A lot has been brought up regarding the quality of the tools and materials found in a fly tying kit. This has led me to question the quality of flies in a fly assortment. I was thinking about buying one, but now I wonder. At Orvis, if I but individual flies,every fly is 2 bucks and they appear to be of good quality and they really look nice. Should I keep buying this way(which is more expensive) or do the assortments include quality flies?
Anthony, …
If I’m not mistaken, … when you buy from a reputable shop,. … the “assortment” box is supposed to be the same flies as in the bins.
Ask before you order.
2 bucks a fly for TROUT flies!!, … Man, … you should start tying. The easy ones don’t need 100’s of bucks in materials.
Look over the flies you want to use and make up a list (or ask here) of materials you’ll need. For a minor investment, … you’ll have all the materials you need for a variety of flies.
'fur instance, … if you use wooly buggers, … the basic materials are really not expensive and you’ll have enough to make HUNDREDS.
(ps… you ask good questions) 
Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
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I do plan on tying but until I can get the tools and materials, i will continue to buy.
So 2 bucks is a lot? They arent just trout flies, all the wets, dry, streamers, nymphs of all sizes are the same price. I dont know much about flies but I am experienced with other types of fishing, and the fly looks like what I would considere(based on my knowledge) attractive to fish.
And I was thinking more the online kits like from cabela’s and bass pro.
HI Anthony,
The quality of the flies in any of the major cataloger’s fly assortment is good. If you go over to the FAOL sponsors page you’ll find some places that will also have good quality flies at prices that are probably lower than at Orvis.
YOu may want to post asking others on the board near you what flies and sizes they would recommend for the waters near you --or do some Net research to find out. Different flies work at different times of year. If you start by buying the right flies for when you’ll be fishing, you willeventually work up a collection of ones that work year-round.
I have one word for you MCGINTY 
. When I was a kid every assortment had a McGinty in it (a bee pattern). Obviously they work for some people, but not for me. When my son started flyfishing (25 years after I started, I gave him a mcginty) OldFrat hit it on the head, buy the flies you need for that day and eventually you will have a year round collection. As the other posters noted, a good fly shop should have better quality flies. I judge the quality by how they hold up. Many of the big box stores sell Jackson Cardinal flies, which look just as good, I just do not feel they are as durable. We have a place Sportsmen’s Warehouse that sells discounted flies because they buy the seconds that the fly mfr’s cannot sell to the small specialty shops. Not for all their flies, but many of them. I am not making any value judgements on how you or anyone else purchases flies, I am just relaying some info that may help you make your decisions. Good luck, and I agree with others that your posts are well thought out and I enjoy trying to help when I think I can.
An alternative source of flys is… fly tyers! Get to know one since most tyers enjoy tying and can never use all of what they tie. You’d probably also get some free materials because most tyers could never use all the material they’ve hoarded as well. Oh, you can’t get a better introduction to fly tying than with a mentor to help ya.
Working at Orvis, it was hard for me to swallow the $2. price on the flies even though they are VERY well made. I have friends that buy at Sportsmen’s and they do just fine. I know the new shop I am in now they are $1.25 and same quality as Orvis.
she who dies with the most toy’s wins.
Sportsman’s Warehouse in OKC sells there flys for 99 cents each, they aren’t great flys but they’ll be more that adequate.
Dan
I have purchased flies from one of our FAOL sponsors, Hills discount flies…not only outstanding flies, but their sales are fantastic!
Mike
This site’s about sharing!
The quality of fly assorments should be similar in most cases. You pay less because your buying more. You may also in some cases be buying seconds. They will still be great flies, but may have some real minor flaws, or could contain flies that don’t sell as well.
Really though, everyone should tie their own flies, or at least give it a shot at some point.
[url=http://flyangler.ca:30d3f]http://flyangler.ca[/url:30d3f]
I wish I knew the names of flies! The only two I know are wooly bugger and San juan worm. I like to show off by saying “Yeah, I caught it on a number 12 wooly bugger” So I look smart, when in reality, it is one of the only flies I know
Anthony what kind of fishing do you do? If you fish for trout send me an email with your address and I’ll hook you up with a good assortment NO CHARGE. Save that 2 bucks for the tools and materials and get into tying your own, it’s almost as fun as fishing.
