Fly Prices...What the?

[TheLegend]

This may have been posted before but why are fly prices so high?

I remember when at WSS they were only 1.25 each and 12 dollars for a dozen (Still high priced in my opinion). Now 2 dollars each and 20 bucks for a dozen????

[lannie]

Try www.ickyflyworks.ca

[uplander]

I payed 7$ for a crab fly last week and 70$ for a sal****er kit of about 12 flies. It's ridiculous I know there hard to tie and there's Hackle shortages Wich play a part in high prices but unless u know how to tie your stuck paying the big price. Luckily I can tie but there's only so much I can do ha. There's a few sites that have good flies for less money like ickyflyworks and streamflies Wich is nice but not always the best selection.

[Rockymtnx]

I was at Bass Pro on the weekend and they had 12 for $10.00.
I paid under $1.00 for them during the Fishin Holes wall to wall sale.

[Okotokian]

DAMN YOU STEVEN TYLER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

Blame American Idol

[Mickey]

Women are tying the same materials into their hair now and driving the prices up.

No Joke.

[Ken07AOVette]

If you can tie 60 flies an hour you will make good money. Great money.

I would bet that the flies you are talking about take a professional somewhere between 30-180 seconds to make, then add profit for the wholesaler, distributor and retailer, so at 3 minutes per fly, the manufacturer gets $20.00 per hour IF he gets all the profit. Then subtract the cost of the hooks, supplies, shipping which of course is minimal.

If I am tying a fairly simple one takes me 3 minutes or less, but there is no way I would sit there 8-14 hours per day, x days per week, 52 weeks per year tying flies.

I get it.

[TheLegend]

Yeah 2 bucks for a size 18 fly is crazy. Should be 10 cents.

[lippy]

This may have been posted before but why are fly prices so high?

I remember when at WSS they were only 1.25 each and 12 dollars for a dozen (Still high priced in my opinion). Now 2 dollars each and 20 bucks for a dozen????

Fashion crazies in European countries...particularly France.. have made it fashionable for hair,hats etc..to be adorned with feathers.I have heard that companies that supply hackles to fly shops are low in inventory due to this high demand which is driving the prices of capes used for tying ..higher and higher....expect prices to remain high or higher as the feathers become rarer and as long as this "feather fad" continues!!

[jrs]

I think prices make sense. It takes time to make them, even small dries are tough to do in only a few minutes. I know guys that have tied "professionaly" and its not a money making venture. I tie my own, but have never sold for less than $1.50/fly, aside from some nymphs and worms that are real quick. If its too expensive, start tying your own. It adds up quick.

[Ken07AOVette]

I think prices make sense. It takes time to make them, even small dries are tough to do in only a few minutes. I know guys that have tied "professionaly" and its not a money making venture. I tie my own, but have never sold for less than $1.50/fly, aside from some nymphs and worms that are real quick. If its too expensive, start tying your own. It adds up quick.

+1 I agree

I bought $1000 worth of fly tying gear, in the hopes that it would put me into a zen state, teach me some patience, open up the artistic side of me...... http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/Robbert_Bapalapashamalamadingdong/smiley_zen.gif

Nope. Make an offer. :sign0176:

[Jwood 456]

DAMN YOU STEVEN TYLER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

Blame American Idol

Lol...:sHa_sarcasticlol:

[Jwood 456]

I think prices make sense. It takes time to make them, even small dries are tough to do in only a few minutes. I know guys that have tied "professionaly" and its not a money making venture. I tie my own, but have never sold for less than $1.50/fly, aside from some nymphs and worms that are real quick. If its too expensive, start tying your own. It adds up quick.

X2. I have a fly tying kit at home that was sent down from my Grandpa. I was into fly tying for a bit and was improving at it quickly. I should definitely think about getting into fly tying again.

[Jayhad]

Most of the retailers are moving away from cheap flies as the don't last long and the hooks are of sub par quality bending easily. WSS recently dumped their complete line of flies to bring a different higher quality fly selection.

