Hi all,

As fishing is not frustrating enough for me I have decided to test my patience further by having a crack at tying flies

Can anyone recomend any good starting kits / patterns / sites to get me on my way?

thanks in advance

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My Fishing Blogg:

http://northernflyfisher.blogspot.com/

Most on here say stay away from the kits as you'll end up with materials you'll never use. How about buying some Cock Pheasant tails, black tying thread and copper wire and start off with some pheasant Tail Nymphs.

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I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't.

Can only second the above, I bought a kit and havent used many of the materials in it.
Far better to buy the basic tools and get the materials required for just a few flies to start with and build your inventory as you progress onto new patterns.
Patterns to start off with would be something along the following:
buzzers, Pheasant tail nymph, hares ear, diawl bach.
Build your basic skills with a simple thread buzzer and work up from there.

There are lots of talented tyers on here only too willing to offer help and advice, just keep asking, I do.

Excellent advice from the previous posts. I decided what I wanted to tie and Grommit on here put together materials and tools for me at a great price

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Eddie
"We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation."
Voltaire

I agree with the above about avoiding kits.
Your first real decision is what vice. I use a cheap bog standard regent type vice and it does all I want, but I can see the point in buying better quality vices, although for trout flies, I'm less convinced about all singing all dancing ones. Have a look around, use the search for beginners vices on this forum then come back and ask peoples opinions on specific vices. Another issue is whether to use a pedestal or clamp. This will be partly determined by your wife's attitude to grooves gouged into the dining room table.
Eddie has suggested Grommit for advice and online purchase.
If you want to have a look at the stuff, the following have a reasonable selection of materials in our area
Ted Carter, Preston
Stockport Fly Fishing Shop
Meadow Fishery, Mickle Trafford
Fawcetts, Lancaster
There's a shop in Kendal - forgotten the name
John Norris, Penrith
McHardy, Carlisle.

Couple of things.
Two pairs of scissors. One a cheapo/old ones for cutting wire etc, one a good quality pair with a micro tip used only for delicate work.

Treat budget hooks with deep suspicion. Nothing worse than your beautifully tied work of art straightening out in a fish.

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.