Fly Tying Essentials: The Basics for First-Time Tyers
- Vises. A fly tying vise is perhaps the most important piece of equipment for anyone hoping to tie his/her first fly.
- Bobbins. A bobbin supports your thread and allows you to wrap flies efficiently.
- Thread.
- Scissors.
- Hooks.
- Beads, Coneheads, & Eyes.
- Whip Finishing Tool.
In this post
Can you use super glue for tying flies?
Products you may also like
Loctite Super Glue Gel is our favorite adhesive for fly tying. It works great with generally all fly tying materials but is especially good for gluing eyes to deer hair flies like bass flies and bass poppers and anywhere else a thick super glue is needed.
Can you tie flies with any thread?
Tread Materials
Three basic thread types dominate the fly tying market. Nylon, Polyester and Kevlar are the most used threads by today’s tiers. Silk or newer gel spun polyethylene (GSP) is also available if one looks hard enough. Nylon and polyester are cheap, thin and strong, making them ideal for tiers.
What hooks to use for tying flies?
Dry-Fly Hooks
Hooks most commonly used for tying nymphs (top to bottom): 2X heavy curved scud hook; 1X long standard nymph; 3X long curved shank; and 3X long straight shank.
Can you use super glue instead of head cement?
Head cement is easy to apply and resists wicking, which makes it great for flies with hackle or dubbing. Though, it lacks rigidity, which can affect the longevity of a fly. Super glue, however, is cheaper and sturdier, but tends to wick into dubbing and hackle, which can affect a fly’s presentation.
Do you need special thread for fly tying?
Without the right thread, even your best efforts can be counterproductive. Nylon and polyester threads are thinner and stronger than silk and therefore more practical for today’s fly tying. Polyester has less stretch than nylon, which should give you more thread control.
Why does my fly tying thread keep breaking?
One of the most common reasons thread breaks, especially with a new bobbin, is an improperly adjusted bobbin. Other factors like sharp edges and hook points often cut the thread, but if the thread actually breaks, it’s usually a case of too much tension, and often that’s due to an improperly adjusted bobbin.
What size is 70 denier thread?
Size – The textile industry standard for measuring thread is referred to as a denier. Denier is the measured mass in grams of 9,000 meters of thread. For example, if the mass of thread is 70 grams, it is considered a 70 denier thread.
Is it cheaper to buy or tie flies?
Saving money tying is a myth. Even with the excess of flies I’ve tied, there’s no way I’ve saved a dime. I’ll grant the actual cost per fly based on materials alone, it’s cheaper to tie. But that doesn’t take into consideration the quantities of “stuff” you’ll purchase in order to fill your boxes.
How much does it cost to tie a fly?
It costs between $. 64 and $. 88 per fly for the materials to tie your own flies. If materials and start up costs are included, it costs between $1.14 and $3.13 per fly, with an average of $491 to tie 500 flies.
Does fly rod length matter?
You generally have to slow down your casting stroke, but a longer rod can cary more line, keep it off the water, and help give you that extra distance you want. Accuracy usually suffers with a longer rod (which is why most small stream/dry fly rods are short – the angler doesn’t need distance but needs accuracy).
What size fly should I use for trout?
How Are Trout Flies Sized? Flies are annotated by size — the higher the number, the smaller the fly. Generally, nymphs and dry flies in sizes 12 to 16 are the most common, but size 20 or 22 dry flies are often used. Streamers in sizes 4 to 6 tend to be most useful.
What size hooks for trout flies?
For small stream trout, smaller fly fishing hook sizes like a 6 or 10 may be sufficient. For medium-sized species such as salmon or redfish, you might use a size 4, 2 or 1/0. For larger species, you might try a 2/0 to 4/0.
What is the best head cement for fly tying?
Petroleum-based Head Cements
Hard as Hull Penetrator – This is a fine choice for all wet, dry, and nymphs with heads that do not need to be shiny or glossy.
What is head cement made of?
GLOSS COAT HEAD CEMENT
Gloss Coat is a fast drying, acrylic resin based head cement that produces a durable, high gloss finish with just one application. Having a medium thickness it is excellent for building up heads on flies and as a cosmetic overcoat for painted popper bodies, jig heads, etc.
How long does fly head cement take to dry?
overnight
Full cure happens overnight and the product will not dissolve in the water once cured. HEAD CEMENT TIPS: (1) Not all cements have the same viscosity coming out of the bottle. Do not hesitate to thin the cement to the desired viscosity.
Can I tie flies with sewing thread?
Sewing thread can be made from a variety of materials but some like cotton absorb water very well which will help sink your fly without adding weight. 3. It’s cheap. Sewing thread can be more than 50% cheaper than fly tying thread.
What is UNI thread made of?
8/0 UNI-Thread is made of continuous polyester filaments, slightly bonded, which ties flat on the hook and comes wax or unwaxed in 23 hatch-matching colours.
How strong is Kevlar thread?
Kevlar® thread is one of the strongest and most fire retardant commercially available threads. It is about 2.5 times stronger than nylon or polyester, has almost no stretch, does not melt, and decomposes at 800°F.
What is the strongest fly tying thread?
The Fly Shack Kevlar Thread is made out of the same material as a bulletproof vest. Kevlar thread is incredibly strong and will give durability and toughness to all of the flies you tie. It has an eight-pound working strength. This is the ideal thread for use on big flies.
What thread do you use for dry flies?
Size 6/0 is always the workhorse thread; we use it for making most of the patterns in our fly boxes: nymphs, freshwater streamers, beefier dry flies, and smaller saltwater patterns. This thread is stronger than size 8/0 so you can apply more tension when lashing materials to hooks.