In fly shops a lot of the. flies are tied by locals, so there is an increase in labour costs.... the days of 10 cent flys are gone.... like the 60s. Just a pack of quality hooks averages for me at about 35-45 cents per HOOK, before I put a $15 hackle on it... my wire worms are 20 cents each not factoring my time and I am buying those hooks in lot boxes

I have a buddy who commercially ties here in Calgary and he gets just over $8.00 and hour

[Pikecrazed]

This may have been posted before but why are fly prices so high?

I remember when at WSS they were only 1.25 each and 12 dollars for a dozen (Still high priced in my opinion). Now 2 dollars each and 20 bucks for a dozen????

I talked to the guy at wss and he said that they moved to higher quality flies and that's why there more expensive

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

Yeah 2 bucks for a size 18 fly is crazy. Should be 10 cents.

WOW DUDE WOW

you cant even make them that cheep .

I own a fishing tackle company I make between 150 and 200 hooks in a day ,
Im using top quality products , best hooks , best materials , and then my time , not to mention packageing .

I can make a hook for about 3.00 I then turn around and sell 2 of them for 8.00 .

I think people need to stop being so damn cheep .

[fishstix]

I haven't bought a fly to use on the water in a long time. I have bought a few to use as patterns.
I find tying flies is relaxing and rewarding. in fact 2 day I have tied several wooly buggers and a double bunney for the bull trout.

[pikergolf]

WOW DUDE WOW

you cant even make them that cheep .

I own a fishing tackle company I make between 150 and 200 hooks in a day ,
Im using top quality products , best hooks , best materials , and then my time , not to mention packageing .

I can make a hook for about 3.00 I then turn around and sell 2 of them for 8.00 .

I think people need to stop being so damn cheep .

I don't think everybody can appreciate how much work it takes to tie one, I've tie over 500 this winter and still can't do one in under 5 min. then you factor in materials etc. and I can see the price being high. Unless you've actually tied I think everyone thinks it's expensive, if you tie you know how little the tier is actually making.

[pikergolf]

+1 I agree

I bought $1000 worth of fly tying gear, in the hopes that it would put me into a zen state, teach me some patience, open up the artistic side of me...... http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/h330/Robbert_Bapalapashamalamadingdong/smiley_zen.gif

Nope. Make an offer. :sign0176:

You gotta get inspired Ken, watch some fishing videos until you're convinced that you need a certain fly then google it and tie away. lol

[uplander]

Exactly, tying is hard and takes awhile, to make a fly all pretty and nice can be danm near impossible at times. Tying may cut cost Abit but in the end if you love to fly fish just deal with it. It can be a pain but to think one fly could catch you some of the biggest fish (or trees) in your life it's pretty worth it .

[flyguyd]

Yeah 2 bucks for a size 18 fly is crazy. Should be 10 cents.

Try tying one :thinking-006:

[Ken07AOVette]

You gotta get inspired Ken, watch some fishing videos until you're convinced that you need a certain fly then google it and tie away. lol

I actually had a great teacher, who went with me to the stores to get the gear, and he taught me a lot. I did a few fly swaps, made a couple hundred flies, but still really haven't even gone fly fishing, so the interest is not there.

Make an offer :)

[pikergolf]

I actually had a great teacher, who went with me to the stores to get the gear, and he taught me a lot. I did a few fly swaps, made a couple hundred flies, but still really haven't even gone fly fishing, so the interest is not there.

Make an offer :)

Had I known at the beginning of winter I would have, but I'm in it for a shwack of cash now too.

[pikergolf]

Exactly, tying is hard and takes awhile, to make a fly all pretty and nice can be danm near impossible at times. Tying may cut cost Abit but in the end if you love to fly fish just deal with it. It can be a pain but to think one fly could catch you some of the biggest fish (or trees) in your life it's pretty worth it .

I run about 10 trees to a fish. Still haven't tied any dries yet lots of emergers. I've been studying the CDC dries and have ordered some CDC, it's a lot cheaper than hackle right now, and supposed to be the cat's meow, we'll see.

[Pudelpointer]

I run about 10 trees to a fish. Still haven't tied any dries yet lots of emergers. I've been studying the CDC dries and have ordered some CDC, it's a lot cheaper than hackle right now, and supposed to be the cat's meow, we'll see.

