Looking for Tips to Get Started in Fly Tying

[Hillbilly Redneck]

Our house always has random feathers and crystal flash floating around. The other day I gave my wife a heads up about a #16 hook that flew out of my vise and landed who knows where. They usually show up in the bottom of someone’s foot

 

[EmergingFisher]

Oh man, the crystal flash gets everywhere.

I should add Charlie Craven’s videos as a recommendation as well. Really great instruction for all levels.

Edit: and keep an eye out for books, especially used book stores. While you can find video online of just about any pattern, it’s good to see a sheet of flies and pick out what looks good. Several have nice tips for tying and fishing too.

 

[Buzzy]

" get a multi package of threads with a variety of colors to cover all the options for different patterns or would it be best to buy individual spools..? Are there any preferred colors to get over others, same goes for hackle/feathers and other materials..?"

I would get individual spools of thread. I could be content with Danville's 6/0 waxed nylon in olive (it is a dark brownish olive). Black is good, too. Or, you could get a spool of white thread and a selection of colored permanent markers. If you get into spinning hair, you'll want heavier thread.

For materials, I like natural materials in their natural colors the best. A full hare's mask will let you create dubbing in a range of colors.

I agree with the advice above. Pick a pattern and get the materials for that pattern, then tie a couple of dozen. Repeat with a new pattern. You will build up a collection of materials and your tying skills at the same time.

It's a great hobby!

I hope @cdnred doesn't think he's going to save money by tying his own flies.......... I digress. Thread color - thread type and usage. For years it seemed there was only UNI-thread available (I'm talking 45 years ago) and like many fly fishers, I accumulated a lot of thread. I gradually moved from 6/0 to 8/0, colors out the yingyang (whatever that is). Lately I've been playing with MFC and UTC. I like how I can get the UTC to lay flat and even open up for dubbing loops. A sample of threads (see what I mean about saving money?):


Love UTC "watery olive" with red UTC small wire.

 

[GLassguy2]

I believe Charlie Cravens' Basic Fly Tying book is a great starting point on Fly Tying and also supplement that with anything on YouTube by Davie McPhail and even Tom Rosenbaugh (spelling probably not correct) but the representative from Orvis who is their spokesperson often. I have also bought probably nearly 75 or more used tying and fishing related books at thrift stores and half price books for cheap and often they are in great shape. Have also found some out of print books there as well. Sometimes estate sales have good deals on tying materials and sometimes it is junk. Be careful on ebay and estate sales on buying what they may think is expensive materials. Often it may not be that good and it could be a waste of money. I am now wishing I had not found as much stuff on ebay and just bought good capes when I did. They (Whiting) do have half capes sometimes in a pack of 4 to save some money but there are also these small neck capes for about $12 each and I can't remember the company (Wapsi maybe ?) that sells them but it could be a starting point for some basic hackle material and they are somewhat available in different colors. NOT sure of the quality of the hackle compared to Whiting Pro Grade though ...but more reasonable. You will really enjoy the feeling of catching fish on flies you have tied and it is really a great learning curve and appreciation of flies you can then recognize and also realize the work that goes into tying those flies you see out and about. Patience and stamina as well as realizing the growth of the curve as time goes on.

 

[Chucker]

I knew a guy who had fly tying completely sorted. Before the start of the season he would buy a big box of hooks and a package or two of each of the materials needed to tie one fly pattern (some sort of purple marabou thing as far as I recall). He would then tie flies until he ran out of materials. Once he was done, he threw all the remaining stuff in the trash. No giant box of left over tying material to clutter up the place!

Of course it helps if you only fish for one thing, and only in one place, and that place is Alaska, where there are actually fish.

In terms of useful tips for a beginner; practice starting the thread on the hook, finishing the fly (whip finish, with either a tool or by hand, and thread tension - you need to know what it takes to break your thread, so that you can get close to that tension. Most beginners tie flies that fall apart as soon as they meet their first fish, and people find that very frustrating.