I tie alot of flies and found the cost of the 3-D eyes was just too much! After all, you can go into a craft store and buy 100 googly eyes for 0.99p! so why are holographic lure eyes so expensive? I mean £2.55 for 20! Thats outrageous.
After much research I found a reliable supplier (harder than you think) and several emails later we agreed on a minimum order quantity of 5,000 per colour and size. Now, I use alot of different size eyes and the huge variety of colours available where too much to resist so I made my first order for 55,000 eyes!! This cost a small fortune and my wife was not very happy....
On the posative side I really dont need that many eyes so I kept 5,000 for myself and decided to sell the rest on ebay and to friends and family at good prices that anyone can afford. (£1.99 for 50,depending on size and colour).
What I found was that not only does size increase the cost but shape and colour also. Most fly tying/lure making retailers sell the basic silver or red 2 colour eyes which are the cheapest to make and import. If you start adding 3 colours into the eyes or using a pearlescent or glitter background the costs start to increase but still nowhere near enough to warrant the retail prices.
Do we really need all these fancy coloured eyes?
I personally think the eyes are a vital part of the fly,they give the fish a target point and also add realism. If you are trying to immitate a baitfish then adding the eyes is as important as the overall shape and balance. Dont forget if you have confidence in the fly you have tied you will fish it better!
So,back to my original question,are they too expensive?
I am fortunate to be friends with a few people who work in fishing tackle retail so I know how much they pay from their supplier, and believe me the fishing tackle store is not making much money! The bulk of the cost is charged by the suppliers,they are the ones making the money but they are also the ones who have to import,package and distribute them.
I personally think the suppliers are being too greedy, I realise they have to make money but there is plenty of room to either cut the cost or add more product for the same price especially as most of them are only offering basic 2 colour eyes.
My advice is this, If you only want the basic 2 colour eyes or maybe you only want a few then support your local tackle shops. If you want a greater variety or want a larger quantity then shop around,there are some good deals to be had...:o)
