What tips would give me better looking flys?

[Joesmax 0]

Hi all,

 

I've been tying for awhile (self taught with books and videos) and my flys work good. Problem is they dont always look good or the same proportions. What tips would you guys have to improve my tying techniques.

 

Thanks in advance,

[camoham 0]

im new to this whole deal as well, although i think im getting better each time i have time to sit in front of my vise.

 

majority of my improvements have come by making mistakes.

 

botch up a couple............scrap'em...................then when i get proportions and things right, i half-way know how to approach it from now on. ive found this varies with each type/style/technique that is involved.

 

i would love to just visit a local shop for instruction and to learn hands on. dont have that anywhere near me. would require a sizeable travel time to obtain this.

 

for me, it started with mr. beatty's beginning videos...........................and i was in trouble from there on. (that and the dreaded perfectionist in me). i cant just say "ah, thats close enough"...............back up a step and redo until i get it right.

 

time and learning from mistakes are my closest friends these days.

 

good luck.

 

camoham

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

best tip I ever recieved was slow down don't rush through a fly make sure each wrap has a purpose from start to finish most proportion problems start right at the begining with a lumpy bed wrap and second thing is dry fit everything good luck and keep tying practice practice practice

[parrothead 0]

If I can one suggestion that is helped me out it would be this... when you think you have the right amount of dubbing to complete a fly cut that amount in half and then sometimes cut it by 3/4 and then dub. A lot of porportion problems stem from to much materials.

[Philly 0]

Get involved in a couple of fly swaps. I was an adequate tyer, but once I found the internet, and got myself involved in swaps where I had to tie anywhere from 12 to 100 of the same pattern the consistency of my patterns improved, especially the one where I had to tie 100 flies. I can do that one in my sleep. If you need to tie 12 flies, odds are you'll end up tying 24, just because you want to send the best of the lot out for the swap. The others can go in your fly box. I've used a small ruler to measure the proportions when I started, still do at times. It's the repetition that will bring consistency to your patterns. Sit down and tie a couple dozen Al's Rats, or ElK Wing caddis or wooly buggers

[Chase Creek 0]

My suggestion - Tie EVERY day, even if it's just a couple. You'll get a feel for the tools and materials and become more proficient with them.

[JSzymczyk 0]

1- practice

2- practice

3- practice

4- leave yourself enough room on the hook to work with, don't crowd the hook eye toward the finish.

[sandflyx 0]

PRACTICE, PRATICE, PRACTICE, same fly till you get right...

[Joe Hard 0]

Prepare all your materials for several flys before you start tying. Here is an example, say you want to tie 6 buggers, so if you prepare all your marabou, flash and saddle hackles to be the same your flies will look closer to the same. Tie everything in the same spot on each fly, and try to make thread wraps and in the case of a bugger wraps of chennile , the same ammount of turns. The same goes for all materials when tying several flies. It might seem like a lot of work but preparring all your materials ahead of time will make tying several flies of the same pattern quicker. Another thing you can do to make things quicker and more consistant is to tie several flies in steps. Like adding lead to a bugger or eyes to a clouser, do them all first judging each fly by the first one.

[Worstcaster 0]

Experiment with your patterns. Try different techniques that might be helpful ("The Fly Tyiers Bench Refernece" is very useful for learning new technique options. Visit your local fly shop and look at the flies in the bins to see what is different in the way they tie their flies.

[Grunt 0]

When I am tying nymphs and wets I try and think like a hungry fish. Do I want skinny hard bugs or nice plump juicy ones? Minnow replicas same way. Fish see a lot of flys from the bottom so if you have a rotary vise give it a half crank. Think like a hungry fish.

[madkasel 0]

When I am tying nymphs and wets I try and think like a hungry fish. Do I want skinny hard bugs or nice plump juicy ones? Minnow replicas same way. Fish see a lot of flys from the bottom so if you have a rotary vise give it a half crank. Think like a hungry fish.

 

I like that. Good way to think about it!

 

[Calvin 0]

I think it's a good idea when you sit down at your bench to set goals for yourself, e.g. today I'm going to tie a half a doze Elk Hair Caddis size 14 tan, and then sit down and do them all. Tie at least one fly every day. When I first started out, I just sat down and tied EHC after EHC. I don't think I ever fished one of the first 100, but from 101 on, they all became producers. I think repitition is important. The more you get used to tying a parachute adams, the easier it will become.

 

#1 advice for beginners, don't crowd the heads of your flies. If you don't have enough room for a tapered thread head on a dry fly, you crowded the head.

 

One other thing. It seems that most beginners stock up on the 6 ott thread. While it's very versatile, think about getting some 8 and 12 ott for your smaller flies. You'll find that you have a lot better time with proportions and so forth.

[arkle 0]

As you don't have a local flyshop perhaps these other options are worth consideration,

 

1.Get some fly tying related magazines,

 

2. Try and go to at least one flyfair.

 

3. Start tying your chosen pattern on say a size 8 for a wooly bugger then when youve tied at least six, go down a size and repeat until you're happy with them and repeat again till you end up with some tidy looking and durable 14s. Then go onto a slightly more complex pattern and do the same, but with say 5 of each as you get more confident in handling materials, using techniques etc. try and keep to the same style of hook for each pattern though to help with consistancy.

 

4. Join at least one local club if possible, that has members that are able to help you and act as mentors.

 

Hope thats of help.

 

John

 

 

[Grunt 0]

Other than thinking like a hungry fish when you tie there is the fact that you are going to tie a lot more flys than you will use. You have to tie more than you can use to learn the techniques that will make you a good tyer. Find a home other than your fly box for your learning flys. I've got a brother-in-law that takes most of my learning flys. Only problem is, when we go fishing the sucker out fishes me with my own flys. Life is strange at times.