Where to begin

[snow_bound26 0]

Hello everyone. Thinking about getting started in tying and am looking for recommendations on where to begin. Mostly I'm throwing a 9wt (which I am about to start building once the rest of my components arrive) for essox species and with how expensive these flies have become in recent years I feel like it makes sense to start tying my own. I also enjoy being creative and wouldn't mind learning how to adapt certain patterns to my preferences. I do fish trout some but don't mind buying those flies since then are still relatively inexpensive and last longer than my pike flies. I am hoping to start doing some steelhead and salmon this fall as well. I'd like my kit to be versatile enough to tie steelhead to large pike patterns.
 

Lastly and most important, guides or videos on how to start tying would be incredibly appreciated. Mostly I've been using Dahlberg Divers since the early 2000s and various Striper patterns that I have kicking around. Am interested in patterns like Chip's Northern Magic, bang tails and fat heads. I have never fished those patterns but they have me curious. Thanks for the help.

[Bimini15 0]

First of all, welcome!

I am glad to hear that saving money is not your only motivation to start tying...😉
You do not have to spend a fortune to get started, but eventually you will want to tie more and more patterns in different size and color variations and the hobby will take a life of its own, if you let it.

Since you mention Essox, here is the first nugget: watch Gunnar Brammer’s YouTube playlist on tying predator flies. Then pick one fly, get the materials needed for that and go from there.

[snow_bound26 0]

1 hour ago, Bimini15 said:

First of all, welcome!

I am glad to hear that saving money is not your only motivation to start tying...😉
You do not have to spend a fortune to get started, but eventually you will want to tie more and more patterns in different size and color variations and the hobby will take a life of its own, if you let it.

Since you mention Essox, here is the first nugget: watch Gunnar Brammer’s YouTube playlist on tying predator flies. Then pick one fly, get the materials needed for that and go from there.

Thanks for the info. I will look up his videos. 
 

the expense is something I'm taking into consideration. It's no different than rod building. The initial expense is what it is. But the final product is worth the expense and effort. And if not, then at least I learn something along the way. Based on what I'm spending on flies currently, I should be able to break even in about 2 years. Especially if I can get a couple friends to help with materials in exchange for tying some flies for them.

I have been looking at the Renzetti salt water traveler or traveler 2000 vises. Any other suggestions? 

[Bimini15 0]

19 minutes ago, snow_bound26 said:

Any other suggestions? 

Oh, boy... Pandora’s box just opened...

Seriously, though, it has been said time and time again that you can’t go wrong with Renzetti, Dynaking, Peak, Regal and a bunch of others. I tie on a Regal and swear by it because it is so easy to set the hook on it. But opinions...

If I ever moved away from my Regal for a full rotary, Peak would be at the top of my list. To me, those are best values.

As far as the overall expense of fly tying debate, to me it is almost therapeutic, so it is pretty cheap on the balance.

[MuskyFlyGuy 0]

Welcome to the site. This is an exceptional site, with a lot of supportive tyers. As you develop your skills, post pictures of your flies. You will find the feedback helpful. Generally you can ask a question and you will get several responses very quickly. 

[cphubert 0]

Welcome to the site snow_bound and welcome to saving money and getting the best tied flies😉. Vises, some use vise grips and others have hand fitted, jeweled, works of art made of unobtanium alloys. Sounds like your choice is a quality vise that fits your use, large size flies. Hope to see you progress and become active on the site.

3 hours ago, snow_bound26 said:

Renzetti salt water traveler

 

[Poopdeck 0]

The hardest part is getting started. Outside of starting there is nothing difficult about tying flies. Get a vise, any vise, a pair of scissors, any scissors, a bobbin, any bobbin, a bottle of Sally Hanson hard as nails, some utc 140 maybe 210 (I don't know I don't tie pike flies) and tie away. Some of us really do save money, and lots of it,  tying our own flies. When you use flies that cost 10 bucks each you will definately cover your start up cost in short order. 

Welcome and enjoy!

[WWKimba 0]

Welcome to the site and this strange hobby we call fly tying!  From central NY myself so your handle hits close to home!  You are correct - there are a lot of fine tyers, teachers, and all round nice people on this site.  As you can see from my favorite species list I'm fishing for what you would use as BAIT!  Been tying 50 years now and have picked up a few tips/techniques from some fine tyers over the years so I might offer my 2 cents in now and then.

