| So you've decided to take up Fly Tying to cut down on Fly
expenses and get the complete satisfaction of catching fish on your own
patterns; That's wonderful! I started tying flies because I was annoyed at
paying $1.50 for a San Juan Worm which takes 30 seconds to tie and about
$0.15 in materials. I am sorry to say that the initial cost of Fly Tying
equipment is NOT cheap but you need to look at it as a long-term
investment where down the road you will be saving money.
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Essential Tools |
A Good Vise |
| A good vise is important for any Fly Tyer so you need to purchase one that will hold up and serve your Fly Tying needs. There are a plethora of choices in this department some that are very basic in nature and others that have all the bells and whistles. Depending on the patterns you will generally be tying, I.E. Salt Water, Fresh Water Lake/River...etc.. Small nymphs, Streamers, Hoppers..., it is necessary to pick a vise that can accommodate different hook sizes. Vises such as the Thompson series have a very generic jaw offering little in the way of fine-tuning, so hook sizes in the 8-16 range are it's primary target. Vises such as the Renzetti Series offer either Cam or Knob control so the the jaw may be fine tuned accordingly thus offering a much broader range in hook size. |
| Another feature to look for in a vise is a rotating jaw. The new rotary systems are a real time saver when used properly and can add a more gentle approach in wrapping brittle hackle and tinsel. Dyna King and Renzetti offer the Rotary System, the Thompson Series does not. |
| The last feature to look at is how the vise is mounted to your tying space, be it a table in your den or a stump alongside a river bank. There are currently two methods of mounting your vise : C-Clamp or Base Mounts. For Tyers that will generally be tying in a designated room of their houses, a Base Mount should work nicely, but for those of use who rarely tie the EXACT pattern we need and bring our vise with us then a C-Clamp style is the way to go. I've been on the North Fork of the Blackfoot in the Bob Marshall Wilderness when a giant hatch of gray drakes was coming off. I, of course, had a fly box chalk-full of Green Drakes that the trout refused to substitute for food. Luckily, I had packed my Renzetti Traveler, clamped it to a tree branch and whipped out a few extended bodied gray drakes to "match-the-hatch". |
Sharp Scissors |
| Nothing can be more annoying than having a dull pair of scissors at the fly tying bench. A good pair of sharp scissors is vital to decreasing stress while increasing the "Zen" of fly tying. The length of the scissors is purely the preference of the tyer, I prefer short scissors so that I can keep them in my hand while I tie. Longer scissors come in handy when you need to trim thread and materials close to the hook shank while avoiding other protruding materials such as hackle wraps. A fine point is another key component in accomplishing a clean cut. The Thompson Scissors are my recommendation in this department. They are very sharp with a fine point and, if used properly, last forever. Other brands such as the Griffin All-Purpose and Angler's Accessories scissors work well but are not as precise as the Thompson model. |
A Well Rounded Bobbin |
| The most important features of a bobbin are how it stores your thread spool and how it handles the thread through the thread tube. Many bobbins are lined with a ceramic housing in the thread tube which, compared to non-ceramic, allows for a smooth transition between the end of the thread tube and the thread. Non-Ceramic bobbins can be a serious nuisance if you are not careful with them. They generally have an abrupt edge that can sever or fray your thread and can have you pulling your hair out during a fly tying session. |
| Thread storage is not a major factor in selecting a bobbin but it can make a difference. Most bobbins have a generic thread storage system where you stretch the metal clasps to accommodate the thread spool. My only gripe with this system is that to adjust the tension you need to stretch the metal constantly. The Griffin Super Magnum Bobin offers an adjustable thread tension system that solves this dilemma. Overall I would suggest the GRIFFIN CERAMIC SUPREME , it has a ceramic tube, it's long and easy to work with and though it is not adjustable I have not had many problems with it. |
Non-Essential Tools (But Highly Recommended) |
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| Whip Finisher | Hair Stacker | Hair Packer | Threader |
| Hackle Pliers | Bodkin | Trimming Collector | Head Cement |
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Discount Fishing Tackle Inc. Denver, Colorado |
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Copyright 2000 Brian Golub. All Rights Reserved.
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