misterdrcoolwhip
Member
hi im new to this and i was looking for a basic entry level fly tying kit do you guys have any suggestions any help would be appreciated. also what are some super easy flies that i could learn to tie first thank in advance.
hi im new to fly tying
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Walter1023
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I think the general consensus of many is against a starter's kit as this question has come up before. I can only speak to my personal experience...I avoided a "kit" as many jeemed like junk. I started tying just over a year ago and wanted a good value but reasonable priced vice....so I bought the Griffin Oddysey Spider vice for $85....its still at that price - it had good reviews when I bought it and its been great. I've tied alot of flies in the last year from size 10 down to small #26 Olives - no problems. I also bought a Dr' Slick Tyer tool pack....$50 at Cabelas which includes Bobbin, bodkin, hair stacker, hackle pliers, threader and excellent quality scissors......to me this covers all the hardware for a beginning tyer at $135 threads/dubbing/hackle/etc you can read up on what you need. I flyfished pretty intensely for 11 years before I took up tying - so glad I did. Not only is it a great feeling to catch a trout on your own fly....I actually feel more confident with my own flies at this time. Good Luck I'm sure you'll get alot of responses
texastroutbum
Well-known member
Welcome to the forum. I agree with Walter in that many people who bought fly tying kid were generally not that happy about it.
I do not want to repeat what Walter mentioned above, but I would like to add a piece of advice about beginning to tying your own fly.
Think about what kinds of flies you want to tie first and try to get material. And think about the flies that are really effective in your river. Are those flies egg pattern or nymphs or dry flies or streamer? For example, I have been using wollybuggers, whose material are not that expensive and highly effective for catching bass here. Another fly that I love is pheasant tail nymph whose material are not that expensive compared to dry fly materials.
So, find out the flies you are going to use a lot and buy material and go for it.
Another advise is that do not try to be a perfectionist.
I still have flies that I tied when I began to tie flies. Some of them do not look like anything in the world. I meant to make a popper fly but it ended up looking a plastic foam tangled with deer hairs. But I caught some fish with it. Mostly bass.
Another advise is that when you find yourself attempting to use roadkill squirrel or rabbit, that is the moment when you need to have some interventions from people around you. In another words, fly tying can be really consuming, so be careful. Your family first and fly fishing later.
I do not want to repeat what Walter mentioned above, but I would like to add a piece of advice about beginning to tying your own fly.
Think about what kinds of flies you want to tie first and try to get material. And think about the flies that are really effective in your river. Are those flies egg pattern or nymphs or dry flies or streamer? For example, I have been using wollybuggers, whose material are not that expensive and highly effective for catching bass here. Another fly that I love is pheasant tail nymph whose material are not that expensive compared to dry fly materials.
So, find out the flies you are going to use a lot and buy material and go for it.
Another advise is that do not try to be a perfectionist.
I still have flies that I tied when I began to tie flies. Some of them do not look like anything in the world. I meant to make a popper fly but it ended up looking a plastic foam tangled with deer hairs. But I caught some fish with it. Mostly bass.
Another advise is that when you find yourself attempting to use roadkill squirrel or rabbit, that is the moment when you need to have some interventions from people around you. In another words, fly tying can be really consuming, so be careful. Your family first and fly fishing later.
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mcnerney
Administrator
If you go in the direction of trout flies, I always recommend Charlie's Fly Box as a good source for patterns, he has 164 patterns listed on his site with detailed instructions, a list of materials needed and great looking photos of each step:
Charlie's FlyBox - Colorado's Best FlyShop and online Fly Tying Tutorials
Charlie Craven also has a book out titled "Basic Fly Tying", it is the best book I have seen on how to learn to tie.
Larry
Charlie's FlyBox - Colorado's Best FlyShop and online Fly Tying Tutorials
Charlie Craven also has a book out titled "Basic Fly Tying", it is the best book I have seen on how to learn to tie.
Larry
Biggie
Well-known member
Great advice from everyone who has posted to this thread. The one thing that I would add to the conversation is "Don't try to learn all the patterns right away" I highly recommend that you master one pattern before you move on to another. The best way to master a fly pattern is to tie lots of them. I would recommend tying several dozen of one pattern before you move onto the next. By tying the same fly over and over again you will see how certain materials lay onto the hook and you will find your own ways of making certain materials lay on the hook so the fly looks perfect.
