Cost of Commercial flies

[Byron haugh]

The impact of a "world economy" certainly applies to the " manufacture" and selling of fishing flies.

There are periodic posts here about "How do I get into commercial tying?" Well, it's very tough to do so today as you are competing with the big fly companies who have their flies tied in third-world countries by girls and young women willing to tie all day for a very small daily payment.

I did a little commercial tying at one time. Then, and, I believe now, the standard payment was about half of what the shop sold the flies for. I got $1.00 per fly as the shop sold them for about $2.00.

Interestingly, before we had a world economy, the old time fly tiers did much better.

The Dette's tied their own flies and got about 20 cents each in 1929 which would be about $2.80 in today's dollars.

Franz Pott sold his wildly popular Pott (woven) flies at a premium in the 1930's for a premium of 35 cents which would be the equivalent of over $6.00!!

[dunfly]

Here is a link to a very interesting article on foreign flies and quality. If the importer has decent quality control, it is impossible to beat with local fly tiers. No one will work for that price, nor could they compete with the cost of materials and experience of foreign who may be tying 30,000 of the same pattern a year.

http://www.itinerantangler.com/blog/..._foreign_tied/

[Buddy Sanders]

The only US based 'professional' tiers I know that are making a decent living at it tie only specialty flies. Mostly their own patterns and/or local favorites in their areas that the mass producing companies don't tie.

And, most of them are supplementing fly tying with other fishing related pursuits; guiding, writing, demos, classes, etc.

It's hard work, and takes incredible dedication. But it CAN be done.

Buddy

[Steven]

The only US based 'professional' tiers I know that are making a decent living at it tie only specialty flies. Mostly their own patterns and/or local favorites in their areas that the mass producing companies don't tie.

And, most of them are supplementing fly tying with other fishing related pursuits; guiding, writing, demos, classes, etc.

It's hard work, and takes incredible dedication. But it CAN be done.

Buddy

Both the Dettes and the Darbees were custom tiers, and in Castkill Flytier, Darbee notes that he wouldn't have made it had he only produced for the large houses. Walt Dette worked many jobs and Winnie worked at a bank nearly her entire tying career, if I remember the history correctly. Rube Cross died broke.

It seems not much has changed.

[jszymczyk]

Interesting article, and all the more reasons why I am happy that in my 35+ years of fly fishing, I have never, ever, bought a commercially tied fly.

[krauseb]

I wonder who ever came up with the "Hand tied flies" comment.
I haven't found a machine that ties flies.

[sagefisher]

I donate thousand of flies a year to various fly fishing organizations and trust me, I do not tie all those. I buy them. They are good quality and do in fact catch fish as I will use some of them every now and then. I also tie flies but just for myself. These old eyes and fingers just ain't what they used to be.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[NJTroutbum]

Its tough. I tied custom orders for about 6yrs while in Washington State. I was not competing with anybody really. It was a loyal customer base that simply liked having their flies custom oordered. They were all my patterns & tied with premium materials. But it was a hobby/supplemental income. Nothing a person would live on.