| X-Rated | | Cutting Latex | | Tips for Beginners | | The Amazing Glo-bug Tool |

X-Rated:

Memorize this chart and the next time you ask someone what size tippet they're using and they say 4X, you'll know what they're referring to.

Cutting Latex Sheets

From Slim Mitchell (Roadkill Roundtable Flytyers)- Quilters have known about this for a long time and now you know. Rolling fabric cutters, usually found under the OLFA brand (from Plattsburgh NY), in any craft or yarn shop, are outstanding for cutting latex sheets quickly and very straight. Be sure to place the latex on a Plexiglas/plastic cutting board before cutting. The boards and cutting guides can also be purchased where you find the cutter, but any straight edge will do for a guide. The cutters are also good to cut suede/leather, flat foam and others. Caution: these cutters are very sharp and can easily remove a fingertip!!!

Latex sheets are very difficult to cut straight. But I have recently found a new procedure that is slick as a whistle: roll up the latex sheet as tight as possible. Then with a sharp single edged razor blade slice the latex to the desired width. The result is neat ready to use latex strips!

Tying Tips for the Beginner  

#1

With so many tools to choose from it is hard to know what you need and what you  don't. From vises to bobbins to scissors and hair stackers, the most important thing is finding the right tools to fit your needs, whether you tie for fun, or tie commercially. Start by purchasing the basic tools, you can always add more as your skills improve.

One of the most important tools to a fly tier are scissors. They have to be sharp and they have to be comfortable. I like scissors that have large loops. These fit comfortably in your hand and are easy to use. Also invest in a small inexpensive sharpener. Keep your scissors sharp and you will avoid a lot of frustration at the vise.

#2

Decide on the pattern you are going to tie. Arrange all your materials & tools before you begin. If you are tying flies with a hair wing, stack all your hair before you start. Sort out your hackles and crimp the barbs on all the hooks you'll be using. Having your materials organized and ready will speed up your tying considerably. I have made a deal with myself to never tie less than 6 flies of one pattern at a time.

#3

I have never worried about speed.  I take my time and tie a quality fly. There is nothing worse than having a fly fall apart after one fish. Once you have been tying for a while your speed will come and quality won't be an issue.

#4

A good vise is essential when tying quality flies, whether at home or on a fishing trip. The market is loaded with all types of vises; from standard to full rotary and for the beginning fly tier it may be somewhat difficult to choose from the large selection. 

A beginning fly tier might find the rotary vises to be a little difficult to master. They can require a certain amount of tying skill to operate successfully. Once you have mastered a few of these skills, a rotary vise may help speed up your operation.  Remember though, speed isn't always a good thing, quality is what you're striving for.

My personal preference is the DAN VISE. It is relatively inexpensive, has a lifetime warranty and features a full rotary action that can be turned off, so to speak, by simply tightening the rotary handle. If money is no option, by all means check out the Renzetti Traveler, it runs about 60 to 70 dollars more than the Dan Vise. I preferred to spend the extra money on materials. Most vises can be purchased with a C-Clamp or a Pedestal stand. It is really a matter of preference for the tier and how they like their operation to flow. I prefer the C-Clamp. It clamps to your workstation, where the Pedestal is free standing and may tend to move around on your table. Pedestal vises are weighted, but you will have some movement when tying different patterns. The most important consideration in a vise is its ability to hold the hook. You want a vise that will hold your hook in place, even when extreme pressure is used or if you are a heavy handed tier like me. A hook that slips in the vise is one of the most frustrating things you will encounter. Most vises today are built very well and should last you a lifetime. Many manufactures offer lifetime warranties on their vises. 

#5

The Hair Stacker was one of the better fly tying creations. Hair stackers are available in several different models. There are standard, adjustable, and large models. It usually comes down to a tiers personal preference in the type you decide to use. I use large, medium, and small solid brass stackers. The large size is the one I use most often, it can be filled with a large amount of hair, has a large opening, and is easy to use.  

#6

The most important part of any fly is the material you use. There are so many different materials available, that it can be a little overwhelming.  If you are inexperienced at choosing the right materials, ask as many tiers as many questions as you can think of. The first thing that you should notice is the quality. Poor quality materials are relatively easy to spot. When you are picking out deer, elk, or moose hair, look to see that the hair is uniform in length, has unbroken tips and a minimum of underfur. This will save you a lot of frustration. Check the texture, color, and straightness of the hair. If it is dyed, take it out of the package. I take all hair, fur, and feather products out of the package before I purchase them. Don’t buy hair if it feels rough or abnormally coarse. Don’t purchase feathers that are matted together or have a lot of broken barbs

#7

The beginning of any great fly depends primarily on the hook and it's ability to set properly and maintain its strength while playing a fish. Choosing the right hook for the many patterns that are out there may be overwhelming for a beginner. Following the tying direction for the pattern is handy, but if there isn't a hook description supplied one may be lost. Use a Hook Chart when you are unsure of what hook is called for. Unless you know the supplier, steer clear of inexpensive hooks. There is a reason they are cheap. I can't stress this enough, you get what you pay for, whether it be hooks, materials, tools, or vises.

#8

Selecting the type and grade of hackle to use can be very frustrating and expensive. With a wide range of hackle one can become confused and frustrated very quickly. Hackle is broken down into several different categories. With manufactures constantly introducing new lines of hackle, look to your fly shop to keep you informed. Rooster necks were once the standard for dry flies. They are costly, but the hackle on these necks is top of the line. Now hackle manufactures, such as Hoffman, Whiting, Keough, and Conrach, to name a few, have bred roosters to produce even the tiniest hackle from their saddles.  They are fantastic for tying small dries, even down to the 20's (depending on grade). Usually the grade 1 will produce these smaller hackles. Even the lower grade 2's & 3's will produce hackle that will tie flies down to size 16-18. The best thing about these saddles is the feathers are 4 to 6 inches long and you can tie 4 or 5 flies with one hackle. With most Grade 1 saddles you can tie well over 800 dry flies.  This is something you can't do with the necks. One neck hackle usually produces one fly. Broken down, you may be paying between $15 to as high as $80 dollars for a saddle, but you are tying twice or sometimes three times as many flies.

The Amazing Glo-bug Tool

I've been using this tool for two years now and I have nothing but praise for it. You can actually tie a perfect Glo-bug in 30 seconds just like the advertisement says. It is available on-line from The TCO Fly Shop: Click on Tools and materials on the left side and it will take you to the Glo-bug Dispenser. There is a link to a short QuickTime movie that shows the tool in action. I use McFly Foam for my Glo-bugs as is suggested in the movie. It compacts a lot better than  standard Glo-bug yarn.

   Top of Page