[Localwaters]

I've been putting off learning to tie mostly because of time. My school courses keep me quite busy and any time I've got free time I'm usually working.

I'm thinking it's time to get into tying and wondering if I should purchase a kit (about $100 at Bass Pro Shops), or buy everything individually. I'm looking to spend no more than $150 to get started. Any suggestions on the best approach?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[btree]

I'd buy things individually, but that's just me. If you get a kit, you will want to update the vise within a year and will need many more materials within a few days of tying, so might as well bite the bullet.

That being said, you dont have to get a 300$ vise or anything like that. Lots of good options under 100 bucks, or perhaps go to a tying night and see if anyone will sell you a decent used vise. It seems that plenty of addicts have a half dozen vises in the closet collecting dust. The vise is the big initial expense that matters, after that you'll find it hard to spend less than 50 bucks every time you go buy hooks and feathers

 

[bj70_guy]

I would skip the kit too. You'll just end up replacing everything with better stuff in short order.

 

[potsNpans]

Kits BAD. A good vise would be a Regal offshore built copy. Do yourself a favour and buy a decent thread bobbin like a Griffin ceramic. They are about 20 bucks but are worth it. Buy materials to tie 2 or 3 different simple patterns for your target fish. Search YouTube for videos on how to tie
your choosen flies. AND ITS THAT SIMPLE...

 

[johnk]

If you're just starting out, a kit is not all bad. Eventually you'll upgrade to better tools and vises and develop a better appreciation for quality. When you're on a budget, it can get rather expensive and if you're like any other newbie, you'll tie a whack of flies just messin' around and it can get costly.

 

[Zane]

As already stated. a kit my be a good idea as you may find that you do not want to continue tying for a multitude of different reasons, time and money being two major ones. Fly tying can be an expensive pastime.in the long run, it's cheaper to buy flies but catching fish on flies you have tied is more satisfying. If you decide that you want to pursue tying, you have an endless supply of knowledge on these forums and the internet for free. Happy tying.

 

[tbar24]

if you KNOW, and i mean KNOW that you will continue tying longer than say 6 months then definetly buy seperatly, but like zane said if your not sure as to wether you will continue tying then go with the kit.
that being saud make sure you find a good kit, cause you'll be kickin yourself if its a horrilble vise

 

[nebc]

I would ask locally about a fly tying night get together, and attend for awhile. While doing so ask about buying used equipment and materials to get you started. This approach can save you both a lot of time and immerse you with others who likely know the best buys, local flies and so on.

 

[chauchey]

I started tying flies last febuary at a fly tying function put on by this site(thanks guys!). I'm glad I went the kit method first, because it gave me a chance to grow into the art of tying without shelling out money I wasn't sure I wanted to shell out, at the time. The 60 bucks you spend on a kit will be long forgotten if you decide to stick with it, and you'll always use a few things from it nomatter what. Such as the cheap scissors, which will later become your wire cutting scissors, and the vise which if it doesn't break will become your travel vise. My vise did break after a couple months of regular use, but it served its purpose, and gave me the confidence knowing that the money I now spent on a full rotary wouldn't be wasted not to mention better appreciate its many functions.

 

[ThaSandman]

I would go with the kit - this way, you get a well-rounded assortment of materials, and all the tools you need at first. Buying better tools individually means you $150 will be gone before you even get feathers etc. As for a good vise, yes you will want a better one, but you do not NEED it...I have had a $16 vise for nearly 20 years. I have taken a few breaks from tying in that time, but my piece of S%&^% pulls through every time. If the kit cost $100, and your budget is $150, just spend the extra 50 on stuff later - as mentioned, that's only about one visit to the ol' fly shoppe.

Let us know what you eventually decide, and give some feedback/regrets about your decision

.S

 

[eagledays]

Kits BAD. A good vise would be a Regal offshore built copy. Do yourself a favour and buy a decent thread bobbin like a Griffin ceramic. They are about 20 bucks but are worth it. Buy materials to tie 2 or 3 different simple patterns for your target fish. Search YouTube for videos on how to tie
your choosen flies. AND ITS THAT SIMPLE...

X2 If you start tieing and then put it away for awhile... Seems you will always bring it out again and again... Decent equipment makes it even more fun.

 

[nebc]

And how many of us have a half dozen old vises and even more materials we will never get around to using?

i might offer such if it were to a local person at a get together type of thing and it appeared like he or she would stik with it ...

