Fly Tying Material

[Aaron Murnane 0]

Where is a good and cheap place that sells fly material prominently for saltwater flies but everything i guess? I am looking for the cheapest possible.

[mybadhabit 0]

A little more info on just what you are looking for would help.

[bluegill576 0]

If your just looking for a fly shop that's not that expensive then j stockard is pretty good. Also bass pro (white river) has some pretty good prices but not the best selection.

[lykos33 0]

FTF site sponsor JStockard's. Good prices, nice selection and great service....what more could ya ask for?

[NJ All Day 0]

FTF site sponsor JStockard's. Good prices, nice selection and great service....what more could ya ask for?

A million bucks?

[Aaron Murnane 0]

I fish for reds, tarpon, snook, seatrout, etc... and i want a variety of materials for a cheap low price and i find j stockard to be a little steep on some items but others are good. could someone possibly make a wishlist and send it to me or make a list of some materials i need to make majority of saltwater flies i live in SW florida.

[poksal 0]

Consider this: You may be doing this backwards, we have all been there. FIRST find out what flys work for those fish in your location, THEN go buy the materials. 'Else you end up with a bunch of crap like the rest of us that doesn't get used. Buy or dig around for the stuff you actually need.

 

There is something about what fish see that we don't as humans seem to be able to relate to. For example the Adams for fresh water fish. It seems to do well in several situations and fish like it although we think it does not mimic the hatch or insect in that area or time. So, as you start tying don't forget to learn to tie some of the tested and tried salt water flys that have a record of working even though it does not make common sense to us. I'd pick some of those that you like and look up the patterns or step-by-steps and start from there. Then you can get more creative using the information your brain processes from the results.

 

You will be suprised what you can find around the house for free. IE: the tape off an old audio cassette tape is a great natural shell wrap. I use a fair amount of yarn on various woolies and it comes in lots of colors on the cheap. My wife has tons of that stuff. I watch for feathers that have a shape, fiber, or textrue I like and dye some. Your craft store is a valuable asset. Roam the isles like a hawk and grab, for example grab that package of several colors of craft wire. Each craft wire spool only has 3 yards of wire... that goes farther than you may think. You can always buy a larger roll of the color you end up using the most of later. Be sure to scan the isles around the thread and yarn, you will see treasures there and want to know where to get them later. Check out the bead isle, and the bead storage boxes there. Most of us go to wallyworld and buy our favorite colors of nail polish for flys. Clear is a must have. You get the drift. I watch for "fresh" road kill and clip the tail off certain animals that I like to use the fibers of on flys, raccoon is a favorite of mine. I carry a large zip-loc inside a zip-loc for this reason, and in those a pair of pruning shears. I double bag the tail when I get it. When home I wash it as a unit then remove enough hairs for a reasonable stock and discard the rest.

 

It is not about being cheap, I can afford to buy the tools & supplies I want to, but it is much more fun to scrounge up things for near free. This method allows for more of the powerful human need, to be creative, to be fulfilled which then improves attitude and mental & phyical health.... This stuff extends the hobby to a much broader range and gives me additional satisfaction, almost a life style. ............. And yes, You bet, I purchase items from fly shops, too.

 

For me there are three disiplines or hobbies all rolled into one involved: 1) Finding, acquiring, & managing materials, 2) fly tying, and 3) fly fishing.

 

After all, the main goal is to have fun.

[flytire 0]

could someone possibly make a wishlist and send it to me or make a list of some materials i need to make majority of saltwater flies i live in SW florida.

 

since its YOU that fishes for saltwater species, YOU should make a list of flies that YOU use and GOOGLE the recipes and buy the materials listed.

 

here is a saltwater fly tying materials place

 

http://www.saltwaterflies.com/catalog.html

[agn54 0]

I agree with Flytire, find some flies you want to tie and then get the materials. There are plenty of webpages with saltwater fly recipes and SBS, and don't forget youtube.

 

Here are a few sites that may help

 

http://flaflyfish.com/library-of-flies.html

 

http://www.aswf.info/multimedia/flytying.html (don't overlook northern saltwater sites, most flies used for stripers work great down here as well, you may just want to adjust the color scheme)

 

http://saltwaterflytying.blogspot.com/

 

 

Also, for really cheap synthetics, check out Flytyer's Dungeon His Congo Hair is basically the same thing as EP fibers at about 1/5th the cost.

