One or two more rods and a couple lines and I’ll finally be happy in that department, so in the next year or so most of my fly fishing budget will shift towards tying I think. In preparation for the potential increase in funds assuming everything goes well I had an idea but I need some guidance. I’m coming up empty looking for sources to buy some hooks by the 1000. I’ve decided I’m going to attempt to get a little more disciplined with my tying until I get a decent stock of the flies I want to have on hand. 1000 packs give me enough to tie 10 each of 10 patterns in 10 different colors. Most will probably get used for 20+ patterns and 5 or fewer colors, or 20 or 30 of a go to pattern/color but you get the idea.
I’ve got enough random hooks around to keep me fishing, these will just be to stock up during the winter and I figure by the time I get through 1000 hooks in one size I’ll have enough money saved up to move on to the next size so I don’t plan on more than one or two thousand at once, just figured I’d be able to save a few bucks buying in bigger quantities than the normal 20/50/100 packs.
For some of the standard freshwater hooks I’ve seen it looks like 1000 hooks can be had for less than $70 before shipping, but
I haven’t found anyone that has something like the mustad 3407 or 34007 in 4/0 through 8 for sale in those quantities. Does anyone have a source for these or something comparable in bulk or really any bulk sources for hooks in general since I’ve just started looking?
When you get to these quanities you have to do phone calls since internet prices won’t really represent the prices very well. You also have to determine what kind of hook you want. If you will only accept TMC or Mustad Signatures etc you have to pay more for that quality. Check out Ebay, $70 / 1000 sounds high since I can approach those prices buying by the 100 piece lot.
Other places to try would be our sponsors like Hook and Hackle or some of the larger retailers like J Stockard or Leland Bob Marriotts, but again the leg work is what it’s going to take. Good luck and let us know what you found out.
If you going to use a FAOL Sponsor, Mustad is a Gold-Level Sponsor of FAOL, and also FAOL Member Dr. Fish is the North American Sales Manager for Mustad. I’d start with him.
What you might want to do is get vendor license and try to buy wholesale.
I also like captainhook.com and have had very satisfactory service. In addition, I’ve recently done a major hook stock up on Classic Mustad hooks at Hook and Hackle’s half price sale. I got a lot of hooks for a very reasonable price. 8T
Even at Hook and Hackles close out prices on Mustads classics, unless you are getting a different price than they list online, theres no way you’re getting near $70ish per 1000 buying 100 packs. I’m not locked into a certain brand, I just know the Mustad models I use so they are easiest to search for. A lot of the online vendors I tried pricing didn’t even have 10 1000 packs or 20 50 packs of some of the hooks in stock when I was checking around last night. Maybe on ebay, haven’t really ever got into that. I guess I’ll have to make some phonecalls and send some emails and see what I can find. Thanks for all the suggestions so far though, I appreciate it.
Captainhooks is looking like the best thing I’ve seen so far.
Here is another good source. Most have been pleased with them. They are not Tiemco, even though they use Tiemco’s numbering system. http://www.allenflyfishing.com/hooks.html
But I seldom buy 1000 of one hook. They let you assort by hundreds and still get a good 1000 hook price ($68/1000). You can get a better price if you buy 1000 of the same hook ($58/1000), but it only helps if they have a model that fits what you are looking for. Certainly worth a look.
If you are looking for plain old sproat hooks, something that will do the same job as the 3407 but you don’t need the tin plating or the O’Shaughnesssy bend (I can’t see a fly tying or fishing related difference between the two as far as shape goes), then you can buy 1000s of the Mustad 3366 from Janns Netcraft for between $38 and $60 depending on size. They offer these from size 12 through 3/0.
I use these hooks for bass bugs, clousers, lost of streamers and all manner of flies that use standazrd length hooks.
I alos use the 3191 Mustad Carlisle hook for nost of my long shank streamer needs. At between $41 and $65 per thousand they are the best value I’ve found for a streamer hook. Janns offers these in sizes from 12 through 2/0. They are offset, so you have to either deal with that or straighten them, which is what I prefer to do. Only takes a second to do.
Please let us know what you find during your search. I know I’m always interested in saving on hooks.
Good Luck!
Buddy
Jann’s only sells the 3407 in hundreds, and they have gone up quite a bit in the last few years, now at between $7.80 and $17 per hundred, offered from #4 through #7/0…if you really need the tin plating.
I have seen Saber hooks advertised by the Fly Shack and they give a money back guarantee if you aren’t happy with them even if you have used some. I also like to use a product from Japan or Korea rather than China.
