Finding Fly Fishing Supplies in Other Places.

With Winnipeg now having 3 major sporting goods stores with fly fishing departments this article could be ill timed. Still I recognize that not everyone in the readership lives in a major centre. Not everyone has a fly shop near them and many of us would like to save money. It never ceases to amaze me how much more something can cost just because it is sold in the fishing department (let alone a fly fishing area)

When it comes to fly tying, the number of alternative sources is huge. Since fly tying is a craft your first stop should be a craft store. So many fly tying body materials start off as a craft product. But for some reason they get repackaged, reduced in amount and raised in price before they hit the fly tying department. You can find feathers, yarn, chenille, craft wire, beads, google eyes etc. all common items in both the craft and fly stores with them being cheaper at the craft store. The stretchy cords used for beading make great nymph bodies, embroidery thread makes fantastic woven nymphs and no tangle hair elastics make great scud backs and nymph over-bodies. Wigs and hair extensions for costuming make great streamer material and so does craft fun fur. Craft foam doesn’t come in too many natural colours but the brown and black can be used for our fly tying and the other colours can be used to line the fly boxes we can make (more on this later).

From a fly fishing perspective there are not as many ways to cut costs as there are with tying but I have found a few. The fly fishing vest is something anyone can clearly identify with and, as such, is something most of us have. But if you do not, or you are thinking of buying a new one, think about an alternative. Waist packs are an amazing way to carry everything you need for a day’s wading. They are available in a huge range of prices, sizes and configurations and do not have to be bought in a fly shop. Nothing carries more than that old vest I suppose, but how many of us really need all that stuff? As well, the front compartments filled to the brim really interfere with good casting mechanics. If you really need to carry more, use a backpack as they too are cheap and plentiful.

Fly boxes as well are something that seems to cost a lot. Most of us have noticed that regular translucent white plastic boxes that look the same will cost more if there is a fly fishing logo on it. So buy the regular fishing ones. But a step better is to find these same boxes in a craft store. I have some boxes like this that are perfect for long pike streamers and I found them in a dollar store! Another alternative is to convert an appropriate box into a fly box. It seems that at gift giving time many simple gifts like a wallet or pen come in a metal box. Take 1-3 layers of craft foam (depending on the thickness you want) and glue them to the bottom of the box and lid. My Red River box is a metal Eddie Bauer box thata wallet came in that I lined with dollar store craft foam. Total cost, 25¢.

Last, but not least, are leaders. Except for dry fly situations or possibly nymphing, I really don’t have much use for tapered leaders. For the most part I just use regular monofilament in an appropriate length. I find that 1½ times the rod length works best for most situations. I make a surgeons loop on one end and tie a fly on the other. It starts off a bit long on the first cast but a few fly changes later it is about perfect. With low diameter mono you might find they cut into a fly line’s loop end. You can make a short section of a heavier mono with two loops as a buffer.

Other fishing related accessories of note; I have found hair bands/scrunchies, whatever you want to call them, make a great device for keeping the line wrapped on your spare spools and tippet on your spools. You can get 10 for a dollar. Another fly fishing related item I got in a dollar store was a lifetime supply of shrink tubing.

I have spent a fair amount of time staring at items in the craft aisles envisioning them in a fly creation. Sometimes it has not worked out but most of the time it has and I have saved money or found a product not available in a fly shop. All you need is your imagination.