Advice on flies and tying equipment

[Weible1]

Hey guys I am looking for some info on what flies I should be stocking up on. I am just starting to learn how to nymph so I need to know what patterns I should be getting. I fish the LeTort, and most of the famous streams in CV and the state college area, so any flies you do well on please feel free to share. I have gained interest in tying flies. I really don't know where to begin. I was considering purchasing a kit from basspro or cabelas, but I really don't know what to look for. Please feel free to chime in, and please teach me. Ever since I joined the forum I have done nothing but learned and it is great. I am always looking for some fishing buddies. Thank you for all in advance! ... I am young and like to waste money if that makes a difference

 

[troutpoop]

There are some fly fishing shows coming to the area in the next few weeks. You may enjoy going to one of those, you will certainly be able to waste plenty of money there.
As far as a kit I believe you will get a bunch of advice Not to get a kit. Its usually crappy equipment with substandard materials. Buy a nice vice, good scissors and other assorted tools.

For flies I would pick out a few nymphs that can be used all over like pheasant tails and hare's ears.
Then find a class. Bass pro has free ones in the winters and there are a bunch of videos on you tube. I like the Davie McPhail videos and Tying with Hans for some easy patterns.
A class will give you the basics and from there I learn with the laptop propped near the vice with the videos running, and pausing

 

[quillfly]

pheasent tails with and without beads. sizes 12-24
scuds tan olive 12-20
cress bugs (you can some times get away with scuds)14-22
brown nymphs (look similar to pheasent tails.)
march brown nymphs(12-16)
hares ear nymphs in dark tan light tan black and olive 8-22
black stone(big to 16) (the black hare nymphs are generics but sometimes you need better not the montana stone )
golden stone woven (12-16)
green weenies (12-14)
caddis imitations Geronf has an awsome one
sculpins black olive light olive (8-14)
wooly bugger (8-14 ) every color under the sun but olive black white yellows work good
micky finn streamer 8-12
see next post for tying stuff

 

[quillfly]

tying stuff. a kit will get you into the game but you would be better served to purchase the stuff separate as you will get a lot of stuff that you will never use and be missing the stuff you really want. for a vice a good investment is a peak or anvil not necessarly rotating as you wont need it for a while. a bobbins black white and olive threads in 70 deneir . whip finish tool . a good set of scissiors and a lesser quality pair for wire and such . the best dubbing brush i have ever had is a bronze rifle cleaning brush. and a large needle will work for a bodkin. as for hooks and materials. saber hooks are a relativly good buy the quality is decent . the best way to tie is one pattern at a time so figure out the first five patterns you want to start with then get the materials to do those patterns then get the stuff for the next set of patterns . tie at least a dozen of each pattern gaining more with each. the first fly for most people is the green weenie easy catches fish then wooly bugger and hare ear then mabe the micky finn foam terrestrials, elk hair caddis ,adams , the tools are for the most part relitivly inexpensive and the vice will hold value pretty well if its quality so if after a few patterns you decide its not for you . you will probably be able to get most of your money back.

 

[boychick]

I started out with Cabela's Deluxe Tool Kit with Case. (I tired to post a link, but it didn't take you to the vice, just to cabela's home page) It's a very basic vice and the tools are not the greatest, but you got everythig you need but materials for $50. I used the vice for 6 years before getting a better vice and I still uise all the tools. Gets the job done for cheap.

 

[CRB]

Here is a book for you
" Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple", by Skip Morris
Nice book, made it easier for me.

 

[mrchunk]

I have to agree on not going in the kit direction with one notable exception. I did a lot of looking at these over the years and never did find one I particularly liked. I'm generally not one to pimp a particular place but check out Madision River Fish Co's pro tyers kits:
http://www.mrfc.com/MadisonRiverShopping/SearchResult.aspx

You basically get everything you need to get started plus you get to pick the vice. I got this for Xmas this year with the Renz Traveller and have not had to go buy anything else with a few exceptions (zap a gap and some chenille for winter worms). The toolset is first rate and the materials are very nice and not skimpy. HTH!

 

[mcwillja]

CRB wrote:
Here is a book for you
" Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple", by Skip Morris
Nice book, made it easier for me.

Me too. I recommend this book also.

 

[Stogie26]

San juan worms and crystal meth. Very effective and very simple flies to tie. For san juan just ultra chenille, i like orange and pink, and red thread. For crystal meth tinsel chenille and read thread. I tied up about twenty of each yesterday.