At some point in the fly fisher's life, the question will arise, "Should I buy or tie?" Welcome to Fly Tying for beginners, a "fly tying 101" primer where we aim to educate not only those just beginning fly tying but novices as well. I'm glad you found us. I know you'll be glad you did also.
Every fly fisherman has his or her own reasons for starting into fly tying. Some do it to save money from all the flies left in the trees and shrubs streamside. Others do it to learn more about the life cycles of the flies they like to use. Whatever your reasons, I'm glad you've decided to spend some time with us to learn more about how to tie flies.
My goal is to get you started off on the right foot and to answer some questions most beginners have. I will not try to actually teach you how to tie flies here. There are many websites, books and videos available that are much better at writing than I am. I also highly recommend a hands-on fly tying class. These are offered by many fly shops but I recommend contacting your local chapter of Trout Unlimited to see if they offer any free classes in your area.
I will talk about the tools, materials and supplies needed, some tips, tricks and worthwhile resources and will list the more popular fly patterns/recipes for trout fishing in the eastern U.S.
So let's jump right in and take a look at the basic tools used in fly tying.