To give up, or not?

[OttoDita]

So, after adding up everything lastnight and finding out what I need/want. I thought it might be worth it to give up tying....

I don't want to, since I like tying, even though I'm no good at it But, talk about an expense, then again I'm purchasing quite a bit.

So anyways, the point of this post was for one thing, a question. Once you all have a good supply of everything, is it fairly cheap to keep everything topped up? Meaning, do a lot of your supplies run out at the same time, or can you keep up a good supply with spending a couple hundred a year, or $20 a month etc. Of course I know it depends on how many flies you tie, 1 a decade or 20k a year. But, lets say 1000/year. What is rough upkeep cost. Saying you buy the average supplies, nothing outrageously rare. I'm sure a whole lot more variables come into play as well.

But I'm curious, since I'm shocked at the moment
Shane

[DG]

It depends on what sort of tying you do. If you take up Atlantic salmon flies, I expect your yearly expenses will be a bit on the upper end of the scale. If your flies get simpler and you realize you don't need forty-seven different thread colors and nine sizes of twenty-four hook styles, the upkeep goes way down. Still, your break-even point on cost is going to be somewhere between one and ten thousand flies, most likely. Not per year, but total. After all, your initial tool costs, vise and whatnot, will amortize over time. I figure I am down to about a two-tenths of a cent per fly on vise costs after all these years.

I suspect I spend $1-200 a year on tying supplies, mostly hooks. Bear in mind, this does not count the $ I spend on duck hunting to get this pile of CDC I will burn through this summer and fall.

Figure out how many flies you expect to tie, and then add up the component cost of those flies, and see what you will be spending. Then double that, and you will probably be pretty close.

If you are concerned about costs, see where you can substitute, and you do not HAVE to have the best vise on the market, or every tool under the sun. A vise, scissors, couple bobbins, and a whip finisher (and even that is optional) and you can tie forever.

[Jack Hise]

Shane;
If you put a lot of thought and research into the initial purchase you may then go maybe a whole 2 days before needing/purchasing more.
Actually you may not need anything else for a couple of months!

[gqualls]

Shane,

Hang in there. The initial start up cost do seem pretty heavy. I will share with you my experiences. I fish alot of nymphs, comparaduns, and buggers. I try to buy materials in bulk ( chenille, marabou etc.) Once I get materials for the flies I'm tying then I find the only thig I need to replenish is the hook or bead jars. My biggest expense over the past 3 years has been hooks and beads. I use a Danvise, have an Ott light, Anvil scissors -- nothing real fancy but it works for me. Keep an eye on the swap page ... several times a year there are material swaps. Lot's of fun. I have to also say this ..... I don't really tie my own flies to save money. I tie because I truly enjoy it and tying is very therapeutic for me. I give away alot of flies, and I sell a few.

If you enjoy tying, stick with it. If it's more of a chore and not enjoyable at all, you may want to consider buying your flies.

Best wishes,
Greg

[perch]

If your having a good time then dont quit.
If tying aint fun then dont do it.
Any of the folkes here that have met me know that I focus towards the "low end " of the scale. I love a bargain and cant help myself. There are lots of venues available for modestly priced tools and equipment. Check backwards quite a way for a few posts that give altenative ideas for tying materials. You can save a large stack of cash.
For tools the same thing goes (I hit up my dentist for unusable dental picks) and you dont HAVE to have the best of everything . Wait for the sporting goods shows , wait for the Orvis warehouse sale , they come around cyclicly. Check their site for closeouts. Everybody has closeouts. Build your own stuff. If you have the smarts to tye a fly you have the smarts to build stuff.
Good luck,
Perch

[TxEngr]

Yes, once you have your base supplies, it does get cheaper assuming you don't start tying a completely different type of fly. If you're tying warmwater and suddenly decide to tie saltwater, then you'll have an up front expense. But if you stay with what you're tying, and you have acquired the capes and saddles (biggest expense), then the rest is as you need it. I find I place an order or stop at a fly shop about once a month just to top off the supplies. The exception is when I go to a FF show and learn a whole new group of flies that I just 'have' to tie. Then I suffer a hit to the budget.

So don't give up if you enjoy it.

TxEngr

[J Castwell]

Invest (spend) all you want to. It's your dough. You worked for it. You earned it. You get to use it. Whatever it takes to make you happy, go for it. The alternatives are frightening. The value of the recreation ,,, is priceless.

[TyroneFly]

Shane,

Don't start off buying everything under the sun. Before long you'll notice lots of stuff you purchased that just collects dust. Since you are new at tying, focus on a few flies at a time until proporations and techniques are a natural then move on to another few. You'll notice after tying a couple of dozen there is an appreciable improvement. Be sure to save the first fly and then compare it to the same fly a couple dozen later. As time goes on you'll add to your inventory and in a few years realize you have more than most fly shops.

[Eric-WD]

Some tiers have to tie every fly of the week, and every week have to buy something there costs are going to be high.

for some the tying is more of a hobby than fishing, they enter a lot of swaps etc. there cost will be higher than mine.

Some settle down to tying a few different patterns and sticking with them. I am trying to find out what works for me and settling into this last group. I think my tying supplies this year would so far be under $50 and this includes $25 in hooks. And by the end of the season I might spend another $50.

You don't have to have everything, just pick some simple patterns and tie in a couple of colors buy to tie what works locally, and don't hesitate to use what you have until you can afford what you want. you will probably find your substitutions catch fish also.


Eric

[OttoDita]

Hey Guys,

I was looking at fly costs in the shop, and thier pretty crazy, for the cost of it is to make them. I never wanted to tie to be honest, and the costs of flies aren't really an issue for me, since I don't lose many.....yet.

I got tying because of two reasons. The first, being that I wanted to catch fish on flies I tied! And the second, because the old gentlemen in the store talked me into buying the kit haha.

I have the Vice, bobbin, the pointy thing, etc. It's just tying material that seems to be hikey for me right now, simply because I need to get other things, such as waders (Since I'm tired of getting in the car soaked)

Rainbowchaser has been giving me some great ideas since we've been talking about my situation. So it's helping. I was just curious about the upkeep, cause I couldn't afford this continuously. I guess really, like has been said the biggest cost is capes etc. I need to find out a good place online in Canada. I priced out H&H, which is a good price for me, but with shipping and duty, it wouldn't work out great.

HAhaha, the problem is, I have the list I want, and don't want to take even a few things off it lol.

I really enjoy tying, I'll probably enojoy it more after I start catching fish on my own flies.

The only tool I need is a decent pair of scissors, which aren't even in this budget, the reason I need them is I'm using kitchen scissors at the moment lol.

Looks like I'm going to have to redo my to buy list and take a few things off it

Thanks for the replies guys, helped me make a decision to keep tying. I think I was going to continue anyways. I never quit doing something I enjoy usually, no reason to stop now haha.

Thanks again!!!!!!
Shane