[flyderaght 0]

I agree with the previous posters. Unfortunately, some materials are pricy and there is nothing you can do. that said, you maybe surprised where you can find material quite inexpensively. dollar stores,hardware stores, craft stores etc. I found some interesting product at michaels made by creatology. the roll cost me 2$ and the colours are endless. I bought this for a leg materials and maybe even a body as it would be quite handy against toothy critters I think. we shall see and that is part of the creative process.

 

marc

[poksal 0]

interesting product at michaels made by creatology

 

 

What is the name of that material and what kind of stuff is it

[flyderaght 0]

I have looked on michaels site but cannot find it. their site is not very good. anyways, it is basically the stuff you can make the bead chains on. next time I go to michaels I will get the info. I just liked it as it was stiff enough to do a body with it and might make some interesting legs.

marc

[Aaron Murnane 0]

You guys are great thanks too all.

p.s. do you really cut of road kills tails such as racoons. what is your proceder to disinfect it? how do you keep all the hair facing in the same direction after you cut it?

 

-aaron

[fshrmanms 0]

You can get free feathers when you shoot turkeys, ducks, etc. I get some white tail deer to donate their tails and body fur every year. I even get some of my buddies that hunt to save their pelts' tails and feathers. I use table salt to dry the animal hide stuff. After a few months it dries out and I wash it using water and mild detergent. I wear rubber gloves until I finish this processing (ditto for roadkill)(some states require a permit to harvest "found" game).

 

Sometimes you can find multiple items selling in lots on eBay.

 

Also check your local Craigslist.

 

dollar tree has craft foam, super glue, emery boards, nail polish, beads, rubber gloves and stuff.

 

Like the previous post said its easy to end up with a bunch of stuff you'll never use. I might have to add on to my workshop to make storage space.

[bowfin47 0]

In nw Florida , you'll not come across a lot of useful materials from roadkills, and the little that you do find can be problematic... i.e. raccoons can carry rabies... Besides, you won't tie a lot of "coon flies". And cutting hair without the skin, will "lead ya' directly into heartaches"

 

I agree with virtually everything stated above, but I would add that if you'd like to save a little, then split your orders with a friend. That's what I did when I started out.

 

Also join a Federation of Fly Fishers club... there are several in nw florida... good clubs with great tyers who can /will give ya' wonderful advice. http://www.fff-florida.org/

 

However, in the end if ya' go "cheap" on everything, I'll bet that you won't last as a tyer, because your enjoyment of tying will always be affected by waiting to purchase specific materials at a "better deal", not being willing to use your "good" materials, settling for crap tools or cheap substitute hooks, or other "frugal" ways to save.

 

 

I'm not saying that tying has to cost a fortune, but I would advise ya' to remember that even when tied with first class materials and good quality hooks, your flies will still cost only fraction of what they would have if purchased.

 

Heck you may wish to specialize at first.. I'd advise ya' to master "Wig Hair" Flies. A lot of folks in Florida hare having great success with them and the materials are CHEAP! I'd start with this: http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/6421819/all/Wig_Hair

 

 

Here is a copy of great posting on a beginner tying kit for salt water:

 

http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=168850

 

A basic, no waste fly tying kit. Includes three classic saltwater patterns, and countless variations of shrimp and baitfish patterns. Will cover most situations, from the marsh, to the bays, to the surf, and the jetties. And it will fill your fly box a couple of times over, for about $65.00.

 

white bucktail ($5.00)

chartreuse bucktail ($5.00)

pink bucktail ($5.00)

white calves tail (kiptail) ($3.00)

pink calves tail (kiptail) ($3.00)

white saddle hackle ($4.00)

pearl crystal flash ($4.50)

silver lead eyes medium ($5.00)

silver bead chain eyes medium ($2.50)

Mustad 34007 stainless hooks size 4 ($7.00)

Mustad 34011 stainless hooks size 2 ($11.00)

white thread ($2.00)

pink thread ($2.00)

head cement ($6.00)

 

Crazy Charlies: size 4

- white (lead eyes, bead eyes, no eyes)

- pink (lead eyes, bead eyes, no eyes)

- tan (lead eyes, bead eyes, no eyes)

 

Lefty's Deceiver: size 2

- white

- chartreuse over white

 

Clouser Minnows: size 2

- white

- chartreuse over white

- pink over white

- pink

 

In nw Florida, you'll never need high quality, dry fly necks/saddles, and most likely, you'll never venture in to the world of salmon fly tying. So buy what you need and remember what Bill Dale sez, "Have fun with this stuff."

 

Bowfin47