Price of Flies on E-bay

[Norscot]

There are still a few sensible folk around prepared to pay a fair price for a well tied fly.  For the life of me, I cannot understand why someone would pay a small fortune on a rod, reel and line and then baulk at paying more than 20p per fly! 
The only point of contact with the fish is the fly so it's only common sense that you spend a bit more on the terminal end of your tackle to be sure of having something that's not going to bend, break or fall apart while you're playing that fish of a lifetime.

[Traditionalist]

Fly-dressing was always either something an angler did for himself, or a means of earning "pin money" for some, it is only in modern times that so many "professionals" have sprung up like weeds.

You can not compete with somebody who dresses good flies professionally, for a number of reasons.  He buys his gear wholesale in larger quantities, if he dresses large numbers of flies then his manipulatory skills will normally be vastly superior to those of somebody who only dresses a dozen or so now and then, and he will be a great deal faster.  Good professional dressers make up to 25 good flies per hour. This is beyond the capabilities of most amateurs, and many of those who are fast, including those professionals trained to dress a few flies in commercial operations without actually knowing much about it, tend to produce a lot of rubbish. They are fast, mainly because they are on piecework or some similar scheme, but it is rare to get quality flies from such sources.

It takes a fairly long time and a lot of knowledge and practice for an amateur fly-dresser to become good AND fast.  For those who dress their own flies there is no real advantage in training to be fast, quality is far more important, speed will come with time and practice but it is at best a minor consideration for amateurs dressing their own flies, quality and usability are paramount if you want to have good flies that work well and catch fish.

The price of a fly does not necessarily reflect its value at all, although very cheap flies will often be rubbish. simply because they can hardly be anything else at such low prices.  There are exceptions to this, some people dress good flies and sell them cheaply, but by and large, apart from being a foolish thing to do as it ruins the market for others and also does not take the time and cost of good materials, including the best hooks, into account, you will have a hard time finding such exceptions.

TL
MC

[Inchlaggan]

Other key points are marketing and selling.
It is of little use being able to make 25, excellent, flies per hour if you are not selling anything like that number.
If you are good enough to be able to charge £2 each, it is a fairly simple process to work out how many you need to SELL per hour  to make a living.

[Black-Don]

There are still a few sensible folk around prepared to pay a fair price for a well tied fly.  For the life of me, I cannot understand why someone would pay a small fortune on a rod, reel and line and then baulk at paying more than 20p per fly! 
The only point of contact with the fish is the fly so it's only common sense that you spend a bit more on the terminal end of your tackle to be sure of having something that's not going to bend, break or fall apart while you're playing that fish of a lifetime.

A lot of these guys get fooled by the marketing into buying the most expensive rod and reel available but erroneously think that a fly is a fly and reckon they are hooking up with massive fish every time they get broken off at the bend  :roll:

i did once misguidedly make some built wing salmon flies, left them to rot in the garage, found them a couple of years later and put them on ebay,

i had to fend off buyers from japan, ..............

That's Tenkara for you  :lol:

[Highlander]

I dare say that there is still a reasonable living to be made tying flies for the likes of Frankie McPhillips or Malcolm Greenhalgh

Whilst some of  these guys & others in the fly fishing public limelight for whatever reason can probably tie reasonably well I very much doubt if they actually tie the patterns,selections them selves. Oh they put there name to the packaging but tie they most certainly will not.
I remember speaking to the late Glasgow tackle shop owner James Kent who was a one time friend of Falkus who was at that time retained as a rod designer for Bruce & Walker. Having received a supply of the latest B&W H. Falkus Sea Trout rods was phoned by the good man one day to ask what he thought of them.
He, Falkus had not even used one never mind seen one of the production line.
His name was just put to the rod.
James Kents opinion by the way was that they were pish.
Another well known name Bob Church some years back had a range of reservoir flies in boxes along with 100 other items of tackle bearing his name most of which was synonymous with junk could not tie a fly to save himself. Others did the work & he reaped the benefit which is the way of the world sad to say.
Tight Lines

Tight Lines

[Wildfisher]

I have seen Oliver Edward's flies for sale, can't remember where t was. The wording gave an "impression"  that they were tied by Edwards, but did not actually say they were. I took  that to mean they were not because if they were they would have shouted it out. I thought it all a bit disingenuous to be honest.

[Highlander]

Unless the tier actually says he tied it I would think that he would probably have not.
People will pay silly money for flies tied by "A famous person" The Skues ones are a good example of that. Unless there is a "certificate of authenticity" I would be suspect & even then I would still be suspect. Not that it would bother me as I tie all flies & in whatever style so buying in would not be an option. Only case I might is if I wanted to see a style I was not familiar with I might buy in a couple of samples.
Remember Rogans, they tied a range of flies that were in the main quite good. Problem was The Rogans were long departed & "The Name" had been bought by I believe an American couple "who had "discovered their Irish Roots" but still churned out the flies as Rogans.
It is not an uncommon practice in todays market.
Look at  Partridge of Redditch, there hisnae been a hook made there for many a year but still mark their packages as such .
Tight Lines

[Wildfisher]

There are many amazingly gullible people around. There was a bit of "original" Chadwick's 477 sock darning wool (Sawyer's Killer Bug)  went for hundreds on Ebay few years back. My own guess is that anyone who is that stupid will also, in all likelihood, be too stupid to catch fish anyway.

[bibio1]

One fly tier that I would recommend is Caithness flies. Relatively cheap and good quality.

Regards

Paul

[Highlander]

I have always said there are people out there that are born to be fleeced.
I remember the woman in the Daily Record some years ago who sent bank details for a big win on The Spanish Lottery despite never having entered The Spanish Lottery & bemoaning how she was duped out her cash.

I think there should be "Charge"
You are charged with being stupid.

Now these low life's that target old age pensioner & the like should cast away on a remote island with nae boat. They are the scum of the earth. There are a lot pf people out there working out scams to relieve the gullible & not so gullible of their hard earned money.
Tight Lines

PS Caithness Flies, I do believe he ties his own flies & very good they are supposed to be. There are a few that do & good luck to them. they will never be rich though.