The Tyer Fly Introduction To Fly Tying

Why tie flies? The reasons can be numerous. In my case I had tied flies for many years, but when I started to enter competitions, the need to be able to tie flies myself became more of a priority. Whatever your reason for taking up fly tying, it pays to research and plan a little.

Following is a list of equipment and materials; you don’t need everything to start, but some things are essential items.

By far the most important purchase you make is a tying vice. Prices vary, as do quality and features. The purpose of a vice is to hold the hook while you tie the fly, so the jaws must be able to hold the hook securely. There is nothing more frustrating than having a hook move when you’re pulling a thread tight, or a hook popping out of the jaws just as you’re about to finish the fly, ruining your work.

Consider the types of flies you plan or may tie, can the jaws accommodate the sizes of hooks you will use? Jaw action (lever, screw tightening or spring action) also is significant, and is portability important to you? Do you plan to take your vice on trips?

Do you need a pedestal or a C-clamp (or perhaps you need both), and does your vice need to be rotary or stationary (the only real advantage to a stationary is they are generally cheaper)? There are right and left handed versions to choose from, and are there accessories and spare parts available? Can the jaws be replaced?

As far as price goes, generally you get what you pay for. Opting for a cheaper vice because you are unsure if fly tying will be for you can be a false economy. If you don’t continue with fly tying, it may leave you with a vice with little resale value. If you continue of your journey in fly tying, you will probably need to buy another vice. It is very much a matter of personal choice, but I would always opt for a rotary vice; the advantages it offers far outweigh the additional cost.

Probably the most essential part of the fly tyer’s kit is the vice. It’s worth doing some research to find a model that best suits your needs.

At this stage you might not really know what you need, so do some research before you buy anything. What are the limitations of the various models? Ask fellow fishers (preferably those who tie flies). Check reviews, and don’t just look at one opinion. Look at fly tying videos, as they are a great way of seeing a variety of vices and how they are used, as well as gaining valuable fly tying knowledge, tips and tricks.

Many will argue that scissors are the most important piece of fly tying equipment. I would agree with this statement and always buy the best, but as a vice is going to cost considerably more than a pair of scissors, I put the vice first in my list. Number one rule is don’t buy cheap stuff. Fly tying scissors are generally made specifically for the job. They should be fine and sharp enough to cut without pulling on materials. Ensure the points are sharp and meet properly.

The only thing better than a good pair of scissors is two pairs of scissors. Use your second pair for cutting tougher materials. Never use the finer bladed scissors for cutting wire or tinsel, as you will quickly blunt the edge and ruin them. Most tyers tend to demote scissors as they get old and worn, using them to cut wire and other tough materials and always keeping the newest and best for the finer work. Many tyers use a scalpel or craft knife to cut thread and some modern threads need to be cut with such knives, but more of this later. Let’s keep to the basics.

The designs of bobbins are countless, as is the price. To start with, a simple basic bobbin will suffice, preferably ceramic lined, as this will help safeguard against thread breakages. This shouldn’t break the bank and will certainly help stop the frustration of a broken thread when in the middle of a pattern. Consider a bobbin threader to save time and patience when threading the bobbin. These are relatively inexpensive and often come with the half hitch tool at the other end; two tools for the price of one. How good is that!

Lead wire can be used to add a little more weight to you fly if required. Coloured wire and tinsel are ideal for creating ribs.

This versatile tool does numerous jobs, such as teasing dubbing to give the perfect ‘buggy’ look to your nymph, splitting thread to add feathers or dubbing to spin-up, or applying precise amounts of glue or varnish with accuracy. You will find so many uses for a dubbing needle, that often you end up with several. There are many designs commercially available, and again some include a half hitch tool at the other end. You can even make your own using a darning needle and a cork by simply gluing the eye end of the needle into the cork.

