Emerald Water Anglers LLC

Negative experience: Jason was really nice and made a tasty burger for lunch . However, I feel the $700+tip was a little too expensive for a 8 hour float of the Yakima in which we caught ZERO fish. Again nice guy, but I cannot recommend a fishing guide service in which you don’t catch any fish. Two stars because Jason was a good guy.

Fantastic experience: Great place with good selection of quality equipment…but the best part are the people who work here. Just outstanding. I can’t recommend them enough!

Fantastic experience: Great shop! Know many of the guys !

Fantastic experience: Great place.

Fantastic experience: Dave and his crew are amazing! The new shop looks fantastic and has such a homey feel with a twist of the outdoors! Cheers EWA!!

Fantastic experience: Professional staff, very knowledgeable about fishing the area. Plenty of gear to choose from. Good assortment of flies for what ever method you choose.

Fantastic experience: So helpful, especially for folks new to fly fishing or wanting to improve. I would highly recommend starting with a casting lesson, an incredibly informative and fun experience. Looking forward to many guided trips.

Fantastic experience: It’s the only fly shop you need in Seattle. Everything you need and a lot you don’t (but you do). Looking forward to their new location in the Junction starting Sept 25 ‘24. I’m told the living room vibe and good people will be moving there too. Every member of the crew is reliably fantastic, and the owner is no schmuck either. Employees of this fly shop tend to go on to do big things - like, say, edit the Flyfish Journal. Chat these people up before they get f-f-famous and treat yourself to a spendy new rod or reel while you’re there…you deserve it. Or blow $100 on flies — it’s fun!

Fantastic experience: Recently moved to the Seattle area. First time doing any saltwater fly fishing. Muaaz was the perfect person for the job. He gave me great advice on where to fish on the sound, what flies tend to work here, and what patterns to use. 10/10 awesome shopping experience

Fantastic experience: Had amazing help from several of the employees here in putting together an awesome 3wt for the small water in the mountains. If they don’t have the exact setup in house they’re knowledgeable to know what would work best and get it on order for you. This place is as good as it gets for a fly shop.

Fantastic experience: I highly recommend Dave and Emerald Water Anglers. I did a private casting lesson with Dave because I have an upcoming Canada trip with an opportunity to target some big muskie. I needed to learn how to cast large, 5-9" flies. Despite a little scheduling hiccup, I had a great experience. The shop and Dave were great to work with, and quick to work with me on the scheduling error. I can't say enough about how great Dave's instruction was. He taught me what I need to know for a double haul and for casting these huge flies. He was clear, patient, encouraging, and quick to identify errors in my cast. At the end of the lesson, he gave me some advice for how to practice over the next 5-weeks. Next time I need a lesson or want to book a guided trip, I will definitely be reaching back out.

Fantastic experience: Such an awesome store. Always incredibly helpful, kind, and knowledge. Well worth going out of your way to visit!

Fantastic experience: My dad and I went on a full day fishing trip with Matt two weeks ago. I can't thank Matt enough for making this trip such a success! My dad and I hadn't fly fished in over a decade so we needing to retraining. Matt provided excellent guidance to get us back into the swing of things. Throughout the day we changed locations three times to makes sure we were always where the fish were jumping. We flew in from Texas so the added benefit of having the waders and boots ready for us at the fishing hole took the stress of packing gear completely off the table. I highly recommend you book you next trip with Matt. 5 star 5 star 5 star!!

Fantastic experience: We enjoyed our half day guided fly fishing. It was the first time for our teenage boys and they loved it! Matt was our guide and he was excellent. He tailored our experience to just what we were looking for and worked hard to get us a good experience!

Fantastic experience: Excellent service, everyone was super friendly and helpful and they set me up with everything I needed. Had never fly fished for trout but with their guidance I caught ~10 nice fish within an hour the first day. Thanks guys!

Fantastic experience: I went out on a full day mountain creeks trip with Matt and had an absolute blast all day long. Matt not only accommodated my specific interests for the experience I wanted to have, but he also provided a wealth of knowledge and tips that made me a better fly fisherman. As someone with very minimal fly fishing experience and someone from the east coast who had never been to WA, I left feeling completely fulfilled in 2 senses: 1.) I was able to target a new species and improve my fly fishing knowledge and ability, 2.) I was able to see the absolute beauty of WA's natural state. I can't thank Matt enough for the experience he provided!

