Position, materials, synthetics, fly vision

5 Key Tips You Use When Tying Flies, for Beginners and Advanced Fly Fishers.

Fly-tying station

First of all, a well-organized workstation is essential. That means a comfortable seat, proper lighting, an organized layout of your tools, and a „trash bin”—but above all, let’s take care of our eyes, because there’s nothing worse for the eyes than constantly „searching” for a fly you’re tying against an irregular and visually chaotic background. More advanced fly-tying vise models allow you to attach such a background; in addition, you can adjust the distance, angle, and sometimes even the color, but even a piece of subdued, matte cardboard on any base will do the trick.

Synthetic materials

Synthetic materials are generally uniform and consistent, but natural materials are not; Here, materials that appear similar but come from different birds may behave quite differently when tied in; it’s worth keeping this in mind when we’re struggling with a stubborn feather. Of course, it’s good to master the art of dealing with such unruly material, but it’s often easier to look for something else.

Natural Materials

It’s a good idea to pre-wash and rinse purchased dyed materials—such as fabric scraps or, occasionally, animal fur—several times. Of course, we do this carefully and while wearing gloves, because there can be a significant amount of loose dye.

In any case, it’s a good idea to pre-wash any natural material and rinse it thoroughly. Dry it in a warm place, but never directly over a radiator. Additionally, it’s a good idea to treat all feathers (especially flight and tail feathers) with hot steam; this allows the feathers to expand, and the barbs on their shafts return to their normal shape and function.

What the bow tie should look like—in other words, what we want the final product to be

It’s good to have a vision of what we want to achieve; it’s simple if it’s a familiar design, but when we’re creating „on our own,” let’s use our imagination to envision the shape, proportions, color scheme, and materials used, and then plan the order in which we’ll add the elements. That way, we’ll end up with a bow tie, not some vague „thing.”.

Fly Tying - Steps

Our flies are usually multi-part, and a good rule of thumb is not to move on to tying the next part until the previous one has been tied correctly. Practical experience shows that sooner or later, such a mistake or inaccuracy will make it difficult to properly add subsequent elements. Let’s also remember that the hook is the main component of every fly (and of a fly-tying kit, for that matter); it usually serves as the fly’s framework and its only rigid element. The choice of wire shape or thickness directly affects what we can build on it, how we build it, and how it will behave in the air, on or under the water, or in a fish’s mouth. Many skilled fly tiers struggle with this.