Selling Flies

[rstaight 0]

I was curious about tying as a side gig one time. Found a website, can't remember who. They supplied the materials and paid .50 apiece.

 

Figured I would have to tie 20 an hour to make it worth the effort. One every 3 minutes.

[Poopdeck 0]

 

VERY INSIGHTFUL WRINKLES!!!!!!! But dont forget about the joy and happiness garnered by doing something that you love to do. Remember, you will never work a day in your life if you do what you love to do. 4400 flies is a lot of love.

 

I don't think you should stop yourself from achieving bigger goals because you have this romantic view of what work should be. Study hard, challenge yourself. Be smart with your money and retire early, then tie and fly all you want, wherever you want.

 

But that's just my over-analytical opinion...

That was sarcasm at its best! I always told my kids to get a real degree that will lead to a real job That pays a livable wage and then they can do what they love to do on the weekends like every other successful person. Of course I was constantly fighting against the teachers and other parents who preach to kids to, "go to school for something you love doing and you will never work a day in your lives." Fortunately my kids listened to me. Their friends who listened to the romantic view are still living in their parents basement paying off massive student loans while driving beer trucks for work.

 

I agree with your over analytical opinion 110%. Dream big dreams, work hard towards those dreams and aim high. I retired yesterday in my mid 50's not because I tied flies for a living. both kids never came home from college and started jobs right out of school paying more then enough for them to get their own places and live a very comfortable life.

[Mark Knapp 0]

 

 

VERY INSIGHTFUL WRINKLES!!!!!!! But dont forget about the joy and happiness garnered by doing something that you love to do. Remember, you will never work a day in your life if you do what you love to do. 4400 flies is a lot of love.

I don't think you should stop yourself from achieving bigger goals because you have this romantic view of what work should be. Study hard, challenge yourself. Be smart with your money and retire early, then tie and fly all you want, wherever you want.

 

But that's just my over-analytical opinion...

That was sarcasm at its best! I always told my kids to get a real degree that will lead to a real job That pays a livable wage and then they can do what they love to do on the weekends like every other successful person. Of course I was constantly fighting against the teachers and other parents who preach to kids to, "go to school for something you love doing and you will never work a day in your lives." Fortunately my kids listened to me. Their friends who listened to the romantic view are still living in their parents basement paying off massive student loans while driving beer trucks for work.

 

I agree with your over analytical opinion 110%. Dream big dreams, work hard towards those dreams and aim high. I retired yesterday in my mid 50's not because I tied flies for a living. both kids never came home from college and started jobs right out of school paying more then enough for them to get their own places and live a very comfortable life.

 

 

I can see arguments both ways.

 

I became a machinist out of high school, quit that at age 24, moved to Alaska, in '84 and became a big game guide, commercial fisherman and professional trapper. Started my own machine shop in 2000 started making knives full time in 2007.

 

I work hard every day and never worked a day in my life. I go fishing three days a week, for myself but sometimes I guide when I want to. I don't live high off the hog but I have several boats, nothing fancy, the biggest is a 24 foot inboard jet.

 

I never went "back home" I never spent a day in a job I didn't like and have never wanted for anything. The days I'm fishing or running around in the mountains, I'm still working and when I'm working (in the shop) I'm still having fun.

[Poopdeck 0]

That 24' inboard jet wouldn't happen to be a wooldridge would it?

[Mark Knapp 0]

That 24' inboard jet wouldn't happen to be a wooldridge would it?

 

No, it's an Almar that I rebuilt from the hull up. 460 Ford marine with new fuel injection. I set it up for fly fishing in lakes, river and ocean. Small ocean though. Congratulations on your retirement.

[Poopdeck 0]

Thank you! Sounds like a great boat. Why did you go jet for a lake boat? Or is it more for rivers?

[Mark Knapp 0]

Thank you! Sounds like a great boat. Why did you go jet for a lake boat? Or is it more for rivers?

 

Some of our lakes have very shallow accesses, many of our lakes are accessed by shallow rivers. But mostly I wanted one boat that I can use on rivers, lakes and small ocean set up for fly fishing with most of my junk in it. I go to Kodiak Island sometimes, We start out on the highway, to the ferry, launch at Kodiak Island in the ocean, go around the North West corner of the island and into the shallow rivers. The Almar has 35 inch high sides so it's not totally uncommon to put one in the ocean.

[Poopdeck 0]

Interesting. Now I understand. Our lakes are accessed by car and a ramp. Just about the same goes with our rivers and oceans. One of these days I'm going to have to get out to Alaska. I have a 18.5 wooldridge XL with an outboard jet. I use it for shallow rivers, some lake, and some tidal river. Being its a flat bottom boat the oceans or bays are out of the question. The slightest of chop in the water and you get beat to death. I had a Boston whaler for the ocean/bays and a semi vee tin boat for lakes and the tidal riverbut I've downsized to just one boat and pretty much stay in the shallow rivers now.

