HI, i would like to get into fly tying as a hobby nothing special just to make the nights go by.
I was looking at the kits , no needs for fancy feathers at this time , and would like to know what size hooks the regular VISE will hold. i want to do some fresh and salt.
All replys are welcomed.
thanks.
what size hook the vice holds is going to depend on the vice etc. If your tying for freshwater hook size will most likely not be the same as tying for saltwater.
Instead of looking at purchasing kits. I'd recommend buying a particular fly you are interested in learning to tie and then asking your local fly shop to assist you in gathering the materials necessary to tie that fly. This is a good way to learn various patterns and you also start to gather materials that can all be put to use. Its easy to get overwhelmed with material selections etc. I'm sure any fly shop will be willing to assist you with gathering the necessary materials. Cant go wrong with a rays fly for saltwater. Hope this helps.
lots of options,the local trout unlimited chapter.The Saltwater Edge in Newport.Bears Den shop in Taunton.Rhoddy Saltflyrodders.Kenny Abremes holds free seminars in R.I. i believe on Tuesday nights.we hold free tying nights on the cape at Fishing the Cape in Harwich on tuesday nights.Local tyers and guides tie a bunch of flys for appx.2hrs that they use in local and tropical waters.This runs from the 3rd week in jan-april.Lots of show&tell.WATCH OUT the "hobby" can become an adiction
You can come give tying a try at our free Thursday night tying sessions. We provide most of the items you'll need and have various vises in service so you can give a few different ones a try so you can find out if you need certain features. True rotary versus something that isn't, for example.
I picked up an inexpensive kit from Bass Pro Shops. They have them in 3 flavors: trout, bass and saltwater. All come with a dvd featuring Lefty Kreih. He doesn't tie everything in the dvd, but the information is good. Frankly, the vise sucks and will have to be replaced at some point- but its a good starting point. You get a vise, materials and the dvd for around 50 clams. I picked up the trout one as it looked to be challenging, I figured if I could get through that, I could do some good striper lures. Well, they are all challenging, but I'm happy with my results. I agree with the above post about talking to a shop and getting good stuff right off the bat. I just wasn't sure I would like tying and didn't want to drop a lot of cash. I will upgrade my vise when I can and keep the other in my car for tying onsite. I cannot think of a better cure for the winter blues than tying flies. I LOVE IT! Mind you, fly tying and fly fishing are new to me, I have long been a weight and bait guy, and I needed a change of pace. Yesterday, I caught my first rainbow and the kicker was that it was a fly I made! I cannot wait for the striped ones to come back to my haunts.... there is a wealth of good info on web pages, books (Lefty, Rich Murphy((great book)), Bob Clouser, Lou Tabory, Kenny Adams, etc) and you tube (see above @ saltwatersedge -> nice work guys) Good luck and happy tying!
Fly tying can get very expensive, so don't waste your $$ on materials that you won't use. Attend a few of the tying sessions that have been mentioned. You'll be glad that you did.
Fly tying is a great hobby. It certainly helps the winters go by. Goodluck getting into it and if you have any specific questions I'm sure someone on here can answer.
Fly tying can be expensive but doesn't have to be. You can scrounge alot of the materials you need from friends that hunt,craft and sewing or fabric shops and the like. Even a roadkill squirrel or turkey can provide alot of free materials. (just don't let your wife or girfriend find out where you got it...they just don't seem to understand). I would be careful about taking anything else as rabies is an issue to consider.One thing you shouldn't scrimp on is a good vise and make sure to use good quality hooks. Nowadays the internet is a great resource for information and materials. Some things are best bought at a local shop such as bucktails or hackle where quality and color should be selected in person. Don't be afraid to experiment with stuff you find at craft shops. For example those little glass beads, doll eyes and sheet foam are much cheaper there than at exclusive fly shops and are basically the same product. I can make a load of Crease flies with a 20 cent piece of foam, some Easter basket wrapping plastic or mylar foil,a few doll eyes and some 5 minute epoxy. The Bluefish don't know that they only cost a few pennies to make insted of $4.95 a piece. Experiment and have fun!
I'm guessing 2 mm. I don't think it really matters much. It is what it is . I use whatever I can get cheap or free. There is one type that Walmart sells that has 1side that you can peel the paper off to reveal a sticky side. It works great for affixing mylar wrapping paper,tin foil or ...whatever prior to epoxying the whole thing. You can make Gurglers with it too. You can use as many layers/colors of it that you want to achieve different buoyancy.
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