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miked

bare basics, what are they?

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Hey all. I have 2 similar questions that I'm gonna put into one post.

 

First of all, I have a buddy that wants to start tying. I told him I would get him a simple kit together, so he can give tying a try. What would you include in such a kit???

 

Next. I am likely going to be going away to work out in northern Alberta. I wanna put myself together a small kit of tying supplies and tools, so that i can do some tying in my very limited spare time. Problem is I need to keep this down in size due to very limited space. I will be flying out so will have to fit clothing, tools and whatever tying stuff i want to bring into 1 piece of luggage!! What are youre thoughts on some basics to have, to allow many hours of tying enjoyment???? I am not gonna be tying to fish as fishing is something I will not be doing :(

 

Any thoughts on some basic materials, and colors that I should have that may offer the best options. I may be able to have materials shipped out to me while I'm out there, but I dont wanna rely on that possibility.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Mike

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When I am going to be tying while out of town (using my hotel time), I try to estimate just how much time I will be tying and figure what patterns and how many I can tie in the given time. I will only take the materials I cwill use for the patterns I will tie.

 

I may only tie 6 dozen flies an a short trip, with 2 dozen flies in 3 patterns. This way I don't have to pack a lot of materials.

 

Now If I am going on a weeks fishing trip, I take a kit that has a little of everything, because I never know what I might want to tie.

 

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

Conehead

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I am likely going to be going away to work out in northern Alberta.

Mike

 

wow Mike, that's a long way to go, just to work out! isn't there a gym closer to you?

 

but seriously, good luck. I'd figure pack one set of jeans, 5 sets of skivvies and socks (front and back, none on the weekends gets you two weeks between laundry... :hyst: ) and a few shirts. The rest of your luggage can then be devoted to fly gear. :j_k:

 

Take the tools you use most, and leave behind the ones you can do without. Then use ziplocks to take a little bit of every material you think you'll like to have. What I've done on TDY is to get a good address, and FedEx, UPS, or mail a box of stuff there ahead of time. That way you're not carrying it all, and you can pack a few more things than you think you'll need. When you're done, throw it all back in the box and mail it back to yourself on the other end.

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if your only going to be there for a week or two may i suggest reading leftys 101 fly fishing tips this and or pocket guide fly fishing for trout so some thing similar there small books but pack a lot of neat tips

 

fly tying what do you use most are you going to be headed to the salmon camp in baldwin michigan this year? mite want to think of a few patterns to use there. or do some other tying etc to catch up on what you need for the next season you will encounter.as for vises use a c clamp it lighter then a pedestal's base base the bobbin on what you plan on tying if your tying no midges don't bring a midge bobbin if not tying deer hair why dring stuff for it etc... base what you bring on what you want to tie like streamers . or nymphs or even dries. any ways hope this helped good luck and tight lines rhino...................

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Mike-

 

As far as a kit goes, depends on your budget in terms of specifics but at a minimum you'd want a decent vise, a good bobbin holder, and decent scissors as the absolute essentials.

 

A Materelli (or "Materrelli style" import) whip finisher and bodkin would be semi-essential.

 

Add "English style" hackle pliers, a hair stacker and a Griffin hackle gauge if he'll be tying a range of typical trout stuff.

 

As an example the Dr Slick toolkit has all those tools (except the vise and hackle gauge) for about $40, and it's all good quality stuff (bobbin with ceramic tube, good scissors etc.)

 

Some assorted hooks, thread, head cement.

 

As far as materials, what do you and your buddy fish for, and what types of flies will be using?

 

That, and a ball park budget for a the kit you're putting together would help get specific suggestions on vise tools and materials for your friend for some easy patterns, and for some advice for you on stuff to take with you.

 

But in principle, it would be good to take stuff for you and to get stuff for him that represent 3-4 pattern styles that use a lot of the same materials, and by varying sizes and colors, you can knock off a lot of stuff that you'll actually use.

 

Just as an example if you guys fish for trout, with this:

Dubbing assortment 12 different colors $13

Antron yarn for emerger shucks (amber) and wings (white or cream) on emergers $2 each

Light dun microfibettes for tailing on dries $3

Coastal deer hair patches (bleached, light. medium, and dark) and a patch of elk hair $2 each

Snowshoe Hare foot $3

Lead wire or non toxic sub $2

Gold wire $2

Pheasant tail feather $1 a piece

Lemon dyed mallard flank $2

peacock herl $3

Partridge or grouse feathers $3

 

You could make up all kinds of stuff by varying dubbing colors and hook sizes to imitate most if not all your mayfly and caddis hatches:

may fly nymphs- Pheasant Tail Nymph, Gold Ribbed Hares Ear "style" wtd or not

caddis larvae weighted

caddis pupae weighted or not using an "Emergent Sparkle Caddis" style

soft hackle wet flies "dubbed and peacock body flymph style"

mayfly emergers using snowshoe or antron for wing

Dry flies- poly wing spinners, Usuals, Comparaduns, Sparkle Duns, X caddis, etc.

 

You could probably get most of that, including tools and vise, in a shoebox. Go commando to save room for tying stuff.

 

I like to take a bunch of stuff with me when i travel, and have one of those soft sided fly tying travel bag things. I think I paid $60 for it a while ago. If you're limited to one bag though, I'd advise to to pack your tying stuff in some of those clear heavy duty zip lock freezer bags to keep stuff together, keep out bugs, and you'll be able to move them around when you pack so you can close the bag. It'll also help you keep hooks out of your underwear if a box opens in transit.

 

peregrines

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Nice job peregrines on putting together a very sensible list of materials...I think I'll direct the guy that was stressing out about the Hebert Miner prograde capes to your list....while many of us may want a nice collection of rooster hackle, you have convincingly shown that a set of materials can be put together that will cover many trout situations without one rooster neck in the list.

Well done,

HT

PS I've gone back to fondling my Hebert Miner rusty dun now!!!! :devil:

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When I go on trips and will have some time to just tie, I like to concentrate on a new style or technique and just bring the materials needed for flies on that specific technique. I make it a lesson. A book and the bare necessities.

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if your only going to be there for a week or two may i suggest reading leftys 101 fly fishing tips this and or pocket guide fly fishing for trout so some thing similar there small books but pack a lot of neat tips

 

fly tying what do you use most are you going to be headed to the salmon camp in baldwin michigan this year? mite want to think of a few patterns to use there. or do some other tying etc to catch up on what you need for the next season you will encounter.as for vises use a c clamp it lighter then a pedestal's base base the bobbin on what you plan on tying if your tying no midges don't bring a midge bobbin if not tying deer hair why dring stuff for it etc... base what you bring on what you want to tie like streamers . or nymphs or even dries. any ways hope this helped good luck and tight lines rhino...................

 

 

this one is for your friend i would suggest him this tool set a a good vise link for tool set below. before i suggest materials you have to plan on what kind of fish your chasing and ware your going to be chasing it. weather it's salt or fresh bass/ trout/ salmon/ steel/ pike/ carp / the materials differ from trout to bass and to salt. if your planing every thing i can suggest patterns and hooks/ materials for all. but it does you no good if you buy it if you do not want it. tool set at link below. if you can say a vacation spot because you got family there some time make it easier to select stuff if you been there multiple times already.

 

 

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

 

 

 

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One word....UPS . Can you send it with the folks at Brown. You can send a whole lot for twenty bucks. When I fly somewhere, I have even shipped junk to a hotel.

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