# New Fly Tyer - tips



## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

What materials do you have? Looks like a redfish crack with crustacean eyes?

youtube is a good resource for tying videos. As far as patterns you can look through books and online retailer catalogs as well as the “what’s everyone been tying” thread for ideas.


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## Chasingreds (Apr 1, 2019)

BrownDog said:


> What materials do you have? Looks like a redfish crack with crustacean eyes?
> 
> youtube is a good resource for tying videos. As far as patterns you can look through books and online retailer catalogs as well as the “what’s everyone been tying” thread for ideas.


I should have learned by now to just go straight to asking you first!


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## RJTaylor (Oct 4, 2017)

Not buying it in kits isn't much cheaper.


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

Suggest getting with some locals to see what patterns are successful in your area, learn those and go from there. I would think there is a shop or club near you that would help get you pointed in right direction. Its a varied fly world out there and some mentoring is very helpful. Easy to get overwhelmed with info, patterns, materials etc.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

If you have a local fly shop (an hour or less drive?)
Would be a good place to go.
Always buy something even if it's just a pack of eyes or a fly you might like to copy.
Most are willing to answer your questions and their familiar with the local fishing.


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## Chasingreds (Apr 1, 2019)

eightwt said:


> Suggest getting with some locals to see what patterns are successful in your area, learn those and go from there. I would think there is a shop or club near you that would help get you pointed in right direction. Its a varied fly world out there and some mentoring is very helpful. Easy to get overwhelmed with info, patterns, materials etc.


Thank you for the recommendation!


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## Chasingreds (Apr 1, 2019)

mro said:


> If you have a local fly shop (an hour or less drive?)
> Would be a good place to go.
> Always buy something even if it's just a pack of eyes or a fly you might like to copy.
> Most are willing to answer your questions and their familiar with the local fishing.


That's what I was kind of thinking. Going to head over to my local fly shop this evening and poke around. Thanks for the response!


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## Brydan (May 31, 2020)

As impressive as it is to see the endless rows of impeccably tied flies in many peoples boxes, you can get by probably 90% of the time with just a handful of patterns. Things like Clousers in a few sizes and colors can be used practically anywhere. Ask at the shop what staple flies they recommend and focus on those, don't worry about the rest.


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## Copahee Hound (Dec 21, 2017)

Welcome to the addiction! I enjoy tying more than actually fly fishing. Owen at Fin to Feather will help you out. I started watching videos by "In the Riffle" and 239 Flies on youtube using black and purple materials, but 239 flies just seem to use an excessive amount of material. Lately I've just been tying flies from some of the tying nights that were hosted by Bend it Flies and Open fly. They're both local and have proven patterns for our area. 

The best advice I was given when I started was "don't glue any of your first few dozen flies, you're only going to cut them up and reuse the hook"


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## 8w8n8 (Sep 30, 2017)

Yes, youtube! When I started, as with others here at MS, it was well before internet videos. We had older books, that had drawings or photos in B&W … then magazines w/ SXS, at first in B&W and eventually color. I had to fly into the big city to have access to a fly fishing store … but despite all of that, with perseverance (read passion), I'm/we're still tying, casting, catching, releasing, etc... . And with youtube, the learning curve time-frame has narrowed considerably.


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## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

Still have my first saltwater pattern book and a few old VHS tapes.


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## BrownDog (Jun 22, 2019)

Agreed with the above on checking out fin to feather.

that being said that pattern WILL catch fish around here. Also if you have that craft fur, hooks, and eyes you are good to go for clousers.


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## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)

stick with simple flies and perfect them first. get a seaducer perfected, then a bendback, then a clouser. then move to a redfish crack, ep minnows, move up from there. dont get a box full of stuff you wouldnt want to throw a year from now. gurglers are always a go to!!!


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I only really tie 4 patterns these days...

1) Gurgler
2) Foxtrot Mullet 
3) Dub Slider
4) Redfish Crack

The gurgler is for topwater, the mullet is my baitfish go to, the slider and crack flies get tied in various sizes with different eyes depending on how deep I want to fish. 

Spooky reds like the slider's low profile but everything will eat a bushy crack fly...including snook.


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## tx8er (Jun 3, 2016)

Rick hambric said:


> stick with simple flies and perfect them first. get a seaducer perfected, then a bendback, then a clouser. then move to a redfish crack, ep minnows, move up from there. dont get a box full of stuff you wouldnt want to throw a year from now. gurglers are always a go to!!!


