jrickman
Senior Member
I've always bought mine in big cheap assortments, but that's mainly because I barely know what I'm doing and tend to just look at what's around where I am fishing, crack open the box and try to match it.
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Tying your own
- Thread starter Qazaq15
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Tight Lines
Senior Member
Complete agree. If you are fishing daily, or making them to sell, then you will definitely save and/or make some money and have a different economic model.
What I was referring to was me, as I'm only able to speak about my own experience, and most other casual fly fisherman...I haven't lost 12 dozen flies since I started fishing hard core with a fly rod in '97. My guess is I've lost possibly 1/3rd of that...maybe...and they were highly varied depending on where I was fishing...and with the cost of vises, desks, materials, etc. there is no way it makes economic sense for me. And that's the case for most fisherman I'd suspect...
I can also make my own fly rods, and my own nets, too but I don't...maybe at some point when the kids are gone...but it's for pleasure for me, not profit...
I admire folks that can tie fast and make money at it...so kudos to you...I ain't one of them!
If you listen to podcasts, you might try this one about fly tying
https://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/
https://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/
You obviously don't fish trout streams in the Smokies overhung with rhododendrons and trees. They demand sacrifice.
I'm positive I can tie flies cheaper than the fly shop ones, if I stuck to just buying materials I needed.
Plus, I can tie them exactly how I want them. And a lot of my favorite patterns aren't sold in fly shops. It's mostly just personal satisfaction, though. Fly tying is nearly as much fun as fly fishing. You don't need that $500 Renzetti vise and all the top-shelf stuff either, btw.
Tight Lines
Senior Member
You obviously don't fish trout streams in the Smokies overhung with rhododendrons and trees. They demand sacrifice.
I'm positive I can tie flies cheaper than the fly shop ones, if I stuck to just buying materials I needed.
I do when I get the chance, but certainly spent a lot more time out West and on open stretches of water...it's rare that I lose a fly I can't get to...once in a while on a submerged stick isn't out of the question...I may have lost more than 3 dozen, but I've not lost 12 dozen for sure! But when I moved to GA and started fishing the overhangs, I had some really really rough humbling days...that's for sure!
I really enjoy doing it, and it is certainly rewarding...and it's cool to tie your own variations...
flyrod444
Senior Member
While I have a regal vise at my tying table I tie most of my flies using a Thompson A vise that is set up on a little table I can use while watching TV sitting on a couch. I bought the Thompson vise for $20.00 back in 1973. Never saw the need for a rotary vise for tying the flies I use. As far as losing flies my client brake off in fish for around 25 percent of my lost flies, but getting nymphs hung on the bottom still accounts for most of them. If your nymph isn't hanging up on the bottom from time to time you aren't getting it deep enough IMHO. Dry flies usually wear out before they are lost.
Tight Lines
Senior Member
My first one and still the one I've used the most was an inexpensive Griffin. Works fine. I bought a Dyna-King later on that was a close out at 50% off...that one is nice but too big to travel (at least the way I do most of the time). There are some nice vices out there, I may pick up one of the specialty ones at some point...
I don`t tie flies to save money nor to make money. I tie them because I enjoy doing it, I like fishing with lures that I made, and it takes the place of flintknapping, a hobby and pastime I can no longer do because of arthritis.
Money has nothing to do with it to me.
Money has nothing to do with it to me.
I started out on one of those Thompsons, still have it somewhere. I bought a Griffin Odeyssey Spider many years ago for about $80, and it's perfect for what I do. Rotary when I want or need it, holds anything securely from midge hooks to big 2/0 Gamakatsu stingers.
When I mostly lose dry flies is when I strike and miss a fish, and it gets hung in a limb about 20' over my head.
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Yep. I'm with you on the knapping too. I can still do it some, I guess, but, boy it absolutely kills my hands.
It won`t get any better either, Steve, I regret to tell you. I went from this, to this.
Those are some fine looking flies, Nic!
Jester896
Senior Clown
Those are nice! Now get him to show you the others
Tight Lines
Senior Member
Oh boy! That's some fly eating territory!Here's my buddy on a creek I took him up speck fishing one day.
At least you can reach the rhododendron bushes.
Tight Lines
Senior Member
Awesome work!
Tight Lines
Senior Member
Yes. I have pulled a lot of flies out of trees and creeks. I've lost a bunch, but saved a bunch too...most of the time you can reach them...if you aren't messing up the fishing...
gobbleinwoods
Keeper of the Magic Word
You obviously don't fish trout streams in the Smokies overhung with rhododendrons and trees. They demand sacrifice.
I'm positive I can tie flies cheaper than the fly shop ones, if I stuck to just buying materials I needed.
Yes you can tie them cheaper than you can buy in a fly shop but there are lots of discount online sellers for about 1/4th or less than the shops sell them for.
And yes I tie because I enjoy it.
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Yeah, I can buy all kinds of cheap things on the internet made by enslaved Asian sweatshop children that suck, don't function right, and start falling apart at first use.
Concrete Pete
Senior Member
I use Big Y and they’ve been great. The only reason I started tying was because they don’t let you pick a bead size on nymphs. Sometimes I want a heavy bead for deep water or a light bead for shallow.
Outside of that they’re pretty good and I’d rather not pay the markup the fly shops add to flies from the same tying houses all things being equal.
