My physio therapist thinks fly tying would be excellent therapy!!

[ReconWilly]

I was injured at work 4 weeks ago, a co worker threw a large chunk of asphalt that crushed my middle finger and severely damaged my tendons and nerves, very unfortunate and discouraging to say the least.

It will be a while till i can cast or fish properly without significant pain or discomfort(utterlly deppressing), anyways i'm not gonna cry about it, but in discussion with my therapist today she informs me that i have 3-4MONTHS of therapy ahead(again utterly deppressing), however i brought up the idea of fly tying as a way to aid in the therapy and speed up the healing process, and she was extremely in favor of me doing so!!!!

The problem before me now is that i lack any fly tying equipment or supplies, i'm willing to invest some money to get set up but i want something of reasonable quality that i can get years of use out of and i only want to invest once as money is always an issue(no OT on wcb), i'm looking for suggestions on vices, materials and other necessary tools, i would like to tie for the southern streams, as well as some flies for pike and walleye.
Does anyone have any suggestions or preferences? anything or brands to stay away from? This all new and exciting for me but i feel a little overwhelmed and not quite sure where to start???

[fishpro]

For tools you don't need to spend a ton to get good stuff. The Fishin Hole has a great kit (or they used to) that includes all the tools you need in a compact wooden box for under $100. I'd pick that up, and then also get a nice pair of curved scissors (another $15 or so).

As for materials, you'll get a wide variety of opinions on whether to get a kit or not, so I'll let other people give some advice on that.

[mattpreat]

you will need a vise, scissors, bobbin, black thread, dubbing wax, dubbing twister,diffrent colours of dubbing, brown hackle, grizzly hackle, some basic all around hooks, peacock herl and then whatever other things you see on your favourite flys that you wanna tie and all the other stuff you see at the store thatd look nice. i have a very cheap setup and i can tie almost any fly out there since i just work with what i got and switch some materials over. dont know how much this will cost but should be under $150 but it all depends on what you wanna make and how cheap you will be on equipment

[Pudelpointer]

Originally Posted by mattpreat

you will need a vise, scissors, bobbin, black thread, dubbing wax, dubbing twister,diffrent colours of dubbing, brown hackle, grizzly hackle, some basic all around hooks, peacock herl and then whatever other things you see on your favourite flys that you wanna tie and all the other stuff you see at the store thatd look nice. i have a very cheap setup and i can tie almost any fly out there since i just work with what i got and switch some materials over. dont know how much this will cost but should be under $150 but it all depends on what you wanna make and how cheap you will be on equipment

Don't need those. Essentials are: vice (I have used vice grips in a pinch), bobbin and proper scissors. Everything else is "nice to have" when in comes to tools.

Top of the nice to have list is a Matterelli style whip finisher, then a hair stacker, then bodkin (big needle).


Materials list (hooks are a given):

Peacock herl
Thread
Dubbing (any and all kinds and colours)
Pheasant tail
Hackle (India / Chinese necks and saddles are cheap and functional for a lot of tying)
Yarn or chenille
Anything and everything else under the sun!

[chubbdarter]

Your in rehab, dont attempt something that frustrates you.Keep it simple at the start and you will see the benifits of the hand exercises plus get a feel for fly tying.

Tie some pike and walleye type bucktail jigs. This allows you to use a larger thread and learn the process of wrapping without snapping thread constantly. Your motor skills may not be at their best with your injury.

Get a vise, scizzors, bobbin, thread, a few bucktails, jigheads , head cement and some flashabou if you want the shiney look.

tying bucktail jigs is so simple a monkey can do it. Remember the most important thing is the rehab benifits wait till later to tie the size 18 Adams.

[Gust]

fill a bowl with rice (uncooked) and run your hand through it like your playing in sand,,, it will help get the discomfort of day to day stuff back to where we don't think about the pain.

[Gust]

Do you reel left handed or right handed?

[ReconWilly]

Originally Posted by GustavMahler

Do you reel left handed or right handed?

