rotaryflytyingdotcom 0 Report post Posted June 12, 2014 RCFetter thanks, great idea for the tying area at my camp. Capes and Saddles are in bags standing between two bookends now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ty Flyer 0 Report post Posted June 15, 2014 I store my material in separate plastic bags according to material. Ex. Hackle in a plastic bag hair in a plastic bag feathers in their plastic bag, and all in a tackle box. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
switch10 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2014 I have a good amount of materials on hooks in front of me. There are 5 or so cups holding feathers in front of me as well. Dubbing is on my left side. I have a wooden chest that has hooks and beads (dries on the left, subsurface on the right). Marabou, body materials, deer body hair/bucktail, etc. make up the rest of the drawers. I converted some rotating utinsel holder into my flash/hi float fiber holder. I keep my neck and saddle hackle in a container. I also pre-size all of my dry fly hackle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ty Flyer 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2014 you can store necks in a three ring binder by buying the full plastic sheet, and the plastic baseball card sheets hold your sized hackle. However, due to the delicacy of dry fly hackle, you might want to put your hackle in a folded post it note, than slide it in... Afterthought: you might have to get the biggest three ring binder for full capes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RCFetter 0 Report post Posted June 26, 2014 I've been experimenting with pieces of 2 x 4s ( I don't have a dedicated tying desk ). For a tool caddy, an 8" 2x4 - two rows - 6 drilled holes in each row. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cannonx4 0 Report post Posted June 26, 2014 My wife was wanting to get rid of her standing jewelry box. So I got it and made a storage box out of it. I don't have a picture of it, but here is what one looks like. Works great and holds a lot more material than you would think. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ihang10 0 Report post Posted June 27, 2014 I store my hooks in a stackable, cylinder-like thing. That's the only way I can describe it. I'm traveling right now and don't have a picture. Michaels crafts sells them for a couple of bucks and they come in various sizes. The tops of each individual compartment screws into the bottom of the next one. I have 5 or six compartments to a stack and organize the hooks by size and use--dry, nymph and streamer. I'll rip off the hook description from the original package and put it in the container so I know what hooks are which. The containers work really good for the hooks.I'll post a pic when I get home this weekend. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyfishingdom 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2015 I got tired of digging through all my bead packs so I bought this bead organizer off Amazon for like $8. I'm sure they sell similar things at craft stores. Now I have all my beads separated by size and color and I can flip it over to get a quick view of all of them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tidewaterfly 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2015 I've been fortunate to have a dedicated tying room, so I use a lot of peg board for hooks & smaller packs such as dubbing. Also use many of the various storage boxes already mentioned my others. I like the type that flytire posted about the best, but they won't hold some larger items, particularly hackle. I use several of the larger plastic storage bins for bulk supplies and large items. Like several others have mentioned, I keep as much as possible in zip lock bags & inside the plastic tubs/bins. One storage product I didn't see already is the soft side binders used by bass anglers for plastic baits. Some are very similar to 3 ring binders, but are likely more durable. I use some of them for flies & others for materials. I believe I saw some in a few pics already posted, but multiple drawer parts storage boxes are great for such things as beads, cones & barbell eyes. Again, I try to keep such items in a zip lock bag & then in a separate drawer by size & finish. I'm in the process of relocating, and don't have any pics except one I took of my hook wall. I'll be starting over in my new location, so will be reorganizing too. Once I get set up again, I'll try to post some pics. Here's the hook wall pic: There's a variety of hooks shown, everything from dry fly hooks to big saltwater types, and a lot of plastic worm hooks. I still fish with other tackle, make lures & since much of my tying is done for warmwater & salt species I tie flies on many of the same hooks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2015 And there on tidewaterfly's wall, newbies, is the reason most fly tiers can't save money tying their own flies. LOL At least it's organized. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyfishingdom 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2015 Holy smokes, Tidewater.... You look like you could open fly shop! That is good organization with that many hooks. I can't imagine sorting through that volume of hooks with my system... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tidewaterfly 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2015 And there on tidewaterfly's wall, newbies, is the reason most fly tiers can't save money tying their own flies. No argument from me Mike! For me, it's not about saving money, it's having what I need, when I need it. This took many years to collect too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ty Flyer 0 Report post Posted August 6, 2015 And there on tidewaterfly's wall, newbies, is the reason most fly tiers can't save money tying their own flies. No argument from me Mike! For me, it's not about saving money, it's having what I need, when I need it. This took many years to collect too. The question that remains, Tidewater, is......How many more years will it take for it all to be used? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyty1 0 Report post Posted August 31, 2015 I think many of us start out with a small amount of tools and materials and can pack all of it up to travel. Soon however, all the serious fly tiers I know seem to surround themselves with lots of different materials (some of which never seem to be used). The question is a bit like asking what size toolbox do I need? (Sooner or later, your tool box will no longer be capable of holding ALL of your tools - or, it becomes too heavy)! The best advice I can give on care and storing materials is to select your "system" to incorporate the following: A) Bug-proof (capable of either being completely sealed) or able to contain a repellant (like moth balls). Make your system as flexible as possible - anticipate that your collection will grow. Choose storage method(s) that will make it easy for you to find the materials in your collection for a particular pattern. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Goose77 0 Report post Posted August 31, 2015 Horsefly, you started a great thread. Lots of great ideas and pics. I agree with flyty1 on bug protection. In one of Gierich's books he said if there isn't a faint smell of mothballs you're courting trouble...I agree. Heat and moisture can be problems too. I'm lucky to have essentially a shop. Bought old dressers and the like at auctions cheap...I like the drawers because alot of my stuff is bulky [necks, saddles, deerhair, bucktails, etc.]. I drool at tidewater's hook selection...nice. Good luck. Cheers, Ed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
