Last Time You Bought A Fly

[outsider]

For me it was either 1963 or 1964 when I was 12 or 13 years old. I bought 2 small Muddler Minnows at Wiest's Sporting Goods in West Reading. A week later my father asked his friend Bob to take me to the Little Lehigh. It was June, and Bob said he was going to fish the "midge hatch". At that time he didn't know it was the trico hatch.

Early in the morning when we got there Bob told me to meet him around 11:30. So off I went, and I managed to catch 6 or so trout. I was proud as a peacock, happy as a clam at high tide until.....

When I met Bob, he asked me how I did. Beaming with pride I told him I caught 6. I asked him how many he caught and he said about 30-35. Nothing like sticking a pin in my ego balloon. The following year I started fishing those tiny flies. His pattern was rudimentary, and it didn't matter. Those fish saw very few trico imitations at that time.

 

[SteveG]

Back in September when we were West of Missoula. I had an incredible day fishing right by the cabin we rented on the Clark Fork, but was losing some flies, the most popular being a nymph called the blowtorch. When I got back to the cabin at lunch I called up a shop in Missoula, and they tied a custom order for me by the next day haha. It's a nice way to thank the shops for info.

 

[redietz]

SteveG wrote:
It's a nice way to thank the shops for info.

That's one of several reason that I occasionally will buy a few flies, even though I almost never fish with a store bought fly.

Other reasons are when I'm traveling and don't have tying equipment with me. I might:

1) Need a fly to match some insect that I haven't encountered before and don't have anything to match it.

2) See a fly in shop that looks like it might be "fishy" and I want a model to copy. (I will usually buy several; one to copy and the rest to test.)

I might also occasionally buy flies that I simply don't enjoy tying (like a Humpy) or something that I hadn't gotten around to replacing before I went on a trip.

 

[Dave_W]

On a trip to New Mexico a few years ago I can recall buying several flies. Other than this, I can't recall ever buying flies as I've been an avid tier since childhood.

 

[JackM]

I used to care if I tied the fly I caught a fish with.

 

[Tiogadog]

2008 Steamboat Flyfisher

Size 20 Barr's BWO Emerger

I bought three. They worked so well that when we returned home I tied 150 of them. I have not had to tie many since then.

I hate to buy flies. I will typically buy tippet, leaders or if in a exotic locale a tee shirt.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

During our annual trip to see our son at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado. We go early and I fish the South Platte for several days. I was fishing the trico spinner fall and a storm blew up. I took shelter in the car until it was over and then started fishing again. The tricos were done but I saw several good consistent risers. I realized there was a hatch of pale morning duns and I did not have any. I asked my wife to drive down the road about a mile to a little fly shop we passed on the way in and buy me three each PMD size 14 and 16. I waited with anticipation for her return as the trout continued to rise all around me. She returned, I got the flies and tied on a size 16 and proceeded to catch a really nice, colorful 18" brown right before the hatch ended. Before I left Colorado I bought five packs of PMD dubbing. I will never again be caught out there without some PMD. Next time they will be my own ties though!

 

[nfrechet]

6,593 days ago! bighorn river, montana

but whos counting :-D

 

[laszlo]

Last spring I bought about a dozen flies for hatches that were active during my fishing trip. I nearly had a fit when the total bill was $40.

 

[moon1284]

It's been a while

 

[tztrout]

1998, first trip to Montana. I tied 30 dozen flies of all sorts for that trip. Met up with our guide at Madison River Fishing Co., asked what would work and he asked to see my streamer box. He took one look at my size 6 and 8 wooly buggers and shook his head. Walked out with 50 bucks worth of big double bunnies and spent the next two days fighting fish! I still have one of those flies in my vest as a good luck charm..

 

[JerryC]

I brought a 1/2 dozen size 10 popper bodies at the Somerset show I guess two years ago. They were air brushed which is something I don't do. Problem was they were mounted on size 4 hooks so I ended up taking them off the hooks, lost one in the process. I've caught a few sunfish on them.

 

[tctrout]

Love this thread, and for me, there's a certain slider that is tricky to tie (especially when trying to make it, um, aesthetically-pleasing!). I purchase around three a year, and always wonder how far I'll make it into the summer before I need more...

Tim

 

[shakey]

My wife likes me to buy particular flies if she wants one for a model. She often tyes to match a particular store bought fly.

Also,sometimes I buy collectible flies.

At the jam two years ago, I was short flies and had to buy some,even though I tye a lot. I just hadn’t expected that particular hatch.

 

[mcneishm]

It always pains me to buy flies but, this past September, we were in Utah for 2 weeks. I had tied a lot of very small things at the recommendation of the fly shop in Heber City on the Provo. I had not had time to tie any hoppers before the trip so I bought several plus a couple of crickets. Good thing too since it ended up I only fished the hoppers and crickets. Every rising fish (rising to BWOs and small caddis) that I got a good float over with the hopper or cricket took.

 

[Wallyfish]

I started tying flies in the late 1980's. I was into Steelhead fishing big time and going through flies like crazy. So I started tying. Told my wife that tying my own flies is not only gratifying but also will be a cost savings.

Now 30 years later, I have accumulated a stunning amount of tying material. I would buy the expensive dry fly hackle for use in dry flies.
But over the years, I have stopped buying new dry fly material. If I don't have the correct material I just buy the dry flies now upon need.

I may buy a dozen flies per year.

 

[mike_richardson]

I bought a few articulated streamers last year. I think 2 of them. I just didn't have the time to tie any of them. I also bought a few crappie jigs if those count. Both were from custom fly tyers if that helps the salt in the wound LOL

 

[bigslackwater]

A few months ago. If it's quick and easy to tie (under 5 materials and takes less than a few minutes to tie), I tie it. Anything more complicated and time consuming I will buy. I usually buy all my dry flies but that's starting to change.

I'm often thinking about time vs. money with flies. I'd be more upset loosing a box of flies I've tied, than a box of purchased flies. That time spent at the vise is valuable!

 

[chromid]

I've been tying flies since 1970. Just about every pattern you could imagine over the years. Older early versions up through some of the more current ones. If a variation strikes me as interesting I go to the vice and tie a couple.

When I get the urge to purchase a fly I just lay out my 30 some odd boxes and "go shopping".

 

[SurfCowboyXX]

The only flies I purchase are my smallmouth poppers. I don't have the ability to airbrush poppers (yet), and while I tie a number of deer hair surface flies, sometimes the smallies just want the ol' Boogle Bug. As for trout or saltwater flies or streamers--I can't remember the last time I purchased flies. Maybe sometime back in the late 1980s.