The next Fly swap

[Uncle Grump]

I just got done reading the thread about the fly swap - sounds neat - am sorry I missed out - but that is good for you guys, cause I've never tied a fly in my life.

I have been reading on the subject - hoping to get in to the local G.M. store for one of their fly tying Sat. mornings....anyway -

My question is - what could I as a newbie of little or no skill at this do to participate in the next one? Pay for materials, postage....buy some?

Thanks

UG

[Roughfisher]

Uncle Grump -

Send me an email I have a few woolly buggers laying around that you could probably find a use for.

[email protected]

[Uncle Grump]

Rough

You have mail.

UG

[MNice]

UG, cabelas has a seminar on tying this Sat. from 10-1. I got a tying kit as a gift and plan on attending.

[disco]

grump, if you are interested in learning and live in the metro area, there is a fly-fishing outfitter in eden prairie that can undoubtedly start you down that road.....

i don't think i can post unsponsored links or the name of the shop or whatever on here, but they have a bunch of beginner classes for fly tying coming up in the next two months...... they also have intermediate and advanced ones for those who feel their skills are above the intro-level.....

i think you have to bring your own tools to the higher level classes.......

email me if you have any questions:

[email protected]

[Uncle Grump]

disco

I am in SE MN - work in Roch. A local retailer, the one w/ the "goose" has Sat. am fly tying sessions over the next several weeks. Am hoping to get to one or more of them as my honey-do list permits.

I've also been looking at some books - one I have now is "Fly Tying and Fishing for Panfish and Bass" by Tom Keith. It has quite a number of patterns, and some step-by-steps instructions.

I got a fly tying set for Christmas, so I have some of the tools and supplies. The biggest problem I have right now - after looking at the book is some of the terms and then getting the missing materials. Am thinking of trying some bucktail patterns first, as they look simpler (fyi - am not a trout guy).

Ya'll be prepared to bomb-barded w/ "shhhhtu-pid" questions for a while....

UG

[turiprap]

Bucktail can be sort of challenging to work with. It's relatively hard and slippery, which can make it hard to manage. Rough mentioned woolly buggers. They're great flies for beginners to tie and they are one of the deadliest flies ever developed - regardless of target species. Purchase a few 3XL streamer hooks, some black or olive medium chenille, matching strung marabou and saddle hackle and some lead wire (optional) and practice up. The recipe should be in your book. If not, a web search will set you up. Good luck.

[disco]

ditto on the woolly buggers....... they are without a doubt the easiest to tie; and even if tied in a shabby state, they still catch fish of all kinds, esp. panfish and bass.....

twas the first fly i learned.... then the hare's ear...... then the elk hair caddis...... all fairly simple and they kind of build on eachother--- learn how to get the hackle wound through with the woolly bugger, then the dubbing with the hare's ear, then combine the two with the EHC..... good luck and ask away.....

[Roughfisher]

Woolly buggers. Man do they catch fish. On woolly buggers I've caught Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Northern Pike, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Steelhead, Rock Bass, Carp, Mooneyes, Walleyes, Crappies, Sunfish, Freshwater Drum, and Perch. I have a "bugger box" just for woolly buggers. I mostly use plain brown and black, but I also tie a gray one with wild turkey marabou which can be a killer.

[Ice-9]

Hey this reminds me...In one of my other personalities I'm a Cape Cod flats guy, and the good sites out there all have fly-tying sections with some really strong step-by-step recipes, illustrated, all that (try, for example, dubya.flyfishsaltwaters.com/sbsbuffy.html, an excellent recipe to adapt for tying some really huge flies for the toothies--it's perch buffies I throw for muskies). Maybe we could get something like that going here? I've got a camera and some really good tried-and-true smallie flies from my guide days I'd be happy to put up...gives you something to do during the long cold winter.

ice

[Craig_S]

I'm a Clouser Minnow guy for the beginning tier. Easy and there's an infinite number of combinations and sizes. They work great for general lake species all the way up to big pike. I was a self learner - all from the internet. Just do a search on "Clouser Minnow". And get a variety of eyes from big lead to small bead chain.

Craig

[d.roy]

Uncle Grump - I recently dove into the world of fly tying and I can understand your situation, I was rather overwhelmed with it all myself - the terms, materials, tools, etc. Its one of those things though that you just have to jump in and learn how to swim with (and don't shy from asking questions, there's lots of good info to be had to those who ask). When I started, I picked up a book called Fly Tying Techniques and Patterns by John van Vilet. It's a full color book with detailed instructions on materials, tools, and patterns and it also has countless recipes for a varitey of types of flies (from trout, salmon, bass, panfish, to pike). I've enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any beginner or any fly tyer for that matter. You're bound to find some frustration until your hands and fingers learn some but push through it, I've found it to be enjoyable and rewarding - especially when you fool that first fish on a fly you've tied! Good luck and have fun!

BTW, I've enrolled in the intermediate fly tying class at the Eden Prairie shop - I look forward to getting in there and learning some new things!

[turiprap]

I wish that I had had the presence of mind to mention Van Vliet's book. It's one of the best there is.

Gary LaFontaine once wrote that since he taught himself to tie flies, he had an (Contact US Regarding This Word) for an instructor and an (Contact US Regarding This Word) for a student. I'm a self-taught tier myself and I concur with LaFontaine. Lessons are a great idea. They really help you cut through the fog and help you progress much faster than you will on your own. Initial encouragement and immediate progress can help keep you at it, too.

[Ice9]

I tend to the self-teaching, and it has many drawbacks. I worked with a buddy who taught me my first few flies, so I had all his quirks and bad habits, then added my own. I recommend a class on the basics, so you get those the easy way.

ice

[JP Z]

Good Flies to start on:

Wooly Bugger

Clouser

Thread Ant........about one of the easiest.

[trico]

I think the van Vliet book is overrated. If you want to buy a book to teach you how to do some basics., look into Skip Morris's The Art of Tying the Nymph. After that, look into getting both of Ross Mueller's books on fly fishing the Midwest as it contains tons of relevant patterns and how to tie them, as wella s fish htem.

If you want to get into doing some basic patterns yourslef, a bugger is a good place to start becasue if it looks crappy, it will still catch fish. Consider some basic things like pheasant tails and hare's ears as they both catch fish year round and both have the same design when you tie them. I'll give you a reminder about finishing your flies: LEAVE ENOUGH ROOM TO FINISH THE HEAD SO ALL OF YOUR MATERIALS AREN'T BUNCHED TOGETHER. Can't really tell you how many times that happened to me early on...let's just say enough.

I'll alos caution against buying a kit. There's a good variety of lots of things, but there is also a bunch of stuff you'll never use. I'd suggest getting a basic vise (Thompson comes to mind) and start to piece your bench together with materials based upon what you're interested in tying.

[so haaad]

Uncle Gump,

Before buying any books, check out your local public library. You will be surprised how many local public libraries have materials on fly tying as well as fly fishing. I remember when I lived in Winona I found one on flyfishing for CARP. As an added bonus, you may even find a few "how-to" fly tying DVD's.

[tie flyer]

Welcome to the forum Trico! Nice call on leaving room for the head. The best tying instructions tell you how much material to use relative to the hook size, "wrap a distance equal to the hook gap..."

Some good advice guys. The library is a great place. I often came home with armloads of books and paged through them like a boy looking at...uh, toy catalogues. One of my early favorites was, "The Art of Fly Tying." Not a ton of patterns, but some techniques and really good color plates. That way you can substitute for the materials you actually have. You might find yourself short on polar bear hair some day.