Great values, handy, useful, bang for the buck in flyfishing

[Flyfisher for men]

Inspired by Mike126 and his thread on the net magnet, I thought I'd throw this out?

What do you find to be the great values in flyfishing? What are the things that are valuable all out of proportion to their cost? Doesn't matter how big or small, could be a cheap gadget to a great rod or real to a fantastic trip to whatever.

I'll say two things: my finger-nail clippers and a flyfishing trip last summer, that didn't cost a hundred bucks but left me feeling like a new man.

 

[bigjim5589]

This is a great idea for a thread! :thumb:

A couple of products come to mind for me. The first is Dr Slick Tungsten Carbide scissors. I now own 3 pairs. Paid around $23 a pair, which may seem to be a lot for scissors, but when regular stainless are $10 or more, its a great value. I remember looking around years ago at tungsten carbide scissors, and the least costly at that time were around $60 a pair. Tungsten carbide is a much harder metal than stainless, so they stay sharp much longer. These are the best scissors I've ever used, and I've used many over the years.

I also have to give Kudo's to Allen Fly Fishing for their hooks and other tying components. Excellent quality and prices are good. Get them when they have a sale and the value increases greatly. As good as most any brand on the market IMO. Their reels are darn good too!

The last item is a simple, and cheap pair of wire or "side" cutters. I have 3 or 4 pairs now, and only use them for cutting wire. One pair is lot heavier duty than the rest, and I use it for cutting stainless wire, which I use for making lures. The others are used for cutting lighter wire, instead of buggering up a pair of scissors. I actually just bought 3 pairs from the Wish site, but are using them for lead trimming when I pour jigs. At $2 to $ 3 a pair, they're plenty inexpensive and could be used for cutting most wire that tyers will use. A pair of heavier duty can also be had cheap, generally less than $5 a pair if you look around. They should last most folks for many, many years and save the cost of replacing scissors.

 

[Rip Tide]

The single best fishing related purchase that I ever made was a used kayak some 25+ years ago.
At the time I had a canoe and a float tube, both of which I used alot, but the kayak opened up whole new and different areas that I could access
I tell people all the time, forget buying "yet another" new rod..... spend that money on a kayak

 

[sweetandsalt]

A long time ago, I pulled a compartment type fly box from my vest to select a Hendrickson dry fly. Extracting just the one I wanted, I proceeded to drop the open box upside down onto the flows of the Beaverkill. I watched in horror as a full winter's worth of fly tying floated in a fuzzy mound downstream. I tied on my selected fly and caught my targeted trout, then made a life changing decision.

No more open compartment boxes for me, only the far more secure slit high density foam strip types. And each box was to be secured to a vest D ring by a lanyard. I make these myself out of a hank of braided Nylon with large snap swivels at each end whipped on with rod building thread securely coated with Zap A Gap, now UV curing coatings. My cost in making these lanyard is measured in cents not dollars and all important fly boxes plus my thee types of floatant are all secured. No hard to find bottles of silicone Fly Sauce floating away and the only Hendricksons that float downstream now are ones tied to my tippet.

 

[Lewis Chessman]

Going back 20 years I often found carrying a net a bit of a pain. If it was slung on my back the net would invariably catch on the burr of rushes or pick up a heather twig in a tangle. Back then I was using a triangular folding net, still do at times, and it occurred to me to make a 'quiver' to carry it in.

I cut the leg off an old pair of (no longer) waterproof leggings, enough so that the folded net would just protrude, then sewed the bottom to close the hose. Next, I cut the bottom inch off a small plastic bottle and glued that into the inside of the base of the trouser leg to protect the stitches and strengthen the bottom of the quiver. I then added a shoulder strap and it was pretty much done. It was very light, sat comfortably over my non-rod arm shoulder, out of the way of the cast and vegetation, and was easy to grab and deploy when needed.
The following year Snowbee brought out a smarter version than my bad sowing could ever make so I bought - and still use - that, but looking now it seems to be a discontinued line.
Still, it's a good idea, cheaply made from scraps and might appeal to others.

 

[yikes]

The Ty-Rite has probably been my greatest value for cost, convenience, ease of use, and for keeping me from dropping and losing flies.

 

[dennyk]

While not directly gadget/gear related to fly fishing, what has paid for itself a few times over is a digital pocket camera I purchased and stays in my fly vest. I got a Fuji Finepix, and get pictures of places I fish and sometimes even a catch. I share these with my 91 year young mom who is in a care facility. She loved to go fishing, while she no longer can, the enjoyment she gets from my pictures is priceless. Also, others in the facility like to see the pictures as well. $210 with the memory card, good investment!

Denny

 

[ottosmagic13]

Using 2, 4, 6, and 8# mini spools of fluoro and mono as 'tippet'. 12-17 pound regular spools when bass fishing.


Craft stores for tying material. No you won't find pro grade dry fly hackle but things like glass beads, dyed soft hackle, peacock swords, chenille, antron for dubbing, etc are pennies on the dollar.

