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Flies
May 12, 2006 4:14:46 GMT -5
Post by splash on May 12, 2006 4:14:46 GMT -5
I was looking online yesterday to buy my flies in bulk as I am not quite up to speed with the thread's just yet , Now they seem to me great value at almost a few pennies each , does anyone know why they are so cheap ? and where are they made ?
splash
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Flies
May 12, 2006 4:19:37 GMT -5
Post by Ruthvenflyfisher on May 12, 2006 4:19:37 GMT -5
All I will say is, the price usually reflects the quality. Gerry
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Flies
May 12, 2006 4:38:38 GMT -5
Post by MarkH on May 12, 2006 4:38:38 GMT -5
does anyone know why they are so cheap ? The labour cost is very low and the quality isn't brilliant. They still catch fish though. Kenya, usually.
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Flies
May 12, 2006 4:50:06 GMT -5
Post by tigermoth on May 12, 2006 4:50:06 GMT -5
Be careful Splash. For Klinkhammers, read "sinkhammers"
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Flies
May 12, 2006 4:50:39 GMT -5
Post by FlyBri on May 12, 2006 4:50:39 GMT -5
If the fish will be fussy and you appreciate a beautifully tied fly and the best hooks, then buy Donnegal or Fulling Mill flies. If you're as likely to stick it in a tree than be using the same fly on 2 seperate outings, then buy in bulk. Chris usually has some cheap flies.
Bri
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yorkshireman
Full Member
Waders: an excuse for grown men to go paddling.
Posts: 206
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Flies
May 12, 2006 4:57:56 GMT -5
Post by yorkshireman on May 12, 2006 4:57:56 GMT -5
You have a personal message.
YM
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Flies
May 12, 2006 6:49:30 GMT -5
Post by ultegrafly on May 12, 2006 6:49:30 GMT -5
here's the way I see it.
you can spend £1 per fly for Donegal, £1.50 for professionally tied flies etc.
or
you can spend £0.25 for an imported fly.
Now then the arguments I read against using the imported flies is that they deteriorate more quickly than flies tied in the UK. OK lets say that an imported fly last for 4 fish, and a fly tied on strong hook in the UK last for 15 fish. I would say it is false economy to be purchasing the UK tied flies, If I can get 4 flies for £1 (will last at least 16 fish in total) or 1 fly for £1-£1.50 (that last 15 fish) then I am going to go for the Imported flies, particularly baring in mind that if you loose a UK tied fly your stuffed, if you loose one imported fly you still have 3 in reserve.
I read a lot of b*ll on here and other sites as to why people should buy flies that are tied in the UK, but it is usually by those with a commercial interest in the matter.
I am purely a consumer, I have never lost a fish because I was using an imported fly nor have I ever spooked a fish because the fly wasn't tied using all the original or 'correct' materials.
Kev.
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Flies
May 12, 2006 7:09:33 GMT -5
Post by neilsthomas on May 12, 2006 7:09:33 GMT -5
Fulling Mill are great 'quality' flies and 85p each, but are still made in central Kenya, where the labour is very cheap. I saw the MD give a talk at a flyfair. Ian Barrs new flies are also tied in Kenya. You will also loose flies in trees, on the bottom, and in fish. It gets expensive for a four fly cast such as the bung.. If you catch a fish on a fly then the fly done its job - any more fish on that fly is a bonus..
I enjoy tying and catching on by own but its only a means to an end, so I have no guilt over buying flies even though I run a flytying club. Neil.
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Flies
May 12, 2006 8:21:47 GMT -5
Post by The Famous Grouse on May 12, 2006 8:21:47 GMT -5
I've bought hundreds of flies from mail order, maybe thousands, and outside of the odd fly I've never had quality issues. Keeping in mind, a good retailer is going to demand quality regardless of where it's tied.
Looking over the bulk boxes I currently have, I see Sri Lanka and Kenya feature prominently as the countries of origin. I don't see what difference that makes on its own though. In fact, would logic not lead one to believe that the Kenyan possibly has an edge just by the fact that they may very well be tying their millionth GRHE?
Where the local will really have the edge is in very well tied local patters. I'm a fan of your North Country Spiders and I can tell you the ones available here from the mail order places are massively over-tied and from the pictures I'd say they may be substituting materials.
Save money where it doesn't matter, spend where it does.
Grouse
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Flies
May 12, 2006 8:36:36 GMT -5
Post by Cothi on May 12, 2006 8:36:36 GMT -5
From observation and actual experience, I have found that the average quality of flies sold in angling shops in the USA is higher - profile, materials, just fishyness - than those sold in shops in the U.K. Anyone else?
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Flies
May 12, 2006 13:09:11 GMT -5
Post by cranswallow on May 12, 2006 13:09:11 GMT -5
All I will say is, the price usually reflects the quality. Gerry I totally agree,When I buy flies I buy the best which are 85p to £1.00 per fly. Cran
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Flies
May 12, 2006 13:10:36 GMT -5
Post by cranswallow on May 12, 2006 13:10:36 GMT -5
I have flies in my box that have taken over 7 rainbows and are still going strong.
Quality Counts.
Cran
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Flies
May 12, 2006 13:47:47 GMT -5
Post by johnboy1 on May 12, 2006 13:47:47 GMT -5
I've bought cheap flies before - never again. CDC's with one feather- sink like a stone, buzzers 7 times the profile they should be, hooks that must be the cheapest going. These flies sat im my box for a few years, until I eventually realised I would NEVER use them. They were filed away in the bin.
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Flies
May 12, 2006 14:39:14 GMT -5
Post by deergravy on May 12, 2006 14:39:14 GMT -5
If you're serious about fly-fishing, you're either going to have to pay top-dollar or tie your own. That's how it is, I'm afraid. You can catch plenty of fish on cheap, commercial flies, no doubt about it, but sooner or later they'll be found wanting.
I couldn't imagine having to rely on shop-bought flies, tying your own is an integral part of the sport. Don't mean to sound all 'holier than thou' on this, I appreciate that some folk have neither the time nor inclination to get into fly-tying. But the rewards are great and will transform your fly-fishing life. Promise.
Dave
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Flies
May 12, 2006 16:36:21 GMT -5
Post by mesajoe on May 12, 2006 16:36:21 GMT -5
When I returned to fly fishing after a break of several decades, I started off buying the more expensive flies, but after accidentally depositing them up trees and losing them on the river beds, I switched to cheaper flies until my casting improved.
I never got to find out whether the more expensive flies outlasted the cheaper flies, because the trees lept out and grabbed them before this became obvious. If you are losing a lot to the trees, don't bother buying expensive flies.
Now I tie my own, which if I accounted my time in the cost would make them the most expensive flies of all!
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