How many fly fishermen ARE NOT fly tiers?

[JSzymczyk 0]

I just read an article that estimated 15% of fly fishermen tie their own flies. I have no understanding of that because I have been tying since I was a kid of 9 or 10? Don't really remember. Maybe it's a personality thing, maybe it's an upbringing thing, I don't know. My Dad fly fished a lot when he was young, but worked part time in a REAL hometown sporting goods (read: hunting and fishing) store where local tiers sold their flies so he was never into tying. In my world growing up fishing, tying flies was as natural a step as catching nightcrawlers in the yard with a flashlight for walleye fishing. I'm not some purist either, I also make my own lures of other types. I guess I'm one of "The Damned" in Rocco's post above- but I certainly don't have unlimited time, and fishing isn't the only thing I do. In fact the older I get, it seems the less time I have. I thought it was supposed to be the other way 'round.

[mikechell 0]

From what I can gather ... there are a few of us who are on the water once a week or more. At least, one day every weekend.

For every one of "us", there's 100 anglers that only go fishing once or twice a year. They don't have water locally or for some other reason, just don't go very often.

I can see those people not tying their own flies.

 

As flytire stated ... some people who tie flies don't fish them. THAT is unimaginable to me. I don't think I could get through a whole month without fishing. It's just the release valve I need.

 

Since this is a fly TYING site, I am sure we're seeing a minority of the fly fishing community represented.

[Poopdeck 0]

I tie. My "A" list fishing partner does not so in my experience 50% tie their own and the other 50% bum flies from those who tie. Not sure what all those flies are doing in the fly shops.

[SilverCreek 0]

I wonder.

 

10-15% according to Whiting

[DrLogik 0]

I tie my own flies but I also buy some in a pinch, mostly parachutes (too lazy to tie them).

[redietz 0]

 

I wonder.

 

10-15% according to Whiting

 

 

I saw that same article (http://www.5280.com/2017/06/the-feather-baron/)

The number is percentage of people who do tie their own.

 

Whiting estimates that only 10 to 15 percent of American fly-fishers tie their own flies.

 

 

Looking at my local TU chapter (with about 450 members), the number might be almost 50%, but that probably says more about who joins TU than it does about the overall percentage who tie.

[Floatfisher 0]

I know my 5 brothers in law do not tie their own!

 

They steal them from me to stock up when we are fishing together :-(

[tjm 0]

On the Mo. trout park waters and tail waters, I'd guess 98% bought flies. On the warm water streams, my guess would be near all fly fishers are fly tyers.

 

Access to a fly shop sorta influences how many fishers are fly fishers on a particular water and also influences how many tie their own. No fly shop within 50-100 miles will equate to very few fly fishers but of the few there are a higher percentage will tie their own because you can't just swing by the shop and grab a dozen that match the current food.

 

Then what is a fly fisherman? Do more than a small percent of all fly rod owners fish after the new wears off? I have always suspected that the long guarantees on high end tackle was based on the fact that 90+% of it will live in the closet till they sell off the estate.

 

It was already mentioned that we wouldn't be here if we didn't have an interest in tying, I imagine that is true of all the surveys that get run as well and so any data collected that way would be biased. Whiting would not know if I tie or not because I have never purchased from them or had any contact with them. No one can even guess how many fly-fishers there are; who bought rods and never used them? They are on auction everyday. Who never bought a new rod, and thereby never got counted?

 

I started tying flies 40 years ago because at that time it did save me money, but nowadays many flies are cheaper to buy than to acquire the materials for, so even as a tyer I am a buyer for some of those ready rolled too.

 

Down the road a piece there is a tyers club (50+ people) that is 99% older folks that I bet not over half of them fly fish. They meet weekly as a social thing.

[hankinsfly 0]

I know quite a few fly fishers who don't tie. Couldn't think of a percent. For some it's just they're not crafty types, don't have the time (it does take lots of time to figure it out), or others are guides who don't want to go home after a day of guiding and tie more flies. In Oklahoma, trout spots are limited (two rivers, both tailwaters). Fly fishing isn't a big to-do here and the few who do fly fish, don't do it enough to tie their own. Those who fly fish for warm water species are even fewer. I think it's good to have lots of people who don't tie their own, because fly shops depend on them! I rarely buy store-bought. Nothing against them, I just really like to have a box full of my own. And with online reports, you can usually do a bit of research before a trip to anywhere and have an adequate selection. I like to support the local shops and try to wait to buy terminal tackle there, and maybe a few of those "top secret" flies I don't have in my box.