Question Commercial/ Small Business Tyers

[bowmike 0]

Just wondering what is your favorite aspect of the job, and who do you do most of your tying for.

 

My favorite aspect of the job is seeing a customer have great success on my flies. I have had a few customers send me photos of them and some beautiful fish. I have had 3 that said they caught the biggest fish of their life using my flies. I know it is not good business practice, but I love to see good customers finally try tying for themselves as well. I know it will mean that I will not make money off of them, but knowing that they are learning the art that I love is great.

 

I have a very hectic schedule being a full time mechanical designer, going back to school full time, being a husband, and most importantly being a dad to my 19 month old son. I typically tie flies in the morning from 5-7 am before work, and often take my stuff for lunch break tying. I don't have the time to go really mainstream and find myself tying for repeat customers. I don't do that much advertising, and let word of mouth drive my sales. I don't really have a ton of time to fill orders, and am happy with making enough to cover the cost of my own fly fishing needs, and maybe a little extra.

 

The money is not great, getting up early is not fun, but I wouldn't trade the friendships I develop with my customers, and hearing them have success for anything. I often contemplate trying to tie some flies for fly shops and such, but know that I would never have any connection with the people using my flies, and that makes me shy away. I attached the photo of my most recent "Biggest fish of my life" photos I was given. I was happy that the person is part of a group that edits photos and such, to add this photo on my website.

 

So what is your favorite part of the job? and Who do you tie for the most?

[bowmike 0]

No one likes to tie flies for others? LOL

[Christopher K 0]

Favourite part is when beginners have success with my flies. That's a beautiful golden trout there!

[Troutbum11 0]

Same for me. I love getting beginners into it. I tie and sell for a local state park and I don't get near the enjoyment out of that.

[utyer 0]

I no longer tie flies to sell. The part I liked the best, is providing a pattern for my clients that they couldn't get elsewhere. I had one client who had been fishing the same 2 patterns (classic wet flies,) for years, but stores were no longer selling them. He would come down once a year with his son and get a another couple dozen of each. I liked getting feed back, and repeat customers, and referrals came from many of my clients.

 

Some times, a client had a "secret" pattern, and they always remained that way. I rarely tied any patterns that were available off the shelf, which meant, I was providing a "special" service, and they knew and were willing to pay a bit more, and give me time to complete the orders.

 

Now that I only tie for myself, friends, and family, I still get the same feedback. I like to introduce people to fly-fishing, and when I do, I usually provide the flies for the day(s) we fish. I met a guy on a steam once, who hadn't caught a fish all morning. He watched me for a bit, while I caught a few nice fish. We got to talking and I could tell he was new to the sport. I gave him some of my flies, and told him to go back up above where I was, since I knew there were fish there.

 

He was soon into some fish. I told him that on the way down, there were plenty of places that he had failed to take fish, and since I was headed back to the car, we fished back up the same stretch together. I showed him likely water, and he took fish, or at least had strikes at most places.

 

After a drink back at the car, we went separate ways, I don't even know his name.

[tidewaterfly 0]

For the 15 years that I tied commercially, the interaction with people & the friends I made were a big part of why I enjoyed doing it. I also sold some materials & gave classes so helping others with tying added to the overall experience & some extra sales too. My tying business resulted in meeting a fellow who became my best friend & fishing buddy. You can't put a price on things like that. It was always a source of pride & great joy when someone told me they had done well with my flies or lures. I still know of some folks who speak highly of flies or lures I made for them, and it's been over 10 years since I called it quits.

 

However, I worked a full time job too during that time & helped my wife raise our 4 kids. My hope was to develop my tying/tackle business ( I poured lead & made lures too) into a full time occupation but that didn't happen. Life got in the way which it often does.

 

I don't miss the all night tying after working the previous day and the lack of sleep. That will take it's toll on you & now that I'm much older don't think I could handle it. Tying in that manner while you're young is not good for you either, but it's easier to deal with. I don't miss not having time to fish or a lot of other things because I had orders to fill.

 

If I could do it again I would, but from hindsight not if I had to make a living too. IMO, it's a great way to be involved in the sport & perhaps enhance your income if you have to work another job. But, it's got to be limited. It's a great way for a kid who still lives at home or someone who has retired & is financially settled to have something to do & add some income. It's a wonderful way to stay active in the sport & meet like minded folks.

 

If I hit the lottery any time soon I'll go back to commercial tying, but not otherwise.

 

BTW, to answer the question of who I tied for. I had retail customers, and wholesale. I tied for a few shops & several guides. I did a couple of small shows each year so many of the folks I sold to were only seen once a year. Didn't matter. Some I dealt with for many years, some only once. Still made some friends & talked fishing either way.

[Steve P 0]

I've been tying commercially for about 5 years now. I love talking with people. My favorite thing is to be on the water and talking to someone when they show me their fly and tell me where they got it and just how well it works for them. Then I tell them I'm the guy who tied it. It's a really great feeling to be helping someone catch fish.

 

Steve

[djtrout 0]

I don't anymore, but did for about 5 years, 8 years ago. I tied for a fly shop, custom patterns I and the owner came up with. I enjoyed the comradery with the shop people. Didn't have too much interface with the fishermen, so I missed out on that; just the periodic feedback from the owner. Of course, working full time at primary job, the tying paid for my fly rods. My goal in doing it was to pay for my fishing recreation. It took care of wading boots, a pair of waders, vest, 4 nice fly rods.