I think we need to consider this thread before we bash our local fly shops and their prices into the ground.
My local shop provides me with a good bit more than Ziploc bags of pricey goodies. I have become good friends with the staff, and value their opinions. The advise I have received over the years would fill entire volumes (and I say "would" because most of their knowledge isn't contained in any book). I enjoy the informal get togethers when, under the roof for which they pay the rent, we talk for hours -- well after business hours. They go out of their way to book guests for seminars, even if they break even or lose money on the venture. They schedule group trips and lessons for newbies, and I guarantee they are not making the big bucks by this either. I participate in all the perks of being a patron of my fly shop, and I will not balk at the minor inconvenience of a mild price hike. Hats off to the shop that will stock 16 colors, three packs of each, of a micro chenille that they may only sell a handful in a year! Try to find quality rayon chenille in the right sizes and colors at Wally World! Foam too! You'll spend more in gas traveling from store to store hunting materials than you would if you bought them from your local fly shop in the first place. Unwind an old TV, you'll get lots of fine copper wire! A little arsenic too, but what the heck. Dryer lint makes a good dun dubbing. Mix up a gallon of thinner, or buy a pint of varnish -- you got more for less. You can will it to your great grand children. My point: bring every dollar you own with you into that local fly shop! Bring your check book. Bring the plastic. Bring barter. Support the place that provides you the variety of materials and the know-how to use them. Spend when you are give river and stream reports, or the hot fly pattern. Tip them and bring'em a beer on the holidays (and not that cheap stuff either)! My twenty bucks worth! Brian [EMAIL PROTECTED] >From: Byron Newton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [VFB] Never buy this at the shop.... >Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 12:07:31 -0500 > >I know everyone loves their local fly shops and if you're like me >you should leave your wallet in the car when you go inside or >it will be empty when you come out. SO... >With the Chenille Swap in full swing it occurs to me that >we need a thread not on alternative materials (which we sometimes have) >but rather on things/materials you should never buy at a fly shop because >there is a much better and cheaper alternative source. > >I'll start off with these... > >Chenille is $2-3 at the fly shop for a few yards or a life time supply for >the >same price at the fabric store. > >Why pay $2-3 for a 18" of bead eyes when you can get them at the >fabric store for 40 cent a yard? or the lighting store if you want metal >ones. > >Shrink tubing from an electronics store > > >Now lets see the list expand.... >Copper wire?, Wing cases?...Other things...etc. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.
