Why Try Tying Fishing Flies?

''Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple'' Book by Skip Morris
Price: $19.95
Learn to tie flies from an expert! In his book ''Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple, '' Skip Morris gives step-by-step instructions on how to tie flies and how to overcome difficulties. More than 220 color photographs provide accurate guides for almost any pattern. Morris covers dries, wets, streamers, nymphs and more. 80 pages. Makes a great gift for any fly fisherman!

 

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.