After enjoying a couple of outings fly fishing this year I would like to have a bash at tying my own flies. Would a kit with all the materials and tools be a good idea for a beginner, allowing me to upgrade the hardware later if i enjoy it? I would probably have about £50 to spend initialy and would be tying flys for small reservoir and lake work. Cheers for any advice.
Sheepy.

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Sheepy,imho leave the kits alone,you will probably get stuff you may never use.Plenty of vice/tool sets around though.Take a look at www.fish4ituk.co.uk
He is very good,used the guy since starting around a year and a half ago myself.Ebay also has loads of materials on offer.Think about what flies you WILL actually want to use and buy accordingly.
It is nice to catch on your own creations and it is addictive

Sheepy, Chuby is right, I started fly tying a couple of months ago with a starter kit and in my opinion an absolute waste of money. Pretty much all I use from the kit is the vice and tools with all the flies I tie being made from different bits and pieces I purchase at the fisheries I visit or indeed, EBAY is definitely the way to go. Have fun and enjoy!!

You'll also find some useful stuff on this section of TackleBargains.

Elton-assume it was ok me putting a link in to fish4it!!!!!

Oh sheepy,you may well find yourself hanging around the nail varnish shelves at Tesco's etc-looking for Sally Hansen's hard as nails if you get funny looks,just say in your deepest voice-i'm looking for varnish/hardener for my flies
take a look in the haberdashery shops as well-amazing what you can come up with Beads,wire's,threads etc etc feathers as well sometimes.If you want bead chain eyes,look no further than B and Q.Good selection and far cheaper than anywhere else.Buy it by the metre,will last you ages.

This post has been edited by chuby: Oct 5 2007, 06:28 PM

Sheepy
You could also try craft shops as well. I got some half decent wire and goldhead beads from the card making section of the range. You can also pick up things like eyes for damsils. You've just got to think a little out side the box to make it work .
squibs

The only thing I would add is ,be careful if you use fur and feathers from shooting friends.
It can be a good source of material but it must be well cleaned and kept in crushed moth balls or something similar to get rid of the "beasties" and keep it sepparate as well.
ps be careful when you crush the moth's ball's

I have been thinking about trying my hand at tying also, could someone give me a list of the things I should be getting. Which tools and materials etc.

Cheers
Stephen

This months (november) Trout Fisherman mag has a fantastic article on this very topic.

Seems to be aimed at the first timer

Very soon we will be including an article or section on flytying here on AnglersNet, here is an abridged version of the tools and materials portion....


Tools

Bobbin Holder
This useful tool holds the reel of tying thread secure, and ensures that only the amount of thread you require is used. When selecting hackles or other materials for tying in, the bobbin holder can be left to hang loose, the weight normally being sufficient to prevent any tied in material from coming loose

Dubbing Needle
This tool can be simply made by pushing the blunt end of a medium-sized sewing needle into a wine cork. You will find it useful for separating wing slips, applying varnish, picking out strands on dubbed bodies and freeing fibres trapped by the tying thread.

Hackle Pliers
These sprung pliers are mainly used (as their name implies) for holding the delicate hackle feathers when winding them onto the fly, but they are also useful for holding tinsel, ribbing and other loose materials. Before buying, check the jaws for any rough edges, which may cut into the hackle feather.

Mothballs
Used for keeping your materials pest-free.

Scissors
A pair of good quality scissors is a must. Choose a pointed pair rather than round nosed ones, as you will often have to cut thread, feathers etc in very confined spaces. Poor quality scissors may not cut through on the first attempt, possibly damaging the material, which may then need to be replaced.

Tweezers
Choose a set of thin, long tweezers of high quality, you will find them useful for handling tiny amounts of fur and for freeing trapped hackle fibres. Cheap tweezers may not grip properly, resulting in lost or damaged materials.

Vice
There are several varieties of vice on the market, but the commonest design consists of a base unit which clamps to the bench top, a vertical column which can be adjusted for height, and a lever-operated clamp in which the hook is placed. Before buying your vice, make sure that it holds the hooks firmly and without damaging the point or the bend.

Wax
Before you start tying the fly, you will almost certainly have to wax the thread first. Some thread comes pre-waxed, but I've found that it is best to apply more before you start. Angling shops that sell fly-tying materials will sell small wax blocks, but you can easily make your own. Get a lump of wax about the size of a golf ball, and an equal amount of white cobblers' wax. Place them in a glass bowl and place that into a pan of boiling water (make sure that the bowl is heat resistant) until both have completely melted. Stir the liquid thoroughly and pour into molds, I find the plastic film containers for 35mm film more than adequate, 3 or 4 will do for the amounts given above.



Suggested Materials

Chenille
Black; green; iron blue dun; grey; red; brown.

Dubbing
Cinnamon; pink; brown; yellow; ginger; grey; green; white.

Floss
Black; red; white; grey.

Hair & Fur
White deer hair; dark deer hair; red squirrel tail; black squirrel tail; white calf tail.

Hackle feathers
Black; brown; ginger; hot orange; grizzly. Choose a selection of hen (for wet flies) and cock (for dry flies).

Other feathers
Golden pheasant tippet; Golden pheasant crest; Teal flank; bronze mallard flank; Blue jay; guinea fowl; wood duck; Blackbird wing; Peacock sword; red ibis substitute; Mallard wing; Partridge tail; hen pheasant tail; starling wing;

Ribbing
Fine gold wire; fine silver wire.

Tinsel
Narrow/wide gold and silver flat tinsel, oval gold and silver tinsel, round gold and silver tinsel (flat tinsel can also be bought with an embossed pattern on it, which may be more attractive to the fish).

Tying thread
Black; yellow; orange; brown.

Wool
Black; green; grey; red; brown.

Varnish
Clear; black; yellow; red; orange.