My main reasons for tying are - 1 the satisfaction of catching on something I have tied myself --- 2 that I can adapt patterns or make up my own so that I can fish with something different to everyone else --- as for saving money - not really for me - looking at the amount of materials I have bought over the years that I won't use in my lifetime !!!!! - as a couple of others have said buy wisely for the patterns you intend to tie then you probably can - a winters evening whiled away with a large glass of whisky tying a pattern that you will probably never use is not a waste of time or materials !!!!! --- on reflection I would no doubt save money by selling all my fly tying tools and materials and buying shop bought flies - it's not all about the money for me.
Great break down. I have been wanting to make a video like this on this discussion for a long time but it would take so much work and effort to put it all together that I haven’t done it yet. The main thing I love about tying my own flies is that I am fearless when it comes to where I am willing to cast. I will make 100% of the casts I want to without caring if I am risking losing my fly bc I know I can tie another one for $1.17 😂.
I know there’s a vise for $20 called a supreme vise and I’ve heard great things about it. I might pick it up! Y’all should do more vlogs also. The video of Alex fishing was incredible. Keep it up!
I just started tying and I'm using the Supreme. It's... adequate. The tension is adjustable, it has a rotary function... kinda. My strongest complaint: the base wiggles more than my wife's ass after a bottle of wine. The upside to this: it's good enough to have helped me build exactly 127 flies. Enough to fill almost two boxes. zebra midges, gnats, Brassies, scuds, pheasant tails, hare's ears, elk hairs, even a few Klinkhammers and Smoke Jumpers. I'll probably keep it around for travel or for letting someone else borrow, I'm already eyeing a much nicer vise. Probably a Griffin Montana Mongoose.
A well researched tutorial….and fully informative. But as we all know it’s not about the money, what value do you put on relaxation & enjoyment? Hell if I went to the shop & bought fish I would be miles in front. Its also about the addiction, the collection. How many guys/gals have just 1 vise? Hell, I’ve got 4 !! It’s about being creative and luring a fish with what you have made. I have bought some second hand collections from old guys who have stopped fishing and what they have put together over the years and built on that. But the greatest joy I get is from coming across other fishers at the water and after a short conversation giving them a couple of my flys, especially if they are not local or from far away. I have even heard back from a few who have said they have kept that fly as a souvenir of their holiday. What price can you put on that? Keep up your very good work Alex…regards Dave….Tasmania
My reasons for tying my own flies are, 1 - are to get them exactly how I want them to look - the first one I wanted to copy was a fly that I saw on the water I was fishing and I couldn't get one to match it how I wanted it, there was always a compromise buying online. It is now my go to fly and is a good all year round fly for me. 2 - to recycle the hooks, bit of a waste to throw them away just because the fly has been chewed / is worn out. I mainly fish dry flies, so once its had a fish on and has been dragged into the water then for me the fly is done and its time to replace it. 3 - I enjoy the process of tying them and catching fish with the flies that I have made. For me its nothing to do with saving money, if I wanted to save money I wouldn't fly fish 😂. I have only learnt to tie one fly so far but it has served me very well (I’ve been fly fishing for 3 years) and I agree with the advice in the video, learn to tie one that works for you then progress from there. Love the videos because of the way they are simplified, fly tying can appear very complicated so its good to break it down into easier to understand stages. Well done.
The reason I am looking into fly tying, is b/c I can't always get the flies I use at my local big box outdoor store. As for saving money, IDK. As stated by others, catching fish on your fly, you tied, is what is about. I say, know the area and water you are fishing, study it season by season. That way you know water is living in and around the water. That is what the fish will be eating. Yes, there are some flies that just catch fish, the Griffth's Gnat, for example. It's a hobby, and much better than wasting money on debauchery. You know what I mean.
