It is currently 28 Mar 2024, 15:53


1, 2  Next New Topic Add Reply

How much do you spend on flies per year?
Less than $50 on pre-tied flies 18%  18%  [ 23 ]
$50 to $100 on pre-tied flies 9%  9%  [ 12 ]
More than $100 on pre-tied flies 7%  7%  [ 9 ]
Less than $50 tying my own 15%  15%  [ 19 ]
$50-$100 tying my own 20%  20%  [ 26 ]
More than $100 tying my own 30%  30%  [ 39 ]
Total votes : 128
Author Message
How much $ per year?
Post 08 Jun 2017, 19:20 • #1 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/02/13
Posts: 1173
Location: Milwaukee, WI
I was curious what everyone spends on flies each year. I realize some of us fish much more than others. And some have a narrow focus while others go after anything with gills. But I often wonder if it's more cost effective to tie your own or buy in bulk. This is ignoring the obvious idea that tying your own is more fun, relaxing, creative, therapeutic or effective in catching fish.

But what would you guess you spend, either buying flies from someone else, or on tying material plus any annual equipment expense?


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 08 Jun 2017, 21:30 • #2 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/09/16
Posts: 746
Location: Colorado
Image


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 08 Jun 2017, 21:34 • #3 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/21/12
Posts: 462
Location: US-NY
I spend next to nothing on pre tied flies and a lot on tying my own. I've spent over $100 in hooks alone so far this year let alone other materials.


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 08 Jun 2017, 22:04 • #4 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/09/16
Posts: 746
Location: Colorado
All kidding aside, If you fish a lot you do save money by tying your own. As most tyers know, tying flies is an addiction unto itself and cost savings has very little to do with why we tie.


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 08 Jun 2017, 22:38 • #5 
Master Guide
Joined: 08/10/15
Posts: 385
Location: US-NJ
Do my personal flies cost much less per fly than if I had bought them? Absolutely. And I would be ahead of the game if all I purchased were the materials for "those" flies. But such is the life of a fly tyer. :)


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 09 Jun 2017, 08:53 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/22/16
Posts: 1760
Location: SJC
I only started doing tying in January and yes, it became a full-blown habit :) I very much doubt that I am saving money by tying my own flies, but now I have a better understanding of what each pattern I tie is supposed to imitate and what features are important (vs. what features are more for, um, "aesthetic" purposes).

Part of it is that some patterns are difficult to obtain. Others I go through a lot of, and it has become fairly easy and convenient for me to tie more myself.

I still buy some patterns, mostly things like foam dragonflies, weighted crayfish, etc. which I am not yet comfortable tying myself. Some other flies I buy simply to see how "pro" tiers do it. Sometimes I find that I like the results I create more than what I could buy, and it is possible to mix and match materials in ways that are impossible or expensive when buying pre-tied flies.

I've also started tying patterns I never would have bought before, and enjoy the creative outlet in and of itself, too. I think the dollar figure is really not a good measurement; I've found that the whole tying experience really adds a huge dimension to fly fishing.


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 09 Jun 2017, 10:15 • #7 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/14/15
Posts: 684
Location: NM
I chose $100+ tying my own, but that doesn't seem like an outrageous amount to me. I will admit that I buy some trout flies because I have no interest in tying really small flies, so maybe add another $100 or more depending on how often I get out for trout per year.

I actually do think I save a decent amount of money tying my own--ever look up the prices on pike and muskie flies? 30 bucks per?! :eek


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 09 Jun 2017, 10:26 • #8 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/23/15
Posts: 654
Location: Texas bound
Over $100 in materials. Usually hooks thread lead eyes and whatever material grabs my eye or is needed for new patterns I want to try. I love creating new flies or testing new to me pattetns.

I save money on some patterns - like the Game Changer for example. They retail locally when you csn find them for $15 per fly - I can tie 4 or 5x as many for the same price.

On things like std dries and nymphs I probably spend more per fly as they can be had for less than 50 cents online.

I try not to thing of how much individual flies cost tho as it makes the wallet wimper sometimes ;)


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 09 Jun 2017, 10:51 • #9 
Master Guide
Joined: 05/30/13
Posts: 853
Location: Wisconsin Driftless
I probably spend around $500 a year on fly tying supplies. That's likely a lowball answer as its something I don't really think about. There's no money to be saved. Ask me how much I've spent on materials to tie a fly once lol. Or to try out new materials. But there's big upside to it imho. One, it's more satisfying to catch fish on flies I've tied. And two, I can tie flies I cannot buy and that gives me a great advantage over the 1000s of anglers who stick to whatever the fly shop has. Something different, something maybe more in tune with what's in a certain stream. Color combos you just can't come across, etc.


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 09 Jun 2017, 11:57 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/05/10
Posts: 5229
Location: Mid Hudson Valley of New York
i cast my vote-- $50-$100/ yr. but it is way closer to $50/yr mostly for thread and hooks. 95% of my tying is trout flies and the rest for warmwater.

after tying for 40 yrs there isnt much i need in materials, and if i dont have it there are substitutes that work for many materials. you just need to be willing to deviate from a fixed pattern for instance, i routinely use woodchuck guard hairs for tailing on some dry flies; i sub calf tail for bucktail; almost any primary quill feather can be used for winging wet flies, or for wing cases on nymphs... and so on...


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 09 Jun 2017, 21:14 • #11 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/19/14
Posts: 3924
Location: USA - Illinois
Agree with hotdish that I don't think there is money to be saved. I only tie nymphs, an occasional dry (very seldom), and trying to tie some decent soft hackles. I buy most (99%) of my dries online or from a local shop. I have tied hundreds and hundreds of bonefish flies, but they are big and easy.


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 10 Jun 2017, 09:50 • #12 
Guide
Joined: 02/05/17
Posts: 131
Location: NorCal
Flys are allmpst 3$ a pop here. Then if you want to toss a big streamer or bass popper it can be up to 15$ a fly. Then there's steelhead intruders ect. Definitely cheaper to tie them. Although I am probably at 200$+ on materials this year already.

Also most fly's are tied on garbage hooks if you ask me. I hate straightening a hook using 4 or 5x tippet or tying a knot and the whole body of your store bought fly rotates and slides down the shank.


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 10 Jun 2017, 16:20 • #13 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 03/30/09
Posts: 1525
Location: Hamilton,Ontario,Canada
Then there are flies that work really well but you cant buy anywhere.


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 10 Jun 2017, 19:02 • #14 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/03/07
Posts: 2055
Location: Marble Falls, Texas
Exactly, Stonefly. My favorite streamers can't be purchased.

I tie virtually all of my warmwater flies, I tend to buy trout dries when I can fish cold water. Eyes and hands aren't up to small stuff anymore.


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 10 Jun 2017, 19:07 • #15 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/02/13
Posts: 1173
Location: Milwaukee, WI
That's basically all of my flies. I never buy anything bigger than a 16 and lately I've been fishing mostly size 20 or 22 midges. So buying online at 50 cents a pop seems pretty reasonable.


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 10 Jun 2017, 22:14 • #16 
Guide
Joined: 04/04/13
Posts: 197
Location: Central Maryland
I haven't bought a fly in several years, although in the past, I've bought flies on trips when I didn't bring anything matching local hatches, or at shows where the price was too good to pass up on common flies.

It's hard to estimate what I spend on tying for myself since I provide materials for the tying classes I teach, and donate many flies to various causes. Certainly more than $100/year, though.

It's not about cost, though. I can't buy most of the flies I fish the most.


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 12 Jun 2017, 10:22 • #17 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/25/16
Posts: 1069
Location: Rocky Mountains - Colorado
I am a newby tier so the $$ is off on both, with the needed purchases of pre-tied flys so that I can fish and the costs of starting up as a tier just getting the basics. I think its like re-loading ammo...the costs will level out as long as I don't get bit by the bug making me need to tie with Jungle Cock feathers and lessons to learn to tie those great deer hair poppers...


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 12 Jun 2017, 19:41 • #18 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/27/16
Posts: 2327
Location: US-IL
this year i have spent 0.00 as i have bought so much in bulk.switched over to mostly all barbless hooks for my panfish bugs so spent alot on hooks last year bought several hundred mostly sz 12. forgot did buy 1000 2/0 kink shank popper hooks at a show this year as the guy wouldn't sell me 100.i will probably never use more than 10.if i ever make it to a trout stream i will buy local flies.i do buy vintage flies and flies from some unique tyers just to look at


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 12 Jun 2017, 19:59 • #19 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/21/13
Posts: 704
Location: Perth, Western Australia
I spend more than $100 a year on tying flies. I'm not tying flies to save money in any manner. I tie them because I enjoy catching fish on flies I have tied myself (and on rods I've built myself where possible.)

I do occasionally buy a fly so that I can see how the tying was done and I have a model to work towards (or sometimes away from). It's rare that I fish with a fly tied by someone else though.

It's fly fishing. It's expensive. I accept that.

Cheers,
Graeme


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 17 Jun 2017, 11:09 • #20 
Guide
Joined: 01/20/16
Posts: 297
Location: Pershing, Missouri
Like others, catching fish on flies I have tied is fulfilling. I have been tying for just a few years now, and still spend an easy $100 or more per year on tying materials and supplies....do they cost less than "store bought"??? Who knows.....but the upside is that I have more flies tied already than I could ever use in my lifetime!


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 17 Jun 2017, 13:09 • #21 
Master Guide
Joined: 04/27/09
Posts: 573
Location: US-SD
Since I am loaded up on supplies (overloaded actually) I don't need to spend much to tie my own flies. Getting to this point probably was not entirely cost-effective though! Sometimes I will buy flies from shops local to where I am fishing in order to learn what works best there; I can usually come close to duplicating these for when I return to each area.


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 17 Jun 2017, 16:51 • #22 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/12/06
Posts: 1184
Location: US-CA
I replied $50 - $100 as I tie almost all the flies I use. I'll buy when I stop in a local shop and ask for some info, I figure that's a fair trade. However at a $100 a year for over 45 years, I've accumulated $4500 to $5000 in materials, hooks and tools. :eek :eek :lol What a savings!!!
Respectfully rvreclus


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 18 Jun 2017, 05:39 • #23 
Guide
Joined: 02/05/15
Posts: 262
Location: Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Like most folks have been tying a long time so have most of the materials I usually need. Still spend around $100 a year, mostly on good hooks and tungsten beads. Mostly fish various beadheads, nymphs and wet flies for trout. Usually buy a couple of dozen dries each year at around $1.50 per fly. As others have noted tying my own allows me to fish flies tied much sparser, simplier and hopefully more effective than purchased flies.


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 18 Jun 2017, 06:57 • #24 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/23/08
Posts: 944
Location: US-MT
I used to spend a lot. It would have been cheaper to buy flies. All along. But that's not the point. Then geezerhood happened and now i'm coasting on what I already have. There will be a hell of a garage sale someday.


Top
  
Quote
Re: How much $ per year?
Post 18 Jun 2017, 10:59 • #25 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
I've got years to go before geezerhood and I'm coasting on supplies for the most part. A good saddle will last a lifetime at my rate and if you limit yourself to 3 colors and 4 sizes, you're only into it for ...... never mind.


Top
  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  

1, 2  Next New Topic Add Reply



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
Google
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group