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Fly Tying
Cody Coyote

Fly Tying Kits - Recommendations?

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I'd be interested in getting some suggestions on beginner's fly tying kits. Yes, I know the arguments for and against kits, but sometimes a kit is the best way to go. I started with an Orvis kit over 45 years ago and while I still have some materials from it that I never used (and never will), I also have some tools which are still serving me well.

 

I'd like to hear some of your recommendations for a good quality kit on the market today. Price isn't as much of a factor as quality.

 

 

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I'd be interested in getting some suggestions on beginner's fly tying kits. Yes, I know the arguments for and against kits, but sometimes a kit is the best way to go. I started with an Orvis kit over 45 years ago and while I still have some materials from it that I never used (and never will), I also have some tools which are still serving me well.

 

I'd like to hear some of your recommendations for a good quality kit on the market today. Price isn't as much of a factor as quality.

 

 

When is start fly a kind friend I was buying materials from advised me to tie the hares ear nymph this thought me to fish on the surface in the surface film just under and various depths if you want further ideas email me Steve Sparkie

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Cody ... you're being too vague.

There are kits for individual flies (thread, materials and hooks for one pattern) ...

kits for beginners with tools etc. (which you wrote about and probably don't want) ...

bags of materials to help a beginner get stocked (http://www.flytyersdungeon.com/, for instance, does great boxes of synthetic material for super cheap prices) ...

 

What type of kit are you asking about ?

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mikechell - I'm asking about beginners kits. Something for a friend, not for me. A basic kit that that gets someone started in fly tying.

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If you can't get good info here I'd call one of the big brick and mortar shops that also has good online presence/service. I know Bob Marriott's in Southern California has a lot of helpful staff, but there are others I'm sure. Here's a link to their tying kits page. I'd call the store and see if you can't get someone to help narrow the selection.

 

http://www.bobmarriottsflyfishingstore.com/fly-tying-materials/tying-kits

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I'm a big fan of Bass Pro Shop's White River tying section. I know a lot of people on here don't agree with me, but they've always been good to me for quick answer to immediate problems.

 

Like this kit, which I think is a great value for less than $100.00.

 

http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/white-river-fly-shop-wr-emerger-fly-tying-bench-with-vise-tools-and-material-kit

 

 

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I'm sorry Mike but I have to disagree. I started with a kit from BPS, gifted to me, very similar. It was the bass tying kit not trout, but same vice and many same sub par materials. The vice doesn't hold hooks well and it broke before I had even put all the hooks provided through it.

 

 

I would agree with Flytire. Check out the FlyFishFood kit or one similar.

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Chugbug and Flytire pretty much covered the best alternatives I've seen out there. I've always been partial to the Dyna-King kit myself because of the quality of the tools, which are the only parts of a kit that will last.

 

That being said, unless it is just a casual gift where a cheap set is sufficent, I think kits are a really bad idea for beginning tiers, nor are they particularly economical. The mark up for kits seems quite disproportionate for what you actually get. YMMV.

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Cody,

 

My advice is to focus on just the flies you intend to fish with and buy materials just for those to start out then expand from there. A kit is not the way to go in my opinion. You'll be spending money on materials you won't need and the tools and materials will be marginal in quality. Half the pleasure of tying is tying is tying with good tools and good materials. You'll also find you'll tie more often with good stuff also. Focusing on three or four specific flies will allow your budget to get both good tools and good materials.

 

As far as tools, buy a decent beginner vise and not a cheapo. Get one from a shop or buy a used one on eBay. You should get a good bobbin, dubbing needle, good quality scissors and hackle pliers. After that, add as you go.

 

A short list of good tools to start out:

Used vise off eBay

Tiemco bobbin or similar

Renzetti dubbing needle

Anvil of Dr Slick scissors

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Thanks to all for your comments and candor. After weighing all of the options, my friend has decided to forego a kit and build up what he needs piecemeal.

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One of the better materials kits(for trout flies) can be put together with the hooks, materials, and book by Skip Morris "Fly tying Clear and Simple" both the book and video follow a nice progression from simple to advanced techniques. The recommended flies are easy to tie and do not require exotic materials. Add in good tying tools and you have a great start for tying a multitude of patterns.

 

The other advice I have for one starting out (especially if they think this will be a long term hobby): start out with a good vise - after collecting materials and tools for more than 50 years, I now know that several hundred dollars spent on a quality vise is a mere drop in the bucket compared to what I have spent on materials. Since tge vice is the center of most tying activity, choose one that will make the hobby fun.

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Thanks to all for your comments and candor. After weighing all of the options, my friend has decided to forego a kit and build up what he needs piecemeal.

 

A good decision. Get a good vise and build around that.

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Yes, I agree I bought a low priced kit for my nephew and he got frustrated trying to use a low, zero quality vise and marginal materials. He still fishes but doesn't tie, hope he will try again.

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