Tie Harder! Fly tying is a wonderful way to hooked on fly fishing. You can certainly spend a fortune on store bought flies or you can learn to Tie your own. I am not sure which is cheaper. Tying your own flies can get expensive as you buy a premium vise, tying tools, assorted material, necks, and more.
Tying your own flies allows you to be creative and inventive.I know fly tyers that can tie without a vise, just using their fingers. My first flies used whatever roadkill, hunting scraps, and Mom’s sewing box goodies.
They say it takes a thousand “ties” to master a pattern. I believe it. After tying commercially, I found that my speed and efficiency in tying increased dramatically over time. The more that you tie a fly, the better the flies will be and the better tier you will become. Tying flies in the off season keeps the sport alive, stocks your fly boxes, and is great therapy.
As a kid, I remember viewing the Trout Unlimited movie called “The Way of a Trout”. A veteran Fly Guy was casting his fly for a huge rainbow trout on a remote river. He lost his last fly, that matched the hatch, in a tree. The huge trout kept feeding but he had nothing the trout was interested in.
His solution was to tie a fly. He was carrying a few materials, and without a vise, he managed to tie a decent dry fly that matched the hatch, while sitting on a log. The tie worked and he netted the huge rainbow. If you have never seen this video, check it out.
It would have been easier to tie a fly ahead of time rather than need to sit on a log, along the streamside. We all have our confidence; go to fly that we routinely use. Honestly, there may be 6 flies that we fish, most of the time. The rest of the flies in our boxes are candidates, found flies, or junk.
Usually, a fly guy needs some;
Caddis The elk hair caddis as an adult, emerger, and nymph is money in most trout waters. Different watersheds may require different colors or sizes.
Terrestrials Hoppers, ants, and beetles will help get strikes during the warmer fishing seasons.
Streamers/ Big Nymphs A weighted Clouser will entice big biters. If a fish does not eat a streamer, they will chase it. Now you can switch to another fly.
Dry Flies Matching the hatch is the best part of fly fishing. Know and understand the hatches where you will be fly fishing
Attractors/ Trash Flies A cigarette that is presented properly will get a strike. Flashy flies are hard for a fish to resist in moving waters, The fish only has a moment to make a choice.
Having at least a dozen of each productive patterns that you have confidence in will keep you hooked up. Stock your boxes during the off season to make sure that you have enough ammunition when the fishing is on!
Montana Grant
