Why Do You Tye Your Own Flys

[Snowwolf]

just curious what your opinions of why you tye flys instead of just buying them.

[TerryH]

1. I like making stuff.

2. I get the patterns I want.

3. Allows one to be inventive.

4. So I can enter DrBT's contests.

5. It's so much cheaper to tie your own.

 

Terry

 

PS I lied in #5

[Guest Rocknbugs]

I like to tie my own flies because it is fun and once you catch a fish on a fly that you have tied its on brother. Not to mention once you have all your stuff and fish enough of your own flies its cheaper in the long run. Its also part of getting ready for the big day on the water, you know your heading out the next and your thinking to yourself "what flies do I need for tomorrow" then when the wife and kids are in bed you run down to the bench and start tying what you know you will fish the next day. I dont know about you guys but its alot of fun from thinking about it to getting down there and tying to catching the first fish of the day on a fly that only you have. Little kid with a new toy.........yeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaa!!!

[snakeman]

There are no fly shops within 15-20 minutes of my house, so tying allows me to make all the flies I need at home the night before a trip, and head straight to the river without any detours.

[Ricinus]

I tie my own flies so I can spend thousands of dollars on materials instead of hundreds on flies

 

Regards Mike

[rusty]

I tie because there are tons of great patterns that you can't buy, and because you can't buy flies with the right amount of weight.

 

Besides that though, it keeps me close to the sport when it's too cold to fish. I think tying is almost as fun as fishing, and it can be a really social thing too.

[Inconnu]

I like the creativity and catching a fish on what you have tied is a good high. I gave up on the idea of saving money years ago and now I just do it because it is.......part of who I am.

[Lundvike]

I tie because to me there is nothing in fly fishing more satisfying than enticing a fish to take one of your own creations. Also I really enjoy it. I find it especially useful for filling my nymph box with stuff the fish have never seen before and won't see again. My wife asked me if it saved me money and my reply simply was the cost of the materials is less than what I would pay for the flies in the store, but if you factor in my time I will never tie at a level where I would make money.

[Tako]

Definitely cheaper for me, but I tie with the KISS principle. And I get the patterns I want. I rarely get quality flies from tackle shops. The only flies I buy now are the odd dragonfly nymph, or stimulators, because I suck at tying stimmys

[birchy]

Peer pressure..

[monger]

Because its so satisfying to catch fish on a fly that your buddies laugh at and say "that'll never work". It's even better when they whine later on in the day pleading for one of your "ugly" flies. Making your own flies gives you the opportunity to get the size and color just the way you like it--so you can pretend you are a little smarter than the fish.

[ladystrange]

i like to be creative. i like to buy shiny things and the shiny materials are cheaper than buying shoes and jewellery. i love being able to catch fish on something i created. i have met a great bunch of people and found new and different patterns through fly swaps with the UK boys - i even won a mug

 

i can say that i do not save money or time.

 

the best days fishing... my friend has fly fished for 30 years and almost every time we go out and HE catches fish, not me. so last summer, i was killing time and tied up a strange green and yellow thing for pike at Chestermere. he calls me up and we head out for pike in the weaselhead. his theory is, if you dont get a strike in the first 6is casts, either change where or what you are fishing with. he decided for some reason or another to chuck hardware for the afternoon and he had on some rubber squid pattern. i stood on the bank and watched him for his first 6 casts. nothing. so he moved up the river a bit. i move in, exactly where he was standing with my ugly green and yellow streamer. he looks at me like, i just had that spot, but whatever, try it if you want. 2 casts and fish on. he takes a picture, i toss the pike back and he heads back to his spot. i hear, i told ya, 6 casts, just not MY six casts. only fish of the day too.

 

i burst out laughing and gloated for the rest of the afternoon. i had never out fished him. probably won't happen ever again. but that is another reason why i tie. pure satisfaction.

 

also, i like the fly swaps

[lethfisher]

So when I catch a sweet fish and take a picture to show people I can say:

 

"See that pink thing in it's mouth?? I tied that fly! Booya!"

 

 

Haha look at the fishes eye, he's like "WTF did I just eat?" hahaha

[mwalters]

Besides being told its the next logical step in fly fishing, I hear its a great feeling to catch a fish on a fly you've tied. I've only been tying for a couple months, if that, so I haven't experienced it yet.

