Tips for beginner Fly Tier

How much money do you have and how happy is the marriage? All kidding aside You can spend as much or as little as you like on a vice and still get passable flies. I bought my vice from J. Stockard, It goes for about $35 bought I got it on sale for about $29. By the way, there should be a bunch of sales after the first of the year. Stockard’s, Cabelas and others and they will have some good prices on vices, hooks, tools, and supplies. Buy just what you need in materials. Flies like the PnP and similar Zebras can use the same hooks but different color thread, wire, and beads. You will use these a lot so you may stock up on those materials. Other flies wait until you know what you are going to tie before buying anything. Youtube has great tying videos. you can learn a lot from them.

Kenny will put out a list of materials you need for each fly we will tie at the lessons so you can just buy what you need. if you see something you want to tie then you need to make a list of materials. San Juan Worms are easy and you don’t need a lot of materials. Soft Hackles are a lot of fun to tie but require extra investment in bird skins. Starlings are not too expensive but they are fragile so take care while tieing. Kenny taught us a neat trick for tieing of the fly without crowding the eye. You will have fun and a lifelong hobby tieing your own flies.

Bill

Gold Glove Ripper,
Bill is ‘right on’ with his suggestions on learning the art of fly tying. There are a few basic tools that you will need to start the basic flies. The other tools for more complicated flies can come later. The vise – I think is important but you have to ask yourself the big question, “am I going to just test this thing out or really get into it”. I have an expensive vise but it will last me the rest of my life and then can still be sold for a high price when I go to fly fishing heaven. What I mean by this is don’t buy a real cheap vise. The vise has to be able to handle any hook size and hold it tight so you can pull your thread around the hook and not pull your hook out of the vise. You can get a decent beginner vise for $40-$80, a good vise from $80-$150, and a very good vise from $150-$400. Yes, WOW, that’s a lot of money. but the vise is like the rod – it’s the most important piece of gear in fly tying.
If you want help on a list of what you should have to start, please ask. Come to our fly tying session and watch and ask questions. Everyone has their own opinion. Keep an eye out for sales on vises.

Good for you Ripper, And it’s good advice to hold off on buying anything until after the class. Once you have a chance to see what’s available you will have a better idea of what you’ll want and need.

Bill