Yes , you can save alot of money if you purchase wisely. Once you have your initial investment in necessary items you can tie as many of the flies you need for a fraction of what fly shops charge. You can also customize them to your region. I find I'm not afraid to throw a fly into anything because I can make more I'm not spending 2 and a half to 3 and a half dollars on each fly. Mine cost about from 20 to 85 cents each. No brainer
For me I’m just getting into it it’s more of a hobby until I reach a high enough skill level but seeing the cost of materials if you’re willing to put the time in you could even make money off of tying custom flies
No ways you save money I think in the long run. You have to look at it as a hobby investment or go commercial. I have 2 vices and TONS of material and tools. Spent ALOT of money, but the satisfaction of tying my own… priceless. I don’t need to rely on a retailer to have what I need. I can tie it. I LIKE to tie flies. Actually almost more than Fishing them actually. It’s a great hobby.
Agreed! Really hard to save unless that is the end goal and you are disciplined. We are the same way, we tie because we enjoy it! Thanks for sharing! 😎🤙🏽
Catching a fish on a fly , lure or rod you made or built with your own hands brings a different level of happiness which can't be categorized, monetised or compared with as this happiness is different for each angler . If you are just in it to try and save money then you are in it for the wrong reason .
I personally use our Flysmith Vise, but right now we are in the process of engineering a new design. It’s gonna be awesome! If I had to go with something else though… I would go with a regal.
In Canada its about $3.90 per fly. You add 15 percent tax and carbon tax. Yeah Im definitely saving money and time. For example, squirmy worm cost 4.50 per fly. After one to two landed fish the squirmy worm is toast. I cut off the material with a razor, sharpen the hook, and re tie the material. You are definitely saving money. But like people said I just like tying my own flies. I personally catch more fish and save money.
Is it possible to save money? Probably but we all don’t because we have seventy three spools of thread, thirty five bags of hackle, eleven thousand hooks, fourth two spools of wire, sixteen pairs of scissors, twenty three bobbin holders etc etc.
With such a small team here at VFC, we haven't been able to get it made yet. Getting the Beginner Fly Fishing Masterclass edited has been a HUGE project. Hoping to get the last few tying masterclass videos done asap.
Everyone and their fly shop will tell you that tying your own flys will not save you money. Well of course, that is true if you don’t care about saving money and want to tie a million different types. If you are like me and Tie around the same 20 flies then it saves you about 78%. Flies where I am cost $4.00 per, and $12.00 for premium. On a full day of fishing on the shop flies I can easily spend $20-30 and 90% of those are flies falling apart after one or two fish. If you want to save money and will tie your flies according to that goal then you absolutely will save money. I’m in Canada.
Even factoring a $1000 in materials & hooks + the $275 vice/tools, you're still coming out at less than $0.50/fly over the 10 years, which is a bargain.
I have been tying for almost forty years. I don’t think that you save money. The thing that you forgot is time. Your time is worth something. Personally I don’t see how commercial tiers can make a living. Let’s say you are going tie a nymph, and the materials will cost you 70 cents per fly. The fly could take you 10 minutes to tie, that’s 6 flies per hour. You could buy the fly for 3 bucks. Buy 6 flies for 18 dollars. Tie 6 flies for $4.20 plus your time. What did you save? Personally the reason I tie is I don’t like using the exact same flies that everyone else does. The flies I tie are close to commercial flies, I’ll change a couple things to make it my own. I spend my winters tying flies. That way I can fish all summer.
Good call. As commercial tiers ourselves, we agree with it all! This video was more trying to come at it with a “everyday” tier perspective. And for sure, the reasons for tying are deeply rooted in enjoying the process around tying flies and creating patterns to your liking vs just saving money. Appreciate your perspective and for sharing. 😎🤙🏽
Commercial tiers can crank our flies MUCH faster than that and can make upwards of $60 per hour after costs. I mean obviously this depends on a lot of things. But if you niche down to a popular bull trout fly or a nymph that is really hot right now you can build that fly in under 1m: sometime 1:30 depending and charge anywhere from $3-4 to $12 for a nice bull trout fly. It can be super lucrative if you take it a step further and sell them a $2 box for $22. It wouldn’t be unlike a commercial tier to have a quota of about 200 flies per day on the high high end. That’s per one person.