[Mark Knapp 0]

Interesting. Now I understand. Our lakes are accessed by car and a ramp. Just about the same goes with our rivers and oceans. One of these days I'm going to have to get out to Alaska. I have a 18.5 wooldridge XL with an outboard jet. I use it for shallow rivers, some lake, and some tidal river. Being its a flat bottom boat the oceans or bays are out of the question. The slightest of chop in the water and you get beat to death. I had a Boston whaler for the ocean/bays and a semi vee tin boat for lakes and the tidal riverbut I've downsized to just one boat and pretty much stay in the shallow rivers now.

 

If you ever get up here, come by and say "HI" Let me know well enough in advance and maybe we could set something up. I could show you how we do it, or at least how I do it.

 

The Almar is a semi V so it's not bad in the ocean (up to about 4 feet).

 

In any given day we will be in the ocean fly fishing rock fish, pollock and cod, in the river fly casting for silvers and at the outlet of the lake casting for steelhead and dollies. That's when we go to Kodiak.

 

We go on three or four extended trips a year (two weeks) and then a bunch of 1 to four day trips a year.

 

Didn't mean to high jack this thread.

[mikechell 0]

Another BIG difference in saltwater boating between Alaska and most of the lower 48 ...

Tidal range in Alaska can be as much as forty feet between low and high tide. Here is Florida, it's something closer to 6 feet.

[Mark Knapp 0]

Another BIG difference in saltwater boating between Alaska and most of the lower 48 ...

Tidal range in Alaska can be as much as forty feet between low and high tide. Here is Florida, it's something closer to 6 feet.

 

Yep, we have the 2nd largest tidal difference in the world up here in Cook Inlet, 28 feet.

[Edward Snowden 0]

This thread has given me some of the most interesting reading in a long time. At one time in my life I too turned a beloved hobby into a business. But, Cindy Lauper was right, "Money changes everything". Now reading about the perils of fly tying I am probably going to feel guilty the next time I buy a fly. It sounds like either I am keeping a kid in the far east in virtual slavery or I am adding to the personal misery of someone who has made a questionable life decision.

[Mark Knapp 0]

This thread has given me some of the most interesting reading in a long time. At one time in my life I too turned a beloved hobby into a business. But, Cindy Lauper was right, "Money changes everything". Now reading about the perils of fly tying I am probably going to feel guilty the next time I buy a fly. It sounds like either I am keeping a kid in the far east in virtual slavery or I am adding to the personal misery of someone who has made a questionable life decision.

 

You may be providing a kid in the far east the only income his family has available to them, or helping someone make at least a little bit in the love/hate occupation he or she chose. If I was running a fly shop, I would have my people tying flies during down time. They would be the best local flies available, and they would cost just a little more.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Mark, many years ago I strongly considered opening a small shop (planning on doing a lot of the stock myself since I not only tie flies, and make lures, but also build and repair rods - with a sideline of repairing any reels I can get parts for..)..

 

Chico Fernandez (pretty well known author and fly tyer....) was kind enough to sit me down and go over strictly the financials involved... As a result instead of a shop I came back to guiding about 24 years ago now and haven't regretted it once. Up until about two or three years ago I was also tying commercially on those days (or nights) when I wasn't booked... I found a great deal of satisfaction in both endeavors - but finally after years of tying, got to the point of not needing the income (nice to have your mortgage paid off...) and much preferring to read a book than spend hours at the bench...

 

To each his own... by the way the big takeaway on owning/operating a shop.... simply this - you must not go fishing - not ever... or you won't have a shop very long. Even if you're lucky, work hard and never take a penny out of a new shop for at least three years... your investment will always be at risk... and did I mention you can't go fishing, at least not if you actually plan to make a living with a shop...

[tjm 0]

The guy over the hill from me seems to do alright. He's never had a job except in a fly shop, is about 50 now and has fished places like Tierra del Fuego and New Zealand and numerous places in the states. Goes to most of the conclaves and such. Told me a few years ago that he could lock the doors and retire any time he wanted. I know I've talked to people from a hundred miles away that buy all their stuff from him.

Started as teenager in park concessionary fly shop and several years later opened his own place, after a few years built a bigger place; open six days a week in summer and one day a week in winter has several part time tyers working for him and still ties to sell and he fishes more than anyone else I know. Granted he has an ideal location just out side a state park that attracts anglers from 20+ states, but a good portion of his success is hard work in the early years.

That seasonal aspect is one that a young person might not notice right off, but few anglers are flyfishing in winter and most that do are diy tyers.

It's not an impossible dream, if you know going in all the difficulties that will be encountered, and have a plan to address them. Any self started business or sole proprietorship has all the same hazards.

. I think in my area I could buy and furnish a shop for less than a guide boat and insurance would cost.