One of the best parts of preparing for fly fishing is the part where you tie your own flies. This is an activity that challenges your creative side as you try to make your flies look as life-like as possible, even more so than the ones you can buy pre-made at a sporting goods store.
Fly tying isn't as difficult as it might first seem. It's all a matter of having a fly vice, a pair of pliers, scissors and thread as your basic tools for the project. The equipment you use can make all the difference in quality work and shoddy work. Flies are a fish's main food source in most environments, and you would always want your lures to resemble the real thing to the best of your capabilities.
Tying supplies can be found just about anywhere. Here are some of the other items you'll want to have handy when tying your own flies:
Hooks in different sizes or shapes Multi-colored thread in several gauges Mink or fox fur, or other similar types of animal fur Feathers from pheasants and peacocks Craft cement
Precision tying is the most important part of the process. What you will need for this is a picture of the fly you wish to create a replica of. These pictures can easily be found on the Internet, or on books - look for the best possible pictures of flies, caddis flies and other food sources. Choose from your materials and try to replicate the fly based on the picture as well as you could.
Start out by wrapping thread around your hook and then add fur and feathers as you go securely tying them to the hook. Continue adding materials as you continue with the process until you have a fairly realistic replica. There's more than meets the eye than the few quick steps above, but at least that would give you a clue on the basics.
To further improve your craft you can watch instructional videos on the 'net or take fly tying classes, which do exist. However, if you're new to this sport, you can get started with fly fishing by buying lures at the sporting goods store, and as you go (that phrase again), you can start making your own lures and experimenting with different varieties.
Tying your own flies can be a great way to bring you more and more into the fly fishing experience. Since a lot of patience is needed, as well as precision, this technique may not be suited for everybody. If you're up to it, though, your dedication will be rewarded as you acquire a new hobby of your own while getting more out of fly fishing than you ever have!
Fly tying isn't as difficult as it might first seem. It's all a matter of having a fly vice, a pair of pliers, scissors and thread as your basic tools for the project. The equipment you use can make all the difference in quality work and shoddy work. Flies are a fish's main food source in most environments, and you would always want your lures to resemble the real thing to the best of your capabilities.
Tying supplies can be found just about anywhere. Here are some of the other items you'll want to have handy when tying your own flies:
Hooks in different sizes or shapes Multi-colored thread in several gauges Mink or fox fur, or other similar types of animal fur Feathers from pheasants and peacocks Craft cement
Precision tying is the most important part of the process. What you will need for this is a picture of the fly you wish to create a replica of. These pictures can easily be found on the Internet, or on books - look for the best possible pictures of flies, caddis flies and other food sources. Choose from your materials and try to replicate the fly based on the picture as well as you could.
Start out by wrapping thread around your hook and then add fur and feathers as you go securely tying them to the hook. Continue adding materials as you continue with the process until you have a fairly realistic replica. There's more than meets the eye than the few quick steps above, but at least that would give you a clue on the basics.
To further improve your craft you can watch instructional videos on the 'net or take fly tying classes, which do exist. However, if you're new to this sport, you can get started with fly fishing by buying lures at the sporting goods store, and as you go (that phrase again), you can start making your own lures and experimenting with different varieties.
Tying your own flies can be a great way to bring you more and more into the fly fishing experience. Since a lot of patience is needed, as well as precision, this technique may not be suited for everybody. If you're up to it, though, your dedication will be rewarded as you acquire a new hobby of your own while getting more out of fly fishing than you ever have!
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