Wapsi Fly
Wapsi Fly is a privately held, family-owned manufacturer and wholesale distributor of fly-tying materials founded in 1945, serving authorized fly fishing retailers and dealers across the United States with proprietary Metz Hackle and Angler's Image brands plus premium distributed hook brands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1945
- HeadquartersMountain Home, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Wapsi Fly does
Wapsi Fly is a privately held, family-owned manufacturer and wholesale distributor of fly-tying materials, founded in 1945 and headquartered in Mountain Home, Arkansas. The company operates a 62,000+ square foot manufacturing facility and self-describes as the world's largest manufacturer and wholesale distributor in its category. Its product portfolio spans more than 30 categories, including feathers, hackle, dubbing, foam, hair, body materials, threads, tools, vises, terminal tackle, storage, and apparel accessories. The company owns and produces proprietary sub-brands such as Metz Hackle (dry fly and streamer necks) and Angler's Image (magnetic fly threaders, tippet rings, tackle bags, strike indicators), and also serves as the US wholesale channel for premium hook brands including Gamakatsu, Mustad, Partridge of Redditch, Tiemco, and Lightning Strike.
The company sells exclusively on a wholesale basis through an authorized dealer network of fly fishing retailers, supported by a B2B dealer login portal and a 'Become a Dealer' onboarding program; it does not sell direct to end consumers. Go-to-market relies on catalog distribution (2024 catalog published via Issuu), the Fly Tyer's Room educational content platform, and traditional dealer relationship management. Pricing is account-based and not publicly disclosed. Wapsi Fly employs 40-100 full-time employees (firmographic range; website states over 40), is operated by the Schmuecker family, and reports no external investors or parent company. Its stated strategic direction includes additional expansion of its Mountain Home manufacturing facility and continued product line extension within its proprietary brands.
Wapsi Fly firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wapsi Fly
- Legal name
- Wapsi Fly
- Website
- https://wapsifly.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1945
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Wapsi Fly is a privately held, family-owned manufacturer and wholesale distributor of fly-tying materials founded in 1945, serving authorized fly fishing retailers and dealers across the United States with proprietary Metz Hackle and Angler's Image brands plus premium distributed hook brands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wapsi Fly industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fly Tying Materials
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fly Fishing Specialty Retail (CRAMALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Lures, Flies & Terminal Tackle Specialty Retail (CRAMALAJ)
Keywords
Where Wapsi Fly is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mountain Home
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wapsi Fly business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Wholesale Fly-Tying Materials Distribution: Manufactures and distributes fly-tying materials on a wholesale basis to authorized dealers and retailers in the fly fishing industry. Products include feathers, hackle, dubbing, foam bodies, hooks, lines, and complete accessory lines.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Wapsi Fly product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wapsi Fly manufactures and wholesale-distributes fly-tying materials used by fly fishing enthusiasts to construct artificial fishing flies. The product range spans virtually every fly-tying material category, including feathers, fur, hair, threads, hooks, dubbing, adhesives, eyes, flash, legs, tails, tubes, wings, and specialized tying tools. The company sells exclusively through a global network of authorized dealers rather than directly to consumers.
Product overview
Wapsi Fly is a manufacturer and wholesale distributor of fly tying materials, offering a comprehensive portfolio of products across more than 30 categories. The company's product line includes core materials such as feathers (including Metz Hackle brand), adhesives, body materials, dubbing, foam, hair, legs, and winging materials, as well as hooks from multiple brands (Gamakatsu, Mustad, Tiemco, Partridge, Lightning Strike, and Jig Heads), storage solutions (fly boxes, zip bags), tools and equipment (vises, tools, fly furniture), and accessories (strike indicators, tippet rings, floatants, streamside accessories). The company operates a 62,000+ square foot manufacturing facility and distributes through a dealer network. Featured products highlighted on the site include Metz Hackle Dry Fly Necks (various styles), Angler's Edge Magnetic Fly Threader, Foam Ant Bodies, and Angler's Image Tippet Rings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Metz Hackle: Dry fly necks and streamer necks - hackle feathers for fly tying
- Angler's Image
Products and services
- Metz First Select Hackle
Companies that use Wapsi Fly
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Wapsi Fly technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Wapsi Fly partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- GamakatsucoreWapsi Fly distributes Gamakatsu hooks as part of their comprehensive hook portfolio. Gamakatsu is a Japanese hook manufacturer known for quality hooks sold through Wapsi's wholesale dealer network.
