Take your fly fishing to the next level, fly tie for yourself.
Most fly-fishers reach a stage their fishing experience where they strat to get obsessed by the idea of tying their own flies. And that's understandable, because there's no doubt there's a completely different league of content catching a fish on a fly you've tied yourself.
The journey to tying your own flies is tricky, but the rewards are extreme.
If you've previously only fished with flies you've bought from the store, get ready for a treat! Put simply, fly tying your own flies enable you to catch more fish. This is because you can replicate you're the fish's favourite bug and also create your own custom patterns.
Many clued-up fly fishers create flies to replicate the bugs found in their local streams, which means they are not beholden to local fishing stores (which often run out of the popular stock). All you need is the material and you can make as many as you like, while other fishers lament the sold-out bug.
Your guide to the essential Fly-Tying kit
Plugging your mind into fly tying seem like a daunting task, because there are hundreds of various tools and materials out there. Luckily there are a number of excellent kits available across the country which have all the essential tools you'll need to tie most flies.
When you're shopping for fly tying tools, these are the big ticket items to pay attention to:
Vise
The vise is the most critical piece of equipment on your tying station, because it enables the important task of keeping the hook in place while you wind thread and other materials around it.
Scissors
The most used hand tool on a fly tier's bench. You'll use scissors to cut threads, hairs, and many other materials used in the process of tying a fly - so quality is imperative.
Whip Finisher
Every one of your flies must be finished by tying off the thread. The whip finisher enables a simple fast, reliable method of tying the knot that finishes the fly.
Bobbin
Flies are tied with a thread that winds and locks materials around the hook. The bobbin is the crucial tool that keeps the thread in place and is used to wind thread around the hook shank.
Hackle Pliers
If you don't know already, a 'hackle' is fly fishing lingo for 'feather'. Many flies often employ hackles in fly tying, which can be tricky to manage... so hackle pliers really help.
Bodkin Needle
The bodkin needle is the "Macgyver" tool in fly tying tools. From picking out dubbing to applying types cement and glues, it comes in super handy anywhere you need a fine point.
