Q. How do I know what fly to use?
A. This requires some knowledge of basic fish foods: you'll need to learn which fish feed on which foods and what kinds of imitations are available. You also need to look for clues that will lead you in the right direction, like turning over rocks in a trout stream, observing any flies that may be on the surface, looking for minnows, etc. Hatch charts can also give a good idea of what to expect and are generally available for the area you are fishing.

Q. What brand of hooks do you use?
A. The exact brand and hook depends on the particular fly in question, but I use quality hooks from manufacturers such as Tiemco, Daiichi, and Mustad. Most patterns are tied on chemically sharpened hooks.

Q. If I am not happy with my purchase can I return them?
A. Yes. I am committed to your 100% satisfaction. If you are not happy with your purchase, please contact me and I will make it right.

Q. I am interested in learning how to tie flies, can you offer any advice?
A. The best way to learn is to take a course in fly tying. For instruction in fly tying, seek out your local fly fishing club or organization such as Trout Unlimited or the Federation
of Fly fishers. These are organizations are your best source of local information. If there are no classes, visit your library for books on fly tying and a local video store for rental instructional videos. Try the fly tying videos by Gary Borger, Jack Dennis, and Orvis.

Introductory books that I recommended are "The Art of Fly Tying" by John van Vliet, "The Fly Tyer's Primer" by Richard W. Talleur, "The Beginning Fly Tyer by Jim Brainbridge, and "Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple" by Skip Morris. You can then move onto combined pattern/tying books. Examples are "Tying Dry Flies" or "Tying Nymphs" by Randall Kaufmann, and "Western Trout Fly Tying Manual Vols. I and II" by Jack Dennis. Pure pattern books are "Fly Patterns of the Upqua Feather Merchants" by Randall Kaufmann, “The Orvis Fly Pattern Index" by John R. Harder, and the patterns books by Dick Stewart.

Q. How soon after I place my order will the flies be shipped?
A. If the flies are in stock, the order will generally be sent within three days.

Q. What happens if you're out of stock on any particular item?
A. From time to time I may be out of stock on a particular item. I keep an extensive inventory, but from time to time I may be out-of-stock on a particular item. When that happens, I will contact you to let you know. I will then let you decide how to handle your order processing (Back-order for missing items, substitution, or cancellation).

Q. What type of shipping do you offer?
A. Standard shipping is first class USPS. Priority and express mail is also offered. Larger items are automatically shipped via priority mail.

Q. I waited until the last minute to get the flies for my trip? I have 10 guys that are counting on me to come through with the flies for the trip of a life time, can you help?
A. Last minute orders are always welcome. Assuming I have the flies in stock, it is no problem. I offer USPS Express Mail and Federal Express delivery options as well.

Q. I waited until the last minute, and I need to get a gift for a person that likes to fly fish, can you help?
A. Use one of our online gift certificates. Then it won't look like you waited until the last minute. They're easy to use, just fill in the amount and complete your order. I will then email you the card, then just click and print. Or I can also email an e-certificate directly to the recipient at your option. Or, I do offer USPS Express Mail and Federal Express delivery options as well.

Q. I think I live near you, can I pick up my flies and avoid shipping costs?
A. In general, I prefer to ship your flies. In order to keep my fly prices low, I work out of my house. Logistically, it is difficult to arrange meeting up with people on a individual basis since I don’t keep regular “business hours”. Although I enjoy sharing my love of fly fishing with others, I want to maintain a degree of privacy at home. With that said, if there is a compelling reason to pickup flies due to time frame, etc. I will try to work with you.

Q. Do you ship internationally?
A. Yes, international shipping and handling is $5.50. All international shipments are sent via air mail.

Q. What is the best way to contact you?
A. Please try contacting via the contact form first. I almost always carry a laptop computer with me and try to check email several times per day. Chances are you will have more success with email than phone…voice mail tag can be frustrating for both of us. If you don’t have success using email, my telephone number can be found on the contact page.

Q. What method of payments do you take?
A. I accept PayPal or you can mail a check or money order. Further details are provided during checkout.

Q. How private are PayPal transactions?
A. When you send or your payment using PayPal, the only information that I see is your email address, date of sign-up, and whether you have confirmed an account at another financial institution. Your financial information such as credit card or bank account numbers, remain private. Please review PayPal’s privacy policy for further information.

Q. How secure are PayPal transactions?
A. JimsFlies will never be sent details of your PayPal account. If you elect to use PayPal to complete your transaction, a separate window will open that will automatically route you to PayPal.

PayPal uses the best commercially available technology and procedures to protect the security of your online transactions. PayPal automatically encrypts your confidential information in transit from your computer to theirs using the Secure Sockets Layer protocol (SSL) with an encryption key length of 128-bits (the highest level commercially available). Before you even register or log in to the PayPal website, their server checks that you're using an approved browser - one that uses SSL 3.0 or higher.

PayPal’s servers that house your information are heavily guarded both physically and electronically. PayPal’s servers sit behind an electronic firewall and are not directly connected to the Internet, so your private information is available only to authorized computers.