Fly Tying Starter

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WH308

WH308

Well-Known Member
I’m starting to do a bit more river and still water trout fishing, and would like to tie a few of my own flies.

I don’t really want to buy a “starter kit” as they all look to have a lot of lurid fluff in them that I can’t see me using! Also the tools look pretty low grade. I was thinking of buying a vice and tool kit and then materials separately.

But there is such a massive plethora of stuff available it’s mind boggling! Can anyone recommend either a good book for traditional patterns, or know of a materials bundle that’s available, or create me shopping list to get me started.

Thanks.
 
A few books worth looking out for.....
The Fly-Tying Bible by Peter Gathercole - gives some easy to follow diagrams
Flies of Scotland by Stan Headley - may be Scotland based, but many will work anywhere
River Trout Flies by John Roberts - a bit more specialised, but still a good one.
Loads of other books and I'm sure you'll end up like the rest of us with boxes of hooks, materials and odds and sods of "essential" fly tying stuff that'll be there for ever!
As you said, get a good vice and some good tools - a magnifier/light set up is good as well if the natural light isn't good (or you're eyesight is as rubbish as mine!).
 
There used to be a book pamphlet out giving you a price on birds wings fur etc . Probably in the 70/80
Me & my lil friend used to say there’s 20p flew by or there’s a pound 😆😆
Happy times wondering about with air gun
Am a lot wiser now
 
I've not tied a fly for a few years, but at one time I used to supply a shop in my hometown of Biggar.

If I may suggest a few useful bits to get you started on some classics?

Hen capes -
Furnace
Black
Grizzle

Silks -
Primrose
Black
Claret

Tinsel - Plain, wide and narrow
Gold
Silver

Tinsel - Ribbed
Gold
Silver

Pheasant tail feathers
Golden Pheasant tippets
Starling wings (used to be blackbird!)
Seals fur for dubbing (various colours)
Peacock herl
Woodcock wings
Teal breast feathers
Hares ear
Jay wings
Mallard wings

Tools -

Vise (can you still get the Sunrise AA?)
Whip finish tool
Hackle pliers
Dubbing needle
Good fine scissors
Beeswax

I could go on and on, but this short list will let you tie a load of classic patterns that are fairly simple to tie and will hone your basic skills for little outlay 👍
 
WH308 said:
I’m starting to do a bit more river and still water trout fishing, and would like to tie a few of my own flies.

I don’t really want to buy a “starter kit” as they all look to have a lot of lurid fluff in them that I can’t see me using! Also the tools look pretty low grade. I was thinking of buying a vice and tool kit and then materials separately.

But there is such a massive plethora of stuff available it’s mind boggling! Can anyone recommend either a good book for traditional patterns, or know of a materials bundle that’s available, or create me shopping list to get me started.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Send me a PM with you address, and a contact number, and we'll have a chat. Lake flies, especially modern lake flies that work are a very different moustrap from chalk stream dry flies or, even, many traditional "loch" flies. So just as you'd not (by choice) take a 3" 12 bore with 1 3/8 ounce #3 shot out on the snipe, or a 2 1/2" 12 bore with 1 ounce of #8 out on the geese so with flies, lines (and their sink rate...or not) and hook sizes. So initially what type of trout are you angling for on what type of water?
 
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Lathkill (Welcome to Lathkill Fly Tying shop - Lathkill fly fishing and fly tying) does really good cheap capes, both cock and hen so great for wets and traditional flies. Maybe start with some basic colours, black, claret, olive and brown. If you shoot, then most things can be obtained free, bronze mallard, cdc, pheasant tail etc. You then have specialist material like maribou etc for which I would definitely recombed Dave Downie,Fly Fishing World - Where Quality is all that matters Good sharp scissors, bobbin holder preferably ceramic, hackle pliers and whip finisher, not much tools really needed. Stan Headly has a really nice book Loch Fishers bible,Trout from a boat from Dennis Moss is also good. Patterns wise, everything is on youtube these days and you really are spoilt for choice.
 
Oh, heaven help you, you're off down a very deep and complex rabbit hole
Fly tying isn't a hobby, it rapidly develops into an addiction/obsession/affliction
But
It is also one of the most enjoyable and relaxing passtimes too, when I'm sat at my vice I'm able to switch off the outside world and chill

Whatever you decide, get a good vice, I'd advise one of the rotary vices - otherwise you're just going to change whatever vice you buy now for one of them in the long run anyway

Davie McPhail's youtube channel is one of my favourites, Lindsay Simpson is good too
I get kit from Angling Active, Lakeland Flytying, Peak's among others

Enjoy
 
The advice in posts #2, 7 & 9 will get you off to a very good start - not saying that the other posts aren't good advice, but those 3 are a good list of starter youtube/video, book & kit
And as @Quixote said, a ceramic bobbin - especially an adjustable one - is worth the expense, they are kinder to the threads (especially the finer midge threads, 50 denier stuff etc) than the cheaper metal bobbins will be
Two sets of scissors
One heavy for ctting hair etc
One fine for thread, CDC etc
Learn how to "helicopter" wire (Davie McPhail, Lindsay Simpson, Mak Flies will all show you how) instead of cutting, it's safer & cleaner, won't ruin your scissors
 
Hello, When my dear fishing friend passed away he left me all his trout gear, fly tying and river rods ( Cane and Glass ) and reels, I have made a few easy flies but you need patience to do the delicate flies like the may fly, The old Game Fairs had a good section for trout fly tyers,
 
Flash G 74 said:
Hello, When my dear fishing friend passed away he left me all his trout gear, fly tying and river rods ( Cane and Glass ) and reels, I have made a few easy flies but you need patience to do the delicate flies like the may fly, The old Game Fairs had a good section for trout fly tyers,
Click to expand...
Sadly, I found the fly thing village at the game fair a lot smaller than I’d hoped. I was thinking I might get a basic setup from there, but wasn’t to be
 
WH308 said:
Sadly, I found the fly thing village at the game fair a lot smaller than I’d hoped. I was thinking I might get a basic setup from there, but wasn’t to be
Click to expand...
Hello, That is what i found a few years back but not been since, You can buy starter packs but you need to make sure the Vice is to you liking, mine is a leaver , Get one of those plastic 2 tier boxes and look for a decent vice and tools then what ever fly you fish with buy the materials to suite, Look on the Sport Fish web site as they have a good range of vices and tools
 
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Flash G 74 said:
Hello, That is what i found a few years back but not been since, You can buy starter packs but you need to make sure the Vice is to you liking, mine is a leaver , Get one of those plastic 2 tier boxes and look for a decent vice and tools then what ever fly you fish with buy the materials to suite, Look on the Sport Fish web site as they have a good range of vices and tools
Click to expand...
Hello, I can still remember my first time lake trout fishing at Peckhams Copse West Sussex at £1 a day
 
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