Wayne P

I got started with Chris Helm's Spinning Hair DVD. It's real good. For material, you can call Chris at his shop and he'll send you good hair for what you need. That's the only place I am getting deer hair now.

The 3366 seems to b the standard hook for Clousers in fresh water. I switched to the S71SZ's. They are a bit stouter as I lost a Striper last spring due to a bent 3366. They are not as expensive as the stainless salt water hooks either.

Call Chris Helm at http://www.whitetailflytieing.com/. Tell him what you want to do. He'll point you in the right direction. He has a great DVD for getting started also.

See my spider below. It's easy.

It's in the Winter 2004 issue, page 31.

Tied this last night . . . following old Fly Tyer article.

I would target specific patterns . . . . that's how I started and I also recommend it as a good approach. What patterns do you want to fish with? If you have the materials, cool, if nit then you need to get some more. I would not keep buying materials without knowing what you want to tie.

I still think kits stink. You don't have to buy an expensive vise though either. I would think that you could get a vise, basic tools, and materials to tie some of the flies you want for under $200. You can then add materials for more flies as you are able. I would go visit fly shops like mentioned above.

Another HMH Spartan user here. I used it flat for Clousers, and other flies that I want rotary for. I also use it tilted for things I don't use the rotary function on. 30 degrees? Don't have a protractor handy They are great vises, you can't go wrong with a HMH.

This is interesting. I tie on a HMH Spartan. While not true rotary, it will rotate when the head it level and I use it that way quite often, applying material with the rotary function. When I attend fly tying shows, I see a lot of rotary vises. However a fairly high percentage of those using rotary vises are seen applying materials hand-over-hand and not using the rotary function. So they use a rotary vise, but not the rotary function. . . . Of those here that have rotary vises, do you really use the rotary function when appropriate?

Wayne ,you mention Flymaster thread but unless it is flymaster plus , he will be in trouble." Flymaster" thread is rated at 70 Denier,flat waxed thread and that is too light for spinning. Flymaster plus comes in different Deniers as well, ie; 140 and 210, where 140 is tolerable the 210 is overkill. Any strong Flat waxed thread will suffice and I personally use GX2 and works the best for me, however it is pricey and only use it for the stacking/spinning, all other parts of the fly are tied with less expensive threads. I looked, Flymaster Plus 210. wayne

I have to disagree with Bruce on the thread. What he said is correct, and I use GX2. However I also use flymaster (non-GSP). I took a class from Mike George a year or two ago. he does not recommend GSP thread. Now to see his work and judge if he knows what he is doing look here: http://www.warmwaterflytyer.com/corner.asp?page=6 I am not saying to not use GSP, just offering another option. I used both because I can't decide -wayne

I'll add another vote for Chris Helm. I called him when I started, he asked what I wanted to tie, and then sent me great hair. I also bought his Spinning DVD. That helped alot! -wayne

I don't think you give HMH the credit for it's rotary features. You seem to have it in the same class as the Dyna King Squire, which to my knowledge does not have a tilt-able head. The HMH head can be tilted to a level position and then you can use it like a rotary vise. Yes the hook bobs up and down some, but it does do rotary and you can use rotary techniques with it.

I know the original poster got one already, but no one talked much about HMH. I have a Spartan and love it. I have the Omni jaws with which I have tied 3/0 down to 24 without any trouble at all. I am going to buy the midge jaws for sub-20 work in the future. You can also use it a "rotary vise". Yes I know well that it's not true rotary like renzetti claims but it does fine as this video demonstrates: I think day5flies is on this forum? -wayne