You tube is also a great source for learning to tie flies. You can typically find several different ways to tie the same flies and you may see someone tie a material onto the hook in a manner that works best for you. Good luck with your tying, be careful, fly tying can become very addictive.
You tube is also a great source for learning to tie flies. You can typically find several different ways to tie the same flies and you may see someone tie a material onto the hook in a manner that works best for you. Good luck with your tying, be careful, fly tying can become very addictive.
peregrines
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misterdrcoolwhip-
this time of year a lot of fly shops and fishing groups like TU chapters will have beginning fly tying classes--- it would be great of you could jump in on one-- having someone that can show you the ropes will really smooth out the learning curve.
And you've gotten great advice from folks here--- as tempting as the $60 kits are, you're generally a lot better off spending a few more bucks and getting a decent vise (as opposed to the poorly machined import vises with soft metal jaws in the kits) a few decent tools and just enough materials to tie a few basic patterns at a time--- but also build up your inventory of basic materials. (Most kits come with a smattering of materials-- enough to give you a few flies each of a dozen or so patterns-- often not enough of the useful stuff, and too much stuff that isn't much use.) But if money is an issue and you decide to go with a kit, i'd look for one that includes a few fly patterns you'd actually use to fish with. Many of us (including me) started with kits-- but again knowing what i know now, i would have been better off putting the money towards a decent vise, which you'll be buying soon enough anyway if you stick with tying.
BigCliff posted a recent thread with what looks to be a very decent kit with an Atlas vise and good quality tools.
And there are a bunch of excellent vises in different price ranges-- at the low end something like a used vintage Thompson from the 1970's for $30 or so (A very popular and bullet proof no frills vise many of use learned on, they come up quite often on places like ebay and craigs list and classified sections of fly fishing forums.
At around $60-70 a new Griffin 2A or new Danvise (made of Delrin composite plastic)
And at $100-130 there's a bunch more choices from high quality manufacturers that will last 3 lifetimes like the HMH SX, Dyna-King KingFisher.
If you're buying stuff separately figure another $30-50 for tools in addition to a vise (scissors, bobbin, bodkin, hackle pliers, bobbin threader, hair stacker, whip finisher)
Keep asking questions, and browse some of the past threads, there's been some great discussions -- and i'm sure a lot of stuff can be pretty confusing for someone that's just getting into it.
this time of year a lot of fly shops and fishing groups like TU chapters will have beginning fly tying classes--- it would be great of you could jump in on one-- having someone that can show you the ropes will really smooth out the learning curve.
And you've gotten great advice from folks here--- as tempting as the $60 kits are, you're generally a lot better off spending a few more bucks and getting a decent vise (as opposed to the poorly machined import vises with soft metal jaws in the kits) a few decent tools and just enough materials to tie a few basic patterns at a time--- but also build up your inventory of basic materials. (Most kits come with a smattering of materials-- enough to give you a few flies each of a dozen or so patterns-- often not enough of the useful stuff, and too much stuff that isn't much use.) But if money is an issue and you decide to go with a kit, i'd look for one that includes a few fly patterns you'd actually use to fish with. Many of us (including me) started with kits-- but again knowing what i know now, i would have been better off putting the money towards a decent vise, which you'll be buying soon enough anyway if you stick with tying.
BigCliff posted a recent thread with what looks to be a very decent kit with an Atlas vise and good quality tools.
And there are a bunch of excellent vises in different price ranges-- at the low end something like a used vintage Thompson from the 1970's for $30 or so (A very popular and bullet proof no frills vise many of use learned on, they come up quite often on places like ebay and craigs list and classified sections of fly fishing forums.
At around $60-70 a new Griffin 2A or new Danvise (made of Delrin composite plastic)
And at $100-130 there's a bunch more choices from high quality manufacturers that will last 3 lifetimes like the HMH SX, Dyna-King KingFisher.
If you're buying stuff separately figure another $30-50 for tools in addition to a vise (scissors, bobbin, bodkin, hackle pliers, bobbin threader, hair stacker, whip finisher)
Keep asking questions, and browse some of the past threads, there's been some great discussions -- and i'm sure a lot of stuff can be pretty confusing for someone that's just getting into it.