Shoot a duck!

[pikergolf]

Shoot a duck!

Wish I could but it's closed. lol

[Lornce]

It's not just the fashion craze that has upped the price of flies. The price of hooks have soared along with a lot of other materials including labor. I tied for shops in BC and Alberta since the early sixties but dropped commercial tying a few years ago when the price of materials became so dear.

Mind you the other funny thing is that guys will not hesitate buy an expensive fly rod and other gear in the thousands but balk when a local tier wants to make a living at $1.50 or $2.00 a fly. They would rather buy off shoar flies that either fall apart or patterns that are not made for our waters.

[grinr]

WOW!! $20/doz is too much??
Go ahead, tie them yerself then.After you've spent several hundred $$ on tools,hooks and material,then spend a few hundred hours at the vise to get to the skill level and speed required just to crank out a dozen SIMPLE flies per hour,factor in your material cost per fly along with your time and then you might be qualified to come on a forum and moan about how flies cost too much these days? :rolleyes:
I honestly don't understand how skilled local tiers can possibly even compete with the cheap,substandard quality,3rd world sweatshop/child slave labor flies that have flooded the North American internet angling market at a buck a piece and less??
$20/doz for good quality local flies IS A STEAL,especially if you consider that the tier will be doing well to earn anything more than minimum wage for his skill and experience.

Personally speaking,I'd much rather pay a bit more for quality flies that are tied with pride by a local angler that actually uses them and understands what they are designed to imitate then by some Kenyan sweatshop kid that doesn't even know what a trout is and doesn't care as long as he gets his dollar a day or bowl of rice to share with his siblings.

[fish gunner]

I would be willing to tie for a few members for next to free. you buy the material hooks ect. tiny drys are not my forte but I will help out maybe 3-5 folks.pm at you leisure.

[rem338win]

If you guys are so worried about it, tie them yourself.

Some of you are the same bunch that b***h about everything being made in China too. Go figure:rolleye2:

$0.10 a fly? You gotta be kidding.

[BlackID]

Nice topic! I have been tying flies for a while and it have been the most relaxing time after a busy day at the office. The investment in materials and tools is HUGE but it is WORTH 200%. Actually I have some friends who don’t like to tie flies and I tie for them, they pay me $1.50 – $2.00 even $3.00 for some flies that you will never see in any fly shop in Calgary. They ask me to do specific things to the flies, color, parapost in different color, a little bit bigger the hackle, different body c etc. That is why they ask me to do it, because they can customize their flies with me. I do not do it for the money, I do it because I enjoy it, I really enjoy been in front of my vise. To make money with this I should spend 8 hours or 10 in front of the vise and making 60 per hour or something like that. They and I just prefer quality over quantity.

[jrs]

I saw cost of supplies mentioned there and thats a huge factor i didn't even think of. The hooks i like to tie with have doubled in price over the past 2 years, hackle has followed a similar trait, if not worse as its been hard to find good quality stuff as of late. Luckily i have a friend who used to run a fly shop so got a bunch of good hackle for cheap a few years back, no way i could afford to replace it all at market value now. Im packing stuff into boxes for a move right now and id say im at about $3000-5000 replacement value. I probably only tie 1500 flies a year as of late so its a bit excesive. Fishing would be cheaper if i didn't tie my own thats for sure.

[Pudelpointer]

If you guys are so worried about it, tie them yourself.

Some of you are the same bunch that b***h about everything being made in China too. Go figure:rolleye2:

$0.10 a fly? You gotta be kidding.

I bit*h about China, but not about the price of flies. I have probably tied thousands of flies, so I know exactly how much is involved. I tied "commercially" for a few years, selling by the dozen flies that you couldn't buy in the store (Boren's Specials were my specialty). I charged $20 a dozen - that was 10 years ago! I got all my materials at wholesale, and that dozen would take me at least 2 hours to tie.

With the cost of materials today I'd say $2 is fair. Keep an eye out for sale tables! I wil buy them if they are cheap enough; i brought about 10 dozen back from England (worked out to be around $6 / doz.) and I bought 12 dozen little dries, foam flies, tiny Princes and GHEs because they were on sale for $6 a dozen at WSS a couple years back. Damn hooks almost cost that much these days.

