Can We Afford to Tie Our Own Flies?

Yesterday we shipped a package of Whiting 1/4 Saddles to a lady in Oregon to be used as hair extensions. It's the latest thing since that guy on American Idol started wearing them.  Rumor is that the hairdressing industry is buying up all the hackle they can get their hands on, which, of course, is causing the value of these prized feathers to skyrocket.  The wholesale price of some hackles is now at the level we sell them retail.  I didn't realize the extent of this fad until today.  A little surfing the net found this ad (and these are "wholesale" prices):  "Featherheads"

On the bright side, if you are the owner of some fine hackle, you may be wealthy beyond your imagination right now.  I wonder how many of these folks realize the feathers weren't just borrowed from the rooster.  To tie or to cash in; it's a moral decision only you can make for yourself.