I’ve been procrastinating about trying fly-tying for the LONGEST time now, but that’s about to change. A local fly shop, called Lake Erie Ultimate Anglers, offers three straight days of tying classes for beginners. Each class takes 2-3 hours, with vises AND material provided. The whole thing costs a whopping $20 for all of it. Hard to believe it’s that inexpensive. How much of a sales pitch there will be to buy product from them at the end remains to be seen, but it’s a pretty nice store. If I’m happy with what I learn and decide to get into this hobby, I’m sure I’ll buy some items from them. It really sounds like a great way to “get the feet wet” without spending lots of cash first. Starts next Tuesday night, and I’m looking forward to it.
Does anyone have anything like this in their area? If so, how did you like it? Hoping to get hooked on this, especially for something to do in the cold winter months.
What are you waiting for jump in with both feet :twisted: . I am a member of a local Fly Fishing club and we have classes in tying that go on for about a month 3hrs/wk and there great :lol: .
The lessons at my local fly shop were one of the best investments I ever made. While I can’t speak for your local shop, pressure to purchase materials was none existent at my location. You were free to buy or not, no big deal. Unfortunately I found the temptation to get the materials needed to tie the flies we did in class overwhelming.
Since we were tying patterns of local insects and I knew I’d use what I tied it became a real no brainer for me. The class de-mystified the mechanics, the proper use of the assorted tools and the various techniques we used to make the flies we tied. I also found the discussion of the various material used (and why we were using them) to be very helpful in making future decisions.
Unfortunately it’s been a slippery slope ever since. My wife has suggested I get involved in some 12-step program for those hopelessly addicted to chicken feathers.
Have fun, enjoy the experience. I found a whole other dimension to the hobby once I started tying. I hope it’s as good for you as it has been for me
A member of our club decided about 4 years ago to get an informal tying group started on Monday nights during Jan. Feb. and March to fill fly boxes for the summer, learn new patterns from each other, and teach beginners the basics in a very informal, non-threatening, non-commercial way. it has gone over very well. He reported tonight that in the last 3 weeks the’ve been averaging about 18 people each night. Held at one of the American Legion posts here in Fort Wayne where he is a member. They let them use a corner of a big room for no charge. Works out great and over the years there have been many absolute newbies, never touched a bobbin before, htat have learned how to tie their first Wolly Bugger at this group. Check around with clubs in your area, maybe one of them offers the same sort of thing.
A few years after I took up fly fishing, much later in life than I wish I had ? but that?s another story, I decided to take the plunge to tie my own flies when another fly fisherman showed me the fly he was using, that was hot on a local stream. He gave me one, and I started catching more fish too. The fly was one he had tied, it didn?t have a name, and wasn?t one you can find in a store. I immediately took a class at a local fly fishing shop, one fly an evening, once a week over seven weeks to learn the basics and have never regretted it. To start with when I didn?t know how involved I wanted to get I and a couple other tying students would buy and split some of the materials we needed to tie the flies that we had just learned. From there I brought my vise to the monthly TU meeting where a member demonstrated a different fly every week. I was then hooked, found FAOL and started tying a couple of just about every new fly of the week and most of the flies in Al Campbell?s lessons. Now I mostly tie about a dozen different patterns to replace the ones I loose (a lot) and I have just taken up being the fly demonstrator at the TU meeting (http://www.nvatu.org/) when the previous demonstrator moved away. I get to the meeting early and start tying my replacement flies and just show each tier what I?m doing as they arrive so that the earliest to arrive get to tie two or three flies vice just one. I also offer enough material, if they need it, to tie a few more flies at home. That way maybe I?ll actually use up some of the boxes and boxes of fly tying material I?ve accumulated over the past few years to tie every new interesting pattern I?ve found in a magazine or on the many fly-tying websites and will never be able to use the materials up in one lifetime, ha! When I go to a fly fishing show I spend most of my time watching and talking to those who are demonstrating fly tying, and pick up new or different tying techniques. Next you will start collecting and/or borrowing from the library, fly tying books and videos. Hopefully your fly shop rents some videos as it is a great way to see and learn from some of the best tiers around. In ending there is nothing, well almost nothing, more relaxing then tying up a few flies before going to bed. Tying a few flies a couple times a week keeps you in practice and the cares of the day just melt away as you dream about the fish you will be catching with the flies you are tying
If your boots dry out between fishing trips you are not fishing enough! Unfortunately mine are now bone dry!
Yep tying is a good hobby to get into and I personally find enjoyment in tying many patterns. I took classes and became friends with the shop owner and we spent many a winter day or evening in discussions over the art of both tying and fly fishing. I have many fond memories of fly fishing which have helped my sanity remain stable and tying is a off shoot of this sport.
Hobo
they have 72 different patterns of flies on video with step by step instructions on how to tie them using a rotary vice. I am amazed at how easy they make it look. for the $25 bux you can watch your choice of pattern any time you want , you can also download them onto your computer. You have to have cable tho because dial up is too slow and just won’t work. They are good quality video clips easy to see and follow.
I learned a ton of information just watching some of the vids . I am convinced that rotary is the way to go. You will probably learn that on your first lesson.
Now I can’t wait for my renzetti to arrive.
I started that way 3 years ago by taking a class, they were free every other Saturday morning and most of the time it was just show up.
