One of the most often asked questions I receive is, "What do I need to get started in fly tying?" The following up question is always the same. "How much is it going to cost?" These are difficult questions to answer because there are several ways to go about it, and they each have their pros and cons.
First, let's take a look at what you need to tie a fly. You need a basic set of tools. These tools would include something to hold the hook - The Vise. Something to manage the thread - The Bobbin. Finally, something to cut with - Sharp, Fine-tipped Scissors. I consider these tools the big three and they should receive the most consideration when purchasing.
The Fly Tying Vise - Your Most Important Tool
Fly tying vises are a highly personal choice, but all good fly tying vises have one thing in common: they hold the hook securely and are comfortable to use. There are two configurations of the various styles of vises. They are the C-Clamp and the Pedestal. The C-Clamp clamps to the edge of your work surface and the Pedestal sits on top of it. The both have pros and con’s and which one you choose depends on how and where you plan on doing most of my tying. I do most of my tying on pedestal vises but I do own a few c-clamp models for when the situation dictates their use. Fly tying vises can be stationary, rotary, or something in between. A rotary vise allows you to rotate the vise head, giving you access to all sides of the hook. This feature is useful for inspection and to apply materials. True rotary vises (those that rotate in axis and parallel with the hook shank) can even be used to quickly apply materials to the hook by turning the hook instead of moving your hand around it. As a general rule of thumb, the more features on the vise, the higher the price tag. My recently retired LAW Vise is now selling for thousands (yes, thousands!) of dollars! Despite the insane prices being charged for a LAW Vise these days, you can get a quality vise for a fraction of that price, but expect to spend a little money. I would steer clear of kit vises and knock offs of popular brands. Several companies like Regal, Renzetti, Dyna-King, NorVise, Peak, and others make quality fly tying vises for all levels of fly tiers.
The business end of the Regal Revolution. My idea of the perfect fly tying vise!
My first vise was a pair of vise grips pliers secured in a woodworking vise! When I finally had saved enough money to buy my first Thompson Model A (which is still a good vise), I saw the advantages of using a proper fly tying vise. My vise of choice these days is a Regal. A Regal Revolution with stainless steel jaws if you want the particulars. I own a LAW vise, arguably one of the most well made (and expensive) vises on the market, so why do I do most of my tying on a Regal? Because the manner in which the vise functions speeds up my tying and the tool simply works - every time! Opening and closing the jaws of the vise on a hook of any size is as simple as squeezing a lever and releasing it. Once that hook is in the vise, it is not going anywhere! The hook will bend or break before moving in the jaws of a Regal! As a commercial tier, the Regal vise's easy hook in/out feature is a big time saver. The best thing about the Regal vises is you get the same function and hook holding power in their entry-level vises as you do at the top of the line Revolution model.
Disclaimer: I am a currently member of the Regal Pro Team of Fly Tiers, but I was tying on their vises for decades before coming on board with them.
The Bobbin
One of the biggest downsides to the tools you find in many fly tying kits is their overall quality. The bobbin is a simple tool that is used to hold a spool of thread and allow you to control it easily. It is also a tool that needs to be of the highest quality. Cheaply constructed bobbins often have rough edges on either end of the tubes (sometimes even inside!). These rough surfaces quickly wear down the thread causing fraying and breakage. You will be breaking plenty of thread on your own when your first starting out as you learn the breaking strengths of the various tying threads. You DON”T need any help from a poorly made bobbin! A good bobbin has ceramic inserts at BOTH ends of the tube or has highly polished surfaces. Some bobbins have tubes made entirely of ceramic material. They work extremely well but you must exercise care while using them. Drop one on a hard floor and the tube may chip or break.
Scissors
A good pair of fly tying scissors are no longer a challenge to find. When I first started fly tying, I struggled to find a sharp pair of scissors with a fine enough tip for fly tying. I cannot stress the importance of a good pair of scissors strongly enough. Your scissors should have fine tips and be sharp enough to snip a single strand of hair or feather fiber. Look for scissors with micro-serrations. Micro serrations on the blades help to keep slick materials like synthetics from slipping around in the scissors while you attempt to cut them. You can find excellent, reasonably priced scissors from companies like Dr. Slick or Loon. Although I generally discourage kits, the tool kits being produced by both companies, particularly Loon, are quite good and well worth the money. I have been recommending the various Loon Fly Tying Tool Kits for my students for a few years now and have never received an unfavorable report.
