Fly Tying

All right, if you are serious about tying your own flies for fly fishing, then you are going to need some equipment.  First, let me just say you will find fly tying equally as rewarding and frustrating as fly fishing.  And as with everything else in fly fishing, the amount of stuff you can load up on will quickly start to fill your garage.  Just like anything else in life (and fly fishing), you get what you pay for.  So, here I'll give you a quick overview of what you are going to need to get started.  These are the absolute must haves.  They will be your fly tying foundation.  

1.  The Vice.  Now. I'm a fan of the c clamp vises that can fasten to your tying table or to your steering wheel if you take it on the road.  There are many with a pedestal base that are equally effective.  Whichever way you go, you want to make sure that your vice is adjustable in height and that the jaws are tapered, adjustable and can hold hooks in a range of sizes from at least 2 - 20.

2.  Scissors.  Fly tying scissors have fine points so you can clip in tight areas very accurately.  You want to take special care that the blades don't move or bend when you are working with harder material like stems from large hackles.  Look for large finger holes for ease of use.  Remember, most advanced tiers keep their scissors on their fingers while they tie.

3.  A Bobbin.  There are some cheap ones out there, but you'll pay the price in the long run.  Look for a long, smooth barrel that wont fray the thread.  Ceramic is the choice of most tiers as it holds up really well with a lot of use.  It should be adjusted so that the thread gives when you roll your thumb across it, but not when the spool is hanging.

4.  Hackle Pliers.  The worst pliers have all metal jaws which can cut through hackle very easily.  Nothing is more frustrating than wrapping fine hackle around your fly and having it break off in the pliers.  Look for pliers that have rubber on one side of the jaws with the other side serrated.

5.  A Bodkin.  You can skimp with this vital tool.  This handy tool is used to pick out dubbing on your finished fly to add a buggy appearance.  Also, you will most likely use it to apply head cement to your flies.  Any needle will do.  You can make your own bodkin using cork, a wooden match, or other material as a handle, and attaching it to the needle. 

These five tools will allow you to get started and tie the vast majority of flies.  Have fun. 

Leland Fly Fishing Outfitters is a top notch online retailer.  If you are looking for some new equipment, click here.

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