Fantastic experience: Matt HOOKED ME UP! I bought a new 8wt rod that needed rigging for salmon and cutthroat. Got the flies I need and super friendly service. I’m a HUGE FAN! I’ll join the woman’s fly group when they meet.

Fantastic experience: Cool little shop and friendly knowledgeable staff. Hooked me up with some flies on my way to camp in north cascade national park and they worked beautifully. Caught a bunch of trout off one of the lakes there.

Fantastic experience: Amazing guide service, Matt is terrific guide and extremely knowledgeable. Could recommend them more!

Fantastic experience: I had a great time fishing with Emerald Water Anglers on Puget Sound for cut throat trout. My guide, Will Mahoney, was great at providing me opportunities for fish, was a real expert on local wild life, and also helped me work on my casting. I loved the rod we were using so much I stopped in the store the next day bought one. The beaches on Puget Sound are beautiful, often with the mountains in the back round. The water is crystal clear. You will see several types of ducks, eagles, and seals. I hope to return some day and fish it again.

Fantastic experience: Nice shop. Shop staff was friendly and helpful. Tight lines!

Fantastic experience: Super helpful and very knowledgeable staff. Will go back for sure and their classes look great!

Fantastic experience: My review is mostly for Kristen and is long overdue. Last June I did the one-day womens fly fishing school and it was awesome. What I thought was going to be complicated and intimidating was fun and confidence-building due to her awesome instruction and just personality overall. Besides Kristen being super knowledgeable, she is also hilarious. I went to Colorado 2 weeks later and was immediately able to put my new skills to use, resulting in me winning largest catch in the family competition. Thank you Kristen and thank you EWA for offering this!

Fantastic experience: Really friendly staff helped me get set up with a lot of gear. I'm very much a novice, the advice was all judgment-free and focused on getting me to a place where I could have the best time possible on the water

Fantastic experience: Absolutely fantastic I was new getting into fly fishing and they helped me out a lot and were fantastic

Fantastic experience: GUIDE REVIEW (folks at the shop are fab too!): Today, women are debating whether we should “bring our whole selves to work” or not, but Kristen long-ago decided that she’s 100% in. What sets her apart is her ability to read people just as well as she reads the water. Wherever you are in your fly-fishing journey, she will eagerly meet you there. I am a very new angler, falling rapidly down the fly-fishing-rabbit-hole; on a recent trip, Kristen was able to address my barrage of questions, and then she would connect those [seemingly disconnected] questions to an immediate skill-based action - magic! To lift women up and to watch them find their confidence by “fishing independently” is genuinely the joy of her life and that energy is wholly felt on her trips.

Fantastic experience: Lots of beautiful equipment in this store!!

Fantastic experience: Had a fantastic experience with the guys at the shop. I went in knowing nothing and Will set me up with a full kit within my budget, gave me tons of pointers, and an impromptu casting lesson. I'll definitely be going back for those eventual upgrades and guide trips.

Fantastic experience: These guys are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. They'll take the time to walk you through any questions you have and genuinely want to earn your business. With anything flyfishing related this needs to be your first stop!

Fantastic experience: Helpful, informative and fun to chat with. Enjoyed my visit here a lot... wish I lived closer.

Fantastic experience: It’s been 30 years since I picked up a fly rod and reel. But I do know that getting the right setup and guidance is absolutely key for successful fly fishing casting. Matt at EWA helped me select an excellent rod and reel. He was very knowledgeable, friendly, professional and patient with my questions. The rest of the staff are friendly and professional as well. I spent more than I had planned. But you pay for what you get. In my opinion, the EWA rod and reel selection is tailored for intermediate to highly skilled anglers. If you’re looking for Walmart prices and making a half hearted effort to learn fly fishing? Sorry, EWA is not for you. However, they do carry a few entry level fly rods/reels combos within the $200 range. Keep in mind, a good specialized sports shop will try to accommodate the budget conscious. But selling budget friendly products that don’t meet the absolute minimum in quality for successful learning, is not worth the client’s time. In the end I happily purchased a Sage Foundation 6wt, 9’ fly rod and paired with a Lamson Liquid fly reel. Anyway, I would definitely recommend EWA!

