To Tie or To Buy?
- Martin Montejano
- Mar 17
- 9 min read
Written by Martin Montejano
I think it’s safe to say that we all get excitement out of that moment when a fish comes up to the surface and takes your fly with a splashy display, or when the line tightens on a subsurface drift leading to a hook set and the wriggle at the end of the line. In this, we see that our presentation of the fly was convincing enough to get the fish to bite.
There are so many different styles of flies that people tie and use to catch fish, with many regions around the world producing their own styles. We talked a bit about the more traditional flies, known as “Kebari,” that are associated with tenkara in an older post, which you can find below…
Outside of kebari styles from Japan, there are plenty of traditional fly patterns from many other countries that also used very simple forms of fly fishing throughout their history. By saying that, we aren’t implying that simple fly fishing is limited to the use of simple flies by any means. Today, there are so many options for different patterns that use a variety of materials and techniques to create more elaborate flies in order to fool fish. Really, it seems there’s an endless amount of choices when it comes to flies.
With so many options to choose from and experiment with, is it worth it to get into fly tying?
We believe many anglers would say “yes,” but we also think there’s some depth to the answer, so we’re here to talk about it a bit. We think a good place to start is the first reason that “yes” comes to mind for many anglers…
Catching Fish On Your Own Flies
This is probably the most immersive experience you will find with fly fishing and fly tying. The first time you catch a fish on a fly that you tied is memorable to say the least. The sense of accomplishment that comes with the time you spent at a vise, wrapping all the materials around a hook, and then presenting it in the stream to have a fish take it is enough to inspire you to tie more. It’s simple, and it really does build more of a connection to the sport.
The Cost of Purchasing Flies
Of course, there is the consideration of what it costs to tie your own flies in contrast to buying flies, and it’s not a very clear-cut answer. To start it off, I would say it may depend on the types and style of flies you use, as well as one’s own individual budget for hobbies and what they may consider expensive.
If you’re using simple flies, like the more “traditional” kebari in your own fishing, you may find some relatively inexpensive options around the internet. At the time of writing this, DRAGONtail has offerings ranging from $12 for 12 flies, to $25 for 24 (at sale prices). There are other quantities at different price points as well, and these are often fewer flies that do require more material - making it a little more expensive per fly. If you head over to the Rocky MTN Tenkara website, there is a bundle of 12 kebari for the same price ($15 normal price), as well some individual kebari that go for $1.50 a fly. They also have offerings for “western” flies, which are patterns you would most likely find at your local fly shop as well.
Outside of the two brands that we mentioned in the previous paragraph, there are plenty of people who tie and sell their flies on Etsy and social media, so there’s no shortage of options when it comes to sourcing flies to fill up your fly box.
Let’s say you prefer to use more modern styles that are popular amongst the fly fishing community as a whole, and want to purchase patterns like a “klinkhammer,” or a weighted fly such as a “blowtorch.” Many of these you will find at a fly shop, or at virtually any online fly fishing retailer. With so many vendors stocking the most popular fly patterns, you won’t have to worry about where to find them. The cost will vary though. I don’t recall the last time I saw a fly for $1.50 at my local fly shop. I couldn’t necessarily tell you what the cheapest fly I’ve seen is off the top of my head, but I know the price does increase for patterns that have more materials, like tungsten beads, on them. After a quick online search (at the time of writing this), I’m seeing a lot of vendors selling the aforementioned “klinkhammer” for around $2.50 a fly, and the “blowtorch” going for around $3.50 a fly and up.
It comes as no surprise, but simple flies are cheaper, and it seems that if you like to use kebari you wouldn’t be spending nearly as much per fly as you would for more modern patterns.
The Monetary Side of Tying Flies
Many people may say, or believe that “tying your own flies saves you money.” As much as I don’t want to admit it, I don’t think it does. Much like many DIY projects, there is a cost to it that may lead to spending more up-front. With that said, I don’t want it to seem like tying your own isn’t worth it. As I mentioned at the beginning, it offers a more immersive experience to the sport. As it pertains to the monetary aspect though, there is some nuance to it.
If you want to tie your own flies, there are some tools that you will most likely end up wanting to buy. Of course, you could do it the “old-school” way and tie flies using just your hands, but you will probably want a few things to make the process much easier.
