Dave McNeese Blue Heron Spey hooks

[Millsfly]

Howdy Team PNW FF,

Long shot here, but I am trying to source some of hooks by Dave McNeese, Blue Heron Spey. They're out of production but can every once in a while folks have them for sale. You can find the seller on etsy who has size 1 hooks for sale, but dying to find some 2s or 3s

Thanks for any intel, much appreciated!

 

[Dustin Chromers]

From my cold dead hands. I'm sorry to hear these are out of production. They are one of my all time favourites. Didn't gamakatsu actually manufacture them?

 

[Yard Sale]

Rumors of another run keep me up at night.

 

[SculpinSwinger]

Another run, plus some made in a size 5 would be the dream.

 

[GOTY]

From my cold dead hands. I'm sorry to hear these are out of production. They are one of my all time favourites. Didn't gamakatsu actually manufacture them?

Correct on gamakatsu.

McNeese owns the patent of course, but to do another run the costs gammi demands are insane. As in maybe 100x more than the cost I was initially thinking. Sucks, but that's the reality. Retooling for gammi to do another run is a huge deal given how many hooks they sell without having to make these one off specialty ones. Sure a few thousand of the mcneese hooks would sell initially to us spey nerds but we are a very, very small portion of the hook buying market. Selling a few thousand hooks doesn't even begin to move the needle for gammi.

The more I hear about it from those who know far more than me, the more unlikely it seems they will ever be made again (maybe sub 1% odds?)

 

[Yard Sale]

Correct on gamakatsu.

McNeese owns the patent of course, but to do another run the costs gammi demands are insane. As in maybe 100x more than the cost I was initially thinking. Sucks, but that's the reality. Retooling for gammi to do another run is a huge deal given how many hooks they sell without having to make these one off specialty ones. Sure a few thousand of the mcneese hooks would sell initially to us spey nerds but we are a very, very small portion of the hook buying market. Selling a few thousand hooks doesn't even begin to move the needle for gammi.

The more I hear about it from those who know far more than me, the more unlikely it seems they will ever be made again (maybe sub 1% odds?)

So by this logic, which I fully understand, we will only lose hook styles going forward?

Buy up what you like gentlemen.

 

[GOTY]

So by this logic, which I fully understand, we will only lose hook styles going forward?

Buy up what you like gentlemen.

If it is a custom, specialty, 1 off-hook that a massive manufacturer used to make, but now doesn't, then maybe/probably/definitely yes.

 

[Paige]

If I remember it was over 100k to do another run.

 

[_WW_]

If I remember it was over 100k to do another run.

Hmmm...seems like there is an opportunity here.

 

[O' Clarkii Stomias]

Hmmm...seems like there is an opportunity here.

You gotta a hundred grand kickin' 'round doin' nuthin'?

 

[Josh]

Hmmm...seems like there is an opportunity here.

$100k is so many little packs of hooks. I can't imagine that being a good business decision.

 

[_WW_]

You gotta a hundred grand kickin' 'round doin' nuthin'?

You're looking at it from the wrong angle.

 

[O' Clarkii Stomias]

You're looking at it from the wrong angle.

Quite often the case.

 

[Josh]

I think if someone was serious, they would have to reach out to other hook companies and get quotes. But between the rumored costs, giving a cut to Dave McNeese, and the fact that you'd have to move a LOT of very specialty hooks to break even.... I dunno.

 

[Paige]

@Bhudda would buy atleast half of them!

 

[Stonedfish]

Just curious.
How much did they cost for a new pack at a fly shop when they were available and how many were in a pack?
SF

 

[GOTY]

Just curious.
How much did they cost for a new pack at a fly shop when they were available and how many were in a pack?
SF

Last time I bought size 3...came in packs of 10 or 25 (bulk options were also available, but they were just 10 or 25 packs combined together).



I imagine pricing would go up if another run ever came to fruition. Standard Alec Jackson 3/0s are $15 for a 10 pack before tax at fly shops around here. Frustrating.


Edit: actually I did buy some size 3s last yr from a fly shop. Was $15.95 per 10 pack.

 

[Josh]

Edit: actually I did buy some size 3s last yr from a fly shop. Was $15.95 per 10 pack.

Using the $100k estimate, at $16, someone would have to sell (directly, not wholesale) 6250 ten-packs of hooks just to pay production costs. And that doesn't include giving a cut to McNeese (or credit card fees or shipping supplies etc) or, you know, any profit for your trouble.

And if you wanted to wholesale, that changes the math completely.

 

[Millsfly]

let me check my checking account....

 

[Salmo_g]

let me check my checking account....

What's that old saying, "If you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it."