I AM WANTING TO START TYING FLYIES. I AM JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE BEST TOOLS AND MATERIALS TO GET ON A LIMITED BUDGET. IF ANYONE COULD GIVE ME SOME ADVISE I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
I AM MAINLY INTERESTED IN TROUT AND BASS FLYIES AND I AM INTERESTED IN IT JUST FOR A HOBBY
read the beginning tying series here on FAOL. this can give you a good idea of what you need and why.
If we knew what you fish for we could make better recominditions. ,
It is my opinion that no one saves money fly tying, I could buy a lot of flys for what I have in tying suplies and I only have scratched the surface of what is out there, but if you want somthing to do in the winter then fly tying is a great hobby.
for some other Ideas you migh try this site. EdEngelman.com
Eric
Are you close to a Cabela’s? Do you have a girlfriend/spouse that sews?
If you are close to a Cabela’s, go get the cheapy vise (I have been using one for over a year and it does fine). Also, they sell a tool set (everything you need in my opinion) made by Dr. Slick that is phenomenal (bobbin, whip finisher, hair stacker, scissors, etc.).
Next, steal a bunch of your significant other’s sewing thread, yarn, blender for yarn dubbing, etc…
Hooks are sketchy for me. I don’t buy Mustad because they straighten out too easy (trout fishing in Utah). I spend the money on Tiemco. Sometimes I get the Cabela’s brand.
I am a student and live on a relatively limited budget. I would get 2 or 3 colors of 6/0 thread, a hare’s mask, some pheasant tails, some beads (the spouse may have these too), elk hair, and grizzly hackle (a big neck full). This is all that comes to mind for what I had when I started. I am sure I am leaving things out. I am also sure that many people after this reply will voice their opinions.
You will find that you will look at things different now. There are lots of materials that we “junk” everyday. A friend of mine uses dog hair for dubbing(after brushing the dog, pick out of brush), I had a lamp fry on me so I cut the cord up for copper wire for ribbing, foam flip flops for floating foam, use your imagination. I have not digressed to being a dumpster diver yet… but I am sure it is not far off.
WELCOME TO FLY TYING AND HAVE A BLAST… LET THE CREATIVE JUICES FLOW. IT IS EXCEEDINGLY SATISFYING CATCHING FISH ON YOUR OWN HOMEMADE BUGS! HAVE A GREAT ONE!
I like SKershaw’s advice for the most part.
One thing I disagree with is the use of sewing thread
You will not be happy using cotton thread, or any other “round” thread either.
The flat threads we use holds the material better, lays down with less bulk, and can be twisted, or split for different applications
Scissors from a sewing store are just as good as more expensive “official fly tying” scissors
You can make a bodkin from a embroidery needle and a piece of dowel
There are other tools can be made easily also
Learn to whip finish by hand before you buy/start using, a whip finish tool. You’ll be glad you did.
I have to agree use tying thread!
One other thing, if you don’t know if you will keep tying then yes get a cheap vise, however if you think you are really going to do this get a Danvise for $70-$80 and is the cheapest rotary vise and I couldn’t live without a rotary I don’t think.
If your budget is that tight then get the cheap one until you know, but sooner or later you will get a rotary IMHO!
Skip
Hit the craft store for cheap hackles,marabou,peacock & ostrich, chennille,and tons of other stuff
hit the fabric store for chennille, yarn floss,tinsel scissors,etc.
Hit the dollar store for whatever they might have thatyou want for a buck,
WallMart crafts & fabric joint has amaxing stuff
Easter basket decorations… the list of stuff to tie flys that you don’t need to go to the fly tying suppliers for is long…
I buy my hooks online in packs of 100 sometimes. Check our sponsors"s sites, some of them have great deals Happy tyin…ModocDan
Sit down with or sit in with a flytying club, or show and ask a lot of questions, Plse start with the best you can afford, even it means you only learn to tye or have materials for one type of fly… learn to do it very well.
Believe me this will only enforce your love for the hobby, even borrow some equipment if you can but get good materials, would you put desiel in a gas engine just because it was cheaper?
