How long per fly?

[Lance Kekel 0]

Most of what I tie to fish with I've got down to less than 5 minutes but I have no problem with putting in 30 minutes on one to fish. Those are mainly the oddball flies that I tie less frequently like the big deer hair bass bugs or if I want to try to catch some steel on some of those pretty spey types or dressed streamers.

[smallieFanatic 0]

" For the most part, fly-tying is a practical business. You want the flies to work, and you want them to be as durable as the materials allow, and you want to be able to tie them quickly and easily enough that you can use them up thoughtlessly.

Okay, fine, but then sooner or later the elements of style begin to creep in. You may begin to tie flies that are prettier than they they'd have to be just to catch fish for reasons that are not immediatly evident. The bodies on your dry flies become trimmer, and not necessarily because trout like them better that way."

 

-John Geirach (Dances with trout)

[fishinbub 0]

I won't stop in the middle of a tie because it is taking too long. If I feel I have goofed up, I will start over. The longest I have spent on a fly is probably about 30 minutes on a married wing classic wet. :headbang:

 

I've never tried my hand at full dress salmon patterns, but it is really starting to look like it could be fun.

[tye2fly 0]

generally 5 to 10 minutes

[smalltownfisherman 0]

As long as it takes.(it once took me three days to tie a bass bug)

[flyfishingtaz 0]

I voted 15 minutes. I like to tie alot of patterns just to try em out. I like to tie alot of bass flies due to the waters I fish, so deer hair bugs are my most tied fly.

[flytire 0]

i dont punch a time clock when i start tying. i take my time to get it right the first time and as accurate as possible.

[jimmyboy 0]

ill take however long it takes to get the job done. but if i start to lose my focus and cant pay attention ill take a 15 minute break then come back to it.

[Olórin 0]

Keeping in the context of the question [... flies you fish with] I fish for many different species and use many different flies. As pointed out, egg flies are a quick tie. However, I have a pike trip coming up and will spend about 15 - 20 minutes putting together some sturdy pike streamers. Not to mention 30 minutes + for deer hair topwater or finished poppers. Most patterns (smallmouth, bluegill, white bass, trout nymphs and dries) are usually about 5 - 10 minutes.

 

For the most part I, like many posting here, do not watch the clock. The tying is part of the the entire experience. Especially when I can not get out and fish, like now!

[skyphix 0]

I really only fish with simple patterns. I haven't taken to tying really tiny dry flies otherwise those might take longer.

 

If I'm "developing" a pattern (which, I'm sure, has been tied before, but I can't find it) I'll take 15 or 20 minutes, but typically these flies only really take 5 or 6 minutes to tie once I get them down.

 

So, here it is.

 

2-3 minutes for clousers (CA drying time) or traditional deer hair streamers, 3 or 4 minutes for buggers, 5 or 6 minutes for everything else I am willing to fish with.

[mark2olson 0]

When I first start working with a new pattern, I will spend a little more time figuring out how to work with the materials, working with the proportions, and figuring out where the trouble spots are going to be. Once I've worked those out, it is generally 5 to 10 minutes, or less, for flies that I will fish. I don't, however, watch the clock when I'm tying...

[joeking 0]

Don't have a clock within sight of my desk, and like it that way.

 

 

 

and my flies still suck

[countrykat 0]

I'm still new at the game so it takes me a while to figure out what I want and then figure out how to make it happen. It's fun though!!

[Bob Cunningham 0]

Good thread and it made me feel better about the time I take to tie a fly. I am a slow tier and like the others tend to go with patterns without a lot of ingredients. That's what make me pause about getting a rotary vise. I don't see for me how it will really speed things up, and the conventional vise seems to get things done just fine. The fish are happy.

[CoachBob 0]

Reading Randy Kauffman's dry fly book today he likes 90-180 seconds. He even tells you step by step how to do it.