What Does an Orvis “Endorsement” Mean for a Guide or Lodge?


Derek Young, 2011 Orvis-Endorsed Guide of the Year on the Yakima River.

photo courtesy Derek Young

Have you ever wondered what it means for a guide or a lodge to be “Orvis Endorsed”? Apparently, a lot of anglers have pondered this question. But rather than give you a dry recitation of what goes into the program that we call Endorsed Lodges, Outfitters, and Guides (ELOG), it’s more fun to get the info from the mouths of the customers and guides involved.

Leland Miyawaki, fishing manager of the Orvis store in Bellevue, Washington, sent me a link to a discussion thread on the Washington Fly Fishing forum in which the issue of Orvis endorsements is raised. The discussion is illuminating both in the preconceived notions of some people about what endorsement really means and the powerful experiences described by others. It’s a fascinating read, full of contrary opinions, bald honesty, and even some actual facts!

Click here to read the discussion on Washington Fly Fishing.

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