Fantastic experience: Neat little fly shop. Staff helped me pick out fly tying supplies for Pink Salmon. My only disappointment is that this shop is not on the way to anything, so its a bit of a side trip.

Fantastic experience: Starting going to Emerald Water Anglers a few weeks ago. Being new to fly fishing, I knew nothing about what type of gear I needed, or what rig I needed for the type of fish I was going after. On each occasion I went there, they were nothing but friendly and super helpful. From guiding me to pick the right gear, to letting me know which flies/nymphs were best for the locations I was going. They a local business, fairly priced, and very much needed. Do yourself a favor and go there before you decide to buy gear online. Support the experts that will help you get better.

Fantastic experience: We had such an amazing time with our guide Kristen today! My husband and I picked up the hobby several months ago and weren’t having any luck. Within an hour Kristen had us on the fish! We learned a ton and our guide was patient, knowledgeable and TONS of fun! Cannot recommend highly enough.

Fantastic experience: We recently visited Emerald Water Anglers LLC on a trip through Seattle. The crew was super friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Went above and beyond to take great care of us. Not only will we be back, we'll highly recommend Emerald Water Anglers to our friends.

Fantastic experience: Bryon, our guide, was awesome!! He was very knowledgeable and extremely patient with us newbies. Me and my wife are pretty inexperienced fly fishers, but Byron took the time to show us how to cast more efficiently. He even got my wife on not only her first fish, but at least 3 more! He was super easy to talk to, and makes the whole experience even more memorable. He brought his camera with him to photograph all the little moments we wouldn’t have been able to get otherwise. Thank you again Byron! We’ll keep in touch.

Fantastic experience: The new guy, Matt was extremely helpful! 3K mile flight and my reel siezed! Out the door with an upgraded option to save the day! Thanks Matt! Very much appreciated! Very nice store!

Fantastic experience: I went out for a women's retreat weekend with Kristen from Emerald Water Anglers and had an amazing experience. It was a great deal financially and was exactly what I was looking for in terms of learning, instruction, and outdoors time with others. It was just me, Kristen, and one other student/client. We camped for the weekend and brought our own camping gear, although Kristen made an amazing dinner and breakfast for us! Beyond fishing, it was wonderful just to hang out around the campfire and chat about fishing, life, etc. Proper COVID-19 precautions were taken and I felt safe on that front, too. All fishing gear was provided and we had two awesome days of fishing for sea run cutthroat trout on the Puget Sound. Kristen provided a perfect mix of detailed instruction, constant openness to questions and requests for feedback- and also letting us just fish and practice and try to learn. The location was gorgeous and Kristen's knowledge provided us with great weather despite questionable conditions elsewhere around the region. I can't recommend Kristen and EWA enough for anglers (especially women!) of any ability level or area of interest. I thought of it as a very low pressure, high opportunity environment for learning, and I'm excited to fish with Kristen again!

Fantastic experience: Wonderful and knowledge staff. Good. Selection of fly tying materials.

Fantastic experience: Great customer service! Jeff was helpful, knowledgeable and set me up with all the gear I needed to have a great day on the water. Stoked to have a local shop that I can trust and who cares.

Fantastic experience: Fished with Matt on Sunday and while it was cold and snowing, Matt did a great job of giving me way to improve my swing. He also worked hard to find us fish. Friendly, knowledgable and able to teach. What else could you want in a guide. Plan to fish with Matt and Emerald Water Anglers again and so should you. Thanks,

Fantastic experience: Awesome experience! I’m not a fisherwoman by any means, but stopped in to get a birthday gift for my boyfriend. The female sales associate (unfortunately I didn’t get her name), went above and beyond helping me create a lure kit for him with the little info I was able to provide about my boyfriend’s fishing habits. She even included a note with tips on using individual lures in his favorite area. I was also surprised to see they have women’s fishing groups and classes, which sounded awesome based on what was shared with me! Anyways, he loved his gift and is excited to check out the store sometime!

Fantastic experience: Huge thanks again to Matt for a great intro to fly fishing class today! Looking forward to (hopefully) catching my first fish in the near future and getting involved with your local women’s group (once the pandemic lightens up )

Fantastic experience: Amazing staff and great selection even in a time like this. Great job!

