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somecountry

putting together a beginner's kit as a gift

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Hiya, I'm brand new here, but I'm hoping someone could help with suggestions for what to put in a kit for my not-my-boyfriend. (Just in case he reads this... since he'll probably end up on here as soon as he gets the gift, haha.)

 

He's a Pennsylvania cold water creek fly fisherman, primarily trout. (Loves catching natives.) He has expressed interest in tying (was actually a topic of conversation the first time we met), and I used to tie w/ my dad when I was a kid, so I'm pretty excited about him wanting to get into it. I haven't touched a feather in probably 20 years though, and we lost pops last year, so I have no one to ask for advice and am a bit overwhelmed with trying to figure out where to start with materials. Even just picking hooks... ugh. No clue. But I do know I probably shouldn't go blowing my budget on all the pretty marabou feathers. wink.png

 

I'd hate to get a bunch of crappy stuff that will leave him discouraged OR waste money on things he won't likely use. It'll be a while before he'll have the budget for additional supplies, and he's generally very stubborn about not letting me buy him things... so I have one shot to get this right and set him up for a successful start this winter/spring.

 

 

Let's say $200ish budget for materials? If he has enough for 3-5 flies that he can learn to fish the heck out of, that's a solid start. I'm sure he'll be keeping furs and stuff from hunting once he gets into it, but for now, we're starting with nothing.

 

 

What I've bought so far:

Dr Slick Tool Kit

Griffin Odyssey Spider Fly Tying Vise

The Fly-Tying Bible: 100 Deadly Trout and Salmon Flies in Step-by-Step Photographs (Hasn't arrived yet or I'd just pick through the book for material lists.)

 

 

Really need help figuring out the rest. Any advice here would be awesome!

 

Thanks! smile.png

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Here are a few suggestions till some Penn guys maybe come on board today. Here is a page about Penn Spring creek patterns: http://pennflyfishing.com/Fly-Fishing-Pennsylvania-Spring-Creek-Fly-Patterns.html

 

Of all of those on that page I think of most interest would be the midges, the sulfurs, maybe the Light Cahill and related nymphs. of course it's seasonal as to which fly he ties and uses. A Blue winged Olive is generally a good bet during season changes. And I'd start him off tying small black woolly buggers, because they catch fish and because the basic steps are what he will need that lead to steps he will use in other flies as well..

 

You will need a couple of hackle types and from a place like J Stockard you could buy half necks in a #2 grade that would give him hackles for several years. At the top of this page you can get recipes for the flies I mentioned. Dubbing is cheap, thread is cheap, the hackles will cost more. But buy at least the half capes if you're going to do this because buying a lesser grade will discourage him.

 

Another thought is to buy materials for just one fly and see if the bug bites for him to desire more !!. Why buy "everything" and then he doesn't enjoy tying , perhaps.

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It seems to lack imagination, but I offer this suggestion from the heart.

I have a Wife who is wonderful to me. Her Mother also thinks highly of me. Both of them buy me fishing stuff for Christmas or birthdays. Usually, what they buy me is nothing like what I'd buy myself, and some of it never gets used.

 

I've got them both trained now, I just get gift cards ... YEA !!!

 

Now I can go buy exactly what I want.

 

You've got a nice kit for him to start tying. Now just throw in a gift card to the closest place that sells fly tying material. Or a Visa gift card ... put it in a card with the stipulation that he can only buy fly tying materials with it. Let him pick materials from the book you bought him.

 

On the other hand, most people get into fly tying buy doing Wooly Buggers. Get the materials for that fly, let him buy up on that.

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Yep, Woolly buggers. If you still have the money, get an olive Bugger pack from Whiting. Olive marabou, and chenille. There are some really good videos on utube with a vivid description of the materials...

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200 hundred is more then enough for starter material.

Orvis sells a starter pack of four 1/2 capes (black, brown, grizzly, and dun) for 79 bucks frequently on sale for 50. Great for a beginner and feathers for years.

