Fly tying kit

[csoult]

Have never tied my own flies and I am thinking that I would like to start. What would everyone suggest? Kit?

 

[gfen]

Most kits are lackluster, and you will find yourself not using the materials because they're not very good, and replacing the tools as time moves on.

On the other hand, its a easy jump start. There's lots of threads, but none stickied, so you'll have to hunt a bit.

A handful of quality tools and the materials you want to tie some simple flies you use all the time is the "proper" advice.

 

[csoult]

The main reason I want to start tying is because my local shop doesn't carry my favorite fly so when I run out I have to bug my friends to tie them. I am sure that they are easy to tie but...... I don't want to be that guy.

 

[njk3395]

I started with a kit, was fine til i became decent, then everything became trash.

 

[troutpoop]

Go to You Tube and see if you can find a video of the fly you want to tie and watch the video carefully. Some of the videos are pretty good.
Then go to a good fly shop and get the tools and materials you will need and get started.
You will obviously need a vise, good scissors, bobbin, thread, etc.
Most of the videos on you tube even have a materials list at the beginning. Hopefully it's an easy first pattern.
You will get tons of help here if you run into problems.

 

[Yotrout]

Complete fly tying kit

I started with this. The book is really good with large pictures and easy to follow instructions. The tools are garbage though. The materials are easy enough to work with but are of lower quality. I had to replace the bobbin almost immedialtely because it kept cutting the thread. The whip finisher bends really easy and is getting ready to snap. The vise is flimsy and needs to be replaced. I wouldn't buy a kit. I would buy the essentials and build up.

 

[kierkan]

I started with a kit similar to the Cabelas kit and shortly replaced the entire thing. I am pretty sure the only thing I kept from it was the dubbing needle. As said above I would just by the few basic tools you need and the materials you need for the fly you want to tie and try it out.

John

 

[buffalo7]

I agree with everyone telling you not to go with a kit. Buy a good vise, it doesn't have to be expensive and a few tools you need and materials for the specific patterns you want to tie. You can can easily find recipes for almost if not all fly patterns that exist on the net or someone on this site will help you.

 

[wsender]

Haters want to hate...

I tie on the same vise that came in my kit. It's fine. Although I wish it was a rotary, I still tie some fine flies. Very rarely do I feel limited by it.

As far as tools, most you find in your kit will last and you won't 'out grow'. A bodkin is a bodkin, the none ceramic bobin holder will later be regulated to utility work, hackle pliers are hackle pliers (same can be said for a whip finisher), your kit scissors are good to learn with so you won't trash a nice pair of snips and will eventually find their way to your vest.

The materials are sub-par, but they'll be ok for learning. You don't start making steaks using Tenderloin, you start by cooking a fewer 'budget cuts' of meat. Same principle.

Buy the kit.

 

[buffalo7]

wsender wrote:
Haters want to hate...

I tie on the same vise that came in my kit. It's fine. Although I wish it was a rotary, I still tie some fine flies. Very rarely do I feel limited by it.

I think most of the ones including myself that don't care for kits are looking more at the materials. The last time this question was asked, not to long ago I posted this pic. of a tool kit that I have and can tie any fly on it that I tie on my rotory vise. It cost me $19.95 a few years back at a sport show, Cabelas has it now for $29.95. I would add a hair stacker, rotory hackle pliers, rotory whip finisher. but those three items I went years without and they aren't needed starting out. the hair stacker would come first.

If you want to start with a rotory vise, you can get a Dan Vise from Cabelas for $85.00, thats what I use and I love it, it's all black no glare no limitations and a great price.

After the tools pick out a couple flies to start with and buy the materials for them.

 

[Preamble]

Nothing wrong with a starter kit, I bought mine from Bean.
I've bought more materials but still use the vise, etc.

Some of the flies I've tied with the kit are on my blog:
http://preamble2life.blogspot.com/search/label/Fishing

 

[FrequentTyer]

I really think that the poor quality of the tools in kits is a bit overstated. Sure we all bought better as we progressed as tiers, but the materials are really the key to becoming proficient. There are a few places that put together material sets for specific flies using high quality stuff. Charlie Craven is one that I know of off the top of my head (Google Charlie Craven's flybox). In my opinion a 20-30 dollar tool kit, possibly with a vise upgrade, and a few of these material sets would be the best way to start today.