The tools aren’t all of the investment either. You will need, at the very least, three materials to tie a simple fly - a hook, thread, and a feather. While I listed the materials individually, I still have not found anywhere that sells just one fishing hook, or one feather. There’s a very high likelihood that you will have to buy these materials in bulk for the most part. While the very simple materials aren’t terribly expensive, they do add up. Looking at the DRAGONtail website, again, there are packs of 25 hooks ranging from $6 to $12 - with sales on some of them. Thread isn’t very expensive either, and a spool will generally run you around $3 - $5. Feathers can be an investment, though. You will most likely have to buy a small bag of loose feathers, at the very least. With that said, if fly tying is something you think you will enjoy, it’s very much worth it to get a patch of feathers, or even a full skin - depending on the feathers you may be looking for, as well as your budget.
Having covered some of the prices of materials needed to tie a simple fly, I do want to say that the investment of those materials (and time) may be quite a bit more than buying the flies individually or as a pack, but the cost per fly will be quite a bit less. If you buy a 25-pack of hooks for $6, you’re talking 24 cents a hook. A spool of thread will easily get you through more than 25 flies, and so will the smallest pack of feathers you find being sold on a fishing-related site.
Realistically, while the price of a simple fly that you tie yourself may be about 50 cents (if it’s even that much), there is a good chance that you will end up buying more material to tie different patterns. That is where fly tying can become expensive. In many ways it becomes a hobby within a hobby, and the price for tools and materials will add up in many cases.
Benefits of Tying Your Own Flies
Let’s set aside the monetary aspect of it all for a bit, and talk about the benefits of tying your own. Outside of the opportunity to catch a fish on a fly you tied, there are some other things that come to mind with the ability to tie your own flies. One of those things is the personalization of your patterns.
When you buy your flies, you are limited to the way that the company, or tier combines those materials. There are sellers that you find on Etsy, or even social media that will do custom orders, but when you tie your own flies you get full control of the materials you use. This can lead to designing flies that work for the waters you fish, and how you like to fish them. Maybe you (or the fish) prefer shorter hackles on the flies, or even a body of loose dubbing. It can even be a certain color that just seems to work where you fish. There are so many characteristics of the fly that you will be able to tie to your liking when you tie your own.
Another benefit is the ability to tie what you need and to fill up your fly box without having to visit the shop, or wait for flies to show up in the mail. This can be important when you may be going fishing and remember that you lost your last confidence fly the last time you were out and need a few more for the fly box. Maybe, you want to try a new pattern and have the materials on hand to tie it. When you tie your own, you’re able to quickly replace the fly box with your favorite patterns, or replenish it with new ones to try.
One more simple benefit… It can be fun. Maybe it’s the creative side of it, or the quiet and meditative aspect it can bring, there are many reasons why someone may enjoy tying their own flies.
A Balance Between Tying and Buying
Having addressed both tying and buying flies, and the considerations that come with whether or not one is cheaper… or more expensive… I would like to say that you don’t have to commit exclusively to one or the other.
There was a point recently where I felt that I own too much tying stuff. I’ve accumulated different materials over time from wanting to experiment with new feathers, or had an idea for a fly and needed to buy wire to really complete the idea. Granted, I have found some of my favorite color dubbing, or my favorite hooks to fish with by experimenting, but there are many things that I have bought for fly tying that I just don’t really use. Part of this is due to often having to buy a full package of something, as opposed to being able to source a small amount of a material. As it stands, I have been trying not to buy too much more material, and when a time arises that I may want to try a different pattern, I see if I’m able to buy it (or something close to it) at a local shop.
This has been beneficial in a few ways. I have found some patterns that I like for certain situations that I otherwise would have had to invest the money into buying more material. In buying just a few, and having success with the pattern, I then made the decision to purchase the material needed to tie it myself, and maybe in a way that I’ve found works better for my own way of fishing.
Another benefit is when it comes to patterns that I may struggle with myself. An example of this is the rare occasion when I may use a parachute-style fly. I don’t really enjoy tying them, and if I’m being honest, I find them frustrating. But, there have been times where they are the right fly for the situation. At this point, I don’t tie them myself, but I do keep a few in the box that I’ve purchased from different shops. When the time comes that I need to replenish my inventory of those flies, I will buy a few more next time I visit one of those shops.
Throughout this post, I’ve said that I thought tying your own flies offers a more immersive experience in fishing. I’ve also mentioned that it comes with other benefits, as well as some frustrations. Coming back to the answer to the question of “is it worth it to get into fly tying?” my answer is still “Yes.” With that said I think that it’s up to us as individuals to find what we want to prioritize in our own fishing, and where we want to put our time and energy. There is absolutely no requirement to tie your own flies. And, as I mentioned, there is also no reason not to buy a few flies here and there even if you do tie your own. Fishing with a tenkara rod is simple and fun, and that is true no matter who tied the fly at the end of your line.
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