G
GrayFox
New member
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- Apr 19, 2009
- Messages
- 11
anybody recommend any starter kits. thanks in advanced. Rod
MKern
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2006
- Messages
- 3,822
My advise is take an experienced tyer to a shop and allow them to direct you on purchases.
Fly shop employees may suade novice tyers into things they don't need.
Fly shop employees may suade novice tyers into things they don't need.
ryguyfi
Active member
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2006
- Messages
- 4,796
My buddy just got his first kit and I'm headed over tonight to give him some lessons... I'll paste an email I sent him a while back as what to get as a startup. he was headed to Cabela's due to have gift cards so this has links to cabela's but can be swapped out for other similar items.
Starting with a basic kit. There are 2 different vises... whatever one you want is fine. They'll both work. The materials you get are ok, but you can't buy them separate for even close to the same amount so just go for it.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20431-cat20532&id=0027332318118a&navCount=2&podId=0027332&parentId=cat20532&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=9IS&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20532&hasJS=true
I buy all my hooks off of this guy on ebay. His prices are good and he combines shipping. I'd plan on spending atleast $30 to get started with hooks. He's got a slight sale going on right now too. You should get some to start out in your kit too.
http://stores.ebay.com/Gypsy-Outdoors?_rdc=1
Next I would get some dubbing dispensers. This will be a small plastic container with about 12 compartments and different colors of dubbing in each. Get a dry fly one and a nymph one. I like superfine for dry and haretron for nymph.
Next I would get a few more spools of thread. You can either buy a variety pack or get a few colors and sizes. sz 70 denier is good for dries and small nymphs, 140 is good for most larger nymphs and wooly buggers, and 210 is good for big streamers. I would get a few different shades of brown, olive, red, black and white (check what comes with your kit).
One extra tool that won't come with your kit that you should get is a hair stacker. Get a medium sized one. This will help even out hair when stacking for elk hair caddis, or streamers.
Next I would get a few odds and ends supplies. The things above will get you started, but these you can get a little bit here and there as you tie more.
Elk hair, cream or white goose biots, egg yarn (you can wait till before steelhead come in), ostrich herl in brown and grey, flashbou (flashy strands for attractor patterns), scud back material, florescent green chinelle to name a few
Hackle is very expensive, you use this for your dries. You can easly spend $30-40 on ONE neck of one color. I would get, in order... grizzly, ginger, dun, black, white. I have cheap necks and they do ok, but your flies show. You might be able to get some good prices on these at the fly show in March in Cranberry.
I would get some small packs of materials to make specific patterns. Get Chinelle and marabou in white, black, olive and brown for wooly buggers.
You can get some bead heads, but I use cheapo craft beads and just weight my flies with lead. I do use some hourglass eyes for some streamers and buggers. You can also get some bead chains. I use more weight on my flies each year.
This is all expensive at first, and not sure if it evens out at the end but ohh well. If you enjoy tying, then keep at it, if it's like work then sell everything and just buy your flies.
Ryan
Starting with a basic kit. There are 2 different vises... whatever one you want is fine. They'll both work. The materials you get are ok, but you can't buy them separate for even close to the same amount so just go for it.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20431-cat20532&id=0027332318118a&navCount=2&podId=0027332&parentId=cat20532&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=9IS&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20532&hasJS=true
I buy all my hooks off of this guy on ebay. His prices are good and he combines shipping. I'd plan on spending atleast $30 to get started with hooks. He's got a slight sale going on right now too. You should get some to start out in your kit too.
http://stores.ebay.com/Gypsy-Outdoors?_rdc=1
Next I would get some dubbing dispensers. This will be a small plastic container with about 12 compartments and different colors of dubbing in each. Get a dry fly one and a nymph one. I like superfine for dry and haretron for nymph.
Next I would get a few more spools of thread. You can either buy a variety pack or get a few colors and sizes. sz 70 denier is good for dries and small nymphs, 140 is good for most larger nymphs and wooly buggers, and 210 is good for big streamers. I would get a few different shades of brown, olive, red, black and white (check what comes with your kit).
One extra tool that won't come with your kit that you should get is a hair stacker. Get a medium sized one. This will help even out hair when stacking for elk hair caddis, or streamers.
Next I would get a few odds and ends supplies. The things above will get you started, but these you can get a little bit here and there as you tie more.
Elk hair, cream or white goose biots, egg yarn (you can wait till before steelhead come in), ostrich herl in brown and grey, flashbou (flashy strands for attractor patterns), scud back material, florescent green chinelle to name a few
Hackle is very expensive, you use this for your dries. You can easly spend $30-40 on ONE neck of one color. I would get, in order... grizzly, ginger, dun, black, white. I have cheap necks and they do ok, but your flies show. You might be able to get some good prices on these at the fly show in March in Cranberry.
I would get some small packs of materials to make specific patterns. Get Chinelle and marabou in white, black, olive and brown for wooly buggers.
You can get some bead heads, but I use cheapo craft beads and just weight my flies with lead. I do use some hourglass eyes for some streamers and buggers. You can also get some bead chains. I use more weight on my flies each year.
This is all expensive at first, and not sure if it evens out at the end but ohh well. If you enjoy tying, then keep at it, if it's like work then sell everything and just buy your flies.
Ryan