 

Besides, it gives me something to do while watching TV. Plus it keeps Lonefisher & Lady Strange from asking me when I'm going to start tying. Now it payback time cuz I get to ask them for help...LOL

[Snowwolf]

1. I like making stuff.

2. I get the patterns I want.

3. Allows one to be inventive.

4. So I can enter DrBT's contests.

5. It's so much cheaper to tie your own.

 

Terry

 

PS I lied in #5

 

haha so what a DrBT's contests are there door prizes?? :-)

[Snowwolf]

I like to tie my own flies because it is fun and once you catch a fish on a fly that you have tied its on brother. Not to mention once you have all your stuff and fish enough of your own flies its cheaper in the long run. Its also part of getting ready for the big day on the water, you know your heading out the next and your thinking to yourself "what flies do I need for tomorrow" then when the wife and kids are in bed you run down to the bench and start tying what you know you will fish the next day. I dont know about you guys but its alot of fun from thinking about it to getting down there and tying to catching the first fish of the day on a fly that only you have. Little kid with a new toy.........yeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaa!!!

 

 

I like that answer.....hopefully your not up all night tying and don't get enough sleep for the big day....

[Snowwolf]

There are no fly shops within 15-20 minutes of my house, so tying allows me to make all the flies I need at home the night before a trip, and head straight to the river without any detours.

 

yeh if I buy the same day I go I end up spending time in the store I could be out on the river

[Snowwolf]

I like the creativity and catching a fish on what you have tied is a good high. I gave up on the idea of saving money years ago and now I just do it because it is.......part of who I am.

 

 

great answer thanks for replying

[Snowwolf]

Peer pressure..

 

 

I read that fast and thought it said beer pressure at first...L

[Snowwolf]

i like to be creative. i like to buy shiny things and the shiny materials are cheaper than buying shoes and jewellery. i love being able to catch fish on something i created. i have met a great bunch of people and found new and different patterns through fly swaps with the UK boys - i even won a mug

 

i can say that i do not save money or time.

 

the best days fishing... my friend has fly fished for 30 years and almost every time we go out and HE catches fish, not me. so last summer, i was killing time and tied up a strange green and yellow thing for pike at Chestermere. he calls me up and we head out for pike in the weaselhead. his theory is, if you dont get a strike in the first 6is casts, either change where or what you are fishing with. he decided for some reason or another to chuck hardware for the afternoon and he had on some rubber squid pattern. i stood on the bank and watched him for his first 6 casts. nothing. so he moved up the river a bit. i move in, exactly where he was standing with my ugly green and yellow streamer. he looks at me like, i just had that spot, but whatever, try it if you want. 2 casts and fish on. he takes a picture, i toss the pike back and he heads back to his spot. i hear, i told ya, 6 casts, just not MY six casts. only fish of the day too.

 

i burst out laughing and gloated for the rest of the afternoon. i had never out fished him. probably won't happen ever again. but that is another reason why i tie. pure satisfaction.

 

also, i like the fly swaps

 

 

ls thats a great story and congrats on the mug....

 

shiny pretty things you sound like my wife.....L j/k

[Snowwolf]

So when I catch a sweet fish and take a picture to show people I can say:

 

"See that pink thing in it's mouth?? I tied that fly! Booya!"

 

 

Haha look at the fishes eye, he's like "WTF did I just eat?" hahaha

 

hahahaha......he sure does look like he/she is saying that

 

great pic by the way and nice lil pink thing too

[Snowwolf]

Besides being told its the next logical step in fly fishing, I hear its a great feeling to catch a fish on a fly you've tied. I've only been tying for a couple months, if that, so I haven't experienced it yet.

 

Besides, it gives me something to do while watching TV. Plus it keeps Lonefisher & Lady Strange from asking me when I'm going to start tying. Now it payback time cuz I get to ask them for help...LOL

 

thats great man i am sure I will be right behind you in asking for help...L

[trailhead]

I tie because it is creative, and it is a way to relate to flyfishing on a different level. Also you can catch a bug/nymph out of a body of water and tie a closer imitation than you could buy. I still believe that it is cheaper to tie than buy. I always try to buy my supplies at sale prices and even if flies are only $1.00 each I tend to lose about a dozen everytime I head out. Which works out to around $600 a year.

[Fishietales]

main reason I started tying, many moons ago I might add, was simply about money, the cost of flies was always high, and the loss rate was even higher on the rivers, you all know the score, flies up trees, flies caught on weed in deep holes or fast moving water, so the natural course of action to keep my fishing economical was to start tying my own flies, I started with easy stuff at first, black and peacock spiders, PTN's, and GRHE's, then when I got the confidence I started tying Grey Duster's and Knotted Midges, I was never shy of asking for help when I needed it,and I always asked questions when fishing with guys who tied their own flies, my mother used to say if you don't ask you don't learn, and that shy bairns never got sweets, and I think anyone who is just starting in flytying should never be afraid to ask for help, I'm not and i've been tying a long time, but if I'm stuck for a pattern or a technique I'm not sure of, then I'll ask for help,

T/L's

John

[SilverDoctor]

I tie my own files because when I was 8 years old my Dad said to me, "I ain't buying any more of those expensive .25 cent flies, I'm buying you a vice" thus close to 50 years ago he started passing on a passion that has been dear to me all my life. I still tie occasionally on that vice.