materials question

[gcc]

I'm fresh out of a Bob Trowbridge class, sporting a new Regal vise christmas present. I need to start collecting materials. What are some things (feathers, beads, etc) you feel you can't tie without?

[Johnny]

Hooks...you will definitely need hooks.

[JayMorr]

Are you a new tyer? If so my recommendation would be to take a fly tying class and learn several patterns. Once you have learned a few patterns you can buy the materials to tie up each one and go from there. Before you know it your collection of materials will grow.

Hit up others you know that might want to trade a few items that you need for something that you might have. Also do a few searches in this section regarding materials and you will pull up a lot of threads that will help you get started.

One more thing.....come out to the flytying club nights if you live in the area and see what everyone is tying. Sometimes we have a tying theme for the month. Any of us would be happy to point out a few materials to get you going in the right direction. We have a lot of talented tyers that come out and Tying night is usually held at a local flyshop. It would then be easy to pick a few of those items up.

JayMorr

[Larry S.]

He just took Bob's class.

gcc---

Come out to the Cache Angler meeting on January 21st at the USU Water Lab (below the 1st Dam) at 7:00pm. A lot of us will be there (including Bob) and can answer your questiions.

We held our UOTF Far North Tying Club meeting this past Tuesday eve.

[Brown Bonkers]

Buy materials for your 3 favorite flies. Follow the advice of Larry and attend the meeting. I know that most new tyers could feel intimidated, But these guys put their pants on one leg at a time just like you do. You'll have a great time, and learn exactly what you should to get started.

[castnblast]

gcc--
I echo what was said; come out to the meetings. I am a newbee tyer as well. I took Bob's class as well, the best thing we could have done to jump start us into this hobby. I have been going to the UOTF meetings. This week, I didn't even put a hook in my vise for the first hour; I just sat there and watch Teewinot tie soft hackles and learned from him. The atmosphere is one of warm comraderie and willingness to share and learn from each other. Like Larry S. said in a post several weeks ago, you would see no so called "elitists" here, don't get me wrong; there are several tyers there that are in the class of elite fly tying abililty, they just don't rub you that way!

Plus, the refreshments are great!

-castnblast

[Utah DaveII]

Buy you some pheasant tails, black, red, and grey thread. get some dubbing also, a good hares ear color and some superfine dubbing in olive and callibeatis.

Get a patch of elk hair as well.

Oh and you'll need a some hackles too. Grizzly first then some brown.

man, the list just keeps going on and on, and on, and on.....

[Lonnie]

I think most of us only use about 5 or 10 flies most of the time. What are these for you ? For me, Hares ears (of various colors), woolly buggers, Pheasant tails, elk hair/goddard caddis, various small midge nymphs, Parachute adams, B.W.O., caddis pupa/emerger. That's just about my list.

I can buy 1 grizzly neck and tie the Bugger, the adams, and the BWO, although the color wouldn't be quite right on the last one. I generally use brown on the caddis dries, but I generally tie those bigger so I don't need as good a grade of neck. Black would be my third choice, and cream my 4th.

I like my hares ears in a variety of colors. There are many dubbings that have fur's built in that substitute well for hares ears if you wanted. They are also pretty reasonable per pack. Natural, caddis or olive green, and black should cover you. You'll need a turkey quill for the wing backs and some tensile for the ribs.

You'll need some chenille and marabou for the bugger, and some elk hair for the caddis.

For the midges, you pretty much just need fine wire (Copper, gold, silver, and maybe red) and thread (Red, black and green). Bead are optional, but look good. Peacock herl in nice too.

You'll need some PT to tie the PT. Copper wire and peacock work good here too.

For the wings on the adams and BWO you'll need some white calf tail (but get one with a little brown in it too) or antron for the wing. You should have all the other components by now. Same for the caddis pupa/emerger.

So take the list and you should be OK. There are lots of other flies you could tie by adding 1 or 2 ingredients. I'm guessing that you can keep it under $100.00 with this list. Good luck.

[gcc]

Hey! Thanks to the two jerk offs who suggested hooks and thread! Great ideas!

