A simple gesture or small gift from one human being to another can have a profound effect. For me, that gift came three years ago, when, just a few months into my rediscovery of fly fishing, a good friend and colleague, the gifted photographer and raconteur extraordinaire Rick E. Martin, handed me a box of tying tools: a pedestal vise, a bobbin, scissors, hackle pliers, and a bodkin.
I had immediate flashbacks to when I was a teenager tying the most simplistic, crude flies (mosquitoes, small panfish streamers, and balsawood poppers) on a makeshift vise with thread “borrowed” from my mother’s sewing kit and with feathers, paint, and wood purchased at the local hobby shop through earnings from washing cars and mowing lawns. The flies weren’t very pretty, and the outlays of hard-earned cash were a tough choice, but oh, how I loved catching fish on flies I had tied.
Now, forty-five years later, I’m back into fly fishing and fly tying with a passion that equals or maybe even exceeds the level at which I embraced other outdoor activities over the years. When I get after something, it’s a full-on effort to excel. And catching fish on a fly I tied is still the icing on the cake.
But this article isn’t about me. It’s about the many talented, selfless, wonderful, creative, and innovative tyers who have shared with others not because of what they could gain, but simply because that someone wanted to learn . . . and asked for help.
Being the people they are — passionate about fly fishing, fly tying, the fly-fishing industry, its varied personalities, and the places we fish and the fish we pursue — they dropped whatever they were doing and helped. I was invited into their homes and the inner sanctums of their businesses. They sent e-mails, talked with me on the phone, and reviewed and critiqued flies I photographed and texted.
Sure, I’ve bought books, read magazine articles (including every issue of this magazine that I could get my hands on), and watched countless YouTube videos, and all of those have been fabulous assets. However, nothing can quite substitute for the type of personal, inside-track, “why, how, and when do you do this or that” lessons that I was shown, all for the price of asking. Here are some terrific tying tips that have helped me make rapid advances in my tying efforts. I hope these will help you, too.
Ben Byng, featured fly tyer, The Fly Fishing Show and International Sportsmen’s Expositions; member of the Whiting Farms Pro Team; pro staffer, Daiichi Fish Hooks.
Thread Pressure. “One of the first fundamentals of tying is knowing how much pressure to apply to thread and also when to apply it. Early on in my tying training (by the way, I’m still in training), a well-known tyer told me, ‘Ben, if you’re not breaking your thread every once in while, you are not tying good-quality flies.’ What he was saying is that you’ve got to know your thread strength and that way you can tie with good, tight wraps.
“When to apply pressure is important, too, because too much downward pressure will force the tying material to roll under the hook shank, which can interfere with hook gape. To counter this, apply pressure to the thread as you bring it up along the side of the hook facing you. This tends to keep material more centered on the hook shank and in its place.”
John Dietz, commercial fly tyer; retail associate, The Fly Shop, www.theflyshop.com.
Reduce Eye Strain. “While many in the fly-tying community advocate the use of white or light-colored backgrounds, I like a black background. Most of the flies I tie — especially the classic Gotcha — are made up of lighter colors such as tan, pink, and pearl. With a black background, I can better see each application of materials and thread. Plus, the black really makes the colors pop. “I tie thousands of flies each year, and a black background not only reduces eye strain, but helps me see more clearly. Try it sometime. I bet you’ll like it.”
Mike Folden, staff member and professional guide, Fly Fishing Specialties, www.flyfishingspecialties.com.
It’s OK to Be Creative (and It’s Fun, Too). “While many fly tyers follow a specific recipe for a fly pattern, I often suggest to customers and clients that they let the recipe be a guideline to tying the pattern. As in cooking, you may choose to follow a recipe explicitly, but you are the chef, so if you want your dish more spicy, then add some spice. Want less sodium? Add less salt, or none at all. In other words, it’s OK to make the dish your own. So try adopting this approach to your tying. Be creative. Experiment with materials. Use new colors or combinations of colors. Try a different hook or bead.
“In my opinion, there is no right or wrong in tying flies. The idea is to sit down at the vise and let the creative juices start flowing. Who knows, you just might come up with a new, one-of-a-kind tasty treat for whatever species of fish you might be pursuing. To me, that’s what makes fly tying so rewarding and so much fun.”
Chuck Furimsky, founder, The Fly Fishing Show, www.flyfishingshow.com; director, the International Fly Tying Symposium, www.internationalflytyingsymposium.com.