Most times I was the only one there and the class’s were great!!! They are my local shop and I’ve gotten to know the owner and employees very well. It’s always hi how ya doin when I go in and I always spend more time talking to the gang than what it took to buy what I went for.
Man for $20 bucks that is still really cheap, and even if they try to promo for sales after no big deal.
Many thanks for the comments about this. I’m really looking forward to trying this out. It just looks like a lot of fun to do, as well as a great way to meet more people. I haven’t had the time to fish in quite a while, as I opened a new business a year and a half ago. Just no time. I figure this gives me a good excuse to get away from watching the idiot box at night, ya know? Like the one poster said, this should be cheap therapy for a few days. If I get addicted to it, though, then “cheap” will go right out the window. I’ll have to get internet service at home instead of just here at my business, just to join the tying chats you folks have.
Somethings tells me I’ll be spending lots of money on this. Better than burying it in the backyard :?
My teaching motto is, “Keep it simple and cheap but do your homework.” The ability of newbies to work at home between class sessions is vital.
In my town the Park & Recreation agreed to purchase 12 sets of really basic tools so they could be taken home for practice (after a $25 deposit).
Our fee is $50 for materials they keep and a copy of Dave Hughes Fly Tying Manual. By asking around I also got a 30% discount on supplies. My efforts were volunteered. WHAT A GREAT PAIR OF BREAKTHROUGHS FOR RUNNING A CLASS. After 5 (2 1/2 hr.) sessions for beginners with 10 people, 8 asked if we could keep going for another 5 sessions. My learning experience was that beginners MUST be able to practice at home. ~ Ray
The first class was this past Tuesday, and it’s the only one I went to. Got sick on Wednesday and snowed in on Thursday. The first class was fun, but I found out that I am clearly the WORST tyer around. We made three flies…a Wooly Bugger, and Egg Dot and something else. The only way a fly would take any of them was if the fish was blind, stupid and had no taste. Darned ugly things I made. :roll: All the same, it was lots of fun. Thanks for the inmput, folks.
I’m pretty sure I can speak for everyone here when saying that we all started out that way. proficiency comes about after hours and hours and hours time invested at the vise.
For a number of years a good friend talked about FF and tying with me. About 5 years ago I started a new career that involved flying every week and staying in hotels 3-5 nights a week. I realized pretty quick that the TV or books don’t keep me occupied very long in the hotel room a long way from home. And working on the computer after 8-10 hours of work is mind numbing. So, I asked him to give me private lessons. We negotiated a series of classes (6) with a bottle of his favorite scotch to cover the materials he gave me, and spent about 3-4 hours each session with homework before the next session of 6-12 flies. He taught classes at the local art center and at the community college in FF and tying, so he had a curriculum and format to go by.
Along the way, I found FAOL and went through the Al Campbell tutorial as well. I tied 2-4 days a week for a couple hours each time for six months while going through the classes. The best parts of taking classes are these in my opinion:
Learning the tricks and techniques by seeing them done is the quickest way to tie decent looking flies.
Materials to learn being provided allow you to decide what is needed for your own type of tying.
A good instructor can critique the end result so you improve faster.
I started tying in 1955 and had few books, no fly tying classes and a dollar a week budget. The few available books were all ink and pen diagrams. In drawing 4, the tyer was pinching the wings to the hook and in drawing 5, the wings were sitting on the hook perfectly aligned. I had so little available instruction, that I thought dry fly hackle fibers were tied on individually. Needless to say my first dry flies were very lightly hackled and had extremely large heads. I don’t feel so dumb any more because I recently found out the Slyvester Nemes (Soft Hackle Flies)was under the same impression when he started out. I wouldn’t trade my learning experience for anything but I wouldn’t want to do it again. A couple of classes could have saved me a lot of time. You seem to have found a good program at an excellent price. Go for it! Enjoy it! 8T
Padron - I am not a seasoned tyer by any means but have been tying for a while. One thing I have learned is that although I am always trying to improve - the trout (or your WW fish of choice) will be a lot less finiky about your flies than you will be. My suggestion is to take the ugliest fly that you have tied to your favorite honey hole and catch a fish with it. After catching that fish on the fly that you tied you will be hooked. For me, flytying is the best therapy in the world - I get absolutely lost in it for hours at a time AND you will find the members here on FAOL to be the most helpful and, I might add, some of the finest folks you will ever meet.
Well, maybe a fish might try one of the ugly ones. Who knows? I can see how this would be good therapy, especially at this time of year. Ice fishing just won’t cut it, I don’t think. Having been around FAOL for a number of years, I can certainly attest to the quality of people around here. Time to get more familiar with the tying bunch. I’m thinking of getting the Danvise from the fellow around here as a decent starter. Possibly a Griffin. Start small and go from there. I finally got internet access here at my house, as opposed to just having it at work, with one of the reasons being able to be around this site more often. Makes sense, right? Anyway, thanks for the thoughts.
Keep at it… you only get better with practice. I just started tying in November and my first Wooly Buggers are something of an eye-sore. Since then, they’ve gotten better… but only through doing it. Once certain techniques become second nature to you(and I am far from that, but a few have become that way) and you’re just tying as opposed to thinking, it gets easier. Hang in there!!!
Anyway, thanks for the thoughts.