- MustadcoreWapsi Fly distributes Mustad hooks, a Norway-based premium hook manufacturer, through their dealer network. Mustad hooks are featured in Wapsi's hook product category.
- Partridge of RedditchcoreWapsi Fly distributes Partridge hooks, a traditional English hook manufacturer, through their wholesale distribution network.
- TiemcocoreWapsi Fly distributes Tiemco fly hooks, a Japanese manufacturer known for premium quality hooks for serious fly tyers.
- Lightning StrikecoreWapsi Fly distributes Lightning Strike hooks, offering these products through their dealer network alongside other premium hook brands.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Wapsi Fly competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Umpqua Feather Merchants: Umpqua is one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of fly tying materials and flies in North America, selling through fly fishing dealers. It competes head-to-head with Wapsi Fly for both tier brands and dealer shelf space.
- Hareline Dubbin: Hareline manufactures and wholesales a broad catalog of fly tying materials including dubbing, feathers, and synthetic components, distributed through fly fishing dealers. It overlaps directly with Wapsi Fly's core product lines.
- Spirit River Fly Fishing: Spirit River produces and distributes fly tying materials and components to dealers and anglers. It is comparable to Wapsi Fly in product mix and wholesale distribution model.
- Whiting Farms: Whiting Farms is a leading hackle and feather producer supplying premium genetic hackle to fly tyers and brands globally. It overlaps with Wapsi's Metz Hackle line in the critical feathers category.
- Semperfli: Semperfli manufactures a wide range of fly tying materials including threads, feathers, and synthetic components, sold through fly fishing dealers worldwide. It is a direct competitor in the wholesale fly tying materials space.
- Montana Fly Company: Montana Fly Company manufactures premium flies and materials and distributes them wholesale to fly fishing dealers. Comparable to Wapsi Fly on dealer distribution and fly tying content offerings.
Emerging players
- Loon Outdoors: Loon produces fly tying tools, floatants, and accessories sold through fly fishing dealers. It overlaps with several Wapsi Fly categories (vises, tools, floatants, adhesives) but focuses more narrowly on chemistry-driven products.
Broad incumbents
- Orvis: Orvis is a long-established fly fishing retailer and brand that sells rods, reels, apparel, and tying materials both through its own retail network and dealers. It competes broadly with Wapsi in tying materials and dealer-channel fly fishing.
- Bass Pro Shops: Bass Pro Shops (which includes Cabela's) is a dominant outdoor retailer carrying fly tying materials, rods, reels, and apparel across hundreds of stores. It is an adjacent incumbent that overlaps with Wapsi's dealer customers.
- Cabela's: Cabela's, now part of Bass Pro, is a major outdoor retailer carrying fly tying and fly fishing products. Comparable to Wapsi as a fly tying materials buyer for retail customers, though it is a customer-side incumbent rather than a like-for-like manufacturer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Wapsi Fly social profiles
Digital presenceWapsi Fly financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wapsi Fly leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Wapsi Fly funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wapsi Fly M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wapsi Fly
What does Wapsi Fly do?
Wapsi Fly manufactures and wholesale-distributes fly-tying materials used by fly fishing enthusiasts to construct artificial fishing flies. The product range spans virtually every fly-tying material category, including feathers, fur, hair, threads, hooks, dubbing, adhesives, eyes, flash, legs, tails, tubes, wings, and specialized tying tools. The company sells exclusively through a global network of authorized dealers rather than directly to consumers.
Is Wapsi Fly a public or private company?
Wapsi Fly is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Wapsi Fly founded?
Wapsi Fly was founded in 1945. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Wapsi Fly based?
Wapsi Fly is headquartered in Mountain Home, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wapsi Fly make money?
One revenue line is on record: wholesale Fly-Tying Materials Distribution.
Who are Wapsi Fly's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Umpqua Feather Merchants, Hareline Dubbin, Spirit River Fly Fishing, Whiting Farms, Semperfli and Montana Fly Company. Loon Outdoors is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Orvis, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's.
Does Wapsi Fly have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wapsi Fly.
What industry is Wapsi Fly in?
Wapsi Fly's product category is Fly Tying Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMALAD, Fly Fishing Specialty Retail, with a secondary code of CRAMALAJ, Lures, Flies & Terminal Tackle Specialty Retail.