Been mulling over taking up tying my own flies as a new years resolution !!!
Can i get some ideas for the best starter kits please ?
Dont want to break the bank after the crimbo splurge so anything around the £50-£75 mark is about as far as i can stretch.ANY VIEWS WELCOM. cheers

Cyc, don't go down the kit route. Get a vice, basic tools and basic materials and get along to the closest tying club, or fly dressing guild. Build up what yon need as you go along.

I started with a kit maybe 6 years ago now I think. Still have 60% of the bits that came with it that I have never touched.

Cheers, Mark

I think best best thing to do is get better quality tools and get a feather starter kit the feathers are poor quality But at £20 there,s plenty to keep you ocupied and give you some experiance. Better to learn on cheap materials. Good luck Alan

What type of flies do you need?

Answer this question, and then you'll know what to get. I prefer fishing rivers, and I tend to use a fairly small amount of nymph and spider patterns for this (plus a few dries). Accordingly, I tend to buy quite a limited range of materials; I still have some of the marabou I received in a kit I got for my 14th or 15th birthday, although I have used it for tying tiny wee wooly buggers.

I quickly decided to start tying my own flies (I used to obsess about rigs for carp fishing). I may not be that good but I am getting better and have confidence I will catch on my own works.

I find it very relaxing and meditative too.

Follow the advice above but don't be afraid to experiment a little, you never know what may be a suprise.

Good luck, and most of all enjoy it.

Watch Davie MacPhail or Oliver Edwards on Youtube.

Like above - don't get a kit as you'll probably get stuff you don't want/need.

If you don't join a class (they're not for everybody) then pick a few simple patterns that suit what type of fishing you do and learn to tie them before you move on.

Look to proportions like thorax to body ratio, rib spacings and ammount of hackle etc.

That said, always fish with your first flies to gain confidence - the fish couldn't give a stuff who tied them or that the body has one turn too many ribs or the hackle is a smidge too long. Your flies will be as good as any to them!!

I'm also thinking of buying some tools and materials. I still don't understand why nobody appears to sell a complete set of tools of decent enough quality (or at least, one that anyone is willing to recommend).

If I think back to what flies I actually caught fish on last season, I reckon I could have got by with:

Black gnats
Rough olives
PTNs
GRHEs
Buzzers
Hoppers
Daddies

and if I really narrowed it down:

Black gnats
Small black buzzers
Hoppers

Heed Mark's advice above, and verygneiss. Buy basic tools - a vice, some good scissors, hackle pliers. Optional (arguably) are bobbin holder and whip finish tool. I use both now, but didn't when I started. A good light is essential too (anglepoise or similar), and some decent quality hooks to tie onto. No use wasting your efforts on soft steel.

Decide what patterns you'd like to tie, and start simple. The spiders are usually a good start, eg black or black and peacock. Don't rush things, and don't be afraid to undo a tying if it's not right. Equally, don't throw one away because it's not picture perfect - it'll still catch fish.

Unless you've a good supplier in mind, look around at the various catalogues available, especially Steve Parton, who supplies a lot of materials to the trade, and does a reasonable range of budget tools.

Good luck and be warned - you'll start hoarding materials like you'd never believe.

---------- Post added at 03:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:38 PM ----------

[QUOTE=Steve Walker;604638]I'm also thinking of buying some tools and materials. I still don't understand why nobody appears to sell a complete set of tools of decent enough quality (or at least, one that anyone is willing to recommend).


Steve, Stonefly do (or did) a kit of their tools. I've never used one so am not in a position to recommend it, but it may be worth a look if you want to go the kit route. Their gear usually seems reasonable quality, and this is reflected in the price.

I've had the stonefly kit for ages, and it's well worth the investment:

Stonefly Fly Tying Tool Kit - Sportfish

There are loads of similar kits out there, as google will show you.

If you are going to get a kit, buy a really cheap pair of scissors (they don't have to be fly-tying specific) at the same time. Use these to cut tinsels, wire etc, as these materials will blunt scissors rapidly.