As I was tying today I was thinking about the things I have learned
through trial and error that make it easier to tie flies... For you
beginners out there, here are some of them. For you old hands, I'd
like to here some of yours...
1. Always tie at least a dozen flies (It is amazing how much better
and easier fly number 12 will be)
2. When you finish a pattern, clean the bench up before starting
another (this will save time, in the long run).
3. Leave your thread at the spot where you will tie off the material.
4. Bomb proof fragile materials (like pheasant tail or peacock herl)
using a electronic tester tool to twist them with a loop of tying
thread or copper wire.
5. When tying off hackles, make a couple of half hitches using a
half hitch tool to get the hackles away from the eye and under
control, then whip finish. (The half hitch tool slips over the eye
and pushes the hackles back, then neatly lays the thread right in
front of the hackle).
6. When tying with deer or elk hair, spray it first with anti-static
spray (the kind used with laundry, not the kind used to clean
computer screens). Just spray once, before you start and cleaning out
underfur and stacking the hair will be much easier.
7. If you have trouble dubbing with a material, your using too much
dubbing. Keep cutting the amount in half until it works.
8. Super glue is the best head cement, and it will last longer and be
much more useable if you buy it in a pen type dispenser (the kind
where you have to press on the pen stick to get the glue to flow).
Just press the tip against the head and your thread will never come
undone.
9. When attaching wings to dry flies, don't pull off barbules or
trim the hackles like most books show. Grab a hold of both feathers
by the butts, back to back, tie the tips in place, mount up with some
wraps in front, THEN trim.
10. When wrapping wooly bugger hackles, I like to wrap the hackle
from eye back. Just tie in a wire or other ribbing material at the
hook bend, and after you wrap the hackle back, use it to lash it down.
11. When tying pheasant tails, don't worry about legs or wing
cases. I have the testimony of hundreds fish that it doesn't matter.
12. Get a good pair of scissors that you can always keep in your hand.
13. Substitute Poly yarn for hair when tying a Humpy or a parachute
pattern. The fish don't mind, the fly is easier to see and can be
tied much faster.
14. Pinch barbs off at the bench. In the heat of the battle you will
forget on the river until you try to pull the barbed hood out of you
waders or yourself.