This is used to spin dubbing loops containing feather or fur to make dubbing threads or hackle collars. Generally, a dubbing twister has two hooks to hold the thread loop and a weight at the bottom, which is spun to twist the threads. There are numerous uses for dubbing loops, which we will cover in more detail in the future. For now, it’s probably sufficient to understand the basic use and research the numerous designs available.

The finishing of a fly requires the thread to be secured so it doesn’t unravel. Many tyers do this using their fingers, either as a whip finish or using several half hitches. There are tools to perform each of these finishes, and in the case of whip finishes, there are numerous different designs.

This is used to align the tips of hair such as deer hair, bucktail and the like. The hair is placed in the stacker, tips first, and the tool is tapped on a hard surface. The tips of the hair should fall to the same level, producing a bunch of hairs to use for wings, tails and the like.

These are handy to securely hold a hackle to enable winding the hackle around the hook. Hackle pliers can also be used to hold and wind other body materials. There are various designs available, but choose one that has smooth jaws that won’t damage or break the delicate hackle stem, and ensure the spung arms are strong enough to hold the material, but not so strong that they are difficult to operate.

A good light will make the whole process less tiring for your eyes and provide good vision for the task. Many options are available from various craft or needlework shops. Some have the addition of a magnifier to further assist those needing a bit more help.

There are several other handy bits and pieces, including Velcro, toothbrush and other small brushes to brush out dubbing. Tweezers are useful to pick up and hold small things such as hooks and beads. Fine tipped pliers for flattening barbs on hooks also are handy.

The following is a brief overview of some of the materials used in fly tying. More details will follow in future articles. Don’t think you have to buy everything at once. Start small, pick one or two fly patterns and get materials to tie. As you expand the patterns you tie, expand the materials you have to suit.

The range of hooks available is almost endless. Try to keep things simple to begin with. Hooks are categorised as barbed or barbless. Within these categories, there are hooks designed for lots of different applications. Dry fly, wet fly, nymph and streamer hooks are the main types, and there are other types for specialised applications.

These can be made of different materials, including glass, plastic, brass and tungsten. Some are used to add colour or sparkle to the fly, while others are used to add colour and weight. While most are round, there are some coneshaped or dumbbell-shaped versions too.

All sorts of feathers from all sorts of birds are used throughout fly tying.

Wing quills are sourced from ducks, geese and turkeys, and are used on wet, dry and nymph flies. Biots found on the short side of a primary feather, generally from goose or turkey wing quill, can be used to form bodies, tails or legs of nymphs.

A variety of feathers offers endless possibilities for tying flies.

The world of hackles has changed over the years, and now the quality and range of colours available provide the tyer with endless possibilities. Available as either capes or saddles and from either cocks or hens, they can be used for either wet or dry flies as hackles or tails.

Marabou is a soft, fluffy feather originally that came from the marabou stork, but now it is obtained from turkeys. The soft fibres are the basis of many streamer patterns and provide movement to imitate, amongst other things, bait fish or leeches.

It is available in a multitude of colours and can be found in craft or needlework shops, as well as from fly tying shops.

The partridge is the most available source of gamebird feathers, which are used for hackles, legs and wing cases. Partridge is one of the most useful feathers in fly tying. However, feathers from quail, pheasant, grouse, woodcock and most other gamebirds will give wonderfully speckled feathers. Feathers from starlings and the like are also useful.

When the fibres of the feathers from a pheasant tail are wound on a hook to make a nymph or dry fly body, the result shows just how important these feathers are to a fly tyer. Pheasant tail nymphs form the basis of most river anglers’ nymph boxes. Used as tails and wing cases, pheasant tail is truly a staple to any fly tyers’ arsenal.

Duck feathers provide materials for wings on many dry and wet flies. The speckles on duck feathers make excellent legs and tails on nymphs. While duck feathers have been replaced by hair and synthetics in many patterns, the markings on a black duck feather make it one of my favourite feathers.

