dudemanspecial
Well-known member
How much money and time I am losing or saving has absolutely zero factor on my decision to be a fly tier.
For an individual, custom tier, everything is 40-50% cheaper and quality is relatively assured in comparison to scouring the interwebs for a deal.I get your point about wholesale materials but I cant imagine it's much savings.
Guide / "Pro" deals for rods, etc. seem to be about 50% off in my experience. Do you - or does anyone else - have a sense if that roughly equates to the wholesale price a shop is paying for those items?For an individual, custom tier, everything is 40-50% cheaper and quality is relatively assured in comparison to scouring the interwebs for a deal.
But, if you were really cranking out flies like in an Asian or African factory you would have some deals worked out for for huge quantities of staple items. Things like chenille, marabou, etc. would be bought in pounds and hundreds of yards. Even things like dry fly hackle would be bought in enormous quantity.
If so, is that 40-50% off roughly an industry standard that would apply to "pro" tiers and shops buying tying materials too?
I did have a little bit of sticker shock that day we went in there, and if you remember correctly, I wanted red thread. I didn't realize they didn't sell tying materials.Jonas from the feathered hook will be happy to sell you locally tied flies at $6-$10 a piece.
Fly Fisher's sells local flies for sure -- just had this discussion explicitly with them last time I was in the shop.I did have a little bit of sticker shock that day we went in there, and if you remember correctly, I wanted red thread. I didn't realize they didn't sell tying materials.
I don't love a lot of fly shops, but I do appreciate a couple of them. I like Fly Fisher's, and I like Aquatic Imitations. I think the TCO shop in State College is a really nice store, but they rubbed me the wrong way years ago. It isn't all of their employees, but a few. I will admit that I don't like Fly Fisher's as much now as I used to when Steve owned it, either.
To me, the ambiance of the fly shop is what makes or breaks it.
Also, Fly Fisher's definitely sells local flies. The Feathered Hook sells local flies. Spruce Creek sells some local flies. I don't know about any others.
Would love to help you out but I tie every fly I fish so my recommendation is to start tying your own quality flies at roughly a quarter per fly. It’s a very straight forward and easy process requiring only the most basic of equipment.
I can't either but I know many who do not tie.I can't imagine being a fly fisherman and not tying.
I’ve enjoyed my trips to the “Hook” when my buddy from VA drops $80 on flies and Jonas looks at me and I say “I’m good…I tie!”Jonas from the feathered hook will be happy to sell you locally tied flies at $6-$10 a piece.