What to buy for a beginner?

[thetrouttickler]

I've been meaning to start tying my own flies for a while now. I've dabbled in it a little bit - I bought a beginners kit a few years ago but it soon became clear I wouldn't have any use for most of the stuff that came with it. I'm thinking about buying a few materials to get started properly, but looking online, have very little idea where to start.

A bit of background: I only really fish rivers. The flies I use are generally between size 16 and 22 although I realise I'll have to hone my skills tying a few 12s and 14s before I can progress to the micro side of things. Nymphs such as GRHE, PTN, Copper John and Zaks are what I want to fill my box up with, and dries/emergers such as Klinks, Parachute Adams, Paradun, Elk hair caddis (and CDC & Elk variant), mayflies, that sort of thing.

I think I will need the materials below, but is there anything else I will need? I've also written a few questions next to the materials. I'd be extremely grateful for any advice before I part with my cash, and I'm looking to only really buy what is essential for now.

1. Hooks - which hooks? Most seem to come with numerical/alphabetical code with no description. Any particular brand? I'm quite keen on buying barbless.

2. Thread - what size? What colour/s?

3. Copper wire - What diameter?

4. Copper/tungsten beads - what size?

5. Dubbing/fur - what material? What colour/s? Is it better to buy the box sets?

6. Material for posts - what material do you use for parachute posts?

7. Capes/hackle - this is where it gets expensive! What colour/s? What grade? What size?

8. Pheasant tail - male or female? Is it best to buy an entire tail?

9. Flashback material

10. Peacock herl

11. Elk/deer hair - which is best?

12. CDC - I like CDC. Besides natural, what colours are worth getting too? Olive, cream?

13. Lead wire

Any other suggestions welcome!

Thanks
Justin

[s fontinalis]

1. Hooks - which hooks? Most seem to come with numerical/alphabetical code with no description. Any particular brand? I'm quite keen on buying barbless.
i like Kamasan B175 or B170, there might be a barbless version, if not you can crip the barbs with a pair of pliers

2. Thread - what size? What colour/s? Start with black brown, white olive size 8/0, for 16 and smaller, 6/0 for bigger. You can use 8/0 on bigger hooks too. I'd recommend Danville flymaster 6/0, it is 70 denier.

3. Copper wire - What diameter? small

4. Copper/tungsten beads - what size? depending on hook size, you can find size differences if you look up cyclops beads on google.

5. Dubbing/fur - what material? What colour/s? Is it better to buy the box sets?, Buy a hares mask for nymphs, if you want a bunch of different colors get a dubbing selection, there's tons of variants, but possum dubbing (awesome possum) will give you very buggy nymphs, seals fur is also good. if you're doing dry flys buy superfine

6. Material for posts - what material do you use for parachute posts? z-lon or antron

7. Capes/hackle - this is where it gets expensive! What colour/s? What grade? What size? depends on what you're tying. Hen for nymphs, wets , cock for some wets and dries

8. Pheasant tail - male or female? Is it best to buy an entire tail? usually you get a couple tail feathers in a packet.

9. Flashback material

10. Peacock herl

11. Elk/deer hair - which is best? different horses for different courses. Fine deer hair for comparaduns etc, coarse for caddis flies and muddlers etc

12. CDC - I like CDC. Besides natural, what colours are worth getting too? Olive, cream? depends on the fly your tying, those colors plus dun are good

13. Lead wire

[thetrouttickler]

Thank you for your help, s fontinalis, that's made things a bit easier.

Cheers
Justin

[mot]

Phil at flytying boutique does a barbless hook very similar otherwise to the kamasan b170, would suit you for your nymphs. Its called the FTB170 on his website

[steve collyer]

1. Hooks - which hooks? Most seem to come with numerical/alphabetical code with no description. Any particular brand? I'm quite keen on buying barbless.

I'd buy Kamasan B170's for the nymphs & just de-barb them with a pair of fine-nosed pliers.
For barbless dries I use Tiemco 103 BL's

2. Thread - what size? What colour/s?

Uni-thread in 8/0
The colours you want are Rusty Brown, Olive & Black. That caters for 90%+ of anything you'll tie.

3. Copper wire - What diameter?

Fine.

4. Copper/tungsten beads - what size?

Size 16-18 = 2.4mm
Size 14-16 = 2.8mm
Size 12-14 = 3.2mm
Size 10-12 = 4.0mm

5. Dubbing/fur - what material? What colour/s? Is it better to buy the box sets?

Hare's body patch in natural & olive.
Some of the polypropylene dubbings are very good.
Seal's fur in various colours like olive & medium brown is handy to have.

6. Material for posts - what material do you use for parachute posts?

Most people use polypropylene yarn, antron or white/natural deer hair fibre.

7. Capes/hackle - this is where it gets expensive! What colour/s? What grade? What size?

This depends on the pattern you wish to tie.
I suggest getting the best quality saddles or capes you can afford within reason. Do shop around though because prices for the same quality items vary tremendously. Anything with Hebert Miner in the title should be worth it!
If I were to limit to 2 colours, Coachman Brown & Grizzly would probably be the ones I'd select.

8. Pheasant tail - male or female? Is it best to buy an entire tail?

Cock pheasant centre tails are the ones you want for your PTN's and virtually everything else, to be honest.
They should be a rich, chestnut brown, well-marked & a decent flue on the individual fibres. Some are greyish, lifeless & just look skinny in comparison with a good 'en.
Quality varies tremendously. I'd buy singly or in pairs from someone reputable, like:
Cookshill Fly Tying Materials


9. Flashback material

UTC Mirage Pearl in medium works well for size 12-16 flashback nymphs.


10. Peacock herl

Can't really go wrong with strung herl as a lifetime's supply is only a few quid.

11. Elk/deer hair - which is best?

Deer hair is usually used to flare around the shank. The Goddard Caddis & Muddler Minnow are 2 classic types of fly which utilize deer hair.
Elk hair is stiffer & better used as a winging material on certain patterns, like the Elk Hair Caddis or Stimulator, because it doesn't flair around the hook as readily as deer hair.

12. CDC - I like CDC. Besides natural, what colours are worth getting too? Olive, cream?

Yes, but natural is by far the most versatile.

13. Lead wire

Fine lead wire would be your best option although I use adhesive lead strip too.
Do an ebay search for
"golf club lead tape"
You'll be amazed at how cheap it is. It's also easy to work with.

[thetrouttickler]

Steve - thank you for your very comprehensive reply. I will now have a much better idea when I eventually buy.

Regards
Justin

[gersgraeme]

I have been lurking in the background as a potential newbie and I would like to say thanks as you have cleared up questions I have been having and researching.

Thanks and thanks to the OP

[blacklab]

Some great advice . This has anserd some of the things I was thinking of asking . Thanks .

[stevekale]

Charlie Craven's Basic Fly Tying: Modern Techniques for Flies That Catch Fish: Amazon.co.uk: Charlie Craven: 9780979346026: Books

Charlie Craven's Basic Fly Tying: Modern Techniques for Flies That Catch Fish: Amazon.co.uk: Charlie Craven: 9780979346026: Books

[eurospark]

As another noob this has helped alot, hope to get some materials in shortly

Darren.