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kyblev

Fly materials kits

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I was wondering if there are any materials kits being sold to tie specific types of fly? Before I go into a big materials purchase spree, I was hoping I could just purchase a kit (materials only) to tie different flies i.e. nymphs, dry flies ect. I would like to try something like this first, since I'm new to tying. I attended the free fly tying seminar at our local Orvis shop and really liked. I just don't want to purchase items that I will never use. Anybody know of any sites or shops that sell these types of kits, please let me know.

 

Thank you

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When Gander Mountain existed, they usually had 5 or 6 kits with all the materials needed. I don't remember whose name was on there, though.

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Wapsi has some, zebra midge, wooly bugger, Chernobyl ant. About $10 each. Not sure if includes thread.

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Long time ago I bought some kits set up for a single pattern, and those kits were more expensive in the end than selecting just the needed materials and buying a standard package; thing is the ones I got were meant to tie a dozen flies and the hooks were of lesser quality, it was a learning opportunity. (well the materials weren't top shelf either, but I didn't know that then)

I'd pick a single pattern and and buy the materials just for it, most of the basic stuff can be used in multiple patterns and styles. Repeat this with a few patterns and you will have full kit before you know it and likely at lower cost, for it costs them money to pick and pack a kit and you pay that extra in the purchase.

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If you need hackle I recommend Collins hackle farm you can look up the website, hes old school so you will need to mail him a check but the grab bag is a great deal you can get 4 decent dry fly capes for 60$ or so it's a great way to get started on hackle for a ton of dry floors at a good price. For flash synthetic dubbing and other man made materials fly tyers dungeon is great.

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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.

 

or

 

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, tails, wing etc)
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)
22. Beads (not necessary to begin tying flies but if you really need them get them)


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.

"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.

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Like ChugBug27 said: Wapsi makes some. I recommend the Woolly Bugger kit.

 

Murray's Fly Shop also has specific pattern kits with good quality materials; though he leans towards bass patterns.

 

I'd avoid the "all you need" style kits that do not cover specific patterns.

 

Hareline has a "Beginner's Material Kit" that ties 20 specific patterns. I have not seen it but it appears well thought out and of good quality. (They also have the same with tools).

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There are a number of one fly kits available as the previous posts have mentioned. The alternative is to buy very select items that will produce many patterns with a minimal investment. You can focus on a couple of sizes of hooks (14 and 16) for dry and wet flies (light wire and elongate heavy wire). The rooster and hen feathers for each fly and maybe some dubbing. This will tie quite a few different imitations without an extrodinary investment.

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If you need hackle I recommend Collins hackle farm you can look up the website, hes old school so you will need to mail him a check but the grab bag is a great deal you can get 4 decent dry fly capes for 60$ or so it's a great way to get started on hackle for a ton of dry floors at a good price. For flash synthetic dubbing and other man made materials fly tyers dungeon is great.

I agree. Call and talk to Charlie, make sure you have a little time to burn, and tell him you're new to tying and what you want to tie. He will have advice as well as pick out what will get you the most bang for your buck. You'll still have to write and send a check, but that's no big deal. His advice on hackle was the best I've gotten so far, and the hackle is very good.

 

R.

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Excellent advise from everyone, thank you. To a beginner, this can be mind blowing trying to figure out all the lingo associated with just the feathers and types needed. I do believe that I will just pick a few patterns and then go from there. I will definitely give Charlie a call. Thanks to all once again

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I bought the Veniards Deluxe material kit as a gift for someone just starting out and it was a decent buy for the quality and quantity of materials..

I do however agree with others that you are best To just buy each material as you need it.

If you have a fly shop near by you can likely get double the materials buying individually than you would in a kit.

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I'd pick a single pattern and and buy the materials just for it, most of the basic stuff can be used in multiple patterns and styles. Repeat this with a few patterns and you will have full kit before you know it

 

I think this is really good advise. When I started, I thought I needed every color of floss that they sell (and i got most of them at about 35 cents a piece). And something I didn't even think of at the time, what you need depends on where you live (and what you fish for), and how you want to fish for it. For instance, their aren't any salmon living near me so I haven't tied many salmon flies, besides some salmon streamers which I have caught bass on. And I think fishing dry flies is a little more fun for me--and I know I prefer to fish dry fly sizes 10 or 12, possibly including 8 or 14. I'm big on terrestrials. So once you have parameters like this, it makes your purchasing decisions easier. The people who assemble (regular) kits don't even know what type of flies you want to tie. Once nice thing these days, is that you can get your hooks in bags of 25. In the 70's, you usually had to buy a box of 100. I suggest you buy at least 2 sizes of dry fly hooks, and likewise some hooks for wet flys/nymphs/streamers, depending upon what you want to fish. If you want to tie a bass bugs, you'll need a different hook (s) for that . So, amusingly, the answer to the question of what you need to buy, depends on where you intend to fish (at least it does for me, I guess some people will tie flies they will never use, just for the sake of doing it). Have fun! P.S. As far as thread goes, "black" goes a long way. If you want to tie (spun) bass bugs, you'll need some heavier thread. If you want to tie a size 18 fly, you'll probably prefer a lighter thread. I feel compelled to add, in case it's not obvious, that generally speaking, a larger fly is easier to tie than a smaller one of the same type. So there is no reason to start too small. A size 12 dry fly seems plenty small enough (for me!) It's probably preferable to start with a size 6 or 8 streamer, and build up a little confidence... If you are trying to "match a hatch", your requirements may be more severe. But, IMO, starting too small will only lead to frustration.

 

Edit: Oops, I see the OP posted his question in February, so he is probably catching fish on his flies by now!

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If you need hackle I recommend Collins hackle farm you can look up the website, hes old school so you will need to mail him a check but the grab bag is a great deal you can get 4 decent dry fly capes for 60$ or so it's a great way to get started on hackle for a ton of dry floors at a good price. For flash synthetic dubbing and other man made materials fly tyers dungeon is great.

 

Here's the web site: http://collinshacklefarm.com/Home.asp

 

The only way to get 4 capes is to let them choose the colors. You can choose the colors for $20 each which is still a good deal.

 

"Commercial Grades (2 ways to purchase):

1) colors of your choice - $20.00

2) Grab bag, 4 colors of MY choice - only $60.00"

 

What I do is to buy Whiting "Pro" grade saddles which are cheaper than their usual top Platinum - Gold - Silver - Bronze grading system.

 

The reason I buy saddles is that saddles are centered on a particular size of hackle rather than having the entire sze spread of hackle like a cape. If you look at a used cape, you will see a band of missing hackle that has been used and the smallest a top end and the largest at the sides are not used. Why pay for that?

 

Plus a saddle hackle is much longer and will tie more flies per hackle.

 

Usually a saddle will tie 3 sizes of flies. I most often tied a size 14 fly so if I buy a saddle centered on size 14, I will get some size 16 and size 12 hackles as well and the saddle will tie way more flies than a cape and it will be less than half the price. So do your research and look at saddles and look at the Pro Grade saddles.

 

Whiting sells 3 types of necks and saddles - Whiting, Hebert-Miner, and Eurohackle. The Whiting brand saddles are smaller. If you want saddles in the 14 and 12 range, look for Hebert-Miner which are larger and then Whiting Eurohackle is the largest.

 

http://whitingfarms.com/whiting-hackle/

 

http://whitingfarms.com/hebert-miner-hackle/

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