Re: [VFB] Professional Fly tying (was How do you support...)

[mark romero]

What IS a professional fly tyer anyway? Someone who makes his living at it, 
or someone who gets paid for his flies? Haven't most of us sold a fly or 
two? I'd say so. I do not consider myself a professional though in any way. 
I think i'd have to have made a living at it for quite some time before i 
could call myself that. I do take orders for flies, but it in no way 
supports my fly tying. I tye flies for "FUN" relaxation, to be creative, and 
simply because it's hugely theraputic. Plus there's just never any telling 
what's going to happen (results wise), when i sit down to tye. Unless of 
course i already know what i'm going to tye in advance, but that's not 
always the case. In fact, most of the time, it's NOT the case, thank God. 
Actually i feel sorry for commercial tyers, unless they are overjoyed at 
doing that, lol. I'd hate to have to rely on the money a commercial fly tyer 
can make, in order to live. When i'm on a roll and have everything set out 
and prepared in advance, i can knock off a dozen flies and hour, doing a 
standard trout fly. But as soon as i've done a dozen i DO NOT want to do any 
more of "those." I get board with it if i have to continue doing more than a 
dozen of anything when it comes to trout flies. Esspecially when doing a 
dozen for an order usually means 15 so that i'm warmed up and got it right 
for the dozen i'm going to sell. That first three goes in my fly box. Well, 
good luck all. Tight wraps, mark


From: Tony <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [VFB] Professional Fly tying (was  How do you support...)
Date: Sun, 09 Nov 2003 21:49:55 -0600
I would not tie for a shops or resorts for 50 or 75 cents a fly when they
get 2.50 a fly. I now only tie for special clients and I will not tie for
less than 1.15 a fly. My clients respect what I do and are willing to pay a
reasonable price for the flies.
I only tie for others now when I put something on my CC that I know is
coming due and don't have the cash. I give away more flies than I get paid
for, LOL. When tying on a regular basis I normally tie a dozen buggers in
an hour or less, on a rotary vise.
Tony   [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Tom Davenport wrote:

> A few of you mentioned that you tie professionally.  I am curious:  How
> many flies do you tie in an hour?  I realize some flies are quicker to
> tie than others, so let's say you are tying a typical four or five step
> pattern like an  Adams, or a Hare's Ear.  Assuming you can get  50 to
> 75 cents per fly, you would have to tie 30 or more to make a decent
> hourly wage.  Is that possible?  Or do you just do it for the extra
> cash you can make to support your hobby?
>
> I really don't know anything about production fly tying, but I have
> always assumed that most commercial flies are tied by nimble fingered
> women in offshore locations where they will work for much less than a
> state side worker.
>
> I know several local fly shops encourage their employee's to tie during
> slack time, but most of their flies are purchased from a wholesaler. A
> local supplier (Round Rocks) located in Logan hires college students
> who tie hourly for minimum wage.
>
> For myself, if I can pump out a dozen in an hour I feel like I my
> fingers are on fire!

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