Fly Tying Starter Kit

[Paul Kalajainen]

On the top of my Christmas list this year is a fly tying kit so I can get back into tying and spend the colder months preparing for warm weather in the spring.  My mother-in-law asked me to send her a link to where she could find/order one for me (awesome). 

As I was looking around and reading reviews of different kits it seemed that quite a few people felt it made more sense to buy the tools and materials individually to avoid ending up with a lot of materials I don't plan to use.  Are there any kits you all would recommend or do you agree with this?  I am starting totally from scratch, so I'll need a vise, tools, materials, the whole deal.

Thanks!
Paul

[Greg Feder]

Paul --

 

I received the Umpqua Deluxe Fly Tying Kit a few years ago and really have been pleased. 

 

Cheers,

 

-- Greg

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[TurbineBlade]

The kit sold by fly shack suits me pretty well.  Everything is decent and the price is great.  

Gene

On Monday, December 10, 2012 10:53:34 AM UTC-5, GS Feder wrote:

Paul --

 

I received the Umpqua Deluxe Fly Tying Kit a few years ago and really have been pleased. 

 

Cheers,

 

-- Greg

From: Paul Kalajainen <paulkal...@gmail.com>
To: tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2012 10:48 AM
Subject: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Fly Tying Starter Kit

On the top of my Christmas list this year is a fly tying kit so I can get back into tying and spend the colder months preparing for warm weather in the spring.  My mother-in-law asked me to send her a link to where she could find/order one for me (awesome). 

As I was looking around and reading reviews of different kits it seemed that quite a few people felt it made more sense to buy the tools and materials individually to avoid ending up with a lot of materials I don't plan to use.  Are there any kits you all would recommend or do you agree with this?  I am starting totally from scratch, so I'll need a vise, tools, materials, the whole deal.

Thanks!
Paul
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[Todd Kuethe]

I actually went the other route.  I won a vice at a beer tie and then bought a few necessary tools and some materials to make a few patterns. Miles pointed me directly to a handful of materials for basic trout patterns (hare's mask, pheasant tail, etc.). I expanded slowly from there. It's not a bad option if you know exactly what kind of fishing you'll be going for and what sort of flies you'll need, but a kit would provide you with flexibility.  You could always buy a basic tools set and a few materials kits.  Fly Shack has some material kits specifically for trout or bass, for example.

I guess it depends on whether you want to perfect a couple of patterns or be a jack-of-all-trades with all kinds of patterns.

[Jeffrey Silvan]

I couldn't find my fly tying tools a few months ago (packed them away too well), and bought the cheapest set I could find - a set from Cabela's. It was about $50 bucks, and was surprisingly good. It has quite a few tools and a vice that can be used as either a platform or clamp. I did replace the bobbin with an Orvis one almost immediately though because it would fray heavier thread and completely sever small thread.

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[Dalton Terrell]

Would she go for a gift certificate to one of the local shops? Dan or Richie will let you play around with the vises they carry and sell you the nicer tools that you would inevitably replace with the ones that come in a kit.

Dalton

[TurbineBlade]

Oh yeah, I guess I should have mentioned that I bought (and continue to buy) a lot of materials from Urban angler in Alexandria.  It's pretty much non-stop, like any great hobby ;).  Rich is another hockey fan, and Grizzly hooked me up with some great stuff.  Then Wray with our wading gear.  I've learned a ton about the sport in general and tying from RSW as well. I can't say enough positive things about Urban and RSW.  

We have a damn-good fly community around here.  So yeah - great recommendation as well.  You can't go wrong.  

Gene

P.S. I know where the tootsie rolls are.  If you need to know, just ask.   

[Paul Kalajainen]

Thanks for the advice everyone!  Looks like she decided to get me a huge Orvis gift card instead of looking for a starter kit with the right stuff in it - so I'll have a great time picking everything out.

[Matthew Longley]

That's probably the best approach.  I have two starter kits (random gifts/prizes over the years) and as a result I have a huge bag of random materials that I don't really use.  Also the quality of some of the starter kit feathers can be a bit lacking, and deer tail especially tends to be poor quality, which can be really frustrating.  I would identify a few patterns that you want to tie, giving preference to patters with common materials, and buy it piecemeal.  Eventually you'll want to move onto other patterns, and you'll have to build out your material options a bit, but I think you'll find most common patterns have overlapping material requirements.

[Scott S]

Resurrecting this old thread because my Brother-in-Law is asking for a recommendation for a beginner fly tying kit. Specifically, I'm wondering if anyone has experience with the Orvis Encounter Vise & Tool Set - particularly with the vise. I feel like the vise is typically where most kits go wrong and I feel like that can quickly lead a beginner to frustration. 

Thanks!

--Scott

[Bryan Lanier]

I started with the LL Bean kit. It was nice but ended up getting a better vise at Orvis. To tell the truth, i don't tie that much. An occasional woolly bugger or elk hair caddis. Home depot has a nice tool box folds over and has lots of dividers which is plenty big enough to hold my materials and tools.

Bryan

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