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Horsefly

Opinions on materials and supplies

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Since I'm just starting out I thought I would asked for some opinions. I've got tools already, but what I would like to do is stock up on some common items that I should have in my box of tricks. There are no stores with in a reasonable distance to me that carry these materials, and while I could order them online, I would like to have a small stock on hand so I do not have to wait, every time I decide to try a new pattern. I could be tying any thing from a dry fly to streamer to a hair bug. Hopefully I am not asking the impossible here. So with that said, perhaps someone can make a suggestion on the following:

 

Thread: Sizes and colors (maybe a half dozen)

 

Hooks: Sizes to have on hand

 

Hackles: Two or three colors

 

Any thing else you would like to mention

 

Thanks in advance to all.

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Horsefly, What you’re asking is a tough question. There are so many types of flies and so many materials that trying to buy – what you might need – so you can tie a spur of the moment inspiration is at best a money pit. Certainly there are basic materials like peacock herl and Bucktail (pick a color) but another approach you might consider is this.

 

Make a list of flies you’d like to tie and fish. If you don’t already have a list get a pattern book and pick from that to make a list. Once you have a list get the recipes or lacking a book search the patterns online. Once you have the pattern recipes you can make a list of materials you need and spend your money on materials you’ll actually have a use for.

 

As for what are the common materials I’d recommend beyond Bucktail and Peacock Herl you probably want tinsel and … the list just goes on and on.

 

What you’ll find if you make a list of flies you want to tie is that the common materials will jump right out at you.

 

Hope that helps.

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I agree, it's really hard to answer that question without knowing what you are likely to want to tie. One think that will help, though, is to check the hatch charts for the streams you are likely to fish. That will tell you what flies and what sizes.

 

The biggest mistake I see, among beginning fly tiers, is trying to amass too many materials too quickly. This is a lifetime hobby. Pick up a few things as you go along. A few hooks here, a few feathers there, some dubbing over there, take your time. If a few years you'll be wondering where all that stuff came from.

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In a few years you'll be wondering where all that stuff came from.

 

No kidding! I've been tying for 40+ years, and I have no idea where all this stuff came from. Like lots of other guys, when I started, I tried to tie every pattern that I saw, and was constantly buying materials to accomplish that. Take phg and rotaryflytyimg.com's advise, tir what patterns you will use, and have fun.

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fly tying lessons

 

i'll post this again

 

This list of beginner tying materials is simply a list based on my 30+ years experience in fly tying. The list provided below is for a new tyer who wants to tie trout flies but can spill over to different genres of fly tying. It is a BASIC list. Could other items have appeared on the list? Of course they could but that's somebody elses list. Other tyers will add or subtract materials to their liking. So be it. Remember its a BASIC list of materials. It contains materials the can tie hundreds or even thousands of fly patterns.
This list is in no order of preference. This list is provided for your convenience and in no way requires you to buy all tying materials all at once or any materials for that matter. It is also a generic list of materials as I really don't have any preferences as to what brand of materials you buy.
Eventually you will need materials if you want to continue tying flies. The list may give you a head start as to what you might want to buy
Again, you do not have to buy the entire list all at once!
Buy what you want when you need it!
1. Hooks (in different styles and sizes)
2. Thread (6/0 to start in black & white)
3. Pheasant Tail (center feathers when possible for the longest fibers)
4. Peacock Herl (eye feathers and strung herl)
5. Marabou (blood quills are better)
6. Deer hair
7. Elk hair
8. Buck tail (in different colors like red, yellow, or white)
9. Lead or non-lead wire (in different sizes)
10. Ribbing wire (silver, copper & gold)
11. Rooster Hackle (grizzly, brown, white & dun) A good option is an introduction pack
12. Hen neck or saddle (grizzly, brown, dun etc) (great for soft hackle & wings)
13. Hungarian Partridge Skin (great for soft hackles)
14. Dubbing dispenser of hares ear (various colors) & superfine dubbing for dry flies
15. Gray duck or goose wing feathers (used for wing cases)
16. Head cement
17. Tinsel and other flash materials (in assorted colors)
18. Calf tail (start with white, add colors when necessary)
19. Yarns & chenille (used for making bodies, both in assorted colors)
20. Floss (1 strand or 4 strand in assorted colors)
21. Strung hackle (practice wrapping hackle with this. cheap alternative to the pricey hackles)
Poor quality materials are destined to discourage beginner tiers and cause greater expense when the time comes to replace them. Buy the best you can.
Another recommendation seen on most forums is to pick out 5-10 that you want to learn how to tie. buy the materials provided in the recipes of those flies. these materials are now the building blocks for tying different fly patterns in the future.
"The vice, bobbin, scissors and materials are fundamental."
for an absolute beginner, what more is really needed? those 4 items will tie hundreds of flies if not more.
smile.png

