Thinking Of Getting Into Tying

[jononfire]

I have been thinking that I would like to start tying flies. I have looked on the internet a bit at vises but I cant seem to find anything in what i would consider a price range for a beginner. Anyway i was just wondering what i could expect for initial cost. Or where i could find an inexpensive vise or any other tips for someone thinking of starting to tie.

 

 

Thanks

 

Jon

[kungfool]

I have been thinking that I would like to start tying flies. I have looked on the internet a bit at vises but I cant seem to find anything in what i would consider a price range for a beginner. Anyway i was just wondering what i could expect for initial cost. Or where i could find an inexpensive vise or any other tips for someone thinking of starting to tie.

 

 

Thanks

 

Jon

 

Started myself for about $250 at wholesale sports a number of years ago. This got me a vice, all initial tools, and the materials to tie the prince, pheasant tail, hares ear, and parachute adams in sizes 10 through 16. Also had enough to buy a plastic tub with dividers.

 

If I could give a piece of advice, spend at least $140 on the vice. My beginner sets just broke over time and didn't hold flies all that well.

 

Bass pro sells a pretty decent rotary vice for around that price.

[bhurt]

Actually Fish Tales has this vise there that is $45 soild clamp base vise, I use mine all the time, no rotery but a beginner doesn't need one anyways, that way if he deceides not to tie only really out $45. Mine has lasted me good to and abuse it in ways it wasn;t meant to be.

 

I also had a apex vise that I really like for a long time, but I deceded to pinch big sjw barbs with it and ruined it. I think the apex is like 140

[jack]

RUN !! RUN LIKE THE WIND !!

 

Seriously, don't buy a "kit". Buy individual components that suit you and your hands.

 

j

 

[cheeler]

Stop by the hook and hackle club if you want to look at a few before making a decision - and the lessons are included with a membership. The beginner's course starts Oct 14, and we meet most 2nd and 4th Wednesdays.

 

http://hookandhackleclub.org/meetings_32.html

[acurrie]

I just got my 2nd vice from Wholesale. It was $30 and it has worked great. I don't expect it to last more than 2 years, but for 30 who cares. Yeah, when you buy all the tools and materials separate you will save a lot of money vs. a tying kit. If you want to know what to buy let us know. Best way to pick materials is pick your top 10 flies and get the recipe, but there are also some "must have" items (peacock hurl, pheasant tail, certain thread colours, beads, hooks..etc etc).

 

 

Like the others have said.. Be careful! I just started like 4 months ago, and I could probably open my own fly shop with the amount of materials I have now...lol.

 

But it is very rewarding to catch fish with your own flies! (especially when it is your first cast!)

 

 

Drew

[maxwell]

like jack mentioned get the things uneed dont get a kit! get a decent vice.. a few other things and some materials and hooks too tie a few of your favorite and more simple fly patterns then build a inventory of supplies form tehre!

[jononfire]

Thanks to everyone for your help i am going to fish tales on monday so i will have a look art a vise while i am there. I had also looked at the Hook and Hackle club. Is there a meeting i can come to for free just to check it out?

 

thanks a lot im sure i will be posting plenty if i do start with more questions.

[cheeler]

Stop by any meeting to check out the club.

[Tungsten]

Find a Friend who ties and use his stuff,i found its much cheaper that way.

[Conor]

I'd recommend to go on the cheap for tools at first. That way you will not hesitate to upgrade if you decide you will be tying for the rest of your life.

 

Go big on the vise if you decide tying is for you. A top quality vise is a great tool for life. A medium quality vise is a good tool for a while, but will need replacing eventually. I've gone both ways, and I regretted the $150 vise I bought. Try out a few top brands before you decide (Renzetti, Regal, Norvise, ect).

 

If you are concerned about cost, you could stop by my house and I could get you everything you need to start (except maybe hooks) for $25-100 or so.

[SilverDoctor]

Wrote an artice on my blog about tying here. give me a pm if you need a hand.

[jonn]

I'd recommend to go on the cheap for tools at first. That way you will not hesitate to upgrade if you decide you will be tying for the rest of your life.

 

Go big on the vise if you decide tying is for you. A top quality vise is a great tool for life. A medium quality vise is a good tool for a while, but will need replacing eventually. I've gone both ways, and I regretted the $150 vise I bought. Try out a few top brands before you decide (Renzetti, Regal, Norvise, ect).

 

If you are concerned about cost, you could stop by my house and I could get you everything you need to start (except maybe hooks) for $25-100 or so.

 

I'd have to agree. Even if you don't like tying, it'll be a lot easyer to unload a higher end vise than a dollar store special. But on the other side of the coin if u do enjoy it, you'll have a vise for life.

[bhurt]

I agree and disagree with buying a high end vise.