Hooks will be the next great expence. Most hook packages has thier intended use printed on it like streamer, nymph, standard dry fly, etc...Size 14 and 16 is a good beginner size. Don't start out with tiny hooks. For buggers size 10 and 12 bugger hooks.

Nymph size 12 to 16

Strung peacock hurl is a must

White, black, red, olive 8/0 uni and 6/0 uni will get most everything done.

Dubbing in brown, black, tan, cream, olive. Dubbing is cheap.

.10, .15 lead wire

 

That's a good start. Great thing about gym tying is a lot of material can be picked up for a couple bucks here and a couple bucks there.

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For trout fishing, one can learn to do a great number of the basic steps that work on hundreds of flies by learning four: Wooly buggers, Adams, Stimulator, and Copper John.

 

You are a very thoughtful "friend," good luck shopping, somecountry.

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For trout fishing, one can learn to do a great number of the basic steps that work on hundreds of flies by learning four: Wooly buggers, Adams, Stimulator, and Copper John.

You are a very thoughtful "friend," good luck shopping, somecountry.

Oh, oh... I am debating my own posts.. Not on the patterns, those are solid.

 

Scared me, On the part about getting a friend "hooked" on vise vices. It is a dark road, beckoning. Days filled with obsessive/compulsive behaviors, hanging out with other addicts. Rushing to front porch when the UPS truck rolls through the neighbor hood. Sweating the next "delivery" from JStockard, FlyTyersDungeon, Feather-Craft. Watching the 'roadkill' for new material.

 

Never mind, just forgot to WELCOME you to the forum. Carry On :)

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Tons of great advice here. Thanks everyone!

 

200 hundred is more then enough for starter material.
Orvis sells a starter pack of four 1/2 capes (black, brown, grizzly, and dun) for 79 bucks frequently on sale for 50. Great for a beginner and feathers for years.
Hooks will be the next great expence. Most hook packages has thier intended use printed on it like streamer, nymph, standard dry fly, etc...Size 14 and 16 is a good beginner size. Don't start out with tiny hooks. For buggers size 10 and 12 bugger hooks.
Nymph size 12 to 16
Strung peacock hurl is a must
White, black, red, olive 8/0 uni and 6/0 uni will get most everything done.
Dubbing in brown, black, tan, cream, olive. Dubbing is cheap.
.10, .15 lead wire

That's a good start. Great thing about gym tying is a lot of material can be picked up for a couple bucks here and a couple bucks there.

And this was extremely helpful, thank you.

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Soooo... the budget went up a smidge, haha.

 

Got him the 4 pack of capes, olive wooly bugger heckle, and a couple more half capes. Doubled up on some of the hooks with some barbed and some not.

 

Then got everything needed for wooly buggers in black & olive, all the stuff in poopdeck's post, plus some skins and quills to do 2 specific midge and nymph patterns that I know he's fished successfully at his favorite hole + an all purpose caddis. And bookmarked the patterns so he can find the specific ones I got the materials for.

 

Should keep him busy for a good while.

 

Thank you everyone for the help! :)

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For trout fishing, one can learn to do a great number of the basic steps that work on hundreds of flies by learning four: Wooly buggers, Adams, Stimulator, and Copper John.

You are a very thoughtful "friend," good luck shopping, somecountry.

Oh, oh... I am debating my own posts.. Not on the patterns, those are solid.

 

Scared me, On the part about getting a friend "hooked" on vise vices. It is a dark road, beckoning. Days filled with obsessive/compulsive behaviors, hanging out with other addicts. Rushing to front porch when the UPS truck rolls through the neighbor hood. Sweating the next "delivery" from JStockard, FlyTyersDungeon, Feather-Craft. Watching the 'roadkill' for new material.

 

Never mind, just forgot to WELCOME you to the forum. Carry On smile.png

 

Haha, thanks! Forgot to add Copper John to the list... got everything he needs to get started with those too!

 

I can deal with picking at roadkill. But the addition of pheasant, quail, and turkey hunting season... that might get rough.

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