Located just outside Portland and a stone’s throw from the Willamette River in West Linn, OR, Royal Treatment Fly Shop offers a comprehensive inventory of fly fishing equipment from top brands, and serves as a community center for conservation-minded anglers from across the Portland metro area. Named after a steelhead fly that owner Joel La Follette dreamed up on the banks of the Deschutes River in 1996, Royal Treatment caters to local trout, salmon, and steelhead anglers, but reaches beyond local fishing destinations with hosted travel and a solid selection of saltwater flies, rods, and tackle as well. In the eight years since the shop opened in 2010, La Follette and his crew have developed a hard-earned reputation for knowledgeable, friendly service and a commitment to promoting fly fishing both locally and internationally.
“I opened Royal Treatment to provide a sense of community for fellow fly fishers in the Portland area. Our shop isn’t about selling, but about helping our customers experience fly fishing both here in Oregon and abroad,” La Follette said on a recent visit to the shop. On a busy morning, customers perused fly rods from Sage, Winston, G Loomis, Burkheimer, and Echo, while members of the Tualatin Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited braved the January chill outside where they were accepting last year’s Christmas trees as part of their Christmas for Coho fundraiser.
La Follette’s commitment to the fly fishing industry and the broader conservation community span many years and multiple organizations. In addition to supporting Trout Unlimited through Christmas for Coho and as a Gold Level TU Endorsed Business, he was just elected to the board of directors for the American Fly Fishing Trade Association, and has spent the last 13 years as a volunteer for Casting for Recovery. La Follette also hosts an annual trip for armed services veterans with Project Healing Waters, teaches a fly fishing course at Reed College, and serves as a volunteer for SalmonWatch where he teaches local students entomology. On top of all that, the guy can fish, as he recently took the title for the inaugural Oregon Native-Trout-A-Thon, which his shop also happens to host.
Wild Steelheaders United appreciates the support of the Royal Treatment Fly Fishing and everything Joel and his staff do for coldwater fisheries in the Willamette Valley and beyond. Next time you’re in the Portland area, stop by for a visit.