The Ultimate 10-Point Guide for Fly Tying Beginners

Fly Tying for Beginners Starts Here

Fly tying for beginners can be overwhelming. Looking back, there are several things I wish someone had taught me before I bought my first vise and sat down to tie my first fly. My fly-tying journey has not been a steady ride. I bought a starter fly-tying kit when I was a teenager and just learning to fly fish. The kit came with a cheap vice, some basic tools, and a terrible how-to book with grainy black-and-white photos. It was the equivalent of Ikea instructions for tying flies. Several years later, I took a beginner fly-tying course at a local fly shop. After the class, I dropped a ridiculous amount of money on tools and materials I didn’t yet know what to do with.

Fly Tying for Beginners: simplify your approach

The best purchase I made that day was Dave Hughes’ book, Essential Trout Flies. Unfortunately, when I got the book home, I skipped over Chapter 1. That is where Hughes explained, “If you think of trout flies in terms of styles, rather than viewing them as a vast scattering of individual patterns, each of which you must patiently-or impatiently-learn to tie, then both your tying and your trout fishing will be greatly simplified.” I really wish I had taken that advice early on.

“If you think of trout flies in terms of styles, rather than viewing them as a vast scattering of individual patterns, each of which you must patiently-or impatiently-learn to tie, then both your tying and your trout fishing will be greatly simplified.”

Dave hughes

I Tried to Learn Too Much Too Fast

Unfortunately, I ignored that advice. After taking a fly tying for beginners class, I figured I was ready to skip ahead in the book. I opened to Chapter 3 and started tying dry flies. After just a few evenings behind the vise, I became frustrated because my flies looked nothing like Dave’s. Instead of sticking with one style until I improved, I skipped ahead to nymphs.

Tying nymphs went a little better, but each fly seemed like a struggle. I hung in there for a while and started to fill my fly box with some of the saddest-looking patterns ever tied. My earliest creations even fooled some trout. Tying felt tiresome. I never took the time to master any one pattern before trying another one. Every attempt to tie a new fly was a painstaking process because I was not mastering any one style. Pretty soon, I stopped tying consistently. Eventually, I just stopped tying flies altogether. Every so often, I would try to start again, but I would quickly get overwhelmed by trying to tie too many different things at once and end up quitting. This sounds a lot like my exercise habits.

Changing My Approach

When I found myself spending more time at home, I recommitted to tying flies consistently. I changed my approach and started to see real improvement. Fly tying became more enjoyable once my flies began to look the way they’re supposed to. By tying the same patterns over and over, I started to understand and master different styles. Here are ten things I did that helped me find success along my fly-tying journey:

Tip # 1 – Invest in a Quality Fly Tying Vise

For years, I had been tying flies on the cheap vise that came with the starter kit. I thought, “The vise just holds the hook, right? I don’t need to spend more money.” This logic is similar to justifying the use of a crappy fly reel. The reasoning is that it “just holds the line.” Believe me, you will have a much better experience if you invest in a quality vise.

Affordable Options

You don’t need to spend a fortune on a high-end vise. But make sure you have something that firmly holds a hook. It should also be easy to work with. The price range for a solid entry-level vise is between $50 and $200. I opted for the Griffin Montana Mongoose. It is on the higher side of that range. I liked the fact that it had a full 360-degree rotation and a lifetime guarantee. So far, I have not felt the need to upgrade this vise. (Although I have had my eye on the Renzetti Presentation 3000). For now, though, my Griffin vise is working great.

Take a Deeper Dive

For an in-depth look at high-quality entry-level vises, check out what the guys from Fly Fish Food have to say. They provide insights that will help inform your decision. They take a deeper dive into this topic that will really help inform your decision. These guys can steer you in the right direction to help you find a quality and affordable vice.

Tip # 2 – Start With Essential Fly Tying Tools

Sharp Fly Tying Scissors

Once you have your vise picked out, you will want to focus on the essential tools you will need. Aside from the vise, a sharp pair of fly-tying scissors will be your most important tool. There is no need to break the bank on scissors. You just need them to be sharp. Dr. Slick Co. makes a wide variety of sizes and styles to choose from.

Bobbin & Threader

Next, you will want at least one good bobbin and a threader. I love the Ergo Bobbin by Loon Outdoors because it feels great in my hand. It is convenient to have a few bobbins loaded with your most commonly used spools, but you certainly can get started with just one. If you really want to go high-end here, or you struggle with dexterity, check out a Rite Bobbin by Merco Products.

Whip Finisher, Bodkin & Hackle Pliers

Finally, you will want to make sure you have a whip finish tool, a bodkin, and hackle pliers. I honestly do not have strong recommendations, as these tools are pretty basic. There are many styles of hackle pliers. I still use a very basic pair from the kit I started with.

Tip # 3 – Ensure You Have Ample Lighting

Tip # 4 – Find a Practical and Comfortable Fly Tying Area

I did not have a practical or comfortable place to work early in my fly-tying journey. My wife was thrilled when I spread all my stuff out on the kitchen table. I then started hacking away on a Parachute Adams. She was especially appreciative when one of the kids would find a streamer hook on the floor and start playing with it. In all seriousness, not having a place to work was a huge barrier.

After the hook incident, I was relegated to work in my unfinished basement. It was cold, damp, and hospitable only to the giant wolf spiders who took up residence down there. This unpleasant workspace was not helping me to tie consistently. I avoided going to the basement to tie as much (or more) as I did to run on the rickety treadmill we also kept down there.

