Best Beginner Kit?

[Cole 0]

I already have a vice, I just now want some sort of kit that comes with all tools, materials and maybe a good book to read. I do not want something cheap, I will spend good money on a product that will teach me how to tie and is worth its weight in gold!

[peregrines 0]

Cole:

 

Welcome to the board and to fly tying!

 

I think you’re very wise for wanting to start out with quality stuff, and I would stay away from all in one material + tool kits. Typically you’ll end up with cheap tools and the materials you get are often not enough of the stuff you need and lots of stuff that you don’t need.

 

I think the best way to start out is to get some basic tools, and add materials based on one pattern at a time, tie a bunch of the same pattern so get the pattern down and then move on to the next one. You’ll build up an inventory over time, as well as lock down techniques as you move from one basic fly to the next.

 

As far as tools go:

 

Scissors are very important. Get a good pair from Dr. Slick or Anvil about $10

 

Bobbin either ceramic tube or ceramic tip (cheap imports with metal tube have rough edges that cut thread) Lots of choices Griffin, Dr. Slick about $10

 

Bodkin any cheapo will do, $2

 

Hackle Pliers “English” style or push button plastic ones if you’ll be winding feathers for trout flies etc. any brand $2

 

Whip Finisher - Materrelli or “Materrelli style” import $6-13

 

Bobbin threader (or use a loop of mono) any brand $2

 

Optional but nice to have:

 

Extra bobbins for different colors and sizes of thread will be good to add down the road

 

Hair stacker- metal (plastic = static electricity) Look for a double ended one with tubes for stacking both short hair and medium length hair if you can find one. If you are going to be working with long bucktail, you might want a Magnum down the road, though you can even long hairs out pretty easily by hand. Any brand $2 Terra makes a set of 3 (small medium and large) for $5

 

Hackle Gauge- attaches to the stem of your vise, and is helpful for sizing hackle to hooks Griffin, Terra etc $2-4

 

Cheap pair of scissors for cutting hair from hides etc so you don’t ruin your good ones $2

 

Dr Slick makes a decent toolkit for about $40-45 with good quality scissors, matterelli style whip finisher, hackle pliers, ceramic bobbin, bodkin ,bobbin threader, medium hair stacker. You can see it here:

http://www.jsflyfishing.com/cgi-bin/item/O...l-Gift-Set.html

 

BTW, Stockards is a sponsor of the site and a good resource for buying on-line.

 

As for books and materials, what kind of fish are you chasing and what area are you from?

 

(There are a number of ways to go depending on what you’re after, and recommendations are likely to be a little different based on local favorites for patterns.)

 

Let us know, and I’m sure you’ll get good suggestions.

 

Peregrines

 

 

[Fred H. 0]

Cole,welcome to the addiction. Stay away from kits. Get a good pair of Anvil or Dr. Slick scissors. get a Rite click bobbin and a Marteneli whip finisher. Get any bodkin and hackle pliers.As for books look for one that targets the fish in your area.There are also many step by step patterns on this forum. I started by learning how to tie the wooley bugger. It is a simple and effective pattern that will catch fish just about anywhere.Simply change the color and size to fit yiur needs.

Fred

[Cole 0]

Thanks guys for the welcome. Its funny that you have mentioned Dr. Slick, I ordered a set of their Steel tool sets a couple of days ago.

 

I am from the Dallas, TX area and will be doing of course a lot of bass fishing and I am about to order a ECC flats boat for some Texas coast fishing! I also like to stalk carp here in the Dallas area, when I have time!

[Scott V 0]

http://www.amazon.com/Fly-Tying-Bible-Step...s/dp/0764155504

 

 

This book in my opinion is one of the best made for trout and salmon flies. Plus the way the book is made you can stand it up and all the info for each fly is on one page.

[Fred H. 0]

Cole , I had a chance to meet some of the fly tiers from the Dallas fly fishing club. Great bunch of guys awesome tiers. Not sure of the club name but you should try to find them. Would be a great resource for a new flyfisher and tier.

Fred

[peregrines 0]

Cole,

 

Bass and saltwater, cool. If you were a trout guy, there‘d be a whole different list, and you’ll avoid a lot of the more expensive materials like good quality dry fly hackle which can run into big bucks. The bass and saltwater materials will be a lot less expensive---- not that you’ll be saving money by tying--- as much as most of us start out with that as a goal, it never quite works out that way, Sort of like fly fishing for food, if you follow me.

 

Knowing that you're going for he-man fish, I would add to your tools one of those yellow plastic handled Luhr Jensen Hook Files (about $6) to put an edge on your hooks before tying on them, unless you're going to be using premium stuff like Owner or Gamakatsu, but you'd probably want to be able to touch them up too at some point.

