I’m often asked where I get my fly-tying supplies. The short answer is that there are many excellent fly shops with great product selections. The longer answer, however, is a bit more nuanced.
For those who know me well, it’s no secret that I’m a tinkerer at the vise. Sure, fly tying is as much a part of the flyfishing hobby as cream is to my coffee. But, I also see fly tying as a type of art form, and I find a lot of joy in the creative process. So, how can getting into fly tying make you a more productive fly fisher?
If you’ve ever been on the Lower Sacramento or Trinity River, you know how crowded these waters can be. Sure, I could join the 15 boats ahead of me on the Sacramento, all running a triple-dropper rig with a Pat’s Rubber Legs, Bird’s Nest, and BP Weiss Nymph, just like every other guide (or some other combination that looks, feels, and fishes very close to that combo).
Or, I could do what I both love and drives me absolutely crazy: spend countless hours at the vise, invest ridiculous amounts of money in fly-tying supplies, and experiment over and over to create that one custom fly that gives me an edge.
In many cases, when you see someone absolutely crushing it on the water, it’s either because they’ve memorized the location of every fish behind every rock at every flow level—or they’ve got something unique that no one else is using. Often, that “something” is a custom fly born from a lot of trial, error, and head-scratching.
And that’s what fly tying is all about for me. It’s part of the fun and the challenge of this hobby.
So, is fly-tying worth it? Well, that depends... but I’ll save that discussion for another time.
For now, here are the shops I rely on for 98% of my materials. These businesses consistently demonstrate innovation, carry products aligned with modern techniques, and can deliver products relatively quickly to my doorstep. I’m sure there are others out there, but these are the ones that have earned my trust over the years and have some new material I want to give a whirl.
1. JS Fly Fishing
2. Fly Fish Food
3. Tactical Fly Fisher
4. Trident Fly Fishing