Should I Tie My Own Flies, or "Why I Tie Flies"

Why do you tie flies? That is a question that has been asked of all of us that sit down in front of a vise. Plus, I'm sure others like me have asked themselves that question.

Inspiration from Local Fly Tying Clubs

For me tying flies started many years ago. At the age of 12, I joined an after school club for tying flies. I saw the list of clubs and spotted the Fly Tying Club right off. I had been interested in getting started in fly tying after reading the articles in one of the outdoor magazines that I would scrape money up to buy.

Most of my material at that time came from friends and family that hunted. Feathers and fur were never hard to come by... plus, I raised chickens so when a rooster out lived his need to be part of the flock, I would have a supply of hackles. At that time, I tied some of the standard patterns but I was always trying to come up with new patterns. The instructor for our club told us something that I still pass on to new tyers to this day: "You are only limited by your imagination and skills, and both can always be improved."

Back when I first started tying flies there were no videos or Youtube. I spent a lot of time at our local library pouring over books on fly tying. Many a magazine were purchased and dog eared on my desk. Every year I couldn’t wait to go to some of the local sportsman shows to meet and talk to skilled tyers. As I got older, girls and work would distract me from tying, but I always found my way back and wondered why I had stopped.

Cost/Satisfaction Analysis for Tying Your Own Flies

Some would say tying your own flies is cheaper than buying them. This is somewhat true. Once you have acquired your vise and tools, your materials are the only thing left to buy. Depending on the type of fly, you may be able to produce a number of flies cheaper than buying them. Truth be told, if you think that tying your own flies is going to save money... it really won’t. When you walk into a fly shop or open a fly tying catalog you will be caught up in acquiring new materials. When you see the vast amount of materials out there, your mind goes into overdrive thinking of new patterns you can make with what you are seeing.

Not all fly anglers tie flies. Some don’t have the time, patience or skill. They are content to buy their flies from shops, catalogs or stay in the good grace of their buddies that do tie.

Speaking for myself and others, it’s the challenge to create something that will trick a fish into taking what you have presented it. I guess in some way we are trying to create that one fly for a body of water that will out produce all others. I know when I'm tying flies here at the shop as well as at home, there is one item that always sits at the ready next to my vice. The guys at the shop know if I pick it up, it means I am not happy with what I just tied.

That item is a razor blade. Call it perfectionism or ego, if I don’t like the way it looks or know it’s not going to turn out the way I see it in my mind’s eye, I cut the material from the hook and start over. When you have been trying for over 40 years I guess you get a little picky.

Store Bought Flies Versus Your Own Patterns and Creations

There are 1000's of great commercially produced flies on the market, like the ones we carry at our shops. All of these are the result of someone sitting in front of a vice and creating a pattern that caught fish time after time. I like to create patterns that the fish have never seen before.

Am I looking to catch a fish on every cast with a fly that I have create? No, I'm just looking for that one player that likes what it sees. I sometimes get somewhat obsessed with a body of water and start tying that one fly that will drive the fish nuts.  I'm looking for that fly that will turn the light on with every fish that sees it. What I have found out most of the time is, it’s not just one fly for all times. A lot of factors come into play: weather, time of day, time of year etc.. So, like others, I create an army of flies with different materials for that body of water that will cover my bases.

Some tyers create works of art. Flies that look so real you wouldn't know they were not the real thing. I tip my hat to these artists, but I like to tie flies that I won’t cry too loud about if I lose them. We all want that one fly that will catch fish all the time. We dream of seeing that fly hitting the water followed by the hungry explosion of a fish going after it time after time.

As tyers we evolve. We strive to do better. To create new things. Find new materials to use. No matter what we may think of our tying abilities, we are all artists in our own way.

So if you are interested in getting started or you are already neck deep into this madness, stop in and chat. We will be starting a beginner class here at the shop in the near future. The coffee is always hot and the fishing stories are free.

For me the answer to the question, "Why do you tie flies?" is simple: It’s fun.