Want to get started tying flys

Hello - I just joined the forum and wonder if anyone has advice on how to get started tying bream flys & other baits. I'm relatively new to fly fishing and have been having fun catching bluegills with flys that I've purchased but I'd like to try my hand at creating some "originals". I'd like to start simple and work my way up from there. I'm looking for suggestions on good books and/or DVDs on the subject too. I've visited Basspro shops and they have some fly tying starter kits but they don't seem to have anything for bream. Any advice will be appreciated. Happy turkey day to all :) .

Jim,

This book is great:

http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Fly-Tyin...164161&sr=1-17

First of all, it's spiral-bound, so you can lay it out flat right next to your vise as you tie. It gives a complete list of all the tools you need, shows you how to tie, and gives you detailed instructions on several very productive flies. It's the best basic fly tying book I've seen.

Of course, you can also go to youtube and just type in "fly tying". There are lots of good videos to watch.

Check out the jig tying forum. Lots of good info there. http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/forumdisplay.php?f=72

http://www.flytyingforum.com/index.php?showforum=23

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Just like the rest of us who tie, you are doomed!!! Never again will you look at the dog and cat the same way, the little lady of the house's yarns and threads and nail polish and other such things, the lint in the dryer screen, the squirrels running around in the trees and all manner of other critters and materials. :D

Seriously, I started out with a basic tying kit just to see if I liked tying. An old Thompson vise that I have used for years that came with the kit and never had the need to upgrade to a new fangled vise until recently when my fishbud got a new rotary Regal and gave me his old standard Regal. Some will not suggest you get a starter tying kit since they do not have the materials you will most likely want for the particular flies you will be tying. But a starter kit will get you going and you can start with the basics (basic flies) with the materials supplied before you may decide to continue tying and get more materials, hooks, threads, and more. The main reason I tie is that I can tie flies suited to me and the fish I fish for that I cannot get from fly and tackle suppliers. I tie flies to catch fish, not fishermen. But there are those who tie truly remarkable works of art that may catch fisherman as well as art lovers. To me, fly angling is a craft but fly tying is an art. Best of luck with the new addiction called the art of fly tying.

For books, I recommend one that I feel that every fly tyer should have. Even the seasoned veteran fly tyers can use it as a reference and a fall back to the basics of tying terms, natural materials, tools, fly categories, and the basic step by step tying of traditional flies. I believe you would be better served by starting out with the basics (basic traditional flies) before moving on to specialized flies. I know I'm glad I did. There are many trout flies that can also be used for bream but there are some specialized bream flies that are not carried by fly and tackle shops so they must be tied. Synthetic materials are only briefly touch on and other books would probably be better dealing with this type of materials after you grasp the basics of traditional material fly patterns.

The Complete Book of Fly Tying by Eric Leiser

For a good source of synthetic pattern recipes (no step by step) since the book assumes that you already know how to tie basic patterns:

Fly Tying with Synthetics by Phil Camera

Finally for a web source of free lessons from beginning to advanced fly tying, FAOL link below:

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/tyingmenu.html

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/beginners/

Another step by step site that is very good listed earlier:

http://derekspace.net/index.htm

Once you get through the basic lessons, then you will be better able to tie those specialized bream flies that you want to tie and move on to those specialized bream fly pattern web sites. Again, best of luck.

Thanks for all the great advice and resources...looks like I've got my work cut out for me!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jim E.

Hello - I just joined the forum and wonder if anyone has advice on how to get started tying bream flys & other baits. I'm relatively new to fly fishing and have been having fun catching bluegills with flys that I've purchased but I'd like to try my hand at creating some "originals". I'd like to start simple and work my way up from there. I'm looking for suggestions on good books and/or DVDs on the subject too. I've visited Basspro shops and they have some fly tying starter kits but they don't seem to have anything for bream. Any advice will be appreciated. Happy turkey day to all :) .

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Happy Thanksgiving to you too. Glad to have you on board. There is also a thread in the archives on some fly tying videos. There is a thread on the tying board on basic start up tools you might consider.

lol i have a shepard chow mix of a dog. well needless to say he was shedding bad and i decided to make a fly with some of his hair, actually caught a bluegill on it too lol

There are free sights on the web that give detail tying instuctions on tying flies. This is an example on Trout flies. http://www.troutflies.com/tutorials/

[QUOTE=dixieangler]Just like the rest of us who tie, you are doomed!!! Never again will you look at the dog and cat the same way, the little lady of the house's yarns and threads and nail polish and other such things, the lint in the dryer screen, the squirrels running around in the trees and all manner of other critters and materials. :D

He's so right!!!!

[QUOTE=sacawhat]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dixieangler

Just like the rest of us who tie, you are doomed!!! Never again will you look at the dog and cat the same way, the little lady of the house's yarns and threads and nail polish and other such things, the lint in the dryer screen, the squirrels running around in the trees and all manner of other critters and materials. :D

He's so right!!!!

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:D :D :D :D


You will never go to Wal-mart or Hobby Lobby or any craft store the same as you went in. You will have an eye to materials to tie a jig with. Have fun man. Good luck.

[QUOTE=shipahoy41]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sacawhat

:D :D :D :D


You will never go to Wal-mart or Hobby Lobby or any craft store the same as you went in. You will have an eye to materials to tie a jig with. Have fun man. Good luck.

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When I tied flies as a kid I use to steal my mom's feather duster and after about 6 months that thing looked so pitiful. She never did figure out what was happening to it. Fly tieing stuff gets expensive a trip to the craft store with the old lady instead of sitting back home will save you some bucks compared to buying everything at a fly shop.

Quick.....turn back before it's too late!!!!

The previous post reminds me of the time as a kid, I needed some elastic strands to make some spiders with. The waistband from an old worn out pair of briefs did the trick! I think it actually worked better than the store bought stuff. :D