getting in to fly tying

[Backyardhunter3006]

I went to Canadian tire and bought the Crystal River Novice Fly Tying Kit. I bought it about 3 weeks ago and i am having no luck tying anything. I don't know what i am doing wrong. Do you guys have any tips?

[borchy]

I am assuming it came with a book of instructions,if so follow them and practice and it will soon become an obsession. If it didn't come with a book buy one. It will help. Also think about joining a fly tieing group Edmonton has the northern lites fly tiers or something similar.

[Norman]

Lots of good beginner videos on YouTube, here is one guy who has quite a few
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DB6tss3hGZc

[Flieguy]

I took a course at Fish Tales. If you're in calgary that's definitely the way to go.

[pikergolf]

X2 on Normans advice, pick a simple fly (woolly bugger), google it and away you go. Youtube is loaded with great fly videos.

Here is a good site on materials and little tricks.

http://globalflyfisher.com/patterns/...woolly-bugger/

[huntin'fool]

Yes to youtube. Tons of great instructional videos.

Tie up some leech patterns first. They are straight forward and you'll start to get the feel of thread wrapping, proper thread tension, material slippage, etc.

[Kingfisher]

I agree with the others. You Tube is your friend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC4LO_nXoKE

Good luck and enjoy.

[Lummer_28]

Originally Posted by Backyardhunter3006

I went to Canadian tire and bought the Crystal River Novice Fly Tying Kit. I bought it about 3 weeks ago and i am having no luck tying anything. I don't know what i am doing wrong. Do you guys have any tips?

I posted a similar thread a few months back had lots of great advice. I am on youtube all the time looking at different tying patterns.

Agree though Woolys and midge patterns are very simple and has helped me get the hang of things.

[Brucey]

There is a fellow named A.K. Best, he wrote a book called "Production Fly Tying".
This book lives on my tying table. Lotsa pictures and step by step advice.

Do you guys remember that show on PBS called "Flytying, the anglers art"?
Good ole Dave and Leroy, I loved that show.

[kevin1949]

Fly tying the anglers art is still on sat am 7:30 one of my favorite shows!!

[DarkAisling]

Are you willing to post some photos of what you've tied? Or, if you can identify what's going wrong, can you tell us? It would be easier to give you tips that are specific to the issues you're encountering if we knew what they were: even if those tips are just making suggestions for specific videos to watch.

I know it might be a bit intimidating to post photos, but we've all had things not work out the way we wanted. I tied my first flies in almost two years last night . . . and they're horrendous!

[32-40win]

I guess it depends a bit, on what you deem to be a successful tie, to your eye.
If it looks something similar to what you were trying to accomplish, and won't fall apart any time soon, it could well be a successful tie. It can be a bit of a exercise to figure out how to get the materials on there to get the proportions right, takes a bit of time and experimentation at times. And getting the touch and feel of it, so you don't break threads and get dubbing on to the thread in the right amount. Wings and legs and backs take a few tries to develop your technique for installing them.
SFOTF has some good vids along with some tips on using what you tie.
If you can catch the Fly Tying Angler's art on PBS Spokane, it is great.
There are only a few basic types of flies to learn to tie, the rest are variations of the theme, just learn the basic ones, to get the techniques, and carry on from there.

[Backyardhunter3006]

Thanks guys for all of the replies. I will have t try out some of these youtube channels. I am not able to post a picture because my computer is getting fixed right now. Do you guys have any tips for tying the Dark Cahill (dry fly). this kit also teaches you how to tie the dark hendrikson nymph.

[32-40win]

I'd recommend you maybe watch this video series, it is done in the stages you need to learn, in the order the materials are applied , and each fly he ties, teaches you how to add each stage over the previous ones. It is well done, as to showing the techniques, the order they are done in,and what it accomplishes, not so great at explaining the material sizes and types perhaps, and the hook types and sizes.. Ie; I'd likely use 8/0 thread and the finest wire I could on his buzzer, the Diawl Bach would be OK with 6/0 thread and a bit thicker wire, the Hare's Ear, I might not use as wide a rib material. But that is stuff you learn as you go, and adjust to suit you. Once you get thru these you should have the basics to tie whatever you need, and then the understanding, to use, to tie with some more advanced tricks and styles. There are more series like this out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eoq5IAzj28g

[rycoma]

use half hitches as they will allow you to release tension on the thread. and secure what you have done. Also google soft loops as they help to keep material from rolling around the hook.