danccooke Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 (edited) So then....How hard is it to tie your own flies? Fishing has always been a sore subject in my house. I am a sea fisherman or a lead lobber if you wish with a garage full of gear, but fly fishing is something I have always wanted to have a go at. The normal response I get from the wife when I mention this is along the lines of “that will mean more tackle, different rods and reels more.....blah blah” as I phase out of the argument and dream of the monster salmon I will never catch. However I digress from the point which is. It would appear that taking my wife and parents to the CLA Game Fair may have fixed the problem. How so I hear you ask? On the Friday the weather was nice but it was oh so apparent that at any moment the heavens could open and it would come down on a biblical level and, as we were all walking through the fisherman’s row it happened. An instant howl of wind as fishing rods and banners went flying, bolts of lightning danced behind the castle in a Frankensteinesque show and then the rain, oh my did it rain. Everyone dashed for the nearest stand and did their best to look vaguely interested in whatever they had happened upon, for us it was “The Fly Dressers Guild” stand. We joked with the guides on the stall and one was amusingly blunt about how once the rain stopped we would vacate his tent. My wife uncharacteristically piped up “No. Not now, not until we see you tie a fly.” and that is how my wife met Phil McDade the vice president of the Fly Dressers Guild. He pointed out that the table was not for him to demonstrate but for him to teach. Now things were going to get interesting, you see in my house we are a modern couple and share the workload, meaning I cook and sew. Bobbins and thread are as alien to my wife as the hook that was being placed in the clamp. Not only was Phil funny but a great teacher, and explained that the fly she was going to tie was a “Black and Peacock Spider” which in all fairness eluded nothing to us of what the final product would look like, but he showed her the tools that she would handle and the materials that she would use. Never one to back down from a challenge she sat there like a patient school child soaking up the instructions although looking decidedly nervous as there was now quite a gathering in the tent watching. Phil was a great teacher, he would show how he wanted part of it tying by doing it, but then would unwind what he had done so none of the final product would be his. He started by showing how he wanted the initial whipping to lay a base of silk on the shank of the hook. He showed how to use the scissors with precise control. Making sure that a nice flush snip could be made without the risk of slicing through what had just been tied. On her first attempt with only a little guidance the result was quite impressive. Especially as this is the only time in her life she has touched a hook without that look of disdain. Catching the peacock herls with the silk and tying them on seemed rudimentary and the following winding back up the shank appeared to be a doddle. Phil then explained how to select the hen hackle making sure the barbs were right for the hook size and explaining how the natural curve of the feather is used when catching it in and winding it round. The finished product actually looked quite professional. I now have a wife who wants to tie more and experiment with making different flies. Already some equipment has been ordered. She still has no interest in the fishing itself but this can only be a small step away from me using these flies for that elusive Salmon that haunts my dreams. Only you know if I catch one it will be because of her Fly Dressing and nothing to do with my angling ability. Daniel Cooke. Edited September 2, 2009 by danccooke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MM Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Top wife Dan mine cant tie her shoelaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col2 Posted September 3, 2009 Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 I'm sure once she has tied a few more then the urge to try them out will take over, well and truely going to be hooked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted September 3, 2009 Report Share Posted September 3, 2009 Nice read and kudos to your wife for sitting there in front of a load of strangers and taking that on. I have tried to tie my own flies, bought the gear many years ago and then discovered that I have bunches of bananas for fingers and the concentration span of a butterfly. I did catch a few trout on some montanas I made and although they fell apart very quickly, there was that moment of great satisfaction and a bit of pride. Good luck with the fly fishing, you will enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Great write up, thanks for that. If she wants to get more into it there are loads of videos on youtube and most common flies have a step by step on the flyforums. As I am sure they told her at the time the fly dressers guild also have regional meetings. Their stands at the game fairs are great places to pick up top quality flies at next to nothing prices as they normally flog off flies tied just for practice. I still tie my own nymphs and anything relatively easy, nothing smaller than a size 12 or 14, after that you need that artistic bent and damn good eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan147 Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Really nice write up and so nice to see another lady wanting to tie flies. No its not hard, its a case of building your fly up step by step. I have been trying flies for many years now, tend to do it more on the winter months or when I run out of a particular fly. Whilst my first love is coarse fishing I also like fishing for trout and you cannot beat the satisfaction of catching something on a fly you have tied. Many years ago at the angling fair at Chatsworth watched some one of the scandanavian guys making flies from disgarded rubbish like white twine, packing foam and other bits. Made you really think what you could make flies with. Whenever I go out walking I am allways picking up feathers and friends that go beating send me feathers as well. Its amazing what feathers you can pick up and you never know when that will come in useful. Best fish I have had to date is a 14lb trout in Anglesey on a buzzer i designed with a black body with a bright blue rib going down the body. Kick myself now i never got a picture of the fish but I got greater satisfaction to put it back because of its size for others to enjoy for another day even though I could have taken it home. Great fun making your own designs up and seeing how effective they are once on the water. used to meet up with some other fly tyers and we met at someones house once a week and tied flies together. If anyone is near Nantwich a very large angling centre does a fly tying class on a wednesday till 7 pm ish. The guy that does it taught me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 That is a very impressive fly for a first attempt. I have been at this lark for over 30 years now and its all down tom practice, and starting of with simple patterns and building up to more complicated upright winged dry flies as skill increases. It is a fascinating byproduct of shooting, using fur and plumage from quarry you have prepared for the table to entice yet more quarry for the table. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delbert Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 I'll second Blackpowder's sentiments nothing is quite like using a fly made largely from materials you have harvested. We took a young chap duck flighting one evening in Scotland and he was fortunate enough to bag a Mallard which made his day I begged a pair of the blue wing feathers off that bird and presented him with a number of Bloody Butchers to use when he returned home. I am happy to report recieving a letter of thanks as the flies had taken fish at the first asking and a convert to shooting . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danccooke Posted September 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Thanks for all the kind comments. She has yet to start tying any more but still seems enthused. I think the write up and responses have helped too. thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aled Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Nice read dan I'm not very good with my hands, but i can tie flies that catch fish, and its got to a stage where i dont feel happy unless i'm using flies i've tied my self. Now my best mate is a master craftsman (in his work and his flies) and he ties some real crackers, they are perfect. Its a very theraputic and enjoyable addition to what is an addictive branch of fishing. Come and join us. Tight Lines Aled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Dan, bookmark this, it is great reference for most of the common flies: http://www.flyforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14091 And don't forget youtube too, there are some really handy videos on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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