At a Glance: Fly Tying

Fly tying is the next step in the evolution of many a fly fisherman (and woman) after learning how to catch fish with a fly rod. After only a year or two, many anglers start wanting to tie their own flies for a few reasons. One of which is to be more connected to the experience and the satisfaction of catching a fish on a fly you tied. Another reason is to match a specific insect, baitfish, or food item more closely in color and size to the local insects and baits, compared to a standard, purchased fly pattern. Of course, one of the best reasons is that fly tying is fun! Creating and fishing your own dry flies, nymphs, and streamers on the trout stream and tying with friends or a club is a great pastime.


You only need a few tools, basic fly tying materials, and threads, along with a couple of styles of hooks, to get started. FishUSA offers fly tying tool kits, complete with vise and tools, and a wide variety of Hooks & Shanks, Materials and Tying Kits, Vises & Accessories, and Tools & Tool Kits to tie some essential trout and steelhead patterns. Fly tyer tool kits are an easy way to get started and take some guesswork out of buying all the items separately. You will then have the required basic tools to create one or two new fly fishing patterns you want to tie as you continue. This way, you can add to your material stash from our extensive selections of high-quality materials.


If you prefer to purchase the essential tools, vise, materials, and hooks separately, we offer many options in the four categories above. The minimum tools required are vise, bobbin, scissors, and a bodkin/half hitch tool. Add a spool of black and brown pink 6/0 thread and the materials and hooks for the pattern you want to tie. We would suggest something like a Sucker Spawn, Gold Rib Hare’s Ear Nymph, or a Black Wooly Bugger. You can find material lists for these easy-to-tie patterns and step-by-step tying instructions by searching online.


For the new and seasoned fly tier, FishUSA’s Fly Tying categories offer a large variety of materials and hooks for all your tying needs. We carry products to tie flies for trout, salmon, bass, pike, muskie, saltwater, and other species. Our buyers tie flies and monitor trends in natural and synthetic materials. We introduce new, innovative items to the product mix regularly. If you can’t find what you need, you can contact us here: https://www.fishusa.com/contact-us.

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