Fly Tying Supplies

A person new to the art of fly tying will need to begin acquiring a storehouse of fly tying supplies. Many fly dressers like to have enough equipment and fly tying supplies on hand to be able to work on several flies at once. The great variety of fly patterns also dictates that anyone interested in fly tying must have a large and diverse inventory of fly tying supplies. A vise, pliers and scissors are the essential equipment of the fly tying craft. Hooks, thread and materials for assembling the flies themselves are the rudimentary fly tying supplies. There are also many non-essential but needed items which a fly tier should have in his/her fly tying supplies cabinet.

Fly Tying Supplies

A person new to the art of fly tying will need to begin acquiring a storehouse of fly tying supplies. Many fly dressers like to have enough equipment and fly tying supplies on hand to be able to work on several flies at once. The great variety of fly patterns also dictates that anyone interested in fly tying must have a large and diverse inventory of fly tying supplies. A vise, pliers and scissors are the essential equipment of the fly tying craft. Hooks, thread and materials for assembling the flies themselves are the rudimentary fly tying supplies. There are also many non-essential but needed items which a fly tier should have in his/her fly tying supplies cabinet.

Hooks. In order to dress a fly a person must have a hook but it is not at all that simple. Hooks come in different sizes and weights. They also have a number of point styles and eye openings. The alignment of the eyes may also differ from hook to hook. Any fly tier will, therefore, have a large and varied store of hooks in his/her fly tying supplies. This assures that the proper hook will be available once a fly tier has decided upon the fly pattern he/she will be tying.

Thread. As a fly tier learns the art of fly tying many colors and weights of thread will be accumulated. Black is the most used color and 6/0 the most used weight. Any fly tier should have at least two spools of black 6/0 thread in his/her fly tying supplies. After that, take into account the types of flies that will be dressed and the colors that would be appropriate for those flies. Colors that are found in nature like brown, tan and olive are generally good choices.

Materials for constructing the flies. Floss, medium cut chenille again in nature based colors, gold beads and pieces of fur are basic fly tying supplies. Again depending on the pattern, a fly dresser will need deer hair, moose hair or elk hair. Having a small quantity of each will make for a well rounded set of fly tying supplies. Purchase a small inventory of tinsel; it should flat, reversible and in a variety of widths. Hackle is also a must but it can be very expensive. Beginners should consider buying it on a case by case basis. Gold wire and medium lead wire should also be included in every tier’s fly tying supplies. Of course, nothing can be secured without a jar of head cement. Dubbing wax is also a must.

Hooks, thread and various fly making materials are all components of any tier’s fly tying supplies. Remember though that specific fly tying supplies are dictated by the patterns being tied. Many neophyte fly dressers over buy supplies, buy supplies which may not be needed or supplies which they may not yet have the skill to use. Buying just enough to get started with a few easy patterns can often be the best approach to fly tying supplies for the beginner.