fly tying courses
 

Howdy!

So I have been thinking about buying a fly tying kit. I'd like to give it a go. I spend most of the winter on the road in hotels and figure instead of watching tv I could be productive and attempt to load up a fly box or two while away.

When I started reading other threads with the same question the idea of taking a course where they provide the tools necessary to get started got me wondering what's best for me.

I think I would rather go this route but was just wondering what your opinions are on courses in Calgary. What shops offer the best services? Or! If anyone has gone down the tying kit what would you recommend.

Thanks!!!
JL

fish tales and bow river troutoutfitters puts on a course

My advice would be to take a course and see how much you like it, then if your going to commit I would not buy a kit. I would start with a vice (pay real close attention to the vices on the course and try out as many different ones as you can) and the basic tools, if you know your in it for the long haul buy good stuff. A real nice vice that will last a few life times can be had for under 200 bucks and the rest for another hundred. Then I would find the recipe's for the flies you use the most and buy the stuff to tie them. If you persevere, it will turn into an addiction that will drag you in and you will start spending money hand over fist for a while but that will level out after you have enough stock to start your own fly shop.

I do think the kits give you a lot of stuff you will not use and the vice and tools are not what you will be happy with in the long run. It can be a very satisfying hobby that will see you through those winter nights in hotels, you'll need a good light as well.

Thanks!

there are alot of great kits out there its just picking the right one, i learnt how to tie yrs ago at fish tales, great guys. a good staring vice well run you 100.00, add another 60 or so for tools, i'm assuming you'll want to tie flies for the bow river and local lakes and streams, materials well probably run you another 100.00 unless you want to tie a bunch of dry flys then you can add another 100.00 easy. i find that buying your materials from the states well save you a ton of money and togens fly shop out of surrey b.c has great deals on hooks and beads. doc's fly shop out of the states has the best deals on materials.

I would honestly not go with a kit, my adv is to start off with a beginner vice. Something cheap like $15 for the vice. You can buy a vice kit with tools that come with it like scissors, Hackle pliers, Bobbin, Whip Finisher and Threader. You can usually buy one of those kits for around $40 for a starter kit. Other then that i would watch you youtube videos and learn from there. These courses are expensive, short and you generally don't have enough time to ask all the questions you need.

Here is a good channel that you will learn alot from

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheFlymanJim?feature=watch

His ties are really nice, my adv is start off with a phaesent tail nymph or a Caddis Dry Fly.

When you get better at tying you should buy a new vice to accommodate your needs. Like i said tho, Buy a cheap vice to learn

P.S the hackle you get in fly tying kits is complete ****. Hackle is something you really need to be mid - high quality. hackle is also in short supply right now.

Thanks

Ton of solid advice. I'm just gonna pull the trigger and get it done. Ill be sure to toss up a pic or two of my first creations. Lol. If anything good for a laugh.

Appreciate the responses.

this may help you out.hook & hackle club of calgary offers beginner tying course/with your membership.which is prorated for the year go to there site they meet every 2nd wed of the month etc.

When I was first starting out I went here:

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/

On the left there is a section for fly tying and beginner fly tying. I would also avoid buying a kit. I'd pick a couple of flies you want to fish, learn what it takes to tie those patters and get only what you need to tie them.

Once you catch your first fish on your fly, you'll be hooked and look at any piece of fluff and feather wondering what you can tie with it.

Can't go wrong with the Hook and Hackle Club. They don't have a vested interest in selling you a bunch of fancy equipment and supplies you might never use. Also, they will teach you to tie patterns that work here in Alberta.

I used to travel a lot and I found that tying flies was a great way to be more productive than sitting in the hotel bar watching TV! You can fit all you need in a shoebox - that is until you really get into it and accumulate a "Stash" of hooks and supplies!!

I have been teaching fly tying for over 30 years. Fly tying kits are useless. Pikergolf says it all.
Bjay

x2 most "kits" are put together by companies to get rid of junk they can't sell. You do have to research to be sure the kit is of decent quality.

Bjay

Where do you teach fly tying?

Well I took the majority.

Went out and purchased a pretty good vice and the necessary tools. I bought the materials needed to tie a few #12 woollies. This will be a good starting point I figure.

Also thanks wildcat111 for sending your instructional DVD. I'll be taking a look at it real soon.

See ya on the river.

How much did you end up spending for your vice and tools? I am looking at getting into fly tying myself this winter and want to have some idea what kind of budget to set aside.

I spent 130 on the vice at Bass pro, Apex vise

Then another 60 or so on hair stacker, threader, ceramic bobbin, finisher, scissors two pair cheaper one for metals wire and a better pair for materials. Then another 20 or so on materials.

Hope that helps.
I know some will say stay away from bass pro and buy from local store but had a ton of solid advice from Choi who works there. Ad I had a gift card. :thinking-006: