33 replies to this topic

[grubman]

I noticed that a few of you have shown an interest in tying your own flies. I share your thrill of tying and collecting material and being creative with the bobbin in hand. My first flies look like Kamakasi bugs that flew head first into a brick wall.......lol.

Is anyone interested in joining me at Wilson's for their beginner course in Fly Tying? The course is $50 for 3 hours of instruction for a group of 8 max. I called to see when, but mostly it's held on a Saturday from 9:30-12:30pm. I'm still trying to get more details about material and tools....etc.

Let's get a group together for the Queen St. Let me know if you're interested, PM or post.

Thanks.

[grubman]

Just an update:

I talked to one of two Robs at Wilson's. All materials are supplied along with a beginner vise. You can bring and use your own vise, which I plan to do. The other Rob from the Ferus store will discuss techniques and methods. The beginning course covers the basics and wooly buggers.

Books and videos can't tell you how good your flies are. Let me know if you're interested.

EDIT: I'm trying to get a discount for us but don't expect too much......lol.

[FrequentFlyer]

this is something i'd be interested in, however, being in retail i work every saturday....

[grubman]

What days are you available? If enough of us is only available for Sunday maybe the can accomodate us.

[grubman]

EDITED DOUBLE POST: OFF is so slow. If more guys are available for Monday, I'll call and book a day. At least you show an interest. I think the minium is 3 people.

[FrequentFlyer]

i get sundays and mondays off, it'd be about 45min drive for me to get there, my boss is a fly fisherman as well, i could see if he'd be interested too

[ChaseChrome]

Probably a good idea for those wanting to learn...nothing beats spending hours and hours at the vice though...

[FishingNoob]

Probably a good idea for those wanting to learn...nothing beats spending hours and hours at the vice though...

Nice fly! Love the colour pattern on the wings. Good motivation.

[FrequentFlyer]

id love to learn how to tie my own, especially if its cheaper to tie em yourself then to buy em from someone

[BackwoodsBassr]

I have no experience tying flies but I found these videos a great introduction to the tools, techniques, and terminology:



I think there are 15 "beginner" lessons and 10 or so "intermediate",


Hope you gents have a good time!

[grubman]

id love to learn how to tie my own, especially if its cheaper to tie em yourself then to buy em from someone

No not cheaper by any means. It's much more expensive and time consuming. The joy comes from doing it yourself, being creative and catching a fish on a known pattern or from your own vision. A decent vise alone is $60 and up, some might say $80. That's alot of flies from Reelflies.ca, so economics should not be your only reason. I don't want to discourage you or anything like that, I'm just telling you the facts, plain and simple. I already have over $400 worth of tying material but still feel like a beginner b/c I stopped and now want to do it again.

So for $50 you atleast get to taste it to see if it's your cup of tea.

[FrequentFlyer]

No not cheaper by any means. It's much more expensive and time consuming. The joy comes from doing it yourself, being creative and catching a fish on a known pattern or from your own vision. A decent vise alone is $60 and up, some might say $80. That's alot of flies from Reelflies.ca, so economics should not be your only reason. I don't want to discourage you or anything like that, I'm just telling you the facts, plain and simple. I already have over $400 worth of tying material but still feel like a beginner b/c I stopped and now want to do it again.

So for $50 you atleast get to taste it to see if it's your cup of tea.

theres a start up cost to everything, so im not talking that, i mean how much material (including hooks) can you buy for x amount, how many flies can you make from that amount vs buying them already tied,time i have lots of, especially in the winter and week nights, since i don't ice fish

[grubman]

Orvis's book on fly tying admits that it is cheaper to buy then to tie your own. Just google, "fly tying station" and click on images. There you'll see simple to elaborate to the professional tyer's station. Most material is not too expensive but are you going to just tie one or two flies and only get the material for them? Then it could be cheaper for you to tie your own.

For trout flies here is a list of their diet:
1. Chironomid
2. Tricoptera
3. Ephemeroptera
4. Megaloptera
5. Plecoptera
6. Corxia
7. Daphnia
8. Shrimp
9. Snails
10. Tadpole

You don't have to tie 5 sizes of all or even 1 of all. This is the dilemma I run into all the time when a recipe calls for the one material I don't currently have. Do I substitute it and with what?