Fantastic experience: I went on a Guided Trip with Dale in the Skykomish area - and it was truly one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had. We waded through the most beautiful areas to fly fish and it made me appreciate how lucky I am to live/fish in Washington. And my guide, Dale, was/is a true professional. My experience started from the time I walked into the shop a few days before - Dale stopped what he was doing and answered all my questions. And then on the actual trip - he patiently answered more questions, assisted me throughout the entire trip without being overbearing or condescending. I’ve been into a few shops and on a few guided trips and, unfortunately, most of the time I’m ignored, talked down to, or made to feel bad because I missed the fish, but not with Dale. He was very calm and supportive - he really motivated me to keep fly fishing. I’m really glad I found this fly shop.

Fantastic experience: Really stoked to be in the first fly shop to be carbon neutral. Dave is great for getting you step up for a success trip.

Fantastic experience: I drove past EWA several times going to the post office to grab my grandfathers mail. He taught me to fly fish and tie fly's and rod's in the Black Hill of SD. I stopped in a couple years ago and I have bought a rod, waders, fly lines and fly's since. Great shop, knowledgeable employees.

Fantastic experience: I recently got a drift boat and never towed before. My buddy set us up with Dave for a class on the Snoqualmie River to learn the basics. I got way more out of that class than I ever expected. Dave is very knowledgeable!! I highly recommend him and any class he teaches. Thank you Dave for taking Rick and I out there, I learned so much from you and I appreciate you and also had a great time!!

Fantastic experience: Phenomenal service. Was interested in getting into trout spey. Dave met me down at the sound nearby with 7 different rods for me to try. Gave me a some casting tips. Now I have a sweet trout spey. Couldn't ask for more from EWA.

Fantastic experience: Awesome staff and atmosphere!

Fantastic experience: This place is the fly fisherman’s man cave... everything from how the reels and rods are displayed to the massive fly selection, and racks on racks of gear. The employees all know a ton and aren’t shy to share it. They make you feel welcome right as you go in, and make sure you’ve exchanged names before you leave. A bit out of the way for me, but worth the trip if I’m feeling the stoke! The steelhead selection here is INSANE!!!

Fantastic experience: Recently took a guided trip for some Cutthroats out in the sound and had a fantastic time. Dale Booher was professional,chill to hang with, put me on fish, and makes a mean tuna melt sandwich (which he caught). Below are some pictures that he took of me. Dale is awesome and he should be your guide.

Fantastic experience: Lots of apparel. Also, the associates knew where and how to get you finding fish

Fantastic experience: Emerald Water Anglers is a fantastic shop with a very knowledgeable staff. I’m a bit of a novice and was grateful for some advice on a new rod and reel and I couldn’t be happier with what I picked up. I also highly recommend their trips – I had the opportunity to do a float trip on the Yakima a couple of years ago and had a blast.

Fantastic experience: If you're looking to fish some of the finest waters in the state, then I highly suggest that you give the team over at Emerald Water Anglers a buzz. They're shop is absolutely top notch and everyone is super approachable. I fished with Matt for Steelhead and out of all of the fishing trips that I've been on, this honestly was one of the best. Matt explained the keys to perfecting my spey cast, which was awesome as we progressed through the day. He was extremely helpful (and very patient giving my rough casting at the start!). The locations on the Sauk that he had chosen were super private and I think we bumped into 1 other angler all day, which was awesome. No doubt will I be back to fish again with Emerald Water Anglers and Matt. THEY ROCK!

Fantastic experience: Some of the best guides I have ever had. The hand tied flies, pieces of art!

Fantastic experience: EWA is an amazing store! The Owner is always helpful and his dog gives the best greetings along with his attentive staff the minute you walk in. I'm new to the West Seattle area and to fly fishing but they have an array of classes and guided tours for all levels. I highly recommend their classes and take a look at their wading jackets, packs, bags, Patagonia botties (My Personal Fav) and fly rod selection. Stop by if you can! You will not be disappointed! All the best, Cabby

Fantastic experience: I’ve never walked in to this store and not purchased something that I need. Special orders are no problem and that staff is superbly knowledgeable in everything fishing and outdoors. This is my go to and always will be.