 

For some of us a $500 vise is just something we can not afford, even though I tie roughly 4 to 5 dozen flies a week, with all the other stuff I purchase and then fly tining material I just do not have the money to afford a high end vise.

 

Would it make my life easier, most likely but as I see it, it is just something that I do not need at this time.

 

As for people starting off tieing, I know if I could afford it and bought it then after a couple of months deceded that I did not want to tie then I would be out 500 vs 150.

 

But having a high end vise when you really start tieing would diffently be a bonus.

[Conor]

aybe I am a bit harsh on the mid-quality companies, but I had bad luck going that route.

 

Also, I didn't say high end; I said high quality. Most of the best brands have budget models that are not significantly more expensive than the mid quality brands. The quality is the same/similar as their fancy models, it is just missing some bells and whistles and polishing. The Renzetti traveler, Regal Inex, HMH SX, are examples.

 

Also, used vises can be great values. I bought a full Nor-vise set up including midge jaws for $250 from some random tying forum.

 

bhurt- at 5 dozen flies a week, if you abstained from tying for a month or two, you could afford a vise that will not need replacing every few years. What do you do with all those flies, dude? lol

[bhurt]

Belive it or not but when you fish 3 or 4 times a week every week all year you tend to run short on flies, plus with all my fishin buddies I always tell them my boxes are open just make sure you leave me with at least one.

 

I always share my flies cause it brings me great pleasure in seeing people catch fish on my flies, could I charge them for it, sure, but why bother they are my fishin buddies.

 

I don't always tie that much but its a good average.

[DonAndersen]

jononfire,

 

Don't do it. Tying, while allowing you to experiment with patterns or for that matter invent things, generally takes over one room, then 2 rooms, spreads hooks on the floor, gets marabou in your salad, infestations of bugs in the woolens, causes your "friends" to constantly whine about needing more flies, skinning road kill, and in the end, doesn't save any money.

After I took an inventory of the materials for insurance purposes and it went over $25,000, I realized I had a monster by the tail. You're be better off drinking beer/chasing women and buying your flies. You'd be money ahead.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

[Guest phartknocker]

You're be better off drinking beer/chasing women and buying your flies. You'd be money ahead.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

 

Don you made me laugh.

 

While girls and beer both taste better than fish... and I love beer, yer little 0 weight can get you in way more trouble than fly tying.

 

Take a course (I'll throw Mike & Dave at Southbow out there http://www.southbow.ca/ ). it's worth every penny. Or just show up at the Calgary Show and pretend you are a kid. There's a free tying area.

 

http://www.flyfishingevents.com/

 

I enjoy tying as much as fishing, and it makes fishing better. I consider any angler who cannot tye helpless (just my logical opinion). Seriously how do you respond to a hatch... by buying Flyfisherman and fishing the same flies as everybody else? The fun sharing learning and interacting with nature are all deeply a part of tying. It is infinitely more satisfying to catch a fish on your own fly. If you are not tying you are missing out on a truly satisfying aspect of your sport.

 

Warning: tying flies is highly addictive and may effect marriage and family pets. On the other hand it goes great with beer (2nd only to pizza) and allows you to fish any time of the year in your basement.

 

Peace

RC

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

i keep the wife happy by keeping a 14v DirtDevil next to my bench. I have the one with the small head attachment so i only pick out the garbage.

[bhurt]

i keep the wife happy by keeping a 14v DirtDevil next to my bench. I have the one with the small head attachment so i only pick out the garbage.

 

I bet you tell all the ladies that.

[Nick0Danger]

Belive it or not but when you fish 3 or 4 times a week every week all year you tend to run short on flies, plus with all my fishin buddies I always tell them my boxes are open just make sure you leave me with at least one.

 

I always share my flies cause it brings me great pleasure in seeing people catch fish on my flies, could I charge them for it, sure, but why bother they are my fishin buddies.

 

I don't always tie that much but its a good average.

 

I hope your friend buy you beer at the end of a fishing trip.

[DonAndersen]

i keep the wife happy by keeping a 14v DirtDevil next to my bench. I have the one with the small head attachment so i only pick out the garbage.

 

 

Begineers - Ba' Humbug!!! A battery operated vac. Get with the real tiers!!!

 

 

I use an industrial shop vac. and still end up with feather/hair/wire trimmings in the upstairs rug.

 

catch ya'

 

 

Don

[hopdrop]

Shop Vac rules, keeps the greeblies down. Beware of hooks. I sunk a sz 4 streamer hook (fully barbed) deep into my big toe about a month ago. Had to cut my sock away, 'trim' the carpet, then force it all the way through, clip the hook point off, and pull it back out. Blood everywhere. I now pinch all barbs as soon the package gets opened.

[bhurt]

I hope your friend buy you beer at the end of a fishing trip.

 

It really doesn't matter to me, I much rather be the nice guy then the ***hole.