Turk
Sorry Nick didn’t mean to step on your toes but I have tons of flies and I can’t use them all myself.
Turk
Im on the east coast and I fish for carp(koi), bass, trout, stripers/bluefish, once my email sit gets working again i will get out an email. Thanks everyone for the generosity
Most shops sell flies for $2.00 to $2.50 each. That is not an unusually high price. The problem now days is that many shops import flies at a cost of $3.00 or less a DOZEN. When you see flies for sale on ebay for $6 to $9 a dozen that is probably what you are getting. Some shops still buy their flies from local tyers and like my favorite shop “Dette’s” you can see the name of the tyer who tied them on the fly bins. I don’t believe Mary buys ANY imported flies. Eric Leiser, Dave Brandt, Dave Pabst and Jim Obrien for instance used to tie for them.’ Now the heir apparent, grandson Joe Fox minds the shop and ties beautiful flies in the Dette tradition.
The problem is that many of our famous fly tying people have gone overseas to teach how to tie flies correctly and these flies are now of a higher quality, much higher, than they used to be. At the huge Somerset show I took a careful look at the flies in the booths that were selling for $7.25 and $9.00 a dozen and they were very nicely tied flies. I didn’t buy any but a lot of people did.
Robert Lewis ties a great realistic nymph. He gets $25 for one. He sells duplicates of that nymph he gets thru, I believe it is Spirit River, for $2.00 each or $20 a dozen and always sells out.
If you know flies are tied by American tyers at certain shops pick up a few. You can tie your own but do not get into it to save money. Really, …that is the biggest joke on the planet. Sure, tell your spouse that is why you are getting into fly tying, but you best keep a straight face…Seen those adds on keeping a poker face for 'Texas Hold em"?.. Practice it!!!
Anthony …
…So I look smart, when in reality, it is one of the only flies I know …
Lol!!, … me too.
I’ve been fishing for a while and still don’t know the names of MOST of the flies I use.
When I Guide, … often folks will ask which fly to use. I’ll have to go over, … open up my or their box … pull out the one I feel is well suited to the task at hand, … and say “This one”
p.s. … as for expensive stuff, … I still tie all my flies on a vice I got in a Moe Bradly kit years ago. I think the vise sells for about 15$ USD
Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/Forum1/HTML/015738.html:ea767]2006 FishIn Ste-Marguerite River[/url:ea767]
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[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 26 February 2006).]
Check out blueflycafe.com
example:
Blue Wing Olive
buy 5 at 73 cents each
buy 6 at 69 cents each
buy 12 get them at 64 cents each
Gem
Anthony,
When I was your age, I knew I needed to learn to tie my own flys if I was going to able to afford to fish. I knew nothing about tying so I learned the hard way.
I made up my own flys using my mothers knitting yarn, pieces of carpeting, and feathers that I found, all tied on bait hooks.
I even caught a fish now and then.
Later I copied flys I saw in catalogs.
Nowadays you have resorces like FAOL to show you the way.
Believe me, you don’t need the exact materials called for in a fly recipe to tie a fly. A fish has never read a fly tying manual. Use your imagination, and the materials you can come up with. You will learn a lot throught trial and error.
Get yourself a vise, a bobbin, and some small sharp sissors and get started.
If you can’t afford the tools right now, use some vice grips and put an elastic around your spool of thread to hold tension.
If nothing else you can get in some practice tying untill you can build up your materials and tool collection.
Good luck
If you think tying flys is a way to save money, your dead wrong! To save money buy the flies you need. You will save $100’s.
[url=http://www.hillsdiscountflies.com:85757]www.hillsdiscountflies.com[/url:85757] sells good quality flies at discount prices. I think most cost about 85 cents each and discounts when you buy a dozen.
jed