02-20-2025, 04:11 PM
Tying flies, making other lures or building your own rods are great hobbies. But anyone who does so will find that it is NOT a way to save a lot of money. The single biggest appeal for a lot of tacklecrafters is the aforementioned being able to catch fish on something you made yourself. But over the years I have come to rationalize that the main reason I make my own stuff is to be able to fish with exactly what I want...for the waters I fish, for the species I am after and under the prevailing conditions.
At some point most of us have gone into a tackle shop and asked or looked for something specific...for a specific fishing need. Unfortunately, on many such visits the sales clerk (often not knowledgeable of the fishing situation you are trying to meet) cannot provide what you seek. Instead you hear something like "No, you don't want that. This is what you need...because this is all we have." And that scenario...repeated often enough...is a good reason for getting some qualified instructions, some basic materials and then making all of the prerequisite blunders on your way to becoming a skilled tacklecrafter.
At some point most of us have gone into a tackle shop and asked or looked for something specific...for a specific fishing need. Unfortunately, on many such visits the sales clerk (often not knowledgeable of the fishing situation you are trying to meet) cannot provide what you seek. Instead you hear something like "No, you don't want that. This is what you need...because this is all we have." And that scenario...repeated often enough...is a good reason for getting some qualified instructions, some basic materials and then making all of the prerequisite blunders on your way to becoming a skilled tacklecrafter.