ladyflytyer

Sorry to hear about your vice, Mike. Alot of manufacturers don't want to back up what they sell and don't put the quality in it either. Jeez, they make it sound like you were trying to tie an anchor or something!!!! Read all the posts and everyone has an opinion. I don't mean that in a bad way; I've used brands of tools that others said weren't worth the money and have been real happy with them, and I've also bought things because of the name brand and have been very dissappointed. I've been using a Griffin rotary for about 18 months and have been very happy with it. But, that's me. The reason I bought it was that it had a lifetime guarantee, but the place where I bought it also let me try it out in the store. I liked that; I asked a bunch of questions, the guy sits down and starts tying and demonstrating; all I had to do was ask and the next thing you know we had a crowd!!! Plus, he got a few people interested in what we were doing. Would love to hear how your new vice works out. I'm always in the market to buy good stuff!!! Marjie

Thanks, Bruce! It so happens I subscribe to that magazine and have saved all the issues. Didn't even give that a thought! Marjie

I have been reading these posts for several days, and am very interested in how well you do tying commercially. I begain tying about 12 years ago, and the last few years began selling them. All of our fishing buddies swear by my flies and will not fish with anything else. Since I work a full-time job I don't have the time to sit at my vice for more than 2 hours a day if I'm lucky. I guess what I am curious about is how many flies are you able to tie a day to actually make a profit? Do you do this for a living? I have LOTS of questions regarding this since my husband and I have discussed running a small shop when we retire and I don't want to stock all that mass produced stuff. Any info and advice you have would be greatly appreciated. My husband doesn't tie, but he recently started building fly rods, and we are hoping to relocate to an area that fly fishing shops are rare. Will be looking for some responses. Thanks

Hi, Arkansas Mike. Ladyflytyer here. Had a hard time getting around site to answer you; new to forums!!!! Anyway, very interesting to read the responses. Like lots of others, I'm very partial to Mustad hooks because they are cheaper and you can buy them in 100's, and because they have a hook for about every purpose. I've been tying about 12 years now and am still partial to the Mustads.

I agree that anyone who ties the same thing day after day will be good at it, but that is so boring!!! Like the others said, there is alot of satisfaction in tying your own flies and using them. Nothing is better than the first fish you catch on one either!!!

Boy I do not know if i totaly agree Blake. I can mass produce tight flies and tie quality with little error. Plus knowing how to buy top quality materials is HUGE with cost and profit. I tie with all hareline materials and daiichi hooks (mustad ultra point jig hooks). And Im very conscious about what I make on a pattern. Im not going to give up time away from my family and put my elbow (bad tennis elbow) through hell just for fun. I do it 1 for the cash and 2 for the hot chicks and cool cars!!! But its about quality and quantity. If Im not making at least 16+ dollars an hour profit tying a fly Im not selling it. My time is worth more. I think the biggest difference is that 1 my flies are my patterns that I came up with (for the most part) i know how to put them together and 2 Im a fly fisher I know what is going to hold up and what is not. ie Ive failed and had flies fail. And learned and corrected the problems so make a successful durable fly... But that said there is a huge difference between African flies and rainey's, umpqua, pac fly etc... in quality

Boy I do not know if i totaly agree Blake. I can mass produce tight flies and tie quality with little error. Plus knowing how to buy top quality materials is HUGE with cost and profit. I tie with all hareline materials and daiichi hooks (mustad ultra point jig hooks). And Im very conscious about what I make on a pattern. Im not going to give up time away from my family and put my elbow (bad tennis elbow) through hell just for fun. I do it 1 for the cash and 2 for the hot chicks and cool cars!!! But its about quality and quantity. If Im not making at least 16+ dollars an hour profit tying a fly Im not selling it. My time is worth more. I think the biggest difference is that 1 my flies are my patterns that I came up with (for the most part) i know how to put them together and 2 Im a fly fisher I know what is going to hold up and what is not. ie Ive failed and had flies fail. And learned and corrected the problems so make a successful durable fly... But that said there is a huge difference between African flies and rainey's, umpqua, pac fly etc... in quality