Fly tying can be one of the most enjoyable parts of fly fishing. Catching a nice trout on a fly that you created adds to the thrill and tends to pull you deeper into the sport of fly fishing. While they are readily available for sale pre-made in many stores and fly shops, when you take the time to tie your own, you can make the flies look even more realistic than those you can buy in a fly shop.

Fly tying isn’t as hard as it might seem.  You need to have some basic tools such as a fly tying vice, scissors, pliers, and thread.  The equipment you use can make all the difference in quality work and a blob of fur and feathers.  If you are going to take on tying your own flies, make the investment to buy good tools. The goal is to make your flies look as close to a fish’s natural food source as is possible. With that in mind, the better your tools are, the better your flies will look.

You can find supplies for tying in various places.  Start the vice, which is one of the first and most important tools you will need. The vise holds the hook in place so that you can create the fly. Cheaper vises will be harder to work with, especially when using very small hooks for tying small nymphs and midges. You will also need scissors, pliers and bobins and you will want to have on hand the following items:

* Hooks of various shapes and sizes
* Different colors and gauges of thread
* Fur from animals such as mink or fox
* Feathers from pheasants and peacocks
* Craft cement

Precision is the key to good fly tying.  You should start out with a picture of the fly you are trying to replicate.  You can find pictures of may flies, caddis flies, nymphs and other natural food sources in many places on the Internet.  Once you have a picture, just get materials that will mimic the look of the natural and try to duplicate it.

Start out by wrapping thread around your hook and then add the fur and feathers as you go securely tying them to the hook.  As you go, you will continue to add materials until you achieve the look you are going for.  Of course, there’s a little more to it than that, but that is the general idea.

You can take classes on how to tie your own flies and you can even find instructional videos online.  When you start taking an interest in fly fishing, it’s best to stick with the pre-made flies, but as you gain more experience, you will want to start experimenting around with different flies to entice the fish. There also plent of resources online that will give you plenty of imformation about fly tying.  You can find pictures of the fly, lists of materials for that pattern and the complete instruction for creating the fly.

I recommend that you start with some simple patterns and begin tying the same pattern over and over until you start getting the finished fly that you're looking for.  Probably the easiest pattern to start with is the fur bug or scud.  This is a fast easy fly pattern to tie and it will produce results for you almost anywhere you fish.  It represents a scud or nymph which is the primary diet of trout.

Tying flies for yourself can be a great way to bring you more and more into the fly fishing experience.  It certainly isn’t for everyone as you need to have a lot of patience when you are tying flies.  It doesn’t always come easy, but once you learn the basic techniques, you will probably find a new hobby that gives you some enjoyment, pride and makes you a better fly fisher!

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Like almost everything else in the fly fishing arena, there is an abundance of fly tying kits designed to attract the angler who wants to tie his own flies. They range in price (and quality) from under $50 to over $200. It's another case of what you pay is what you get.

Buying fly tying kits

A fly tying kit that falls apart after its first use is not going to enamor you of the art of tying flies. So even if this is a 'find out if I like it trial' for you, I recommend that you buy a quality beginners kit. You can always pass it along if you decide fly tying is not your favorite thing to do.

You can purchase a fly tying kit complete with tools and fly tying materials or one with just tools, or one with just materials.

Be aware that a fly tying kit does not necessarily include the tools. Look carefully at what is listed so you won't find yourself with a mass of hackles, threads and hooks but no tools.

The most important of the tools you'll use is the vise. When you purchase your fly tying kit, make sure that the included vise will firmly hold a variety of hooks, small and large.

The kit should also include a bobbin, preferably ceramic, a threader, a bodkin, and a whip finisher. I recommend that you buy the tool kit only. That's where the bulk of your money should go.

Buying fly tying materials later allows you to select those that are suitable for your fishing waters. The generic ones included in some fly tying kits are not always useful other than for practice.

The best and worst of fly tying kits

Fly tying kits are a great way for beginners to have a go at this aspect of fly fishing. They will give you a chance to see what is involved without incurring great expense.

The disadvantages of fly tying kits are that you don't have the selection of tools you have when buying by piece, and you have little choice of what is contained in the kit. The cheaper kits have cheap materials and will not last for very long.

Tying your own flies can turn into a rewarding experience. Using poor quality materials can quickly turn the experience sour. If you are going with a fly tying kit buy the best you can afford and check carefully to see that the tools included are quality ones. You'll be thankful down the road.

Fly tying patterns that should be in your tackle box

There are certain fly tying patterns that form the basic of any tackle box. They'll catch fish when nothing else is working and will substitute when you find yourself without a fly that matches the current hatch.

You can tie your own by checking out the instructions online or you can haunt your favorite fly fishing supplies store, online or in person, to purchase ready-made flies.

