Best Kit?

[Madpiper]

Looking to start as it seems the cost of flies is ridiculous and I need yet another hobby. What kits are available with good quality tools, vice and tying supplies to get started. I am trying to avoid buying a "better" vice, tools ect further on down the road.

 

Thanks

[hopdrop]

Honestly, I wouldn't bother with a kit. Any of the ones I've seen are usually poor quality and include a lot of stuff you're probably not going to use. For a vice, try to find a good quality used one. If you decide you're just not into it, you can always sell it for close to what you paid. The few tools you're going to need to get started (scissors, bodkin, bobbin, ect) are actually fairly reasonable. You don't need expensive stuff to learn with, but pay the money for a quality pair of scissors (I like Dr. Slick). Decide on two or three patterns you want to tie (wooly bugger), and only buy the materials for them. Go to a good fly shop and ASK for help. All materials are not created equal, get the good ones. Try to get a good handle on the skills for those two or three patterns before you move on to different flies. The same skills are used in basically every other pattern. Youtube is your friend.

 

Just beware, it's probably not as cheap as you think to roll your own.

[gillmy]

Honestly, I wouldn't bother with a kit. Any of the ones I've seen are usually poor quality and include a lot of stuff you're probably not going to use. For a vice, try to find a good quality used one. If you decide you're just not into it, you can always sell it for close to what you paid. The few tools you're going to need to get started (scissors, bodkin, bobbin, ect) are actually fairly reasonable. You don't need expensive stuff to learn with, but pay the money for a quality pair of scissors (I like Dr. Slick). Decide on two or three patterns you want to tie (wooly bugger), and only buy the materials for them. Go to a good fly shop and ASK for help. All materials are not created equal, get the good ones. Try to get a good handle on the skills for those two or three patterns before you move on to different flies. The same skills are used in basically every other pattern. Youtube is your friend.

 

Just beware, it's probably not as cheap as you think to roll your own.

Agreed with the value part. I think the tying of flies has to be approached as a hobby and not as a money saver. I can buy great flies for $1 a piece from Icky. When you look at the cost of the materials and equipment and time - you are going to have to tie a SH1TL0AD of flies to breakeven? I would like to learn though, but only because it would be fun.

[hopdrop]

You bet. If you factor in your time, it works out to way more than a buck o' fly. Totally different catching trout on your own flies though....

[cheeler]

Fishtales has some kits (materials only) that they use for the flies they tie in their classes - they might have a couple still kicking around. Includes a smaller amount of materials that you'd find in a regular pack, and is enough to get you started.

 

If you're looking for everything individually, buy materials for flies you use alot of and won't mind tying, and when you have the basic skills look at tying things you can't get in shops or are too expensive to really stock up on.

[SilverDoctor]

Looking to start as it seems the cost of flies is ridiculous and I need yet another hobby. What kits are available with good quality tools, vice and tying supplies to get started. I am trying to avoid buying a "better" vice, tools ect further on down the road.

 

Thanks

 

It is cheaper in the long run BUT IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE FOR YOU. There is a learning curve and an investment in tools and materials. I did write an article on that a while back and I'll look for it and post it. Good way to try it out is get together with a tier, take a course or drop into the Hook and Hackle fly fishing club to have a look. You can start cheap to give it a try.

 

 

[grubas]

I saw a kit on kijiji last week someone trying too get rid of a pile of stuff worth a look..

[SilverDoctor]

Click on the blog link here or below to read my take on fly tying.

[chiasson]

Great advice from everyone.

 

I'll second that you probably won't be saving money for a while; however, you think you will be though. I let myself believe it . My thinking is like this, I personally would rather drop 40 bucks on materials which will tie many flies over a long period of time than 20 dollars on a dozen nymphs which will be gone before I know it. Investing money in fly tying is more of a long term investment; investing your time in tying is an all around investment.

 

One way all Bow river non-tyers can get into tying and save a few bucks if they care to is to tie their own wire SJWs, you can do it without a vice.

 

Also, some really good vices that won't break the bank are those made by Anvil; Anvil also makes tying scissors which look nice. I have their Atlas vice and am very happy with it. A few shops in town carry their stuff.

 

http://www.flyfishohio.com/Vise%20Review%201/Anvil_Atlas.htm

 

[newflyer]

To Echo (echo echo echo) what everyone else has said, don't think that you can save money by tying your own flies right out of the gate.

 

I wouldn't recommend a kit either. See if a friend will let you sit down at his vise and try a couple. If you like it great - next step is to buy the absolute cheapest vise you can find - crystal river or something -, a bobbin holder Don't bye fancy sissiors "borrow" the ones from your mom/wife's sewing kit. Buy only what you need to tie up some simple flies (elk hair Caddis and maybe some W. Buggers) think larger hooks (size 14 for hte EHC and size 4 or 6 for the buggers). Don't spend 80 dollars on a saddle or cape (get the "whittings 100's in the hook size you intend to practice with)

 

If you tie twenty of each and still like it pick a simple nymph (gold ribbed hair's ear or pheasent tail) and a whip finshing tools and tye twenty more.

 

If you are still happy dive in with both feet spend a small fortune and welcome to the obssesion...

 

just my thoughts...