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Thread: Teaching myself to tie

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
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    East Bay
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    Default Teaching myself to tie

    A couple of months ago a family friend whose father had passed away last year sent me a few boxes of his old fishing stuff, mostly heavy gear, but to my surprise there was one box with a vice and some tying gear. A little table top organizer, threads, wires, some hackles, furs, and an assortment of cheniles. TONS of marabou and flash, I think all he tied were buggers.

    So this weekend I set it up, turned on Youtube and gave it a go. Lessons learned.

    1. Don't go smaller than a size 12 hook until you've figured out your fingers from your thumbs.
    2. Bead head soft hackles are great starter flies!
    3. Proportion is hard to master.
    4. Some of the plainest looking flies are actually tricky to tie! PT nymph took me an hour to get one that looked half decent.
    5. Head cement and hackles don't mix. It sucks when you tie one that looks nice and you drop a blob of head cement on it right at the end.
    6. IT'S ADDICTING!

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by Bob Loblaw; 03-30-2020 at 09:50 AM.
    You can't buy happiness, but you can buy new fly fishing gear and that usually does the trick.

  2. #2
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    Default

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Some others.
    You can't buy happiness, but you can buy new fly fishing gear and that usually does the trick.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Sacramento
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    73

    Default

    Looks good, Bob. YouTube is such a great resource. There are a lot of great tiers out there who are able to teach you how THEY do it. One of the things I love about tying is that there is no one best way to tie a certain pattern. Everyone has their own tricks and techniques.

    Keep on experimenting with new patterns and techniques and you'll develop your own. And also hit up Kiene's and pick a new material or 20...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Tejas !!
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    792

    Default

    Good start Bob - those will fish.

    Couple suggestions for what it's worth.

    1. Tie 6-8 of one pattern at a time. This solves the proportion issue. The first couple will look like crap and then all of a sudden the rest will be fine.

    2. Do the head cement after you tie all the flies, use your bodkin to apply it - I usually put 'em all on a piece of foam and do a lineup.

    3. Think sparse - usually that makes a better looking fly. Use 8/0 thread and get used to the tension you can put on there. Its more than you imagine.

    You will get used to the small stuff pretty soon, since most of the bugs seem to be 14 -18, you wont have much option!

    Welcome to the madness... .it's a drug

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Petaluma Ca
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    686

    Default

    Looks like you are WELL on your way. Great work Bob.
    ....lee s.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Garden Valley
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mr T View Post
    Good start Bob- those will fish.

    couple suggestions for whats its worth.

    1. Tie 6-8 of one pattern at a time. This solves the proportion issue.The first couple will look like crap and then all of a sudden the rest will be fine.
    2. Do the head cement after you tie all the flies, use your bodkin to apply it- I usually put em all on a piece of foam and do a lineup.
    3. Think sparse- usually that makes a better looking fly. Use 8/0 thread and get used to the tension you can put on there. Its more than you imagine.

    You will get used to the small stuff pretty soon, since most of the bugs seem to be 14-18, you wont have much option!

    Welcome to the madness... .its a drug
    Agreed on all points. I’d also suggest that head cement is entirely optional/personal. I haven’t used it on any of my trout flies in years.

    My reasons are:

    1) I only have a few flies that come apart, and those are pretty much always as a result of tying too quickly and sloppy.
    2) I tend loose small trout flies generally before they have a chance to come apart. Rocks, bushes, break offs, etc.
    3) I don’t like the head cement fumes, so I prefer to avoid it unless it’s really warranted.

    You might try a few without, see if they work well. You might be surprised.
    Keep at it!
    "Lord help me to be the person my dog thinks I am"
    - unknown

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    California
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    I have fat fingers and bad eyesight. I long ago switched to bass, BG, crappie and tie flies in size 12 and bigger. BG often want a 12, seldom demand smaller. Bass and crappie will almost always take 6,8, or 10. Bass can go for 6 inch flies; see another thread in Warmwater section. In bad light I still need help threading these larger flies; alas at 68 nobody thinks laser surgery is a good idea and I would still need reading glasses.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Granite Bay, CA
    Posts
    505

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    Bob,

    Glad to hear you started tying. I used to do it as a teenager and in my low 20's then stopped for 30 years until a few months ago and I'm now hot and heavy back into it.

    I just watched Devin Olsen tie a fly on YouTube and, right before he finishes off with his whip finisher, he actually applies some Super Glue to the thread he's about to apply. He basically wraps the glue right into the knot. I thought this was brilliant -- faster and less of a mess.

    Here's the video: https://youtu.be/0JuOZxBBcAE

    He also had one or two other neat tricks in there.


    PS: I've been buying all of my supplies from his site, www.tacticalflyfisher.com .

    I love high sticking and that's what he specializes in. The tungsten beads are good quality with a good price.
    TroutSource.com
    we deliver the river

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

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    Wonderful Bob,

    My first comment is that you are a natural.

    I have seen thousands of 'first timers' at our Into fly tying classes at my shop and you would have been one of the stars.

    The best "first night" fly tier at one of our Intro classes was a vascular surgeon, Norm Reyez.


    I am a HUGE YouTube fan and watch dozens every day, especially now in the lock down.


    At Kiene's Tim Au-young has done a great job running the fly tying classes now for several years.


    Another advice is do not tie flies to save money. Only tie flies because you enjoy it.


    I use to enjoy tying flies for Steelhead and for Flat fishing but today I just buy them.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
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    East Bay
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    Default

    I don’t know about natural!! I tried a few dries this weekend....who needs to measure hackles? “He said! I can eyeball it just fine” he said.Click image for larger version. 

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    You can't buy happiness, but you can buy new fly fishing gear and that usually does the trick.

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