Shaping Nymph Bodies. “A tip I got years ago and that I like to share whenever the conversation centers on tying nymphs is from George Harvey, my former teacher when I was at Penn State. George taught me how to build and shape nymph bodies using thread, cotton, and penetrating head cement. First, lay a base of thread on the hook shank, then dub plain cotton to form a body. Then apply Dave’s Flexament to the cotton. Before it dries, arrange and flatten the cotton into your desired shape with flat-jawed needle-nose pliers. When the Flexament dries, you’ll have a perfectly shaped nymph body upon which to apply your other materials to finish the fly.”
Lance Gray, professional guide, fly tyer, writer, speaker; owner of Lance Gray and Company, www.lancegrayandcompany.com.
Choosing Hooks. “Choosing the right hook for the application is key. Too many people tie flies with hooks that are not intended for the species they are targeting. Even worse, they use hooks that are not appropriate for the tactic or technique being employed. “Take, for example, tying flies for nymph fishing. The TMC 3769 is the strongest hook I know of, which makes it great for nymphs of all sizes, no matter what tactic is used. But everyone wants to tie on the TMC 3761, which has a longer shank, because they believe that the fly looks better. Yet the 3761 is a much less desirable hook compared with the 3769 due to one design flaw: the longer length of its shank. The longer shank acts like a lever, and when a hooked fish moves at a right angle to the pull of the line, it can lever the hook right out. That’s why I tie all my nymphs on the stronger and better-designed TMC 3769. You can use whatever tactic you want, even with a heavy tippet, and that hook will hold.”
Lincoln Gray, sales director, Sierra Stream and Mountain, http://sierrastreamflyshop.com; owner of Lincoln Gray’s Fly Fishing Adventures, http://lgflyfishingadvent.wixsite.com/website.
Use Less Material. “I always suggest to my clients, students, and customers at the shop that when tying flies, tie with less material. That’s because most fly tyers start out using way too much, which produces flies that are too large and bulky. Flies that are too bulky with incorrect proportions do not represent the aquatic insect correctly. Less material will produce patterns that look more natural.”
Mike Mercer, signature fly designer, Umpqua Feather Merchants, www.umpqua.com; travel specialist, The Fly Shop, www.theflyshop.com.
Weigh All Factors When Considering a Reduction in Tying Steps. “Other tyers have for years made mention of the large number of features I build into some of my nymph patterns. They speculate that perhaps some of these steps could be omitted for the sake of tying brevity.
“I am sure in some of the cases they may be correct, yet would also offer that I use a tying methodology that helps me determine what to include or what to leave out. First I create the pattern exactly as I imagine it should be, with all the desired trigger features included. Then I fish this version, and if it does well, I tie a few more with one of the potentially unnecessary components left off. If this fly fishes just as well, I omit this step in the finished version. But I won’t stop there, tying this revised model with yet one more step eliminated, then fishing it to judge effectiveness.
“Over the years, I don’t think I’ve ever removed more than two features, but have often dropped one, which over the long run saves significant tying time. So go ahead and, in the interest of saving time, remove features or steps, but only as long as the fish approve.
Jay Murakoshi, commercial tyer for over forty-five years; pro staffer, Daiichi Fish Hooks and Gamakatsu USA; ambassador, Renzetti Fly-Tying Vises; West Coast ambassador, Temple Fork Outfitters; owner of Murakoshi’s Fly Fishing Adventures and Flies Unlimited, www.fliesunlimited.com.
Prepping Bucktail. “This is a tying tip for using white bucktail for patterns such as the Clouser Minnow or the Lefty’s Deceiver. I learned it many years ago from Lefty Kreh. “When trimming out clumps of white bucktail from the skin, there is nothing more annoying than to get a bunch of brown hair in with the white hair — you have to stop and preen out or separate the brown hair from the white. Here’s an easy solution. “If you look at a bucktail from the hair side, you will see white hair and brown hair. Turn it over to the dried skin side, and you will see light-colored sections and a dark-colored section. The light section is where the white hair is, and the dark section is the back of the brown hair. Take a razor knife and carefully cut along that light/dark line from top to bottom, and you can separate virtually all the white hair from all the brown hair. A few brown hairs may remain in with the white, which is unavoidable, but this method is much more efficient. It’s quick and easy, too.
“My thanks to the late Lefty Kreh for this tip — and so many others — over the many, many years that he mentored me in the arts of fly tying and fly fishing.”