If you are rare individual, able to fish several days a week, and tie flies to sell, with a good customer base, then yeah, you can save and make money. If you are like everybody else, there is a LARGE investment in tools, materials, and the odd accessory, in the beginning, BUT, if you are young, say in your twenties, by the time you hit your forties, you should be breaking even and saving yourself a few bucks. To boil it all down, no, you will not save money at the beginning, but it is a hobby that you enjoy, and you spend on those without thinking about saving money, so why all of the hub bub?
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My main reasons for tying are - 1 the satisfaction of catching on something I have tied myself --- 2 that I can adapt patterns or make up my own so that I can fish with something different to everyone else --- as for saving money - not really for me - looking at the amount of materials I have bought over the years that I won't use in my lifetime !!!!! - as a couple of others have said buy wisely for the patterns you intend to tie then you probably can - a winters evening whiled away with a large glass of whisky tying a pattern that you will probably never use is not a waste of time or materials !!!!! --- on reflection I would no doubt save money by selling all my fly tying tools and materials and buying shop bought flies - it's not all about the money for me.
100% agree!
Great break down. I have been wanting to make a video like this on this discussion for a long time but it would take so much work and effort to put it all together that I haven’t done it yet. The main thing I love about tying my own flies is that I am fearless when it comes to where I am willing to cast. I will make 100% of the casts I want to without caring if I am risking losing my fly bc I know I can tie another one for $1.17 😂.
Appreciate you sharing. Yup, tying your own definitely makes it less painful to lose them as far as prices goes. 😎🤙🏽
I know there’s a vise for $20 called a supreme vise and I’ve heard great things about it. I might pick it up! Y’all should do more vlogs also. The video of Alex fishing was incredible. Keep it up!
Good call. Will definitely have to go check it out. And don’t you worry… we’ve got a lot of neat stuff in the works! Just editing it all. 😎🤙🏽
I just started tying and I'm using the Supreme.
It's... adequate. The tension is adjustable, it has a rotary function... kinda. My strongest complaint: the base wiggles more than my wife's ass after a bottle of wine.
The upside to this: it's good enough to have helped me build exactly 127 flies. Enough to fill almost two boxes.
zebra midges, gnats, Brassies, scuds, pheasant tails, hare's ears, elk hairs, even a few Klinkhammers and Smoke Jumpers.
I'll probably keep it around for travel or for letting someone else borrow, I'm already eyeing a much nicer vise. Probably a Griffin Montana Mongoose.
Great analysis! Flys where I live run 2.75 each , minimum . I try to do a mix of tie and buy.
😎🤙🏽 Yup that’s a bit much.
So glad y’all started your channel really enjoy your content 😉
A well researched tutorial….and fully informative. But as we all know it’s not about the money, what value do you put on relaxation & enjoyment? Hell if I went to the shop & bought fish I would be miles in front. Its also about the addiction, the collection. How many guys/gals have just 1 vise? Hell, I’ve got 4 !! It’s about being creative and luring a fish with what you have made. I have bought some second hand collections from old guys who have stopped fishing and what they have put together over the years and built on that. But the greatest joy I get is from coming across other fishers at the water and after a short conversation giving them a couple of my flys, especially if they are not local or from far away. I have even heard back from a few who have said they have kept that fly as a souvenir of their holiday. What price can you put on that? Keep up your very good work Alex…regards Dave….Tasmania
My reasons for tying my own flies are, 1 - are to get them exactly how I want them to look - the first one I wanted to copy was a fly that I saw on the water I was fishing and I couldn't get one to match it how I wanted it, there was always a compromise buying online. It is now my go to fly and is a good all year round fly for me. 2 - to recycle the hooks, bit of a waste to throw them away just because the fly has been chewed / is worn out. I mainly fish dry flies, so once its had a fish on and has been dragged into the water then for me the fly is done and its time to replace it. 3 - I enjoy the process of tying them and catching fish with the flies that I have made. For me its nothing to do with saving money, if I wanted to save money I wouldn't fly fish 😂. I have only learnt to tie one fly so far but it has served me very well (I’ve been fly fishing for 3 years) and I agree with the advice in the video, learn to tie one that works for you then progress from there. Love the videos because of the way they are simplified, fly tying can appear very complicated so its good to break it down into easier to understand stages. Well done.
