Fly Tyers

[pieterkriel]

Wiets, I am pretty interested in why you would like to know this

[Jasper]

Think that tackle shop enquiry would be the best place to start.

A bit of PT but I'm sure you have your reasons and thus should pay-off...

I would say around 65-70 % of fly fishing folks would tie their own but that would be a shot in the dark.

when one looks at the MAJORITY of fly-fishers they are surely the Dullies Yuppie Brigade .... none of them tie their own as far as I have ascertained. So I would estimate that maybe 10% of fly fishers tie their own flies

[Chris Shelton]

Wiets, if you are thinking along the lines of starting a fly tying material business, I hate to put a dampener on things, but I really don't think there are enough guys in South Africa tying on a regular enough basis to make it lucrative ar even worthwhile. Maybe you should try to start by identifying the needs of the guys on here...how often they buy what.

I'll start off by giving you some sort of idea of my own requirements. Firstly let me tell you that as far as fly tying materials go, a little goes one hell of a long way. I still have a Metz cape from 12 years ago, and I can't see myself going through the remainder in the next 10 years. Sure, some guys tie a hell of a lot more than others, but if you average things out, you could be in for a shock. I tend to buy the odd material as and when I see something interesting, and then I seldom ever need to buy that again. On top of it, I land up giving half of the little I buy away.

For someone who has just started out with very little experience in fly tying and fly fishing, as you yourself have confessed, I fear that you may be going completely over the top with your bulk buying. You could never hope to consume a 10th of the materials in one of your boxes for your own requirements in a million years. I am sorry to be so brutally honest.........but I would also really hate to see it all go to waste. I will rather tell you......and I am surprised that no one else has yet.

[Wiets]

Wiets, I am pretty interested in why you would like to know this

Hi Pieter
I can't tell you right now!
If I'm able to do what I intend doing, I will certainly tell you
when the time is right.

[ShaunF]

I am sorry to be so brutally honest.........but I would also really hate to see it all go to waste. I will rather tell you......and I am surprised that no one else has yet.

I have. http://www.flytalk.co.za/forum/showt...1876#post31876

[Wiets]

Wiets, if you are thinking along the lines of starting a fly tying material business, I hate to put a dampener on things, but I really don't think there are enough guys in South Africa tying on a regular enough basis to make it lucrative ar even worthwhile. Maybe you should try to start by identifying the needs of the guys on here...how often they buy what. I'll start off by giving you some sort of idea of my own requirements. Firstly let me tell you that as far as fly tying materials go, a little goes one hell of a long way. I still have a Metz cape from 12 years ago, and I can't see myself going through the remainder in the next 10 years. Sure, some guys tie a hell of a lot more than others, but if you average things out, you could be in for a shock. I tend to buy the odd material as and when I see something interesting, and then I seldom ever need to buy that again. On top of it, I land up giving half of the little I buy away. For someone who has just started out with very little experience in fly tying and fly fishing, as you yourself have confessed, I fear that you may be going completely over the top with your bulk buying. You could never hope to consume a 10th of the materials in one of your boxes for your own requirements in a million years. I am sorry to be so brutally honest.........but I would also really hate to see it all go to waste. I will rather tell you......and I am surprised that no one else has yet.

Hi Chris

Thanks for your honesty and valued comments!
You are right in most of the things you say, except that I have no intention of starting a fly tying business. I started off looking to procure reasonable quantity's of material for my yacht. I know that I need a couple of lifetimes to work away all the materials I have since obtained. I am not joking when I say that I can give some fly shops a real run for their money - 246 genetic capes & saddles, 184 bucktails (with another 160 on it's way), 4 full deer pelts and skins, 18 other full hides, 40 rabbit skins, 20 Kg of loose hackle, 10 Kg of Marabou, 14,000 Tiemco, Gamakatsu & Mustad hooks, etc., etc.

So, the material bought is not for a fly tying business neither is it all for my own consumption. All I can tell you now is that there are much bigger potential things than meets the eye.

[Wiets]

I have. http://www.flytalk.co.za/forum/showt...1876#post31876

Hi Shaun - yes you did!

[ShaunF]

246 genetic capes & saddles, 184 bucktails (with another 160 on it's way), 4 full deer pelts and skins, 18 other full hides, 40 rabbit skins, 20 Kg of loose hackle, 10 Kg of Marabou, 14,000 Tiemco, Gamakatsu & Mustad hooks, etc., etc.

Will make sure my wife reads this post tonight. Thats the last time I get ***ked on for the amount of tying stuff I own.

PS: Dude, you need help !!

PPS: As for giving some flyshops a run for their money, if I think of the stock levels of the shops in SA that I've been into, I would hazard a guess that you probably have more stock than all of them combined !

PPPS: Did I mention that you need help ? FFMA is going to be formed in your honour !

[Wiets]

Will make sure my wife reads this post tonight. Thats the last time I get ***ked on for the amount of tying stuff I own. PS: Dude, you need help !! PPS: As for giving some flyshops a run for their money, if I think of the stock levels of the shops in SA that I've been into, I would hazard a guess that you probably have more stock than all of them combined ! PPPS: Did I mention that you need help ? FFMA is going to be formed in your honour !

I will certainly need help to pull off what I'm hoping to do!
FFMA? Fly Fisher ..... .....

[ShaunF]

I will certainly need help to pull off what I'm hoping to do!
FFMA? Fly Fisher ..... .....

Fly Fishing Materials Anonymous !

Wiets, MCC mentioned in a reply to one of your posts that not all materials are created equal, especially things like hackle and bucktail.

Where did you source all your hackle from, and was it purpose-bred for fly tying ? I really do hope that you have done your research and don't have 246 capes and 20kg's of loose hackle that's by and large rubbish for tying flies.

I came across a very interesting article on the evolution of hackle, which goes a long way to explain the reason why businesses like Whiting farms are the unchallenged leaders in this particular product.

Whats even more interesting is the perception by the majority of commercial flytiers that Whiting hackle, although a lot more expensive than some of the other brands out there, is still the most commercially viable choice.

Take a look:

http://flyfisherman.com/ftb/sshackle/