Ray Narbaitz, “Fly of the Month” columnist (over 100 columns to date), Chico Area Flyfishers, www.chicoareaflyfishers.org; former industry sales rep for Umpqua Feather Merchants.
Continuous Learning and Tying. “Here are some general tips that I like to give to all tyers I come in contact with, whether newcomers or someone with years of experience. “Keep learning! Between the Internet and the many outstanding fly-tying books on the market, there are countless ways to continue to learn new ideas and techniques. “Keep tying! Don’t ignore your vise for six months and then wonder why your flies didn’t turn out as you had hoped. Even if it is only a fly or two, try to tie on a regular basis. A big part of fly tying is ‘muscle memory,’ and tying can definitely be a ‘Use it or lose it’ proposition.”
Doug Ouellette, contract fly designer, Umpqua Feather Merchants; master guide, Pyramid Lake Guide Service, www.pyramidlakeguideservice.com.
Proper Proportions and Materials. “One of the most important aspects of fly tying is to use the correct materials for the fly being tied. For example, when tying a fast-sinking pattern such as the Stonedaddy, which is designed to imitate both a baby crawdad and a stonefly nymph, it is essential to use materials that are heavy. Tungsten beads and red wire are good choices for this fly.
“Another very important consideration is to make sure the fly is tied to the proper proportions of whatever it is you are trying to represent. I learned this tip in the early 1970s from the late Bob Quigley, who was one of my mentors.”
Steve Potter, featured fly tyer, The Fly Fishing Show; ambassador, Whiting Farms; pro staffer, Daiichi Fish Hooks.
Deer Hair Durability. “Some tips I like to share about making deer hair flies start with always putting a good thread base down along the entire shank of the hook, because this keeps the deer hair from rolling around on the shank. Then, after every bunch of hair, put a Half Hitch or two to keep tension on the hair. To make sure the Half Hitches are secure, I apply water-based head cement to the knots, which also ensures durability. I finish the fly with a little superglue on the thread and another Half Hitch or two. And I always clean out the hook eye with a needle or feather, just to be certain none of that glue has somehow seeped in there.”
Tom Rosenbauer, marketing manager, Orvis Rod and Tackle; author; host of the Orvis fly fishing podcasts, www.orvis.com/fly-fishing.
Apply Thread Wraps with Purpose. “One of the most important lessons I learned many years ago when taking a class on full-dress salmon flies was that every turn of thread should be placed carefully. Prior to learning that lesson, I would just wind thread on a hook shank to get from one place to another. I did take care when attaching materials, but it was those in-between wraps or securing wraps after the initial few wraps that I did not think about.
“Thread tension, too, is critical for each step. If you want to attach something to the top of the hook shank, pull straight down or straight up. If attaching something like rubber legs to the far side of the hook shank, apply pressure toward you. Conversely, if applying something to the near side of the hook, apply pressure away from you.
“And don’t be stingy with thread tension. In most cases, you should be applying about 80 percent of the thread’s breaking strength, because thread loosens with time. Unless you are doing a critical step, bear down on that thread by using finger pressure on the spool. How do you know when you’ve reached 80 percent? Put a hook in the vise, securely apply some thread, and then pull on it until it breaks. Do that a dozen times and you’ll know how much pressure you can apply.”
Pat Sleeper, president, Chico Area Flyfishers; owner of Pat’s Fly Fishing, www.patsflyfishing.com.
Baitfish and Streamer Fly Enhancements. “I have discovered that subtle little additions to my baitfish and streamer flies have really increased my catch ratios on our frequent trips to Mexico and Brazil, whether it be for dorados, tuna, or roosterfish on the East Cape of Baja, the famous bass lakes of El Salto and Lake Picachos, or in the Amazon for peacock bass.
“First, I always add just a sparse amount of pink along the sides (the lateral line), because I’ve noticed that just about all baitfish, depending on how the sunlight hits them, exhibit a slight pinkish hue.
“Second, I’m a big believer in adding a rattle to my minnow imitations and especially my Crease Flies. I’m convinced that the ‘click-clack’ those rattles make can be heard by — and attracts — predatory game fish.
“Third, not only do I add eyes to my flies, but I take great care in making sure my eyes stay put. These days, I do so by carefully layering UV resin onto the head of the fly, covering the eyes with multiple coats. Rarely do my eyes come off, even after several fish.”
Zack Thurman, signature fly designer, Umpqua Feather Merchants; pro staffer, Scientific Anglers and the R. L. Winston Rod Company; inventory manager, The Fly Shop, www.theflyshop.com.
