Can anyone learn me some fly tying?
 

I like to fish with a teaser often. I've used Umpqua flys but what I find is that the hooks are too brittle and I break them stuck in rocks and have lost some nice fish to the same.

I have a vice now, picked it up from my father, it's too big for his flys (trout) but is about right and very flexible for the hooks I'd want to use.

Here's the thing, I've never tied a fly. What is the minimum I need to get to start with something like a deceiver? For all I know I will hate doing this, so I don't want to shell out tons, just enough to get me going with a little help from you tube.

These would be for bass fishing from the surf.

Thanks,
Dave

Easy to do and you'll enjoy doing it to.
You'll need a bobbin, a good small pair of scissors, maybe a stacker (I don't use one), some hard as hull or other good superglue, some bucktails, quality hooks (I like gamikatzu live bait 5/0's), and thread.

Pretty easy to wrap, with thread in bobbin, wrap a few times around hook and then a half hitch, cut a little bucktail to use . Pinch it at the good end and slide your fingers down the bucktail and remove the short unwanted bucktail, align on the hook wrap a few times and again with the halfhitch. Here's where you can change bucktail color or material (peacock, saddlehackle, etc..). When you finish with what your using continue with a snug full wrap and several halfhitches. Finish with glue on the thread wraps.

Thanks ITS, might seem like a stoopid question, but which end is the good end on the bucktail? Sorry, just I have zero knowledge on this subject.

I work near Cabelas up in E. Hartford, CT and will probably pick up supplies there. I have no ideas on what's good and what isn't. Perhaps a heads up on what bobbin might be a good value or what to steer clear of? I would also be looking at a few feathers, any advice on what I should look for? bucktail?

Check fly fishing shops for flie tying classes.
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Dave you check w/Rivers End. All supplies with great advice from Mark. They may also have a fly tying classes.

No, haven't checked with Q and the gang yet. With all things, I typically like to have a go myself first with some research. I end up with enough knowledge to have useful questions. If I go into anything cold, I don't come away with as much.

I was going to head down to River's End Sat. for Surf Day but turns out I cannot. My girl is having a birthday party Sat.

I use inexpensive hand me down stuff so I don't know what to say as far as brands. That should be fairly easy once your looking at stuff to compare. I could take a picture tomorrow with something to reference size to the basic tools. You already have the expensive part , the vice. Get premium bucktail or look and compare the quality of premium and regular bucktail. Feathers are called saddle hackle, their is also peacock used to make sand eel teasers. You'll understand better when you see this stuff and the names when you shop for this stuff.
When I said good end I meant the outside end as opposed to the end you cut with the scissors. Don't sweat it, once you have some visuals of this stuff you'll understand better.

I would second finding a beginner class. If you have some of the tools already it shouldn't be terribly expensive and you'll learn the techniques for different types of flies that you can then apply to your own creations. I tie flies infrequently, but when I come back to my vice I find it's really easy to recall the steps, knots, layering, stacking, etc.

You Tube has a million fly tying videos.

Yudi, were kinda coming out of tying season, and I have a pretty busy schedule over the next couple weeks, but if you've got some time on a weeknight give me a holler and I'd be happy to meet up and show you the ropes a bit. I'm no master fly tier, but I can get you started.

My "go-to" tools you are going to need to get started are a good pair of scissors, a bobbin, and a whip finisher. Add to that Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails from CVS or Walgreens and you can tie flies that will catch and hold up to more than one fish.
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"The good end of a bucktail" Well,the tail has the finer hair towards the tip and the heavier towards the butt.Now,both ends have their uses.Think of a sponge.Thats what is actually inside the hair itself.Air is the insulator to keep the deer warm.So,the tip has less air cells so when you put tension from the thread as you wrap around the hair and shaft of the hook it will flair out less than the hairs coming from the butt.
You tube is an awesome place to see everything.Just google your question and something relevant will come up.Just use a few words to ask the question.
Look out.............. you may get hooked on tying.It got me.Big time!

Thanks, gents.

They are coming out alright! Made 4 so far, each one better than the previous. I'm sure it will just keep getting better with practice.

How important is the whip finish? I'm just using a series of half hitches, figured since the head is glued it will be alright?

Best,
Dave

Here is a list of tools, materials, links to help you get started:


Vice:
https://www.fish360.net/blog/renzetti-fly-vice

Scissors:
* Dr. Slick Tungsten Carbide Scissors in 4"
* http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00..._d0_g200_i1_sh

Bobbin:
* Dr. Slick 4" Ceramic Bobbin Dual Ceramic Inserts
* http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...hps_bw_g200_i5

Bobbin threader:
* Dr. Slick Bobbin Threader
* http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...hps_bw_g200_i4

* Ruler
* To measure the feathers and bucktail

Thread
* UNI Thread 3/0
* http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o08_s00

Flashabou
* http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00..._d0_g200_i1_sh

Rooster Saddle Hackle Feathers 4" - 6"
* http://www.cabelas.com/product/cabel...ackle+feathers

"Epoxy"

* Loon Outdoors Hard Head
* I like "Green Pearlescent". ;-)
* http://www.amazon.com/Loon-Outdoors-...ad+pearlescent).

Bucktail
* Go with "Northern Deer Tail", they have longer hair. You can then cut down to the exact length you want.

How to tie a Lefty Deceiver:

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_suygCdgUXQ

I hope this helps. Now you owe use some fly pics! ;-)

I'm still a novice a tying, but there's nothing as satisfying as catching a fish on a fly you tied yourself.

I can remember the first trout I caught on a nymph I tied myself.

Once you get the hang of it you'll start tying hooks for fresh, salt, lures, jigs....

Dave, after the head cement you can put on a slow curing epoxy. This will make for a secure bond. Rotating them helps.

Thanks all!
I'd post a pic if I could. Cannot find a way to do so from my phone.

I would recommend getting the materials from a local fly shop if possible. They can usually better help you select materials for the job at hand and give you some pointers helping with the learning curve. Not all bucktails or natural materials are created equal and it takes time to learn to select the better quality from all that is on hand.

As for the epoxy you want to be careful about epoxy. The five or ten minute variety will yellow rather quickly. If you are using the teasers with bluefish this probably won't be a problem as you will lose some. But for striper fishing I would not go crazy epoxying a bunch of flies. A year from now those flies will be really yellow. Especially if they get exposed to sunlight as most of the inexpensive epoxy does not have UV inhibitors.

Either way have fun.

You tube
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If you allergic to deer hair and feathers you can try synthetics. The mushmouth is an easy fly to tie with a little practice. Water will drain from the synthetics much easier than the naturals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQiuv0kUtsI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m_-p7zc8Lk