Beginner Dry Fly Tier Needing Advice

[Archimedes 0]

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forums and also new to fly tying, or about to begin fly tying. I will be mainly focusing on tying dry flies and emergers but occasionaly tying nymphs and midges. I have narrowed my vice choices down to two vises. I'm looking at a Renzetti Traveler 2200 Cam and a Peak Rotary vise, but I'm leaning strongly toward the Renzetti based off of the reviews I have read. I have always read that you should tie on a vise before you buy it but since I have never tied before, I wouldnt know what I should be looking for or feeling in a vise for selection.

 

What I am mainly needing help with is tying materials that I am having a hard time finding reviews on. Materials like hook brand selection, thread and wire brand selection, dubbing, and other dry fly tying materials needed. I have a good idea on feathers for dry tying, the majority of tiers seem to like Whiting's Farms hackle & saddles for dry dlies. I also have a good idea of the tools I will need for tying like, bobbins, whip finishers, etc etc but if you can think of some obscure tools that might come in handy it would be appreciated.

 

I would like to emphasize that I am not looking for or trying to get a debate started on these subjects, just your reasons for tying with the materials you choose. Thank you for all of your help in advance!

 

Sorry for the repost, it wouldnt let me edit the topic title!

[streamcaddis 0]

I would go with the Renzetti. I got my first Renzetti back in the 70's and still use it today. Now I have 3 Renzetti's and a Dyana-King Barracuda. I use mostly Daiichi and Tiemco hooks. I use hairline dubbing,it is the best in the market.There are many threads on the market but I think UNI threads are the best, they also make good wire.

Now like every thing else, each tier will have his or her favorites.This is a fantastic hobby, I have been tying for over 45 years. You have come to the right place with your questions, keep them coming, Search the internet it is full of tying sights and on line shops. Myself I check my local shops before buying on line....

[rockworm 0]

Like streamcaddis, I like Tiemco and Daiichi for hooks and Uni for threads and single-stranded floss. Hareline has a very fine line of dubbings, and I use them a lot. But I would also suggest you buy and use some of the original dubbings: Get yourself a patch or two of muskrat, beaver, red and grey fox, otter and mole. Maybe even an honest-to-God hare's mask. Believe me- there's nothing like working with the real thing!

[utyer 0]

You mentioned obscure tools: I have been using these dubbing brushes for about 30 years. They are old style "tatting brushes" use in needlepoint to fluff up the sewn in yarn to make fluffy effects. They are great for picking out dubbing to make a flymph or other nymphs more shaggy in appearance. I use mine a lot, and one of the two I have is "missing" right now (lost on my desk.)

 

They are now being distributed by Montana Fly Company, and can be found at their dealers.

[Archimedes 0]

Streamcaddis, rockworm and utyer thank you for the help and suggestions. It seems like the more I try to research the materials I will use, the more questions I need to ask. So here it goes, now I am trying to find a good dubbing wax. I was just going to buy the hairline wax and then I saw there are light tack and reg tack. I also see a lot of people leaning to using cobblers wax but I guess it comes in black or brown and can color your white thread and dubbing pretty bad. Since I will be tying dry flies mostly in gray, olive, light cahill and tan what would you suggest?

[bluegill576 0]

I like the peak vise more for what I tie, but you will be tying mostly dries that will probably be smaller than what I tie. Hareline is a great distributor of tying materials that will have good quality stuff. Besides dry fly hackle from whiting, you may also want to get some CDC to use. There is some CDC in fly shops I think from hareline, but it is not that good quality. I would get the CDC from Marc Petitjean. It is high quality and though it may seem expensive, it is less expensive than regular dry fly hackle. For hooks, if you are on a budget or just don't want to spend that much I would go with Allen fly fishing. If you can afford higher quality hooks then I would go with TMC, and if you can afford really really nice hooks then Gamakats hooks are great. For dubbing wax, it isn't really necessary and will add bulk to your flies, but it can help when just starting out. You could use one of the waxes that you mentioned, or you could just use a candle which will also work. Good luck in starting fly tying!

