It never ceases to amaze me how much money fly tiers will spend for materials to tie that "hot" new pattern their favorite big-named tier has come up with.
While perusing your local fly shop you can easily drop a C-note and only have a small bag of items to show for your efforts. Fancy blended dubbing in small packages; 2.95 each, natural or poly. Saddle Hackle; $20 and up specials; super-duper, laser-sharp Signature Series hooks - 3.50 for 25. I have even seen kits with instructions and just enough hooks and materials to tie three "very special" flies at 6 bucks per kit!
At this rate, a fly-tier can go broke before he even sits down at the vise.
It’s not because I haven’t blown any money looking for just the right tying materials, it is because I think I have spent my fair share and then some at the local fly tying shop and through online suppliers.
Enough with my rant.......
This is about how to get materials to tie great and productive wet flies without breaking the bank.
Let's begin with the hook. Probably the most expensive part of the fly, and the average price for a good fly-tying hook is around a dime, or less. You can save a few cents a hook and still maintain good quality by buying standard Mustad fly-tying hooks; I like the 3399, which are around $.05 each. But, I would never advocate tying on bait hooks. Perform a close visual inspection of the hook, making sure the eye is closed and the point is sharp. Sometimes you will find an open eye or other defect.
The Tail I like to use Red or other fancy, brightly colored feather segments when I tie a tail on a wet fly; the colors seem to catch the eye of the fish. Red, Yellow, Green or fancy natural colors are my favorite choices. A mixed bag of colored feathers like this can be bought at craft stores for $1.99. If you purchase a bag it will be a long time before you ever need another piece of tail (for your wet flies.)
The Body Peacock Herl may also be purchased at craft stores along with most any color yarn or chenille, but you very likely won’t use more than a small piece of yarn to make dozens of flies. I would rummage through Grandma's knitting bag but make sure to ask for permission first! Thread and silk, or natural fur dubbing are great choices also.
Try a taxidermist for the fur; or, maybe you are a small game hunter or have a friend who is. And, of course, there’s always "road kill” but remember, a small amount goes a long way when tying flies.
Hackle This is where you may need to know an upland bird hunter, because game birds are a very good source of materials for wet flies; or, if you have a chicken farm where you can just pick some off the ground, but try to stay out of the coop - someone may think you're using illegal scents on your flies.
Keep your eyes open and I’m sure you'll find tying materials for your wet flies and other types of flies where you least expect it.
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