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Fly Tying Kits?

9K views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  nevada caster 
#1 ·
I have never before done any fly tying and am looking to purchase a fly tying kit to get started. Could anyone recommend a good fly tying kit to get started? I have found two kits that I am considering. They are the Deluxe Fly Tying Kit offered by Cabelas and Umpqua's beginning Kit. The details for these kits are as follows:

- The Deluxe Fly-Tying Kit (Cabelas) comes with Jack Dennis' "Western Trout Fly-Tying Manual" Vol. 1 and a two-hour fly-tying basics video.
Kit includes:
Master fly-tying vise; bobbin; hackle pliers; whip finisher; scissors; booklet; two complete rooster necks (brown and black); peacock herl; two gray duck quills; two white duck quills; three bucktail pieces (red, white and yellow); deer body patch; wax; spool of thread; 1-oz. fly-head cement; 100 assorted fly-tying hooks; saddle hackle (red and yellow); grizzly hackle; hare's mask; marabou (white and black); copper wire; gold and silver tinsel; muskrat piece; beaver piece; elk piece (light); assorted dubbing furs (olive, cream, rusty brown); mallard flank; imitation wood duck flank; black floss; black chenille.

- Umpqua's BEGINNER'S FLY TYING KIT This kit gives you everything you need to get started and end up with something to attach to the end of your tippet. No need to shop around, one box includes: fly tying vise, bobbin, hackle pliers, scissors, sample flies, assorted hooks, head cement, tinsel, floss, tying thread, assorted chenille, peacock, Metz® dry fly hackle, assorted marabou, mallard flank feathers, deer body hair, strung saddle hackle, assorted dubbing, calf hair, turkey quill, bucktail pieces and a fly tying instruction book. Get ready to bug out. Complete fly tying set up Includes tying instructions and sample flies Satisfaction guaranteed by Umpqua.

Which of these two kits would be best? They are both priced at $50. Are there other kits I should consider?
 
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#5 ·
welcome to your new addiction

started out with the deluxe tying kit from cabela's....loved it....very economical and practical. check out the book "the art of fly tying" excellent manual for the beginner.....step by step photos and explanations or techniques.....also, don't get duped into investing big $$$$$ in materials. make buddies with farmers and hunters....they can keep you in more material than you'll ever use...here in my neck of the woods of central ky, i have guys that supply me with everything from llama to turkey featherws to emu, goat, bear, mallard, peacock, and deer hides...skins and hides are easy to preserve and with last a lifetime....and share the wealth...save your buddy a buck or two.


tattoos and 10 gauge dreams
 
#7 ·
Fly tying kits

An alternative to buying a kit is to take some lessons first at your local fly shop or fly fishing club. Very quickly you wil see if you want to go with a kit, or start to acquire things on your own.
I have always been disappointed with kits, and am surprised that so many of the members were pleased with them. I beleive that you get a lot of stuff that you may not use for five years, if then: and the items you get are so small that after tying a few flies,you are soon out trying to replace them at a fly shop.
My theory has been that if you're intersted in tying get a good vise to start with, pick a pattern like a caddis and go out and buy everything you need to tie it. After a bit, pick another pattern that you will fish with, and go get that stuff. You will eventrually be doing this anyway, regardless of how good the kit is.

the instruction books tht you get with kits are OK but there are a lot of videos that are better. Our club has a library with enough of them to get most people started
 
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