Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka

“Lanka Fishing Flies Ltd, a Sri Lankan based company which claims to be the largest producer of artificial fishing flies to the US market is exploring the possibility of penetrating the European and Asian markets. “Fly-fishing,” is a popular sport in the United States and we supply 90 per cent of artificial fishing flies to the USA market,” its Managing Director Suresh de Mel told Daily News Business. He said they export all products under the Umpqua brand and are proud to be the exclusive North American distributor for Tiemco hooks. For twenty years Tiemco has been the world’s most respected designer and manufacturer of hooks designed exclusively for fly-fishing.”

“He said that the fly fishing sport is gaining popularity rapidly in Europe and Asia. Therefore, they are now in the process of expanding into other regions as well. The idea was mooted by our founder, Dennis Black in 1972. As a fast and professional fly-tier, Dennis was known for his skills and speed in producing hundreds of dozens of flies each year for the larger mail order houses. However, he was also quick to realize how fast the demand for excellent flies would outstrip the abilities of cottage industry types run by him. He said that Dennis established the first of what would eventually be five separate fly-tying factories, first in India, then in Sri Lanka and finally in Thailand.”

http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/01/28/bus01.asp

I rarely buy flies. Every once in awhile, I will see a novel pattern and decide to buy it and study it further. This can be instructive as to proportionment and how the fly looks in your hands v. in a book, magazine or on the net in a poorly photographed thumbnail. Buyers in each shop have a large selection of flies to choose from via Umpqua, Idyllwild, Wapsi or ???. The flies are rarely the same once beyond the basic dries and nymphs. That is when each shop often carries a few patterns unique to other local shops. So, in my area, if I travel to Kaufmanns, River City, Oregon FF Outfitters or the Caddis Fly, I will observe a half-dozen unique patterns in each shop, not available in the other shops. If I see one unique and interesting I buy it. Some woman in Sri Lanka, India or Thailand may have labored over a vice to create one thousand+ of that unique pattern I have discovered in a shop in Eugene, Oregon.