I am right handed, and i reel right handed, i the injury is to my middle finger on my right hand of course...i'll try that rice bowl trick, does cooked rice work too? haha thanks

[ReconWilly]

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

Your in rehab, dont attempt something that frustrates you.Keep it simple at the start and you will see the benifits of the hand exercises plus get a feel for fly tying.

Tie some pike and walleye type bucktail jigs. This allows you to use a larger thread and learn the process of wrapping without snapping thread constantly. Your motor skills may not be at their best with your injury.

Get a vise, scizzors, bobbin, thread, a few bucktails, jigheads , head cement and some flashabou if you want the shiney look.

tying bucktail jigs is so simple a monkey can do it. Remember the most important thing is the rehab benifits wait till later to tie the size 18 Adams.

good advice thanks, i've avoided tying until now because of my rock crushing mitts that aren't genetically engineered for precise delicate work, but i'll get there, any books you could recommend? forgot to mention in OP, i hear the the bibles the way to go?

[ReconWilly]

Thanks everyone, i feel like i'm narrowing down materials and tools, but i could really use some instructional literature or even some good videos to point me in the right direction, any suggestions?

[wildcat111]

Originally Posted by ReconWilly

good advice thanks, i've avoided tying until now because of my rock crushing mitts that aren't genetically engineered for precise delicate work, but i'll get there, any books you could recommend? forgot to mention in OP, i hear the the bibles the way to go?

don't waste your money on the bible, go to fish tales fly shop in calgary and if you don't live in calgary go online, they have alot of starter books alot better than the bible, also i recommend an anvil apex vise you can pick them up on ebay for half the cost as local retailers, great starter vise and will last a lfetime, had mine for 5 years and have tied well over 60,000 flies on it. beginner tools i recommend are a bobbin or two ,black or tan 6/0 thread, headcement, small scissors, hair stacker, whip finisher. theres lots of materials kits on ebay worth looking at, or go into the local flyshop and buy the materials only needed for the flies, this is an exspensive hobby and things can add up fast, also a good chair, it can get a little hard on the back.

[ReconWilly]

Originally Posted by wildcat111

don't waste your money on the bible, go to fish tales fly shop in calgary and if you don't live in calgary go online, they have alot of starter books alot better than the bible, also i recommend an anvil apex vise you can pick them up on ebay for half the cost as local retailers, great starter vise and will last a lfetime, had mine for 5 years and have tied well over 60,000 flies on it. beginner tools i recommend are a bobbin or two ,black or tan 6/0 thread, headcement, small scissors, hair stacker, whip finisher. theres lots of materials kits on ebay worth looking at, or go into the local flyshop and buy the materials only needed for the flies, this is an exspensive hobby and things can add up fast, also a good chair, it can get a little hard on the back.

Thanks for the tips, i've been thinking about the work station, i'm thinking about picking up a cheap desk and a decent snake lamp, i have a chair that will do for now.

[juno]

Look up fly tying on utube. This has helped me alot

[Kingfisher]

Hey ReconWilly, I teach fly tying and have written articles on beginner fly tying. Here is a link for you to look at. I have a couple of vices so you can sit there and tie the same fly that I am tying and learn the proper techniques. Good habits are easy to learn. Bad habits are hard to break. May as well learn the right way from the start.

http://www.flyfishingtechniques.co/f...and-materials/

There are other articles on step by step tying that will help you out as you go along. There are also several good books out there to help you on your way. The Fly Tying Bible or Fly Tying For Beginners both by Pete Gathercole are both great books to get you started.

Cheers,
Rob

[ReconWilly]

Originally Posted by Kingfisher

Hey ReconWilly, I teach fly tying and have written articles on beginner fly tying. Here is a link for you to look at. I have a couple of vices so you can sit there and tie the same fly that I am tying and learn the proper techniques. Good habits are easy to learn. Bad habits are hard to break. May as well learn the right way from the start.

http://www.flyfishingtechniques.co/f...and-materials/

There are other articles on step by step tying that will help you out as you go along. There are also several good books out there to help you on your way. The Fly Tying Bible or Fly Tying For Beginners both by Pete Gathercole are both great books to get you started.

Cheers,
Rob

WOW AWESOME LINK, thats what i needed to the T, i'd be interested in some instruction, pm me i live in Calgary