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Buying Flies Online

7K views 27 replies 14 participants last post by  ipop 
#1 ·
Anyone have any experience buying flies online? Any decent sites with quality prices/flies? I'm just looking at my options for buying a bunch of flies. I would rather buy local but selection is sometimes not as good.
 
#2 ·
I don't think selection will be much of an issue as there are a multitude of local suppliers and shops that hold big inventories and many sell on line as well.

A couple of years back I bought some flies from England I believe on Ebay. Did a search for shrimp flies or something like that and searched the seller's other selections and there were some nice looking flies that were packaged in such a reasonable way that I had to try. Shipping was easy and I was pleased. Trout flies (that I didn't buy) were very cheap as well.
 
#6 ·
If you want a true quality fly tied in NB try Fireflies - 447-2330. The flies are tied by a retired fireman (Terry) and he does a terrific job. I'm no slouch when it comes to tying, but still go to Terry for some of the difficult patterns. He ties mostly salmon flies, but also has some bass flies you have to hide from the fish to tie on. He's one of the few commercial tiers who takes the time with his bugs, green machines and bombers to overtie the hackle so it does break on the first fish. If you get to know him he'll also share a few of his secret modifications and do they work! At Salmon Brook on the Cains one of his mofified Copper Killers took 4 fish while everyone else (7 experienced fishers)got skunked, even after they switched to the regular version of the fly. He also used top quality hooks and his prices are great.
 
#9 ·
gdog & Paul - Thanks for the support! I really do appreciate it.
And Green Machine - What's wrong with my pics?
I know I couldn't really get the lighting right but they're the best I could take.

The only reason my prices are cheap is not because of inferior tying or materials (all of my hooks are Mustad, which is a great brand!), it's simply because I enjoy doing it and am only looking to break even and recoup all the money I've spent on supplies. I'm not looking to make a profit off tying.

If anyone is curious about the quality and wants to see for themselves, then contact me for my address. Send me a SASE and I'll mail you out a fly for free (thanks for the suggestion hubby) and for anyone that's already bought from me, you're more than welcome to a free fly too!
 
#12 ·
I have to comment not cause a stir .. I have been enjoying this site .. and lots of great things to learn on here .. but something today really bothered me! This whole topic about fly tying and buying on the internet caused a member to send a personal message to ella which I find is quite rude .. saying she has taken work from ppl. and under cutting prices when there are ppl. out there making a living off tying flies from N.B. and that how would she feel if someone showed up at her real job ?? saying they would do it for nothing. Well let me tell ya all that read this Ella is a person that loves the outdoors and takin pictures .. she has been on numerous trips with me and just can't grasp the concept of someoneone killing a fish. I do keep the odd trout .. to comsume the day of catch but once she realized that not all fish has to be killed .. and they can be released she seammed more interested. one day on the renous we were there and I hooked a salmon it was 37" and after 10 min I had it in .. and released .. she asked why I put it back I said it's law .. but other then the law I want to see that fish produce more. she asked will that fish live I said most do as long as you do things right .. just get them in and let them go. that is how this lady got involed in tying flies. She been on the river .. she takes pictures she understands. with that being said .. saying she is taking from someone trying to make a living .. let me tell you this she buys 90% of her material from local fly shops such as curtis's in blackville .. doaks .. escape anglers.. Georges in the renous .. and every little shop she can find !! the other 10 % is givin to her, and to let you know from what I hear from the fly shops.. they pay ppl. to tie flies for them so if you go to a fly shop you get a fly .. great .. if you choose to shop online great .. it's up to the person and the interaction of those 2 ppl. Sorry for the rant .. I just wish that Drops who ever you are realizes that it's not about the $$ it's about ppl. that had no idea .. and are just learning what a wonderful thing not only new brunswick has but canada and beyond. may all your adventures be an experience not a burden Zamboni-Guy
 
#14 · (Edited by Moderator)
I didn't intend of offend anyone. When I started tying flies, I was giving them away left and right; to anyone who wanted them. I just enjoyed tying. The owner of the shop where I purchased most of my materials and I were talking one day, and he mentioned that there were a lot of tiers out there that were on fixed incomes, and tied either for shops or direct for customers, and the little profit they made kept them afloat. He asked that I keep that in mind when I was giving flies away.