I used to buy bulk packs of hooks from Angling Specialties, 50 per box. I still have lots and the material goes along way so it's really hard to say or break down this fly cost me this much and that one cost me more. It's a general consensus that buying is cheaper then tying. It's a hobby and not many hobbies will give you a return on your investment, unless you make it into a business. If that's your plan then best you talk to someone who is a self employed professional fly tyer, I can't help you on that.

[mauro]

No not cheaper by any means. It's much more expensive and time consuming. The joy comes from doing it yourself, being creative and catching a fish on a known pattern or from your own vision. A decent vise alone is $60 and up, some might say $80. That's alot of flies from Reelflies.ca, so economics should not be your only reason. I don't want to discourage you or anything like that, I'm just telling you the facts, plain and simple. I already have over $400 worth of tying material but still feel like a beginner b/c I stopped and now want to do it again.

So for $50 you atleast get to taste it to see if it's your cup of tea.

i agree its not necessarily cheaper with some flies going for like a buck each. But many times you cant buy what you want... specific hatch happening one night and you go home and tie yourself a few flies to match what is going on and go out the next night and catch a bunch of fish... that's the fun for me. experimenting with styles on different water as well sparse tied flies vs full in different water conditions, size of wing vs hook size etc... etc...

I would say it depends more on how much you want to get into experimenting and discovering that stuff yourself, if you do then tie your own. if you go out a couple of times a year for a certain species in a given location, then you may be better off buying.

just my thoughts on this, YMMV.

[grubman]

Thanks Mauro, well said. I think fly tying has it's own misconceptions just like many other past times/ hobbies. It's not just for trout, there's bass, pike, salmon, maybe carp flies. For each species you'll be needing different material. With that being said you'll amass material that is common for some patterns and some material that is specific for others.

I haven't used my fly in the summer for bass or pike, but plan to this year. Most of my material is for trout, but the same material can be used for pansies. I'd only need a few more items in order to tie up bass flies: bigger hooks, bucktail for jigs and streamers, heavier thread. So can I break down how much tying one bass fly is gonna cost when I have some of the material, probably not. Maybe just a rough cost. But realistically, I might use 10" of thread for a bass fly, the spool is $1.50 for 50m.........so there's about $0.0076 worth in just thread. You get the idea.

I'd be a happy camper if any bass hit a fly I tied, partly b/c I know I tied it and partly b/c my fly is one of a kind. Now the biggest thrill is to come up with a unique new fly that catches bass better then what's currently available or a well known pattern. That is what you can't do with store bought flies, creating something new and effective.

[grubman]

Ok I booked this Sat for 4, still room for a few more if anyone is interested. It's $50 per person, someone was confused thinking it was $50 for a group......lol.

[FrequentFlyer]

won't be able to do saturday unfortunately, work and all

[grubman]

NP. If you, your boss can find a third guy then they might do a Monday for you guys. All they need is 3 people. Call them to see if they'd do a Monday for ya and see if they'd even do it later in the day. Sorry I forgot to ask them for you, but 3 is the minimum to hold a course. They have to send the guy out from Fergus to make it worth while.

Keep practicing at home tho, I plan on swamping the guy with questions.......lol. He's gonnna hate me......

[grubman]

Just a heads up.

Even if you're not interested in the course, Wilson's is having a 20% off all tying materials. I'm not sure if that'll include tools and kits. You can call to find out. Toronto 416 869 3474, Fergus 519 787 3474

[Graham Bristow]

Something else to consider if you cant make it out to Wilson's tying event but want to learn fly tying or talk to some really good fly tiers... these 2 shows are coming up soon and would be good to get some instruction on tying flies.

I was a presenting tier at the Winter hatches Symposium last year and it was a good event and really enjoyed it. Winter Hatches Symposium

Or there is a bunch of really good fly tiers going to be at the Toronto Sportsman show where the Izaak Walton Fly fishing Forum is being held.. Stop by my booth and say hi... IWFF Fly Fishing Forum..

Graham,