 

First off you can find a TON of great vids on the web, as well as step by step pics and written instructions. A great resource is www.flyanglersonline.com From the Home page, click on the “Fly Tying “ link on the left, and follow links for the late great Al Campbell’s series on beginning tying for a lot of great warm water patterns. Also on the main page, click on the image of “Fly of The Week” to get a link to a very extensive archive of patterns listed under “Previous Flies”. You can also get you tube vids on whip finishing thru Google. If I was to try and write them for you, and if you were to try and read them, both our heads would explode.

 

You’ll find a lot of flies you throw at bass can also be used in salt water. If I were you, I’d tie a lot of flies like Clousers on a good saltwater hook so you can use them in both places. Try to hook up with a local fly shop, and develop a relationship. Most will have tying classes or will know where they are being offered (area clubs etc). It'll take years off the learning curve, believe me, and you'll learn a ton.

 

As far as books, there are a lot of books out there that just list patterns, but I think you’ll want something that goes into more detail on materials as well as good step by step photos and instructions:

 

For Salt water:

 

Introduction to Salt Water Fly Tying by Scott Sanchez about $25

 

A good intro book, with all kinds of stuff with all the standards shrimp type stuff, bendbacks, deceivers, poppers, shrimpy looking stuff etc. as well as good intro to techniques like tying in weed guards etc, and hooks and materials

 

For bass:

 

The Art of Tying The Bass Fly by Skip Morris about $20

 

Has a ton of info on tying panfish and bass flies as well as clousers (great saltwater pattern). Has stuff like foam spiders and nymphs for panfish, leech type stuff, poppers and spun deerhair divers and deerhair bas bugs. Good intro to techniques and materials . He goes into a lot of spun deer hair patterns, which I think would be difficult if you’re just starting out. If you want to try some spinning at some point, start out with a Marabou Muddler in black, which is a killer bass fly. You can find steps on the web.

 

I would start off with something simple that you could use for both bass and saltwater, like a clouser on a Mustad 34007 or 3407 saltwater hook.

 

Chartreuse Clouser (great for specs, spanish macks, reds, and fw bass, stripers etc)

 

Hook: Mustad 34007 size up to you, but pick the biggest one you can use for both, maybe 1/0 or 2/0? Either 25 pack /$5 or 100 pack/ $12

 

Thread: Danvilles Flat Waxed Nylon Chartreuse $2

 

Wing: Chartreuse Dyed Bucktail (get longer SW tails if you can for an extra $1) $4-6

 

Topping (optional, I leave it off for chartreuse) peacock herl (1/4 oz pack of the strung stuff = $3)

 

Flash: Krystal Flash pearlescent (goes with anything instead of buying 37 colors to start) let it extend past bucktail ½”. A pack is about $3

 

Eyes: lead eyes painted if you want, pack about $3

 

Head cement: any or Sally Hansen’s Hard As Nails $3

 

NOTE**** Keep them sparse!! Most sold in stores are way over dressed. Sparse = cast better, sink faster, and have better action in the water. And they use less bucktail so you can make more.

 

Variations:

 

Chartreuse over White

 

All White is good for SW too, and FW if your lakes have shad. White thread, natural white Bucktail, some flash, with or without peacock herl topping

 

Brown over Rusty Orange (use “wrong” side of orange = brown) is also good in SW (and FW if you have crayfish) Black thread, no topping.

 

Smaller size hooks, use marabou instead of bucktail for crappie etc.

 

Here’s vid from the man himself:

http://www.flyfisherman.com/ftb/bobclouser/index.html

 

And step by steps but with different colors:

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/f.../090301fotw.php

 

Hope this helps. Good luck, let us know how you make out.

 

peregrines

[CoachBob 0]

It's kind of hard for a beginner to beat the Jack Dennis fly tying kits at Cabelas.com.

For a first book try Ted Leeson's Benchside Introduction to Fly Tying.

[rhinorods69 0]

here is how i would fill your request you already have a vise so i would buy this for tools

 

http://www.jsflyfishing.com/cgi-bin/item/O...l-Gift-Set.html

 

as for materials i would wait till you read the book and figured out what you want to do like streamers you got to buy certain stuff for that fly that is in other pattens. these patterns are different from California to Maine so it's best to find some one that know the area were you live and have them teach you those flies for fishing. if it just a hobbie to tie not to fish any thing will do. any ways hope this help you good luck and tight lines rhino.....

 

 

sorry just read first post pick up spinning deer hair with chris helm from white tail fly ting supplies in ohio you can google it and find if not pm me. this is the fist and most important video the rest follow suit because of this one also a heavy duty bobbin a pair of hair scissors it a longer blade. plenty of bass salt capes like Chinese necks and deer belly hair it best to had select this stuff for color and length and a good gsp thread and plenty of stinger hook in the sizes you prefer.

 

this guy is awesome

http://www.whitetailflytieing.com/

 

 

btw if you have the kit listed above it will work but better off getting a better set up sooner or later

 

 

 

 

 

........

