I’ve often heard it discussed, whether verbally or in text, the high cost associated with getting into fly tying. Besides the assortment of tools one needs just in order to lash feather to steel, there’s the materials needed. One look through a book of patterns will be enough to clue one in on the vast assortment of fur, feather and fabrics that a tier has at his disposal. That list is ever expanding and only limited by ones imagination.
But for the beginner, the vast amounts of materials can be daunting when he gets into the tying game. Fortunately, your not going to have to buy a hackle neck every time you want a new fly. I’m going to recommend a system for trout flies that can allow you to imitate most caddis or mayfly dry, with minimal outlay of cash. This isn’t groundbreaking stuff. Its been covered in many publications by any number of authors………but since it is unlikely that you and I have read the exact same materials, I’ll pass this along for your perusal.
What your going to need.
Dubbing Kit: You can find these made by a number of companies. I use a set from Spirit River I bought well over a decade ago. It was less than 25 bucks for 2 compartmented containers containing 10 colours each. If a color doesn’t exist that I need, blending usually quickly gets the results I’m looking for. Other companies offer similar selections. Flyrite comes to mind.
Wing Material: Deer and Elk Hair. CDC. Snow Shoe Rabbits Foot, Antron/Z-Lon.
You could actually use either or really………I tend to gravitate between the two. You’ll need it in a few different colors to match the wings of the natural. Light tan, Medium Dun, Light dun, White, Black are a few that pop immediately to mind. You don’t wan’t the oiler puffs. The Z-lon if for spent wing spinners. It is also handy for adding trailing shucks to your patterns.
Tailing Materials: Micro Fibbets, Paint Brush, Antron………..
Are two I use. Micro fibbets are inexpensive and come in any number of colors.
Patterns.
For Mayflies, Comaparaduns or CDC Comparaduns. For the Spinners, Spent Wing tied with Z-lon/Antron/S-lon…..CDC Wing Spinner, Usual
For Caddis: Deer/Elk Hair Caddis, X Caddis. CDC/Skitter Caddis.
For tying instructions you folks are far luckier than I was. You having access to this wonderful little tool known as the internet can go on over to you tube and pretty much find instructions for any pattern your immediately going to want. Youtube has a vast treasure ( and trash ) trove of Fly Fishing related videos for you to learn from. On all aspects of the sport, tying aside.
And there you go. You match the colours of the natural ( either through observation or copying others recipes ) with your dubbing, wing and tail materials. As I mentioned before, adding a trailing shuck can help imitate an emerger. The colour of the shuck should be along the lines of the nymph your trying to copy.
Not only are these relatively inexpensive to tie……….they`re also very easy patterns to tie, ideal for beginners. They are also very effective. These patterns will give you what you need to match the hatches you come across, and they will catch fish. From there, you can expand your repertoire outwards. While these are effective patterns, having a variety of ties for the same hatch is never a bad idea. Personally, I like having parachutes ( probably my favourite style of dry )as well in my box to compliment my kit. However, good hackle is certainly not cheap. Snowshoe Rabbits foot is. Not only is it inexpensive, the stuff floats great. It can also be tied as a Comparadun, or as a downwing Caddis. Also makes functional spinner wings to boot. Turkey/Goose Biot’s are also relatively inexpensive and can also bolster your repetoire. You’ll find, this short list of materials, can get you a lot of bang for the buck.
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