Casting for Canton: Papertown gets its first fly shop
Doug Mcelvy owns Mountain Fly Outfitters, which first opened Nov. 18 in Canton. Holly Kays photo
Doug Mcelvy was only 3 or 4 the first time he picked up a fishing rod, but it sparked a love for the water that’s stayed with him throughout his life — at 36, that passion inspired him to open Canton’s only fly fishing shop, Mountain Fly Outfitters.
The store held its soft opening Nov. 18 after Mcelvy and his girlfriend, Ally Sundal, worked since May to get the space, formerly a bakery, renovated for its new life as a fly shop. Mcelvy envisions Mountain Fly Outfitters as more than just a store, however. He wants it to also serve as a hub for the local fly fishing community, offering a welcoming and laid-back environment for anglers of all backgrounds to connect, learn and share their passion for the sport.
“One of my most favorite things about fishing is teaching other people how to do it and watching them be successful at it,” he said.
He hopes the shop will help him introduce the sport to even more people than he’s been able to since he started running a guide service out of his home in 2016. In addition to providing a central spot for guides and clients to meet up, the shop on the east end of downtown sells all manner of gear — everything from hand-tied flies, rods and reels to waders, nets and hats.
“I’m carrying mostly brands that I use when I’m fishing and the outdoor gear that I think is good gear,” he said.
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Mcelvy stocks his store with his favorite brands Mcelvy stocks his store with his favorite brands to use on the water. Holly Kays photo
Brands include Free Fly, Howler Brothers, Kuhl, Suncloud, Chums and Astral, to name a few, and they’re available for purchase online as well as in person at the store.
With “probably 1,000 miles of wadable trout water within 30 minutes of here,” Mcelvy sees Canton as a perfect place to set up shop.
That said, as he started out in life Mcelvy never envisioned himself making a living from fly fishing. He knew he loved it, but he also loved music. A guitarist, vocalist and songwriter with the Asheville-based band Red Clay Revival, Mcelvy spent years on the road traveling with his band. The experience gave him a chance to fish the country’s most spectacular trout waters — whenever he could get away, he’d take the opportunity to cast his line.
“We would go all over the country, and my intention was to play music and fish as much as I could,” he said.
That’s a mission he accomplished, but now he’s setting down roots in Western North Carolina. Originally from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Mcelvy moved to Sylva in 2008 and began working as a fly fishing guide for Hunter Banks, opening his own guide service in 2016. Now he resides in Leicester and continues to play with Red Clay Revival.
He’s fished all over, but Mcelvy said he’s found the best of all worlds in Western North Carolina.
“We have everything that all the rivers out west offer,” he said.
Marty Williams and his son Benny show off their catch during a fishing trip Marty Williams and his son Benny show off their catch during a fishing trip on the Tuckasegee River. Mountain Fly Outfitters photo
From big water like the Tuckasegee and the tailwaters of the Pigeon River to the pristine headwater streams up in the mountains, it’s all there — and, unlike in the western United States, characterized by grand scale and vast distances, Southern Appalachian trout waters tend to be much more accessible.
“You can get out in the outdoors and still be home for dinner the same night,” Mcelvy said.
Increasingly, communities in WNC are cashing in on that reality. Ten years ago, there was only one fly shop in all of Haywood County. Now, there are three. Tuckasegee Fly Shop opened in Waynesville in 2021, Maggie Valley Fly Shop in Maggie Valley earlier this year and now Mountain Fly Outfitters in Canton.
The shop carries a variety of hand-tied flies geared toward conditions in local rivers. The shop carries a variety of hand-tied flies geared toward conditions in local rivers. Holly Kays photo
According to newly released data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2022 the value-added impact of the outdoor recreation economy was responsible for 2% of North Carolina’s gross domestic product and 2.9% of its employment, representing more than 146,000 jobs. WNC is a critical piece of that puzzle. The Made X Mtns Partnership, which launched in 2021, aims to make the region into the outdoor industry hub for the entire eastern U.S. and hosts the annual Outdoor Economy Conference, the nation’s leading outdoor recreation-focused economic development conference. Even before Canton’s paper mill shut down earlier this year, town leaders had been making moves to get in on the action. With the mill gone, success in that sector will be even more important.
“Canton is kind of making a turn toward outdoor recreation,” Mcelvy said, referencing the new Chestnut Mountain Nature Park just outside of town.
The 450-acre park, which opened in 2022, now boasts more than 17 miles of hiking and biking trails. That success, combined with the March 2023 announcement that Canton’s 115-year-old paper mill would close for good, has left many hopeful that the town could reinvent itself as an outdoor destination. Mcelvy said those developments aren’t the reason why he decided to open in Canton — he’d already been in the process of launching his fly shop as they transpired — but that it’s proven an exciting time to be part of Canton’s outdoor recreation community.
“I really love this area, I love Canton, and there’s not a fly shop here,” he said. “I just saw where I could fit in.”
Doug Mcelvy (left) and Mountain Fly guide Ryan Burns hold up a fresh-caught trout on the Pigeon River. Mountain Fly Outfitters photo
In particular, he’s excited about the positive prognosis for the Pigeon River since the mill’s closure. When the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission sampled fish populations downstream from the mill in July, they found double the diversity and 15 times the number of fish compared to a previous sampling in May, while the mill was still making paper.
“I hope that water can be really used,” he said. “That’s a big stretch of water down through there.”
Check out the grand opening
Mountain Fly Outfitters will celebrate its grand opening 2-6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, with food and music just ahead of the Canton Smoky Mountain Christmas Parade, which starts at 6 p.m.
The afternoon will include free hot chocolate and hot barbeque plates, a bouncy house, live music from members of Empire Strikes Brass and Red Clay Revival and an opportunity to donate to Canton’s All Abilities Playground project — plus a chance to check out the shop.
Find Mountain Fly Outfitters at 18 Church Street in Canton or online at mountainflyoutfitters.com.
