Tying the newly-designated "Aztec Iliaska Sockeye John" got me to wondering.
The fly has a ribbon of combed yarn reaching from front to rear. Individual fibers are weak, and these aren't tied down but front and back-- I doubt that the fly will look as sleek after a couple of takes.

Q- To you, how many caught fish equal the value of a fly?

That is- under normal trout/bass/etc conditions, with an average fly? (vs a $50,000 guided trip to the Bahamas, with only a single fly, and that the last surviving specimen tied by Dame Juliana Berners during a visit with Izaak Walton)
A fly whose point is broken on its first backcast draws a curse at the loss and the effort to re-rig (and at your casting skill). One that you tied on in the morning and is still working as the sun sets on a 100-fish day is an absolute treasure.

Our 'Fire-panion, 1minute, might not answer, as he honorably retires a fly after one fish. He may as well tie his out of toilet paper and Elmer's glue. But what about the rest of you?

I was happy to be able to "retire" three #4 Merkin Crab flies a few ago after an amazing trip to Belize. Over the course of week, I hooked six nice permit with those flies and landed five, one weighed in at 35#s.

Those three flies gave me the trip of a lifetime and they were pretty chewed and mangled up by the end of the week. Those flies kept working all week and more than covered their value.

I resemble that! It's only the steelhead patterns that get retired. Just like to honor fish that have traveled thousands of miles.

Trout patterns get fished until they wear out or break off. Trailing tinsel and missing wings or tails often have no effect on the bite.

Sorry, 1minute. I didn't recall/know that it only applied to steelhead.
So now I can scale back the picture in my mind of the many storage units you've rented to house successful flies.

Funny about the effectiveness of beaters. Makes one wonder...


But- neither of you two responders wrote to the Q.

I have always felt a beater outfished a pristine sample... I think fish sense the apparant vulnerability of the mangled mass.

But speaking to the question is tough... near impossible, really. And it is the same issue as the steelhead versus others, just that I do not have the same preferences. I have had many flies that lasted for too many fish to count. I see no reason to retire them or save them either.

And there is a huge difference between the bivisibles I tie by the hundred for my use and stimulators and such that take well over twice the time... But the problem is my "justification system" does not calculate a fly that takes twice as long and catches half as many fish, say 50, is nearly as good as one that catches 100 for half the effort, despite the fact the result is less than seconds of effort difference per fish.

Ain't no rational solution in the irrational mind.

And compliacting that further is the number of times a grand refusal has meant an awful lot.
art

macrabbit:

I know the complexion would be somewhat changed, but durability would certainly be enhanced if one ran a strip of epoxy the length of the fibers lashed to the body. One would have sort of a hard shell back.

Head cement might work too, but would probably not be as durable.

Depending on the working time of ones epoxy, one could assemble a bunch, mix his chemicals, and rapidly treat several flies before things got solid. .

I guess I didn't make my self clear.

Stop by the shop on your way to the stream. Buy a dozen flies at $1.50 per. If you catch twelve fish that day, but each catch left only a hook with a swirl of thread- do you go home happy, or mad at the shop's trash? Are you only satisfied with a fly that holds up through at least five fish? Etc.

That's a thought, 1minute. Thanks.

I guess I am pretty easy, but I have only myself to be mad at... I have not bought a fly in a long time...

But if I was buying flies and looking at flies for easy fish one would not be enough. Muskies would be an example of a single bite being worth a fly, though...

Why does it look like I am evading your Question?

Silly me for thinking the Q was easy.
How durable must an average fly, bought or tied, be, in fish per fly, to meet your satisfaction as value received.

Tom...congratulations on the Palometa. Landing 5 in a single trip is outstanding, and a 35lbr to boot. I had a similar trip to yours on Ambergris Key. That may have been where you were fishing too. A single #4 olive merkin brought 6 permit to the boat in two days, but none over 25lbs. That fly was retired and sits in my tying desk.

Back OT.....I will normally retire a salwater fly after one fish for several reasons. I always like to try new flies b/c I tie. Also, SW flies get chewed on and/or become slimy after only a single fish, especially bones. Sometimes sitting on the casting deck of a flats boat, opportunities don't come frequently. I like a fresh fly when the opportunity presents itself. With regards to trout flies, Chernobyl ant type flies, fish better when they are chewed on IMO. They ride lower in the water and for that reason, I think look better to fish. Otherwise, if the fly is still catching fish, I'm going to keep fishing it.

On a similar note. I guided in the Jackson Hole One-Fly for 9yrs. You get one fly per day during the two day tournament. Indestructible flies are tied, zap-a-gap applied to all knots and when a fly lands in a bush you either go swimming for it or throw your rod/reel on the bank, float down, anchor and see if you can retrieve the fly. I have seen amazing fly recoveries with pole saws, guides or client swimming down into root systems to retrieve flies and even a fish that broke of the fly come back up and spit the fly like a bass would have. I guess at a $5000 entry fee for the teams, these flies are worth retrieving.

WRT store bought flies, I have only bought them to use as models of unusual local patterns.
WRT flies I tie, it depends on the fish. Pike, walleye or musky flies get lots of epoxy or head laquer but still only last a few fish.
Trout flies will usually last for maybe half a dozen trout. It really depends on the size trout. Most of my fishing lately has been in tiny little creeks where the trout are small so I get even longer use of them. Bigger trout chew them up faster.
steelhead and especially Atlantic salmon flies are "retired" after a couple fish.
I find that beat up flies often will catch fish quicker than new flies. I often tie flies for my own use looking a bit beat up. Saves time bouncing them off trees, rocks ect. lol

I thank you all for posting your responses. Really, I do.


But I sure wish y'all would answer the question as asked!

Well, I would say that depends on the fish taken....



That, of course, depends on the cost of the fly....

You don't answer a question with another question, do you?

Huh?

he said you are not Plato...

Usually my flies are only good for one tree.

Socrates?

the value of a fly fluctuates based on type/size/environment/difficultly of the fish caught.

Price is based on the moment.

maybe I'm not a good one to answer....I don't buy flies.

I give up.
I think I'll just start tying all my flies with water-soluble thread, see if anyone notices or cares.