[utyer 0]

Most of the time, there is NO ONE answer to a lot of these kinds of questions. There is NO single right way, and NO single wrong way, just different ways to solve similar problems. As for dubbing wax, its use is NOT an absolute, and you can easily dub most dry flies without any wax. The dubbing materials suitable for most dry flies is very fine in texture, and will dub on the thread quite well without wax. Its more in developing the technique. There are times when you might want wax, for instance "touch" dubbing requires a fairly tacky wax on the thread. Then you just touch your ball of dubbing to the thread along the length you have waxed. That length may be less than 4 inches. A small amount of dubbing will stick to the waxed thread, and you simply wrap this on the hook. A very light fuzzy body is created in this manner. Again not the only way, but one way of making a dubbed body. Cobblers wax when used is to help the thread stick to the hook, and it isn't used much at all. I have been using the same stick of Overton's Wonder Wax for 25 years, and if I had to replace it, would most likely just re-fill my tube with a toilet wax ring. That's just what I would do, its my solution, not the only solution. ON the subject of dark colored waxes, yes, they could affect the color of your thread to some degree. I for one don't like to use black thread on dry flies, or lightly dubbed bodies at all. If your dubbing is thin, the tread color can and should show through, and it should add to the pattern in some way. Dark thread would only work on very dark patterns, and most dry flies are not that dark (specially on the under side.)

 

Just as there are many ways to skin a cat, there are many ways to get that cat hair on a hook.

[Archimedes 0]

I ended up buying the Hairline Low Tack wax from http://www.jimsflyco.com/. Actually got just about everything I needed from their website including my vise and most of my tools except for scissorcs and a bobbin. They were cheaper on thread and dubbing than most other sites I looked at. And 2-3 day shipping is only 5.65$ Oops, I forgot this forum is sponsored by J.Stockard lol. Sorry J.Stockard... I think I'm going to get a pair of the Tungsten 6th Finger scissors. They look pretty nice and a good inovation.

[C LeBo 0]

Good Luck with the tying Archimedes, hopefully we'll be seeing some good patterns out of you soon enough!

[Archimedes 0]

Thanks C LeBo, I ended up buying some Mustad 94840 hooks and bought some of the Low Tack Wax from Hairline. I decided to tie an Adams Parachute for my first fly, when I get my vise and all of my supplies in the mail I'll get started it on it and post a pic. I picked up a few books based off of recomendations from the Beginer Book thread, Tying Dry Flies by Randall Kaufmann, The Complete Book of Fly Tying by Eric Leiser, and The Masters on the Dry Fly by J Michael Migel & Dave Whitlock.

[Piker20 0]

I agree that for most dry flies you won't need any wax. I use bees wax for mine if needed and it adds an olive hue which I like. After some advice from a post on here I'm looking to use some other ingredients to form a better wax for me.

I would say that a parachute gallow for the vice will be useful if you are going to tie a lot of that style. I use patridge SUD and SLD dry hooks and like them. Also had very good results with a dry tied on teflon coated hook designed for carp bait fishing here in UK. Whether the hook is less obvious or if its because the weight holds the fly lower in the surface not sure but the trout say YES YES YES.

[Gene L 0]

I bought a gallows tool for a Renzetti vise, but never use it. It's easy enough to wrap a post and stiffen it to hold the parachute. One good thing about parachute flies is you can use large hackle.

 

Never used a Peak vise, but the Renzetti is a great vise.

[Archimedes 0]

I bought a gallows tool for a Renzetti vise, but never use it. It's easy enough to wrap a post and stiffen it to hold the parachute. One good thing about parachute flies is you can use large hackle.

 

Never used a Peak vise, but the Renzetti is a great vise.

 

What it is about the Peak Vise that you dont like? I bought the Renzetti 2200 but I have a friend looking at the Peak for himself.

[Archimedes 0]

Also, since you "never" use it, want to sell your gallows tool for the Renzetti?