Seven years ago, Lee (Admin) and I decided to jump into this thing called Fly Tying. We knew absolutely nothing of the art, or of the insects the flies imitate. We had only been Fly Fishing for about 3 or 4 months, and knew next to nothing about that as well. We each got ourselves a "Tying Kit", which provided us with enough tools and materials to make your basic fly. I was amazed that you could take a hook, put thread on it, wrap in feathers and other materials so that they would stay, and turn out something a trout would eat.

Now, our first couple of months tying saw some pretty ugly flies, most of which later became victims of the razor blade, so as to try again. As in anything you set out to do, practice and work would soon pay off. The art of tying flies, to me, is just as satisfying as fishing them on the river. The ultimate test being the moment you present that fly to a wild Brookie or an old Brown laying in wait at the bottom of some deep pool.

Well, I could ramble on about my obsession with tying, but you need to know how to get started. Here we go….

Tools

The first thing you need to do, is take a trip to your local Fly Shop and spend an hour or two looking at the tools and materials they provide. Don't be afraid to ask questions, because it's the best way to learn. The people working there are eager to help you and know a lot about what they do. I have learned most of what I know by just hangin' around at the Fly Shop. I have not been in one Fly Shop where the people there are not willing to share their knowledge and expertise with you.

The next step, of course, is to purchase tying tools. Below is a list of tools you will need in order to tie your first fly:

1. Vice
2. Bobbins
3. Bobbin Threader
4. Tying Scissors
5. Hackle Pliers
6. Hair Stacker
7. Whip Finisher

Let's talk about them…

1. The Vise

The most important tool you will have to have is the Vise.
There are a wide variety of vices along with a wide range in costs. The main purpose of the vise, is to hold the hook. You can spend anywhere from $30 to $500 on a vise depending on how well it is made and what it will do.
My suggestion would be to purchase a vise that will hold a hook…nothing more, nothing less. A good vise to start out on, is the Thompson AA. They are relatively in-expensive, and are very well made. They come in "clamp models", which have a "c-clamp" device to attach to a table or desk, or a "pedestal" model, which you can set up anywhere. As you get better at tying, several companies, including Thompson, offer added features other than "holding the hook". Don't feel you have to spend a fortune on a vise if you're just getting started. That will come later…

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2. The Bobbin

The bobbin is next on the list. There are several different sizes and types, but for what we need to do, a standard thread bobbin will do just fine. They are generally made from spring wire steel with a central "tube" to feed thread from the spool. Some bobbins have a ceramic "liner" in the tube to cut down on thread breaks. These are more expensive, but well worth the money when you get to the end of your tie, your thread breaks, and the whole fly comes unraveled. I would suggest purchasing more than one bobbin in a standard size so that you can use different threads without having to change the thread.

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3. Bobbin Threader

The bobbin threader is an in-expensive tool which will save you a lot of time. Basically, it consists of a small diameter metal "loop" attached to a handle. You would take the threader, insert it into the end of the bobbin tube, run the end of the thread through this loop, and pull the threader out of the bobbin. The thread is now in the bobbin, ready to tie on. It will save you a lot of wasted time trying to "push" the thread through the bobbin tube by hand.

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4. Scissors

Another very important tool that you can't be without, are the scissors. I'm not talking about the typical scissors Mom used when you were growing up. These are specially designed for Fly Tying. Plan on spending around $20 to $30 for a good pair. There are some that are cheaper, but this tool is used on every fly you will make, so get a good quality pair. Again, there are several different types and sizes. Straight blades, curved blades, fine tip blades, and so on. The straight blade would be the best to start out on.

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5. Hackle Pliers

Hackle pliers are also a must have. When you tie in a feather, or other small piece of material, these pliers "grab" the loose end of material, enabling you to wrap it around the hook shank. Standard pliers usually consist of a piece of spring steel with tension so that they remain closed until you compress them to open the "jaws". There are several styles to choose from including "rotary" hackle pliers which will turn around the hook shank with a free spinning rotary head attached to a tubular handle. They take a little getting used to, so stick with the standard type until you feel you are ready to try them.

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6. Hair Stacker

The hair stacker is vital when using deer or elk hair. It's basically a metal tube with one open end, one closed end. How it is used, is you would clip a small bunch of the material and insert the fibers into the open end of the tube. Next, you would hold your index finger over the open end, while tapping repeatedly the closed end on a hard surface. This takes each fiber and "rams" them to the bottom of the stacker. When you pull the stacker tube out of the sleeve, there at the end you have a nice even clump of material ready to tie on the hook.