Selecting Materials. “ When in search of a new material or designing a new fly, I am constantly looking for materials that will breathe or pulsate in the water. Movement — especially in still or slowly moving water — is extremely important, because it will make the fly look realistic and alive.
“Marabou, particularly a fluffy marabou plume, is an excellent material that can provide tons of movement. I like to use the bottom fibers of the plume, because these have more webby barbules. You can test the fibers that you’ve stripped from the stem for effective movement with this little trick: hold the fibers at their base, then give them a gentle shake. If the fibers pulsate in the air, you can be certain they’ll move and pulsate in the water.”
Rick Weisberg, owner of Oasis Fly Tying Benches, www.oasisbenches.com.
Get Organized. “While flies can be tied using something as spartan as a shoe box to store implements and materials, I’ve always felt that to tie the best flies possible, having an organized — and therefore more efficient — work space is crucial, which is why a fly-tying bench, whether something fabricated at home or a finished product from a manufacturer, can be so important.
“A tying bench allows you to store your vital tools and accessories, such as scissors, hackle pliers, whip finisher, bobbins, and bodkins right where you can find them repeatedly and at your finger tips. Well-thought-out benches also have ways to organize and store items such as thread spools, glues, hooks, beads, and so on, again, right at your fingertips. Some benches are fully contained in that the tying vise can be clamped on or inserted into the bench. Others are designed to be independent aids to vises that are pedestal models or clamped to a table top.
“Another nice feature of fly-tying benches is their portability, which allows one to tie in different locations or simply to store the bench out of the way when not in use. Most tyers I know, once having upgraded to a dedicated tying bench, wouldn’t dream of going back to their old ways, because being organized and efficient helps make fly tying enjoyable and fun.”
Jim Zech, sales associate and professional guide, Fly Fishing Specialties, www.flyfishingspecialties.com.
Repeat the Process. “As a little kid of eight years old, I received a POS fly-tying kit from my dad and a paper bag full of bloody duck feathers from one of my dad’s generous friends. I was genuinely very excited. I immediately sat down and tied a fly. It was very bad. So I tied a different fly, being convinced that the poor quality of the first fly was due to the shortcomings of the pattern, not my ability to tie it. My second fly was equally bad. Again — find another better pat-
tern. Bad. Fourth try, bad, et cetera ad infinitum. It didn’t occur to me that my production of ugly flies was in any way my fault, just as with playing the guitar, it didn’t occur to me that my poor abilities were in any way enhanced by repeated practice. (Never could play that damned ‘Stairway to Heaven.’)
“I did, however and on occasion, learn to tie a decent fly (maybe not presentation quality, but acceptable), and the reason was because I learned to tie more than one of each pattern at a sitting, and that is what you should do. As a matter of fact, when tying a new pattern, you should plan to throw the first two or three attempts away. As a matter of more fact, to be a really good tyer, maybe you should do what the old Hardy Fly Shop apprentices were forced to do: destroy every fly you tie for the first year of trying.
Seriously, to tie good flies you should tie a bunch of the same pattern over and over until you just can’t stand to tie another. Only then will you produce great flies.”
Perhaps the most rewarding part of becoming involved again with fly fishing and fly tying is discovering that while there is so much to learn, there are also so many talented people who are willing to help and teach. The experts showcased above — and of course, the many, many others out there whose articles and books I’ve read, videos I’ve watched, or podcasts I’ve listened to — exemplify what it means to be good participants in and stewards of this amazing outdoor pastime we call fly fishing. Looking back — and, come to think of it, looking forward — maybe that’s been their best tip of all.
Meet the Experts at the Shows
Want to get an expert tip from some of the best fly tyers in person? Many superb tyers are in attendance at two great shows that visit Northern California each winter: the International Sportsmen’s Exposition (ISE), which is held at Cal Expo in Sacramento in January, and The Fly Fishing Show at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton in February. And in Southern California, the Southwest Council of Fly Fishers International hosts its Fly Fishing Faire in Glendale in October.
Expert tyers are featured in special fly-tying areas where they demonstrate their skills and are more than happy to talk with show attendees. The Fly Fishing Show goes so far as to host hour-long tying seminars by some of the industry’s top names.
International Sportsmen’s Exposition, January 16–19, 2020; www.sportsexpos.com.
The Fly Fishing Show, February 21–23, 2020; http://flyfishingshow.com.
The Fly Fishing Faire, October 5 and 6, 2019; https://www.swcffi.org/faire
— Ed Migale
