Daily struggle of running business carries many rewards
By Dan Nielsen
Traverse City Record-Eagle
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) - Brian Pitser turned his lifelong passion into a job he loves.
He bought The Northern Angler four years ago. The shop sells fly fishing equipment, arranges guided fishing trips and offers lessons in fly fishing and fly tying. Running the shop has been everything Pitser dreamed it would be. But owning a business isn't easy.
"When you make your passion your livelihood, it's always a struggle," Pitser told the Traverse City Record-Eagle. "You can't really take your foot off the gas. You always have to be looking at the next thing you'll be doing."
The daily struggle carries with it many rewards. Pitser came from a background of working in the corporate world. Just before buying Northern Anglers, he'd worked as a sales representative for several fishing equipment brands. Guiding fishing trips had been part of his life for many years. At one time, he guided 280 days a year. When he worked in the corporate world, he had to squeeze in his passion for guiding between the demands of the suit-and-tie job.
"I wouldn't trade the river for that corporate office for anything," he said.
Operating Northern Anglers keeps him in the shop at least six days a week, even in winter. But he carves out time to guide river trips. He maintains a stable of other guides his customers also use. The shop has five in-store employees. A few more workers join the crew during the busy summer season.
This December's mild weather has kept fishing enthusiasts on the area's rivers and lakes later than usual. Pitser said the guides with whom he works led several trips last week and were scheduled to lead more this week.
"This is one of the few places in America where you can make a year-round living as a guide," he said.
The bitter weather in western states famous for fly fishing can cut the season short, he said. Michigan's relatively mild winters (compared to Montana or Idaho), make winter fly fishing both possible and enjoyable.
Fly fishing is a relatively small industry in the national and global scene, Pitser said. But its enthusiasts tend to be very enthusiastic. In addition to managing the shop and offering guide services, Pitser also ties flies, offers private instruction and makes presentations to fishing groups around the state and a fishing trade shows in the Midwest.
"It's a wonderful sense of freedom. If you love your job, you never work a day in your life," Pitser said. "This job is awesome."
Published: Tue, Jan 13, 2015