But seriously....
I spend most of my time fishing stillwaters. I am collecting maribou, chenile, mohair, etc. I just wondered what you all considered must haves. To bead or not, flashabou, krystal flash, etc.

Larry S. - I'm bummed I missed the Tues meet. I see that you guys and Cache Anglers usually meet on a Wed. or Thurs. the two worst nights of the week for me. Do you do much any other nights?

[«°Ñøvã°»]

Big ol beads metal coneheads are cool. Also some hackle to match the color chinelle your using or not. Lead is good. Flashabou or that rainbow flash crinkly plastic stuff works too. Sorry for the loose terminology.

[Larry S.]

UOTF tying club meetings are the 1st Tuesday of the month and Cache Anglers meet the 3rd Wednesday.

[Ouzel]

You asked an open ended question and of course you're bound to get some non-serious answers. I was tempted to reply with 'black' thread. :-)

OK, you say you fish mostly stillwaters so #2,4,6 streamer hooks for black, olive and brown buggers which then gives you that color of thread, marabou and chenille.

Other material needs will come up the same way. What fly is needed will initiate the materail needs to tie it. And what fly is needed will come up when you decide where you want to fish and when.

[jdubya]

Originally posted by Lonnie
I think most of us only use about 5 or 10 flies most of the time. .

you mean, like, per cast, or what?? hell, if I didn't have my vest full of a hundred or more patterns i'd feel naked! then again, i do tend to bog down in the deep wading.

[cheech]

gcc- I love the stillwaters, and have done a fair bit o tying for them. I would recommend getting ahold of Dennis from this site. He is the current stillwater consulate here. I very rarely fish a plain Jane bugger anymore. I would recommend tying them with a bead head, small hackle, crystal chenille, and wire reinforcement. Also, it's good to have a few flies in sizes 6-8, but I have had more luck on a size 10 than anything (a #10 3xl streamer hook works). Buy materials and learn how to tie a CBS leech. They are one of the easiest flies to tie, and one of the most effective flies around. If I were going to pick the top 10 flies for me on stillwaters, they would be:

1- CBS leech #10
2- BH midnight fire bugger #10
3- Chartreuse bead lemon lime bugger #10
4- Olive Willey #10
5- Olive simi seal leech #10
6- Canadian Black simi seal leech #10
7- Llama Leech #10
8- Tokaruk Special #6
9- Red crystal killer #6
10- Staynor's duck tail #8

These patterns are all very easy to tie, and they shouldn't cost you an arm and a leg to get all of the materials for. They are also very easy to tie, minus the olive willey which is still not very hard. If you have any questions, I think I have pics of all of these flies, and I may be able to provide a recipe for each of them. I'm starting a database of all my favorite flies with their recipes. Let me know.

Cheech

[Ed Gallop]

I was tempted several times to make suggestions but, as mentioned, it depends on what you are going to tie. If trout flies then I would have on hand some grizzly and brown hackle (Whiting 100s in the size you tie). I'd have peacock herl, mallard flank dyed woodduck, pheasant tail, bronzed tip turkey tail, antron (or other) dubbing in the colors you plan to tie (march brown, olive, yellow, etc.), some small and medium mylar tinsel (gold on one side and silver on the other), small spool of copper wire, and then you can tie some flies.

However, you can expect a long list of material needs after the first few patterns. Deer and elk hair, kip (calf tails) in white and black, gray squirrel tail, various dubbings, beads (be sure to get bead hooks), foam sheets (closed cell), rabbit strips (zonkers), rubber legs, flash, larva lace, skins, and the list will go on. In about a year or two you will be having a storage problem and your spouse may even move you into a spare bedroom, or garage if you don't have a spare room.

I wouldn't be in a hurry though. Just pick a few flies every now and then and get the material you need. As time goes on you will need to buy less and less because what you need for new patterns will be on hand. It is a long process that never ends. I have two closets full, a roll top and all it's drawers packed full, and still frequently find new stuff to get. That is part of the fun. Ed.