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Thanks to each of you for your help. I'm going to combine the suggestions that Chase Creek, phg, and Rotaryfly gave me, with the list that Flytire provided and start with that.

 

Thanks again

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Horsefly,

 

Here's the problem you have.

 

Some of the items from birds and animals, especially deer/elk hair and hackle should be examined before purchasing. Specific types if hair are needed to tie specific types of flies and I have learned that hard way that you cannot tie good flies from the wrong type of hair. So you need a fly tying mentor that you can actually pick and sort out the type of a hair you can use. That a hard fact but it is true.

 

Another solution is to buy from a dealer that specializes and knows deer/elk hair. Should you go that route, I recommend Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone, MT. You need to call them and actually tell them what flies and what sizes you are going to tie and ask them to choose the piece of hair and to write on the back of the tanned piece, exactly what the hair is for.

 

For example, if you are going to tie size 14 and 16 comparaduns with light colored hair, tell them that and they will pick out a piece of be bleached deer hair especially for that fly. Or maybe you want a darker natural color deer hair. You see what I mean? Be very specific in what you ask for. Comparadun hair is different from Elk Hair caddis hair, which is different from Sitmulator hair, which is different from bass bug spinning hair.

 

The same principle goes for any material from animals and birds. You can get some crappy materials when you just buy prepackaged off the shelf materials and hope for the best.

 

Flytire mentioned hares ear dubbing in various colors. That is good for nymphs and scuds that require spiky hair. You also need a smooth, thin, and fine fibered dry fly dubbing. For that purpose, a "superfine" synthetic dubbing is probably best. Hareline and Wapsi are probably the two brands that are best known for superfine synthetic dubbing.

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That's good stuff Silver Creek. Is Chris Helm still in business? He used to be the go to guy for deer hair

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All above, good stuff, but you ask the impossible, Grasshopper ...

I agree with making a list of patterns you intend to do as first projects. I would recommend no more than a dozen with some variety; dries, nymphs, streamers, terrestrials.

I found patience to be my friend, but I had a local fly shop. Still, online orders come pretty quickly. I recommend ordering only what you need for maybe 3 - 6 patterns at a time. Hen capes, hackles, hair, flashabou and all manner of sparkly stuff, rubber legs - each order will produce many different flies for a long time. Resist the urge to believe that you must have all the nuances of color shades in everything. Really, the fish do not care that much.

On hook sizes and types, to start stick with the basics. Example, Adams: I'd have 4-5 each in size 12, 14, 18. In streamers/hoppers, I'd go with an order of 6s and 10s.

All this said, you didn't say what you would fish for, my suggestions target trout, but for any species the principles are the same, get materials for a few patterns and tie them up until you are satisfied. Don't get too crazy about having 6 different hook sizes.

This is an economical journey, tying, but believe me you can run yourself into the ground if you tend toward the compulsive (alas, most of us are such, ergo the caution flag ...).

I echo what the others have said about quality. A secret of the very best tiers is that once the art is mastered (not so long a learning curve as one might expect, but it does take time), it is about the quality of materials selected. Get top quality materials, it will make a difference. Doesn't have to be the very best, but good. You can use cheap saddle hackle to make good dry flies, but you will be much more satisfied and rewarded if you use good stuff, like Whitings traditional or (best) genetic dry fly hackle. Economize if you need by getting half capes, or even some sources will offer less than half capes - boards with size 14 and smaller. This is an excellent choice for trout tiers. For streamers you will find that there is a difference in using quality marabou, saddle, and bugger packs. This has a profound effect on your satisfaction, I think. On dubbing, I save the marabou from my hackles to spin dubbing with (I use a coffee grinder to make my own dubbing), and also I have a few skeins of angora wool yarn I use to combine with hackle and hair underfur to spin dubbing. Works like a charm. You don't have to spend a fortune on dubbing purchase because you can mix and match color and texture just like in a paint shop.

