bowsbrownsnbrookies

I'm in as well, Kim! The one soft hackle I'm really good at tying is a houdini weave soft hackle, so put me in the intermediate group for this one!

I'm down too!! Sent you a pm

Thanks everyone for all your fantastic responses! I'm trying to buy a few materials to get started tying a Parmachene Belle or the Fontinalis Fin, and I have most of the materials in my cart. However, many of these wet fly recipes (in addition to salmon flies) call for brightly colored hen hackle for the fly's throats. What type of feather should I be looking for (saddle, neck, back, rooster, hen, etc.)? I can only find hen saddles natural, drab colors. Do you have a recommendations for a source for bright but relatively inexpensive hackle feathers?

As they say, pretty flies are more for catching anglers than fish (considering trout have brains the size of peanuts)! I've fished mangled zebra midges in tailwaters with amazing success haha

Thanks a ton for the advice, flykid! I think I'm gonna start off with some of the Bergman patterns and just practice mounting wings, marrying wings, wrapping an even body, etc. Shouldn't be too expensive the first time around. I'll definitely try to post my progress out here on the forum After my flies stop looking absolutely hideous, I'll take em out to my local small stream and catch some small bows!

I see your point... thanks! Which videos would you recommend for starting tying these classic wet flies and salmon flies?

I've been tying trout flies and saltwater streamers for just over 8 months now, and I want to start my journey on tying some traditional winged wet flies (Bergman) and move on to tying some basic traditional salmon flies after. I don't really know where to get started, though, because I don't have a ton of the materials needed for these classic flies. Do you guys have any resources to help a fellow tyer get started? What patterns would you recommend I start with (both winged wets and, when I get good at setting and marrying wings, salmon flies)? A few more specific questions: what thread do you guys prefer? I usually use 70 denier waxed Danville or 70 denier UTC for my trout stuff, but I've heard of a lot of people using black and white 8/0 UNI thread. And what hackle/throat materials do tyers prefer (hen capes, saddles, schlappen, etc.)? I understand that there's a pretty steep learning curve with the process, but I got the tying bug real bad and have nothing else to do after my online classes. I've also heard it can be very expensive, so are there certain materials/colors that are a must for at least winged wet flies? Thanks so much

Do saltwater clouser-style patterns for striper work the swap? My first time here, so I don't know much