Very cool. Thanks so much for sharing your insights. Glad you are enjoying the videos. 😎🤙🏽
I’d suggest that if you’re getting into fly tying to save money, you’re doing it wrong.
Agreed. 😎🤙🏽
The reason I am looking into fly tying, is b/c I can't always get the flies I use at my local big box outdoor store. As for saving money, IDK. As stated by others, catching fish on your fly, you tied, is what is about. I say, know the area and water you are fishing, study it season by season. That way you know water is living in and around the water. That is what the fish will be eating. Yes, there are some flies that just catch fish, the Griffth's Gnat, for example. It's a hobby, and much better than wasting money on debauchery. You know what I mean.
Yes , you can save alot of money if you purchase wisely. Once you have your initial investment in necessary items you can tie as many of the flies you need for a fraction of what fly shops charge. You can also customize them to your region. I find I'm not afraid to throw a fly into anything because I can make more I'm not spending 2 and a half to 3 and a half dollars on each fly. Mine cost about from 20 to 85 cents each. No brainer
For me I’m just getting into it it’s more of a hobby until I reach a high enough skill level but seeing the cost of materials if you’re willing to put the time in you could even make money off of tying custom flies
Gidday Alex. Great content. Thanks.
No ways you save money I think in the long run. You have to look at it as a hobby investment or go commercial.
I have 2 vices and TONS of material and tools. Spent ALOT of money, but the satisfaction of tying my own… priceless. I don’t need to rely on a retailer to have what I need. I can tie it.
I LIKE to tie flies. Actually almost more than Fishing them actually. It’s a great hobby.
Agreed! Really hard to save unless that is the end goal and you are disciplined. We are the same way, we tie because we enjoy it! Thanks for sharing! 😎🤙🏽
It is a great hobby and reminds me of when I was a kid and build model airplanes or painted little WW2 soldiers.
Catching a fish on a fly , lure or rod you made or built with your own hands brings a different level of happiness which can't be categorized, monetised or compared with as this happiness is different for each angler . If you are just in it to try and save money then you are in it for the wrong reason .
What vice do you prefer?
I personally use our Flysmith Vise, but right now we are in the process of engineering a new design. It’s gonna be awesome! If I had to go with something else though… I would go with a regal.
Any word on any new videos for this series?
Working on stuff, but a bit swamped with editing the beginner fly fishing Masterclass. Hope to have a few new tying tutorials out soon. 😎🤙🏽
Awesome! You guys are seriously the best for putting out all this content so thank you!
Is this the final module and section?
This is the final video for now. Should have a few more released once the snow hits and we are stuck inside. Haha. Stay tuned!!
@@venturesflyco awesome. Looking forward to them.
In Canada its about $3.90 per fly. You add 15 percent tax and carbon tax. Yeah Im definitely saving money and time. For example, squirmy worm cost 4.50 per fly. After one to two landed fish the squirmy worm is toast. I cut off the material with a razor, sharpen the hook, and re tie the material. You are definitely saving money. But like people said I just like tying my own flies. I personally catch more fish and save money.
Where tf are you buying your flies 😂 I pay 2.50 for all dry and wet flies except streamers and large terrestrials
Nothing like eating a Silver you caught on a fly you tied on a rod you built -- and - did I mention Silver -- Kings are ok, too😱🤭
Is it possible to save money? Probably but we all don’t because we have seventy three spools of thread, thirty five bags of hackle, eleven thousand hooks, fourth two spools of wire, sixteen pairs of scissors, twenty three bobbin holders etc etc.
