Fly Tying Question

On Sep 26, 5:05*am, wrote:
On Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:14:54 -0400, Dave LaCourse





wrote:
On Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:23:12 -0700, wrote:

Doing the math will be sobering. In round numbers at $10.00 a dozen,
which in real terms is over market, Vinny would need to build 2500 dz
to make 25k. Assuming he sits for an 8 hour plus day, 5 days a week,
he would need to average about 1.5 dozen an hour to crack that nut.
Many think ...that's all?... I can do that, what's the big?....my
suggestion would be then, sit down and tye as many princes you can in
one day... then get up the next day and do it again for 8 hours...if
after 5 days if you still have the fire...you have a chance of making
the 25k. I tied for supplemental *monies ( sons college) and gear for
over 10 years, my last order was a mixed bag of 1700 dozen...I
finished it but it took all the "spare" time I had for over a year and
soured me on doing anything remotely close again. Being able to tye
the bug is one thing but to do it for weeks on end is another thing
altogether.

harry

I have considered all of that, Harry. *I doubt he would become that
"successful". *He does need a jolt of self respect mostly. *He is down
because he isn't able to perform like other kids his age. *It is
finally dawning on him. *I am thinking that if he can make some money
on his own like tying flies that he will be happier. *We'll see.
Thanks for the insight.

PS...still no killer caddis...sorry

You better get 'em to me, quick, or I'll have Vinny tying them for me.
d;o)

Won't need them until spring, anyway. *Thanks for remembering.

Dave

I know of one shop owner around here who would pay some of the
students in his classes to tye some patterns for his boxes. Obviously
these flies where not size 20 No Hackles but rather *buggers and hares
ears and the like. Worked out very well for *both parties and the
flies were of good quality. Maybe someone in your area does or would
do something similar?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Actually, to beat the boredom (and get higher prices), maybe he should
learn to tie SETS. Like a mayfly larvae, pupa, emerger, dun, spinner,
spent spinner. Provide him with some boxes and he can make a
decorative set that sells in a fly shop. Even if he only ties two sets
a day, if he could get $10 for a set, that beats the monotony of tying
2-3 dozen prince nymphs.

I know I get antsy just tying a dozen flies for a swap. I could not
imagine 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, 4 weeks a month, 12 months a
year, year after year...... Yow!

--riverman

"riverman" wrote


I know I get antsy just tying a dozen flies for a swap. I could not
imagine 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, 4 weeks a month,


I've had discussions about this with 3 different "famous" tiers ... each one
a highly intelligent individual ( mentioned because it seems to me that as
such they should be more prone to boredom?? ... mental repetitive stress
syndrome )

They all mentioned simply getting into "a different space" ( or similar
wording ) when tying and suffering little boredom.


I found that a big surprise..



FWIW, I also suggested to each that they try "sets" of flies packaged in a
fancy box and sold as "original TierNameHere flies" for an increased price,
rather than just adding to a shop's bin. None thought the idea worth
considering and that the market was for flies to catch fish not collect ...
another surprise, to me, .... even though I've never considered collecting
flies I assumed others did.

wrote in message
...
On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:27:29 -0400, Dave LaCourse
wrote:

but I wonder if Vinny could tie and make a "get by
living" tying flies.
Dave
(Hoping there are no smart ass remarks posted)

Being able to tye
the bug is one thing but to do it for weeks on end is another thing
altogether.

As a kid in my early teens, I spent a summer in Livingston, MT. with family
friends. I spent many a days staring at the walls in Dan Bailey's fly shop,
looking at all the mounts and reading the plaques with outlined fish that
were huge... I would regularly stand outside looking though the windows and
watch the dozen or more ladies tying flies. As a kid, I thought to myself,
wow, I like tying flies but I could never site their for hours every day
tying!

I suppose those days of ladies tying are gone? I haven't been to Livingston
in 25 plus years....

JT

On Sep 25, 12:23*pm, wrote:
On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:27:29 -0400, Dave LaCourse

wrote:
but I wonder if Vinny could tie and make a "get by
living" tying flies.
Dave
(Hoping there are no smart ass remarks posted)

* Doing the math will be sobering. In round numbers at $10.00 a dozen,
which in real terms is over market, Vinny would need to build 2500 dz
to make 25k. Assuming he sits for an 8 hour plus day, 5 days a week,
he would need to average about 1.5 dozen an hour to crack that nut.
Many think ...that's all?... I can do that, what's the big?....my
suggestion would be then, sit down and tye as many princes you can in
one day... then get up the next day and do it again for 8 hours...if
after 5 days if you still have the fire...you have a chance of making
the 25k. I tied for supplemental *monies ( sons college) and gear for
over 10 years, my last order was a mixed bag of 1700 dozen...I
finished it but it took all the "spare" time I had for over a year and
soured me on doing anything remotely close again. Being able to tye
the bug is one thing but to do it for weeks on end is another thing
altogether.

harry

PS...still no killer caddis...sorry

By the way, this kind of math is viewed in the eyes of someone making
a significant amount more than Vinny needs. I know my brother and
sister both subsist on about 600 bucks a month from Social Security.
Yes, I help out and they earn a little bit of pocket money doing odd
jobs for other folks (pet sitting, cleaning out barns, mowing, making
planters), but the most either of them has made in a year with a "real
job" is 11K. For them, that was flush.
Vinny will probably have subsidised housing and other support (SSI),
he just needs some extra cash to make it through the winter.
Frank Reid

On Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:03:43 -0700 (PDT), Frank Reid
wrote:

Vinny will probably have subsidised housing and other support (SSI),
he just needs some extra cash to make it through the winter.

Everyone says, "It's not the money." And it is not so much the money
as it is self-worth. Vinny's mom (and Jo and I) will make sure he
never ends up on the street. We all need love, and we all need to
know that we matter. Vinny has the love, in spades! He needs to know
that he has worth to someone besides those who love him.

Tried to teach him some very basics at the bench the other day.
Things didn't go too well. His attention wandered. I haven't given
up, however.

Dave