No fly shops in Ludlow, unless one has popped up since I was up there last year. Nearest is probably down in Manchester where there are a couple. Including the Orvis main store. There's also a lot of good shopping in Manchester with various outlets. There's one in Stowe, but that's a good hour's drive north on Route 100. The Vermont Country Store in Weston is worth the trip and across the street is the Weston Country store. The Long Trail Brewing Company is on the Ottaquechee River in West Bridgewater. Intersection of Rt 4 and 100A. Calvin Coolidge was born in Plymouth, VT on 100A. There's an excellent cheese place in the town. I think they offer tours of the production area. Okemo Mountain is just outside of Ludlow. You're a half hour or so from Killington Ski area. I'm sure both have some events going on.
Of course the fishing. I always buy my license on line. My sister has a place about 15 minutes outside of Ludlow, so I always buy the season license but they have 3 day and 7 day license. There's a lot of places to fish. The Black River runs through Ludlow I've tried it in town a couple of times but the best spots are south of town. You head down Rt 103 and make a left on Rt 131 which parallels the Black and a couple of miles down the road you'll start seeing pull-offs. There's also a trophy stretch which the state stocks with some very large fish. The Black has it origins north of Plymouth Union on RT 100. It use to be a decent brook trout stream but I've haven't seen or caught any in a few years. It runs through two lakes on the way down to Ludlow if you can find a spot to fish it's excellent pan fish and bass fishing and they're also stocked with trout. As you get closer to Ludlow there's a Maple syrup place on the left. I always stop and get a Maple Milkshake or pick up a quart of the Maple Cream. There's also the Ottauqueechee along Rt 4 I've fished the stretch between Bridgewater and Woodstock. Several pull-offs will give you access. The Williams River is south on 103 near Chester. There are a bunch of lakes in the area also. Plenty of things to do and places to fish. Enjoy yourself.