I hope you have as much fun as I over your coming years and tight lines my friend!

Kim

PS - One thing I do know is that zonker strips probably will become a close friend!

[snow_bound26 0]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement and tips. I'm planning on taking the summer to start acquiring tools and start tying in the fall. I will definitely be looking through the forum and posting questions, pics, and ideas as they arise.

Bimini, I looked at the Peak vise and it's priced great and has good features what what I can tell. Definitely adding it to the list.

 

Kim, I grew up fishing the St Lawrence watershed. Bass, pike and walleye were the name of the game. I didn't catch my first trout until I was 15 or 16. Back then I didn't understand why trout were so popular. Once I got older I really started to notice their colors and patterns. I'm not a big fan of zonker strips. They hold a lot of water and get chewed up pretty fast. They definitely have a great presentation in the water though. Eventually I want to learn to tie articulated flies for that motion in the water. What part of central NY are you in?

[snow_bound26 0]

Started watching Gunnar's videos and the first one I came across was for weight balancing which was one of the biggest questions I've been thinking about. One thing I'm not seeing much of is discussion on shank length for balancing the fly fore/aft so it stays more level in the water. Anyone play around with that concept much?

[skeet3t 0]

Tying is part of the fun of fly fishing. Nothing like catching fish of any species on one of your flies, either an established pattern or a DIY fly. I have built rods, too.

[WWKimba 0]

13 hours ago, snow_bound26 said:

Thanks everyone for the encouragement and tips. I'm planning on taking the summer to start acquiring tools and start tying in the fall. I will definitely be looking through the forum and posting questions, pics, and ideas as they arise.

Bimini, I looked at the Peak vise and it's priced great and has good features what what I can tell. Definitely adding it to the list.

 

Kim, I grew up fishing the St Lawrence watershed. Bass, pike and walleye were the name of the game. I didn't catch my first trout until I was 15 or 16. Back then I didn't understand why trout were so popular. Once I got older I really started to notice their colors and patterns. I'm not a big fan of zonker strips. They hold a lot of water and get chewed up pretty fast. They definitely have a great presentation in the water though. Eventually I want to learn to tie articulated flies for that motion in the water. What part of central NY are you in?

Live just west of Syracuse in Camillus NY - just a stone's throw from the Great New York State Fairgrounds.

I have a very good childhood friend that charters/guides up on the St. Lawrence - Steve Wilcox - ever cross paths with him?   Mainly guides for Musky/Great Northerns as well as has a couple bass packages he offers as well.  Been doing it since the late '70's.

You still in the 1000 Islands area?  Nice fishing and nice wines as well!

Kim

[Philly 0]

Welcome to the site.    Check out Bob Popovics, "Semper Flye"   It's a salt water pattern that's easy to tie.  No fancy materials required. I tie a variation  of it and it's been my best producer for stripers and bluefish in salt water and pike and chain pickerel in fresh water.  Haven't gone after muskie yet.

[Bimini15 0]

Not sure which one of Brammer’s videos you are referring to, but the ones I suggested (and wrongly named) are the “tie like a pro” series. 

Brammer is taking fly weight and size to an extreme in recent videos, following after Sedotti’s school of thought that a huge, heavily weighted fly will cast a looong ways by creating its own momentum to counter wind resistance. To me, my spinning rods do a better job at throwing weighted lures a long distance, so that is a fly tying concept that does not interest me at this point.

 

[snow_bound26 0]

11 hours ago, WWKimba said:

Live just west of Syracuse in Camillus NY - just a stone's throw from the Great New York State Fairgrounds.

I have a very good childhood friend that charters/guides up on the St. Lawrence - Steve Wilcox - ever cross paths with him?   Mainly guides for Musky/Great Northerns as well as has a couple bass packages he offers as well.  Been doing it since the late '70's.

You still in the 1000 Islands area?  Nice fishing and nice wines as well!

Kim

I'm in Lake Placid from May-mid Sept and then spend my winters in UT.  I haven't met him but have heard his name around quite a bit as he has a reputation for getting large muskies. When I was a kid I mostly fished in the Potsdam area where my family is from originally.