Other Tools
Another tool that would come in handy would be a half-hitch or whip finishing tool to assist in tying knots in the thread. The knots these tools create can be tied without a specialized tool's assistance, but rough skin on your hands can fray fine fly tying thread, and using one of these tools can prevent that from happening. I often apply half hitch and whip finish knots by hand because it is faster. I In the dead of winter, the time of year when I do the most fly tying, my hands are a hot mess of dry, chapped, and cracked skin, which can make tying a knot by hand damn near impossible to do without fraying or cutting the thread on the rough surface of my skin.
Other useful tools would include a bodkin, which is a needle embedded into a handle. This tool is generally used to poke, prod, and pick out materials as you apply them to the hook. A hair stacker is essential if you are going to work stiff animal hairs like deer or elk. It is used to align the tips of the hair for tie in. Another essential tool is hackle pliers, a small clamp designed to hold slippery materials like feathers. They allow you to grasp a feather without damaging and assist you in winding them around the shank of a hook.
Those are the primary tools every fly tier should start with, but as expected, there are scores of additional tools that make your fly tying easier but are not considered essential. Some are very useful, and some are more of a gimmick. When starting out, stick to the basics and add additional tools as you need them.
Is All This Really Necessary?
As a side note, I know several fly tiers that use their hands and their hands alone to tie a fly. John Geer, a friend of mine, ties great looking flies in his hands without a vise or tools! He always attracts a crowd when he demonstrates his technique at fly fishing shows. I have tried it, and it is not as difficult as it seems but a vise to solidly hold a hook and tools that assist in managing materials make the job much easier. Check out the video below if your interested see how to tie a fly in your hands with a minimum amount of tools.
The "Kit Question"
Should I buy a fly tying kit is a common question. My answer is generally NO. Most fly tying kits come with a mediocre (at best) set of fly tying tools. Finicky vises, dull scissors, and other tools of inferior quality are usually the norm. As far as the materials found in kits are concerned, they are usually of substandard quality and contain items you may never use. I recommend buying the best tools your budget will allow focusing most of that money on a quality fly tying vise and a good set of basic tools. As someone who is just starting out as a fly tier, it is hard enough dealing with the fact that you just discovered your hands have ten thumbs instead of the nimble fingers of the fly tiers you watch on YouTube. The last thing you need is to cope with is a vice that will not hold a hook securely or scissors that won't cut or whose tips are too blunt to do the close-up work needed in fly tying.
Supposing you have followed my advice, you have secured a good vise and some good quality basic tools. Where do you go from here? My recommendation is to start buying materials for a few patterns, no more than half a dozen at first. Start by purchasing high-quality materials for a few patterns and work on learning how to tie those flies. Once you mastered those patterns, pick a few more that you are interested in learning. Over a short time, you will begin accumulating a collection of fly tying materials. Right off the bat, you will notice that many patterns end up using the same materials. For example, a material like pheasant tail or peacock herl is used on many fly patterns. The material you end up buying for one fly will often be used again on others down the road.
Quality materials will behave correctly, have the desired appearance, and generally produce less waste and unusable parts. Many types of materials, such as hackle, are graded by a number system. While you may not need a #1-grade dry fly saddle, you will find that higher grades of necks have more usable feathers, and they will be of a higher quality. A commercial tier grade should get you by just fine, and it will save you a little money.
The best part about this method is that you have not purchased anything you won't use! When you buy a "Complete" fly tying kit, you are often left with materials you have no use for. Often you end up spending your money twice when you quickly grow tired of the inferior tools and finally break down and buy a good set.
Is A Kit Ever A Good Option?
Some kits are better than others. If you can find one that will work for you or if a kit is all your budget will allow, then maybe a fly tying kit is a better option than going ala carte. If you already have the tools you need, stop into your local fly shop and ask them to put a material kit together for popular patterns in your area. Chances are they will be happy to do it. We routinely put custom fly tying kits together for customers based on their individual needs. These custom kits provide individuals with high-quality materials for the exact patterns they wish to tie. We will even provide instructions or live lessons over a Zoom meeting if desired.
Are looking for a custom fly tying kit? We would be happy to help! Use the form on our Contact Us Page or shoot us an email at info@panfishonthefly.com.
Fly Tying Friday
Fly Tying Friday is going to be a regular feature here on the blog. In future articles we will dive deeper into the tools and materials involved in fly tying as well as how to set up your work space and how to store all this stuff. In addition, we will share well known and original fly patterns from our fly boxes and those of our readers. Stay Tuned!