Question:
. I am new to fly fishing and thinking
it is becoming almost addictive.
I am mainly fishing tail water trout
streams in NW Arkansas and am planning
on fishing local warm water creeks
for smallmouth and whatever else
I can catch on a fly rod when the
weather gets warmer.
The trout
fishing here that I have experienced
is mainly nymphs with the occasional
dry thrown during a midge hatch.
I am very interested in starting
to tie my own flies. I already have
some basic tools such as a simple
vise, bobbin etc. I think the only
tools I still need are decent scissors
and a whip-finish tool. Tying all
the flies I use seems like a lot
to learn.
I have about
25 different trout flies in my box
so far and I know that will grow.
I also have 14 or so different "bass"
flies. It seems insurmountable to
learn to tie them all. . What is
the best way to get going? Learn
to tie on pattern, and then move
to the next? It would be nice I
suppose to tie all my flies for
all my fishing needs someday
Answer:
Let me answer by telling you how
I got started. I found two friends
who were similarly interested and
we formed a mini support group.
A local community college had a
series of classes at a very reasonable
price, and we took those. The instructor
was very helpful in teaching us
basic techniques, material management,
the difference between tools needed
and tools wanted, and an understanding
of the basic materials themselves.
The patterns
he taught were very universal and
forced us to practice technique.
I also then started hanging out
at the local fly shop on their late-open
evenings and for an hour or two
on odd weekends. Didn't really need
to spend any money. I just hung
out and watched others tie. I asked
questions which usually wound up
being answered by an experienced
tier sitting me in front of a vice
and talking me through something.
Sometimes I used the shop's gear
and sometimes brought my own. Guys
would normally hand me a few feathers
or other materials of what they
were tying and I'd try to tie along
with them.
Of course,
I eventually wound up buying bits
and pieces of things here and there,
and a few tools as I developed a
need or desire for them, but not
a lot at one time so it never broke
me. I did later buy more expensive
equipment and fishing gear from
the shop owner when my budget allowed
it and I was ready to, but I was
never pressured. In fact, because
of being a regular in the shop he
usually gives me some discount now
on big purchases and sometimes when
all I need is a couple of small
bags of materials or thread, he'll
just shove it in a bag and say take
it.
I've learned
a lot from the class, more from
the customers/tiers at the shop,
and even some things from watching
rented videos and plain old trial
and error after seeing a pattern
on the Internet or in a magazine.
It just takes patience and time.
But don't think of it as a way to
save money. That is not going to
happen. Tying is a hobby. Fishing
is a hobby. Tying what you fish
with is just combining two hobbies
into one larger one. But what you
learn tying can help you fish better,
and what you learn fishing can help
you tie better, as you see the symbiotic
relationship between the two.