Fantastic experience: Caldwell Rohrbach of Emerald Fly Fishing Guide Service did an outstanding job for me on the Skagit. After driving 3+ hours to meet me early on the Skagit, we fished sun-up to sun-down before he drove the3 hours home. I became competent at Spey casting, with his persistent corrections. I found him to be a thoughtful and creative teacher, and very knowledgeable about the fish we were targeting , as well as experienced on the Skagit- he knew the river very well. He's as good of Guide as I've ever had and would strongly recommend him to anyone on any level of fishing experience. And we caught fish !

Fantastic experience: Dave and the crew are knowledgeable, polite and patient. No matter your experience, they are unbelievably welcoming and make fly fishing approachable. All my gear will be purchased here from now on.

Fantastic experience: I was in Washington for a work trip with only a few days to fish. Dave helped me with my fly selection and a few hot spots only a local could know about. There is no other shop in Washington I will go to, Dave helped me catch my first Coho!

Fantastic experience: Dave and the shop are top notch! Visiting from Atlanta and dropped in to get advice on where to go and what to fish. Caught plenty of fish on his suggestions near where we camped on the Columbia River. Like it so much I came back and bought my first pair of big boy waders before heading home.

Fantastic experience: EWA is an awesome resource for the fly angler! They not only have all the gear you need, they have the knowledge and willingness to share it. Everyone who walks in is personally welcomed and given all the time needed. All the employees exhibit this same philosophy. It's a very inviting atmosphere.

Fantastic experience: Great people, great small fly shop

Fantastic experience: Fantastic shop and services, especially for Puget Sound Cutties

Fantastic experience: Great fly fishing store with passionate owner. Geared more towards salt water fly fishing in general but they can gear you up for anything. Excellent selection of fly tying materials as well.

Fantastic experience: Best fly fishing shop in the state. Couldn't be happier with all the interactions I have with the EWA staff. Everyone is very welcoming, knowledgeable and patient. This is a one stop shop, I've purchased all my gear from them, and been on two guided trips so far, with a third in a few weeks. I've only had guided trips with Caldwell, he blew all my expectations out of the water, and I'm sure the rest of the guides on staff are just as professional and fun. They truly care that their clients have a good experience. I always get answers to my questions, and no one ever complains when I bring in my rowdy children. The empoyees embrace their craziness and keep them entertained while I shop. As a mom, that rates really high in my book.

Fantastic experience: More than delicious.

Fantastic experience: Very cool place it's a candy store for fisherman

Fantastic experience: This should be your go to fly fishing shop in the Seattle area. My first interaction with the shop was by phone with Caldwell. We spent a good 15-20 minutes talking and Caldwell explained the different course options (I am a novice fly fishing angler). I signed up for a two day intro class with Cole which was absolutely wonderful and fun. Cole covered a tremendous amount of ground in a relatively short time. He welcomed questions, was thorough in his responses, very patient, enthusiastic and willing to help in whatever capacity! Cole made fly fishing approachable and easy to understand, which has become a new interest of mine. The staff at this shop are truly genuine and incredibly welcoming to newcomers and their passion for the sport is contagious. Staff go out of their way to introduce themselves, understand customer’s needs, and continuously exceed expectations. I also appreciated that I never felt treated differently by anyone at the shop because I am a woman in a male dominated sport; unfortunately I cannot say the same about other shops in the area. I highly recommend this team and shop to anyone – especially to women who have always wanted to learn how to fly fish! Many thanks to the EWA team!

Fantastic experience: Me and my wife had a private session with Caldwell, our fly-fishing 101. The experience turned out to be amazing. Caldwell was very knowledgable, funny, and very patient (we easily went over time by 50%…). We found his passion in the sports truly contagious. We had a great time, highly recommend. We were first greeted by Dave in the shop. We got all our questions answered, and felt very welcomed and supportive. Based on our experience with EWA so far, without any doubts, We'll visit the shop for all our future fly-fishing needs. Yuan & Jiani

Fantastic experience: Emerald Waters is one of the nicest fly shops I have been in, with expert guides and hands on staff— they are quick to help and sincere in the way they operate. It is obvious through their efforts in women programming, that they are here to see women succeed on the water.

