Fly Tying Advice

[bigugly]

Boys and I will be starting to try tying our own flies this weekend. They will be used mainly for Steelhead but will also throw them at the Chinooks, boys have fly rods but I'm a centerpin guy.We went through so many flies last year we want to start tying our own so we can try and keep costs down and have a stockpile of our own. Would eventually like to create some of our own patterns but would like some input on what to start with. Well other than wholly buggers, egg sucking leaches and stone flies as these were our top producers last year. Thanks in advance

 

[ChromeAddict]

Try tying nuke eggs, hares ear nymphs and copper johns in size 8-10. The hares ears and copper johns are popular for steelhead.

 

[wantbrowns]

Colourful, garish streamers made for Atlantic salmon work well with steelhead and all types salmon. Plus, always great to hook 'em on a taut line

 

[fishermandan420]

Just work on the 3 that worked well for now and you can vary the colour a bit. Steeles are dumb and will hit almost anything drifted properly

 

[Shawarma]

"start tying our own so we can try and keep costs down" .. LOL. oh man. Has anyone ever saved money by taking up fly tying?

Good luck with the hobby! It's a fun activity with the boys regardless of cost

 

[rich_ace_G]

"start tying our own so we can try and keep costs down" .. LOL. oh man. Has anyone ever saved money by taking up fly tying?

Good luck with the hobby! It's a fun activity with the boys regardless of cost

I mostly just tie woolies and spider patterns.I can tie 25 woolies for the price of $8. It used to burn me bigtime but zoning in on the flies you want to use in the water, narrows it down to the flies you most likely tie that works. stingers & streamers costs a lot...

 

[[email protected]]

definitely focus on those 3, to start, you can vary to looks with tinsel and flashabou. also so many different colours to choose from as well, but focus on grey, black, olive and white for the woolies. and then definitely try out the hares ear nymph, it can be absolutely killer.

 

[trouttamer]

Kauffman stone, Montana stone, hares ear, pheasantail nymph, rubberlegs stone, Michigan wigglers, yarn flies all have a home in my boxes along with buggers and egg leeches, soft hackle flies can also be deadly at times
have fun guys

 

[bigugly]

Thanks for the responses. I'm beginning to understand it might not be a huge cost saving adventure but an adventure anyway.

 

[rich_ace_G]

Thanks for the responses. I'm beginning to understand it might not be a huge cost saving adventure but an adventure anyway.

I know some guys spend a lot on fly tying and very passionate about it. I mostly tie for personal use...i seldom venture out to try new flies but mostly just ties woolies. Olive, black & grey. I'm more into tying Bunny buggers now. I find them more effective. and saved me a lot of $$$. The most important thing is to make the flies work in the water.

 

[trouttamer]

go to reelflies.ca he has a great website with tons of different patterns to look at. for buggers and leechs I use #4 to !0 hooks, a general nymph size is from 8 to 16 although I only go to 14s and 16s in gin or pressured conditions. I tie stones as big as #4 and down to 14 with 6 to 10 been most used. look into tying on jig hooks as they floatfish very well. Also you don't need to break the bank on a vise but a rotary vise can make spinning bodies and hackle much quicker and easier.
Pm me if you guys need some more info, ive been tying for 30yrs and know a bit about it.
Darrin

 

[trouttamer]

American nymph tying manual by Randall Kauffman is an alright book on nymphs, ill dig up some others I have in storage
With nymphs its all about getting the proportions right between tail, body and thorax and head, once you get that down you can pretty much tie any nymph
tying nymphs by Randall Kauffman is another book id reccommend

 

[karolinaflies0329]

When I started tying detaild salmon flies was the way to go. Yes they are more complicated patters but if you can marry goose feathers and tie them straight, you can do any pattern. Or if you'd like small trout patterns that use minimal material but take alot of focus and patience would be a good way to practice aswell.

 

[TheTallFisherman]

go to reelflies.ca he has a great website with tons of different patterns to look at. for buggers and leechs I use #4 to !0 hooks, a general nymph size is from 8 to 16 although I only go to 14s and 16s in gin or pressured conditions. I tie stones as big as #4 and down to 14 with 6 to 10 been most used. look into tying on jig hooks as they floatfish very well. Also you don't need to break the bank on a vise but a rotary vise can make spinning bodies and hackle much quicker and easier.
Pm me if you guys need some more info, ive been tying for 30yrs and know a bit about it.
Darrin

Mr Darrin,

You said you have been doing this for a while, and I'm surprised the topic hasn't come up yet. But, if you don't mind me asking, what are some "cheaper" (or best value) places to buy fly tying materials?

Regards,

 

[[email protected]]

Mr Darrin,

You said you have been doing this for a while, and I'm surprised the topic hasn't come up yet. But, if you don't mind me asking, what are some "cheaper" (or best value) places to buy fly tying materials?

Regards,

Dollar store for some stuff, like foam for hoppers or frogs, styrofoam for popper heads Or if they have the multi strand embroidery thread for woven flies. Michaels is good as well

 

[rich_ace_G]

Dollar store for some stuff, like foam for hoppers or frogs, styrofoam for popper heads Or if they have the multi strand embroidery thread for woven flies. Michaels is good as well

Dollar store is hit and miss...Sail and tackle stores will burn your pockets...Michael's is the best place for generic floating materials and feathers. One more option is Deserres but they're more on the high end but inventory is also good.