The Wild Fishing Forum

It would  be interesting to get some idea,  so please vote ? it?s completely anonymous. If you buy the odd fly now and then still vote "always"

I have voted always.
Started learning to tie last winter, and although my flies won't win any competitions for being well tied, I used them almost exclusively last season (apart from some dries on the river early on). I reckon I caught just as well with my own than I did previously with shop bought flies. My second biggest river broonie ever, and biggest loch broonie came to my own flies.

Billy

I never think about buying flies, somehow it just seems wrong when I can tie my own.  However, I'm happy to use flies tied by other anglers, like in the fly swaps.  Had some good success on them too.

Norm

I voted "always" As I always do. but for some reason that I can't explain I will occasionaly buy a fly that catches my eye from my local tackle shop and try to copy it.I know I will never use it as I only fish with my own flies. It would just seem wrong for me to use a fly I didn't tie myself. Strange folk us fishermen

Been fly tying for about 18 months now altho still might buy occasional fly.  Some great websites now with SBS's and also videos on youtube.  Great help to struggling beginners. :D

shanksi

Guilty for often enough to say 'always'. I get many flies in swaps, but I would never fish any of them. Replicate perhaps... but I wouldn't risk to put my friend's signature in a tree.

I can buy the odd fly here and there too, also to replicate. These are mostly bought in two. One is saved for studying while tying and the other is cut open at the tie-off point and undressed with a pen and a notepad beside me. This is both to see in which order the materials fall off (tie-in order in reverse) and to see what the things you CAN'T see on the finished fly actually looks like (underbody, size and shape of concealed weight etc etc).

But I can't remember the last fly I bought to actually use for fishing...

/Nick

I voted 'very seldom'. I probably tie about 50% but not enough for the 'always' category. Hope to tie more and am certainly getting plenty of inspiration from the various threads on this site.

John

Have barely bought a fly since starting fly tying at age 12 or 13. Used to tie for the local tackle shop for pocket money as a kid. They'd give me the materials for a particular pattern and I'd knock out 50 whickham's fancies or 100 invictas for (I think) 3p a shot. Helped to bugger my eye sight and left me with a deep and lasting abhorrance of tying large numbers of any single pattern at a sitting (the fly swap was purgatory  :( ).
These days it just doesn't feel right not having something of your own tying on the end of the line somehow. That said, BA did once mislay my tackle bag with all my flies in it on a trip north once (don't you just love them  :x ). I had to go out and buy a small box and couple of dozen shop jobbies until the bag turned up. It was really quite unsatisfying and didn't do the fishing any good not to have the same confidence in your flees.

Ian   

I am a sometimes.
I haven't bought a trout fly in years but i still buy the occasional salmon tube.

Claret... you must be a wellsite geo with all that time on your hands!

Voted never :(

I would be seriously pushing my luck with my better half if I started tying my own, though I would really love to.  I get enough grief over the time spent fishing, instead of with the kids or doing DIY :roll:  I am hoping to work on her though once the house is sorted - it would be a great way to fill the winter evenings.  I have had a great deal of success with flies given by or acquired from other forum members and as a few of you have said most of these aren't available commercially anyway.


Pete

I put always but I do still buy flies. Tying for me is a joy in the fact that I can get the flies just the way I like the pattern. I've always got a lot more satisfaction from catching using a self tied version than those produced elsewhere. Fly swapping is also high on my agenda as it sometimes gives an insight as to why one version of a fly pattern often outfishes its namesake fished on the same day. Many experienced fly tyers have particular styles and this often imparts as much variety as pattern does IMHO. I truly have more faith in my own patterns and I'm sure this is true of most fly tyers.

The ultimate high for me is if your out on the water with some friends who are struggling and they take your offer of a fly and start to catch - there's something about the chance to help make someone Else's day with such a little thing.

Sandy B.O.

I voted always, but if I can buy a decent version of a fly then I'm happy enough to buy and use that. Usually that means a standard pulling wet fly like a Kate MMcLaren or a Butcher for loch fishing.

The ones I concentrate on tying are mainly my own river patterns which I can't buy.

I also tie practically all of my nymphs as I can control the amount of weight in the fly.

Alex

Obviously always....
I sometimes by a few flees as a reference to copy, or as a souvenir...
But to fish I always use me own....
Cheers, Hans

       

             I Always tie my own flies as theres nothing better than catching a fish on your own tying. i get a few tips from step by step on this site. :D
Henry

I tie my own, but I'm not adverse to buying some, e.g. micro klinks from Hans.
Don't get to tie as often as I'd like, so makes it more like a production run than a pleasure when I do get the chance. Which of course makes it a chore etc etc.

Definite buzz though when somebody catches on one of yours when they've been struggling.


Tony

Tie my own when I get the chance, I dont buy fly's but Iam not adverse to pinching some from my brother who is a prolific tyer, I think the majoriy of shop bought fly's are overdressed especially bumble patterns.

I would like to be better organised when it comes to tying, I recently tried to buy a writing bureau from ebay but just missed out, i think one of these would be ideal as a table and storage for my gear with the added bonus of keeping my good lady happy with a decorative piece of furniture.

I put in always but I love going into tackle shops for a wee browse and usually succumb to temptation and buy something. I do occasionally use them but more for the lochs instead of the rivers. For some reason tackle shops don't seem to have a decent stock of river patterns

Paul

I tie everything except Muddlers. I can tie them but I don't enjoy it so I don't bother. It's surprising how may other fly tiers have said the same to me.

Always

Only exception might be a fly swop.

I tie my own dries and palmers but very rarely winged wets,traditionals such as invictas and butchers i tend to buy as i could not tie them any better than shop bought patterns anyway.I find some shop bought patterns vastly overdressed,particularly some dries.There is so much that you can tie that you can't buy :D

Chris.

For the last couple of years I've tied virtually all of my own.  It takes me quite a while to churn out a handful so I only really tie as and when required and the less fancy/fussy the better.  My worst efforts appear to be those with wings - it takes me ages to get one fly with the wings sitting straightish but I'm sure I'll get the knack of it eventually  :lol: :lol: