Low-end Fly Tyer?????

[Eight Thumbs]

Hi Folks,

I?ve got a question for this group but I would like preface it with a little introduction. All of the other boards have had discussions about high-end equipment verses low-end equipment. Some of these discussions have become down right heated as high-ender and low-ender have squared off on each other. Low-enders where particularly noticeable in the saltwater and warm-water group. There were a lot of people posting who were low-ender and militantly proud of that fact.

My question is this. Is there any such thing as a low-end fly tyer? Granted we all get our jollies by finding bargains or cheap, substitute material from Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby and Michaels but I mean a genuine, low-end tyer like the warm-water guy who has used the same $69 rod for years, uses Stren for a leader, wet wades once the water is over 50 degrees and has no desire for new or better equipment.

The equivalent low-end flytyer would have shoe box with just enough material to tie his or her favorites; maybe 4-5 dry flies, 5-6 nymphs and a streamer or two. He or she ties regularly and furnishes at least 90% of their flies. Material is replaced only as it runs out. He or she uses the equivalent of an old Thompson vise and has no more than one bobbin and one pair scissors. Capes are all ?no namers? and the small supply of hooks are all Mustads or bait hooks purchased Walmart. This person regularly walks into the local fly shop and walks out without a bag of new flytying ?goodies.?

Do such fly tyers exist? I have never known any. Are you one? What do you think? 8T


------------------
You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it's a real short camping season.

[J Castwell]

I know one guy who owns hundreds and hundreds of cane rods, but fishes with bits and pieces of leader and tippet he finds on stream. Another ties fantastic show quality Atlantic Salmon flies on a very cheap 45 year old vise. I have not yet found the true person you describe.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

8T,

I started tying flies to "save money". After a couple of months, keeping my limited materials in a shoe box, tying only those flies I thought I actually needed, I saw another fly that was working very well. Bought a couple other materials. My old bobbin developed a groove that cut the thread, new bobbin.

After that it was a quick step onto the slippery slope of fly tying. Between VEE and I (Yes, my wife ties flies too) we have several thousand dollars worth of materials stored in what used to be our dinning room and is now our tying area. (You gotta love a wife that opts for a couple of sweet tying benches instead of a dinning room)

Because I don't have a computerized, bar coded inventory system, I often come back from the fly shop with some things I knew I was running short of, only to find I already have three of each tucked away for emergencies.

The madness never ends.

[rainbowchaser]

I once taught a recenly married co-worker to tie flies when he said he could not afford to buy anything. He used an old vice I had and a bobbin from my origional starter kit that I hadn't used in years. By using shredded yarn from his mother's knittng bag for dubbing and tying mostly comparaduns and deer hair caddis for dries and soft hackles and squirrel hair nymphs using materials one of us had shot he used only a little money for thread and hooks. I haven't seen him in ten years so I have no idea if he's still tying at all or is still a low-end tyer but I know it can be done.

------------------
all leaders tangle; mine are just better at it than most. Jim

[WarrenP]

FrankB, you ain't right!!

Ron Eagle Elk, your tying area and purchases sounds like mine!

------------------
Warren

[Riverdancer]

I think for a person to limit themselves to any particular segment of life is unfortunate whether it be the fly fisher who thinks they learned all the best techniques 30 years ago, and refuses to change, or the angler who thinks you need a 700.00 fly rod to be a good angler.

------------------
Jude
Late to bed,
Early to Rise,
Guide all day,
Tie more flies!
www.customflys.com

[Extremely Low Budget FF]

My current vise is home-made from common hardware.

I helped a friend in his "rooster reduction program" and have enough low grade feathers for a lifetime.

I have never bought a cape that wasn't low grade.

I tie with mohair and a lot of the new synthetic yarns.

I have more invested in plastic bins for my "finds" than I care to admit.

I have a "line" of foraged flies, that is using materials I find on walks. This ranges from nice wild turkey feathers to bits of broken tail-lights that I use for eyes.

While I use a $30 dollar rod, I have also used an antenna from a junk car as well as a simple cane pole as a lever to toss some fly line.

I have run a couple classes for youth where they build a vise for less than the cost of a movie. Before I teach them how to use a bobbin I teach them to tie starting with a length of sewing thread held by hand.

I make my own furled leaders.

It is how I enjoy fly tying and fishing.

Enjoy

Ed
I have a website for some of my creations at:
[url=http://www.EdEngelman.com:08a73]www.EdEngelman.com[/url:08a73]

[Turk]

Ed while I find it hard to refrain from spending every last expendable penny on flyfishing and tying equipment and materials I truly admire the minimalist attitude, great stuff.
Turk

[ducksterman]

Me too....more power to you.

Taking up the game of Golf, and joining a Private Country Club, and paying a PGA Pro for lessons, is cheaper than taking up Fly Angling.....

Then again, a Golfer, has never found the happiness and peace, that a Fly Angler takes for granted.

------------------
~ Parnelli
Chartered Member of "Friends of FAOL"!

You can't rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd.
You can't rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd.
You can't rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd.
But you can be happy if you want too!

All you have to do is put your mind to it.
Knuckle down buckle down do it do it do it!