[monty3777 0]

This is your chance to hook up with a fly shop and start building a relationship. Find the closest shop - perhaps do you conversing by phone - and that the local professional get you started. That person has a vested interest in you succeeding and it will also give you a resource for future tying and fishing needs.

 

In my experience the guys at the box stores are close to worthless because they probably bait fish and don't want to admit that they know next to nothing about fly fishing. Not that bait fishing is bad but it is kind of like asking a PC guy at Best Buy to explain the benefits of a Mac.

 

Tying clubs are great too. And if you are man enough to admit that you are a beginner (too many people think they need to act like they know more than the do!!!) they will bend over backwards to help you out!!!

 

Have fun, bro. :headbang:

[Cole 0]

Wow, thanks for all the help guys.

 

One question, what are the best set of tools out there? I hate spending money on something that might not last.

[Bruce Derington 0]

Here's a link to a very nice package for a beginner, includes a great book, DVD, tools , and a great vice http://www.frontrangeanglers.com/shop/prod...rod=dynakingkit

 

I just googled dynaking kingfisher kit, I'm not familar with this site

[day5 0]

Cole......... take up crack! It easier to quit and cheaper........ Good advise above! :headbang:

[Guest]

Wow, thanks for all the help guys.

 

One question, what are the best set of tools out there? I hate spending money on something that might not last.

 

I like Wasatch tools, but like vises, everybody has their favorite.

[peregrines 0]

Cole,

 

You already have a vise and plan on tying for bass and saltwater. So you need tools, materials and a good beginner’s book for tying bass and saltwater patterns. NOT TROUT.

 

Tools:

 

Scissors:

You’d be wise to get Dr Slick or Anvil Scissors for around $15, and a cheap needlepoint/sewing pair for cutting deer hair so you don’t ruin the good ones.

 

Bobbins:

At a minimum Umpqua metal tubes $7. You’ll want a lot of bobbins if you’re working with different colors and types of thread. Next up in quality from Umpqua and others are ceramic tips for about $12, and up from that are Tiemco, Matarrelli, Rite Mag or Rite Click, Wasatch Ceramic Tubes for $19-25. You’ll be working with strong thread for bass and salt so breakage is going to be much less of a problem than if you were using thinner thread on size 26 flies. Personally I would rather have 3 @$7 ones than 1 @ $21 to start. Just avoid cheap India/Pak/China imports, they are more likely to have rough edges that cut thread. If you start out with 3 metal ones you can always move them back into the rotation and replace them with ceramic for the thread you use the most often, I’ve been using some metal ones for 30 years.

 

Whip finisher:

There are 2 design styles, Matarelli and Thompson. So far everyone on the board agrees that the Matarelli style is the best to get. You can get the real thing from Matarelli for about $15 or Matarelli “style” knockoffs for a bit less. I have a Matarelli and it’s still going strong after 20+ years.

 

Everything else:

Umpqua, Tiemco, Dr Slick, Matarelli, Wasatch etc tools are fine and will last as long as you don’t lose them. Hackle pliers get “English style” (usually silver round wire with a needle nose on one end and a spring coil on the other) as opposed to “Dorian” style (black metal bands in teardrop shape). Bodkin, get a hex handle instead of round so it doesn’t roll off your bench. Hair stacker, I like Umpqua Magnum or Wasatch Mag for bucktail, for smaller stuff anything with a double end for different sizes (small and medium)

 

Materials:

Monty’s suggestion about hooking up with a local fly shop is a very good one. There is an overwhelming temptation when starting out to want to tie one of everything and order up a ton of stuff all at once. It’s much better to stick to one or two patterns at a time, buy the hooks and basic stuff you need for them and tie a bunch perhaps varying hook size and or colors. The guys/gals in the shop should be able to pick stuff out for you, and answer questions on materials and techniques. In the beginning, probably figure about $15 for materials plus hooks per pattern. Once you build up an inventory of the basics though, you’ll be able to tie a lot of other stuff too without running to a store.

 

Books:

A lot of the ones out there assume an interest in trout flies. The Benchside Intro is a good book on foundations but very trout focused, and while you can apply the techniques, you won’t get a lot of step by step info for creating lots of different bass and salt patterns IMHO.

 

Kits:

Some of the ones suggested so far, seem more like trout stuff to me. I still think you're better off getting materials one pattern at a time with advice from a local fly shop or the forum. The kits are often generic with a little of this and a little of that to appeal to a wide audience as opposed to being more focused on the types of fishing that you will be doing, and you can choose patterns and materials designed to work for both the bass and SW fishing you will actually be doing.

 

If you don’t have a shop and want to list patterns or get some easy patterns for bass and saltwater we can help with some recommendations for patterns and/or materials.

 

Anyway, good luck on this.

 

peregrines