# fly tying kits ?



## levip (Dec 4, 2010)

who make good ones ? i saw one at bass pro but looked a little on the mealy side for materials id like it to have a good vise and a wide assortment of materials in a good quantity 
ive messed around a bit and made a few flies for bass in the past and i enjoyed the heck out of it but i never had the proper tools or materials and i enjoy teadious things that make most people pull their hair out  
would i be better off buying everything seperately ? 
and if so could you guys maybe give me a list of the basic materials to buy ?
and sugestions on a vise and tool kit ?
im not looking to spend a fortune but i want a quality vise, tools, and materials  for around $150-200 if thats possible?

you tube seems to be a good source of how to as far as patterns and such and most of the guys go slow enough that im pretty sure i can follow along  so i shouldnt need a video as i get the basics (or so i think) ie knots materials and how to use them it would be more a matter of skill improvement and refinement 
oh and im in savannah and i would like to do saltwater flies for trout redfish and snook when i go to my moms in jensen beach, fl if that makes a difference in what id need?


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## adc77 (Jul 23, 2009)

i am certainly not an expert but i would stay away from the kits (at least the ones that include materials) if you have already done some tying and know that you are going to stick with it. pick up a vise and basic tools and then look for some patterns you like or more importantly the fish like. and then buy materials for it. soon enough you will have boxes of material to play around with. i tend to buy a couple of a pattern from a shop and fish them. if i like them i save one to use to match up the proportions. sizes and proportions can be hard to get from a video and are very important. hope this helps. good luck


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## Uno (Sep 9, 2010)

BlindMullet has hit the nail on the head...well stated.


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

I agree. Find a pattern that works. Buy the supplies needed to tie that pattern. Youtube is a good resorce. I like it for learning on how to do new things. Once you get tying down a good "how to" google search works good also.


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## aflatsnut (Feb 12, 2010)

Be patient, keep looking, I found a used Renzetti for $20 at a garage sale with some materials. X2 on buy what you need for the flys you are going to use.


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## YanceyM (Jul 28, 2010)

Yeah save yourself the trouble and don't get the kit with the all the stuff, most of those are filled with stuff you'll never use and the tools in them are usually the cheapest stuff that will break in no time. But there are some decent tool kits that will get you most of the tools you'll need and usually they'll be a little cheaper then buying all the tools seperatly. Just get a decent vise and the materials you'll need for the specific flies you'll be tying. And like everyone else said YouTube is you a great source for learning the patterns you'll be tying. Good luck!


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## Salty_South (Feb 25, 2009)

I agree with everyone else. A couple things you don't want to skimp on is scissors and bobbins. Cheap bobbins will snap your thread and become really frustrating. A good pair of scissors will make your flies come out a lot cleaner looking (but the fish won't care). And enjoy!


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## levip (Dec 4, 2010)

what kind of vise though? wont i need one that has a bigger head for salwater flies?
price range or brand on a decent vise?
price range or brand on a tool kit  ?


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## YanceyM (Jul 28, 2010)

> what kind of vise though? wont i need one that has a bigger head for salwater flies?
> price range or brand on a decent vise?
> price range or brand on a tool kit  ?


You can get a Dr. Slick tool kit for around $50 for the basic one, which should be all you need starting out. And as far as a vise goes you can try a renvetti apprentice or apex anvil for about $100 online. As far as I know both of those should be fine for saltwater fly tying. I've got an anvil and have no issues with it other then sometime I've got to take the hook loose and flip it over, which some of the more expensive ones will do without taking the hook out. I just got the entry level stuff when I started out since I didn't want to invest a fortune not knowing if it would be for me. Hope this helps you out. Good luck!


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## Salty_South (Feb 25, 2009)

I have the Renzetti traveler vise for about $200 and I love it. You could stand to go cheaper if you wanted but I really do like the rotary vises (they spin). I got my dad a Peak rotary vise for just over $100 at bass pro and it works really nice. Check out Ebay for used vises because some people get really good ones and end up never using them.


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## levip (Dec 4, 2010)

ok thanks guys for all the help


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## levip (Dec 4, 2010)

i found and anvil apex for 88.00 free shipping is that a good deal?
it comes with a clamp and a pedestal base looks pretty sturdy made of stainless 
also found those dr. slick fly tools you were talking about looks like a nice set and not a bad deal 
also i found a big lot of fly materials on ebay for about 50 bux 
do any of you guys know how to tan a buck tail ? my uncle shoots about 14 deer a year between him and his sons and if i asked him hed have no problem saving them for me
it woulds just be a a matter of dying them from there


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## levip (Dec 4, 2010)

apparently if i take the fresh bucktail split it down the bottom, flesh it, wash it in borax, and the coat the skin with boax and allow it to dry for a few days it will preserve it nicely then i guess a little RIT dye of the color of your choosing and BLAM you a have a nice bucktail i think itd be worth a try


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## YanceyM (Jul 28, 2010)

> i found and anvil apex for 88.00 free shipping is that a good deal?
> it  comes with a clamp and a pedestal base looks pretty sturdy made of stainless
> also found those dr. slick fly tools you were talking about looks like a nice set and not a bad deal
> also i found a big lot of fly materials on ebay for about 50 bux
> ...


$88 isn't bad for that vise. Most places I have seen them have them around 100. As far as the materials usually it's about $7 each for the bucktails and the string is between 1.50 to 2. And I can't say I've ever dried and dyed any myself. Though the thought has crosses mind before. But I'm just not sure it's worth it. Seems like it make be a bit of a mess.


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## cal1320 (Jun 6, 2007)

I tried to dye bucktail once. Learned my lesson. You can make a lot of flies from one $7 bucktail. For me its not worth the hassle.
As for a vice, either Renzetti or Bass Pro has the spyder vice (rotary) for around $80.


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## Yoreese (Oct 15, 2009)

I am putting together a kit myself.  The Renzetti Saltwater Traveler is a great vise.  Tools Dr. Slick for scissors and Renzetti for bobbins is what I am doing.  Then just buy what materials you need for a pattern or two that you want to tie.


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