Help me get back into fly tying....

[koz]

When I was a 12 year old kid I fell in love with all aspects of fly fishing. I drifted away and grew a family.  No more driving to every softball field in the tri-state area every weekend.  

I want to start tying again. I used to make some killer bugs. lol I loved the foam beetle and wholly bugger, zug bug. lol I want to get back into tying. I have looked for some kits and they all seem like cheap poor quality.  I am gonna look around some more on the internet. 

 

What tools do you guys use most? Any place have a good selection of supplies? Also what is your favorite pattern? Thanks Koz

Edited December 16, 2021 by koz

[DonW]

I have been adding to my fly tying arsenal also. I bought a Colorado Angler tool set with vise a few years ago, and just upgraded my vice last week (Christmas gift from Wife). Think about getting a rotary vice, makes tying a little easier, at least for my old self. 

I've been ordering from Jannsnetcraft.com and jsflyfishing.com, also Amazon.

 

I really like shopping for materials in person, I really like going to hobby shops for feathers. Seems like the price is a little lower. Hope this helps, and please let me know if you need any more information.

I have been tying a lot of Copper John's lately, different colors and sizes.  Also perdigons and some Rainbow Warriors.

 

[electricstart]

Things you need to get started is a vice ,tools ,thread, hooks , Material ,glue or cement , wire , lead, table ,good light  and patients . Best part of fly fishing is tying your own flies and of course catching fish .Watch the slide in ,Tight lines,jim misiuri ,mcfly angler.fly fish food all great tying tutorials . Kelly owner of the slide in is the best learned a lot .  Tightlines in Parsippany NJ and Shannon's in Califon NJ both have classes and a lot of fly tying stuff. j stockard fly tying material,fly fish food ,feather emporium  online stores .  Watch some videos you might want to buy tools  individually . I tie on a Regal and renzetti Vises . Dr slick makes good tools .Loon products are good, Orvis also good stuff ,stonfo very good. Feathers and hackle whiting is the best . hareline has good material . thread uni is most popular . There is a lot to it . Pm me if you need more advice glad to help . 

[ithaca10]

Reach out to your local Trout Unlimited

[TroutandBucks]

Check out this new shop

https://goldenstoneoutfitters.com/

 

@Bucksnbows would always be a big help to you as well 

[electricstart]

9 minutes ago, TroutandBucks said:

Check out this new shop

https://goldenstoneoutfitters.com/

 

@Bucksnbows would always be a big help to you as well 

I was going to mention White water but noticed he was closed . Did Goldenstone merge or buy him

out ? I will up to check them out . 

[OMC]

Yes they were purchased and the new owner seems to be a good guy.

So it really is a matter of where you live in the state.

Tightlines is my go to Fly shop

[RPK0620]

Well, to divert a little.  I quit fly fishing and tying over 1o years ago.  All my tying tools and thread, feathers, etc were donated to Project Healing Waters up at Lyons Medical Center in Lyons, NJ.

They were used with the Veterans hospitalized there.  If I lived closer I wood have liked to be one of the volunteers who worked with the veterans teach them how to tie and then assist in getting them out on the water.

Check them out if you have any fly fishing gear you'd like to donate or time you could donate to help tying classes or on the water.

                                https://projecthealingwaters.org/programs/locations/new-jersey/

Edited December 14, 2021 by RPK0620

[Kype]

@koz im not sure where to begin with your questions. theres so much i could go into. 

i have many fly tying tools some are gimmicks and some have their spot at the table. for example the whip finish tool. many guys wont use this tool and just tie in a few half hitches. i love the whip finish tool. it makes a great knot to finish the fly you tied. and its fast. 

next up is UV cement. its instant. no longer need to wait for head cement to dry. and if your building bodies up its even faster. apply the UV cement and turn on the flashlight and boom your done. 

vise. i have tied flies using vise grips. no need for a fancy vise. but then again i have the renzetti traveler. its IMO the best vise for FRESHWATER flies. the thing with hobbies is as you grow into your hobbie people tend to buy the best gear they can afford. same goes for this.

materials, ramsey outdoor has a good selection of tying materials. and the internet

favorite pattern. depends on the time of year. but if i had to choose, PT, hares ears, olive wooley bugger, clouser minnow, muddler minnow, prince, adams, BWO, caddis emerger(wings tied in).

im sure im missing points hear. feel free to reach out via PM. or we can meet up if youd like. 

also your best bet is to attend the fly fishing and tying show in edison this year. it should be coming up in jan 2022. or less its still closed down for covid. you can buy everything you could think of including demos etc..

kyle. 

