If you think the first fly to come off of your vise is going to look like something you’d mount in a shadow box, you’re going to be pretty disappointed.
Truth be told, there are plenty of reasons why beginner fly tyers get frustrated, stall out, or give up. I have done all of those in the past 20 years. However, I really made some efforts to get this fly tying thing figured out over the past 5 years or so. I’m no expert, but I’m more proficient and happier… and my flies look better, too.
Today I share three things that have made me a better tyer. Had I known them 20 years ago, who knows where my flies would be!
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Thanks for the originally 3 things ep and this followup. I took the plunge and got an orvis kit recently. It came with plenty of materials which should keep me busy for awhile but one question I have is what tying materials are good to stock up on for the beginner? Are there certain materials that are used across a wide array of beginner (freshwater) flies? For example, the kit did not have green chenille so I plan on picking some up to make some green weenies. Keep up the great work!
Hi Alex,
That is a great question!
Here’s a brief list:
– an assortment of natural dubbing
– small feather assortments / “hackle packs” for dry flies
– bucktail for streamers
– foam sheets for terrestrials
I could go on, but that will tie you a lot of flies!
Would largely depend on what flies you have in mind that you’d like to tie… that would set you up with a list of things to purchase.
Assuming you already have all the required tools and vise… For me, a good base across the spectrum might be:
> A good supply of hare’s ear dubbing, and a full natural here’s mask.
> A standard natural color rabbit pelt.
> Australian possum in a few different colors is good. Tan, grey, cream, brown, olive.
> Muskrat fur I would consider a must.
> Red fox fur in a light creamish color
> Some rabbit dubbing selections in yellow, sulpher, orange, olive, black, brown, tan.
> Some wapsi antron sparkle dubbing in tan, clear, and dun colors.
> Some peacock color Ice dubbing,
> A bullet blender you can devote to making dubbing blends is great to have on hand.
> Ringneck pheasant tail feathers
> Peacock tail plumes – get the full ones with the eyes in large size.
> A complete natural bucktail
> Ultra thread in black, orange, brown, tan, olive, in 70 and 140 weight,
> Spool of each small, medium, and large tinsel in gold and silver
> spool each of small and medium oval gold tinsel.
> Danville prewaxed thread in 6/0 and 8/0 in black, orange, brown, tan, olive, and cahill
> Patch of Deer body hair
> Wood duck and mallard flank feathers
> Hackle necks for dry flies, nymphs, flymphs, and wet flies. Generally Roster for dry flies, and good quality hen for wet/nymph in Medium dun, Brown, black, cream, and grizzly.
> A selection of bead heads in gold. 1/8 through some smaller sizes
> Couple spools of lead wire, .015 and .020
> Some spools of fine, small, and medium COPPER and BRASS wire
> Good old mustad nymph hooks 2x standard in 10 through 18.
> Standard mustad dry fly hooks in same sizes. Maybe go down to 20.
> Some larger 4-6x long streamer hooks in sizes 6 through 10
> Some scud hooks in 10, 12, 14, 16
> A variety of medium size chenille in olives, browns, and black. Varigated black/coffee is also great.
> A skein of Jamiesons Shetland Spindrift yarn in color Oyster 290. (Utah Killer Bug is a must)
> Couple spools olive and orange floss
> A full english partridge skin.
> Head cement.
Sorry about the vast list… but the spectrum is huge! And probably a ton I left out. But my 50 years of tying flies tells me I would not want anything less to work with to produce Dries, wets, nymphs, and streamers that would work anywhere.
…wow.
I’ll send my mailing address!