While I like the weight of the tungsten cones I am put off by the price. Any one know of a discount source that sells in larger quantities, say 25-100?
If I can’t get a better price I am wondering if a brass cone with some added lead wraps would do the same thing for less $$
A brass cone with wraps will = a tung cone, but you can’t = a tung cone + wraps.
Just depends on how much weight you really want to add. The tung cones cost more, but is it worth the extra time to add the wraps of lead and the cost of lead? Only you can decide. Maybe a commercial tyer can help with a place to buy in bulk. Good luck.
theyre pretty good to deal with as i have bought beads (not coneheads) from them in the past. canadian/us customs is slow so dont blame canadian llama for delivery when they dont arrive in 2 days.
Part of my problem is that where I intend to use them I expect to loose a lot of flies. I fish streamers on a local river with thick brush along the banks and a very sharp rocky bottom that cuts even 8 lb test leaders like butter. With a 2 fly rig I often loose both flies (ever heard of the $6 cast?) I sometimes loose a dozen flies on a 14 mile section. When I consider the cost of hooks and pine squirrel zonker strips those lost flies are adding up!
I can get the brass cones for about 13 cents a piece, locally the tungsten cones are upwards of 75 cents a piece (over $7 for a bag of 10!) If I use the Canadian site Normand offered I can get them for about 33 cents, plus the hassle of an international shipping.
Just hoping to keep my costs down so I don’t shed too many tears as I snag willows and the stream bed.
Have you considered not weighting the streamers and going to a full sinking line??
One of my favorite streamers is a pine squirrel zonker tied and then wrapped as a collar over the front half of the shank, very much like some of Night Angler1’s streamers ( leech patterns ). I fish it unweighted off a class II full sinking line, as a sculpin or baitfish with cross stream and up stream movement.
The trout love it served up that way. Probably wouldn’t work if you are fishing it as a leech or whatever on a dead drift, but might be worth a try at $6.00 per cast !! Also, easier, quicker, and cheaper to tie.