Fly Tying

What Does Fly Tying Mean?

When you learn fly tying, you learn how to make your own artificial flies that you will use when you go fly fishing. The point is to create flies that match as perfectly as possible the real world. Your flies should imitate the progress of an insect’s life cycle and adjust to the riparian and aquatic life that exists through the seasons.

How Many Different Kinds of Flies Are There?

Understanding the life cycle of aquatic insects is the basis for tying flies. There are thousands of flies you can make. The insects and bugs that exist on the surface of the water and around vary with the river, season, and even time of day. You will find different bugs on a sunny summer morning and different ones in the late afternoon.

Generally speaking, fly fishing flies are categorized according to the lifecycle of a bug. That means you get:

• Nymphs, which represent the larva stage of a bug
• Emergers, which depict the in-between moment between aquatic stage and terrestrial life
• Dry flies, which are adult flies that float on the surface of the water
• Wet flies and streamers, which sink in the water

In short, there are as many kinds of flies you can make as there are bugs and insects that live around rivers and streams. Which is to say, countless.

Think of midges, Caddisflies, Stoneflies, mayflies, aquatic worms, grasshoppers, leeches, and beetles are just a few of the things that fish eat. There are even smaller fish that are great delicacies for larger fish.

Each insect has various stages in its life cycle. This means you can create several different flies based on a single insect during its aquatic, terrestrial, and in-between stages. You have literally thousands of options and opportunities.

Do I Need to Know about Entomology to Make Good Flies?

Entomology will certainly help your fly tying endeavors.

It is a good idea to simply sit by a creek or river and observe the life around it. Study what sorts of bugs emerge throughout the day and how fish respond to them. This will give you plenty of clues about the types of flies that will better mimic aquatic life and fool fish into biting.

However good your fly tying skills and no matter how believable your fly is, fish will not respond to it if they don’t expect this specific bug at that particular time of the day. You must place your flies within a specific aquatic habitat and blend in as best as possible.

To master the art of fly tying, you need more than fly tying fishing gear: you need to study nature. This will help you greatly during fly fishing as well because you will be better aware of your surroundings. You will also understand much better how to cast in a way that mimics an insect landing on the water and how to move your streamers in a manner that resembles real-life creatures like leeches.

What Sort of Tools Do I Need for Fly Tying?

Making a fly sounds simple enough: you hold a hook and gently place around it feathers, beads, wires, tinsel, and other materials. To properly attach all these without leaving loose wires or anything else that might spook a fish, however, you need the right fly fishing knot tying tools for the job.

Perhaps surprisingly, the most important fly tying tool is a simple vise, which is securely clamped on the table and holds firmly the hook. Once the hook is placed, you can start building your fly by winding around it wires, tinsel, feathers, and whatever other materials you wish.

You also need scissors and a whip finisher to help you make a knot and finish your fly. A bobbin will help you wind the wires more easily and steadily. You may also need pliers and head cement to secure the end of the loose wire on the fly.

How Should I Start Fly Tying?

We suggest you start with attending a couple of classes at your local fly shop. Getting hands on teaching will start you off on the right footing. A good teacher will be able to show you techniques that make tying your own flies that much more fun and productive.

Start with tying larger flies, they are easier to make and don’t require the dexterity that smaller and more intricate flies demand. If you start with something too complicated, you risk getting frustrated and discouraged.Once you have tackled simple fly tying techniques and you are pleased with the results, you can move on to more complex fly fishing ties.

Keep in mind that your first fly tying attempts will probably be less than perfect. Given time and patience, you will develop your skills. When you look back at your first attempts, you will likely notice the mistakes you made. Instead of throwing your first flies in the bin, cut through the wires with a razor and keep the hook to use in your future ties.

One last tip is to start with fly fishing ties that require the same size of hooks and wire diameter. This way, you won’t need to buy several different hooks and various wire diameters. Keep things simple at the beginning. Once you have honed your skills, you can invest in more sophisticated fly ties.

Fly Fishing Outfitters Fly Tying

Here at Fly Fishing Outfitters, we have everything you need to get you started on fly tying, including a fly fishing tying kit. Arm yourself with patience and determination and you will soon get hooked on fly tying and making your own flies!

Fly tying used to be a winter hobby for fishermen with ample time in their hands. They would prepare their flies and have them ready for spring fishing. Why not take a leaf out of their book? Whenever you miss fly fishing, sit at your table and start making flies. After all, fly fishing season is never far away!