Attractor fly tying patterns

Royal Wulff is an attractor fly that is highly visible because of its white wings that stand up on the water. It's an attractor that fish find hard to resist.

With proper presentation and a close attention to the take, a Royal Wulff will help you catch your limit most days. Several Royal Wulffs sized 10 - 16 should have a place in
your tackle box.

The unsinkable Molly Brown of the fly fishing world is the Humpy, sometimes called the Goofus Bug. This fly is great for the beginner who has trouble seeing a fly on the water.

If you can see the fly, the fish can see it too. This is not the fly you should start on when beginning fly tying. It's fairly complicated, but it's a great attractor.

Other dry fly tying patterns

The Adams fly is a standard for the basic tackle box. It is arguably the most used dry fly in the business. The
Parachute Adams is more visible than the Adams so I use it more frequently. The Adams imitates several of the mayflies. I have a few of each size 16 - 22. I also use it with some success when nothing else seems to be working.

Elk Hair Caddis flies are a must for the dry fly tackle box. This insect is an important part of the trout's diet and having several replicas in your kit is a good idea.

A Marabou Muddler can be fished as a dry fly or a wet and this baby will tempt some of those big fish that turn their noses up at smaller offerings. Have the Marabou Muddler in your fly box in sizes 4 - 8. Fish
it a little upstream and retrieve it in small jerks that imitate the swimming patterns of minnows.

Fishing wet fly tying patterns

Woolly Buggers in sizes 4 - 8 are another essential for your fly box. I have them in several colors, but the black and dark green have worked best for me. Make sure when you are fishing this monster that it is right
down near the bottom. You can add a small weight if necessary. You might want to use a leader that's a bit thicker (2x or 3x) than you would when fishing the light dries.

If you are into tying your own flies, instructions for the fly tying patterns mentioned here can be found online, in magazines and in fly tying books.

It pays to check with your local fly fishing store for information on what's hot in your area. Your fly fishing
patterns should reflect what is working where you are

Add a couple of 'just because they look good' flies to your tackle box. You might be surprised how successful they are. A trout that has been exposed to the same fly day after day might be tempted by a change in diet.

New fly fishing patterns are being developed daily and you should give some of them a try. I do and will continue to do so, but I still keep the proven basics close at hand. Good fishing.

There is something special about seeing a fish rise to a fishing fly that you have tied for yourself. Whether it is a copy of a standard pattern, or your own design, tying flies can add another dimension to your fly fishing experience.

Tools for tying fishing flies

The vise is the most important tool used in tying fishing flies. There is a great variety to choose from but the main feature of a good vise is that it will securely hold all sizes and shapes of hooks.

A bobbin is something you will use every time you are tying flies. Some of the cheaper bobbins snag or cut the thread as you are working, a quality one should eliminate this problem. Having a few bobbins loaded with different threads is handy.

Several pairs of scissors are advisable. You'll need a heavier pair for cutting fly tying materials and a finer pair for snipping thread and lighter materials.

Hackle pliers wrap the feathers around the hook with an even tension. They also come in several sizes.

Nice to have, but not essential, are bodkins, hackle guards and whip finishers. Some fly tiers swear by them, others have tied flies for years without them. I personally like the whip finishers that make the knot at the head of the fly a whole lot more secure.

Hooks for tying fishing flies

When tying flies you first need to decide what you are planning on tying. Then you choose the correct hook for the job.

Hooks for wet flies are generally heavier than those for dries. Streamer hooks are longer and the shank is sometimes shaped to imitate the fly being tied.

Materials used in tying fishing flies

Almost anything goes when it comes to materials for tying flies. With the advent of many artificial materials on the market, it is no longer necessary to bribe the local hunter or poultry farmer for "samples" of fur and feathers.

That being said, peacock feathers and other natural materials are still the stock in trade for many a fly tying purist.

Not all fishing flies are tied to represent hatches on the river. Flies representative of insect life found along rivers banks, and stream life in general are successfully taking fish around the country.
As your expertise increases, you will be tying streamers, attractor patterns, and nymphs as well as flies that represent those found on specific waters that you fish. Often the flies that you tie for one river will be effective on another, but if the fish are hitting a particular hatch then you need to have that imitator in your fly box

An angler who is successfully tying flies usually has taken the time to look closely at the insect life around the waters he is intending to fish. He often ties a variety of colors and sizes of the same fly to match those that are tempting even the most reluctant feeder.

Tying fishing flies takes a bit of practice but the effort will seem worthwhile when you feel that first take on a fly you have tied yourself. Try it, if nothing else it will help pass the off -season hours when your only fishing time is limited to the dreams of next season's trophy.