cheaper to tye or buy ?

[FISHHEAD]

hi everbody, i was thinking of starting tying flies this winter, but just a quick question before i go out and buy alots of materials etc..
in a time when money is tight for most people, is it cheaper in the long run to tye your own flies ??

[greenock]

For me it works out about the same but you get a better buzz i think from catching on your own fly. But it can also be a lot more expensive if you don't keep an eye on what your buying. you will be out money at the start to build your collection of materials up.

[BRUCE1]

in the long run it always ends up dearer,i wouldnt go buy a load of stuff ,decide what fishing your going to be doing and what flies you want to use ,buy the materials "just for them" and stick to them ,its very hard not to diverse and keep trying not tie other stuff ,progress with your tying and then move onto others if you feel you need to ,its very addictive and enjoyable, plus can be also very frustrating ,if you do go and buy a load of stuff you may find that its not for you and you would be better off buying what you want when you want ,if you do go ahead and start it, enjoy it mate ,but dont say we didnt warn you about being addictive

[Phil-k]

It is a lot dearer to tie your own flies as the amount of materials you accumulate in a very short time is expensive.

However, I think to do fly fishing 'properly' you do need to tie your own.A shop bought fly is never going to be tailor made for your type of fishing and getting hold of flies as and when you need them is going to be problematic at times.

[SharkeyP]

It's going to cost more per-fly, and you're going to spend more than you expected but it is rewarding to catch on your own flies. I've only been at it a month but have caught over a dozen fish on my own ties. It's nice to be able to take a successful pattern and make some variations to see what works best.

It's also nice to give some away and have other people catch with them.

SharkeyP

[stevekale]

Much more expensive - even if you don't cost out your time. But it will make you a better fisherman (entomology lessons would do the same).

[guest15]

good quality flies cost around £1.20 - £1.50 each, if you have around 200 in your box that costs in the region of £240 - £300!

you can tie 200 flies for a fraction of that price, the only thing that costs is the initial outlay, i would say it is far cheaper to tie your own in the long run, it is also more enjoyable tying your own.

[stevekale]

What price per hour do you charge your labour at and what's your wastage in terms of materials?

[maharg]

What price do you put on a lifetime of enjoyment tying your own flies? The satisfaction, the people you will meet etc etc.
If we only wanted fish, we would buy them not spend thousands of pounds on gear to catch them!

I rest my case.

All the best to you and yours,
Graham

[stevekale]

Originally Posted by maharg

What price do you put on a lifetime of enjoyment tying your own flies? The satisfaction, the people you will meet etc etc.
If we only wanted fish, we would buy them not spend thousands of pounds on gear to catch them!

I rest my case.

All the best to you and yours,
Graham

I don't disagree. But I don't think it's cheaper to tie your own flies.

I do it. I enjoy it. I've learnt and continue to learn an enormous amount. It's made me a better fisherman.

But in no way is it cheaper to tie your own flies.

Do it because of all the other reasons but not because you think you'll save a buck because money is tight.