Hi Chaps,

I am reaching the stage where I would like to start tying my own flies...perhaps starting with buzzers etc. ( I am finding 50p-£1 per fly a little too much)

I would like to know where is the best place to buy a kit from?

I know that I could simply google search "fly tying kit" but I don't want to end up with unnecessary material etc

I look forward to hearing any advice,

Delboy.

If you don't want to buy unnecessary material don't buy a 'fly tying kit' - they're notorious for containing a high percentage of 'redundant' material.

Best advice is to buy a simple vice, a ceramic bobbin holder, decent hackle pliers, a good pair of scissors, a dubbing needle and perhaps a whip finish tool ( I don't use one myself).

When it comes to tying materials - a spool of 6/0 black uni thread - and then decide what fly you want to start with and buy the hooks / materials for that fly. Buzzers are a good place to start - usually no complicated tying technique. When you're ready, move on to your next fly - you'll soon find that your materials collection will be comprehensive enough to tie a whole range of flies. Simply buy materials and hooks as you need them.

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Flies for Stillwater

The following flies have been selected by me for their fish catching ability and the ease of tying. Some materials also overlap between flies and lower the cost. Other flies can also be tied using the materials listed below. For tools all you will need is a vice, bobbin holder, dubbing needle and some varnish (I don’t usually varnish though, just 2 whip finishes).

Shipmans Buzzer
CDC Shuttlecock Hares Ear
Cormorant
Buzzer
Blob

Shipmans Buzzer
Hook: dry fly 12 – 16
Thread: brown 8/0
Tail & Breathers: siliconised polypropylene yarn
Body: seals fur (colour to match the hatch, start with black, olive and red)
Rib: pearl lurex
Thorax: picked out seals fur

CDC Shuttlecock Buzzer
Hook: curved grub 12 – 16
Thread: brown 8/0
Tail: few strands orange sparkle flash
Body: hares ear
Rib: fine copper wire
Wing: CDC tied shuttlecock style (3 for 12, 2 for 14-16)
Thorax: picked out hares ear

Cormorant
Hook: wet fly 10 – 14
Thread: red
Body: peacock herl
Rib: medium red wire
Wing: black marabou

Buzzer
Hook: curved grub 10 – 16
Thread: black (or colour to suit hatch)
Body: thread (down and then up the hook)
Rib: pearl lurex
Cheeks: orange goose biots
Thorax: built up thread

Blob
Hook: wet fly 10 – 12
Thread: fluorescent orange (or colour to match the hatch)
Tail: orange marabou (or colour to match the hatch)
Body: orange fritz (or colour to match the hatch)

Materials List
Hooks
wet fly 10 – 16 (Kamasan B175)
dry fly 10 – 16 (Kamasan B170)
grub 10 – 16 (Kamasan B100)

Threads & Tinsels
black 8/0 (Uni)
red 8/0 (Uni)
orange 8/0 (Uni)
pearl lurex (fine and medium)
fine copper wire
medium red wire

Fur & Feather
seals fur (black, olive and red)
hares ear
marabou (black & orange)
goose biots (orange)
CDC (natural)
peacock herl

Synthetics
fritz (orange)
siliconised polypropylene yarn (white)
orange sparkle flash

Other flies to try:
f-fly
orange fritz
wire buzzer
and more...

All the materials you need to get started.

Brennan

I would add Hares Ear Nymph with and with out gold rib and Pheasant tail nymphs.

I now tie all of the flies I use for Stockie bashing with a small ammount of UV material flanking the tail. (UV tail from Craig Barr). 3 or 4 strands 2 -3 mm long depending on the size of the hook. Small thoraxes on Cormorants or Crunchers etc.

I would also recommed some smaller flies. It can pay divedends by reducing the fly size and leader dia. I use down to size 24 hooks and 0.1 Dia Stroft.

John H

If you are new to fly tying you are going to have to learn a few essential skills if you want to produce effective flies.

1: Starting the thread on the hook.

2: Winding a hackle.

3: Dubbing.

4: Winging and the pinch and loop.

5: Whip Finish.

Buy enough materials to tie a few simple patterns and practice until you can tie say 20 of the same pattern that look more or less all the same.

Don't worry if your fly doesn't look as neat or as twee as the pictures of flies in the magazines. The most important thing with flies is to get the proportions right.

Oh and if there are fly tying evenings organised by the Fly Dressers Guild, visit them.

I'd back the sentiments in this thread...kits are full of utter rubbish. I got a kit about fifteen years ago and a lot of the items have never been used.

Don't go for the cheapest tools but in the entry end its hard to beat the Veniards No4 spring vice. A steal at under £30.

Veniard Fly Tying

I won a Veniard fly-tying kit in 1967 (Brampton Angling Association junior champion!) and I've still got some of the materials from it now - kits have so much rubbish in them.

Youtube now has some excellent video clips that you can use to help you get started with fly tying, with regards to technique, tools and materials. Anything by Dave McPhail can be relied on to be helpful.

Would suggest you find a local tackle shop and ask for advice on two or three of your favourite flies and look for bargain base tools and vice to start you off. They will probably help with a live demonstration and as a customer you will be able to return to them for help and advice. You will probably end up replacing your own "starter" kit over time but it will enable you to start and build a reasonable supply of tying material.

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[COLOR="Blue"]"A fish seen is a fish nearly caught"[/COLOR]

I'm not sure tying is going to save you any money, at the last count my kit had cost around £3000.

If you are very disciplined it will save you money, list the flies you want and buy/scrounge bits and pieces to tie those. The cheap vice suggestion is sound - make sure it will take small hooks (leaving access to enable tying).

For building a big collection go to one of the big auctions southern Auctions Salisbury or Mullochs (you can bid by phone) you will pick up huge collections of stuff for £50 - £300, in some cases £000s worth.

Good luck.

I take the opposite view from most here. Nothing wrong with a kit many a fine fly tyer has started out his life with a kit.
OK so you get a few items you might not use & the tools may not be "best quality"who cares it gets you started.
On the "better" ones you will get an instruction manual or maybe a DVD & more than enough feathers & tinsel to tie a few flies.
What are we talking about here £50 tops...........some of these posters will pay that for a gold Whiting cape that they will never use all the feathers & yet deride someone who wants a kit.
You guys have got to remember that not everyone has access to another tyer that can help/advise or indeed a shop that can advise correctly. It is all very well telling someone to buy this & that when in fact they do not have a scooby on what is good & what is bad.
So for that reason alone a kit is ideal for the purpose. It is what it is
A STARTER
So get a kit, get a few flies under your belt. Learn your trade then you can buy better tools & feather. Come on here with your questions & get good advice. What to do with the kit? Pass it on to another beginner or stick it on E Bay. You will probably get your money back, you never know.
Tight Lines
PS Think someone touched on it the FDG (Fly Dressers Guild) has a kit (Veniard)you can buy when you join as a beginner. There may be one in your area. There you will meet like minded people who will give you good instruction & advice.

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