Fly Tying Classes/Learning the Basics?

gemiller

gemiller

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Joined
Jun 13, 2008
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154
I am interested in learning how to tie my own flies. I plan on purchasing a tool/vice kit from Cabelas after the holiday rush is over.

But I have no idea where to start when it comes to actually tying them myself. Nor do I know anyone that fly fished any longer than myself, heh. So I was wondering where I can go to learn the basics, maybe a class? Or even a quality website would suffice.

Thanks for your time!
 
Good stuff here:

http://flyanglersonline.com/

Click on Fly Tying in the column on the left. Make sure you check out Al Campbell's section for beginners......
 
Just a note of advice, lots of people encourage beginners to stay away from the kits.

When I was a beginner, I opted to ignore this advice thinking that I'd use the kit to get a feel and then just replace things piecemeal as I learned what flies I could tie and wanted to.

In hindsight, everyone else is right. I was wrong. My Cabela's Master Kit worth of materials have barely been used, the tools are in the process of being replaced by better ones and I wish I could have my $60 back to do it over again.

What helped was taking a class at a local shop, and having someone actually guide you through what to buy. In retrospect, what I wish I would've done was buy some equipment and materials to tie some basic patterns I'd know I use and then augmenting them with new materials as I mastered my basics.
 
gemiller wrote:
I am interested in learning how to tie my own flies. I plan on purchasing a tool/vice kit from Cabelas after the holiday rush is over.

But I have no idea where to start when it comes to actually tying them myself. Nor do I know anyone that fly fished any longer than myself, heh. So I was wondering where I can go to learn the basics, maybe a class? Or even a quality website would suffice.

Thanks for your time!
Click to expand...

Pick up a copy of the The Flytiers Benchside Reference. You can get it on Amazon for about 60 something. It doesn't give exact flys...but covers all techniques you will need to learn. GREAT INVESTMENT!!!!!!!
 
I will look into both the website and book! I really appreciate the help!

gfen: I didn't plan on getting my materials kit from them, maybe I came off wrong. They have the fly tying station kit for $69.99 like as followed: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0017552316475a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntk=Products&QueryText=fly+tying+kit&sort=all&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form23&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1

If that's not what I want let me know so I don't waste my money on it. I know it probably won't be what I want in the long run but until I know what I'm doing I am working with a college budget and am planning to pursue my masters degree here in a year so multi hundred dollar kits and tools are not in my budget!
 
Be carefull with the fly tying kits. They often sell you a lot of crap you'll never use.
 
Don't know when you plan on moving to your new place, but this TU chapter is about a 20-25 minute drive from your new location.

Hokendauqua TU

Their beginner fly tying class starts Jan 10, and its a very nicely run affair. For the price, it might be a good idea to join and attend the tying classes on Saturday mornings. You're also likely to make some new friends and gain some local fishing buddies. It's a good idea to make the earlier classes, as that's when they cover the basics. There's loaner equipment available to use at the class, and it might give you an idea of what you'd like to find in your first equipment purchase.....
 
No kits!
Everyone, I mean everyone who buys a kit regrets it.

Miller, didn't you say you go to school at PSU?

If so, stop by one of the local shops there and pick up your materials -- this means you'll get what you want, at better quality, more of it, minus all of the junk.

I know E Hille's in Williamsport talked about running a class at Penn Tech -- heck you might even get credit for it.
 
DO NOT GET A KIT!

REPEAT DO NOT GET A KIT!!!

The materials are useless (except for the tying thead and maybe dubbing) and the tools stink.

The two most important pieces of equipment are a decent vice (expect to spend around $100) and good quality scissors.

Start slowly and tie big things first (i.e., don't jump in and try and tie a #20 parachute Adams as your 3rd fly). Standard typical first flies are Woolly Buggers, Black Nose Dace and Hare's Ear Nymph.

Someone above mentioned the Fly Tying Benchside Reference Guide by Ted Leason and Jay Schlomaker (?). It is an excellent reference book and very well worth the price; however, it is not a step-by-step instruction guide on how to construct a fly from start to finish it is simply a reference guide that shows you every tying technique known to man. While I would strongly recommend this book, as someone just getting into fly tying, I think you would be better served by getting a book that is more geared towards constucting flies from start to finish and showing you the step-by-step procedures. While there are many books like this out there, the Orvis fly tying guide, in my opinion, is probably one of the better ones.

As for other sources of information, there are a lot of videos on youtube.
 
I agree 100%...dont buy a kit..I would also suggest classes but if one is not available right now I would start like this....
Go to the FAOL site mentioned above..there beginner fly tying section is great. It has excellant step by step instructions for lots of basic flies. You dont need to buy a book just follow the info there..
Then you can spend your money on as good a vise as you can get with a decent pair of scissors and a few good tools..ie bobbin, whip finisher....The guys in any decent fly shop will help you out...
Bill A
 
Ya the shops up here had classes but they all interferred with my class schedule and none are running any right now. I graduate from here in a week and a half so won't have a chance.

The closest fly shop to my home is the New Ringold one and I e-mailed them about fly classes but their e-mail on their website just throws it back. I plan on giving them a call tommorow(no class). I have been starting to read through the FAOL site and it is pretty informative!

Ok I will be passing on that tool kit and see what comes my way!