Tippet rings! My 5wt trout rod has had the same tapered leader on all summer, I've just had to replace tippet.

Being friends with a hunter; I've got more squirrel, rabbit and pheasant material to last a lifetime. Buck tail as well, deer body hair I'll still buy commercial for the consistency and uniformity.

A certain wholesale fly tying website. Beads and hooks cost ~6$ for 100 packs, 10$ for 50 tungsten. I'll message the link to anyone interested.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G928A using Tapatalk

 

[sparsegraystubble]

I tend to customize (or brutalize, depending on your point of view) the flies that I fish.

Therefore the gadget that I appreciate most is a pair of precision folding scissors that I always carry while fishing.

Most of my flies, whether self tied or bought, start out fully dressed more or less as the pattern specifies. But if I am not getting takes I will start pruning. All of my dries start out with trailing shucks, but those are often clipped off depending on conditions. Other flies end up with wings shortened or hackles trimmed or other impromptu modifications.

So having sharp scissors that fold so I don’t stab myself is a genuine and useful luxury.

And I had a question for Sweet & Salt based on his discussion of fly boxes. I know you almost always go for trout with dry flies and sometimes emergers. Do your slotted boxes work for fully hackled dries such as Griffith’s Gnats, Elk Hair Caddis, Stimulators and such without bending the hackle? I still carry some flies in compartment boxes just to protect the hackles. Can you recommend some boxes that don’t have that problem?

I admit that more and more of my flies are X Caddis, Sparkle Duns and thorax ties with hackle trimmed at the bottom, but I still carry some more traditional ties.

Thanks for any thoughts on this,

Don

 

[sweetandsalt]

They vary by model in both depth and foam row spacing but Japanese made C&F Designs were the original quality boxes of this type followed by Scientific Anglers, both excellent. Now there are numerous take offs or outright imitations at varied price points. Besides holding flies individually and visibly, they feature waterproofing silicone gaskets and make sure there is an attachment point on the outside if you intend to use a lanyard. From little dries to big salty flies these are all I use.

 

[rsagebrush]

First model Simms collapsible wading staff, fist one broke withing 3 months, free replacement has now lasted for 8 season. Looks bad works better than the new ones, I may shed a tear when it finally goes.

Orvis CFO click pawl reel, my 1972 screwback is still going strong and works smoothly, although it looks quite beat. Not bad for a cast reel.

My original Scott G rods, I think they'll out last me. My Orvis Rocky Mountain bamboo, 1962 and still straight as an arrow.

My small wheatley compartment box with felt liner on the other side. Owned by Dad and still works perfectly. All the other ones, not so much.

My Simms waders seem to last forever.

Altoids tins.

etc...... I could go on for quite a while.

 

[deceiverbob]

My dehooker, Large Hook Remover - Rite Angler Mine is Eagle Claw brand. Great for unhooking any fish you don't want to touch. I use mine more for conventional tackle than fly.
I hate touching Gafftop catfish. Their slime is a cross between snot and industrial grade RTV.

 

[spm]

Tie-fast knot tyer. When my fingers fail me, which is often, I fall back on this. $4.95 when I bought it, 15 years ago.

steve

 

[bonefish41]

Say it isn't so SS...you didn't forsake another Wheatley fly box for the Beaverkill...with polycarbonate...I still have mine purchased 50 years past at old time LL Bean up the stairs at about 11pm on a Sunday nite

 

[rocketbomb]

To me: TFO Fly Rods. I have a couple and while I don't use them too much any more, they hold up surprisingly well against my top notch Scott rods. If your'e on a budget, I highly recommend the TFO rods. Another great budget item: Cabela's Wind River fly reel. 30 bucks normally, sometimes on sale even cheaper. Drag on my 8wt Wind River/TFO Pro Special combo has fought a lot of fair sized bass and catfish. Can't beat that deal with a stick.

 

[timmah]

Tie-fast knot tyer. When my fingers fail me, which is often, I fall back on this. $4.95 when I bought it, 15 years ago.

steve

I think I paid $10 for mine are Sportsman's warehouse early this year.

 

[spm]

I think I paid $10 for mine are Sportsman's warehouse early this year.

Ten years of inflation; sounds about right. You can buy cheaper knock-offs, but this is the one. A guide introduced me to it.

steve

 

[Lewis Chessman]

I keep an off-cut of carpet, about 2 ft x 3 ft, rolled up in the back of the car as a 'changing mat'. It makes getting waders on and off easy and avoids car park gravel getting onto neoprene stocking feet and into boots, keeps your socks dry and generally makes the whole process a bit more dignified - more standing, less hopping!

 

[spm]

I keep an off-cut of carpet, about 2 ft x 3 ft, rolled up in the back of the car as a 'changing mat'. It makes getting waders on and off easy and avoids car park gravel getting onto neoprene stocking feet and into boots, keeps your socks dry and generally makes the whole process a bit more dignified - more standing, less hopping!

Less hopping is good.

s.

 

[Rip Tide]

For toothy critters. 10 bucks