I think if Ella has put in the time to learn to tie flies, she deserves to make a little profit off them, that's all. I don't think anyone who's purchased her flies would say that she should only break even on the cost of materials. She's never mentioned what she charges for flies, but said she was just trying to break even - cost of materials would be about 75 cents a fly?

Anyway, I didn't send her a message to offend her, or suggest that she shouldn't be selling flies. I just wanted to pass along a point of view that I hadn't considered at one time. I'm glad she's found a hobby that she enjoys.

All the best.
 
#13 ·
Very well said zamboni-guy! I would like to add that some commercial fly tyers are tying for stores and well known tackle shops. These businesses turn around and sell them for more $. These same fly tyers often sell directly to the angler for less than what they would have to pay in the tackle shop. If the angler has the chance to buy the exact same fly for 2.00$ instead of 4.50$, why wouldn't he take this to his advantage? And if the fly tyer is willing to sell for approx. 2.00$ to the angler, would this mean that this is approx. the same price they are letting them go to the tackle shops or convenience stores? I've bought plenty of flies for 3.50$ to 5.00$ from these stores and can tell you honestly that the last couple times I bought them the flies looked bad... I am to the point that I would rather jump the middle man to save $, to get the same quality everytime, to get good personal service, get the flies and the details in the fly that I want on demand. This sport is getting more and more expensive as time passes by. Some of us have to pace ourselves just because the gas we put in our vehicles to get to the pools is so expensive (even have a topic on this site to get a car pool going... excellent idea) and it costs too much to go. Same goes with the equipment. I buy locally when I can, but for instance, if locally, I find a pair of 400$ chestwaders but can get them for 130 $ elsewhere, I am going to have a 130$ pair of chestwaders... not a pair of 400 $ chestwaders! I just don't have enough of the green stuff to pay double or more for everything I own just for the fun of it while receiving the same or less quality at that.
 
#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
OK this is taking a very unpleasant turn and I'm really not comfortable being in the middle of any type of controversy.

First off, don't assume anything about anyone, especially based on someone's name on here. Chances are it means very little and why be insulting to someone (drive a tractor around in a circle?). That just shows real ignorance and letting the world know you don't have any idea what that job really entails.

Second, you might be shocked to learn where your professionally tied, tackle shop bought flies really come from. I can guarantee I'm not the only rookie tyer, non-fisher selling flies. I've even had the opportunity to sell to some of these fly shops so who knows, you might be buying my flies without even knowing it.

Third, most of my bug pictures were from some of my first tries at tying them and I put them there because they were the best shots I had and the website was really only ever intended for family and friends. And from what I'm learning, there's really no wrong way to do a fly. They all have about 100 different variations from the orignial and sometimes, those variations are what makes them successful.

Fourth and final, I don't know anything about any TOS agreement and I don't even know what that stands for. I've never heard of not being allowed to post links on a website. There's all kinds of unsolicited advertising on the internet and the internet really doesn't have many rules to begin with?

When Dave relaunched this site, he asked people not to be rude and nasty to eachother. Can everyone please just get back to that and stop making personal attacks on people they don't even know, just because they've assumed something about their situations? Yes, I'm a rookie tyer and I'm learning, learning from professional tyers, and everyone had to start somewhere. If people are happy with the work I am producing and the prices I charge, then who is anyone to stand there and berate me or them for it?

Nobody is perfect, everyone started out knowing nothing, and no one knows everything. Those that think they do are the only ones that believe it.

"It is better to reamin silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt"
 
#18 ·
Perhaps the hotlinks comment wasn't addressed to me? Well if Dave has an issue with people posting links, he's more than welcome to jump in and say so and have it removed.
However, I don't see why it would be a problem when it's people that are voluntarily coming together to ask questions and learn from eachother (sometimes that lesson is how NOT to act) and posting links comes with that. I think it should be left up to Dave to determine what the rules are and to let him tell people what they can and cannot do. It's his site.
 
#20 ·
Well 1st of all,TOS is the Terms of Service Agreement that everybody "signs" when they join most forums,although most probly just clik "I agree" without actually reading it?personally,I could care less who links what to where....jest sayin' that "officially" it's not allowed?

