Hook ?

All about flies Fly Tying
21

Rick;

I was just creating a spreadsheet this weekend of flies I want to tie this winter. I have right now close to 1000 hooks, but will soon be ordering for the winter tying and will probably increase the number to close to 2000. I don’t tie near as much as many of you, so that will last me for a LONG time, but I have decided I am only ordering in boxes of 100 from now on.

Don

22

I am guessing but I would have to say about 50 thousand or so? Maybe less or more. Been at it for a long time and I just bought 8 thousand of one style of dry fly hooks. 1 thousand of each size. That is the only way to buy when you do it for a living. I know I bought 9 thousand about 3 months ago replaceing those I was out of in Nymph hooks. I will also have to buy some more Emerger hooks this winter and that will be severl thousand to. It is best to buy as many as you can at one time if you plan on tying for a while. They sure never go down in price. Ron

23

Somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 right now-perhaps more. That will climb in a few weeks then rapidly diminish by the end of spring.

24

I use dry fly hooks for all my trout and blue gill flies and bass flies I use aberdeen hooks by mustad hooks range from 24’s to 1/0I see no since buying all these differnt types of hooks when one type will do just fine and have had no problems using dry fly hooks for nymphs and such. Later

To each there own !

25

I buy hooks by the 1000 so I am not sure how many I have but on my table and hook shelf that has a box of each size and type I would say 1500 - 2500

Joe Fox

26

Hi Rick,

6000 at our cabin
3000 @ in our travel tying/demo kits
50,000 in our tying room

Take care & Tight Lines - Al Beatty [url=http://www.btsflyfishing.com:ce440]www.btsflyfishing.com[/url:ce440]

27

Why would the “average” guy want to
keep so many hooks in stock?
(I understand if you tie for a living)

Seems like a waste of money to keep
so many hooks just sitting around,
even if you will use them at some point.

I have about 500 of various sizes
and styles. When I get low, I buy
another pack.

MW

[This message has been edited by MPW (edited 27 September 2005).]

28

Rick,
Too many to want to count ( I have enough trouble going through all my stuff I have accumalated anyway) !!! When I run out of a certain type hook, I write myself a note & replace (same as any material). Sometimes I buy before I need, but usually I will buy according to the pattern orders I get !!!

29

MPW We carry so many hooks so that when we need them we do not have to order or hunt them up. You also get a much better price when you buy in quanity than if you buy just a few hundred at a time. Most of us that have so many hooks on hand tie for a living and it is just a part of doing business. I hate being out of a hook size when I get an order in and then having to wait to tie the order until the hooks get here. Buying wholesale is a lot different than buying retail. Or tying for yourself and a few friends. You never know when a rush order will come in and you will have to tie the order over night and ship the next day. People get charged a little extra for that but if I had to hope the local fly shop had the hook I needed I might be in trouble getting that order out. Like I said it is just a part of doing business. People that do not tie for a living and carry that many hooks? It may be there thing LOL Ron

30

RonMT,

I hear ya!
Been in buisness many years.

I was just questioning the “average”
guy. Have friends that maintain a HUGE
inventory of hooks and tie less than I
do.

I guess they lose a lot of flies!

MW

31

I am the average guy you seek , I just tie for myself and friends . I have about 100 of each size and type that I tie regularly .
I usually have about 1000 on hand at any one time . I have learned the hard way to keep them in separate containers instead of in one large compartmented open tray with no lid on it like I used to . They are now kept in my tying room which has a hardwood floor . I changed my ways after the dog dragged the whole tray onto the carpeted floor . About 1000 hooks all different sizes . Ever try to find 100 #22 hooks in a carpet ? . I heard the crash ran into the room saw about 100 toothpicks on the floor the first thing in my mind was darn thats going to be hard to pick up the toothpicks . I never even thought about the hooks . A magnet got most , but some only came out with pliers . Took forever to seperate them into types and sizes . We threw the rug out so the grandkids didn’t find errant hooks in their feet . Lesson learned the hard way .
Oh Ya I should mention that I tie all winter long about 50 different patterns in assorted sizes ready for the spring so My inventory in winter is about 2000 . As a pecularity of mine I cannot bring myself to use a new pattern I have no confidence in . I will tie it all winter till I am satisfied it is good enough and convince myself it will be one of my go too’s but come spring and summer I stick with the old tried and true . I have tried but cannot seem to change . all evidence to the contrary for example if I give some of the new pattern to my buddy and he starts pulling them in , and I am not doing well , even then I may still stubbornly stick to one of my go too’s . I seem to add only one or two new patterns per season . I kick myself for this all winter , but I know come spring I will revert to old habits. Comes with being old I guess . I usually only use 20 or so patterns when it actually comes to fishing .

I could be wrong , It seems unlikely , but I suppose it could happen.

[This message has been edited by Gnu Bee Flyer (edited 27 September 2005).]

32

I have several thousand, probably 5-6 thousand of various sizes and models. Most of them are Mustads. I need to start buying them in bulk to save money. Where does one buy Mustads in boxes of 1,000?
Ed

33

WOW!! You guys have alot of hooks! I come no where near that much. Max at one time maybe 200. But at the same time I have to be a bit more selective when tying and especialy when fishing. In time I’ll build up my supply.