Head's up for all the Fly tyers on BBG!!!

[Allen Morgan]

As an "undercover" Christmas present to myself, I've been buying some fly-tying stuff that my other half is not aware of (looks over shoulder quickly).

I was searching for a black rabbit skin at Hobby Lobby.  I remember seeing one this past summer.  I was going to use my zonker cutter and make zonker strips and cross-cut zonker strips, giving myself a HUGE supply of zonkers for $11.

Well, they didn't have any.  They did have White, a mottled White and Black, and a dark-colored skin that is like a charcoal gray, but not "Black".  I ended up not getting a skin, although I might return for the white one later.

I did, however, notice that they have 1-square-foot sections of Craft Fur in White, and a couple others, including one that looks like Coyote.  These sections were running for about $5.

I also went through the Christmas section, looking for Tinsel.  I remember seeing a huge pack of Silver Tinsel for $1.99.  I didn't find the Silver, but I did find a pack of holographic gold Tinsel.  I think they have most of the Christmas stuff marked down 50%.  I was expecting to pay $1.99 + tax, and ended up paying $1.07 for a LIFETIME supply of this stuff!

[Vince Fusco]

Now that is smart shopping!! Thanks for the heads up, Allan.

[Allen Morgan]

I'm all for using the right tool for the job, BUT......

It seems there is a 300% markup on stuff that is destined for "fly tying".  If I can find what I need for fly tying that doesn't come from a fly shop, I can probably get it DIRT CHEAP.  Back in the summer, I found a package of black goose biots, probably 4 - 5 times BIGGER than what you get from a fly shop, priced $1.99 at Micheals.  That's enough biots to last me a lifetime.  Why pay $4 for a small package of marabou when you can spend $7 or so and get a HUGE feather boa in fish-catching colors at Micheals or Hobby Lobby????