I have a daughter, 8 yo, that is smarter than a whip, creative, and has the patience of a saint (would have to in order put up w/ her mother). She LOVES to fish and has been flyfishing for a bit now.
My problem is that we are sorta running out of Christmas ideas. She has microscopes, telescopes, biodomes, and writes books and grows fungus for fun. She is not interested in video games like a “normal” child. It was recommended that maybe a flytying kit might be an challenging idea and I thought it would be wonderful if she could learn this art. She fishes dry flies.
Can anybody recommend anything to help me get her started? I am a single mother raising two kids by myself…so it needs to be cost conscious taking into consideration that I live in Billings, MT w/ no large sporting goods stores in the immediate vicinity.
Her Winston
I would recommened puting your own kit together. That way you know the quility of the vise and tools in it and all you would need is some matrial add say enough to tye 3 or 4 basic pattern about 10 each. That way with a good quility vise there would be no fustration with hook slipping or any other nasty little issues with the vise. Just my two cent worth, check here there is a list of what need for a kit.
Ghost.
We have three children and have learned one important lesson (for us, that is) about our kids. We got them involved in sports/hobbies with borrowed stuff, or our own stuff, to make sure they really wanted to do it, before we spent any bucks on good stuff for them. Have your daughter sit with you and tie some flies to see if she’s really going to like it. As was said before, it does not pay to buy cheap tools and vises. You’re setting your daughter up for frustration, and we sure don’t want that to happen. Borrow a vise from a friend and share your tools with her before going shopping. You’ll know real quick if she’ll want to be a tyer.
Her Winston–I’m with Joe,buy the material that your daughter will be using to tie the flies that she likes to use. I teach children with a Griffin vises. A good vise will start at $45
Do you tie flies—that was not mentioned. If you did she would only need a good vise.
You have a good fly fishing club in Billings “Magic City Fly Fishers” a trout unlimited and a federation of fly fisher club. From their web site I found they have fly tying classes in 8 Billings elementry schools. They would be very helpfull also with ideas if you contact the club.
Contact mcffbillings@earthlink.net
another thing you could do is check into comunity edd programs or if theres a fly shop near you sometimes they have classes and she could learn first hand
most are prerty resonabley priced . if you tie yourself
then she probly only needs a tool kit . and you could share materials .
Her Winston,
Give BT’s Fly Fishing ProductsAl & Gretchen Beatty
Boise, ID Phone: 208-362-2663 a call. They are Sponsors here on FAOL and I am sure they can help you.
Not only do they have an excellent supply of fly tying products but afe both World Class tiers.
My son made this when he was six. He used my cheepest tools and the “goin’-out-vice”. Cause you can take it and hook it up to the coffee table and watch Sponge Bob while making flies.
It’s made of yarn and wire and shiny stuff.
When he caught his first bluegill, his second, his thid…he didn’t care what tools he used.
Give the kid some tools, some hooks, and some stuff. Let her be creative and go fishing.
Anything beyond that is just even cooler. I still have the POS vice I had when I was 11 and I works just fine. http://www.myfishingpictures.com/watermark.php?file=529/1233101_0105-med.JPG
if i still had my old vice id give it to you .
you can check out ebay
sometimes they have stuff but remeber to add in the shiping cost to your bid and insurence fees if eny .
some times your fellow freinds may be able to help out
i know some of my friends in the nafc no longer tie do to arthrits in there hands .
there are alot of great people out there on the bbs .
you could ask if eny one has some for sale they might surprise yah and just send you stuff. but always
use the words for sale or to buy .
Her Winston,
Sportsmans warehouse carries a kit from Barely-A-Ripple, the kit was designed by a 10 year fly tier named Becky. Her reason for the kit, she could never tie the flies she wanted with the other kit. The B.A.R kit is made up of full packages of tying materials for popular patterns, wooley bugger, adams, pheasant tail, hare’s ear, prince nymph etc.
It comes with quailty tools and a spring vise, no adjusting necessary, a tying manual and carriing case. A well thought out kit, I have two of them and purchased all of my kids one. It takes a long time to use up the materials and you don’t have to keep running to the store for more stuff.
Sportsmans Warehouse
2323 North Reserve
Missoula Montana
I hope this helps. Good Luck. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas
WOW What a deal thats what I’m talking about
Helping kids getting hooked on fishing…
I’ve done things like this in the past and it makes me feel better then landing an 18 pound Steelhead though I don’t know what thats like YET going out right now to try though
Wow…I don’t know what to say except THANK YOU BECKY…that is awfully nice of you!!! If you email me through FAOL, I will give you my address. Gabby’s going to be sooooo surprised!!!
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/7979,72473_.html
I bought this kit and it rocks. Even though I don’t fish in saltwater, the price is hard to beat! For more feathers, icicles, hooks, etc just go to a dollar store and/or Wal-Mart. Good luck.
Love, Neal