What would a start-up fly tying kit contain?

[flyfishingpastor]

Trent and I are putting together a list (don't hold your breath for a finish date !) of basic, start-up materials to get someone off and running in this expensive, um, I mean, wholesome, endeavor. If you've been tying for awhile, chime in here:

1. Vise (preference?)
2. Tools (bodkin, ceramic bobbin & threader, tweezers, hackle pliers, a GOOD pair of scissors & a whip-finisher) Anything else? Too much?
3. Feathers (what feathers would one need to get started?)
4. Thread (what colors, rating?), chenille (what basic colors?), tinsel, etc.
5. Hooks (sizes, style - meaning streamer, dry, wet, nymph, specialty, etc.?)
6. Hair/Fur (deer, elk? Colors?)
7. Beads (size, color, style?)
8. Head cement of some kind.
9. What else am I forgetting?
10. What is on here that a beginner might not need?

Thanks for your help!

Pat

[barryl]

OK Pat lets just run down your list shall we

Vise?: This is a tough question but for starting out there are some fair vises from Cabela's, Bass Pro, and a little known company out of Indy called Lure craft for as little as $20 to $50.

Tools: I just bought some starter kits (vise included) for the club from Bass Pro for about $30 the vise is not great but the tools are enough to get started they include every thing you mentioned. The only thing you might add is a hair stacker and extra bobbin. I also find a pair of needle nose pliers handy.

Feathers: This depends on what it is you are trying to tie. For my input I going to stick to warm water species bass, crappie, and sun fish.
Basic colors and this will be for your threads as well
black
white
greens (dark,light' olives,chartreuse)
red
others to consider browns, grays and grizzly
most flies for these fish use marabous,schlappens,hen saddle hackles,and peacock (eyes and hurl) ostrich is also nice and can be found in most craft shops.
Treads: 3/0 to 6/0 140 and 170 and Kevlar for hair. cont.

[barryl]

sorry a little long winded
Hair: deer same colors plus natural, buck tail, and rabbit (buy the stripes it's much easier). remember hollow hair floats (deer back and belly) solid hair sinks (buck tail, rabbit) hollow hair spins, solid hair not so much.

Tinsels: to start French flat silver and gold also some lead wire

Head cement: I was shown a trick long ago that works great and I still it use today. Go to any nail care isle in any store "Sally Hansen hard as nails with Nylon" it may say + retinol same thing.
Well that's as far as I'm going to go, let some of the others take it from here and remember, you are about to embark on an addicti....er hobby, that is, shall we say infinite.
P.S. If I could figure out how to post a ^%&&& picture I'd show you my tying bench or should I say room.

[reelteacher]

Good Idea Pat. Nice list Barry. I just have one thing to add, you definitely need some dubbing materials. Hare's ear, muskrat, opposom, red fox, and synthetic dubbing, like antron, ice, and Whitlock's Blends. Haretron is also a favorite, Colors include cream, brown, olive, orange, caddis green, chartruese, white, pink and purple.

Flash material of some type is nice to have, crystal flash and flashabou make streamers and poppers more realistic and eye pleasing.
Oh, I forgot this is for beginners, well, you might as well start out with all this stuff. You will want to buy it someday anyway!!!! You need a part-time job to pay for all this, but you will definitely save money tying your own flies. wink wink.

[krebsie]

Or you could just purchase the tools then come to the tying sessions and let the club donate some of the first thingies giggets and thingamabobbers you might need to get started. I have found that I do a lot better on the materials list if I have a specific pattern and color in mind before I purchase any materials. That way I don't buy a whole bunch of good looking nonuseable stuff that will just clutter my bench.
Krebsie

[barryl]

That's very good advise Kreb you notice I didn't even start on hooks just for that reason. Some items are better bought in groups or packaged together like dubbing or deer hair assortment packs to start out. It helps reduce spending.

[rstaight]

What a list! On the tools everything has been covered.

I agree with Krebsie, pick a pattern and purchase those materials. But if you have to get this stuff now.

Hackles: Top of the list is Grizzley, then brown, medium blue dun, and ginger. To help round it out next would be black and cream or white. To help save some money you can purchase Whiting Bugger packs. You can get a few drys out of those and save the hackle tips for wings.

Dubbing: Gray, olive, brown, cream.

Flash: sliver Krystel Flash can be used on almost everything.

Bucktail: White, chartruse, brown, green, yellow,

Also get a couple os sizes of red dumbell eyes. This should get you tying the basics for our area.

[barryl]

All this great advise but we forgot the Zap-A-Gap or super glue I like the gel it doesn't run as much.