Where to start?

M

mr7183

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Joined
Apr 18, 2012
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116
My mom stopped tying and I was given her vise (a really nice dyna-king), along with all of the necessary tools to start tying. She also gave me a big box with a bunch of materials, hooks, thread, etc.

Is a better plan to just start over on the material side, pick a few flies, and go buy what I need? I think I would like to start with nymphs and streamers. I was thinkings HEs, walt's worm, cased caddis, and wooly buggers.

I am completely overwhelmed. I don't know what materials are what. I have no idea what flies I am prepared for or where to start. Please give some words of wisdom to a newbie tier!


 
Wow. You got a Dyna King as a starter? Crazy that. Don't go buying materials just yet...pick a simple fly to start with and see if you already have material for it. You may have to just sort through what your mother gave you.

Woolly buggers are a good start. Thread, marabou tail, cheille, hackle. You probably already have it. mix and match the colors, the techniques are probably more important for now.

Walts worm and GRHE are also good starter patterns to learn techniques and the HE or PT nymphs are good to learn proportions.

Have fun!

Oh. And ask LOTS of questions.
 
Is your mom still with us? If so, I bet she would be a great source of knowledge. Unless I missed that part. Good luck! Other than that the post prior has it right. Easy stuff first!
Mike B
PS: youtube videos are great. Wish I had that 30+ years ago when I started!
 
Even if you don't have the exact materials, most of the time you can substitute something that is similar, or even sometimes something that is completely different and have good results.
 
Someone near you who ties would be of great help. They could go over thing with you like, basic tying techniques and what materials are what and what each one can be used for. As for what files to start with, I agree with what most have said, grhe, pheasant tails, wooly buggers...all good flies to start with as they are easy to tie and you will become familiar with a lot of the techniques needed for many different flies.
 
I wouldn't go crazy and start over with materials. I would just pick up a few materials that you can make a nymph or bugger out of and work on your technique. Then after you get the hang of it maybe pick up a few things from the fly shop. Material shopping can be a scary thing especially if you're already overwhelmed.

Dyna-king vise as a starter?? That's way cool!

Tctrout's videos on youtube have basically taught me from the ground up over the last 4-5 years
 
It would help if you could list what materials you have. A good start would be to categorize your inventory: hair; feathers; dubbing; thread by color and size; and, hooks by type and size.

Can you get a beginner's fly tying book? It would help you understand fly tying materials.

Also, practice winding thread on a hook. Keep the bobbin parallel to the hook and no more than 1" to 2" away from the hook.

Here's one of many videos for beginners:




 
This is awesome advice, thanks everyone.

I'll try to get organized and report back with what I have. In terms of books, yes -- I was given a few: American Fly Tying Manual (Dave Hughes), Matching Major Eastern Hatches (Henry Ramsay), and a few others than I can't remember. However, I feel that videos will help me more as a beginner.
 
mr7183 wrote:
This is awesome advice, thanks everyone.

I'll try to get organized and report back with what I have. In terms of books, yes -- I was given a few: American Fly Tying Manual (Dave Hughes), Matching Major Eastern Hatches (Henry Ramsay), and a few others than I can't remember. However, I feel that videos will help me more as a beginner.
Click to expand...

1st of all welcome. 2nd where are you from? We have a fly tying jam happening this coming Sat. Its at the Lehigh gap nature center. Its an all day tying event. Some great tyers will be there. Look for it in the events section of this forum. It will be from 10 to 5. Its free to come.

GenCon
 
GenCon wrote:
1st of all welcome. 2nd where are you from? We have a fly tying jam happening this coming Sat. Its at the Lehigh gap nature center. Its an all day tying event. Some great tyers will be there. Look for it in the events section of this forum. It will be from 10 to 5. Its free to come.

GenCon
Click to expand...

Thank you thank you. I currently live in Philly (Main Line) but do most of my fishing in central and NEPA.

I would have loved to come to the jam, but I have a personal commitment this weekend and can't make it. Appreciate the invite!

 
take tying lessons
 
Welcome to the Jungle!

As others have said, start by cataloging what materials and hooks you have. Then start with some simple flies and build your confidence.

TC's You Tube vids are great and you will get plenty of help from the forum members here.
 
Wouldn't your mom be the best place to start?
 
fishngun wrote:
Wouldn't your mom be the best place to start?
Click to expand...

To those that asked, no she didn't pass away. Thank god!

I would describe her as a novice tier as well. My dad and I are the fly-fishing nuts of the family and she took it up as a way to support the habit if you will. She really enjoys quilting and never really took to tying like she expected. She gave the stuff to me because she knows I'm passionate about fishing and wanted to give it a shot.
 
mr7183 wrote:
My mom stopped tying and I was given her vise (a really nice dyna-king), along with all of the necessary tools to start tying. She also gave me a big box with a bunch of materials, hooks, thread, etc.

Is a better plan to just start over on the material side, pick a few flies, and go buy what I need? I think I would like to start with nymphs and streamers. I was thinkings HEs, walt's worm, cased caddis, and wooly buggers.

I am completely overwhelmed. I don't know what materials are what. I have no idea what flies I am prepared for or where to start. Please give some words of wisdom to a newbie tier!
Click to expand...

You have the vise, tools and materials, all you need is to learn the basics to get started. I checked your profile and see you are from SE PA.

I'm not sure which store is closest to you, but the Orvis stores in the area: Downingtown, Plymouth Meeting and Marlton, NJ have free fly tying classes every Saturday morning through the month of February and all have openings, I believe.

A lesson with an instructor is usually the best way to get started. Good luck.
 
I'm old fashioned, but I think a book is still better than hitting pause, rewind, play over and over again.
Get this:

The Benchside Introduction to Fly-Tying by Leeson and Schollmeyer

and then supplement with youtube
 
Buy Charlie Craven's Beginners Fly Tying now.

I promise you that if you follow this book you will tie beyond fishable flies, they may look better than your friends flies.....
 
Start out by tying some basic patterns that won't frustrate you. The first fly I tied was a weighted (lead wraps) San Juan Worm and though they're a very simple pattern, they're a deadly fly when the fish are in the mood! Wooly buggers and basic streamers like clousers would be a good start too. I would advise not trying to tie dry flies until you get some wet flies under your belt. To this day I still cringe at the thought of tying a dozen perfect size 20 elk hair caddis.
 
I can tell you from first hand experience that just having a bunch of random material and trying to make it work can drive you mad.

Make a list of what you have then try and see if you can tie any existing patterns that are out there. If not start simple. I remember when I tried to get into tying I had a ton of material, but nothing to tie known patterns....tried to make stuff up but it did not work out and I just got frustrated. This time I have a particular list of a few patterns and that it is. Take your time and ask these guys a ton a questions. They are a wealth of knowledge!
 
I posted on the Newbies Forum and will repeat here. There's a book on simple flies. I think it's a great place to start. The writer contends that simple flies work best because there's less to get wrong on the bug. The book is called "Simple Flies" by Morgan Lyle.
Hope this helps.
 
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