Where can I get high quality low cost flies.

Started by Woolly Bugger, October 19, 2007, 10:09:19 AM

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Woolly Bugger

If you're new to the sport you may be frustrated by the cost of flies and the number that you loose to trees and snags as well as breaking off a trip. Eventually you will end up with several fly boxes filled with 200 ~ 400 flies. At $1.95 each retail that's quite a bit of money. Some think that they can actually save money by tying there own but soon find that they have thousands of dollars inversed in materials.

On a good day I've actually come off the river with more flies that I started out with. Sometimes when I get hung up on an overhanging branch I'll carefully check the leaves and have on several occasions pulled more than my own fly from branch.

Now I'm not going to tell you to stop shopping at local fly shops, I will stop in a buy a few of a special pattern that I don't have the time or inclination to tie. But I wouldn't mail order from them, with added shipping cost you'll be paying a small fortune on flies. But when in the neighborhood, do stop in ask about the current conditions and hatches, check out a new rod and buy a 1/2 dozen of the flies they recommend. If you want to do some serious fly box stocking you might want to try some of the internet fly shops that offer decent quality at a very reasonable price.

Here is the short list, feel free to add your favorite site and experiences with them.

#1 Blue Fly Cafe. OUT OF BUSINESS
Fast Reasonable A+ service Also stock some basic accessories like loon products. I've ordered from them many times and have never had any issues. $0.74 ea. $7.68 doz

#2 Caylor Custom Flies Local NC home grown tyer A little more expensive but $1.00 ea, $10.00 doz.

#3 Hooked on Flies  OUT OF BUSINESS
How about the Fall Special 100 flies for $25 !!!!! or $0.59 ea.

Here is a thread with more info... http://www.brfff.com/forum/index.php/topic,645.0.html



ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

troutfreak

Glad to see this board is an Informational Forum. ;D

peter p

Blue Fly Cafe is still having their 25% off sale.  You can get flies for about 50 cents right now. 
Peter

Mstash

http://www.bentonflybox.com/dryps.htm

Over $50.00 and shipping is free
If you have a pattern and they don't tie it. They will
Made in America

Mstash

troutphisher

Damn,

The title was truncated, All I could read in the header was " where can I get high".
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

trout_boy_II

Quote from: troutphisher on October 20, 2007, 22:34:32 PM
Damn,

The title was truncated, All I could read in the header was " where can I get high".


Uh - you could try www.Rainbowflycafe.com  where their biggest seller is the Hashish Caddis, followed by the Hemp midge...

They are a little more expensive, up to $20 a lid, I mean dozen, but they seem to last along time.  Other disadvantage is that you will want to stash snacks in your vest if you use these flys!

TB

stonedfly17

riverbum.com. only a buck a piece and just as good (if not better) than any flies your local shop sells. now, will somebody tell me where i can get high?

Trout Maharishi

#7
Most shops are buying their flies from these type sources. Very few patterns tied by local tiers are available from the average fly shop. Umpqua is a popular choice because they are well tied flies with good materials 8) Be careful, some of these off shore flies are really junk. I can't buy the materials for what some of these flies cost.
"We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing."
― Charles Bukowski

brownhunter

I would have to say that Caylor Custom Flies is a great place and has excellently tied flies for around here. That is his specialty and that is where I get 90% of my flies. He gets my vote.
"Why, he wondered, did rich people call it sushi while poor people called it bait?"   -- Same Kind of Different as Me

walt

Quote from: brownhunter on October 24, 2007, 14:12:43 PM
I would have to say that Caylor Custom Flies is a great place and has excellently tied flies for around here. That is his specialty and that is where I get 90% of my flies. He gets my vote.

I concur with you bh. I've been purchasing the shops trout flies from Roger since '99, over 95% of our stock comes from him. They are some real good flies... tied well, last long... and catch fish!

--walt
"All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain."
— Cormac McCarthy

Trout Maharishi

#10
Want to support a local guy consider Hugh Hartsell. He ties some local patterns that are unique to the region.

http://smokymountainflyguide.com/
"We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing."
― Charles Bukowski

brownhunter

Quote from: Trout Maharishi on October 24, 2007, 18:18:37 PM
Want to support a local guy consider Hugh Hartsell. He ties some local patterns that a unique to the region.

http://smokymountainflyguide.com/

I also agree with this one. He is very innovative and his flies flat out catch FISH!!!! Enough said ;hb
"Why, he wondered, did rich people call it sushi while poor people called it bait?"   -- Same Kind of Different as Me

troutdawg

Quote from: Trout Maharishi on October 24, 2007, 13:48:23 PM
Most shops are buying their flies from these type sources. Very few patterns tied by local tiers are available from the average fly shop. Umpqua is a popular choice because they are well tied flies with good materials 8) Be careful, some of these off shore flies are really junk. I can't buy the materials for what some of these flies cost.

Important point that was missed in another discussion I saw.  Just because they flies are sold by Ma and Pa's fly shop, doesn't mean they aren't crap.  While it gets me a little hard to think of the nubile young chinese slave girl that probably tied my flies, the cheap hooks and hackle many of them use seem to have gotten worse.  Made me start tying flies again.  They may look like crap, but if something is dumb enough to eat them, at least I know I can stick 'em.

Woolly Bugger

Quote from: troutdawg on October 25, 2007, 06:16:51 AM
Quote from: Trout Maharishi on October 24, 2007, 13:48:23 PM
Most shops are buying their flies from these type sources. Very few patterns tied by local tiers are available from the average fly shop. Umpqua is a popular choice because they are well tied flies with good materials 8) Be careful, some of these off shore flies are really junk. I can't buy the materials for what some of these flies cost.

Important point that was missed in another discussion I saw.  Just because they flies are sold by Ma and Pa's fly shop, doesn't mean they aren't crap.  While it gets me a little hard to think of the nubile young chinese slave girl that probably tied my flies, the cheap hooks and hackle many of them use seem to have gotten worse.  Made me start tying flies again.  They may look like crap, but if something is dumb enough to eat them, at least I know I can stick 'em.


Most "Quality" flies in local shops are tied overseas for Umpqua. http://www.umpqua.com/
Blue Fly Cafe works the same way but sells direct to fishermen eliminating the middleman. Not sure if the quality is exactly the same but the value is there. I've not ordered from Caylor Custom Flies, but might the next time I need some...I checked out his online store but was unable to get it to work with firefox...
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

jamisjockey

www.ahflies.com
He's a West Virginny boy.  I've ordered twice and gotten very nice flies in usually less than a week.
He's been increasing his portfolio slowly but steadily. 
They aren't "cheap" but neither are they expensive.  Middle of the road pricing.
-JD

I hated hipsters before it was mainstream