WHITEFISH – Jeff Edwards isn’t trying to change a lot as the new owner of Lakestream Fly Fishing Shop. He figures he doesn’t have to.
Over the course of more than 20 years in the valley, Lakestream has developed a reputation as a one-stop shop for fly fishers – from tourists trying the sport out for the first time to experienced locals plotting out their weekend on the river, and everybody in between.
Edwards bought Lakestream, located on Central Avenue in Whitefish, on Dec. 15 with his wife Tricia. He said the previous owners, most recently Steve Thompson, did an excellent job building the shop’s tradition. So, as Edwards says, “don’t fix it if it’s not broken.”
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Jeff Edwards, from right, chats with Whitefish visitors Cara Deviny and Logan Deviny while Larry LaRocque works the register at Lakestream Fly Fishing Shop. Edwards and his wife, Tricia, are the new owners of the popular fishing outfitters. |
“That’s a celebration, for me, of the business they’ve ran and the reputation they’ve built,” Edwards said. “Our mission isn’t really to change anything but to fulfill that same philosophy.”
Which isn’t to say Edwards is strictly keeping the status quo. He has partnered with Glacier Raft Company so that his guiding service now incorporates more of the Flathead River’s Middle, North and South forks. Historically, the vast majority of Lakestream’s guided fishing trips have been on the river’s main stem.
Lakestream also does guided trips on the Clark Fork, Blackfoot and Missouri rivers, as well as a variety of lakes in the valley.
Edwards has also opened a second shop called Lakestream Outfitters at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake. He calls it a “fly shop boutique and outdoor apparel company.” Its primary focus is apparel, for all seasons, though anglers will find flies there as well.
Edwards has spent his career in the hunting business. Before moving to Whitefish, he most recently trained Labradors for field trials out east. And it was hunting that first brought him to Whitefish 15 years ago.
At the time, Edwards was the featured hunter on a bear hunting trip focused on Northwest Montana. Edwards never killed a bear, but he did get a glimpse of his future.
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Jeff Edwards talks about taking over Lakestream Fly Fishing Shop and the Spotted Bear Ranch with his wife Tricia Edwards while sitting in the fly fishing outfitters in Whitefish. |
“I made it a life mission to come back,” he said. “I couldn’t get over how beautiful the place was and how great the people were – the whole lifestyle.”
Last summer, Edwards and his wife thought they saw their chance to start a life in the Flathead as they closed in on a deal to purchase the Spotted Bear Ranch, an Orvis-endorsed outfitter located on the South Fork of the Flathead River between Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
But after they couldn’t finalize the deal, the Edwardses began conversations with Lakestream’s Thompson in the fall. By December, the Edwardses were the new owners of the fly shop. Then the Spotted Bear Ranch deal worked out, and the couple was suddenly the owner of two respected outfitting companies in Northwest Montana.
Lakestream employs between 12 and 14 workers – part- and full-time – in the summer, along with 16 primary guides. In the offseason, the number of employees dips to three.
Many of the employees have been around for years, such as Larry LaRocque and Justin Lawrence. And, of course, there’s Lester Matsumoto, who Edwards said is in his 16th year at the shop. While many anglers in the valley know Matsumoto, they likely have never heard his last name. They know him simply as “Lester.”
“No last name needed,” Edwards said. “He’s probably one of the most recognized people in Whitefish.”
A “tremendous percentage” of Lakestream’s revenue comes from tourists, Edwards said. Many of them are novices or even first-timers. Northwest Montana, Edwards said, isn’t generally marketed as a fly-fishing destination in the way that other areas of the state are.
But Edwards said it’s vital for the shop to cultivate its relationships with locals, and build on its status as an information base for Flathead anglers.
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Lakestream Fly Fishing Shop is located in downtown Whitefish and offers guided trips, equipment rentals and classes. |
“Super endemic fishermen aren’t a big part of our business, but they’re important,” Edwards said.
Lakestream has always been a comfortable, inviting store, Edwards said, and he hopes to continue that.
“It’s just a cool place,” he said. “It’s one of those places you walk into and feel welcomed.”