 

[professori]

I would go with the kit - this way, you get a well-rounded assortment of materials, and all the tools you need at first. Buying better tools individually means you $150 will be gone before you even get feathers etc. As for a good vise, yes you will want a better one, but you do not NEED it...I have had a $16 vise for nearly 20 years. I have taken a few breaks from tying in that time, but my piece of S%&^% pulls through every time. If the kit cost $100, and your budget is $150, just spend the extra 50 on stuff later - as mentioned, that's only about one visit to the ol' fly shoppe.

Let us know what you eventually decide, and give some feedback/regrets about your decision

.S

Regal knock off vise $30
Ceramic Bobbin $15
Good Scissors $12
Hackle Pliers $7
$64

Still plenty of funds left over to finance your supplies. The biggest problem with most (not all) kits is that they over charge you for substandard equipment, and then add insult by including even worse materials-poor quality thread (often in unpopular/unusable colours) crappy feathers and a handful of unsized, easily dulled/broken offshore hooks, and pieces of fur and hide from unknown parts of unknown animals. Unless you can find a kit that would be recommended to you by a friend or dealer who you trust, you can outfit yourself much, much better and cheaper buying quality tools and materials, and you will find enjoyment in being able to tie quality flies faster and easier than with a kit.

Oh yeah, I started with a kit, and almost didn't keep tying because of the difficulties it presented.

 

[11th Warrior]

Based on my experience on this board, I too started tying by purchasing everything piece-by-piece. I could have spent far less than $150 for quality equipment, as Prof mentioned. Because everyone said get the best vise you can afford, I did; and then spent less on other things (hackle pliers, etc). When you're tying, you want quality, whether it be equipment, or feathers, you want the best you can afford because it makes a huge difference in not only your end product, but in your frustration level as well.

I recommend you go into your local store and tell them "I've got $150 to spend and I need everything to tie up fly x, y and z...what can you do for me?" then listen to their advice. You don't have to buy from them, but listen to what they have to say and ask questions. The Regal knock-off vise is probably the best low-dollar vise on the market and will serve you quite well for 10+ years if you continue to tie. Scissors can be expensive but you can get a good set of Dr. Slicks for under $20 and do NOT buy a bobbin unless it's either got a ceramic insert of a full-ceramic tube.

Best of luck.

 

[ThaSandman]

ok, ok....

Prof and 11th have swayed my vote.

I should think more about the basics, and not my visits to the store - buying 3 styles of hooks in 3 sizes each (45), a few packs of marabou (3-5 each), couple colors of thread (3 each), weird things like goose biots, partridge soft hackle, polar bear fur, etc etc.....I often walk out of the store with over $100 of supplies....

Yeah, I guess if the kit had relevant materials that were good quality, it would be worth it, but probably not.
I had the advantage of having someone build me a kit way back in grade 8 (when I got my vise); I still have some of the materials - guess what - they were odd colors, and cheap quality. Go figure.

 

[CameronT120]

Don't forget to check craigslist. You can find good vises come up for a good price.

 

[Steve Zissou]

I decided to get into tying flies this winter because I knew I would be graduating at the end of December (yay me), and I knew that I'd have lots of extra time to sit and want for ice off.

So... I put a request in for a fly tying kit from the local flyshop in Kelowna here for Christmas.

Maybe I'm just inexperienced, but the kit I got is exactly what I needed to tie all of the local flies. The ceramic bobbin is a little bit on the weak side and doesn't quite feed all that well (even after several adjustments to tension), but the scissors are excellent and all the kit was fairly replete with materials for good tying. Also, the hair stacker's well is a little bit shallow, so pulling hair out is kinda cumbersome.

I don't know how to use the dubbing twister, but the whip finisher and hackle pliers are also great.

The vise that came with the kit is a rotating lever vise and it's functional enough that I haven't thrown it through the window yet.

I have to say that this kit was a good thing for me. I intend to stick with tying and this was a good way to get into it with everything I needed to tie local flies that I love to use. Plus, the girlfriend likes that I'm tying flies with the kit she got me, so it'll get me out of chores/unfavourable situations for at least another month or two.

Now, if I could just get my flies to look like something other than yarn on a stick... I'd be golden.

 

[eagledays]

Quote: I have to say that this kit was a good thing for me. I intend to stick with tying and this was a good way to get into it with everything I needed to tie local flies that I love to use. Plus, the girlfriend likes that I'm tying flies with the kit she got me, so it'll get me out of chores/unfavourable situations for at least another month or two.

Very good mate. When you are happy, nothing is wrong.

Ps.. But I would be on those chores like white on rice for the next 3- 4 months( if you live in the interior.) You will get a way better deal from the girlfriend.
You will be " In Like Flin "... just in time for fly fishing season.
The coast is a whole different story...