How much do you have invested?

[MTtyer 0]

I've been fly fishing and tying since I was around 13. I'll soon be 51. If I added it all up, I'm sure that I could have paid for a modest home.

On the other hand, when I look at friends who knock little white balls around gold courses....I'm probably getting out cheap.

[Harold Ray 0]

the rare books I've bought,

 

Trout,

 

What rare books have you bought?

 

Ray

[Nebraskaflyer 0]

I've been tying for about a year now, and I've spent nearly $400. I probably could've used it buying textbooks for college, but I enjoy tying a lot more than a classroom. However, I don't look at it as how much money I've spent. The way I look at it is this. How much have I learned about the fly tying and fishing world? How many new friends have I made? How much money have I saved? ( I can answer that one right off the bat,... not a lot.) Finally, have I enjoyed the trip so far? All I can say is, I'm an addict, and damn it, it sure feels good!

[sulfernut 0]

I am with the gang of posters that responded,that "doesn't want to think about it"!! I have been tying (and BUYING!!) for very close to 40 years. I have on occasion tried to put a value on all the stuff I have accumulated over the years,but each time I do,my mind quickly boggles!! I once approached a nationally known insurancecmpany about taking out a separate policy on my tying/fishing gear.....apparently,it boggles their mind too,as they were unable to come up with anything for me,in the way of a policy,OR advice!! After all,how do you tell somebody (insurance salesman,OR spouse) that you paid $90.00 for the

skin off the neck of a barnyard fowl animal!!!

 

PS: Anyone else have any experience trying to insure their tying materials,or fishing gear???

[Harold Ray 0]

I normally talk with my local agent and let him work out the deal. I insure my kayaks and gear; I've insured cattle and horses, etc. Many people may not know what to tell you; an insurance agent, especially if you carry several policies with him or her, will really help in this area, if they're any good at their business.

 

I have all of my kayaks, fishing gear and tying gear and materials either at home or in a 24x30 foot Morton metal building (those are neat, well-built, spacious structures) behind my business. Once it was built and I had moved most things in, I called Mike, told him what I wanted to do, and by the end of the day, everything inside, plus the building, was insured.

 

I suspect your fly tying materials could be covered under your home policy as propety, if at home, but don't know. It seems like they are pretty inclusive.

 

Ray

[Esox 0]

My materials are like my fishing style. Very basic, no real exotic feathers or fur. I probably have under a grand in materials on hand.

Now if you want to talk about fly and hardware gear, thats a different issue, and downright scary. I do have a rider on my homeowners to cover all my sporting goods from feathers to guns.

[Curtis Fry 0]

I don't usually try to keep track, but let's just say the flies I actually catch a fish on are probably worth about $15 each (not counting the un-used ones in my boxes).

 

Yowza!

[Streamside 0]

I majored in business, so I could tell you right to the very penny what I have invested because it's all inventoried on Business Visions and I get a quarterly report, but I'm not going to. LOL

 

My cane rod, guiding and my fly tying businesses are all limited registered companies, so everything that has anything at all to do with fishing is a potential write-off source and I usually milk it for everything it's worth. rods, reels, vices, tools, boats, rafts, gas / travel / fishing trips you name it. If I take a couple fellas on a fishing trip it gets filed under entertaining clients/ business associates. ..... :hyst: I don't care if they make me money, I have a number of other residual incomes so as long as they are each showing a little profit on the books, I'm happy. I can fish seven days a week if I want to and my fishing and fishing toys don't cost me anything.... Right now I'm just trying to figure out how I can squeeze in a brand new Jeep Rubicon......travel / guiding perhaps :hyst: :hyst: :hyst: :hyst: :hyst:

[Al Beatty 0]

Hi Guys,

 

I've been watching this thread with interest over the past several days. My business as it is today started because I would buy in bulk for my own commercial tying and end up selling some of the extra product/tools to other commercial tiers. Then I stared selling to fly shops and to the public on a limited basis. I don't have a clue what I have in my personal inventory except once a year when I do a complete inventory to keep the IRS happy. This last tax season (2005) my inventory at the end of the year was "sold down" to $22,000.00. This week alone I purchased $15,000.00 worth of tying tools offshore and today I'm brokering $25,000.00 value in Danvises through customs in Salt Lake City. The order to Danville day before yesterday had a street value of $5,000.00. And I bought $800.00 worth of Mongoose Cam vises from Griffin.

 

I guess what I'm trying to say to you folks is I have the same sickness you all have. I've just figured out how to make a modest living at it. I guarantee you presciption drugs won't cure you of the sickness - you just have to live with it! <G> Take care & ...

 

Tight Lines - Al Beatty

www.btsflyfishing.com

[ted patlen 0]

oh, i don't know...

 

how do you put a price tag on 45 years worth of dead, as well as flattened , birds, animals and other cute creatures,

 

 

and the tools, wire, silk, thread, etc.........................

 

still , it ain't close to my wife's penchant for jewelry and shoes :crying:

 

 

[Redwings1 0]

The amount I have spent far exceeds what I probably should spend, but I could not think of anything better to spend my money on

As for the insurance....absolutely! I have a separate supplemental policy (with a very low deductible) written just for my basement office that houses my gear and all my tying supplies. I also have my car insured at nearly triple value as I more often than not have a fair to midling amount of gear in the car.

[cornmuse 0]

If my wife only new what I've actually spent

 

That is precisely why I'll never answer this question.... :hyst:

 

Joe C.

[hectortmc 0]

Way to much. Fly tyers are pack rats Plus we can't go to a fly shop for just tippet material :dunno: .So just have fun spend that moldy money :headbang: just to let you know I probablly have 2500.00 in hooks alone. Plus we can never just get one of anything

[Moshup 0]

Tying for well over 30 yrs and have started to divest of somethings because I don't want them thrown out or sold for pennies. Easily 8 to 10 grand I would say.

[redietz 0]

"Invested" would be the wrong word.It implies that I expect to make some sort of a profit.

 

After 51 years of tying, I'm sure I'm I've spent well more than $10,000.

 

Heck, I probably have close to $1000 worth of just vises. And I know I spent at least $100 on hooks last year. (I teach tying for the local TU chapter and donate materials.) I've got two filing cabinet drawers full of dry fly capes (and I tie more wets than dries.)

 

OTOH, given that some of the local shops are now asking $3 a pop for flies (even simple ones) and given that I go through (guessing) an average of 3-4 flies a week year round and that I donate a lot of flies, I may actually be almost even on materials. (Tying time is, of course another matter.)