 

I still have the first fly I ever tied. I would be arrested for using it; it would cause a significant fish kill - dying of laughter.

 

Good luck. Without a local fly shop, find someone or use this forum more to get great advice.

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Chris sold the business, but whitetailflytieing.com is still in business and filling orders. It's still the go-to place for spinning deer hair.

 

I've also had good results using Blue Ribbon Fly Shop materials. Matthews knows his business as well.

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I admit I had no idea there was so much to know about deer hair. Part of my interest in tying flies, is the tremendous variety of flies and the materials to tie them. I'm looking forward to my journey.

 

Patrick

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On hook sizes and types, to start stick with the basics. Example, Adams: I'd have 4-5 each in size 12, 14, 18. In streamers/hoppers, I'd go with an order of 6s and 10s.

All this said, you didn't say what you would fish for, my suggestions target trout, but for any species the principles are the same, get materials for a few patterns and tie them up until you are satisfied. Don't get too crazy about having 6 different hook sizes.

 

This is an economical journey, tying, but believe me you can run yourself into the ground if you tend toward the compulsive (alas, most of us are such, ergo the caution flag ...).

I echo what the others have said about quality.

 

 

As a new fly tying guy I feel your pain!!!!

 

As quoted above and I will infer some experience from my end, hook sizes KILL ME!

 

When I was taught from the Project Healing Waters mentors we tied on one size hook and type. Terrific! I can tie a fly on that size hook but that fly might not work according to the season (read size).

 

So I have been spending a ton of time going to fly shops and gathering "reading materials" for a few months now.

 

Hook sizes kill me and I still have yet to crack the code on the best hook or the "proper" type for my area.

 

I am now trying to STICK to one or perhaps TWO brands of hooks and make them work according to recipes online or from mentors around my area.

 

For the "stock" that I spent money on (assortment packs)....I try to match the hooks that were in them to the staples I am using now.

 

I am still brand new and the advice above is invaluable but I wanted to pass on my two cents on the whole "hook thing" that is still killing me....LOL!

 

Mike :)

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Mike,

 

You are correct about hooks. The way to minimize hook costs is to use each hook for multiple purposes. So minimize the models of hooks you buy. Then buy these hooks styles from a low cost manufacturer. Fortunately there are now on line businesses that sell hooks at reasonable prices.

 

A basic hook collection would be the following hook types for the size flies you tie. Only 3 types of hooks. A dry fly hook, a Terrestrial/nymph/streamer/wolly bugger hook, and a scud type hook. This collections will allow you tie dries, wet flies, nymphs, emergers, scuds, streamers, terrestrials, wooly buggers, etc in sizes from size 2 to size 24.

 

The models are Teimco hooks but there are many manufacturers that sell these sales of hooks.

 

1. Dry fly hooks. Also use the dry fly hooks to tie nymphs in smaller sizes:

 

Standard dry fly hooks up to size 14 - example Tiemco 100

 

1463.Jpg

 

Wide gap dry fly hooks for size 16 and higher. Example, the Tiemco 921 a 2 extra short shank, 1 extra fine dry fly hooks for size 14 and higher (a size 14 2xs hook is the length of a size 16 with the gape of size 14).

 

720-1.jpg

 

 

 

 

2. 2x long, 1x fine dry fly hook for sizes down to size 8 - use for hoppers, and weighted with wire for streamers, wooly buggers, and nymphs in smaller sizes to save some money. Example TMC 5212.

 

TMC5212.jpg

 

 

 

 

Buy a 2x long, 2x heavy in sizes 6 - 2 for the buggers and longer streamers. Example Tiemco 5262

 

715-1.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

3. Scud type hook for scuds, emergers Example TMC 2487 or TMC 2457 2x heavy version.

 

TMC2487.jpg

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