Fly Tying Materials.

[Mr B]

Good morning all,

I have been fly fishing for years now but as yet not really tied any fly’s ( apart from Mackerel feathers out of crisp bags, but that really is another story!)
I have my vice and have had some great advice from a fellow TFF member.
I have found some shops on line that stock all what I need but it’s always good to get recommendations were you get yours from.
I drive through Stockbridge a few times a year and enjoy a brows in Orvis and Robjents fly fishing shops...so I can always pick a few bits up then by way of a top up...
...then a pint in The Three Cups!
Or lunch in The Grosvenor Hotel now it’s had its open after its refurb.. I’m digressing!

You can PM me if you prefer.

Thank you and tight lines

Mr B

[Nigel Rainton]

I bought loads of stuff 45 years ago when I tied flies professionally, I still have a lot of it.!

Don't go made buying expensive capes and loads of fancy hook patterns. First, learn to whip finish without a tool. Until you have mastered that, you only need one hook and some silk, don't attempt to tie a fly. Start with a simple pattern like a Pheasant Tail, you only need one cock Pheasant centre tail feather to tie about fifty flies!

I started with a Black and Peacock spider, very few materials need.

When you are out walking in the countryside pick up feathers. If you shoot, you'll probably never need to buy any materials.

[Paul F]

Try and locate cock pheasant tails from older birds, a lot of the commercially sold are from young birds.

From the older birds, you should be able to select herls of around 2" for tying pheasant tail nymphs in one go, with the younger birds you will find the herls too short, so will have to tie a separate tail or thorax!

it is always worth looking in fields where Pheasants frequent in spring where the birds will be over a season old.

[Mr B]

Yes,
I wasn’t going to get to much.. I was thinking about a good shop.
I will talk to a pal if mine who shoots, that will be interesting going “ O Naturelle” I haven’t been shooting for a few years now.
I was talking to another TFF member about toad kills too.
To start I bye some bits I have a small list.
I was eyeing up our Cat today but the wife didn’t like the idea!!!
Thanks for your comments

Mr B

[Liphook]

Lathkill and Lakeland Fly tying do most of things I need by mail order

[Silfield]

Buying tying materials is a bit like the strange draw that you get whenever passing a tackle shops shelf full of floats- just one of those, and one of those and oh I will need a couple of those as well!
Before long you end up with packets of stuff that you wont use up in a month of Sundays but looks good. I have more bits of dead this and that in my tying box than the local butcher.
Having said that, I have not had to buy anything for a good few years and am often repurposing odds and ends found lying around and about, incorporating them into fly patterns. One noticable failure though was, when working on site for a company that made medical sutures, I noticed lots of bobbins on the clean room floor with yards of black silk still attached. My first thought was 'flies' and on asking the boss if I could take a couple he replied that they were tail ends and destined for the bin.
Back home, a couple of evenings tying resulted in a good few flies tied with the free silk, all very satisfying.
Guess how I found out that the silk was infact water soluble sutureing floss
There are many suppliers of fancy synthetic materials but I always found, for most of what is needed, that Veniards was of decent quality and reasonably priced. John Norris's website is worth a look as is Lakeland Fly Tying.
A very satisfying (and sometimes frustrating) hobby is fly tying, I hope you enjoy it.

[Iasgair]

Yes,
I wasn’t going to get to much.. I was thinking about a good shop.
I will talk to a pal if mine who shoots, that will be interesting going “ O Naturelle” I haven’t been shooting for a few years now.
I was talking to another TFF member about toad kills too.
To start I bye some bits I have a small list.
I was eyeing up our Cat today but the wife didn’t like the idea!!!
Thanks for your comments

Mr B

Brush the cat and keep the underfur you get out for dubbing. There's a member here who has sent me his dogs hair and you'd be surprised how well it works. Just don't go near the cat with scissors.

Remember, when it comes to materials you get from the raw, or as you say "O Naturelle", as in a pheasant feathers or fur, you want to kill the bugs that may be in them because if you don't, those bugs will eventually get into your other hackles while stored away, and then you have to start over again. The best way I found is just put your raw materials into the freezer for a week.
And to make things clear that doesn't include your cats fur, that should be just fine as is.

[Penninelad]

I can probably supply free of charge(just pay me the postage costs) hare mask,rabbit fur and various natural feathers such as partridge,pheasant and grouse as well as peacock hurl.Just send me a PM saying what you need.

[Mr B]

Thank you!
PM sent.

Mr B

[Penninelad]

No PM received Email me at :-
edeophone@aol.com