Thanks again.
 
I do think a good vise is helpful, but a $15 one will do. I used a $15 one that I got for $11 on sale for 3 years (thousands of flies). It held large and small hooks, and had a set screw that when loosened you could rotate the fly to see 360 degrees.

You obviously enjoy fly fishing, so the purchase of a more expensive vise wouldn't hurt and you won't regret it -- but it's not necessary.

Ceremic tipped bobbin ($12) and scissors ($13) and a $15 vise and you'll be set for atleast a coule years. this totals $40, and most kits are over $50. This would leave you with enough for a decent pack of hooks and some materials. Plus XMas is coming.
 
check out ebay... they have everything you need

I buy a good amount of my hooks off of this guy

http://stores.ebay.com/Gypsy-Outdoors_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsxQ3asstQQtZkm

I second most of what has been said. Only tying for 2 years now, and getting much of the info I needed to start from the guys on this site, they are a great reference. I bought a kit and use maybe 50% of the materials. I was on a tight budget like you and it was atleast enough to get me started. I have probably spent several hundred dollars on new materials since. If you're getting into tying to save money, FORGET IT! Maybe if you tie for 50 years or sell your flies (still not worth it) then you might be even on your money. Do it for the enjoyment of tying. I love tying. It's relaxing to me and helps me unwind from a busy day at the office. It's also a blast to catch a fish on your own fly, give them away, and see your skills improve.
Back on topic, buy a vise, scissors, bobbin and whip finnisher. Then just get some basics
Here's a small list of what I suggest.


Hooks
variety of Nymph, Dry, streamer and emerger

Feathers
a few colored necks - shades of brown, a black, grizzley, and white
marabou - same colors as below
saddle in brown, black, white and olive for buggers
and misc feathers... peacock(a must), goose biots for princes and stones

dubbing
dry fly dubbing (both either in a dispenser or buy separate)
wet fly dubbing

misc materials
thread in different colors and diameters
beads, lead wrap, tinsel or wire for ribbing, finishing cement (clear nail polish), egg yarn (easy pattern), chenille for buggers.


When you buy all these separate you will have all the right things to tie many different flies. If you can't afford it, just buy a kit (yea I said it). You'll have some less than decent tools, and half of the materials are not able to be used, but atleast it will get you started for a minimal cost to see if you like it or not. The above materials, in my estimation will cost...in the range of $250-$1000 depending on quantity and quality of products. Christmas is just around the corner... if you can't afford everything, ask for gift certificates! (unless you know a good tyer, don't trust family to buy you the right thing unless it is highlighted in a catalog, which still doesn't always happen).


good luck and always ask questions.
 
The amount of money you spend all depends on what you want to tie.

I tie every kind of fly myself but I have a couple friends who only tie a couple basic streamer and nymph patterns and a sulfur dry but that’s it, they buy the rest of the flies they use. For them, they have no interest in buying hackle capes, dubbing, hooks, thread, etc. No matter how far off the deep end you ultimately go, start slowly and don't jump too far ahead.

Again, I would start on basic streamers and nymphs and when you get into dry flies, tie large (#10-#12) straightforward Catskill style dries for your first attempts. I would even forget about the wings for the first couple of dry flies until you get a good feel for proportioning the fly, how much pressure can you apply with the thread, tying off the thread without fouling the hackle, etc.
 
afishinado: I'll read through that post, I wonder why it didn't come up in my search? I also flipped through the two pages that came up in fly tying section.

Ya, as far as the kit I didn't plan on purchasing a materials kit, just a tool kit. The materials I plan on having my mom grab whatever random nifty materials come into the thrift store she works at and wherever else I can find them cheap for now including ebay auctions I have seen for small packs of materials for pennies on the dime.
 
you gotta watch out for those materials kits on ebay and so forth. They will have a lot of the "left over" materials that places can't sell. Such as brighly colored feathers and oversized capes. there are some good materials, and being a newbie might be helpful for you, but don't expect the world from them.
 
You've got to expect to buy some crappy materials at first, simply because you don't know what to look for; which is why cabelas is good (they have mostly quality/consistant stuff, but of course you pay more).


Fly shops have a mix of decent materials and top quaility stuff, so without knowing what to get, most beginners grab the first thing on the rack, without looking to the back.

At a fly shop, I usually spend a couple hours routing through the racks for the highest quality materials. I get funny looks, but once I explain why people then understand.
 
with that being said... educate us on what you really look for in quality materials, ex. a good dry fly neck?
 
Ry,
Good dry fly necks from a reliable company (Whiting, Metz) come prerated and usually are consistant with that rating. I peronally would buy "gold," or "grade 1" necks, or higher (but I feel that $120 is salty) This is preference, but I like saddle hackles for dries, even parachutes. Again $190 for a platinum saddle skin is ridiculous.

Store's personal hackle and from smaller supplers I would look for a well cured skin free from debri, with feathers where the barbs separate and stand tall.

My prior post was talking about things like dubbing, feathers, and other materials. Synthetics, again are fairly consistant in quality.

For instance, pheasant tails I look for the largest feather with the longest barbs. Turkey tails - the same thing.

Dubbing, I look for consistant color and blend, without those knotty lumps.

If you have something in particular ask away, and if I buy it I hope I can lend some insight on what I look for.
 
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