Company Spotlight - Circle Valley Anglers

Fly fishing is an ever evolving sport where the gear continues to improve and impress.  Fly fishing products have countless hours of research and technology poured into them; from rods and reels to flies and tippet.  As modern day fly fishermen and guides, we have the unique opportunity to test a variety of cutting edge equipment and to work with growing companies.  Therefore, we at CurrentSeamsFlyFishing.com want to give you an in depth look into some of the people, companies, and products making a splash in today’s fly fishing world.

In our first ever company spotlight we will take you with us to meet the man behind Circle Valley Anglers located in scenic southern Utah, just miles from 3 fantastic national parks. Since we guide for the company we may have some bias, however, Circle Valley Anglers, founded and operated by Emmett Doane, has been an amazing company and resource for anglers throughout the Southern Utah region long before we joined the team.

Emmett has been fly fishing for 44 years and though not a Utah native spent some of those years seeking solitude in the fisheries of southern Utah. Emmett had long thrown around the idea of opening a fly shop after his retirement. Being able to associate with clients and give back to the sport that he had long loved seemed like the perfect way to enjoy retirement. That thought and dream became reality a little earlier than expected when he made the trip to fish southern Utah and forgot his leader and tippet material back in southern California, where he happened to be working at the time. After searching small shops and gas stations in the area he finally made do with a spool of 12lb test he found in the Antimony general store. Heading home that weekend he noticed a building for sale in Circleville, Utah and thought the building would be a great location for a fly shop; and he definitely could have used a local flyshop that weekend! By the time he reached Southern California he was convinced he needed to purchase the building and make it happen. A week later he bought the building and started remodeling. The doors opened in the spring of 2007 as southern Utah's premier flyshop.  The rest is history.

Circle Valley Anglers guide in the Dixie and Fish Lakes National Forests where there is plenty of water and opportunity to chase trout year round, and without crowds of people.  Circle Valley Anglers is an authorized Orvis, Redington, Cortland, Loon Outdoors, and Spirit River dealer. The shop is perfectly situated in Circleville Utah, central to some of Southern Utah’s finest fisheries. Along with a small fly shop filled with fly fishing essentials, the shop also has lodging available for those who want to stay close to the action.  The lodging has a living room, two full bedrooms, bathroom, full kitchen, dining room, and laundry room, all for the same price as the local motels, so this option is a steal for anglers.

Whether you are an experienced angler who is familiar with the area or looking for a new experience in the beautiful outdoors of Southern Utah, stop by Circle Valley Anglers, pick up a few flies and talk shop with Emmett. There are few people kinder and more excited to talk about fishing conditions. Emmett has managed to make a name for himself largely because of his pure passion for the sport, combined with his warm and casual personality.

Not only does Circle Valley Anglers have all the equipment and knowledge you need to catch fish, but they also provide guided fishing trips for those who would like to get to know some of the inside information. They can provide as much or as little assistance as desired to ensure you have a fantastic trip on the water.

Circle Valley Anglers fish waters filled with aggressive Browns, chunky Rainbows, wild Brookies, native Bonneville Cutthroat, and some intriguing hybrids like Tigers and Splake. There are also some Mountain White Fish and Arctic Grayling that can be found as well. There are plenty of quality public waters to fish but Circle Valley Anglers has access to some fantastic private areas as well. If you book a trip with Circle Valley Anglers be sure to bring your game face and a camera.

Any fly fisherman will claim their waters close to home are the best, and that is no different for me. Growing up here in Southern Utah I was blessed with so many great fisheries right out my backdoor and my favorite part is the lack of large crowds. Don’t get me wrong, I've had great times fly fishing more popular waters in Montana, Idaho, Nevada and here in Utah, but I always find myself dreaming of the open spaces and the crowd-free waters of Southern Utah. 

Check out Circle Valley Anglers!

circlevalleyanglers.com

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The lodge and fly shop

Emmett Doane with some local resident brown trout

Emmett with a client