Cul de canard are feathers from a duck and, contrary to popular belief, these feathers come from the back of the duck around the preen-gland. While the feathers are from this very oily area, the feathers you buy are actually cleaned so do not contain the oil. The floating properties of these feathers is attributable to the structure of the feather, which traps pockets of air and not oil. CDC is generally regarded as being used for dry flies, however its use on nymphs and wet flies should not be underestimated. The fine fibres provide wonderful movement under water and are a must on many river nymphs.

Peacock is another staple on the fly tyer’s desk. The herl is used to make bodies of so many patterns, and stripped quills from the eye of the feather provide perfectly segmented body markings for dry flies. Some patterns call for peacock sword feathers from the side of the tail.

There is a vast array of hair and fur used for endless different fly patterns. Various breeds of deer provide different qualities of fur. Animals such as deer, elk, antelope, moose, Arctic fox, calf and squirrel all provide fur from the body and or tails, with a multitude of uses. Many of these are available in both natural and dyed colours. Whether it’s deer hair for a caddis wing or bucktail used for streamers, the world of hair and fur needs a whole article of its own.

Assorted hair and fur can be used for zonkers, wings and so much more.

Whether rabbit, hare, muskrat, possum, or even your pet cat or dog, dubbing holds the key to buggy bodies on your nymphs or the perfectly tapered body of a spinner. The range of synthetic materials only adds to the wonders of dubbing. Blending natural fur and synthetics adds sparkle, even UV properties, to provide another dimension. The range of colours, from natural to dyes to match any insect, or even to be like nothing on earth, adds to the variations available to the fly tyer.

Vast array of dubbing materials whether natural or synthetic provide the basis of countless bodies.

Threads are used to secure materials to hooks, build neat heads and even bodies of flies. Once upon a time, threads were made of silk, but silk rots. The introduction of manmade threads has provided a longer lasting material with a range of colours and sizes to suit every fly tying need, from the tiniest dry fly to the largest saltwater flies. Thread sizes are measured as denier; threads from 3/0 to 10/0 are generally the most popular sizes, and while the difference between 6/0 and 8/0 may not be absolutely crucial for a particular size of fly or pattern, consideration should be given to the balance between relative strengths and the bulk associated with the thicker threads.

The higher the number, the thinner the thread. More turns with thinner thread will hold materials better than fewer turns with thicker thread. Thinner thread usually means a weaker thread, although some modern threads are significantly stronger, so thinner threads can be used with greater confidence of strength.

Used to wind bodies, floss is thicker than thread and because it absorbs water, it is generally used on wet flies. It can also be used as tails, wings or posts. Wool and yarns can be used in a similar manner to floss. For example, antron yarn is used as the basis of Muz Wilsons BMS, its inclusion providing a unique sparkle to the fly.

Tinsels and wire are used as a rib to reinforce the fly, helping to extend its life by keeping the materials on the hook longer. These materials are also used to add segmentations, sparkle or colour to the fly. Some wires are used to add weight to flies. Copper wire can be used under the dressing to add weight, but usually a lead substitute wire is used, as it is significantly heavier.

Sythetic tinsels provide added flash to tails or ribs.

Synthetic materials, such as krystal flash, flashabou and lite bright, are used to add sparkle to tails and bodies. These materials have several applications, including legs, wings and ribs. The range of these materials is ever expanding as is their uses.

Adding wax to your thread as you tie a fly has a number of effects. The main result is greater grip on materials, meaning more secure tying. Adding wax to a thread helps dubbing stick to it. Wax also adds a certain amount of waterproofing to the thread.

The science of glues and varnishes used in fly tying has changed significantly over the years. We have moved from glues that take several minutes or even hours to dry to super glues that bond in seconds. Resins set by use of UV light are used extensively to secure threads and bond the heads of flies, as well as coating bodies. Varnish is still used by many tyers. Some make their own, while others depend on commercially produced products. Most tyers now use a combination of glues and resins, depending on what they are tying.

In the coming issues, I’ll cover more how tos, tips and tricks to help you on your journey into the wonderful world of tying flies.

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