Great advice here


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

I've been tying for a couple years now. I started by watching videos from In the Riffle and 239 flies. Picked a few patterns that work good and only bought materials to tie those flies. After getting comfortable with those, I started tying other patterns and of course adding more materials. Now I have a lot of material for tying all kinds of flies and have 4 large fly boxes full of flies but still only really tie the same 4 flies since those are the ones I fish the most.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

In The Riffle was one of the channels I watched alot too, when starting out.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

Rick hambric said:


> and *perfect* them first


Iv'e been doing this for awhile... 
and if I had to tie a fly "perfect" before tying another fly I'd still be tying that first one.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

My 13 year old grandson wants to learn fly tying. He’s been watching YouTube. His birthday is coming up so I looked on Amazon and found a SA kit for about $80. So I looked at all the materials and may just buy all separate


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## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)

mro said:


> Iv'e been doing this for awhile...
> and if I had to tie a fly "perfect" before tying another fly I'd still be tying that first one.


like a capt on here once said, once you tie a perfect fly, put it in a box to use for reference.


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## tx8er (Jun 3, 2016)

permitchaser said:


> My 13 year old grandson wants to learn fly tying. He’s been watching YouTube. His birthday is coming up so I looked on Amazon and found a SA kit for about $80. So I looked at all the materials and may just buy all separate


Have a look at Postfly monthly subscriptions for him. https://subscribe.postflybox.com/

We use them for our Project Healing Waters tying challenges. The kits include everything down to the hooks and thread and there is enough material for about 20 flies in each kit. There are Postfly videos for each pattern on youtube.

Everybody loves getting a surprise in the mail.


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## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

And there's more than one way to tie a particular pattern. Read an account where a spectator yelled at a guest tie'er that he was not tying the fly correctly. The tie'er,...... Bob Clouser tying his world famous Clouser Minnow. Ha-Ha.


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## Chasingreds (Apr 1, 2019)

eightwt said:


> And there's more than one way to tie a particular pattern. Read an account where a spectator yelled at a guest tie'er that he was not tying the fly correctly. The tie'er,...... Bob Clouser tying his world famous Clouser Minnow. Ha-Ha.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

Rick hambric said:


> like a capt on here once said, once you tie a perfect fly, put it in a box to use for reference.


While I haven't tied a perfect one yet, I do this all the time when I get a really nice fly I want to copy or I manage to come up with a good pattern. I have a foam block on a shelf above my tying bench that has my reference flies. 
I think tying kits are great way to get started. One of the guys that helped me a bunch, said repetition from tying the same fly over and over again really helps develop the feel for what you are doing with your material and bobbin hand.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

tx8er said:


> Have a look at Postfly monthly subscriptions for him. https://subscribe.postflybox.com/
> 
> We use them for our Project Healing Waters tying challenges. The kits include everything down to the hooks and thread and there is enough material for about 20 flies in each kit. There are Postfly videos for each pattern on youtube.
> 
> Everybody loves getting a surprise in the mail.


Thanks but $35 a month forever is not my plan
I'll get him a decent vise and supplies enough to tie a clouser, wolly buger and gurglers


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## paulrad (May 10, 2016)

Chasingreds said:


> Hi Everyone,
> Tied my first fly this weekend. (Image Attached - no judging!)


First fly??!! That is perhaps the best first fly I've ever seen! I'd totally fish that fly. WTG.


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## tx8er (Jun 3, 2016)

permitchaser said:


> Thanks but $35 a month forever is not my plan
> I'll get him a decent vise and supplies enough to tie a clouser, wolly buger and gurglers


There are less expensive plans. Cabelas and Bass Pro have similar kits but not sure of cost there.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

permitchaser said:


> grandson wants to learn fly tying.


Wish I had that problem. Older daughter will tie a fly once in a blue moon but neither has any kids.
She also has snagged a couple rods over the years then brings it out and asks what reel and line I have to give her.


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## Chasingreds (Apr 1, 2019)

mro said:


> Wish I had that problem. Older daughter will tie a fly once in a blue moon but neither has any kids.
> She also has snagged a couple rods over the years then brings it out and asks what reel and line I have to give her.


Well Mro, anytime you are feeling 
generous, I can be your surrogate son.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Go to fly tyers dungeon. Get a gift box like baitfish, you'll have enough material for years. Then go to YouTube


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## jackson man (Aug 13, 2020)

permitchaser said:


> My 13 year old grandson wants to learn fly tying. He’s been watching YouTube. His birthday is coming up so I looked on Amazon and found a SA kit for about $80. So I looked at all the materials and may just buy all separate


Looks like you're quickly headed to having a great fishing partner! Have fun, enjoy the ride!


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