Mary with a great catch!
Position: Fly Fishing Manager
Location: Virginia Beach.
Specialties: Fly Fishing, Fly Tying
When did you start at GOPC? 1/05/26
Mary fly fishing for red drum
What (or who!) first introduced you to the outdoors lifestyle?
My dad introduced me to the outdoors! He loved nature and had great respect for protecting, preserving, and understanding the dangers of it. He was trained in forestry and had me memorize all the species of trees and what they were used for. We used to build shelters in the coastal North Carolina pinewoods, examine salamanders in the streams of the Appalachian mountains, and snack on wild blueberries and persimmons. It was a childhood of adventure and wonder!
What's been your most memorable trip/outdoors experience?
I have so many memorable experiences to include riding an elephant through the jungle of Thailand, hiking diamond head in Hawaii, and watching the sunrise in the Chesapeake bay from a fishing boat. However, as of now my most memorable moment is fly fishing in Alaska! It helped me understand bears better, overcome a fear of small airplanes, and bring home 50 pounds of salmon to hand out to family and friends. The beauty of Alaska is unmatched!
Mary on a fishing trip with friends
Views from the aircraft
What first brought you to GOPC and what do you love about working there?
I’m going to say my coworker Clay made me excited about GOPC! He tied flies with my veterans fly fishing group, Project Healing Waters, about 3 years ago. I have kept one of his poppers in my fly box ever since for good luck and a reminder that it takes healthy curiosity, patience, and time to develop a new skill or hobby so you have to give yourself grace if you want to succeed!
I really enjoy my coworkers at GOPC! They are so friendly, knowledgeable, and the kind of people I’m excited to swap stories with. I also love that the products we carry really speak for themselves. Offering such honest to goodness products means we don’t have to rely on any aggressive or pushy sales tactics to attract customers. Our customers are also some of my favorite people in Virginia Beach because they come in ready to recycle wool socks, invest in b-corp products, and support local business!
Mary catching trout
What has been your most special customer moment?
At one of our fly tying socials, a father brought in his teen son. Watching them together enjoying tying flies on a too-cold to fish just yet winter night to use in future endeavors really touched my heart. I think I might have teared up a few times imagining the beautiful memories they are making together like I did with my dad!
