Internet FLIES ???

Well  I was just wondering  how many or you guys ANd gals  buy there  fishing supplies  or flies online ?  the reason being  everytime  i walk in the fly shop  i seem to drop  60- 80 $$$$  just on flies     I did  a little research  and found  ways to pick  up  the same  flies and gear  for 80% off the price in stores  and buy on the web ..   I Know from Experience  that  there is always  a some underlined issues  So just wondering  how many  have a secret  for saving money( other than  making them your self )

ORIGINAL: swinger

Have a good friend who lets you "borrow" them. Watch the flies you get on the net sure they may be a good price but the hooks are usually junk and the craftsmanship is sometimes subpar. You get what you pay for.

thats  was my thought  But i did order  a few dozen  just to see for myself they are  from a guy in washington  state  who supposedly hand ties  them himself.. I got  them and the hooks are  fine not cheap at all  the flies are  all rabbit hair   they  Are  really great craftsmanship( as far as I know)  I have only been using flies for the past few years  .. but the prices are unreal .. I have to be missing something  ?? like they  will fall apart after  2 casts  .. But i will try the zonkers  this weekend

Alot of my tackle i'll buy online like terminal accessories such as hooks, floats, line, rods and reels.  I'll always take some of my business to local shops but what i can't find at shops i buy online.  Its cheaper to pay shipping than drive around to 5 different places trying to locate what you want to buy.

If you really want to get cheap in the long run take a fly tying class, Buy your vise,tools,materials, etc, start learning to tie all your own. Very rewarding in the end knowing you created a fly that you just landed a #15 on And then you know what your getting. I have been tying flies for at least 18 years started when i was 16 now i am 34. I have enough stuff to supply half of the county i live in and i am additive i keep buying more and more. I feel you never know what your going to need. I say in a years time i turn around 1000, plus hooks I have a few friends i tie for as well. Must be doing something right they all catch fish. Ask snoborder how many flies i tie a year, Right Mark! I love it it's a passion.
 
                                                                centerpin_drift!~

you guys are right start tying your own flies, you will enjoy
catching fish on your own flies. Then you can start building
your own rods. I have been tying for over 40 years & building
rods for for over 20 years & enjoy both. would not own half of
the rods & flies if I did not do it myself.

I really have considered  taking up tying fies with all the money I spend on flies . but Time  is not on my side for now..  with work,  school and a family   the only free time i get is in the throne  room ..  But  now that I found a  easier way  and cheaper way buying direct from the tyier  paying only 6$ a dozen  for zonkers and 5$ a dozen  for buggers  nyphs  ect  That way its  better  than tying  for now  with no time  .. But  i am sure  as time kicks on I will  have that time and start tying  my own  so i will stick with plan B  and pay the other guy .. But thanks  for all the input  by the way the flies seem to be great quality  no different that what i buy at the fly shop .  but  well know more when i use  them  ( hope  they dont fall apart  on the second cast)

If you are interested in tying steelhead flies, some of the easiest flies to tie are glo bugs and sucker spawn.  Once you learn to tie a glo bug, you can crank out 50 in a hour.  They are drop dead simple.  There are some streamer patterns that are also very simple and quick to tie. 
 
I will warn you that tying flies can make the per cost of the flies less than buying them, but if you are like me and end up buying just about everything you can find in a fly shop, the expense goes up.  I have enough materials in my desk and the adjacent area to open my own fly shop. 
 
For me the most rewarding thing about tying flies is when I catch a fish on a fly I tied.  I love that.  Even better is to give a fly to someone and they catch a fish with it.  I believe it is one of the best feelings in the world and always puts a smile on my face.
 
One other thing about tying your own flies is you get to experiment.  That is great fun as well.  I have lots of flies I tie that are no particular pattern, but are based on some simple principles of size, proportion and color.  Believe it or not, many of these creations actually catch fish.
 
My advice is to start tying some of the very simple flies like the glo bugs and sucker spawn.  They are easy, quick ties and work well.  Buy your streamers for now and as you gain some skill and confidence, and also find more time, start working on the more elaborate flies, but nothing too crazy, maybe woolly buggers and simple streamers.  Depending on your fishing techniques, having a few simple nymph's would not be a bad idea as well as a few simple soft hackles.
 
Good luck.

I treyd them flies today  and  well they are ok after a few fish they got  pretty shaggy  Not all of them  just a few .. with  hair falling off  bUt the  hooks didnt  strighten out  And i caught fish with them  So for the price  I will buy  them