[24/7 fishing]

never bought from them, but they seem very good
http://www.reelflies.ca/

[Pikebreath]

How many len thompsons or rapallas would you get for $2?

[harrydude]

Look here
http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-sporting-goods-exercise-fishing-camping-outdoors-Trout-Fishing-Flies-W0QQAdIdZ327747689

.75 cent a fly

[Dust1n]

i tie my own staple fly patterns: Leechs,wooly buggers,double bunnies, scuds,clousers, SJW and foam flies but bassicly just simple nymphs and streamers. I buy my dry flies including the size 16+ adams,ehc, and everything that requires lots of work and finesse.

http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g348/EliteFisherman/P1270382.jpg

[TheLegend]

Ok guys settle down. Some of you have helped me undertsand why fly prices are so high and provided me with good examples. Thank you:)

[ivegonefishing]

Funny, guys want to paid $25 - $45+ per hour, at their jobs, yet they are not willing to pay a respectable price for a guy to tie flies for them. They are labor intensive (I know because I tie for myself and friends) plus costs of materials. Another poster mentioned fellows paying hundreds of $'s for a rod and then want to be cheap on flies! Well what about waders, boots, extra reels spooled with different lines, vests, fancy nets, fly boxes, pole tubes, neoprene socks to store their reels in, licences, truck, gas, insurance....need I say more.

Seems like a small price to pay for quality at the business end of the line!

:thinking-006:

Kinda makes ya think....

[Kevin_Thunder]

Seems like in every industry I've ever worked in, there's always someone complaining about how expensive things are.... but those same people never seem to put in any thought of why certain things are priced the way they are. Materials, wages for a decent standard of living, rent, utilities, shipping, etc. etc., all play a role in everything we do, not to mention no one runs a business to just break even. $1-2 bucks a fly is reasonable at the shop, if you don't like it, tie your own. Buy a vise, buy the materials, then time how long it takes to tie a fly. That's not even counting the materials you'll be wasting while you learn how to do it proficiently.

[thumper]

I understood the real cheap flies that 'flooded the market' a few years ago were mainly made in Africa. It was/is a 'home' industry that provided cash to many African women with no other means of earning income.

[ArtVandelay]

I don't know about commercial tyers but the cheapest I can buy a standard dry fly or nymph hook for is about 15 cents. I can get brass beads for 5 cents each. That's 20 cents right there before I've put any materials on the hook. I have utmost respect for anyone that can make a living at this. Except if you're Charlie Craven maybe. That guy could pull down a decent salary just tying pheasant tails:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD0uIga8-kc

[Lornce]

Something you have to remember about commercial tying is if you buy a fly in a shop for say $1.50, the shop has marked the fly up by at least 100% if not more than that. So the tier has .75 to work with, take off the price of hooks, then materials (some can be quite expensive) the price of sales (you have to push your product) shrinkage (theft) and shipping plus taxes and a guy has to tie a pretty respectable volume to feed his kids.

On a side note my oldest son who is a heavy duty mechanic often says when asked how he paid for his education. His answer is my Dad buggered it up. Referring to the most popular fly I tied over the years to pay for his education. :)

[ryanheartssteelhead]

Most of the retailers are moving away from cheap flies as the don't last long and the hooks are of sub par quality bending easily. WSS recently dumped their complete line of flies to bring a different higher quality fly selection.

In fly shops a lot of the. flies are tied by locals, so there is an increase in labour costs.... the days of 10 cent flys are gone.... like the 60s. Just a pack of quality hooks averages for me at about 35-45 cents per HOOK, before I put a $15 hackle on it... my wire worms are 20 cents each not factoring my time and I am buying those hooks in lot boxes

I have a buddy who commercially ties here in Calgary and he gets just over $8.00 and hour

He's right. In the summer, wholesale cleared out all of their old flies, whick I believe were from Africa. The new ones (which I haven't seen yet) are supposed to be a better quality. I dn't worry too much about the quality for small trout flies, but be leary on the quality for bigger fish. It sucks when you loose a good one to a crappy hook