Beginning Fly Tying Questions

[Woolly]

I’m thinking about trying fly tying. What would your recommendations be on a basic starter equipment list? Also, maybe a brand name for a decent vise. I’d appreciate any help. Thanks guys.

[rdf1212]

Talk to SJdriff. He recomended the vice I got and it has been great and very affordible. As for everything else; I can't help you.

[Bighand]

I like the BT also known as the Dan vise. About eighy bucks, rotory. It also comes in a set with a vise, tying bench and fly tying tools around a 150.00 bucks. This vise will hand bass size hooks to midge hooks. See Chuck at Az Fly Fishing. There is a Griffith stationary vise intro model for fifty bucks. This vise is a good for trout fly size flies and small bass flies.

[TRTopping]

As for starter materials, start with a couple of simple flies in mind and buy the stuff you need to tie them. Any of the local fly shops can help you in that department. You can look at the kits - I'd defer to others on the board for a recommendations here.

As you expand the patterns you tie, you gradually add to the stuff. Like most of the folks out there, if I added up what I have in my fly tying box, I'd think twice about starting, but since you gradually accumulate it, it is not a big shock.

Good started patterns are things like Bead Head Zebra midges. (You'll need Hooks (2488's are good), thread, wire, beads, head cement, a bobin, maybe some peacock herl for gills and maybe some wax, and that is about it. Don't start with Stimulators or even Pheasant tails. I'm ok at tying Pheasant tails now, but I still can't tie a stimulator that looks half as good as the ones I buy. The important thing is to practice. The first few will look a little rough. In a session or two, you should be able to tie a midge that looks at least as good as the ones you buy. Then you can start experimenting - which is the fun part.
You also need an entry level book, or a friend to show you how to get started. There are some good step by steps on the web and in some of the tying mags as well for a lot of patterns.

[Plateau Angler]

I highly recommend getting a copy of "Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple" by Skip Morris. This is what I started with and it helped a lot. The book does a good job of starting with the basics and slowly building to more difficult techniques. Beware, once you start tying it is almost impossible to walk into a fly shop without buying something new for tying some flies :D.

[mjl]

Simi
Seal
Leech

Easiest damn fly to tie and very effective in a variety of waters and conditions - from still to moving, from bass to wild trout. I consider it a staple. Black, olive, gold.

Check azflyfishing.com for the pattern. This is a good place to start.

[Flats Man]

Depending on how in depth you wish to get, I recommend taking a beginners class where everything is provided for you (the vice, materials, etc.) That way you are not tieing up money in an investment that is going to collect dust... I think this is a great way to get involved. I used to teach classes at Dry Creek Outfitters down in Tucson and people, 9 times out of 10, would but the full set up after the first class. Some shops might offer an incentive or discount on a vice/materials should you take thier class. I know Chuck and John's shop, AZ Fly fishing, has a great selection of materials and the guys are as helpful as they come. As for a vice, I have tied on a Regal for the past 10 years... Great vice, not much to it, and very easy to use. The jaws are also replaceable and interchangeable. They make a midge jay for smaller patterns and also a larger jaw with a hook gap for slatwater patterns. I think they retail for about 185... Good luck and let us know how things turn out!

[aztightlines]

Thompson is back in business, has the classic vise most of us started with, the "Pro," for about $45. More flys have been tied on that than all the rest of the vises put together. I like Dyna-King and Renzettis in the more expensive category - $130 and up.
I have sold a lot of Umpqua tying kits, Doug's Bugs kits, Wapsi kits - but you may want to just put together your own kit with the basic materials. Go down to AZ Flyfishing in Tempe and talk to them, they will get you going. I am biased, but forget the big box stores when it comes to tying, unless you totally know what you are doing.

Best beginning flytying books, along with "Clear and Simple" in my opinion:

"Western Trout Flytying Manual" author: Jack Dennis
"LL Bean Beginning Flytying" " **** Talleur
"Basic Techniques for Flytying" " Brad Befus
"Nymphs" " Randall Kaufman
"Dry Flies" " " "

And sign up for a tying class, if possible. Nothing better than having an experienced tyer right at hand, showing you how to do it.

[mjl]

I've been tying lately on some cheapo replacement vice while my stuff from AZ is in storage. I've got to say, for $15, it is a rotary and does just fine, not to mention is great for travel. So, if you're just starting out, you may not want to dump a ton into a vice until you decide if tying really is something you want to continue doing and know what type of features you want. For me, something cheap and simple that holds anything from a 28 to a 1/0 and has rotary is all I need.

[TRTopping]

Woolly - you might be able to pick up a nice pre-owned vise by posting in the "Buy, Sell, Trade" forum. I suspect that several folks have an extra vise lying around that they wouldn't mind seeing put to good use.

Plateau is right, once you start tying it is an additional level of the overall Flyfishing "sickness". I cannot walk into AZ Flyfishing without buying something from the materials wall and I'm now to the point where I'm buying hooks in 100 count instead of 20 count packages.

[SJDrifli]

I ordered 700 hooks 2 weeks ago and just placed another order for 1000 today, sickness?? I think not!!!!rantrant

[Woolly]

Thanks for the responses guys. I’ve printed out your recommendations and will use them.

PS.... We don't have a fly fishing sickness: “What we have are simply short term needs to fulfill long term goals”.

Anyway, the more stuff I get, the more I keep expanding my long term goals. No sickness here.:)

Thanks again,
Glenn

[CHIEF]

I have a terminal sickness and that is the addiction of being out every weekend on the water somewhere looking in a fly box and saying "hmmmmmmmmm, I think this size 22 will work". I don't do anything else on weekend for the past 28 years, last saturday I took a day off for I don't know the last time in my mind I did this. I can sit in my office and feel the bite, see the rise, or releasing a fish which still feels wet in my hands. I truely think l will die on the water at a very old age, someone will say "he always fishes alone and now he is gone" but will return to the water, we are all born of the water, I will not be put in the ground.

CHIEF

[TRTopping]

I have a terminal sickness and that is the addiction of being out every weekend on the water somewhere looking in a fly box and saying "hmmmmmmmmm, I think this size 22 will work".
CHIEF

Chief understands. The rest of you are still in the denial stage. Seek help, or better yet go fisihing! :D