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7. Whip Finisher

Last but not least, is the whip finisher. This tool allows you to tie a very strong knot at the "head" of the fly, and generally, is the last step in tying. You would take the bobbin in your left hand and wrap the thread around the whip finisher and proceed to wrap the thread around itself, while binding the thread to the hook shank. The tool itself takes a little getting used to, but with practice, is the best way to finish a fly.

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Materials

Once you have your tools, the next step is to purchase some basic tying material. The first fly you tie will be your most expensive fly that you will make. Some materials can get very expensive, such as a #1 grade neck or cape. Other materials are very inexpensive, such as dubbing, and thread. Just as in tools, there are different "grades" of tying materials. What we are going to concentrate on, is getting a stock of basic materials that you will need to produce a typical fly. Fly Patterns have what we call a "recipe". This is just what it sounds like. The recipe will give you a list of materials to tie a specific pattern.

Also, several different fly patterns use the some of the same materials, so don't worry about buying a whole cape or saddle (feathers), You will be able to tie 100's of flies with one cape. Here are some typical materials you will need to start with;

1. Hooks
2. Tread & Floss
3. Cape or Neck (feathers)
4. Dubbing
5. Elk Hair Patch (Natural)
6. Deer Hair Patch (Natural)
7. Peacock Herl

This should be more than enough to get you started. Now, you are ready to tie your first fly.

1. Hooks

Welcome to the wonderful world…uhh…universe of hooks.
There are probably as many types and sizes of hooks as there are stars in the sky. Here's what you need to get.
Most brands sell hooks in packs of 25. You will need to get a pack of size 14 and size 16 Dry Fly hooks. These are the two most commonly used hooks. As you learn new patterns, you will get into a wide variety of hooks, so a box to store your loose hooks is something you will need to think about as well.

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2. Thread & Floss

Thread is relatively in-expensive and comes in lots of colors and sizes. I would urge you to start out with Gudebrod 6/0 in black, olive, tan, & gray. The "6/0" stands for the diameter of the thread and is a good size to learn on. As for floss, it has many fibers which make up the "cord" and can sometimes be a pain if you nick the edge of it on the hook point. You don't really need floss to start with, but as you go on, some fly patterns call for it.

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3. Cape or Saddle (feathers)

There are basically 3 grades of feathers which come in capes and saddles. A cape are the feathers located on the bird extending from the throat to the breast. Typically, these feathers have stiffer barbs or hackles on the feathers and vary greatly in sizes from the base (throat) of the cape
to the tip (breast). A saddle is located on the back of the birds neck extending down across the back (thus, the name "saddle"). The feathers are usually close in size and have softer barbs and hackles than that of a cape. Both types of feathers have 3 grades…#1, #2, and #3; (#1 being the best of the best down to #3 which still have lots of high quality feathers. Whiting Farms makes ½ and ¼ capes and saddles at a greatly reduced price. These are the feathers I would recommend you purchase. As for colors, Brown & Grizzly are the most commonly used.

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4. Dubbing

Dubbing is the material most commonly used to make the bodies of the fly. You may purchase dubbing in individual packs or they are also offered in dispenser boxes. Dispenser boxes are the way to go. Hareline Dubbing, Inc.
makes an excellent assortment of "hare's mask" dubbing in its own dispensing box. Dubbing is applied to the thread by tying in a loop with the thread, applying wax to the thread, and spinning it with a loop tool. You can also apply the dubbing directly to thread with wax to create a "noodle" to wrap with the bobbin.

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5. Elk Hair

Natural elk hair is used on a wide variety of flies and is a must-have when tying your own flies. When tied on to a hook, they flare out nicely and provide excellent wing material. Most caddis dry flies have an elk hair wing
tied in at the head of the fly with the butts clipped to form a head.

6. Deer Hair

Deer hair is used for tail or wing material on some dry flies. The fibers are generally smaller in diameter compared to elk hair and tie in a much tighter bundle than elk. Deer hair is also "spun" to make bodies of larger flies.
Be sure to take a look under the "Tips & Techniques" section of the Fly Tying pages.

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7. Peacock Herl

Peacock Herl ("hurl") is a very versatile material used on hundreds of fly types. It is mainly used to make nymph bodies and thorax's. It is a material that refracts light very well, and can be found on a number of attractor patterns.
The green fibers can be removed with an eraser, to create a segmented quill body on some patterns. Tied in tip first, the wrap makes an excellent body.

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If You have any questions, don't hesitate to give us a buzz…
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