2ndly,without sounding overly critical,you might consider upgrading your website photos to reflect the progress and quality of the new and improved flies that all your fans here rave about....you just might sell more bugs?
 
#24 ·
Thanks for the TOS explanation, and yes I'm one of those that clicks "I agree" without reading..guilty..but if Dave didn't want my post on here, he'd have removed it or asked me to.

And yes, I probably should update it but I don't have a lot of free time and if people are happy with my flies, then what difference does that make to anyone else? Plus, I don't want to get overrun with orders because I don't have lots of time to sit around and tie so I'm content with what I have now.
 
#21 ·
2ndly,without sounding overly critical,you might consider upgrading your website photos to reflect the progress and quality of the new and improved flies that all your fans here rave about....you just might sell more bugs?
[/quote]
greenmachine I have to admit I love the bantering .. this is nothing personal but you have been to ellas site and you have a thing with her bugs .. I hope your not talking about the ugly bug ? that is something that I had tied and i do not have a clue as to what I'm doing as far as tying.
 
#23 ·
Ok this is getting back to nasty again. Drops and I had a conversation, I took offense to it, told him so and he says he did not intend for it to come across that way. End of story.

I have not been "tirelessly pimping my flies" on here. I made 1 simple post that I tied in my spare time and if anyone was interested, I also sold them. People contacted me, liked the prices and the work and shared that. They were trying to help out a new fisherman that wanted to inquire about buying online. I neither asked these people or had these people post anything about me, they chose to do so on their own so that should speak for itself.

Professional tiers sell to fly shops for about the same price I'm charging so yes, I do make a bit off my work, but I'm not doing it for the money, I'm doing it because I enjoy it. If I can recoup my costs, I can keep doing it and being a free country, I have the right to do that and I have the right to compete with anyone else out there, sorry!

If people choose to get involved in this stupid arguement, that is their choice, not because I've asked them to and I appreciate their willingness to defend me, and keep in mind that I wasn't even the one that brought myself into this but here I am, having to defend myself?

I'm not asking for anyone to be banned but please, if you don't like my flies or don't like that other people are happy with them, then don't buy any and keep your comments to yourself. And again, I'll repeat, this is Dave's site, not anyone elses. If he doesn't want links being posted (of which more people are guilty of than just in this topic) and if he has an issue with me offering to tie and sell flies via his site, then he has every right to ask me not to do so, but that is up to his discresion, not anyone elses. I very quietly posted that I tied, I didn't flaunt it and these people were trying to help a new fisherman get some gear for a decent price and I appreciate that they liked my flies enough to suggest it to him. I'm not targeting anyone or sending out mass emails to people on this site to generate orders.

If anyone is offering suggestions for improvement, I don't mind that but I don't condone personal attacks on me or anyone else, my work, or my site. This is foolish and not called for.
 
#25 · (Edited by Moderator)
yup. this is way out of hand. be polite or quiet - you may meet that other party in person some day or get to know them better and regret the flaming. and that's what's going on, flaming.

i have left sites to get away from this crap and found better info.
and i have remeet some one that flamed me on another site and became friends.

ella, i hope this doesn't sour you to the site.
i'm sort of sorry to say i just followed this link to let them know about a great web site for discounted fishing gear. like most, you have to watch it - not everything is a sale price!!! however i bought $300 worth of fies there this year and have no complaints. i bought top made prime flies too quick-looks-good flies, knowing what i was getting...and paying for each. and that didn't stop me from buying local either. i make it a point to buy local gear where i can, it helps us all. Warren Duncan was the best in the world and lived in SJ, but he's gone now. please give ella and all our local fly tyers a chance.

oh, and the web site is gofishin.com and i do not represent them in anyway
 
#27 ·
I have bought 30 dozen flies from flydealflies.com and about 80% of them are good and rest are poor. I have tried numerous other people online like reelflies and found these to be generally a much better quality. Takes at least 30-40 days to receive your flies though.
 
#28 ·
lol Morfrost!!!!
yup, that's a lot of flies!!! i'm suprised the sale is still on. if i find anything else i "neeeed" there i'll buy a bunch more flies at the same time too.

i could use a great high capacity fly reel for a rediculously low price... i'm probabley dreaming! lol
 
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