New to fishing w/ questions

[scotthen]

Am considering getting back into fly tying. My back story is that I tied flys as a kid and never got to go fly fishing. Well I'm heading toward retirement and have a Visa Card. What about the Cabella's tool and material kits sold seperately?

My local lake has lillies in the water around the edge. Considering putting 15 lb mno test on the end of my 9 wt and putting bass flies on top and around the brush. This is what the local bass fisherman use to get them out of the weeds.

Can't find a sinking spider comercially so thinking about using smallest split shot I can find to make a floating spider sink.

A sales person as Cabella's suggested that if I found myself in position where I wanted a sinking line I should add weight to the floating line.

Found my self a small fly fishing store on the Mountain Fork river S.E. OK; their rack of flies has the ones working today marked; their prices are as good as bass pro sometimes better; its a religeon or close to it; signed up for their class.

[oldfrat]

I strongly reco the Dr. Slick tool kit, sold through Cabela's and elsewhere. Good quality tools and a good value. Not mentioned in the catalog is that two of tool handles have half-hitch tools in them and, when you remove the foam that holds the tools, you'll find yourself with a nice fly box. You may want to add more tools over time, but the Dr. Slick kit has all the basics you really need.

I don't recommend anybody's materials kit. Too much stuff of mediocre quality and stuff you'll likely never use. Figure out what flies you want to tie and buy the materials needed for those. Add to your collection as you tie new patterns.

I have yet to need a sinking line for the fishing I do. Sounds like the Cabela's guy was trying to save you some money. A floating line with split shot on your leader will serve you well at the start. Buy a sinking line later if you find you need/want it.

Enjoy!

[rainbowchaser]

Here's a weighted spider that a beginner can learn to tie easily. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzZekzILGRI

I agree with Old Frat about the material kits. The exception would be a kit put together by your tying instructor for the flies you will be tying for the class. In that case you don't end up with a bunch of stuff you never use.

[Allan]

Sorry guy but I'm not familiar with any tool kits. I guessing that the one from Cabela's contain Indian or Pakistani tools. Not very good. Get a few catalogs and pick out some decent tools: Scissors, Bobbin, Hackle Pliers and a Vise. For vise look at Danvise, Renzetti Beginner, Regal Inex, Spartan or other American vises that can be gotten for <$125.
As far as materials - again, like others have said, not a fan of 'kits'. They contain too much junk.
See if you can get in touch with an experienced tyer, discuss what you'll want to tye, perhaps he(she) will suggest a book and walk through a comprehensive catalog with you.

If you have any specific questions - post them here. I'm sure you'll get a lot of responses (some better than others, mind you, lol).

Allan

[oldfrat]

As you get back into tying, be sure to check out FAOL's fly tying section. It is a treasure house! The highlight is the fly tying instruction series done by the late, and deeply missed, Al Campbell. He takes you through the learning process in a great way that builds your skills as you move through tying a series of flies that teach new skills while building on what you have learned. It is a remarkable resource.

Al was a bit handicapped in this by limitations on the photos he could use. Another great guy and great tyer is Charlie Craven. His site doesn't teach a tying course like Al's did, but it makes great use of photos and detailed instructions to guide you through the steps. http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/flybox/index.cfm

FWIW, I started tying using Al's course here and a couple of books. Then I signed up for my local fly shop's beginner lessons. I felt that I got far more about of the local lessons than my classmates did because I had already reached a point where I knew where I was having problems and what my questions were. But, if you are already signed up, I'd say go for it now. Tie for a few months, then sign up for the local shop's intermediate classes.

Also, search the Net to see if there are any fly tying shows near you as you go along. You can get an incredible amount of instruction on the Net, but there is nothing as good as sitting down to watch and question a skilled tyer in person. When I bought my first rotary vise I went to a tying show and as the crowds died down in the afternoon, sat at the tables where the tyers were using my vise. I told them that I was new to that vise and rotary tying and asked if they could show me some tricks to getting the most of it. I learned an incredible amount that afternoon.

[jimsnarocks]

Since Al and Gretchen are closing their shop maybe you could check with them for closeout tools. BT fly fishing products are long time sponsors of FAOL. But hurry.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/cgi-...com/about/bts/

[Chuck S]

Weight flies, or a short length of say, 6 inches, of lead core gets them down quick. Try that as a dropper, hanging from your line leader connection and then use a floating jig with about five to nine inches of a strip of chamois cloth colored dark blacl/purple.

[Eric-WD]

stay away from the cabellas kits, the tools are low end and you will out grow then quickly the materials are not great either. Decide on a couple of flies you want to tie, buy the materials and then go from there.

I agree on the above link to BT fly fishing products, good tools good price. buy a good quality vice griffin makes some nice ones that wont break you, then have fun.

Eric

[EdD]

Scotthen, is this the kit you are looking at? http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fishi...3Bcat103884480 If so, I cannot recommend it. I have one of those kits which I consider expendable and take when I?m travelling. Please don?t make the mistake of thinking you cannot tie flies with it. I?ve tied flies down to size 20 with it. I?ll speak for my own kit, your kit might be different. The vise screws into a pedestal built into the box which contains the tools. It is a neat idea, but too cheaply implemented. The vise moves around as you tie and I think it is cutting into the slot because it no longer lines up squarely. If you have the tools, skill, and inclination you could drill one or more holes through it so you could insert one or more pins to lock it into position. Except for my second complaint. They were in no way cheap with the grease to allow the vise to slide into the slot into which it is screwed. The result was a large glob of grease which oozed out the top and dispersed across several square inches of the bottom of the box.

In terms of vises, I suggest something simple and serviceable for you to try to decide if you want to stick with the hobby. If you can find something outstanding at bargain prices, go for it. If not, get a basic, solid, no frills vise. If you stick with it, you?ll appreciate the $200 + vice all the more. If not, you?ll appreciate saving $150 ? 175 on the experiment. I do suggest a pedestal vise. Although it is inexpensive and has limitations, a Thompson A vise in a pedestal version is a good way to try fly tying. Yes, there are better vices, but unless you find a good deal, the fun of fly tying might be compromised by the displeasure of the Visa bill.

In terms of tools, I also suggest bobbins (technically bobbin holders, but never sold as such) with ceramic inner lining to keep tying thread from wearing grooves which later fray and cut your thread.

Good luck with your tying.

Ed

[CoachBob]

Here's some suggestions.
A crown vise from BPS is very serviceable and inexpensive.
Most tools can be found at decent prices with comparision shopping on the Internet. Here are some recommendations:
Dr.Slick fly tying tool sets (available for $60 on ebay and amazon among others) is a good choice.
Try starting with foam flies (check archives and FOTW) which are easy to tie and work well. A gurgler, bikini hopper, beetle etc. will work. Sheet foam is available in colors, sizes and different quantites from Michaels, Hobby Lobby and JoAnns (also WalMart).
For bass try Mustad 37187 hooks or 34007 hooks.
For panfish try Mustad 3261 hooks.
"Fine" rubberlegs from jannsnetcraft.com are inexpensive and a spider is easy to make with only thread (to make the head and abdomen) and then the legs to create a spider. You can add a pair of black bead chain eyes (a whole necklace worth from Hobby Lobby is a couple of bucks) to help it sink.