Get a good decent vise like a Thompson A vise! This vise is a classic that many people started out with that you can get relatively cheap! Stay away from those knockoff A vises as they will frustrate you to no end! Spend the money on a good pair of scissors, I prefer the surrated type. But the best advise I would suggest is talk a fly tying class from either your local [url=http://www.fedflyfishers.org/:42de3]Federation of Fly-Fishers (FFF)[/url:42de3] or [url=http://www.tu.org/site/c.kkLRJ7MSKtH/b.3022897/k.BF82/Home.htm:42de3]Trout Unlimited[/url:42de3] affiliated club and take their beginner fly tying class for relatively inexpensive or free. You can also go to your local fly shop and take their beginner’s fly tying class for a bit more $$$. Either way they’d get you started in the right direction and you’ll have a better understanding of what equipment you will want/need. Good-luck!
Every one so far has missed ROAD KILL for a good source of tying material. Should be fresh. I picked up a nice drake mallard on the way to a dance on rainy night. Also a hunter friend. I forgot my vice on a five week fishing trip. Stopped by Bass Pro and bought a $6 model that held hooks as well as any I had at home. Bill
On materials, I’d suggest you just buy the materials to tie your favorite flies. That way you won’t have a lot of unused material! :lol: Two really good trout fly books I can highly recommend that are filled with recipes and excellent step by step pictures are by Randall Kaufmann: Tying Dry Flies and Tying Nymphs. Later on when you want to learn more techniques The Fly Tier’s Benchside Reference To Techniques and Dressing Styles by Ted Leeson & Jim Schollmeyer is a exceptional! Just giving you some more options to ponder. Good-luck!
Hey, RaiderHunter welcome to the board. Lot?s of good folks here and a great place to get questions answered.
As already mentioned, check out the Fly Tying link on the main page. There?s a whole series of articles on fly tying for beginners that will walk you through different flies step by step with excellent pics and instructions. That will help you decide on flies you want to tie, and the materials you need. There?s also a section on putting together a fly tying kit and the tools you?ll need. Also search back through the pages of this forum for other threads on beginning fly tying. There?s lot?s of stuff that may answer some of the questions you have.
As far as getting started goes, what?s your budget? The reason I ask is because if you can swing about $200 or so, you can buy quality tools that will last, and a good inexpensive vise for around $100 , leaving you $100 for materials (which you don?t have to spend all at once) to tie up a whole bunch of stuff for trout, bass and panfish like nymphs, woolly buggers, marabou streamers, clousers, foam spiders and a few dry flies, more or less the same patterns in a kit, but you?ll have material for a lot more of them, with more variations in size and color if you turn into a tying maniac like Skip48…
As Joe said, the most important purchase is the vise. Many of the less expensive ones made in China, India etc. have poor quality metal jaws that don?t hold hooks well and/or parts that work loose. Many of the inexpensive fly tying kits come with them, so I would recommend you avoid them if you can.
Good entry level ones to look at are the Thompson A and Griffin 2A vises. They retail for $70 for the Thompson. A and $60 for the Griffin 2A, but if you shop around you can find them for less. And if your budget allows, there are other vises in higher price ranges that folks would recommend, like the DanVise for a little more.
But if that?s not in the budget right now, a kit may be the way to go. The upside is that you can get started relatively inexpensively. The downside is that you may end up replacing the vise and some other tools like the bobbin, fairly quickly, and end up with some materials that you won?t need, and not enough of the stuff you do need.
Either way, let us know, I?m sure folks will have some good specific recommendations whatever your budget.
Again, welcome to the board,
peregrines
I would like to add this advice. Something I learned from a sales job I had once: “Ask for the order!” This principal comes form salesmen selling but not asking anyone to buy (does that make sense). I’ve applied this principal in my every day life. When I eat out, I ask for the order (ask the server for the managers discount or free drinks). When I check out at the store, ask for a discount. What is the worst that could possibly happen?? Oh no, they smiled and laughed a little bit thinking it was joke…or, oh no, they just said…“Uh, I can’t.” BIG DEAL! Ask people you know that hunt to give you whats left after they skin whatever they’ve bagged. Most of them are going to throw it away any way, so why not ask them to throw it into your garbage (tying drawers)? I’ve gone as far as asking people on other outdoor BB’s in the hunting sections to make a trade. I’ve now had one guy supply me with years worth of mallard, wood duck, teal and gadwall feathers and a promise of some buck tails and deer hair this fall. Plus 2 other guys who are sending me pheasant tails, a whole pheasant cape, more duck feathers, deer, antelope, squirrel and turkey feathers too! All for FREE!! Of course I offer to purchase them, but most guys are just throwing it away. I ALWAYS offer to tie some flies for them in return, and most of them gladly accept them!
Ask for the order! Just ask, the worst that could happen is that they’ll say no!