I am fairly new to the wonders and excitement of fly fishing. I just started 3 months ago after having spent many, many years using a Daiwa 6.5 foot graphite rod and a vintage Mitchell Garcia 408 open face reel fishing for trout, catfish and salmon with all manner of artificial lures and bait.
I have come to love and enjoy the profound simpleness of fly fishing, and want to take it to the next level. My brother-in-law has given me a rather large tackle box full of fly tying equipment, materials and tools. I have a goodly amount of feathers, saddle, dubbing, hair, thread, synthetics, etc. etc. However, the vise that came with it, an old C-clamp syle Thompson, does not hold the hooks as securely as I would like.
With that said, I would like to know three things about vises:
1. For a beginning fly tyer myself, should I consider a Pro or beginner fly tying vise? I am looking for something that I can grow into once my skills in fly tying become more solid. My thinking is that I would rather spend the money now on a good vise that I can grow into, than having to buy a new one later on down the road when I outgrow the old.
2. What features should I be looking for on a vise, that are either absolutely critical to have or are nice features to use that makes tying flies easier and/or look more closer to the real thing?
3. Lastly, which vises should I be looking at? I am willing to spend around $150.00 on a good, American made vise. I am looking for a base type set-up. I know about HMH, Regal, Dyna and Renzetti vises, and that they are fairly expensive, but very well made. Can anyone reccomend a vise from these picks or any others that may fit what I am looking for?
Fly tying vises: Pro versus Beginner
in The Fly Tying Bench
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I am fairly new to the wonders and excitement of fly fishing. I just started 3 months ago after having spent many, many years using a Daiwa 6.5 foot graphite rod and a vintage Mitchell Garcia 408 open face reel fishing for trout, catfish and salmon with all manner of artificial lures and bait.
I have come to love and enjoy the profound simpleness of fly fishing, and want to take it to the next level. My brother-in-law has given me a rather large tackle box full of fly tying equipment, materials and tools. I have a goodly amount of feathers, saddle, dubbing, hair, thread, synthetics, etc. etc. However, the vise that came with it, an old C-clamp syle Thompson, does not hold the hooks as securely as I would like.
With that said, I would like to know three things about vises:
1. For a beginning fly tyer myself, should I consider a Pro or beginner fly tying vise? I am looking for something that I can grow into once my skills in fly tying become more solid. My thinking is that I would rather spend the money now on a good vise that I can grow into, than having to buy a new one later on down the road when I outgrow the old.
2. What features should I be looking for on a vise, that are either absolutely critical to have or are nice features to use that makes tying flies easier and/or look more closer to the real thing?
3. Lastly, which vises should I be looking at? I am willing to spend around $150.00 on a good, American made vise. I am looking for a base type set-up. I know about HMH, Regal, Dyna and Renzetti vises, and that they are fairly expensive, but very well made. Can anyone reccomend a vise from these picks or any others that may fit what I am looking for?
Thanks for a great site! =)