Fantastic experience: I am new to the sport but have fly fished a few times in the past. Went to a free casting event they hosted in West Seattle and all their guys/vendors were great! Awesome tips helping me with my cast and feel like they really treated me well.... vastly improved my skills in a short time. The shop is very nice with high end gear and a knowledgeable, friendly staff. Will be back for sure, thanks!

Fantastic experience: Happy to call EWA my home fly shop. Knowledgeable about all the local fisheries and will never send you down the wrong path. The staff are all friendly and just generally expired to talk fishing!

Fantastic experience: Emerald Water Anglers caught my attention as the most professional and informative fly shop experience I’ve ever had. The staff is extremely helpful and willing to go to any length to provide you with knowledge about Washington fisheries. From steelheading, Puget Sound, and river/streams to the east these guys and girls know what they are doing.

Negative experience: We were supposed to leave for our trip at 6 am, at 7:30 am I received a call saying my trip was canceled because my guide was sick. Very disappointing. And that was 5 days ago and my trip still hasn't been refunded.

Fantastic experience: Very friendly

Fantastic experience: Great products and great customer service. These guys are simply THE BEST!

Positive experience: Nice store, friendly staff, lots of great stuff

Fantastic experience: The staff and owner are extraordinarily knowledgeable in the art of fly fishing. Any questions you have, they are more than willing to help out.

Negative experience: Very unhelpful and unfriendly once they saw that I was an amateur. Tried to ask questions about fly fishing and they basically laughed at me and turned their heads away.

Fantastic experience: Today I had the best fly-shop experience of my life. The folks at Emerald Water Anglers were the most friendly, knowledgeable, and approachable staff of any store I have been in to PERIOD. I am new to fly fishing and started with a casting lesson, and am now starting to tie. They were able to answer all of my burning questions. With this local shop as a resource, I can confidently say my spinning rod is going into the basement permanently. I encourage any fisherman to visit regardless of skill level. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING

Fantastic experience: Best fly fishing guide in the world

Fantastic experience: Ridiculously helpful!

Fantastic experience: Staff was very helpful.

Fantastic experience: This is the best fly fishing store in the Seattle area. Best guides. Best experience. Great shopping too... this is Patagonia fly fishing's only retail spot in the area I believe. Go say Hi to Dave.

Fantastic experience: EWA is my go to fly shop. Dave and the team are incredibly helpful and eager to help anglers grow in the sport. The community they have created between nights of fly tying, educational knowledge sessions, amazing guided fishing trips (note they also have a really strong women's group), and conservational awareness efforts is really impressive. I go out of my way to visit EWA for everything fly fishing despite having a closer option of fly shop. Big thank you to the entire EWA team for all that you do for the sport and Seattle anglers.

Fantastic experience: Went out on the Olympic Peninsula with Caldwell to fish for steelhead on the Spey. Amazing scenery and phenomenal guide. Very professional, personable and knowledgeable. I would highly recommend Caldwell for any of your guiding needs.

Fantastic experience: Very nice place well organised also and i got alot of help ill be back

Fantastic experience: Friendly service

Fantastic experience: Good selection with a pleasant, knowlegable staff.

Fantastic experience: Awesome shop. Staff was very helpful / knowledgeable. Incredible selection of gear / rods / flys.

Fantastic experience: Awesome

Fantastic experience: I took fly casting lessons with Caldwell. It was a great experience. He took the time to show me the differences in their fantastic selection of fly rods. With his patience he had me casting like a pro. I cannot recommend them enough. I will be back!

Fantastic experience: You are not going to find nicer, harder working and more knowledgeable guys than at Emerald Water. Hey, they field test what they sell all over the planet.

Fantastic experience: Fun and inviting staff on the leading edge of Fly Fishing in Washington State. Check these guys out!

Fantastic experience: Fantastic shop

Fantastic experience: Great fly fishing lessons

Fantastic experience: Best fly shop in Seattle. The staff is very friendly and helpful. They do a great job of putting on fun events and making you feel welcome. Best sea run guides in Washington

Fantastic experience: Took the Mountain Creeks trip with Karlie in early July during a vacation visit and had a great time. We are beginners and she was patient with us, was an excellent teacher, and was very personable. If you are visiting Seattle and are looking for a great way to get away from the city for a quick half or full day (in less than an hours drive) I would highly recommend this trip. Beautiful scenery and country and great fishing! We will be back!