FLY TYING MATERIALS

A lot of times, craft stores, like ‘Hobby Lobby’ are pretty good places to try. Use your imagination as to what you can use on different flies.

Here is the best place I’ve found for hooks and metal beads.

Fly Tying Supplies | Wholesale Fly Company

Like others have said Hobby Lobby and other craft stores can yield some treasures for a low cost.

You can even add some bling, Joanne’s has a treasure of beads too  :smiley:

**For all the standard stuff…good prices and good quality…I buy a lot of my fly tying and jig making stuff from Barlows…in Texas. https://barlowstackle.com/ **

Several on line places like J. Stockard that I use, but I when I want something like a neck, cape or nice things I go to Fly Fish Food in Orem. They also have on line shopping and flash sales.
Many times people find it expensive getting started, even when buying to tie just one pattern. I have been tying for over 50 years and when I started I would buy a lot of hooks and the materials for just one pattern because hooks can be used for several patterns. I often would buy the 50 pack of hooks in the 3 sizes I was going to tie, this assured that I would have plenty of hooks for not only 6 of each size in a pattern, but several patterns.
If you are looking at tying as a way to lessen the expense of fly’s, don’t. It doesn’t work out mathematically. It is a hobby and a love that lets you use flies you tied, but if I want to save money…I buy the flies the little hands people tie and sell for less than $1.00.

Agree with the above. I only tie flies I can’t buy. Different colors, a modification of materials etc. Sportsman’s, Scheels and others have the basic flies, but quality can be an issue. Exception is Fly Fish Food. But it is a kick catching fish on a pattern you tied. I also just enjoying tying flies. I will tie hundreds of flies every year and give the majority away to friends and family.

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.

I’ve been tying flies for almost 40 years now, and it’s truly a passion of mine that also helps me really decompress from the daily stresses of the corporate world. I try and tie a few nights a week, but it really ramps up this time of year when ice-off is happening and we get out almost every weekend on the water. I have a handful of flies that I generally tie 90% of the time, as they all work year round and are consistent producers. Although most fly shops sale these patterns, they don’t make them the way I like them and in the sizes I like to fish them in. If I’m needing bigger streamers, mice, terrestrials, etc…I will just buy some as it’s easier than tying those, and I so rarely fish with them that it’s no big deal. I can usually find the materials I need at our local Sportsmans, or online at Cabelas, BassPros, Fly Shack and Amazon.

Now that JoAnn’s Fabric and Craft stores are closing a person would be able to pick up quite a few things cheaper that would work in tying flies.

to what TD said, Barlows!! Don’t know if you can purchase from them anymore, but WASPI fly Co. is another place!! Prices are just going higher and higher every day. A medium quality neck 15-20 yrs ago was 30-40 bucks, now ( if you can find one) 80- 100!! So grin and bear it, but have fun!!!

Can anyone tell me were to purchase fly tying material at a good price, everything is very high at the places I have looked.  Thanks