, achieve better fuel economy, and indulge in additional sightseeing without the hassle of finding a campsite each night. Consequently, we opted for my Subaru Outback, Pearl, for this particular adventure. Joel and I had never ventured into Colorado before, and we thoroughly enjoyed a stop in Park City, Utah, where we visited our friends at Jan’s and Fishwest. Throughout the drive, it was quite enlightening to observe the minimal amount of snow present in the region. This observation, coupled with concern about low water levels and the looming threat of a scorching summer, left us in a state of apprehension. No trip to Montrose, Colorado, would be complete without visiting the good people at Scott Fly Rods. Jim Barche is a longtime friend of Joel’s and delivered a wonderful tour for us of their beautiful facility and cutting-edge technology.

 

We headed South on Highway 550, the famed “Million Dollar Highway,” and did all the tourist stops along the way, including Bears Ear Waterfall, lunch, and a walk to hunt down homemade ice cream in Ouray, before a touristy window shopping jaunt through Silverton, then stopping for the night in Durango. Even the Animas River was blown out just as every other river we saw, but it didn’t stop us from having a wonderful adventure.

 

Mesa Verde National Park had been high on our hit list together for the last few years, and experiencing such wonder from long ago was a pleasure each person needs to absorb at least once in their lifetime. We drove through the park and took self-guided tours as much as possible; the main museum and ranger-led tours were closed since it’s technically off-season until mid-May. During our 3.5-hour visit to Mesa Verde, we saw only about 10 cars and lucked out with up-close views of every educational marquee and awe-inspiring overlook. This incredible park begs to be revisited for at least 2 days back-to-back in prime time for reservation tours.

 

Heading back north with our sights on Green River, UT, for the night, we couldn’t help but drive through Moab and Arches National Park. We have a favorite little restaurant we love to eat Mexican food at, and on our way out of town, it’s an absolute must to drive through such intriguing geological formations as those found in Arches. I’ve been through this Red-Rock Wonderland countless times, but it was truly a privilege to catch it on a gorgeous evening with my best friend at my side, taking in the monochromatic color schemes swirled with a breathtaking sunset. My heart was full, and tears flowed with gratitude for this quick, energizing trip. Looking at the man beside me, I would never have known of his cancer diagnosis, let alone the fact that he had started his treatment just two days before.

 

I’m so proud of him, and I can’t thank you all enough for your continued support and encouragement to each one of us & our special fly shop. We will be around all summer and would love to help you plan a road trip, a fishing trip, teach you a lesson, or just listen to what’s going on in your life. And please, never ever be afraid to ask us specifically how we’re doing or for an update; your care is not an annoyance, and we know that each person has their own challenges, and we care about yours, too! Stay tuned with the shop’s calendar because we have lots on the schedule to make this summer at Royal Treatment Fly Fishing extra special!