Since that time, I have been able to finish my basement. With my wife’s approval, I created a small workspace down there. This area has now become my little sanctuary within my own home. You can find me there most evenings, tying flies and listening to the Troutbitten Podcast. The beer fridge is just a few paces from this area, too. Depending on which night of the week that photo was taken, there may have been a hazy IPA in that mug. I’m as particular with my beer as I am with my fly-tying materials.

Tip # 5 – Build Your Confidence by Tying Junk Flies

It’s been said that fishing with mop flies is like riding a moped—fun to do until your friends see you! I won’t spend much time on this tip. Junk flies are generally easy to tie. I had a lot of fun early on tying mops, squirmy worms, and Eggstacy Egg patterns. Early success with junk flies will give you confidence to tackle more challenging patterns down the line. Let’s face it, unless you are some kind of elitist, you need these patterns in your box anyway!

Tip # 6 – YouTube is Your Best Resource for Fly Tying

With all due respect to Dave Hughes and other authors of fly-tying books, YouTube has made fly tying for beginners easier than ever before. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a YouTube video is worth a million. The quality and quantity of the fly-tying videos available on YouTube are incredible. My only caution here is not to try to tie every cool pattern you find. Remember what I skipped in chapter 1 of Dave Hughes’s book? It is still critical to master fly styles! So try to find videos of flies in the style you are working on. Once you have mastered tying that style, move on to the next one! If you are not careful, YouTube can lead you down the path Hughes warned about in viewing flies as a “vast scattering of individual patterns.”

YouTube Subscription Recommendations

I am likely only scratching the surface here, but here are just a few recommendations of YouTube channels to follow:

Trout Strike: Of course I have to plug my own YouTube Channel

Fly Fish Food: Fly Fish Food! Fly tying tutorials and some odds and ends fishing stuff.

Oholi’s Flies: Fly fishing and fly tying around the globe.

Holsinger’s Fly Shop: Holsinger’s Fly Shop is a channel dedicated to bringing you high-quality fly-tying and fly-fishing instructional videos.

In the Riffle: Fly Fishing and Fly Tying Video Media Hub.

Tip # 7 – Master One Style of Fly at a Time

Tip # 8 – Find a Way to Organize Your Fly Tying Materials

Keeping your tools and materials organized can be quite a challenge. This is another reason why I suggest starting with just the essential tools and materials. If you buy everything at once, you may struggle to keep it all organized. RIO has crafted a great one-minute video to help you start this process.

The Renzetti Soft Foam Caddy is a great initial investment. It will sit firmly on just about any surface. It will house all of your essential fly tying tools and keep them in one place. There are countless plastic drawer systems available on Amazon. These are handy for storing a variety of tying materials. I have a small one on my tying desk and a larger system under my desk for bigger items. The last thing I will recommend is a silicone bead pad. Tungsten beads tend to roll around quite a bit. The silicone pads help keep hooks and beads from ending up on the floor. Perhaps if I had one of these early in my journey, my wife would not have relegated me to the unfinished basement.

Tip 9 – Develop a Checklist of Flies You Want to Tie

Once you are comfortable with tying a variety of styles, I recommend starting to visualize your ultimate fly box. I started by making a list of confidence flies. From there, I listed flies that I knew I needed based on my knowledge of the streams I fish. I organized them into a chart. This chart helps me stay focused on what I need when I sit down to tie. You will notice my confidence flies are in bold because I always want to have enough of those in my box. Honestly, I have never been able to have every one of these flies in my box at any one time, but it does give me something to work toward. It also helps me from being distracted by the latest and greatest pattern. Click on the chart below to print it.

Tip 10 – Tie Regularly and Appreciate the Journey

Like fly fishing, fly tying is something that will provide you with wonderful opportunities to grow and learn for a lifetime. Take your time and appreciate the journey. As your tying improves, so will your fishing. Catching wild trout on patterns that you tied yourself can be extremely rewarding. While I have made significant progress in my journey the past few years, I still have a long way to go. There are many styles I still have yet to master or even explore. Ultimately, I like fishing more than tying. But my tying has helped me become a much more effective angler and maximize my time on the water.

Fly Tying for Beginners Bonus Tip

Let’s face it, fly tying can be expensive. If you are getting into this to save money initially, you need patience. Your initial investment takes time to pay off. I do believe that over time, you will spend less. To do that, however, you need to tie consistently! Investing a bunch of money in fly-tying tools and materials is frustrating. It feels worse if your fly boxes are empty when the season starts.

Consider Selling Some of Your Flies to Support Your Fly Tying Habit

One way to counter some of the costs of your tools and materials is to sell some of the flies you have mastered. This method helps to offset some expenses. This keeps you tying consistently and offsets some of the costs. You don’t have to go crazy. Start by selecting a pattern you tie well and can produce quickly. Tie a dozen, take a nice photo or two, and create a listing on eBay. You’ll be amazed at how many flies you will sell. You likely won’t put Fulling Mill out of business. However, orders will keep you tying. The extra money will help you support your fly-tying habit!

Continue Learning

• How to Tie the Easiest Stone Fly Nymph
• Top 10 Euro Nymphs to Fill Your Fly Box
• How to Organize Euro Nymphing Flies by Weight