Need advice on fly tying
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Well, start with the name- fly tying. Buy a cheap clamp on vise, some basic materials, cheap hooks and see if you like tying flies. If you do, invest more and research flies. If not, you didn’t waste too much money on it.
I’m definitely new to this. Thanks for the recommendations
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Plenty of fly tying classes and guys in fly shops that will help you out in the area man. I'll send you a pm.
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2,596 Posts
Also hit up Florida Saltwater Fly Fishing Group on FB. Lots of Tampa based guys on there.
There are also tying nights as several places in Tampa area. Pure Florida watersports just released their calendar of tying nights (I'll be a guest tyer), Tampa Fishing Outfitters has two great guys that do tying night, Tampa Bay on the Fly does tying every Tuesday, Tailwater Outfitters has a tying night over near upper bay. Lots of guys in our area now.
There are also tying nights as several places in Tampa area. Pure Florida watersports just released their calendar of tying nights (I'll be a guest tyer), Tampa Fishing Outfitters has two great guys that do tying night, Tampa Bay on the Fly does tying every Tuesday, Tailwater Outfitters has a tying night over near upper bay. Lots of guys in our area now.
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Personally I'm not a club "joiner" but easier to learn in person than youtube
I got my first fly tying kit in the 60's. By todays standards it was less than cheesy
Big plus was my dad taking me to the veterans park where they held tying class once a month.
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109 Posts
Griffin 2a vise is good enough to start. Add a bobbin, olive and white 140 or 210 denier thread, a white and a chartreuse buck tail, white marabou, pearl estaz, pearl krystal flash, white 2mm foam, #2 saltwater hooks, 3/16 real eyes (plated brass barbell eyes), large black bead chain, black mono eyes. With those materials you can tie the clouser in varying weights, gartside gurgler and the schminnow.
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192 Posts
For tying saltwater flies the tools you need are a vise, bodkin, and some scissors to start. I would try to find some in person instruction, joining a club is a good way to do that. A clouser or deceiver will would be a good starter flies. You can make whites ones with with minimal materials. If you join a club, someone might sale you a used starter level vise on the cheap, and you can find used ones on Ebay too.
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149 Posts
If you have an Orvis nearby they do a fly tying 101 class that I took my wife to pre-COVID that's fantastic, they teach you everything you need to know from palmering to whip-finishing. You can't do the class in person now, but I know that they're offering it online via zoom, and it's still free I believe. There are also a bunch of fly shops around the country that are offering free fly tying zoom sessions, Schultz Outfitters in Ypsi, MI is one of them. Great way to get started with the fundamentals.
When it comes to gear, the sky's the limit, but I recommend buying just a few things to get started and see if you really like it before dropping $500 on a rotary vise or $30 on a pair of scissors. There are tool sets you can buy that will be a great help and a one stop shop, but realistically all you need are the following: a pair of scissors (that you ONLY use for tying), a hackle plier, a whip finisher, and a bobbin. Those four tools should be about $30-40. Get a cheapish vise, shouldn't run you more than $50, and you can get plenty of used vises on sale here for about that. The one I started on was a Griffin Mongoose, but you can get a Griffin Spider for used for $50-60...or the kit with everything you need on amazon for $120.
For patterns, find a youtube video for a recipe you use regularly, buy all the supplies that you need for it and tie it a bunch till you get good at it, then fish it. Expand from there. A good resource for kits on flies is 239 flies, they'll include everything you need for the fly minus the hook and wont charge you extra on the supplies. Most of their kits are good for 20-30 flies.
In regards to glue, you could be fancy and get UV resin and a UV light...or you could use $1 super glue from Lowes haha
All out the door you're looking at $150ish once you buy your tools, a vice, and your materials. Hope this helps, and if you need a one on one to teach you how to tie something PM me. I'll set up a Zoom call and I can teach you a class.
When it comes to gear, the sky's the limit, but I recommend buying just a few things to get started and see if you really like it before dropping $500 on a rotary vise or $30 on a pair of scissors. There are tool sets you can buy that will be a great help and a one stop shop, but realistically all you need are the following: a pair of scissors (that you ONLY use for tying), a hackle plier, a whip finisher, and a bobbin. Those four tools should be about $30-40. Get a cheapish vise, shouldn't run you more than $50, and you can get plenty of used vises on sale here for about that. The one I started on was a Griffin Mongoose, but you can get a Griffin Spider for used for $50-60...or the kit with everything you need on amazon for $120.
Amazon.com : Griffin Odyssey Spider Fly Tying Vise Travel Kit : Sports & Outdoors
Amazon.com : Griffin Odyssey Spider Fly Tying Vise Travel Kit : Sports & Outdoors
www.amazon.com
Amazon.com : Dr Slick Fly Tying Tools Gift Set with Fly Box Combo. : Fly Tying Equipment : Sports & Outdoors
Amazon.com : Dr Slick Fly Tying Tools Gift Set with Fly Box Combo. : Fly Tying Equipment : Sports & Outdoors
www.amazon.com
For patterns, find a youtube video for a recipe you use regularly, buy all the supplies that you need for it and tie it a bunch till you get good at it, then fish it. Expand from there. A good resource for kits on flies is 239 flies, they'll include everything you need for the fly minus the hook and wont charge you extra on the supplies. Most of their kits are good for 20-30 flies.