😂😂😂 Couldn’t have said it any better myself. Cheers to this crazy hobby! 🍻
What happened to Module 5 Section 3?
With such a small team here at VFC, we haven't been able to get it made yet. Getting the Beginner Fly Fishing Masterclass edited has been a HUGE project. Hoping to get the last few tying masterclass videos done asap.
@@venturesflyco Awesome, thanks for the update. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
Everyone and their fly shop will tell you that tying your own flys will not save you money. Well of course, that is true if you don’t care about saving money and want to tie a million different types. If you are like me and Tie around the same 20 flies then it saves you about 78%. Flies where I am cost $4.00 per, and $12.00 for premium. On a full day of fishing on the shop flies I can easily spend $20-30 and 90% of those are flies falling apart after one or two fish. If you want to save money and will tie your flies according to that goal then you absolutely will save money. I’m in Canada.
Agreed! If you are consistently tying the same patterns and are intentional about it, saving money is definitely possible! Thanks for sharing Joey.
Ps. Great video
Even factoring a $1000 in materials & hooks + the $275 vice/tools, you're still coming out at less than $0.50/fly over the 10 years, which is a bargain.
It now about the price it is for the fun of it
So true
when I asked about saving money, the guy at the fly shop said "nope, but you'll fish more"
I have been tying for almost forty years. I don’t think that you save money. The thing that you forgot is time. Your time is worth something. Personally I don’t see how commercial tiers can make a living. Let’s say you are going tie a nymph, and the materials will cost you 70 cents per fly. The fly could take you 10 minutes to tie, that’s 6 flies per hour. You could buy the fly for 3 bucks. Buy 6 flies for 18 dollars. Tie 6 flies for $4.20 plus your time. What did you save?
Personally the reason I tie is I don’t like using the exact same flies that everyone else does. The flies I tie are close to commercial flies, I’ll change a couple things to make it my own. I spend my winters tying flies. That way I can fish all summer.
Good call. As commercial tiers ourselves, we agree with it all! This video was more trying to come at it with a “everyday” tier perspective. And for sure, the reasons for tying are deeply rooted in enjoying the process around tying flies and creating patterns to your liking vs just saving money.
Appreciate your perspective and for sharing. 😎🤙🏽
Commercial tiers can crank our flies MUCH faster than that and can make upwards of $60 per hour after costs. I mean obviously this depends on a lot of things. But if you niche down to a popular bull trout fly or a nymph that is really hot right now you can build that fly in under 1m: sometime 1:30 depending and charge anywhere from $3-4 to $12 for a nice bull trout fly. It can be super lucrative if you take it a step further and sell them a $2 box for $22. It wouldn’t be unlike a commercial tier to have a quota of about 200 flies per day on the high high end. That’s per one person.
Depends on what you are doing with that time to begin with, it's much more productive than watching a game or playing golf.
The thing is to only buy what will tie the flies you want.
Hi I am the 1 comment
Tying flies to save money is like owning chickens for eggs.
😂😂😂 So accurate. Gonna start using that analogy for sure!
Maybe buy your chickens from whiting farms to help produce your eggs 😂👌
If you are rare individual, able to fish several days a week, and tie flies to sell, with a good customer base, then yeah, you can save and make money. If you are like everybody else, there is a LARGE investment in tools, materials, and the odd accessory, in the beginning, BUT, if you are young, say in your twenties, by the time you hit your forties, you should be breaking even and saving yourself a few bucks. To boil it all down, no, you will not save money at the beginning, but it is a hobby that you enjoy, and you spend on those without thinking about saving money, so why all of the hub bub?
I would get your mega pack fly tying kit, but it's ALL OUT OF STOCK😡
Yup. We are redesigning it all to make it EXTRA awesome! Stay tuned. It’s gonna be cool.
@@venturesflyco honestly, I’ll take the 1.0 at this point😂