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Husky9000

Traveling tying kit

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OK...so I think I have decided to go old school...or at least that's the direction I started. I tie on an old Model A Fish Medalists and fiberglass...so I thought a repurposed tackle box from the 60s would be cool to carry my portable kit. Got an old Kennedy but it isn't here yet...I'll post pics when it gets here.

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Ok the Kennedy Tackel box arrived and it is way big...so back to plan a or b or....This is a mil-spec tool bag. here is the kit just missing supplies.

IMG_1252_zpslbeg3v1z.jpg

IMG_1251_zpsaiqurcju.jpg

 

Pleased at what I have it is a mirror copy of my equipment at the house. Add Supplies and thread and it should produce flys....

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I have a tool box that is just one big compartment. The renzetti tool caddy is key, I can just load it up and set it in the bottom. Then I grab whatever materials I need for a night of tying. It is simple and easy. Best of luck!

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This thread got me thinking about putting together a small "bare essentials" kit. For my purposes, I would target trout flies. Of course, I would choose a compact vise and vital tools. I am thinking of a very abbreviated list of materials that would be able to serve in many fly patterns. Stuff like pheasent tail, peacock herl, compact superfine dubbing assortment, small copper and lead wire, small size gold/silver tinsel, grizzly hen and rooster capes, naturalbrown hen back, brown rooster cape, white and pink parachute post material, stretch nylon in black, red, and green, short fiber deer hair, dry fly and wet fly hooks in sizes 12 through 16 with black and gold beads to match, black and white 6/0 thread with a couple of sharpies to change thread color, some sally hanson's, a good set of magnifyier glasses, and possibly a color assortment of squirrel tail or bucktail.

 

I am thinking with these materials, I should be able to cover most fishing flies. Are there other materials you would "not leave home without"?

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About 14 years ago I put together a demonstration for clubs and FDG Branches called The travelling Fly Tier. Of course in doing this sort of thing you go to the furthest extreme of what is possible, just to illustrate what can be done. I did however, set one rule from the outset. There must be enough materials to tie a dozen of each fly in the kit. The kit I put together was for river flies, dries and nymphs.

 

At the start I had a plastic container on the table. I would explain that if you had a lot of room available you could use a container like this. Of course you may not have that much space available. Open the container and inside was a smaller one, and a smaller one again. All were empty. The tying kit was in the top pocket of my shirt, in a small pouch...

Packed.jpg

 

Inside was a vice, bobbin holder, scissors, spool of thread, dubbing needle, hackle pliers, and sufficient materials to tie a dozen each of about 14 flies.

TravelKit.jpg

 

One of the things I realized was that flies divide nicely into families. You have an up wing family, One upwing fly pattern will cover all Up wing (may) flies in the "dun" or sub imago stage, all you do is vary the size and colour to match what you want to imitate. My size 14 Large Dark Olive is essentially the same dressing as my size 18 Iron Blue. Just a different size and colour. The same goes for Caddis flies. If you like the Elk Hair Caddis, you can use it to imitate all caddis flies in the adult stage by varying the size and colour. The same goes for spinners, diptera (probably the biggest variation in size and colour), etc.

 

Once you realise that imitative fly tying becomes very easy.

 

That is as minimal as I would care to go on a travelling kit. I doubt one could be put together much smaller and contain a regular size vice.

 

For tying classes it should be really easy to put one together. To start with you are only going to tie one or two patterns, and you should know in advance what you will be tying, You don't need a full cape if you know you are tying size 14 Adams, for example, you only need a couple of each hackle in the right size, and a large feather of each colour to take tail fibres from. Neither do you need a full muskrat skin, just a small packet of dubbing is all you have to take. You can do this for each pattern each week, You don't need a fancy case, a small Really Useful Box, an old cigar box, or even an old ice cream carton will do. If the fly you are doing doesn't use hair, then don't take a hair stacker or comb. Just take what you need.

 

Cheers,

C.

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I am thinking more about having an "essentials" kit that I could either have with me all of the time

or, make basic recommendations to beginning tyers as to what really needs to be on hand for

specific fish. I fish primarily for trout - but it would be fun to put together a list for bass and maybe

saltwater patterns.

 

I have seen lots of fly tying kits - most are filled with junk or materials that aren't decent quality.

Of course, a kit for a specific pattern or type of pattern is relatively easy to compile. I am looking

for the right stuff to have should I need to run back to the car and whip up drys, wets, nymphs,

and streamers in a pinch.

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......You don't need a fancy case, a small Really Useful Box, an old cigar box, or even an old ice cream carton will do. ....

 

 

Craig, for years, as a kid, I kept all my tying materials in a cigar box. Lots of space, if you don't let yourself get carried away. smile.png

 

It's probably harder to do today. Back in the '50's and '60's, you could purchase a package of a dozen size 12 dry fly hackles in black/dun/grizzly/etc. That was what you normally did. Today we purchase full capes. I also purchased a dozen golden pheasant tippets and maybe a dozen teal flank feathers. Even packages of peacock herl were smaller. To do the same thing, you would have to take the time to size and package the materials you wished to carry with you. No full capes, and no 1/4 oz packages of strung saddle hackles, etc.

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I normally use a plastic tote box that is about shoebox size.. It is perfect for carrying everything I need plus a few extras. Clear sides make it easy to locate any materials quickly and plenty big enough for the tyers that likes to have enough materials to tie several different flies (just in case). 😊

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