In regards to glue, you could be fancy and get UV resin and a UV light...or you could use $1 super glue from Lowes haha
All out the door you're looking at $150ish once you buy your tools, a vice, and your materials. Hope this helps, and if you need a one on one to teach you how to tie something PM me. I'll set up a Zoom call and I can teach you a class.
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3,183 Posts
Go to a local fly tying get together. There will be more old dudes there than you can shake a stick at.
Look for the guys using super fine thread (8/0 etc), they will usually be the more accomplished tyers.
Start with Wooly Buggers, deceivers, crack flies, and gurglers. They will start you out with basic techniques and let you catch fish with your own flies the quickest.
Happy Tying!
Look for the guys using super fine thread (8/0 etc), they will usually be the more accomplished tyers.
Start with Wooly Buggers, deceivers, crack flies, and gurglers. They will start you out with basic techniques and let you catch fish with your own flies the quickest.
Happy Tying!
Best to start out with flies tied with bucktail before getting all different types of materials.
Check with local fly shops first! You can always inquire as to whether there are any fly tying/fly fishing clubs in the area.These groups usully have some sort of regular fly tying programs. You should wait until you attend one of these meetings before purchasing equipment, tools, materials as sometimes there are members that will sell or give you surplus stuff just to clean out their fly tying areas. As someone mentioned about "old guys" or something to that affect, they love helping people get started. Once you are up and running, you can check out Youtube for more in depth instruction. Have fun, it can become an addiction!
All good answers, try this site:
www.flytyingforum.com
Has a "Beginners Corner" forum, among mucho many others.
www.flytyingforum.com
Has a "Beginners Corner" forum, among mucho many others.
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Don't do it man, you'll never have enough stuff. Or just resign to the fact it is another aspect of this hobby that can never be mastered but requires endless amounts of money and effort trying to do so.
Your first flies will be ugly as sin. But they get better. Then you'll be absolutely hooked when you catch something with one you tied. I remember catching my first red on a fly I tied - it was also the first day of a new skiff I was running. It was also over a sandy area where my brother told me there wouldn't be any fish there and even if there were, that fly wouldn't work. That made it even more sweet when it all happened.
Start with size 4, 2, 1 - bigger is easier at first. Get a ceramic bobbin - you'll break thread much less, if at all. Stick to common colors, white, tan, olive. Get those down, then figure out what's next. Don't over buy at first. Look at Redfish Crack recipes.
Your first flies will be ugly as sin. But they get better. Then you'll be absolutely hooked when you catch something with one you tied. I remember catching my first red on a fly I tied - it was also the first day of a new skiff I was running. It was also over a sandy area where my brother told me there wouldn't be any fish there and even if there were, that fly wouldn't work. That made it even more sweet when it all happened.
Start with size 4, 2, 1 - bigger is easier at first. Get a ceramic bobbin - you'll break thread much less, if at all. Stick to common colors, white, tan, olive. Get those down, then figure out what's next. Don't over buy at first. Look at Redfish Crack recipes.
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GET A ROTARY VISE!!! Peak rotary is probably best bang for $150 (maybe luck out and find a used one on marketplace.?) Dr. Slick tools are relatively cheap compared to others. You can really go a long way with just a vise, bobbin, small sharp scissors, and some loctite.
Everyone will tell you to start out with clouser minnows, and it may just be me, but deer hair sucks to work with! I like Coconut's advice, crack patterns work and are pretty easy to tie. Also, if you use any brushes with wire, DON'T USE YOUR SCISSORS! Use flush cutters (dikes)
Everyone will tell you to start out with clouser minnows, and it may just be me, but deer hair sucks to work with! I like Coconut's advice, crack patterns work and are pretty easy to tie. Also, if you use any brushes with wire, DON'T USE YOUR SCISSORS! Use flush cutters (dikes)
I have only been tying for a year. It is ok to tie a fly then cut every thing off the hook and do it again. I also learned that the locals in my area use less material when they make a fly. Or stated another way, the use the minimum as compared to what you learn to tie on the videos. I have also learned that on some flies if I screw up they don’t present well or swim well. This is ok, you just cut it off and do over. It is fun and it is ok to laugh at yourself. I appreciate all the good advisers above, so much to learn
Good advice here. Would add to use the kiss method at first (keep it simple stupid). So many patterns, materials, techniques, and tools can make it seem more difficult than it need be.
One warning, like fly fishing itself, can be the proverbial rabbit hole.
You'll always remember the first fish you catch on a fly you tied yourself. Just as satisfying, is seeing others catch fish on something you gave them.
One warning, like fly fishing itself, can be the proverbial rabbit hole.
You'll always remember the first fish you catch on a fly you tied yourself. Just as satisfying, is seeing others catch fish on something you gave them.
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Ouch...you callin' me old?
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