Beginner Fly Tying Kits
- Thread starter cjdubya
- Start date
utah daveii
Well-known member
Personally, I would stay away from the kits. I think the orvis is better than most. But you could go with a griffin vise (1A-2A) for 40-65 bucks and mix and match your tools. You do not need all of those tools. You can get away with a pair of scissors ($10-$25), bobbin ($12), whip finisher ($7-$15) good pair of hackle pliers and hair stacker ($7.00-$20.00) to start. That would leave you a lot of room for dubbing, hackle and hair.
half fast
Well-known member
If possible, take a class or two first. Many classes will provide equipment, and after a few lessons you'll have a better idea of what you need and what you like. If there's a fly shop in your area, they'll likely know where you can get into a class if they don't run their own. You also need to think about what flies you'll need in your area for the species you're fishing for, and you'll want to have a little knowledge of what's needed to tie them before you sink money into tools and materials.
If you haven't done so, use the search function - type in 'kits' and you'll find a number of threads where this has been discussed. People will probably weigh in on this thread, but there is already a lot of good info out there.
I don't know the kit you're looking at. A risk is that you're going to pay for materials you won't use.
I don't know the kit you're looking at. A risk is that you're going to pay for materials you won't use.
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I fish in Central PA.. quite a few fly shops around.. I'll definitely look into some classes. I use dries most of the time and don't really do a lot of nymphing. Been using a lot of caddis flies, drakes, cahills, blue winged olives, etc. I did notice that the Orvis kit I mentioned comes with a ton of tools that I can't see myself using each and every one of them. The fly shops in the area are pretty pricey with their flies which I why I am interested in tying my own. Thanks again for all the help!
utah daveii
Well-known member
I don't want to burst your bubble, but the likelihood that you will save money tying is pretty low. That is what I told my wife, when I got into tying. When I bought materials, I even tried to tie enough flies that at $1-2.0 a fly I was covering my cost. Now I own thousands of dollars of flytying material. Eventually, everyone loses their discipline and starts buying materials for the ties they want to tie. For instance, I have tons of zelon for my blue ribbon and Mike Lawson flies. I also have materiels for Mike Mercer Caddis flies. Then I have my stuff for Elk Hair Caddis. Then I bought stuff for Lafontaine Caddis. I had to get the good stuff from the bookmailer of course.
The bottom line is that when you look at the number of flies that you can tie from the materials you have it is pretty impressive and you usually tie at a low cost per fly. The problem is it takes a lot of flies to make up for your capital investment.
flytire
Well-known member
buy the orvis kit you mention in your first post IF it contains the correct materials needed to tie he flies you want to tie. if not, then move on to another kit that has what you want.
its possible that kits contain materials that you will never need or use but i disagree. you CAN use those materials to practice tying your own specific creation or to practice different tying techniques. using your imagination you can create just about anything.
the materials you get in a kit is certainly not of the highest quality but CAN be used to tie some respectable flies. granted you may not use all of the materials in a kit but so what. theyll be there if you ever decide to try tying something with them.
after all is said and done, i would definately head out to that orvis shop near you and take a good hard look at that kit you want to buy. thats the only way to tell if its right for YOU. if not, i hope you had a plan B
that is quite possible but there is always the possibility that one day you just might need that one tool thats in that kit you thought you would never use!
its possible that kits contain materials that you will never need or use but i disagree. you CAN use those materials to practice tying your own specific creation or to practice different tying techniques. using your imagination you can create just about anything.
the materials you get in a kit is certainly not of the highest quality but CAN be used to tie some respectable flies. granted you may not use all of the materials in a kit but so what. theyll be there if you ever decide to try tying something with them.
after all is said and done, i would definately head out to that orvis shop near you and take a good hard look at that kit you want to buy. thats the only way to tell if its right for YOU. if not, i hope you had a plan B
that is quite possible but there is always the possibility that one day you just might need that one tool thats in that kit you thought you would never use!
dabluz
Well-known member
I have been making flies for close to 40 years.
If you have the budget....buy the kit.
If you are on a budget....stay away from any kit!
An excellent vise can be bought for 40 dollars. Limit yourself to buying stuff for making flies that look like the flies you see streamside. Fancy colours, flashy tinsel, plastic doo-dads....you don't need them at first.
Most bugs are brown and most have grey wings.
If you have the budget....buy the kit.
If you are on a budget....stay away from any kit!
An excellent vise can be bought for 40 dollars. Limit yourself to buying stuff for making flies that look like the flies you see streamside. Fancy colours, flashy tinsel, plastic doo-dads....you don't need them at first.
Most bugs are brown and most have grey wings.
kglissmeyer1
Well-known member
We lived in West Yellowstone at the time and my wife went in to Blue Ribbon flies and our dear friend Jackie Matthews put together a "kit" with all the stuff I would really use over time. That's the way to do it, go to your favorite fly shop and ask their help to put together something useful. You will save money and get the things you need including materials to tie the flies you will use. Good luck.
Kelly.
Kelly.
pikefisher69
Well-known member
I have bought that orvis kit when I started tying, and I thought it was pretty good and I was happy I got it. It's a good starter kit.
jaybo41
Well-known member
Excellent post flytire. I'm in full agreement with opinion.buy the orvis kit you mention in your first post IF it contains the correct materials needed to tie he flies you want to tie. if not, then move on to another kit that has what you want.
its possible that kits contain materials that you will never need or use but i disagree. you CAN use those materials to practice tying your own specific creation or to practice different tying techniques. using your imagination you can create just about anything.
the materials you get in a kit is certainly not of the highest quality but CAN be used to tie some respectable flies. granted you may not use all of the materials in a kit but so what. theyll be there if you ever decide to try tying something with them.
after all is said and done, i would definately head out to that orvis shop near you and take a good hard look at that kit you want to buy. thats the only way to tell if its right for YOU. if not, i hope you had a plan B
that is quite possible but there is always the possibility that one day you just might need that one tool thats in that kit you thought you would never use!
Years ago, I received what I still consider one of the best gifts ever. My father bought me a fly tying kit from Cabelas. It was geared towards trout. The materials were OK but not great. The tools were OK but not great. I still use some of them today, most of both materials and tools have been replaced over the years....BUT it got me into tying.
Here's the important piece...
What I had no idea of at that time was what kind of flies I was interested in tying because I was so new to fly fishing and of course tying. Had I known what specific flies I fished most often and wanted to tie, I may have gone the ala carte method IF I knew what I'd be tying and IF I had disposable income to do so. I was younger, still learning LOTS and was not in the position I am today to buy better quality/higher priced merchandise. I tied on that vise for nearly 7 years before I replaced it with a rotary vise.
Assuming that you are on a budget or just starting out in both fly tying and fly fishing, a kit is in my opinion, a great option--provided it has what you believe you need. Just know that if you buy a kit and stick with it, at some point, you may likely do as most of us have done and upgrade.
Either way, make sure it's right for YOU because that's all that matters. Please update us on what you decide.