TCO fly shop materials?

[Yotrout]

I am in need of some tying supplies and plan to check out there shop just outside Philadelphia sometime this weekend. I was just wondering if they were over priced or not. I shopped around a bit and found cheaper materials but im wondering if the quality is a factor. Im not too far from Cabelas and can purchase there too. Im sure ordering the stuff online would be the cheapest route but i really want to check out TCO and of all the times ive been to Cabelas i never stepped foot in the fly shop. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks ahead.

 

[wsender]

Not sure about that TCO, but I'm sure they're all similar. I would say they have a great assortment of materials and the pricing is appropriate for the quality of materials sold there.

 

[tocar]

Though I've never been to the Philly TCO shop, I have bought materials from the Reading store since Tony first opened. I have never bought anything there that wasn't good quality. I'd assume the Philly store carries the same products as the others. Top name brands will fetch a slightly higher price (especially for feathers). Check out the TCO branded products (the hook prices are great and the dubbing is really nice).

peace-tony c.

 

[PALongbow]

I shop at TCO in Reading just about every weekend. They carry a nice selection of tying material and their prices are inline with everyone else.

Ron

 

[jayL]

TCO Bryn Mawr/Philly has a way smaller selection than the TCO reading store. It's like the drive-thru version.

I find it's nice for a quick fix of hooks and thread. I bat about .400 on finding what I need as far as materials. It's better than nothin'.

The TCO flagship store in reading has a very good selection.

As a general rule, fly shops are always expensive. You're paying a huge premium for service and for browsing, as well as for information about local streams. I enjoy them, but if I were out to just save money, I'd order online or go to big box stores. Most complaints about fly shop pricing are from unreasonable people that, in my opinion, are going for the wrong reasons.

 

[kyle1248]

I find the TCO Brand items to be good quality and a good price. I have really been impressed with the hooks.

 

[SBecker]

Or you could take a ride up to the Pocono's for the first day of trout up that way and stop at Evening hatch fly shop and be amazed at there selection of tying materials.

Tco Bryn Mawr does not have a ton of materials, but Reading does. Cabelas, is crap.

 

[Yotrout]

Anyone use hackle and/or feathers from A.C. Moore? I saw some in there a little while ago but figured id ask here before i waste my money.

 

[flytyingfred]

I have gotten feathers from AC moore and also Michaels. They have some cheap peacock herl and the rest of the stuff in my opinion is pretty junky for fly tying unless you want to tie maybe saltwater flies.I did find a store in Elmira ny that sells goose biots a huge bag for 2.29 but they dont have too many colors. There are some things that you can only find there like the Krylon workable fixative I use for my wings.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

I can't speak of the philly area but:

TCO is a bit (very little) more expensive for the same items compared to FFP in State College. TCO does carry "higher end" or more exotic materials which are pricey, which could give the feel of the store being more expensive.

Shops versus on-line. Just like anything in life, There are some instances were tying materials (excluding hooks and beads) were cheaper at shops than on-line, mostly they are the same or very close, and others where on-line was much cheaper. I guess it depends on the shop and the item.

 

[Chief]

If you are looking for great prices and a supply of tying materials check out the following Fly Shop. Brand new shipment of high quality materials, hooks, etc. at prices that can't be beat.

Classic Fly Fisherman
222 S. Broad Street
Lansdale , PA 19446
Toll Free: 1-866-930-3667 Phone: (215) 412-3667
Fax: (215) 412-3606

http://www.classicflyfisherman.com/

Chief

 

[jdaddy]

Yotrout,

If you are willing to go to Cabelas then TCO Reading should be about the same distance for you. As noted above, the TCO branded hooks are great quality and current have buy 4 get 1 free. Note that they are already very competitively priced in their branded hooks. I have had one hook eye that was messed up but I have experienced no broken hooks or problems with the hooks. The TCO branded dubbing has some nice colors, like their blended orange/yellow sulphur material is great.

I find it pretty funny that people say Cabelas is crap without qualifying the statement. 90% of the stuff they sell there is the same brand/quality as items sold in independent fly shops. A bag of Wotton SLF dubbing is a bag of SLF dubbing. Same for Whiting hackle, Tiemco hooks, etc, etc, etc. Likewise I find it funny when people say that independent fly shops are more expensive than Cabelas. So much of this stuff is price fixed that the pricing is identical. I should do a comparison shop some day. Would be interesting.

So, for your case, I suggest you head on over to Reading TCO. I would suggest list in hand because when you get there you are going to be over whelmed. Try to figure out what you need. If you don't know, then ask here and we can help you out. If we get together to fish the Tully then we could head over to TCO and I could introduce you to the guys and help you out on material selection best I can.

 

[jdaddy]

Oh, and here is my source for beads. He is the importer and supplier for the big guys and has GREAT prices on tung beads. The natural color is a really good value and the dark matte finish is awesome for a lot of stuff like stone flies, etc.

http://flyfisharkansas.com/flyshop/?page_id=13

 

[nymphingmaniac]

there are less expensive sources of W beads if you are willing to buy in packages of 100.
http://www.fishegear.com/servlet/the-Tungsten-Fly-Tying-Beads/Categories

 

[jdaddy]

nymphingmaniac wrote:
there are less expensive sources of W beads if you are willing to buy in packages of 100.
http://www.fishegear.com/servlet/the-Tungsten-Fly-Tying-Beads/Categories

The source I listed is pretty flexible when you start ordering quantities but I didn't really want to lay out the price I paid for combining a bunch of orders. They have free shipping too.

Place you listed has some great prices on a bunch of stuff though.

 

[Yotrout]

My official review of TCO philly.

Awesome! I have to start at the parking lot.Being on a tight budget (Cut me some slack i just started a company :-o ) I was a little nervous when i arrived as the parking lot was BMW,BMW,BMW,Volvo,Mercedes,BMW. Literally in that order. I remember. The shop was beautiful and has what i believe all ill ever need. I headed straight for the tying materials and then got overwhelmed. Too much stuff. I stared a nearly hour long conversation with Steve and he straightened me right out. I got the materials i needed and spent slightly less than what i budgeted. The advice he gave me complimented advice from here. Ill be spending alot more time and money there. Guaranteed!

 

[nymphingmaniac]

sounds like a good and productive trip to the local shop.

 

[BrandonMH]

Man, I wish I knew that was down there. When my dad was down in Malvern/Paoli for therapy, and at Bryn Mawr I would have tried to find it. Although I didn't drive down there all the time, which was nice, I would sit in the back while sis drove and listen to Rossenbaur's fly fishing podcast and doze off half the time since we went down on the weekends.

 

[BrandonMH]

By the way, how are the Orvis at Plymouth meeting and Doylestown? I wanted to make a run down there weeks ago and never made it. Cabelas does have some cheaper stuff, but decent for thread/floss and some dubbing or other minor things. I don't think I ever saw hungarian partridge in there tho, I got that at Sporting Lifestyle a year or so ago.

 

[Yotrout]

I saw an Orvis store in West Chester when i was messing with this girl from WCU. Never stopped in though. This was prior to my new addiction. Looked pretty big and really expensive.