online flies

[silverlaker]

Anybody ever buy flies from these guys? Like 'em?
http://www.bigyflyco.com/

[RiverRat]

Yes, 90 percent junk but great prices. Find the ten percent!

not again


shane

[darrin terry]

Nope. Most of the flies I buy online are from The Fly Stop. Great prices and the flies are okay. Not the best, but at 60¢-65¢ each they are more than acceptable. I've been buying from them for about 4 years now.

[midger]

Hills Discount Flies offers some pretty well tied flies, or at least they did a few years back. I tie my own, but worked a trade for some other stuff with the owner. Among the items I received were 12 dozen flies--tiny dry patterns I won't tie.

https://www.hillsdiscountflies.com/

Not familiar with the quality of the outfit you mentioned.

[luvtfish]

I buy from orvis, they are not cheap but I find they hold up very well and some come barbless.

[flybob]

Yup, got a mess of zugs in a bunch of sizes for really cheap!

They would fall apart after two takes!

I still have some, but I rework them with wire and stronger thread before fishing them.

I also picked up some "Purple Haze" parachutes, which seemed to hold up a bit better.

Just hit and miss I guess, kind of like fly fishing!

[briansII]

I buy 90% of my small trout flies. When i want a high quality, small dry fly, I buy at Riverbum. Price is not the cheapest, but the quality rivals what you can buy in a fly shop. Besides that, they catch even the picky trout. I also buy some of their specialty flies.

http://www.riverbum.com/

For general attractor dries and nymphs, I use Hills Discount. Prices are competitive, and the flies are decent quality. Be careful with the closeout flies. I've learn the hard way why the close them out.

https://www.hillsdiscountflies.com/

I've bought flies from several other online sources. Orvis, Cabelas, Fly Stop, Bluefly, etc.... I've pretty much narrowed it down to 2-3 online sources, and I buy from brick & mortar shops. Personally, a inexpensive, poor quality fly does not save me anything, because I won't fish them.

briansII

[fflutterffly]

Theflystop is the only place I'll buy on-line. Honest, quick and great prices. I have suggested Kory, the owner, since I found them about 4 years ago and have never been dissatisfied. With prompt service and great prices you can't go wrong.

[lucfish]

Here's my take. I buy my bass poppers online because I can't find good ones in flyshops (breambugs. com ) But all my trout flies I buy pretty much all of them from the local flyshop where I'll be fishing. They sell me the flies that work for their local streams for that time of year and give me info on the streams and lakes that I could never get from an online shop. You get to know these guys and gals and they become like family to me. It's worth the few extra bucks in my opinion.

[Bernard]

Here's my take. I buy my bass poppers online because I can't find good ones in flyshops (breambugs. com ) But all my trout flies I buy pretty much all of them from the local flyshop where I'll be fishing. They sell me the flies that work for their local streams for that time of year and give me info on the streams and lakes that I could never get from an online shop. You get to know these guys and gals and they become like family to me. It's worth the few extra bucks in my opinion.

If you can be confident that you will find a local shop and work it into your itinerary, then that is always a cool thing. I did just that about two weeks ago. Despite seeing the corbina "run" fade up here in LA, it was still strong enough for me to nab one (in S. Diego) on a fly I bought from the San Diego Fly Shop in Solana Beach. It wasn't a fly I would have picked but was recommended. I happily purchased it. I happily caught a bean.

Online purchases have proven too risky for me although I used to be a Blue Fly cafe loyalist. With one ebay deal I complained and they sent me more - more bad ones I might add. The higher name shops are the ticket. Example: The Fly Shop (Redding). This means normal to high prices but solid flies. Find what works and stick with it I guess. The more I think of it, the more I feel that buying flies online is not too far off from buying, say, a guitar or surfboard sight unseen. You need to hold it and feel the magic so that you can translate the confidence to the moment when you fish the thing. I don;t buy online as much as I used to and this may be why.

Shameless plug: This last weekend I worked with a large group in the Sierra so I loaded up at the Spot where they currently have a serious bargain bin sale in progress. Loads of good flies at unusual prices. Check with them to make sure it's still going on.

B.

p.s. Never tried Big Y Fly ...

[Pete]

If you do go the online route, from an unknown, do a couple of things before you fish the flies. First off put a dab of head cement on each fly and second clean out the eye before you hit the water. Both will save you some time and frustration on the water. Poor whip finishes and head cement (if used) in the eye are two of the most common ailments of an inexpensive fly.

Sorry I didn't address your inital post, but as usual I had to add my unsolicited $.02

Pete

[RiverRat]

If you do go the online route, from an unknown, do a couple of things before you fish the flies. First off put a dab of head cement on each fly and second clean out the eye before you hit the water. Both will save you some time and frustration on the water. Poor whip finishes and head cement (if used) in the eye are two of the most common ailments of an inexpensive fly.

Sorry I didn't address your inital post, but as usual I had to add my unsolicited $.02

Pete

Great pointers! I tried Blu Fly Cafes signature flies on an emergency order for an unplanned trip. Spent the first day ON THE WATER, cleaning out the glue...was furious by the end of the day....never again

shane

[planettrout]

Ya's get what U pay for...If I ordered flies online, I'd get them from David at STM. He carries the best from Montana Fly CO, Solitude and Idylwide Fly CO...ANY of those fly patterns are well tied and will most certainly catch fish !!! If I were on my way to the Yellowstone area, I'd get 'em from Blue Ribbon Flies and for Colorado, from Pat Dorsey at Blue Quill Angler...

PT/TB

[silverlaker]

Uh, I guess I should have posted BEFORE I ordered Anyhow, thanks for the tips on what to watch out for and how to solve some of the problems. This is the first time I've ordered flies on-line. I think I just got so excited about the prices I refused to think it though... Well if their really cheap I can give 'em to my brother or other friends that are learning. They're going to loose a ton anyhow and flies can get expensive.

Traditionally I buy all my flies from the local fly shop where I'm fishing. I do tie some basic patterns - but for the most part I like giving the money to the local fly shops. They're just too valuable of a resource to not support. However, There is something nice about thinking through patterns and sizes I want and just ordering them. I may try some of the other sites you suggested for some general patterns and keep using the local shops for the flies du jour.

Tom

[Jimbo Roberts]

Those Boogle Bugs found at breambugs.com are my all time favorite topwater Bass Bugs.
When I'm fishing the Hill Country Rivers here in Central Texas that is the first fly to go on my flyrod and many times the only fly I throw all day.

Jimbo