Fly Tying Materials - Reasonably Priced

[Flyrodva]

Anyone have suggestions on where to buy reasonably-priced fly tying materials? Especially online sources. But, area sources or stores also helpful. Looking for discount materials. Especially interested in reasonably-priced decent quality necks and saddles for tying trout flies sizes #14 - #22. Thank you.

[Lane Thurgood]

I recognize this is only somewhat responsive, but I'll give you my take on what I had to learn the hard way.  Basically, your question sets up something that's impossible to answer, in my view.

I do not believe there are "discount ... quality necks and saddles" for dry flies.  I would (and do now) pay extra for high quality dry fly hackle.  I no longer order dry fly hackle from online sources due to a couple of hard lessons and wasted cash.  I want to see the dry fly hackle, so I am always on the lookout at local fly shops (even those I'm patiently waiting for).  In the past, when I didn't have local shops, I did try online and ended up with a couple of bad stories.  Necks and saddles that were bug-infested in a couple of instances and in another couple of instances the quills were so brittle from either a drying or dying process, I presume, that I couldn't use them, they broke.  And there was the black neck that was a dark purple.

BUT (this is more responsive to your question), I think you can go discount for wet-fly and bugger hackles.  (I ended up using the dark purple neck on my buggers.)  Again, I am always on the lookout at the local shops because I want to see what I'm getting.

[namfos]

I've acquired lots of materials via the close-out or bargain bins or clearance containers of the shops which exhibit at the fly fishing shows, going back to Somerset and Lancaster of late; also at Tie Fest, VA Fly Fishing Festival, the now gone NCC-TU show at Georgetown Prep, etc..

I think of it as once or twice a year sophisticated dumpster diving.  

As for necks & saddles I like those I've purchased from Collins Hackle Farm.

Mark

On Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at 10:25:05 AM UTC-5, Flyrodva wrote:

[alan burrows]

Here is a shameless plug, but at the Potomac-Patuxent Trout Unlimited January Meeting (1/17/18) we will have a lot of fly tying material for sale and at bargain pricing.  We have had several donations to teh chapter lately and the stash is becoming overwhelming.  Please see PPTU.org for details and location.

On Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at 10:25:05 AM UTC-5, Flyrodva wrote:

[Richard Farino]

I’d have to chime in and say there are quality deals to be found for premium product.  Whiting's has their best hackle graded, and is the genetic dry fly hackle.  The Hebert/Miner is a classic Catskill-style hackle that isn’t dyed, and is also affordable.  Their High & Dry product is very good and a lot less expensive than their other 2, and although we recommend it for folks looking for affordable alternatives, we’ll be stocking the previously mentioned lines, as well as other materials from companies that send us great stuff.

There’s a reason you hand pick your own materials in stores, and most reputable shops will make sure to stock quality products.  We do the same and hand-pick materials for orders.  We send back sub-par items to the manufacturers.  A previous employee was once caught on the phone barking at a vendor for sending him a half dozen Bambi bucktails once.  I won’t say who it was, but his name rhymes with Schmizzly.

There are some mentioned companies, like Collins that make a good product.  Charlie Collins is upstate NY and I’ve bought his hackle before, but there’s no comparison to what Charlie sells you for $45 (grade 2 or 3 neck and saddle) versus a bronze Whiting half saddle for $50.  You’ll get long, more usable feathers that are consistent in color.  That means more flies tied per feather, and the right color and size.

Regards,

R

PS – Yes Lane.  Sometime next week we’ll make an announcement.

--
http://www.tpfr.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to tidal-potomac-fly-...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/5a8527f9-1572-40ec-811a-14790ee255ac%40googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[Rob Snowhite]

Flyrodva- I can bring a Collins saddle for you if you go to beer tie Monday. What color/pattern are you looking for?

On Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at 10:25:05 AM UTC-5, Flyrodva wrote: