Fly Tying Inventory

[H Dot Verseman 0]

I've been thinking- does anyone keep track of their fly tying inventory via spreadsheet or other methods? I am looking to come up with either a computer based, or hard copy based journal of all of the thread, wire, dubbing etc that I have, so when I don't buy something I already have and don't need while in a fly shop, or shopping via the internet.

 

I always seem to get 1 item I already have and I always miss something I needed. None of it is all that important, but it is annoying.

[Piker20 0]

I attempted to keep a paper copy for myself for pretty much the reason as you. It proved too much of an effort on paper to make the changes and keep everything neat. OCD! But an excel format would be ideal, maybe I'll look again at it but not sure I can be bothered. I have found that my materials are shrinking as I stick to a set group of flies and tend to tie from that across all my flies now.

 

Its a good way to see where your moneys gone though!!!

[flytire 0]

i have too much stuff to inventory and then i'd be too lazy to keep the inventory current after a purchace. waste of time for me.

 

as long as the labels dont come off of the 40 or so rubbermaid plastic shoe box storage containers all at once, i'm OK.

[feathers5 0]

I wish I would have been that smart. I have so much stuff now that I keep buying duplicates because I can find the originals. I never thought of it, but you've got a great idea. I may give it a shot.

[EricF 0]

I have to admit, given all the stuff I have, which is reasonably organized, it is too much to take the effort to list. So I went the other way - when I want to tie a fly and I don't have any particular material, I write it down in a little memo book - that way I keep track of what I need, not what I have. then the question is whether or not I remember to bring the little memo book to the fly shop....

[Chase Creek 0]

Same as EricF. I've collected way to much over the years to try and go back and itemize it. I also keep a small notebook on the desk to jot down what I need or run out of. I think my stuff is organised well enough to be able to find the items I need.

The other thing is, after a few years of tying, I've settled down to tying a few certain types of flys - parachutes, soft-hackles, etc., I'm not tying every pattern I come across in a magazine, so I have whittled my material needs down a bit to those types I use to tie those types of flies.

STILL an awful lot of stuff, though.

[utyer 0]

I have put my hook inventory into a database in Open Office. Its not a fully functional application, but with the form and query functions, and can keep track of my hooks. That's as far as I'm going.

[dogsnfish 0]

In my working life I deal with many numbers and need to be organized, so I got a bit frustrated this winter because I was having trouble finding things and was also buying duplicates. Spouse suggested I get some peg board and while I was mounting everything I entered it in spreadsheet. It ended up being several sheets in one Excel file, but it works for me. I have individual sheets for feathers, fur, etc. The big one is "need to get." I keep it in a dropbox folder so I can pull it up on my phone if need be. I made a unexpected visit to a fly shop yesterday and just pulled up my need to get sheet and went crazy. A bit anal I know, but it is working very well and has been easy to keep up with.

[bluegill576 0]

Over the past month I have been inventorying all my stuff and I am nearing completion. I put it into evernote. It is free and has great search functions and easy ways to seperate things. I have different notes in one folder for different categories of materials, ex coarse hairs, dubbing, thread. Then in each folder I list the items alphabetically with color and size if applies. I make the color of the font for each item either red, yellow, or green. Green if I have a lot of it, yellow if i need to buy more, and red if i am completely out. Evernote will also sync the notes to my iphone so i can be in the fly shop and check if I need something.

 

I've also been using evernote to store recipes and photos of fly patterns I like and fly fishing/tying articles. It is a great free tool.

[Peterjay 0]

I wouldn't say I have TOO much stuff, but it's been accumulating since moths wiped me out 34 years ago. I fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find anything in a fly shop that I don't have in more colors and sizes than they carry. If I put it all on paper, it would probably weigh as much as an unabridged dictionary. I don't tie for trout or salmon any more, so all of those quills, pheasant crests, parrot feathers, etc. are safely stored in plastic bags inside sealed containers. The stuff in current use goes into Ziploc bags inside mobile plastic chests of drawers. I keep it all organized by drawer and by bag - the only thing I have to check once in a while is what colors of a specific material I might need. Another thing thing I've done that helps quite a bit is to keep a couple of drawers full of color-coded material. I fill a gallon Ziploc bag with samples of various materials in a single color. For example, in one bag goes olive chenille, yarn, marabou, wool, rabbit strips, etc., etc., etc. In another bag goes green, in another, yellow, etc. I also keep saddle hackle and schlappen in color coded bags. Saves a lot of rummaging around. I doubt my system would make much sense to anybody else, but I know where everything is at any given moment. I tie mostly on whims, so it helps a lot to have all this stuff on hand; otherwise, I'd be constantly ordering material or running around trying to find it. If I lose a gunfight or walk in front of a speeding truck, my stuff goes to my friends to split up. (my life may be in danger as we speak - I've noticed that they've been sneaking up behind me on the jetty a lot lately) The way I look at it is that if I played golf or bought a new car every few years, I'd spend ten times what I've spent on materials, and have nothing to show for it.

[Stippled Popper 0]

I have numerous plastic containers of numerous sizes each with their own types of materials in different colors.

While I still might have to look through the container a few seconds, at least I have the proper container.

Labeled with Black Marker which rubs off, I put Magic Tape on it so the marker doesn't rub off which can be

removed and relabeled if needed.

 

For the hooks I have four of those 21 compartment plastic boxes and a couple of other smaller sized plastic

Plano boxes.

[Piker20 0]

I like PeterJays idea for using one bag full of different materials of the same colour. I have found that my capes and feathers are overflowing their box and can see a benefit for me to storing mine by colour not by material.

[H Dot Verseman 0]

good idea with Evernote. I use that for recipes as well.

 

I have a lot of material for only fly tying about 1.5 years, so if I start now I'll be able to keep with it. I agree with you guys though, that if I continue as is and don't document it, atleast the major materials I use for my most common flies, it will get out of hand.

[bluegill576 0]

Here is a little article I wrote and posted on my local clubs forum that has more on the evernote and some screenshots of it:

[kjr 0]

Hi!

 

I have also tried to make an inventory for my tying materials, but came to the same conclusion that it is to much work to keep it up to date.

I also use Evernote to make a list of what i might feel i need. I tried using a notebook, but i always forgot it at home, and i can't read my own handwriting any more.

That way i always have it handy, and i also use it for saving articles and other tidbits from the web.

 

I have organized my stuff in 3 IKEA draw units with 6 drawers, one rack for fur, one for feathers and one for synthetics. In each drawer i keep things in zipplock bags. Sorting after color was an interesting idea that i thing i will adopt for every ting other that dry fly materials. i currently sort after material type. The trout fly materials i use most often i keep in a fly tying bag so i am ready on a short notice if the opportunity for fly tying, beer and deep conversation materializes out of the blue.

 

Do any of you have a good system for keeping hooks organized? i now use a C&F magnetic hook holder but i got a bitt optimistic when filling it so now it is a big mess.

 

Knut