 

 

[MGHunter66]

You can order online or better yet support a local shop. You don’t have to go nuts and you can real easy when it comes to vices. I bought a Griffin Odyssey as a travel vice, inexpensive and simple. Surprisingly I use it all the time not just as a packable on trips. Get good scissors, bodkin, hackle pliers, hair stacker and a bobbin . Your good to get tying, buy other stuff as you find the need. 

[Bucksnbows]

2 hours ago, OMC said:

Yes they were purchased and the new owner seems to be a good guy.

So it really is a matter of where you live in the state.

Tightlines is my go to Fly shop

Freddy DeLeon worked for Greg who owned Whitewater Flies. Greg sold his inventory to Fredy and took a fishing job with Bass Pro Shop down south in the Carolinas. Freddy then opened Golden Stone Outfitters on route 15 S in a new, large shop. He will soon rival Tightlines as far as tying materials go. It’s great to have three strong fly shops in northern NJ when you add Shannon’s to the other two. 

[Bucksnbows]

9 hours ago, koz said:

When I was a 12 year old kid I fell in love with all aspects of fly fishing. I drifted away and grew a family.  No more driving to very softball field in the tri-state area every weekend.  

I want to start tying again. I used to make some killer bugs. lol I loved the foam beetle and wholly bugger, zug bug. lol I want to get back into tying. I have looked for some kits and they all seem like cheap poor quality.  I am gonna look around some more on the internet. 

 

What tools do you guys use most? Any place have a good selection of supplies? Also what is your favorite pattern? Thanks Koz

There are no good tying kits. They all suck badly. Best to buy a used vise from someone that wanted to change vises or stopped tying. I have a Renzetti and an HMH and both are great vises. I tie size 24 up to big saltwater flies on the same vise. Shannon’s, Tightlines, Ramsey, and Golden Stone are all close enough to you and all have good selections of materials and hooks. 

[Bucksnbows]

2 hours ago, OMC said:

Yes they were purchased and the new owner seems to be a good guy.

So it really is a matter of where you live in the state.

Tightlines is my go to Fly shop

Freddy will be selling cigars and is a cigar aficionado himself. I know have two very close friends that own fly shops, so I’m a lucky guy. 😁

[nmc02]

1 hour ago, Bucksnbows said:

Freddy DeLeon worked for Greg who owned Whitewater Flies. Greg sold his inventory to Fredy and took a fishing job with Bass Pro Shop down south in the Carolinas. Freddy then opened Golden Stone Outfitters on route 15 S in a new, large shop. He will soon rival Tightlines as far as tying materials go. It’s great to have three strong fly shops in northern NJ when you add Shannon’s to the other two. 

Nice guy. Stopped in there recently. However, he caught me off guard. He is an orvis wader fan and said he will never carry Simms waders. Orvis waders are garbage and don't compare to Simms. I guess Ford vs. Dodge....

[Bucksnbows]

11 hours ago, nmc02 said:

Nice guy. Stopped in there recently. However, he caught me off guard. He is an orvis wader fan and said he will never carry Simms waders. Orvis waders are garbage and don't compare to Simms. I guess Ford vs. Dodge....

That’s a long story and I agree with you.  Freddy was the guy that used to fish every single day. Waders will last the average angler a decade, but no more than 3 years or less when worn daily. He also tried every other manufacturer after Simms with similar results.  Call him out on it next time you’re in the shop and tell him I put you up to it. He’s a very close friend. 😁

Yes, he’s a great angler. But he’s also the Chub Master!